part... the last, I think.
Which is not to say I'll never revisit this universe. But for now, I'm satisfied with the story as it stands.
Thanks to everyone for their comments; it really helped spur the story along.
Penny happens to mention, in the course of usual laundromat conversation, that she's got an idea for the blog; she won't elaborate, other than saying she'd need to be there for it. Billy figures she wants to put in some kind of appearance, but stops pressing for details when that doesn't work, and suggests they do... whatever it is on Saturday, after they're done with that day's laundry. She agrees, and shows up on Saturday with an extra duffel bag.
"So what's in the bag?"
Penny smiles. "You'll see later."
"Can't you at least give me some warning for what you've got in mind?"
"Oh, come on. What would be the fun in that?"
Billy can't deny that point, so he lets the matter drop, and they pass the time waiting for their clothes talking about everything under the sun. Well, everything else under the sun. When they're both done, they head over to Billy's apartment complex.
"Okay," Penny says. "I need to stop by the bathroom - which way's your apartment?"
"...Down the hall ten doors, on the left. But I've got a bathroom, it's probably cleaner than the lobby--"
"It's a plot point, Billy. No fun in not having a dramatic entrance."
Billy grins. "Well, I can't really argue that. Should I go ahead and get started when I get down there, then?"
"Yeah. I'll be there in a few." She disappears into the bathroom, and Billy heads down the hall. Once he gets to his apartment, he dumps his laundry basket in his bedroom, gets out the lab coat and goggles, prints out a few emails, and starts up the webcam.
"As a matter of interest," he says, "Vanity Fair's Captain Hammer interview is in next month's issue. Keep an eye on the newsstands, if you don't already have it. Hope you all enjoy the results of my handiwork. I know I did."
He smirks a little, then moves on to the emails. There are a couple addressing the Iron Man question, and one asking for Dr. Horrible's opinion about Bad Horse's racing accident (which Billy mostly printed out for the challenge of keeping how much he knows out of the equation). The last straw, though, is yet another gem from Johnny Snow; he doesn't even read past the 'from:' line on that one.
"You are still not my nemesis, man. And really, if you're calling yourself a good guy, you might want to find a nemesis who's not leaning more toward chaotic neutral. It just looks bad to go--"
He's interrupted mid-rant by a knock on the door, which at least means he doesn't have to feign annoyance. "What is it? I'm a little busy right now."
"I'm sure it's nothing that can't wait, Doctor," Penny's voice calls.
Even though he knew this was coming, she kept him enough in the dark that it doesn't take too much acting. He raises an eyebrow, and calls back, "And why should it wait?"
"Because I did say I'd be back if you gave up on the League. And since you've done that, we've got a bit of catching up to do. Now, are you going to let me in, or do I have to take matters into my own hands?"
Billy doesn't trust himself to say anything in response, still wondering just what kind of plot Penny's got in her head. He gets up without turning off the webcam, and opens the door.
He doesn't know where she found the mask, but it goes a long way toward dressing up the dark green blouse and jeans - not to mention, it's a little more effective than the goggles, even only covering the top of her face. She also looks a little more sure of herself, though that could just be his imagination.
When he finally finds his voice, it's actually more Dr. Horrible's voice. "Well. This is a surprise."
"I would hope so. If you knew I was coming, that would mean I was losing my touch." She steps in, sets her duffel bag down just inside the door - and then kisses him.
He definitely wasn't expecting that, but he does recover enough to kiss her back before she pulls away. When she does, he says, "Just a sec, I need to--" He waves a hand at the computer.
Penny smiles. "Go ahead."
Billy goes over to the computer and eyes the camera for a moment. "I don't know how much the camera caught," he says, "but the short version is, you'll have to get the proper introduction next time. Later." He shuts off the webcam, and then lets the shit-eating grin take over his face like it wants to.
"You... didn't mind?" Penny says, looking a little nervous.
"God, no. Not at all. I just... had no idea what you had in mind. It works, though. It works really well."
