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009 - [Video]
[With the knowledge of getting out of here soon looming on the horizon with no set date, Teddy's been thinking more and more about his home. The thought of seeing his friends again, his weird, pseudo-family, the tall buildings of New York City, the crowds of people... it makes him so, so excited to just hop on the next plane back home and say goodbye to this place for good.
At the same time, he can't really deny that Luceti's been... okay, for what it was. A glorified prison for glorified lab rats, a vacation house in the middle of a very pretty hell. Horrible things have happened here that Teddy would rather forget about. But, just as well, some pretty incredible things happened too. There are some things he doesn't really want to forget, although he wouldn't mind the alternative. Start the adventure all over again with Billy at his side through all of it – it sounds more and more appealing the more he thinks about it.
Which he's doing as he flips through his journal, looking back on not only his own past entries, but his friends as well. Birthdays, introspection, some rather embarrassing or plain hilarious things... It's all kind of nice to look back on, and he can't help wondering a few things, too. Might as well before the end, after all.
So he turns on the video, where he taps his Starkphone against his upper lip for a moment before he addresses everyone.]
So hey. Before we all go back – or not, for some of you guys, I wanted to ask something. What's the best memory you have of this place that you might wanna keep with you? It doesn't have to be the happiest or anything. Maybe it made you proud or relieved or whatever gave you feels. But there's got to be one little memory you're at least kind of fond of, right?
Or, you know... one of the best, if you don't want to talk about your favorite one. I get the privacy thing, it's cool.
[And... this will probably, hopefully, be his last post on this thing. He can't help thinking of that as he waits for responses, too.]
At the same time, he can't really deny that Luceti's been... okay, for what it was. A glorified prison for glorified lab rats, a vacation house in the middle of a very pretty hell. Horrible things have happened here that Teddy would rather forget about. But, just as well, some pretty incredible things happened too. There are some things he doesn't really want to forget, although he wouldn't mind the alternative. Start the adventure all over again with Billy at his side through all of it – it sounds more and more appealing the more he thinks about it.
Which he's doing as he flips through his journal, looking back on not only his own past entries, but his friends as well. Birthdays, introspection, some rather embarrassing or plain hilarious things... It's all kind of nice to look back on, and he can't help wondering a few things, too. Might as well before the end, after all.
So he turns on the video, where he taps his Starkphone against his upper lip for a moment before he addresses everyone.]
So hey. Before we all go back – or not, for some of you guys, I wanted to ask something. What's the best memory you have of this place that you might wanna keep with you? It doesn't have to be the happiest or anything. Maybe it made you proud or relieved or whatever gave you feels. But there's got to be one little memory you're at least kind of fond of, right?
Or, you know... one of the best, if you don't want to talk about your favorite one. I get the privacy thing, it's cool.
[And... this will probably, hopefully, be his last post on this thing. He can't help thinking of that as he waits for responses, too.]
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[He doesn't need to ask what Teddy means; there's plenty of bad days that come to mind, days he'd be happy to have completely wiped from his head when they go home.
Still... he glances down at the hand on Teddy's chest, where his ring is. The very ring that inspired their conversation in the first place. The promise of a future together, no matter what.]
I think, if it's all or nothing, I'd suck it up and take the bad with the good. There was enough good that it's worth it.
[He can't imagine forgetting that beautiful, perfect day under the cherry blossom trees, the hopeful light in Teddy's eyes as he asked the question they both already knew the answer to. Hell, he'd fight to keep it, if it came to that.]
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He's lost in thought for a moment, and then he gives a quiet little snort as he bumps his head against Billy's.]
How trippy is it gonna be, going back to sixteen and knowing all the stuff we fanboy is actually kind of real?
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[He can only imagine how weird that's going to be.]
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[And he actually means that. Being in Luceti for so long almost feels like he was robbed his late teenaged years, and he'd love to get the chance to live them again in his own home.]
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[The whole being-engaged-and-being-with-Teddy-forever bit is just fine, obviously.]
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[... One thing aside, like Billy said, and Teddy silently brings that up by drumming his fingers against his neck again. That, at least, is something he's very sure of.]
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[He gestures vaguely.]
...all this. Dying horribly. Fighting some war we don't even understand. We fixed all that, sure, but it's not like we got to forget about it. Final exams? Exasperated teachers? The old routine of school-crime fighting-sleep? Seeing the team and my family again every day? That's what I want back.
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[He lets his voice turn a bit quieter, more musing, as he gently plays with the base of Billy's hair.]
I want to fly through the city and see all the lights on at night again. I want to fly outside of it and see the lights in the sky, our stars. I miss hearing planes fly in, cars trying to get from one place to another... I miss playing chess with the guys at the park. There's... a lot of things I want back.
[...]
I miss the internet. Like a lot.
