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"Maybe we can find a place a little ways out if the city, without any real close neighbors," he added. Sometimes the city felt claustrophobic, with all the buildings bearing down on you. Then again his earliest memories were of wide open, dusty fields, and a modest farm house. Had he even been old enough to go to school back then? he couldn't quite remember....

As for more pets...

"I think a dog and a ferret should be enough pets for a while. Besides - much more and we won't be able to afford a house for all the vet and food bills," he teased.

Although he had a plan for a little money. He'd been planning it for months now. He knew his 'parents' would each have some kind of life insurance policy, and he'd gone through some Negaverse-connections to see who the beneficiary was. As suspected, all money would come to him. From there, Billy had planned just how he was going to make the policies pay out.

His mother was a drug abusing whore who brought her clients to the home. His father was an office-working drone who had easily fallen in despair and merely accepted his wife's business. In addition, the house was a mess the likes of which belonged on hoarders - not just random s**t, but trash - moldy half-eaten food, oil and grease-coated pans left on a grimy stove... Plenty of kindling, and plenty of accelerant. However, simply setting the place on fire was out of the question. So was killing his parents and then setting the place on fire. He had to make it look like an accident.

So he'd watched, planned, and came up with a scheme. He'd wait until both his parents were home, wait for his mother to light her post-sex joint, drain their energy from afar until they both passed out. The lit joint would spark the blaze. Before the fire could completely consume them, he'd steal their starseeds. This would leave both in a comatose state - they wouldn't be able to awaken, but their lungs would still take in the smoke. If anything was left of the bodies for a coroner to examine, they'd find smoke in the lungs, ruling out fowl play before the fire....

The only conclusion would be that his mother fell asleep while smoking, and caught the house on fire. The ruling would come quick, and the insurance would pay out.

Billy wasn't sure how this scheme would go over with Ladon. Billy hadn't ever exactly told Ladon what his parents were like, or what they put him through. It was one way to get what they wanted, though... Billy could easily play it off as a random happenstance. Ladon wouldn't have to know the extensive thought that had gone in to creating this crazy random happenstance.

"For now, let's focus on getting a house. On my next day off when can see what's available and get some idea of what we're getting in to. Once that's done, then the rest will fall in to place, I'm sure."

What 'the rest' was, he'd let Ladon wonder about.

"Anything you want, you know I'd do anything for you if you so wish it. You've just to say so," Billy said as he closed his eyes and let Ladon rub the shampoo into his hair, leaning into the touch like a cat being scratched behind the ears.

Billy wondered if the were any realtors in the Negaverse who they could talk to and maybe cut a special deal... As much as he'd rather keep the two halves of his life as separate as he could, when it came down to it, saving money was saving money, and something they couldn't afford to turn their noses up at. He'd ask around.

He really didn't have too many things he was looking for in a house, so whatever they picked, the decision would fall largely to Ladon, though he was keeping mental notes. And wouldn't it be nice if they could get a place nice enough to also serve as the venue for a certain ceremony in which they were ever bound to one another? t would again, save money, mainly. But also because neither of them really knew many people, and the ceremony would no doubt be small, it didn't make sense to put money into a venue. It would probably be more meaningful too. It would be a nice way to start making memories for their little place...

Yes, Billy wanted marriage as much as Ladon, but he was not going to mention it until things were straightened out with Ladon's mum, and other personal life things were set in the right direction. Of course, he wouldn't completely dodge the subject if Ladon brought it up. Billy often wished he would. He fancied the idea of Ladon being the one to propose...if only because sometimes he just, to be quite frank, got off on Ladon being 'in charge.' In whatever capacity that may be.

Billy looked thoughtful for a moment, "It's probably the gypsy blood in me but, honestly, I don't get too attached to anything. Sentimental bonds are few and far between. And what, or who, I do get attached to it's a strong, everlasting, would-die-for, thing. So I don't have many wants or needs, save for you, and Sammy, and whatever makes the two of you happy. Anything else I do or gain is for the same of my own pride and ego."

