2012-10-17 Billy is the Best

A quick text was sent from Eddie's phone to Billy's about five minutes ago. It was a simple one, just Eddie asking Billy if he could come over tonight and if so, that he'd be in his room. If Billy comes by, he may get a shock. Eddie's laying on his bed looking a little like he should have gone to a doctor instead of dragging himself home. His shirt's torn so that its mostly hanging off his torso and revealing some nasty bruises. He's bleeding from the nose and a split lip and one of his eyes is sporting a shiner. Apparently someone kicked the crap out of him. He's just glad he got in without Thor or Sif seeing him.
Billy Kaplan got the text from his friend and sent back that he could be right over. It was late enough that he had already 'Gone to Bed' and was getting ready to sneak out for a quick patrol when he got the text from Eddie. With a well said spell, and a litte concentration he was gone from his room and standing on the balcony outside Sif and Thor's home in costume. With everyone apparently out he lets hmself in and calls out. "Eddie? It's Billy, you know you have perfect timing..." Billy's voice trails off at the last as he pushes open the door to Eddie's room and sees him laying there. He freezes before rushing over to eddie's side, his lips compressing into a thin tight line. "Eddie? What happened?"
When he hears Billy, Eddie lets his head fall to the side so he's looking to the door when it opens. "Hi, Billy," he offers, raising a hand foro a wave. "Well...I g-g-got beat up."
Billy Kaplan's eyes narrow at Eddie. "Where?" He asks simply. "Followed by why, and who." He is going to wait till he gets the answers before he imakes dcisions on if he is going to heal Eddie and be simpethetic or lecture him or hunt down whom ever did it and make them unhappy that they did.
Eddie Resilver winces when Billy's eyes narrow, feeling the urge to sink into the mattress. "In the city," he sighs, closing his eyes. "By my brother and his friends...and p-p-probably because they're jerks."
Billy Kaplan was not expecting the answer to his question. LIps pursed there is the sound of electricity cracling and the sharp spell of ozone in the room for a long second. He's already made apromise to eddie though about not cursing his family into toads or anything like that, which is a very good thing because it stops Billy from asking the one magic person he knows that would teach him dark arts he could use on Eddie's brother. After that long second he closes his eyes, takes a breath and steps over to Eddie putting a hand on the other teen's shoulder. "IwantEddiehealed, IwantEddiehealed, IwantEddiehealed!" He chants letting his magic wash over him and Eddie in a soothing heaing wave. Once that is done he sits on the bed next to his friend. "Want to talk about it?"
"Please n-no zapping," Eddie asks when he smells the ozone and hears the crackle. He stays quiet after that, just waiting. The touch makes him jump but the healing wave makes him sigh. Once the injuries fade away, he opens his eyes and looks up at Billy. "There's n-not a lot to talk about..."
Billy Kaplan says softly, "I already promised no zapping him." Although, he ever ends up face to face with him good chance he is gonna punch him at the least. WHen Eddie says there is not a lot to talk about Billy just gives him a look. The look is a mix of empathy, understanding, and a lack of belief inw hat Eddie said. He knows there is a whole lot to talk about it, he has been the target of beatings and the like before after all.
Eddie sits up but only long enough to pull off what's left of his shirt. He tosses it towards the corner of the room before flopping back down. "The four of them j-jumped me. I finished my p-p-patrol and I was just starting back here when they grabbed me," he murmurs. "I thought I wouldn't have to d-d-deal with that anymore..."
Billy Kaplan nods at Eddie and then moves so that he is leaning against the headboard of the bed. "So it was after you changed back to civies...well obivously so.." He sais gesturing at the destroyed shirt that eddie tossed in the cornor.
"Yeah," Eddie sighs. Billy is one of the few people he's comfortable enough around to let see him shirtless. "I was j-just plain old Eddie..." he trails off. "Jerks held m-m-me down while the other ones hit me."
