Welcome to Gaia! ::

Billy was used to being tired. He had the most god-awful hours at his job, which often consisted of a 5-9 shift, and then the following morning working the 8-12. He also had his duty to the Negaverse which he did regardless of the left shift he worked, and now his subsequent punishment for the whole Wraith-hunting thing that had turned in to a battle with a few Dark Mirror Senshi...

Today had been one of those early morning shifts. Billy had come home and planned to take a short nap. Sleep hadn't been nearly as satisfying as it should have been, and he instead, awoke feeling more tired than before. So instead of forcing more restless sleep upon himself, he'd lumbered his way into the living room of the shabby little apartment and plopped himself on the couch to watch just about the only thing his mind was capable of comprehending at that moment in time - colorful talking ponies.

For whatever reason, Ladon wasn't home right then, but Sammy was making herself known, running through the apartment with energy that Billy envied. True, he could have popped some energy orbs, and he sometimes did on the really bad days, but for as zombie-rific as he felt this was not the worst he'd ever been. Perhaps that was a good thing, considering he was about to have an unexpected visitor... Perking a good strong cup of coffee helped too. For the headache, at least.

Who the hell used the buzzer!? Most people they knew would just walk right in. Interesting times, those. Then again...Ladon had probably locked the door when he left.

Billy sighed, sat his coffee down on the coffee table, ran an hand through his bed-ridden hair, smoothing it out. It still looked messy and haphazard though, and wasn't slicked back in the Vergil-esque fashion he'd taken to recently. His dress shirt he'd gotten as far as unbuttoning before he'd conked out for his nap now exposed the long nasty scar that ran across his chest. Now said shirt was wrinkled all to hell. His black slacks fared a little better.

Sammy was already pulling herself out of the deep abyss of the couch to bounce her way to the door. Billy caught up to her and picked up the floppy little creature before flipping the deadbolt and unhinging the series of locks Ladon had implemented before opening the door.

Ever was greeted by a disheveled Billy, and curious Sammy who wriggled in his hand to get to the stranger. Billy squint his eyes against the harsh light that hit his face as he looked that the....stranger.

Billy may have been able to put a name to the face if they were in uniform, but out of it? Well, he tried to keep business and real life separate as much he could.

"Hello?"

"Depends on who's asking," Billy replied.

That said, Ever certainly didn't look like a debt collector. More like one of the neighbors, really. The reply it self was pretty much a confirmation though.

"If you're a friend of Ladon, he's not here right now...."

Because Billy didn't exactly have friends. He had a ferret, and antagonistic associationships, and even that was with just one person. It really just showed how much Billy needed to get out and socialize...

Speaking of!

The ferret, wriggling in her owners hand, was trying her damnedest to get to Ever. The bell on her collar jingled, her tiny little black eyes stared,and her nose wiggled as she sniffed the air between them.

"That's one way to describe it," Billy shrugged and stepped aside to allow Ever in, "I prefer the term 'boyfriend' or 'significant other' myself."

Billy wasn't slow, and could guess well enough what Ever mean by work. Closing the door behind them Billy let the ferret plop to the ground, where she then proceeded to scamper around Ever's feet.

"Don't mind her. Sammy doesn't have any manners when it comes to strangers."

Did Sammy have any manners at all, really? Nope, not really.

Picking up the remote Billy shut off the TV, not that he minded anyone knowing he watched ponies, but rather he didn't figure the company would appreciate it quite as much.

"So, what brings you here?" Billy asked, taking a seat on the couch, gesturing for Ever to do the same if he so liked.

The apartment wasn't much. A bit on the crummy side, but it was something.

During the time when Ever had met Ladon, Billy had been out of town himself. He and Ladon had broken up, and after saving Ladon from what would have likely been a fatal blow, he'd fled the city and played dead. Thus the scar on his chest. He had thought, at the time, that it would be best for Ladon if he wasn't around. Billy had been in the next nearest city, and still did his duty to the Negaverse - taking out senshi who had thought to flee the war by leaving the city. At that time they were still collecting energy, too.

Bismuthite was good at what he did back then. Even being relatively absent, he took care of business. Retunring to Destiny City...well, it seemed he'd taken a step back from that duty. But then again, the mission had changed. Recruitment rather than annihilation had become the goal. Then there was the subdivisions...

While he would have excelled in Spec-Ops, he'd rather avoid any to-do about being on the same team as his boyfriend, and thus he had chosen Information. Billy could be a smooth talker and all but held a degree in manipulation, so it worked. Even if he found it rather boring at times.


Billy sighed, and rubbed the sleepiness from his face.

"I see," a deep breath followed, "Honestly I've never bothered. It makes an awful mess when you get too close to people," Billy stated, relaxed, aloof..

Especially in a war like this, when people came and went, it was best not to form attachments. It was easier to deal with your losses when you didn't. Plus, he figured it healthier to have that life outside the organization. One foot in the door of humanity at all times. Ladon didn't count. He'd known him before Tanzanite brought him into the Negaverse.


Billy gave a laugh that was merely dry amusement, "Counterproductive perhaps considering I'm in the Information division. Then again so long as I can pry information from senshi and nights and form a profile about them for the other divisions, then I guess that's all that really matters."

Honestly....he didn't work too hard at his job. He was getting tired of playing nice with Order. Taking out rogue wraiths and fighting the DMC that came to defend them was refreshing. The bit of a smile that appeared on Billy's face was bittersweet, and telling of his...disappointment in himself. There was so much more he knew he could be doing, but it seemed things in the Negaverse was...stagnating.

He then looked over to Ever, "So which team are you on?"

"Mnn," Billy murmured, looking off to the side. "We've already lead trouble in through the front door," he said, referring to the DMC.

He'd always blame himself for the Blood Moon kidnapping their own. He'd killed Rota, and it had been the catalyst the group had needed to take action. He didn't want anyone to become a target because of him again. So he adhered to a nothing personal, just business policy. He knew names and faces in uniform and whatever was in their files, but didn't bother to delve much beyond that. For their safety. The psychology was a little messed up, but then again...weren't they all a little messed up? Perhaps crazy begot crazy.

"I don't count on others for help if I can help it. Don't expect it of them. Quite frankly, I doubt I'd deserve it. Too many have been hurt by my actions already. No one will become a target because of me again."

Time for a mood lightener? Sammy came bouncing over, sniffing at Ever's shoes, then acting like she was going to play fight with them. Silly ferret.