I can't do any of this. I'm not strong, or powerful. I've lost anything that made me capable of handling the kind of situations we get into here. And I've never had to handle things without my team before. Without Teddy. Whenever things got bad he was always there to support me and help me keep going and I haven't seen him in months. I'm just a nerdy kid from New York. And I can't handle any of this anymore. I don't want to.
you don't have to be strong or powerful to be useful, you know. my best friend back home is human, but she's one of the bravest people i've ever met.
[ elena is very brave. she is also reckless, and occasionally very stupid. but she's brave and loyal and headstrong, and caroline loves her even when she wants to wring her neck. ]
and it might be easier to handle all of this if you weren't trying to do it all on your own. so maybe let yourself have one tiny night off to just forget about everything, maybe have some terrible punch, and you'll feel a little better in the morning? worst case scenario, you can laugh at everyone's horrible costumes
[ if billy wants to tell himself that he's not strong and capable, that's his business. but if they're going to go to a party, she's not going to drag his mood down any further.
instead, she's going to show up with a basket of craft supplies and a plain blue sweater. blue seems like it could be his color. if it's not, they can get another one. ]
( thanks caroline. the door opens fast enough, and he's--dressed at least; dark skinny jeans and a red top that definitely scream futuristicy cyberpunk like the rest of this future does. but his hair's a mess. curls going in every direction, bags under his eyes, stubble in places he missed.
there's a glance down to the sweater she's carrying and he pauses to look himself over once more. purses lips before shoving a hand through his hair. )
[ it would be rude to say get another shower, you look like hell — so caroline abstains. she just makes herself at home in whatever public space there is, perching on the arm of a sofa or armchair, whatever's convenient, and rifles through her collection of tinsel and bows.
can she convince him to stick a big silver bow on his heart? maybe. she's going to try. ]
( there's an old sofa. it has a few coats strung over the back of it, but it's comfortable enough. everything's a little messy but it's not--terrible. it looks like there's a couple of teenaged boys (there are) who really don't know how to live on their own (they don't) occupying the space, but they're not--gross about it. )
Uh. ( a glance back to caroline, and one forward towards the cracked open door leading to his room. ) Sure. Your party invite, your rules. ( this is easier than dealing with things himself. probably.
so he spreads his arms out a bit, gestures down to himself. )
Can I get a hand? ( he figures the. gesture to his everything is enough of an answer as to what. )
[ poor billy. he's lucky she has experience working on sad boys with floppy hair — she'd fixed up jeremy gilbert enough times to know how this works.
given the invitation, caroline is all too quick in stepping into his personal space. her hands are practiced, sure; spread fingers comb through locks of hair and catch the natural oils from his scalp between thumb and forefinger, working it back through to act as a makeshift pomade to keep it in place. it's not perfect, but after a few minutes of careful accidental-on-purpose tousling, it's a surprisingly good look for someone who probably has been in a bit of a depression coma for a few days.
add a new clean shirt and some artfully placed tinsel, and he'll almost look merry. ]
( he's used to being cleaned up, so billy sits easily through this bit. lets caroline brush through his hair without protest. closes his eyes and lets some of the stress bleed out of his shoulders, even. even if he still semi looks like he's been busy dealing with a depression coma, he looks slightly less out of it.
even offers caroline a small, hesitant smile. )
Thanks. I'd hope so, considering. ( his internet fame attached to his and tommy's faces and all that. but he won't get into that bit. ) Blue or black shirt, right? I've got a few in my closet.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
come on. if you hate it so much, you can leave.
no subject
It's not because I'm lonely.
It's everything else.
no subject
no subject
I'm not strong, or powerful. I've lost anything that made me capable of handling the kind of situations we get into here.
And I've never had to handle things without my team before. Without Teddy. Whenever things got bad he was always there to support me and help me keep going and I haven't seen him in months.
I'm just a nerdy kid from New York. And I can't handle any of this anymore. I don't want to.
no subject
[ elena is very brave. she is also reckless, and occasionally very stupid. but she's brave and loyal and headstrong, and caroline loves her even when she wants to wring her neck. ]
and it might be easier to handle all of this if you weren't trying to do it all on your own.
so maybe let yourself have one tiny night off to just forget about everything, maybe have some terrible punch, and you'll feel a little better in the morning?
worst case scenario, you can laugh at everyone's horrible costumes
no subject
But that's not me.
( he wishes he could just. put his phone down, tune out the conversation. but it doesn't work like that. )
I'll feel four times worse in the morning but fine.
( caroline even gets an address for her trouble. )
no subject
instead, she's going to show up with a basket of craft supplies and a plain blue sweater. blue seems like it could be his color. if it's not, they can get another one. ]
no subject
there's a glance down to the sweater she's carrying and he pauses to look himself over once more. purses lips before shoving a hand through his hair. )
Hold on, I'll--get another shirt.
no subject
can she convince him to stick a big silver bow on his heart? maybe. she's going to try. ]
Do you need a hand with anything?
[ like your unruly hair? ]
no subject
Uh. ( a glance back to caroline, and one forward towards the cracked open door leading to his room. ) Sure. Your party invite, your rules. ( this is easier than dealing with things himself. probably.
so he spreads his arms out a bit, gestures down to himself. )
Can I get a hand? ( he figures the. gesture to his everything is enough of an answer as to what. )
no subject
given the invitation, caroline is all too quick in stepping into his personal space. her hands are practiced, sure; spread fingers comb through locks of hair and catch the natural oils from his scalp between thumb and forefinger, working it back through to act as a makeshift pomade to keep it in place. it's not perfect, but after a few minutes of careful accidental-on-purpose tousling, it's a surprisingly good look for someone who probably has been in a bit of a depression coma for a few days.
add a new clean shirt and some artfully placed tinsel, and he'll almost look merry. ]
You clean up pretty nice, you know.
no subject
even offers caroline a small, hesitant smile. )
Thanks. I'd hope so, considering. ( his internet fame attached to his and tommy's faces and all that. but he won't get into that bit. ) Blue or black shirt, right? I've got a few in my closet.