Billy Kaplan sighs and nods. He has certainly been there. "Next training phase you do with Thor you need to ask about learning how to fight a group of people all at once." Its about the only thing he can think of, fight them off enough to escape or get into a position he can actaully fight back instead of being held down.
"That's a good idea," Eddie admits. He stays quiet a moment before smiling at Billy. "You're a m-m-much better brother than that jerk Kalvin ever was," he says.
Billy Kaplan grins his eyes softening a bit at Eddie. "Man, anyone would make a better brother than that jerk. Hell, even Kessler would make a better brother than him."
Eddie smiles. "You're still a better one. Than any of them. Especially that Kessler g-guy," he insists, shifting so he's leaning against the headboard too. Falling silent for a moment, he stretches a bit. "Did I tell y-you I'm going to start umm...school again?"
Billy Kaplan grins and lets out another sigh. It's one that he had not even known he was holding. "No, but good. Your decision or did Thor and Sif realize you needed to be in school and set thigns in motion?" He kids a little, mostly because he does nto think Thor would even think that anyone old enough to fight evil would need things like school. "Do you know which school your going to be going too?"
"Well," Eddie runs a hand through his hair. He's going to need a shower later. "Mine...sort of. Hawkeye showed me this place for people that used to be homeless so its um...n-n-not an actual school I guess."
Billy Kaplan nods and grins. "So like home schooling? Is it like online clases or stuff at the learning annex?" Billy asks witha little enthusiasm. "Tried talking the rents into home schooling once. Mom refused, said event he best of them tend to stunt social skills, especailly in the areas of dealing with problematic personalities and conflicts."
"Its classes down at their annex building," Eddie replies. "I um...well home schooling isn't a good idea here," he admits sheepishly. "Couldn't you t-t-take social skill classes?"
Billy Kaplan grins and laughs. "You know, that was my question. Mom gave me The Look, so I dropped the subject." Billy manages to pronounce the capital letters in The Look perfectly and shudders a moment remembering it. "I don't know about home schooling being hard, most of it is stuff you could do yourself get a little help if you need it. Worst part would be having to explain to Sif or THor how to proctor the testing."
Eddie Resilver blinks a few times. "You m-mean its not a teacher coming here?" he asks, innocently lost. "I'm not sure I wouldn't need someone to explain proctor stuff to me."
Billy Kaplan shakes his head. "Exactly how it happens depends. It's either you going online and learning stuff off of a web site, or they send stuff too you. Books to read, teh worksheets and stuff to work on, and books for your parent or whom ever is doing the teaching bit on how to grade the stuff and where to send in your grades."
Eddie Resilver nods slowly. "Oh," he says. "I think j-just going to this place will be better. They um, don't ask questions about stuff. I d-d-don't want to bug Sif or Thor with this kind of thing."
Billy Kaplan shrugs. "You know it would not be a bother to them at all. Probably is better anyway, probably habve people that understand what they are teaching mroe than Thor and Sif might, and who would understand what you have been through."
Nodding, Eddie looks down. He lets out a little sigh. "I still haven't even told them. About why...I was out there. I probably should at s-s-some point, right?"
Billy Kaplan reaches out and rubs on of Eddie's shoulders. "I...yeah probably. But you should do it when your ready...and make sure you can talk Thor down once he hears exactly what your family pu you through..." While he is, on the emotional side at least, more than ready to root for Thor going on a rampage on eddie's family he knows it would be wrong to let it happen. Well, probably be wrong. If nothing else, it would be illegal.
Eddie blinks then goes a little pale. "Maybe I should t-t-tell Sif first and get her to help," because he has no idea how he could talk Thor down.
Billy Kaplan nods and grins. "That might be a good idea. Although, might have to talk her down first too. And you know I am there for you if you want." Honestly, while Thor is more likely to rage Sif is probably the more dangerous one to Eddie's faimly once she finds out. always fear the warrior Godes that is willing to think and plan before she acts.
"I know," Eddie replies with a smile. "I j-just think it'd be easier to talk her down," he says. Even if he's about as afraid of Sif as he is Thor too. "And that's why you're the best, Billy."
