selfhelp | [Voice/Action]

[Today is a good day for serious business, apparently. There's a certain something he's been putting off for a while, and after one-too-many dreams interrupting his sleep, he's had enough: this morning when Billy wakes up, the first thing he does is jot out a note in the journal-]

[Private to Ben Grimm]

Hey, would it be okay if I swung by to ask you a few things?

[He'll work through his morning routine until he gets a response, after which he'll go for a visit and get a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.

After that, his mood for the day is drastically altered; he'll skip out on school, trying to sort out his feelings on the matter. Tommy's still AWOL, and he's trying not to worry Teddy, but what he's just been told has really got him thinking- about people, and heroes, and the unfairness of mankind in general. And eventually he'll just go ahead and return to his journal for it. He's kind of in over his head here.]

[Open to All]

I know Luceti's full of heroes- seems kind of a standard trait for most of us, for whatever reason. Back on my world, super-humans aren't that uncommon, and in general they're revered for everything they do for the world. Some of them were born that way, and some of them are from other planets, and some were altered to get their powers, and some have a lot of talent or skill instead of powers. But they're all considered to be super heroes. There's bad guys, too- just as diverse and unique as the heroes they fight. People fear them and celebrate their defeat.

There's another group, though... humans who got their powers because of evolution. It's much more natural, in a lot of ways. Some are heroes, some are villains. Some are just trying to get by without becoming one or the other. But regular humans fear them, and hate them for it, even if they save the world just as much as the heroes they love. They're called criminals or monsters, no matter how innocent they might be.

[He hesitates- it's probably obvious to some, what he's talking about, and he's not sure if he should lock it from the mutant population, or apologize, or something, but it relates to them even if it's not by name. Hiding it wouldn't be right.

In the end he just leaves it be.]

...Sorry for the ramble. But it's not fair, and... I just can't understand why. Why hate one and love the other, when they're basically the same?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Billy nuzzles a bit closer, his gaze focused on Teddy's shirt. The closeness is comfort enough that his voice is more steady now, but there's a degree of unhappiness in his voice that comes from more than just the story he heard.]

I didn't want to ask. I think... it was really hard for him, whatever happened in that alternate reality. I just got the basics and left it at that. I... didn't want to hurt him.

[Not in exchange for telling him something he didn't have to share. His fist clenches in the material of Teddy's shirt, though- there's still so many unanswered questions, and he has no one left to ask. It's frustrating.]

Mm. That was the best thing to do.

[Even if this just leads to so many more unanswered questions. He's kind of proud, really, that Billy stopped and held his questions in. He turns his head enough to press a kiss to Billy's hairline, the nuzzles his nose against the strands. Now that it's on Teddy's mind, he knows it'll be there for a while; not just how and why it happened, but everything surrounding it as well.

Even so, he knows that Billy's probably feeling twice as much. He starts to rub Billy's arm gently while he lowers his head to touch foreheads with his boyfriend.]

Do you need the day off? I can stay here with you. [School's pretty soon and all. But they still have a little time to talk about this, at least.]

[Billy mulls that over for a long moment, then shakes his head, forcing himself to sit up and give his boyfriend a steady look, lips pursing.]

No... you should go. I know I won't be able to focus on anything today, but I'm okay, otherwise. Honest. [He attempts a smile, and even manages a half-decent one, if a little short-lived.] Besides, I'll need somebody to take notes.

[As scary and overwhelming as this news is, he doesn't want to spend the entire day moping around and being coddled by Teddy. It's tempting (and it sounds lovely) but it's also an invitation to make a habit of just that, and if he's learned anything from his mother - both of them, actually - it's that hiding from your problems solves nothing. He needs to think it through, deal with it, and get on with his life.

Curling up in his bedroom with Teddy is just one way of hiding, and... well, he does that enough already.]

[Teddy looks at him steadily for a moment, as if to see if there's a sign that Billy's just trying to wave him off so that he won't worry too much.

But he seems satisfied by what he sees, because he gives a smile in return, warm and supportive, and rests a hand against his cheek. That's his boy.]

Is that all I've been reduced to? Your personal note taker?

[Billy can't really help it- he tilts his head into the touch, eyes closing for a long moment, one hand lifting to curve his fingers around Teddy's wrist as if to hold him there. The temptation to ask him to stay rises to the surface of his mind again, but he quells it stubbornly.]

Not all. You're also chef, masseuse, errand-boy, bed warmer... I could go on.

[He turns his head enough to press a light kiss against Teddy's palm, eyes opening again.]

The official job title is "best boyfriend ever", for the record.

Hey, no fair. That's your job.

[Still, he caresses Billy's cheekbone with his thumb, and then leans in to press a chaste kiss to his lips. He does want to stay and talk, to tell Billy it'll be okay, that he's here... But he tell himself that it's better to let Billy think about it, digest it, maybe get input from other people. He can't always stroke his hair and ensure that everything's fine, after all.

Even if he'd like to.]

I should go. Do you want me to bring anything back for you? Besides notes.

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