Serendipity
"Billy wasn't sure what the creature ransacking his train car was.”
Alternatively, Billy feeds a stray and ends up with a roommate.
WC: 1215
Serendipity (n): the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
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Billy wasn't sure what the creature ransacking his train car was. Granted, the train car wasn't in the most hidden place ever, but he had made sure to ward it against most creatures. The ward would have made one unable to see the train, and if they somehow saw it anyways, they would have been turned around. He usually was pinged if anything passed his wards, which was why he was so blindsided to see something moving around in his train car. It seemed that this one had slipped through his protections.
The creature was strange and almost hard to look at directly. Its blinding white hair moved independent from the wind and twined around its long, pointed, mint colored ears. It was also small, small enough that Billy thought it could comfortably fit into his cupped hands, and wearing some sort of skin tight suit, black with a stripe of silver along its torso. Or what appeared to be its torso, Billy couldn't really tell when its lower body faded into a long tail.
From his perspective, it seemed to be rummaging through where he usually hides his food, showing slivers of its white paws. Did it pass through the barriers he set because it was hungry?
Billy approached the creature quietly, making sure not to get too close, he wouldn't want to startle it. His efforts were in vain though as the creature snapped its head towards him. It's glowing eyes like headlights, as if staring into Billy’s soul. The green in its eyes swirling hypnotically as the creature bristled at his presence.
Billy watched, amused but vigilant, as the creature puffed up like a cat. Even going so far as to swat a couple times in his direction. So far, it was quite harmless, but the buzzing in the back of his head that he usually equated to Solomon told him to be careful.
Billy slowly dropped to his knees, mindful of the creature's reaction, and shifted his bag to his front. He shuffled through his bag and brought out the small piece of jerky he was saving for later, sliding it slowly towards the creature.
The creature tilted its head, staring at the jerky suspiciously before taking a few steps to paw at it. It apparently passed its test as it devoured the jerky surprisingly fast for its small size. While it seemed to be starving, thankfully it didn't reflect onto its body. It wasn't gaunt or thin, but actually quite plump. Perhaps it just didn't eat for a day or two?
Billy took a small step forward, then a few more when he realized the creature was focused on eating. “So,” He began softly, the creature startling as if it was just realizing he was so close. “What are you doing here, little guy?”
It stared at him silently before once again tilting its head. It was cute, Billy realized. The chubby cheeks and button nose paired with big, shiny eyes made it endearing to look at. His expression melted slightly as he took a closer look at the creature.
The creature's ear flicked as it padded up to him, paws on Billy’s knees. It let out an unintelligible sound, layered and harsh to Billy's ear, yet somehow melodious. Billy blinked, not expecting that noise. The creature looked at him almost expectantly, eyes shining brightly.
Billy hesitantly brought his knuckles closer to the creature, feeling its cold nose as it sniffed him. It was clearly unimpressed and trilled for more food. Billy chuckled under his breath as he brought another piece of jerky to the needy creature. It gobbled it up swiftly, looking up at him and once again begging for more, its eyes almost sparkling.
Billy folded under the cuteness overload and retrieved a sandwich from his bag, splitting it in half. He was worried that it would eat more than it could handle if he kept feeding it. He knew very well what that felt like.
The creature blinked at him, once, twice, before giving him a small, pleasant trill and headbutted his fingers. Billy cautiously set his hand over its silky hair? Fur? All he knew was that it felt divine, though not in the godly way.
“What are you?” Billy asked as he wove his fingers through its hair, genuinely curious on what species the creature was. He had inputted a lot of creatures in his ward but he had no clue what this one was. The tingling at the back of his head spoke otherwise, Solomon knowing very well what it was. He could transform and ask Solomon, since he couldn't really speak to him unless he was Captain Marvel, but that would just scare the creature.
It gave him a look before resuming its lunch, finishing it in record time. Apparently, it deigned him worthy of its presence on his lap as it kneaded his legs then curled up onto them. The purring surprised him, pausing when the creature gave him an impatient look when he halted his ministrations on its hair.
