selfhelp | [Voice/Action]

[Okay, so. Post-draft, he's given himself a few days of seclusion and bed-rest (apparently being infected with a zombie virus is exhausting), and even Billy can freely admit to himself that he's been pretty depressed lately, a fact for which he feels no shame considering that depression was well and truly earned. One can only spend so much time fretting, moping, and dwelling on one's own misery for so long, however, and today? He's decided that enough is enough. Billy will be going out today, limping around the village and visiting the people who were on the draft whose fate he's still uncertain of. The ones he can't find or has no reason to actually visit, he'll check with a light location spell, and he'll spend a few hours at Seventh Heaven people-watching out the window while he doodles in a book that Teddy had given him containing a series of patterns (much like this) that resemble inkblogs, and bit by bit Billy's turning them into something like this instead. It's been a tiring week, though, so you could always catch him napping on the table, instead.

At some point he'll attempt to find Peter, and when both a location spell and a teleport fails, he tries to teleport to the apartment he'd been staying at instead, finding it almost completely emptied. All he manages to dig up is a small cartridge that, after a moment of scrutiny, he identifies as a web fluid cartridge. His fanboyish glee at the discovery is tempered by the fact that the empty apartment means one more piece of bad news.

After his visits and window-watching is done, he'll return home to make the announcement, along with one more message-]

Hey out there... just wanted to let his friends know that Peter Parker went home. So... sorry. Yeah.

[Locked to Loki]

...We still on for tomorrow, or do you want to take a break? Because... you know. [Draft. Awfulness all around. He wouldn't blame Loki if he wanted to take a week off.

Later on in the evening he'll be over at Ben's barbeque, if anyone wants to bother him while he's there.]

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[She may have been in better shape those who had returned later than she had but when Selphie spotted Billy people-watching from inside Seventh Heaven's kitchen and figured that he could use a little pick-me-up. She'll wander further into the kitchen, grab a bowl and spoon a couple scoops of chicken soup into a bowl. She'll add a smaller bowl of Goldfish crackers and a spoon onto a tray as she makes her way over to the brooding boy and place the items in front of him.]

Penny for your thoughts, Billy?

Edited 2012-11-05 02:25 (UTC)

[He glances up at the voice, brows lifting, and manages a faint smile. Chicken soup, smells like. And Goldfish! Wow, there's a real blast from the past.]

Mm... if you could conjure up a penny, I'd be really impressed. It's nothing serious, though- just keeping an eye out for familiar faces.

I think I'll leave the conjuring up to the more seasoned professionals. It's not really my strong point, if you get my drift.

[She'd recently discovered Goldfish in the grocery store and had somehow smuggled a hefty supply of them into the kitchen. She'd fallen in love with them but she'll take a seat across from Billy with a knowing smile.]

On the lookout for Draftees, then. There's been a few coming in but I think most are staying in bed at the moment. It was pretty bad out there.

[The soup looks hot and it's rude to slurp with company, but Goldfish are hard to resist, so he'll help himself to a few of those first. Mmm, sinfully good cheese crackers.]

Yeah, uh... definitely noticed that. I'm just keeping an eye out for the people I know.

Well in that case, I'll just have to keep you company for a bit. And if you want anything else, just lemme know and I'll go grab it for you.

[Selphie's heard things than slurping since she started working in Seventh Heaven so she wouldn't mind at all.]

So how are you doing?

This is plenty, thanks. I didn't even have to order.

[Goldfish are addicting, though.]

I'm... somewhere between okay and bad, I guess. Not leaning one way or another at the moment.

A lot of people look like they'd benefit from some comfort food and a friendly face. Maybe a cup of coffee or two to boot.

[Selphie knows that feel, Billy.]

Aaaaah, not sure what to think then. Take your time, I say. You'll figure it out in the end.

I usually do, eventually. It just kind of sucks, feeling like this in the meantime.

[Well, it's not like he doesn't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing by now.]

It's how we all cope though. We need to be down a little bit and it gives us time to think things through, to reflect. So it's okay to feel like that but don't let it keep you down forever.

[She's had to learn the hard about that herself so she can relate to how he's feeling.]

It's hard but sometimes it's the only thing to do.

...Well, how do you cheer yourself up when you're down?

[She sure seems peppy today.]

[Sometime's that pep is a carefully constructed front but today isn't one of those days.]

All sorts of things really. Sometimes, I bring up places from home and just sit there. Other times, I might curl up in the chair in my room with a book. I have my friends to hang out with too but it really all depends on what's happening.

What about you? How do you cheer yourself up?

Mm... books and comics for me, and spending time with Teddy. I've done a lot of drawing lately, since I've got so much free time. [He gives his sketchbook a little tap.] I used to do it out by the fountain, but it's too cold for that now.

It is a bit chilly these days isn't it? You like to draw? Can I see some of your sketches sometime?

You can see them now, if you want.

[He slides the sketchbook towards her, picking up the spoon and starting on his soup at last before it gets too cold. The sketchbook is full of designs like the one linked above, as well as random villager profiles and super heroes.]

[She picks up the book carefully as she begins to flip through the pages with caution. She didn't want to rip any of the pages as her eyes widen in surprise at them all. Some of them look like inkblots to her but others are slowly transforming into miniature gardens. She smiles warmly at the profiles of other villagers, possibly even recognizing one or two of them in the process.]

Billy, these are really, really, really, a thousand really good!

[His brows lift mid-bite, chewing on a bit of chicken before he responds curiously.]

That's a lot of "reallys".

That just means that I really like what I see.

How's the soup?

[He glances down, then smiles faintly, swishing the spoon around in it a little.]

It's great, actually- just what I needed. Did you make it?

I might have, but I'd have to feed you until you burst to keep the secret safe.

I'm glad you like it.

What, you're not allowed to be a good cook?

I am, just more at home than at work. I do help out in the kitchen when someone's sick though. Otherwise, I'm one of Sanji's waitresses. But sometimes, you just bring people stuff because they look like they need a friend.

Well, I definitely appreciate it. Nothing quite like chicken noodle soup to cheer up with.

You're welcome, Billy! I've got a little something in mind that might help cheer people up even more but that ones going to be a total surprise.

What, first you cheer me up and then you tease me with something like that? Unfair.

Well, I suppose I could make it fair if you were interested in helping out?

[Action]

selfhelp - 2012-11-28 18:52 (UTC) - Expand

selphie_t - 2012-11-29 04:09 (UTC) - Expand

selfhelp - 2012-11-30 08:30 (UTC) - Expand

Re: [Action]

selphie_t - 2012-12-01 23:31 (UTC) - Expand