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[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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[Ahaha... ha...]

...Well. You know what they say- no news is good news.

[In short? No Young Avengers to be found, or anyone else for that matter. And after the last draft, much as he misses them, he's glad of it.]

[Tony doesn't say anything, and Pepper hopes it's a good sign. He's been so worried, devoting all of his time to taking care of her. It's wonderful, but Pepper knows it can't go on too long.]

It's only just starting though. [For better or for worse. It's still entirely possible for more people from their worlds to arrive.]

[Tony can sympathize with Billy's words - the less people dragged here, ones they knew? The better. Especially consider what they all just had the special privilege of being a part of.]

Can't count our chickens before they hatch, now, can we?

I'm just glad we made it back here. I never thought I'd be happy to see the place again, or... that I'd call it home.

[But he's said it a few times already, this week in particular- to flop down into bed and cuddle up with Teddy, to eat a decent, freshly-cooked meal instead of rations, to wake up in his bedroom instead of a dingy barracks in three-day-old clothes.

You can't fake relief like that.]

[Clichés become clichés for a reason, and Pepper briefly meets Tony’s eyes.  Even without the draft they’d all just endured, the arrival of one particular individual had been a weight all its own:  Loki.  Looking back on it all, it’s hard for her to say that only two months have gone by.  There are other people she can think of too, maybe not as powerful, but who could be as devastating to their lives all the same.

What Billy says next isn’t an unfamiliar thought, although it’s one Pepper hasn’t spoken.  She’s felt much the same since they got back, but it’s hard not to see that emotion as a defeat somehow.  When Tony and Jane both are going to work so hard on a way to escape, when people are already being tortured for it—isn’t it wrong to think of the place they’re trying to flee from as home?]

I didn’t either.  [Pepper looks at the ground when she says it, quietly.  Like a confession.]

[Tony meets Pepper's glance, and he knows she is thinking the same thing as him. He always knew dangerous individuals from their world showing up could be a possibility. But it hadn't been a reality until Loki showed up. Who could be next?

Then he watches her look down after her quiet admission, and he can't help but feel utterly conflicted at that notion: home. This wasn't home. Far from it. But it had felt like it since he was able to bring Pepper back here, somewhere safe where she could recover comfortably.]

Funny how perspectives change like that.

[He'd have to be blind to miss that exchange, and with it comes an intense feeling that he's missed something very important here. He glances from one to the other, then back again, brows furrowing.

Maybe he shouldn't stay too long; it's sort of like he's invading whatever's changed here.]

Um... right. I'm glad you guys are okay, though. [He pauses, then adds warily,] You are, right? Okay?

[And he means more than just physically; something's definitely weird. Or at least different.]

[Does Tony feel it too? Pepper has to wonder, and she reaches over to touch his hand. But it isn't just them, and when Billy speaks up, asks if they're okay, she offers him a smile.]

We're getting there. I'm still on bedrest until tomorrow. Or couchrest, as the case may be.

[Physically is easy to answer; she's got a doctor's words for that. The rest--Pepper really doesn't know where to begin when it comes to everything else. But maybe the way that she curls her fingers around Tony's might be a clue.]

[The warmth and curl of her fingers bring reassurance, even if he knows exactly what Pepper is trying to say with her gesture. It's not all about her physical state. There was other damage that had to scab and scar, too.]

So - nothing to get your spandex tights in a twist over. [Said with a teasing curb, but it's well meaning. He doesn't want Billy to worry more than he already is. Damn kid had his own issues to deal with.]

Spandex doesn't twist, it bunches.

[It's honestly the only response he can think up on the spot to that one. His eyes are on their hands, and it finally clicks, what exactly is different. They'd been together before. They'd been dating.

This isn't dating.

Huh.]

Um... congratulations. [A pause, and then, as his eyes lift to focus on the ceiling instead.] On, you know. Getting back safe.

[Riiiiight.]

...The perils of being a modern day superhero.

[Pepper laughs, despite the heavy conversation they'd been having. The way Billy informs them of the difference leaves her with no doubt he's had to deal with that particular problem.

She's a little surprised when he offers congratulations, and when he stares up at the ceiling. She follows his gaze upward, then looks back down at him. Somehow she doesn't think that's what he's saying it because they're safe.

But it is true that something very good did happen during that draft.]

Thank you. And you too.

[That obvious, huh? Not that he minds, somehow, that Billy has gotten a glimpse into something that was so personal to them. He gives Pepper's hand a gentle squeeze - he knew what was in her thoughts.]

Right. And you'll be back at work - when? [There, an appropriate shift on conversation.]

And so soon after I was outright banned from even trying to work! I'm shocked.

[He glances around, relaxed and kind of relieved to have a different topic to focus on. He'll need time for the sudden fluff in the room to sink in.]

The house doesn't seem to be falling apart without me, anyway. Maybe I should retire.

[She's tempted to give Billy a little hint of that moment as she meets Tony's eyes, feels his fingers tightening around hers. But a meaningful look and silent certainty will do, especially since both eager to change the topic of conversation.]

Me too. Tony held out a good five minutes longer than I thought he would. [Pepper grins mischievously, at least until Billy threatens retirement.]

Oh please don't. I don't know how long his housekeeping phase will last.

[He manages an easy grin.] It was probably doomed before it started, to be honest. It's not exactly my thing - and I will happily concede that.

[Cherish this moment. It is not often that Tony admits he isn't perfect at something.]

Mm... alright, I'm convinced. Maybe next week- I think most of the village will be back and feeling normal again by then, so I should be good to go.

[Unless Teddy demands less work and more recovery, but he doubts that. It's just a leg bite, not the end of the world.]

[No, it really doesn’t happen often. Then again, it’s mitigated by the fact that housework is something Tony hates to do anyway—which makes the fact that he’s been working so hard at it all the sweeter.

Still, Pepper will be glad to have Billy back at it too, and not only for the sake of her house.]

Only if you’re feeling up to it. The laundry isn’t worth pushing yourself too hard for your own good.

[Though truth be told, she hopes Billy’s right about his estimate; she’s starting to feel restless herself.]

[You're a saint, Billster.]

We wouldn't want you passing out in our laundry pile. That'd just be awkward. Honestly.

[Code for not until you're absolutely ready, bro. But if that's sooner rather than later, he won't argue.]

[Only with people he really likes, good sir.]

Maybe if it was clean laundry. Nothing quiet like cozying up on a pile of clean sheets right out of the dryer.

[And he totally hasn't done that with your sheets ever.]

[Of course he hasn’t. Pepper’s totally buying that—followed promptly by her purchase of a nearly new, only slight used Battle Dome from the Malnosso.]

Joking aside, if you really get that tired, you know we have beds you can use.

Provided you make them when you're finished napping.

[Joking. Mostly.]

Oh geez, that's kind of invasive, isn't it? "Hi, I'm here to have a nap in your house!" It's not like I live here.

[Don’t even pretend you aren’t serious, Tony.

Billy’s reply gets a genuine laugh out of Pepper.] Well, I meant if you needed to catch a nap while you were working. But I think it’s safe to say you’re welcome over here pretty much any time you’d like to visit.

[He agreed with Pepper, but Tony being Tony, can't just agree outright.]

What she said.

[Wow, all jokes aside, this is astonishingly touching, especially coming from Mr. Cynical himself. Billy's brows are lifted when he responds.]

Noted- for those rare occasions when I'm too sleepy to teleport myself home. But when I start inviting myself to sleepovers with Iron Man you'll regret it.

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