log: scarlet spider & alpha WHO: Mark Reilly & Billy Sinclair WHAT: Thursday, August 15th, early afternoon. Mark swings over to the Rogers place to visit with Billy (and ogle Billy's boyfriend---sorry, Luka). They talk about Mark being sad that Aaron and Emmett are gone and leaving, and decide to ask Steve and Carol if Mark can stick around the Rogers place with Billy until college starts and he has to go back to the school.
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So Mark had kind of invited himself into the Rogers... thing. It hadn’t been on purpose, but Billy was there because Luka was there, and where Billy was, Mark was inevitably going to show up. They were probably used to people trailing behind Luka by now, anyway, and Steve and Carol had been really forgiving of what had happened last Christmas. They were used to having their house invaded by extended family. With James, Pella and Natalie not being around, there was plenty of room for it, too.
They were in the background, hanging out on the porch while Luka and Steven tossed a football back and forth. Both of the family dogs were out with them; the golden retriever was running between Luka and Steven, following the football, while the older, quieter german shepherd sat at Billy’s feet. Marilyn was trying desperately to follow in the retriever’s footsteps, wagging her tail hard and tripping over her feet in the grass. Mark was snuggled comfortably against Billy’s shoulder, very slowly smoking a cigarette.
“I have to say,” he said idly. “I think your boyfriend might be the ugly brother, babe.”
Steven needed the exercise. It was more physical therapy than anything else. After the procedure that scrubbed the call phrase and other programming from his mind, he’d struggled with movement as well as his memories. The healers had done their work on his physical injuries, but he was still weak. As a result, tossing the football around was less a rough-and-tumble game and more like careful physical therapy.
Still, he was recovering well, and by now he could manage a light jog. He was struggling with using his right hand to throw, but he and Luka were laughing and chatting in Russian and he’d decided it was too hot for a shirt.
Billy sighed dreamily and rested his chin in his hands. “I’m all right with just looking.”
“Right? They’re like walking porn.” And Mark was safer here, on the porch, in the shade. He was so ginger that he burned before he could even think the word “tan”. Billy hadn’t told him much (classified), but he knew that Luka and Steven had both been through some shit in the last week. Mark’s sympathy was the only thing keeping him from being bitter that Luka was still wearing all of his clothes.
“Seriously. I just wish circumstances were better,” Billy admitted. “We’re all just trying to keep Steven happy and calm. He knows he’s missed time and that he was a sleeper, but...” He lowered his voice. “He doesn’t know about Mr. Rhodes, or anything else. He just doesn’t remember. He knows about Pella and his daughter but … we’ve been trying to distract him to keep him from getting too confused and upset, so he can focus on physical recovery.”
Mark frowned and reached away from Billy to tap ashes into a plastic tray. “Has he been to see Rachel? At all? How’s Pella handling this?”
Billy shook his head. “Badly? Just … badly. Pella’s been through a lot, and because all this stuff happened at the hospital she was deemed dangerous to other patients as well as Rachel, so she’s not allowed in.” He looked down at his hands. “Must be killing her to be away from her baby.”
“Christ.” Mark rested his head on Billy’s shoulder again and sighed. “That’s fucking terrible. I wish there was something we could do to... I don’t know. Cheer someone up.” But Mark wasn’t close to Pella, and he wasn’t sure of anything that Steven might want now that Steven didn’t really know him.
“I think there’s a point where you can’t. Not really. A fruit basket won’t solve this or make anyone feel better. We just have to hope that Steven gets his memories back and that Rachel gets healthy enough that she doesn’t have to be in the NICU anymore.” Billy put an arm around Mark and rubbed his shoulder. “Are you doing okay?”
“We could at least make dinner,” Mark said, briefly deflecting. He took a short drag on his cigarette and turned his head away so he didn’t blow smoke in Billy’s face. “I’m... I’m not okay, honestly. I’m really not.”
Billy pulled back to look squarely at him. “I thought things were going well. With your show. With Jack. I thought...”
“It’s not them. It’s Aaron and Emmett. Aaron just... fucking left. Said he had something to deal with and walked. His understudy’s thrilled, a bunch of people bought tickets to see Aaron and now they’re seeing him instead, but now I live alone and I really didn’t want to. And Emmett’s taking off because the Cuckoos are leaving. Finding a therapist is... not as easy as it sounds. It took me a while to even talk to Emmett, and I’ve been here for years. I don’t know how long it’ll be before Joanna hires another one, and I have no idea if that doctor will click with me like Emmett did.”
“The waiting period won’t be long,” Billy assured him. “It won’t be. Too many people at the school need therapy for that position to be empty.” He fidgeted awkwardly. “My relationship with Luka hangs in the balance, there. I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do? I’m sure Luka would let you crash with us, but I can’t believe you’d want to for very long.”