He resumed, of course. Why wouldn't he? It was a nice reprieve from fighting villains as Captain Marvel and watching out for himself when he was on the streets. It was just a quiet moment between him and the strange creature that broke into his home.
…He hadn't realized how lonely he was before this.
He had friends, of course. Freddy, Tawky Tawny, and the Justice League. But… this just wasn't the same. As good as a friend Freddy was, he doubted that he would be willing to just sit and enjoy each other's company silently. Freddy was a huge superhero fan and couldn't help but talk about them in excitement. Not to mention his analyses on Billy’s techniques as Captain Marvel.
The Justice League wasn't any better. They had a professional relationship, thinking of him more as a coworker than a friend. The times he tried to deepen their friendship by inviting them out, he was unfortunately turned down. It seemed that they got along better when they were in battle than not.
Billy usually went to Tawky Tawny for advice, but Tawky Tawny never turned down the opportunity to just spend time in the other’s company. Unfortunately, those times were far and few between, usually because Tawky Tawny was traveling or busy with something else.
With this creature— he’d have to name it eventually, Billy thought absently—all that was expected of him was companionship, nothing more.
Billy felt a cool paw pat his face, the creature looking up at him concerned. His eyes widened before he let out a huff, ruffling its hair. The creature let out a disgruntled chuff and phased through his hands then batted at them, settling down once more on his lap once it was done.
It hadn't been with him long, all he had done was give it some food, and it was already trying to comfort him. Admittedly, it wasn't the best comfort, it stopped once he focused on it, but it wasn't something he expected from a creature he met not an hour ago.
Billy smiled, eyes soft. Perhaps it could stay, if only for a while.
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Whipped this up in a couple hours while trying to get out of my funk
Thanks for reading!!
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Ao3
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after the night at the byer’s, billy and steve both sport the same bruises.
and it doesn’t make sense.
steve’s sure he didn’t get that many hits in, and even then, it wasn’t hard enough to give billy a shiner like his.
and the worst part is, he feels bad.
“Hey, man,” He starts, cornering billy after a particularly difficult basketball practice. billy was awful. he kept his shirt on, too, which was weird. steve was benched completely; he can barely see out of one eye, and the other is still swollen shut.
billy’s panting from practice, hunched over as if it hurts to breathe. facing his locker and not replying to steve.
“um,” steve continues. “i…feel bad about what happened this weekend. i was just looking out for the kids, y’know, and i didn’t mean to hit you that h-“
billy turns around, snarling. looking like a battered, cornered wild dog.
“oh fuck right off, harrington,” he spits, and shoulders his way out.
“dude,” steve says, curling his lip. “i’m trying to apologize to you, asshole.”
“i don’t need your apology,” billy replies, and it hurts a little.
“well maybe if you hadn’t been a racist asshole i wouldn’t have had to hit you in the first plac-“
billy seems even angrier.
“i am not a fucking racist, harrington,” he snarls, but it lacks the horror his voice used to hold because of the wounds on his face.
steve grimaces. “yeah, totally, you just attacked lucas because he happened to be the closest.”
billy looks around the locker room as if someone is watching him. nervous.
“it’s not because of that,” he mutters, chewing on his swollen bottom lip.
“then why?” steve presses. “because if i recall, he didn’t do a damn thing to you, billy.”
billy swallows and refuses to make eye contact.
“it’s my fucking dad, harrington. he finds out max is messing around with a black kid and all three of us get a shiner worse than mine. i couldn’t care less about what those little shits are doing, but he does.”
steve’s face softens.
“so you’re…taking the punches for max?”
“that’s a stupid way to put it.”
“i…” steve gapes. “why don’t you go to hopper or something? he could put your dad in j-“
“because, harrington, i’ve got nowhere to go and no one gives a shit anyway if a dad beats his son as discipline. but i can’t let him put a hand on max. she doesn’t deserve it. even if she’s a fucking bitch.”
billy shakes his head like he’s said something awful.
