145 - IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN [Video]

[major_west]

This. [The shot is of the neighbourhood, first one way down the street, then the other, then to the house that West and Billy have occupied for the port. The camera's a bit shaky, as West has already had a few drinks before busting it out.]

This is what I fought for, what I would have done anything to protect.

[He moves into the house. SO

Comments

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

[Billy has been out getting the shopping, like an awesome househusband, but he comes in just in time for the tail end of that entry. He catches enough of it to figure out that West is angsting, so he puts on his sexy West face of the day.]

Hey, you okay, Henry?

Spam.

[major_west]

[West shoves his port iPhone aside and stands to greet Billy with a wan smile.] Of course, Billy. How was the shopping?

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

[Billy hefts his bags, giving a slight shrug as he does so.] Eh, you know. It was... it was good. I bought stuff. [He moves to the kitchen table and sets the bags down, before turning to West, dusting his hands off.]

This is nice. I mean... living together. I mean, I know we already kinda live together, but, what I meant to say was... it's nice to live together, in... an actual house, and not a floating space prison.

Spam.

[major_west]

Stuff? [That smile becomes more genuine as he follows him into the kitchen.] Just what I was having a craving for.

It is. I never realised the extent to which I missed this... day-to-day normality. [He begins to put some of the newly purchased foodstuffs away.] It's... almost a shame we'll have to return to the Barge soon.

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

Yeah, well, I guess I just felt like spoiling you! [With the money that neither of them has earned. Billy smiles, and helps with the unpacking.]

It kinda is. I mean, I never really... I never expected to be happy with day-to-day normality, but... I don't know. It feels like here, we could actually go and do stuff. Like, get jobs and cook for ourselves and... [He trails off, pulling a bunch of bananas out of one of the bags.] I don't know. Get more ferrets.

Spam.

[major_west]

The ferrets could have their own room, even. [At least, UNTIL THEY ADOPTED CHILDREN OR SOMETHING.] I took all of this for granted in life. I always thought... it would always be here. No matter how many wars and murders and other senselessness occurred out there.

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

Yeah, and... maybe when the ferrets got a little older... they'd want to go to school, and... [Pause] Okay, so, I was just saying ferrets, when what I meant was maybe we'd eventually start a family together.

[Bananas away, Billy moved towards West, reaching out to slide his hand into the crook of West's arm.] Do you still feel like it's gone? I mean... I know you said there was no future, but... it's been years now. Do you still feel like none of this can be real?

Spam.

[major_west]

And perhaps one day the ferrets will have ferrets of their own.

[He shakes his head, leaning his forehead against Billy's.] No. This feels real. The other ports never did, even the ones where we went to worlds similar to the one I left. There was always a catch. [He sighs softly.] Something... wrong with the world. What do you think?

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

Maybe we could have a whole... ferret... farm... thing... [No, you've lost it, Billy.] Or not. But, grandferrets. That could be nice.

[Billy dropped forward slightly in turn, so his nose was running down close to West's.] I never saw what you saw, West. Or... when I did, it was just part of the Barge. One of those things that didn't seem real. I always kinda knew this stuff existed, I just... took it for granted. I always figured... I'd be happier running a country or owning a continent or something, and that I wouldn't ever want it. [He leans forward, slipping his arms around West's waist.] Only now... I don't know. I guess I kinda do.

Spam.

[major_west]

Ferrets. [He laughs a little.] What has Morgan done to us?

I'm glad that you didn't. You've seen enough, simply being on the Barge. [He brings his hand up to touch the side of Billy's face before lowering it to rest on the crook of his neck.] Owning a house isn't so bad. With a family, it's like [A slight smile.] your own personal country.

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

You could be my minister of economics! [Pause] And health! [Feel proud, West, those are some LOFTY POSITIONS IN THIS FAKE GOVERNMENT.]

[Billy trails his fingers up West's spine, before finishing by clasping his hands across the back of his neck, a close smile gracing his features.] And... I guess if it was just us, in a house, with a family, I wouldn't need to worry about how diplomatic incidents might pan out in the long term, right? Except for... you know, the issue of sorting out your visa...

[Because obviously you will live in America, West. What of it?]

Spam.

[major_west]

Well, of course I'd be the minister of health. [He chuckles.] If it were up to you, we would have pizza every night.

[He raises an eyebrow.] My visa? Can we even get benefits in your country?

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

Oh, we will have pizza every night. Just sometimes it will have vegetables on it. [Billy insists.]

[He nods, meaningfully in response to the question.] Your Visa. We can get some unemployment benefits. Besides, worst case scenario, we could always rob a bank, right? [You're getting the most innocent smile from your boyfriend right now, West.]

Spam.

[major_west]

We'll need a better long-term plan than that. I don't think I'm quite cut out to be a supervillain.

[Then, after a pause, there's a moment of SERIOUSNESS.] I suppose this means, if we're really to do something like this, we'll have to graduate.

Spam.

[my_freeze_ray]

Yeah, well... maybe I wasn't quite cut out for it either.

[Billy nods, his own expression fading to seriousness as well.] Yeah. I guess that's another of the things that I never wanted to do. Specifically admitting that the whole Barge thing might have had a point... I guess, would be the hard part.

Spam.

[major_west]

Mm. [NUZZLE SCHMOOP.] But you are cut out to be a brilliant scientist.

Especially considering our failed riot. [Pause.] I'll have to speak with Morgan.