Billy Kaplan blushes and shakes his head. "Good maybe, might even make great on a really good day, but Best? Naw, way better people out there than me. Heh, and Sif will be eaiser to talk down...jut have to keep an eye on her and make sure it sticks while you get ready to tell Thor."
"Nope. You're the best," Eddie says with a grin, playfully nudging the other teen. "I think if I ask her to help k-k-keep Thor calm right after I tell her, it might help."
Billy Kaplan nudges Eddie back. "Nope, still little more than good." He shakes his head and then grins and nods at Eddie. "That sounds like a good idea. If you get her to thinking about how to keep Thor calm, and how going after them might be bad for you or even them in the long run...."
"You're the b-best to me," Eddie sticks his tongue out a moment. "Yeah. As much...as it would be nice to see Thor and Sif kick their asses..." he just trails off, shaking his head. He knows it wouldn't be good for anyonee.
Billy Kaplan sticks his tongue out back at Eddie. "Yeah, Thor and Sif getting in trouble for doing it would be bad. It would be a lot better if you went to the cops and they got arrested for assault and long term child abuse...." Billy starts before stoping and shaking his head. He has brought up the idea before and knows already that Eddie is not for the idea.
Eddie Resilver frowns at the mention of the cops. He still doesn't trust them. "I don't know..." he trails off. "I'm n-n-not sure the cops can be trusted. And what if they tried to make me g-go live in some...group home or something?"
Billy Kaplan shakes his head. "They can be, it is what they are there for. Like superheroes, only they don't have our powers or tech like Ironman's armor. Althoug, they might send you to one for a little, but a halfway smart lawyer can prove that a pair of Gods make good guardians. Certainly better ones than are going to be found in a group home."
"I don't know..." Eddie trails off. He's even less sure now that Billy mentions that they might send him away. "I j-j-just...I'm happy here. With you and Sif and Thor..."
Billy Kaplan nods and puts an arm around Eddie and gives him a squeeze. "I know." He has a hard time putting what he is thinking into words, about the fact that there are right ways to do thigns and technicaly that is the right way. Especially since not doing it that if his parents find out where he is living could make things a whole lot worse if they want to make his life hell. Then again, a few more years he will be 18 and then they could go suck eggs because there is nothing they could do about it if they don't find out till then.
Eddie leans into the squeeze, thinking for a moment. "What...what if I got myself legally emancipated? he asks eventually."I was...t-t-talking to a lawyer the other day about it..."
Billy Kaplan nods at Eddie with a grin. "That would work too. Although, going to the cops and showing them..." He gestures lightly at eddie's chest and his scarst here briefly before putting his hand back ath is side. "Telling them about why you left would be a big part of getting yourself emancipated."
"And that w-would...keep them from trying to send me away?" Eddie asks hopefully. "I c-c-could get them arrested but still stay here with all of you and keep being Axiom?"
Billy Kaplan sighs. "I realy don't know for sure. The thing is the state would want to put you in someone's care till you are legaly emancipated, and the first place would be a group home." He does not want Eddie to be afraid of coming forward or decide against it but he knows somethings work that way. "But if you had a lawyer first, and all the paperwork to get someone else listed as temperary guardians...probably not more than a day or two."
Eddie Resilver sighs too. "Letting you or Thor zap them is suddenly sounding a lot m-m-m-more appealing," he mutters. He doesn't trust any of the whole government system set up in the least bit. He's been hurt by it all too many times already.
Billy Kaplan has nothign really to say to that, because really he has felt like zapping eddie's family since he learned anythigna bout them. "Then again, I don't really know anything about it. What you eed to is to talk to someone that does. Someone that might be able to make it so that you won't have to ever go back to them or go to a group home."
"Any ideas who a g-g-good person to talk to about that might be?" Eddie asks, that ever-present bit of hope still in his voice.
