Welcome to Gaia! ::

Billy knew he deserved all that hate, even if each time the word was spoken he physically winced. Even as a child all he had wanted was praise, attention, and to be acknowledged. His parents sure never did any of that. In turn, he fashioned an armor to show off and make sure everyone knew that he was the best. Now he realized he was only good at making others hate him.

They were both crazy.

Both a little 'touched in the head.'

But so long as they had each other, what did that matter?

When Ladon told him that the loved him, that was when Billy brought one hand up and gently brushed his knuckles along the boy's jaw until his hand reached the bow that held Ladon's own mask in place. With a tug, it was gone, and the lacquered pine clacked as it hit the stone ground. Then Billy's lips met Ladon's with a tenderness that had not been characteristic of other kisses they'd shared in the past.

Once Billy found the willpower to break away he smiled and just seemed entirely relieved.

"How about we ditch this place and I take you to dinner?"

Although places were bound to be busy - Valentines day an' all - Billy was sure they could find someplace. Besides, Ladon looked like he could use a good meal. It was more tactful than going straight to Billy's apartment, anyway. There were connotations there that he didn't want to touch on. Billy wasn't going to rush things. Whatever they had was too fragile at the moment to be too careless with.

Leaving the masquerade, they took to the city. Much more peaceful than Destiny City, Billy had an easy time of collecting energy here. The only senshi that showed up tended to be newbies who had just been awakened, looking to flee from their unwanted new reality. Incapacitating them and....'dispatching' then from this world was rather easy. Billy felt that dispute not being on the home front most of the time anymore, he was still doing his part in doing such.

They came upon a Fazoli's, which despite it's Italian cuisine wasn't as populated as the more expensive restaurants that served about the same thing. Soon orders were taken, payed for, and trays taken to a fairly secluded table.

"So...anything you want to know? I'm an open book."

Billy figured Ladon must have had some questions for him, or something... A lot of why and hows....

"I guess I can start with the trivial stuff," Billy began, grabbing a bread stick and pulling it in half, "people here know me as Cameron - yes, my parents suck at names - I've been going to the community college here and...actually kinda enjoying that." It was better than high school had been, anyway...

"Um....I've got a pet, uh.... Sammy, she's..a ferret. And um...well, I've been living of the left over money from my college grants and..." he lowered his voice a bit, but tried to remain casual, "the usual methods." Stealing, of course. "So I've been pretty well off I guess...."

"Bill Cameron Roadinger," he corrected. He yearned for his cowboy hat every time he had to give his full name. It just sounded cowboy-ish.

"I'm living in a complex not too far from campus. I'll give you the address and numbers, um....security's pretty non-existent so.." he shrugged. The place was comprised of partying college kids. He figured they'd given up on security, or enforcing it at least, a long time ago. Although since he had come, things calmed down around midnight. Whether the visitors liked getting their energy discretely stolen or not was not his problem.

"Yeah I'm...I'm fine," he undid a few buttons and pulled one side of his shirt over to give Ladon a glimpse of the scar. Things inside still felt bruised, and deep breathing was not a...good decision. But for the most part he was whole.

"And you?" He had a feeling Ladon wasn't exactly taking care of himself the way Billy would like.

As awkward as it might have been for him, Billy was at least somewhat relieved that Ladon had a friend to help him while he couldn't. Billy often worried that Ladon put a little too much of himself into the Negaverse.

"That's good. I'm glad you've got a friend," he gave a bit of a chuckle, "even if it is Paris. I just wanna know you've been taking care of yourself. As for my classes...I've been pursuing a general studies degree, but been kinda...dabbling in psychology."

And he was a little afraid that would be a bit of a touchy thing but...it was mostly for himself. And he found he enjoyed it.

"Can't stand art history though," he made a face.

Billy smiled, relieved somewhat, "It does sound nice." A lot of school, a lot of money, but...when this war was over at least he'd have some livelihood...

"Well...I can finish up the semester here and transfer to another school in Destiny City if you...wouldn't mind." The unasked question was there - living with Ladon again... Of course, Billy didn't know just then that further school for him wasn't likely to happen. Changes were to soon happen in the way the Negaverse worked that would see to that.... And there was the matter of Sammy - would Ladon like the curious little creature?

"It shouldn't be a problem," people transferred all the time, after all. "And I only have afternoon classes tomorrow."

Convenient? Well, when you were out all hours of the night, being able to sleep in was welcome. The classes were smaller and less rowdy, too. Maybe because by then they were all tired, or full from lunch.

Billy ate his alfredo, sparing a bite of breadstick every now and again. Whenever they finished he'd wait for the basket to be refilled again before taking the replenished supply breadsticks home. It was something that he did rather often now a days. Especially when a group of aquaintences from the apartment complex, fellow students, would ask him to go with them to lunch - usually it was Chinese buffets. His book bag now had a supply of plastic baggies rather than books. The food he squirreled away usually ended up being dinner when he didn't have proper groceries.

"I missed you, too."