selfhelp | [action / voice] backdated to the 16th

[Billy wakes up for the first time since the portal drama feeling nauseous, exhausted, and heartsick: sort of like waking from a long nightmare, only he can't recall dreaming at all. Instead of being at home in his own world and his own bed, he's still in Luceti, and what's worse is that he's alone. His magic doesn't seem to be working, either. Panic sets in, and... well...

After a bit of trouble-at-home, and a resolution that leaves him feeling even more weary, the reality of his (or rather, their) situation really sinks in: the portal didn't work. And while none of the people involved in the execution of said plan are in any great state of being today, he seems to be the only one who's up and talking and available to explain the situation to the general public (at least, to those who didn't witness what a spectacular disaster it was), and that leaves announcing it up to him.

Unfortunately.

He delays it as much as he feels that he can, perusing the journal in the desperate hope that someone else has done it for him, then wondering if it would be better to wait for someone more in-the-know to do it, until finally he steps up to the plate. Now or never.]

...Hey everyone. I'm sure a lot of you already heard, but for those that haven't, Tony and Jane's big escape portal didn't work. It kind of backfired yesterday, and...

[His voice trails off in the beginnings of a more distraught tone, so he pauses to compose himself.]

Nobody died? I mean, we've got that going for us. For what it's worth. But no one went home, either. The whole thing was a bust. No point in even keeping it a secret anymore.

One last thank you to everybody who gave up their mission points to get parts for it, though. I don't think it was a waste or anything - I mean, trying's better than sitting around and doing nothing, and something definitely happened, so we at least pushed a few of their buttons - but...

[Ugh, why did he think this was a good idea?]

...sorry it wasn't what we thought it would be. That's all.

[After that he really just wants to curl up in bed and pretend to be unconscious for the next several days, but that's not particularly responsible, so he'll have to settle for making it a few hours instead. It's the little things in life.]

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[Pfft. Cute, Sora. Very cute.]

Yeah, my boyfriend. We're just trying to relax, though, don't worry about it.

Yes, as all is not lost.

You can learn what went wrong and try again with the knowledge gained from the previous attempt or try to find other means in finding a way back home.

[Gotta love the aderpable protag.]

Hm, I see.

[He pauses for awhile before he decides:]

When you're up for it, do you want to go ice skating or something sometime? Before all the ice melts I mean.

[It was one way to get the poor guy off his problems.]

You use magic, too? [ This perks her interest. There are many kinds of magic on Luceti, including a type local to the area. It would be nice to figure out who does what. ]

[Seems like the outcome's worse than he thought. But at least, as Billy himself had said, no one died. It's something to be thankful for.]

It's a start. I appreciate it.

[Perhaps it's too soon to seek Jane or Tony out. If they're both injured, than their time may be better spent recovering than being pressed for answers. This can't be an easy pill to swallow.]

I suppose it does. Anything I can do?

Yeah. There's that... which I mean, if it messed up, at least there's that.

I don't mind at all. Give me a little while, and then I'll be back.

[Checking up on them and getting some other things done in the interim might be good for her, too. True to her word, Mia returns to her journal a short while later.]

Billy?

Yeah, every little bit.

[...]

I'm sorry it didn't work.

[Teddy pauses, just for a second, before he completes his motion of grabbing three eggs and placing them gently in the bowl.]

They'll be okay. They're in the clear, at least. Still unconscious, but okay.

[He grabs a whisk, then heads back to Billy.] I was with Pepper for a while at the clinic, actually. You were still out like a light.

[Truth be told, he really wanted to be there with him, even with Billy's assurances. But he practically promised Pepper, and he couldn't even imagine her state of mind.]

...Okay. Good. That's good.

[He relaxes a little, smiling again. As long as he knows that they're alive and safe, he can rest easy for the moment.]

I'm glad you were there. She probably needed the company.

[Since he's got nothing better to do today than mope around in bed, he's quick to respond.]

Hey, Mia.

Do you know anything about trans-dimensional portals?

[He's mostly just being sassy, a helpless defense mechanism.]

Oh, uh, yeah. I'm kind of a witch.

[Usually, anyway. When it's actually working.]

There isn't much to tell you. They are both sleeping, and probably will be for some time. With enough rest and time they should both recover just fine. [She has a few details, if Billy should ask after them, but she doesn't want to upset him accidentally.] Pepper is here, with Mr. Stark, but she might not feel up to a conversation yet.

Nope. Not unless you need me to shoot whatever's coming out of it.

[It's not as if she doesn't understand some of the theory behind it but a working model? That's a bit beyond her area of expertise so far. At least on her own. It's not exactly something she'd known she'd need to read up on before arriving here.

Instead, she returns with a hint of wry sass of her own.]

We can give them a visit later, if you want to. After you've slept a bit.

[Because Billy looks like he could use another full day of sleep, and Teddy kind of needs it too, what with waking up way earlier than he's used to to do this. Right now, he sets the bowl and the whisk down in front of Billy, and once his hands are free, leans in to run his hand through his boyfriend's hair and bump his forehead against his own.]

Right now, just get to mixing. [He leans back after that, heading to the stove again.] While I cook up the most unkosher bacon.

[Billy lets the touch linger as long as he can get it, watching Teddy head back to the stove for a long moment before he looks to the bwl he'd been given, getting to work with the mixing as instructed.

But not before one last quiet comment:]

You really are the best boyfriend in the world.

[He really, really needed this.]

[That's probably all he really needs to hear to relax, anyway. Too many details will just get his head spinning with the state he's in.]

Thanks... that's fine, I don't want to bother her. Just knowing they're getting better is good enough for me.

Ice skating? O-oh god. That's probably not a good idea.

[If nothing else, he's got Billy distracted by his own embarrassment.]

I don't, uh. Really know how. I mean, I'm terrible at it.

Yeah... thanks, Rin. Sorry I couldn't give you some better news.

Can I see? [ Magic types are SO COOL you have no idea ] If you don't mind, that is.

Yeah, no problem.

[At least he can offer little things like this, for what it's worth.]

[Not a good idea, wouldn't couldn't be a good idea about skating?

And then Billy said it.

Well...]

So? We can learn together. I've never skated in my life either.

C'mon, it'd be fun.

Another chance'll come up; I'm sure of it. [He had to remain hopeful.] But don't worry about it right now.

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