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That. All of that. Especially the internet bit. I have a list of things to Google about a mile long.
[So many things he wants to do when they get back- with Teddy, with his friends, with his family, god. Even stuff he just wants to do on his own. Go to the comic store. Hang out at the lair. Have dinner with his parents. Tell them-
Wait. Waaaaait. He sits up abruptly, brows lifting.]
If we go home without our memories... we won't even be engaged anymore.
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Still. He moves his hands to take Billy's, squeezing the one that's wearing the ring he presented a year ago.]
Yeah... you're right. We'd pretty much start over again... But I'm sure that, even if we had to do that, I'd still ask you again. I'd ask again and again in every reality... or maybe you'll do the asking.
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Maybe. They can make us forget all of this, but... I'm not going to forget how I feel. So... yeah. We'll be okay.
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[Billy sighs faintly and snuggles up close again, eyes closing. He's not really tired, but it's soothing to cuddle like this. He could lie like this for hours and not mind, with Teddy here.
It's a comfort, remembering that- the number of times they'd been forced apart for one reason or another and somehow always managed to circle back to how they were supposed to be again. If not all of that, what else could separate them?]
It might be kind of tough to ask me not to worry at all... but we can probably agree that there isn't much reason for it.
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If there's one thing he'll miss, it's how easily they could be like this. At the stage they were at back home, they were still getting used to open displays of affection, and Teddy never minded it, but... man. He's so spoiled by all this now, though he's sure they'll get back to it even if they don't remember. Still... It's something he'll miss and cherish.]
Mm, yeah... that's why I said we shouldn't worry too much. I know I sure as hell will worry.
[...]
You know, this means we can have a first time all over again.
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[Not that it isn't fun every time regardless of experience, but there was something magical about their first time. If the cost of leaving is their memories, it's a decent consolation prize.]
Along with all the other new memories we get to make together.
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[He can't wait for that, too. Starting the adventure over again, this time with their team, with Billy's family, with the faces of New York that he loves so much. Maybe they can put all the darkness of this place behind them, start anew as young teenagers who'd just fallen in love...
Aaah. Teddy lets out a quiet groan as he presses his forehead to Billy's shoulder, the hand at his neck stilling for a moment.]
I reeeeally wanna go back noooow...
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[Billy chuckles quietly, reaching up to brush his hand soothingly through Teddy's hair.]
We've waited this long. A bit more won't kill you.
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[He leans his head back to pout up at Billy, and... seeing him there, looking down at him, knowing they might forget all of this when they go back...
The pout disappears, and instead, Teddy brushes his fingers against Billy's cheek, just getting lost in his eyes for a few seconds.]
... We should just say we're married now, before we go back. What do you say?
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What... just like that? Weren't we going to wait until we got home?
[Though if they forget, it sort of defeats the purpose of that.]
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[What if they do forget? And what if there's the slightest chance that they might not make it, either by breaking up or... well, worse? Death is (semi)permanent in their world, after all.]
I mean, we can definitely hold off. But... we're pretty much already married at this point, Bee. Might as well admit it to each other.
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....You're serious. I mean- yes, we basically live and act like a married couple and we kind of have for years already and it's super obvious but- you're serious?
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[Teddy's thought about it off and on even before the announcement about them going home, really. They already live together, already wear the rings, cook for each other, help each other out with the little things; he can just imagine them sitting together and figuring out how much they'd get back on their taxes, picking out curtain drapes for their apartment, all the mundane things. And lately, when Teddy embraces Billy and presses a kiss to his neck, he keeps thinking, "I can't wait 'til we're husbands."
Why not now, before they go back home?]
So... wanna be super husbands with me? [He raises his own eyebrows as he runs a hand through Billy's hair. It's not like he'd be heartbroken if Billy wanted to hold it off until they got home, or even disappointed, really. He already knows it'll happen, after all. But maybe, they could be...]
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Then again... it's not like Teddy has a whole family waiting for him back home, either. Realizing that makes his excuse awfully feeble, and kind of selfish, besides. Would it really matter, in the long run, if they just... acted like it was true already?]
Would anything, um, change?
[He's not entirely sure what this would actually entail, truth be told.]
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[Teddy knows Billy's family is important, and he would never want to exclude them from something like this. They're practically his family too now, and he can freely admit that. He'd give anything to see the looks on their faces when they see Billy with a suit on, saying his vows, being so happy to finally be wedded...
But going back and being sixteen, having to wait even longer to get married... Maybe he's being selfish now, and in that case, he'll gladly drop it. But it's something he'd really, really like to do, if Billy's on board with it.]
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That's okay, isn't it? A way to make them both happy without betraying some kind of family obligation? No one could get angry at them for this. Hell, when they go home it'll be their secret, anyway, even if they do remember.]
...I think... I think I'm okay with that. Yeah.
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