“I don’t have a problem crashing with you guys, but I don’t want to make things awkward for you. And I don’t want you to feel like you need to come back to Xavier’s just for me or... like you need to ask Steve and Carol if I can stay here so I can be near you. It’s not your job to babysit me.” Even as he said it, it was clear that Mark would much prefer to live with or near Billy than alone or with someone else. He hadn’t liked living away from Billy when they’d moved out of the dorms, either.
Billy shrugged. “We just don’t have space in our apartment at the school. Here, though … there’s space in one of the guest rooms if you want to stay. The Barnes family has their own wing, and then there’s an extra guest room on the top floor of the main house. It’s small but it’s got a bed for someone who needs one.” This wasn’t his house and he didn’t feel comfortable offering it, but he wanted to at least Mark know there was space for him. “I feel weird staying here with Luka, though. It’s not bad, it’s just … I mean, it’s Captain America. He made me breakfast this morning. He made me breakfast. Eggs. He was in blue boxer shorts with little stars.”
“Seriously?” Mark laughed. “That’s awesome. Cap’s really nice, just don’t ask him to sign your ass. He’ll be polite about it, but it would probably bother him.” When the laughter faded, Mark took another drag and spoke while the smoke drifted out of his mouth. “I just don’t want to impose. If it’s okay with them, it’s okay.”
“My room’s not big, but... if you wanted to stay in my room, you could.” Billy chewed his lip. “Luka’s staying in Steven’s room right now, and I’m by myself. So.” It clearly bothered him.
“I’m sorry, babe. I’ll stick around, okay? It’s easier to get to Jack’s from here, anyway.” It was longer to get back for his show, but he really didn’t care. It was worth it.
Billy tipped his head. “Why don’t you want to stay with Jack? He’s your boyfriend, don’t you want to stay in his bed?”
Mark shrugged. “It went like shit last time. I’m trying to do it right, and... sometimes I’d just rather be with you.”
Billy smiled, rather satisfied with himself. He was rude about Mark’s relationship with Jack, and was perfectly happily aware that he always came first. “I know, honey. And if he has a problem with it, he can just deal with it.” He didn’t pay much attention to what Jack wanted, and while he didn’t doubt that Mark loved Jack, he didn’t … care. Jack was always rude to Billy, anyway.
“He’s busy a lot, anyway. He’s training as much as he can with his ninja master guy before he has to go back to school.” And sometimes his relationship with Billy felt safer than the one with Jack. He didn’t have to worry about fucking up so badly that Billy wouldn’t talk to him anymore. Mark leaned up and kissed Billy’s cheek. “Besides, you know you’re my favorite.”
Billy smiled. Behind him, his tail was wagging. “I know,” he said primly.
Mark laughed. “You’re so vain,” he commented in a sing-song voice.
“Yes. I am. Deal with it.” Billy perked and leaned forward, kissing Mark’s cheek. “So stay with me in my room, Jackie will get over himself.”
“And Luka won’t mind?” As if Luka had minded before.
Billy shrugged. His smile faded. “He’s busy with Steven.” He liked being the center of attention, and while he understood that Luka had to pay attention to other things and other people, he was still a little miffed. He was in a new space, he wasn’t in charge, and he felt a little bit like the unwanted pet being locked away in the bedroom so he didn’t cause trouble.
“Then you can hang out with me. We should take one of Luka’s cards and go shopping on my next day off. Jack is terrible at color coordinating, I need you to tell me if I look ugly.” Billy and Mark were too similar to have ever made a good couple (sexual incompatibility aside), but Mark would rather live with Billy than anybody else.
“Ugh. Jack’s useless,” said Billy, rolling his eyes and waving a dismissive hand. “Come out with me, we’ll go shopping and get you a new wardrobe for our first semester of college.”
“I can’t believe we’re going to college. I’m glad you’re coming with me, having to wait a year for you to catch up would’ve been such a drag.” Mark finished his cigarette and ground it out in the ashtray.
Billy smiled. “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you want to be emancipated and independent as fast as possible, so lucky me. Shame that Jackie’s still stuck in high school, though. You’ll have to wait a year for him.”
“So we’ll have a year where it’s just you and me.” And Owen, but... “It’ll be fun. And you can drive me to school in your shiny Bentley and make me look rich.”
“The Bentley? Oh, hell, no. I’m taking the Focus. The Bentley’s going to get robbed.”
Mark sighed. “What’s the point if you can’t drive it?”
Billy chewed his thumbnail and smirked.
“...You don’t want me in the Bentley because there’s come on the seat, isn’t there?”
“I’m just saying, the car is good for things other than driving, and screwing in the back seat is one of those things.”
“You seriously use the Bentley as a giant sex toy.”
Billy snickered quietly. “More or less. I mean, we do drive around in it, it’s just... really nice.”
“I get it. You don’t want me in your sex machine. I can respect that.”
“No, no, no. We can go joyriding, Mark, honey, but it’s not like... the reason I have the Focus is to take it to school.”
“All right. I guess that works for me.” Mark scratched behind Billy’s ears and affectionately tugged on one of them. “Could you get me a drink?”
“Mm? Sure thing.” Billy hopped up without a fuss and headed off inside.