Billy Kaplan thinks for a moment. "Someone that does a lot of the family law stuff. I...the only person I could think of to talk to would be Mom. She knows people and would be able to find the right lawyer and get the right people to talk too. That, or join SHIELD and get one of thier lawyers to deal with it." He trys to inject a little levity into the conversation with a joke, event hough as jokes go that would be an idea to keep in mind.
Eddie's thinking more about talking to Billy's mom now. Just as he's about to comment, Billy mentions SHIELD and Eddie just stares at him. "I d-d-don't think they'd want me..."
Billy Kaplan snerks and laughs. "Yeah, your wrong about that. You have massive great skills, know how to handle yourself in a crisses, are great in a team, and your powers make you perfect to have as partof any powered team.."
"Yeah but I'm t-t-too...against the government stuff and they're UN but still," Eddie pouts. "Besides, I look bad in their uniforms..."
Billy Kaplan grins and moves so he can look over Eddie. "I don't know, you mgiht look pretty good in the SHIELD uniform. Besides, have you seen the lists of heroes that are rumored to actaully work for them? Or even looked at half of what is said about SHIELD's director? I think being anti-government would make you fit in there."
Blushing, Eddie shakes his head. "No, I mimicked one of their agents once and the uniform just felt...weird," he squirms. "Maybe," he murmurs, rubbing the back of his head.
Billy Kaplan shrugs a little. "Uniforms always feel weird till you get used to them. My costume felt really strange the first few dozen times i wore it out." He gestures at the costume he wears as Wiccan, which he is still wearing, before shrugging again. "Most of the heroes rumored to work with them get to use thier own costumes anyway. Only time you would probably not get to wear your costume is when they need you in one of those black suits they always wear."
"Really?" Eddie peers curiously at Wiccan's costume. "When I f-f-first wore mine after you made it for me, it just felt...right. Like I should h-have been wearing it all along," he says. Its then that he realizes he's still shirtless and blushes again. "I should get dressed," he says, rolling off the bed to retrieve a new shirt.
Billy Kaplan shrugs once more and looks off into space a second. "It didn't at first, but nothing ever does...feel right that is, not right away. I have always kinda...not felt right in my own skin, not when I am alone..." There is a hint of something in his voice, not sadness not loss but something just a little hallow. "Or at least almost all the time, there were a couple of times that were different..." Like when he first used his powers, the first time he really flew, and back when he was little and pretended to have a twin.
Once he's got a shirt on (Iron Man!) Eddie returns to the bed. He sits next to Wiccan again and puts an arm around him whne he notices the hollowness. "C-can I help? Help you t-t-to feel better?"
Billy Kaplan shakes his head and turns to look at Eddie with a smile on his face. "No, its not like that. I don't feel bad or anything just sometimes like I am not me or something like that."
Eddie Resilver tilts his head to the side, confused. "Who do you feel like then?" he asks. He's still trying to see if there's anything he can do to help.
Billy Kaplan shrugs at Eddie and gives him his best smile. "I don't know. I...just not me." He shrugs and can't really describe what it is like to feel like you are not you, or not in your right body.
Eddie Resilver thinks a moment before giving Billy a quick hug. "Well. Right now you're my b-best friend so let's stick with that," he says. There's a pause. "Were you g-g-going on patrol?"
Billy Kaplan grins and leans into Eddie with a nod. "That, works for me. That feels right enough. and yeah, I was getting ready to go for patrol when you texted so I decided to jump here after sneaking out."
Eddie Resilver smiles. "Um. Think it would be okay if I suited b-back up and went with you?"
Billy Kaplan grins and laughs while jumping up off the bed. "Would I be okay with it? It would be great, always better doing a patrol with someone else along. More eyes to watch for things and all."
Grinning, Eddie jumps off the bed too...only to faceplant onto the floor. He pops back up quickly and moves to grab his backpack. "Great! I'll b-b-be right back out," he says, ducking into the bathroom to get changed.
Billy Kaplan laughs at Eddie and moves to help him up as he does the face plant. "Heh, sure this is going to be fun. I will meet you in the living room" He says smiling as he heads out to the living area to wait on Eddie.
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