The Day After - For WearingtheStars

[helpdesk_hero]

He knows it the second he wakes up. Because there's this void in his head. Can't explain it, can only say it's wrong. As deeply wrong as anything has ever been in his life. Of course the only reason he even woke up was because of all of the shouting. The fear and the pain. And David swallows hard because he's reaching and there's nothing.

Which is what gets him grabbing at his jeans and a t-shirt, throwing himself out of the room, barely even acknowledging Josh as the gold-skinned idiot wakes up. No, his concern is the room across the hall. Is pushing past people so he can pound on it. Billy.

"Billy!" he shouts through the door. He should have fought harder when Emma found out they were dating. He shouldn't have let people change their rooms. He should be in there, knowing if Billy is feeling this same emptiness too.

An emptiness that can't just be David, because he thinks he just saw a girl that used to have purple skin and horns walk by. Without either of those.

"Billy, open up! Dammit, Jay, if you're in there, open the door, I need to see Billy."

Comments

[wearingthestars]

[It would probably be best, anyone who steps foot in David's room is going to know what they've been up to in about two seconds. Billy sits up, trying to straighten up and make it a little less obvious how they've been occupying themselves.]

I didn't hurt you with the sparks, did I?

[helpdesk_hero]

[Yeah, so that's going to be a thing. Hopefully Josh keeps his mouth shut.]

No. It... it felt good.

[wearingthestars]

[They may need to resort to some bribery.

Billy's lips quirk a little in curious amusement.]

Yeah? Good to know.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Dammit, David feels like he's turning red. So he rolls away and starts to change into a full set of clothes. he needs a shower, bad. They both do.]

You're just amazing, Billy.

[wearingthestars]

[Laughing softly, Billy looks pleased with that flush, and stretches, before he moves to figure out where he pants got it. He gives a soft snort at David's praise, but his smile grows.]

Well, I gotta keep up with you.

[helpdesk_hero]

I'm not sure you were the one that had to keep up there.

[wearingthestars]

In the amazing department? Please. That's all you. You're just rubbing off on me.

[Oh...accidental pun. He gives a bit of a laugh, cheeks growing pink.]

[helpdesk_hero]

Oh god. You just said that.

[Because Billy actually made that statement. That's terrible.]

You're a terrible person and I love you.

[wearingthestars]

I really did. Who even am I?

[He laughs and grins happily.]

I love you too, David.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Love is wonderful. David pulls the man into his arms. And it's good. Beyond good.]

You're just so wonderful to me.

[wearingthestars]

[Billy's mind is ready to offer up all kinds of counterpoints, and though he flushes with a doubtful sort of look, he's mostly stopped voicing that sort of negative stuff, with David's help.]

You're my favourite person, you deserve every bit of it.

[helpdesk_hero]

So do you. Now go grab a shower.

[He grabs a towel from his closet and throws it at Billy? Gesturing to the joined bathroom.]

[wearingthestars]

[He laughs and mostly catches the towel, fumbling a bit, and he tries to cover it with a sort of salute.]

Be safe-

[Not that anything should happen in the space it takes Billy to shower, but...it seems appropriate lately.]

[helpdesk_hero]

What am I going to do? I'm in my room.

[He smiles and waves Billy away before turning his attention to some of the classwork he has. Sure, there is no chance it's going to be due, but he has to do SOMETHING.]

[wearingthestars]

[Billy shrugs, giving him a pointed teasing look that suggested David could still find a way.

Once he's shut away in the bathroom that anxious feeling starts to return, though he tries to push it away, ducking under the spray of the water and letting it drown out his thoughts.

When he reemerges some time later to find David working he smiles fondly.]

You really can't take a day off, can you?

[helpdesk_hero]

What else am I supposed to do?

[David sighs and closes his laptop.]

I'm at a loss.

[wearingthestars]

[That earns a sympathetic look, and Billy goes to give him a quick, reassuring kiss, hair still damp, ends curling.]

...We'll be okay. We just have to get through today. Then we can worry about what comes next.

[helpdesk_hero]

Each day. One step at a time.

[David smiles through the kiss and then gestures for Billy to dress.]

Give me a few minutes to take a quick shower. Then we need to go talk to someone about what is happening to you.

[wearingthestars]

[Right. He nods with a flush. Not that it probably still won't be obvious what they've been up to, but being properly dressed will definitely give them the best shot of avoiding suspicion.]

Take your time.

[And Billy at least is comfortable enough in David's room to amuse himself while he's gone, flipping through his phone. He opts for games over browsing the internet, avoiding whatever news might be out there.]

[helpdesk_hero]

[David isn't even ten minutes before he's back, wrapped in a towel and heading right for his dresser.]

I think Emma might not be a good place to start. She's going to be SUPER busy. I'd want Beast but he's going to have it bad too. I'm thinking... Kitty?

[wearingthestars]

Kitty seems like a good bet.

[Billy still looks a little anxious about bothering any of them with this, but it gives David something to focus on that's less...terrifying. And he's not wrong, it needs to be told.]

[helpdesk_hero]

[And Kitty never directly fought Wanda, so if there was a connection... Maybe she wouldn't take that as immediately bad. So David finishes up dressing and once he's all tidied up he offers his arms to Billy.]

Hey, this will be okay.

[wearingthestars]

[Accepting it with a soft smile, Billy tries to feel as sure as David sounds. It can't end that badly, even in the worst case scenario, right?]

I know. I just wish if I was going to develop some kind of secondary mutation I could have had better timing.

[helpdesk_hero]

Come on, hun. Something about this timing? It's right. I believe that.

[Something about this is going to be a blessing. He hopes.]

[wearingthestars]

[David inspires a surprising amount of confidence, and Billy really wants to believe him. Especially now. Maybe this is something he can use to help in the end.]

...Maybe.

[And for now he lets himself really believe it, smiling and giving a more sure nod.]