And as much as he tried to be better about his pride than he had been in the past, it was still there, and an easy target to strike at.

"For the most part, I've got what I want," he said, as casual and aloof as he often was. It was the truth. Though he'd never mentioned anything of his blood or 'family,' it was an interesting concept.

Billy wasn't good at being straightforward. Subtleties and analyzing were his game. The realm of the mind was his home. Unlike Ladon, he was not shy on issues, but simply more allusive, But for Ladon, he'd have to be more forthcoming.

"I just don't want to push you to do anything you're not comfortable with, but if the bedroom really concerns you, well," he gave a grin, eyes heavily lidded, "rough me up a bit and I'm sure you'll enjoy the results. You're always so damn gorgeous when you're being aggressive." Distracting on the battlefield? Oh yeah. Billy obviously had his kinks. If having his hair pulled and being a punching bag was one of them, well...there were always worse things.

Then his entire posture changed, and he was once again looking casual and aloof, "as for other things, once we are comfortable financially, I would like to go back to school for Psychology. That is a long and expensive road though, and demands a lot from the both of us. I'll need your full and constant support. Someone I can come home to each and every day to make every effort worth while in the end."

A bit of thoughtful silence and then, "I've had dreams, nightmares, where you were not there. The feelings too dark and grim felt all too real.. Worse were the ones where you were there, but in the arms of another. In those I would beg to die, and upon failing that, degenerate into a deranged youma with the only thought being the hope that you'd kill me and end the suffering," those nights he'd wake Ladon up with wordless ravenous affection until fully spent, and he'd hold on to Ladon like life itself until could sleep again. "There is no life for me without you."

"You don't have to worry about being alone. Whether you're the nervous, fun to embarrass Ladon, or the aggressively assertive, push-me-down-and-make-me-like-it, pull-my-hair-and-bend-me-ov" bfore Billy could go on much more with that little fantasy Ladon kissed him, to which he gladly responded.

Now, had Ladon not been so beaten and bruised, thing might have progressed a different way, but seeing as Billy was ever mindful of his loved one's physical condition, he did not escalate things. Breaking the kiss with a smile he said, "Let's finish up this bath. Then I'll call for some dinner." Because uh...shopping still needed to be done.

"Okay," he relented. After all, the water wouldn't stay warm forever, or the thought of how they were basically sitting in their own filth as the water got dirtier the more they washed themselves would cross one of their minds. Or maybe Billy just gave in too easily to Ladon. Which was highly likely. Infact, it wasn't just likely - it was true. Unless Billy was pulling some psychological crap. Which was also a thing. But Billy's manipulation of Ladon was always in good fun....

"What would you like for dinner?"

"Hmn, gotta do some shopping before you can do any cooking. But I think I'm in a pasta mood. Either alfredo or stroganoff, I'm not sure which..." he seemed to think on it before shaking his head, "Either one, doesn't matter. I've got work tomorrow, so I'll leave my wallet on the table and you can do the shopping if you want."

Billy often had a short temper for all the 'idiots' in the store. Namely those who didn't seem to know how to shop, and would leave their biggies in the way, or stop and chat with someone, clogging up an aisle. It was probably safer for other shoppers if Billy didn't shop for groceries....

Billy grinned, "I won't say no to that, but I will return the favor," he said, grabbing a towel.

Then Billy could call for food, and they could cuddle and eat on the couch while watching some mundane show or movie or something on TV.

Soon the weather would be turning colder, and they'd have to drag the heater out, keep a blanket by the couch, and invest in some hot chocolate. Of course, Billy's aim was to start a really big fire and buy them a house before Christmas, with better furniture and heating, and an all around more homey, safe, feeling. then maybe by the time spring came around they'd have the place fixed up to where it was truly theirs, and they... Yes. Spring..maybe late spring, sounded like the perfect time for a small wedding. At their home. With the reception in the back yard. It would be small, but it would be theirs, and it would be just as nice as anywhere else.