“now you know. congratulations, harrington. i spent all this time stealing your crown and now you know that i’m just a pussy whose dad beats him. have fun spreading that one around.”
billy turns to leave and steve catches him by the arm.
“i’m not going to tell anyone,” he says, and billy scoffs.
“i promise. i’m not like that anymore. like you said…turned bitch.”
billy laughs.
“so, what? you look at me like i’m a kicked puppy every time i come to school with my teeth knocked in? because i’d rather you spread rumors about me instead.”
steve shakes his head.
“i wont do that either. promise. i just…i dunno. can i help in any way?”
billy shrugs him off.
“do what you do, i guess. protect those little shits. i’m not as good with kids as you are, mama bird.”
steve flushed at that and grimaces.
“please do not ever call me that again.”
and they laugh. and it feels nice.
“hey, uh, are you doing anything this friday?” steve asks, and it feels natural.
“probably looking after max. parents like to go out a lot and leave me with her.”
“well, why don’t you and her come with me and we can catch a movie maybe? she can bring lucas and you two can patch things up?”
“are you asking me on a date, harrington?”
steve’s face gets even redder.
“no, i just meant-like y’know, it would be nice, and i could, um-“
“it’s cool. i’ll come by friday. 5:00? you get lucas, i’ll bring max.”
steve nods. “um, yeah. that sounds good.”
billy smiles softly. “good. and don’t pick some girly movie. max and i like slashers.”
“right. got it.”
“see ya, steve.”
billy nudges him before jogging off, undoubtably late to pick up max.
and steve is frozen. what started as an apology for his own moral compass turned into a date. steve’s going on a date? with a boy? no, it was just a joke. maybe. probably.
he hopes it wasn’t, though.
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Not sure how far into Nightbringer s2 you are so feel free to ignore, but how do you think IK would handle all the Sin Stuff? Esp curious considering Asmo's solution and Mammon's symptoms were quite romance-rooted, so would love to hear your thoughts on the platonic edition1
i'm up to the asmo pact-making, but i'm not yet caught up on everything after that - but i can still talk about your particular area of interest!
for mammon, i think his greed symptoms would manifest in a sort of "i don't want you to grow up" way - you know, similar to how some parents over-coddle their children because they're afraid of them flying the nest? in this case, mammon is 'greedy' for his role as big brother - for being relied on and trusted - so he'd essentially start being a helicopter brother, not letting ik do anything on her own, and get annoyed when the others try to play the role as well
mammon's solution would largely play out the same if i were to keep it faithful to nb - his greed for that reliance and trust would also be rooted in his belief that he's only been burdening/harming his brothers through his own determination to get what he wants; he sees his role to ik as repenting, and that's why he gets so intense about it
(also gives it a sort of religious theme that ties back nicely to the celestial realm being his inner world. mammon'd probably also have a hang-up in that "oh, you're going to hate me now that you've seen what a rotten being i am" - which ik would counter with "i've always known who you are and i love you anyway")
as for asmo.... i think we can keep the initial fairy-tale setting his inner world takes up; i'd say, rather than the whole deal he has with mc, he starts treating ik like a trophy pet - essentially, upon taking over, his sin counters the fact that he holds ik in high importance by placing her on a sub-human level in his mind
his lust in this case isn't carnal, but rather just a want for more - more attention, more of the spotlight, more beauty, despite already having it; lucifer's apple gives him what he wants by cutting him off before these things inevitably peter out again, because what asmo's ignoring is the fact that such things come with an ebb and flow - he wants to always be the most beautiful, because otherwise he won't always be worth something
so the whole snow-white-situation does stay, but it's resolved differently - you know how, in the original fairy tale, the apple just gets jostled out of snow's throat? ik just busts the glass coffin open and shoves asmo out of it, which does the same for him, and so he wakes up
this is more than just a brute force thing, though - she forcibly shatters the stasis asmo is in, even though this is arguably where he's at his 'most beautiful' - because she doesn't care about that part; asmo's importance is constant, so there's no need to freeze it to make it stay that way - it's infinitely more important that he's just there
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