"Thanks."
"So, um." Billy looks down at his hands for a moment, though he's pretty sure he won't stop grinning for quite some time. "You have an alias in mind yet?"
"I'm still thinking about it. I'll make sure you know before you post again. Just... thought you could use a little plot, since your focus is officially changing. I mean, I did want to kiss you anyway--"
"No, it's okay, I got that part. Really don't think you would have done it like that if you didn't mean it."
Penny blushes, but she's smiling too. "Well, no."
"Oh, um. Update on the Bad Horse thing." He'd wanted to mention it Wednesday, but the laundromat didn't seem like the place to say anything, and when Penny mentioned wanting to do something with the blog, he decided to wait. "Turns out my hunch was right, which... means I don't have to worry, at least for now. He couldn't promise the League will never take an interest again, but."
Penny's smile grows. "Good. Want to get dinner to celebrate?"
"I'd like that. I'd... like that a lot."
"All right. Let's not go out dressed like this, though."
Billy can't help laughing at that; nor can he help thinking, as they head in separate directions long enough to change clothes, that this just might be the beginning of something very good indeed.
Thanks to everyone for their comments; it really helped spur the story along.
Penny happens to mention, in the course of usual laundromat conversation, that she's got an idea for the blog; she won't elaborate, other than saying she'd need to be there for it. Billy figures she wants to put in some kind of appearance, but stops pressing for details when that doesn't work, and suggests they do... whatever it is on Saturday, after they're done with that day's laundry. She agrees, and shows up on Saturday with an extra duffel bag.
"So what's in the bag?"
Penny smiles. "You'll see later."
"Can't you at least give me some warning for what you've got in mind?"
"Oh, come on. What would be the fun in that?"
Billy can't deny that point, so he lets the matter drop, and they pass the time waiting for their clothes talking about everything under the sun. Well, everything else under the sun. When they're both done, they head over to Billy's apartment complex.
"Okay," Penny says. "I need to stop by the bathroom - which way's your apartment?"
"...Down the hall ten doors, on the left. But I've got a bathroom, it's probably cleaner than the lobby--"
"It's a plot point, Billy. No fun in not having a dramatic entrance."
Billy grins. "Well, I can't really argue that. Should I go ahead and get started when I get down there, then?"
"Yeah. I'll be there in a few." She disappears into the bathroom, and Billy heads down the hall. Once he gets to his apartment, he dumps his laundry basket in his bedroom, gets out the lab coat and goggles, prints out a few emails, and starts up the webcam.
"As a matter of interest," he says, "Vanity Fair's Captain Hammer interview is in next month's issue. Keep an eye on the newsstands, if you don't already have it. Hope you all enjoy the results of my handiwork. I know I did."
He smirks a little, then moves on to the emails. There are a couple addressing the Iron Man question, and one asking for Dr. Horrible's opinion about Bad Horse's racing accident (which Billy mostly printed out for the challenge of keeping how much he knows out of the equation). The last straw, though, is yet another gem from Johnny Snow; he doesn't even read past the 'from:' line on that one.
"You are still not my nemesis, man. And really, if you're calling yourself a good guy, you might want to find a nemesis who's not leaning more toward chaotic neutral. It just looks bad to go--"
He's interrupted mid-rant by a knock on the door, which at least means he doesn't have to feign annoyance. "What is it? I'm a little busy right now."
"I'm sure it's nothing that can't wait, Doctor," Penny's voice calls.
Even though he knew this was coming, she kept him enough in the dark that it doesn't take too much acting. He raises an eyebrow, and calls back, "And why should it wait?"
"Because I did say I'd be back if you gave up on the League. And since you've done that, we've got a bit of catching up to do. Now, are you going to let me in, or do I have to take matters into my own hands?"
Billy doesn't trust himself to say anything in response, still wondering just what kind of plot Penny's got in her head. He gets up without turning off the webcam, and opens the door.
He doesn't know where she found the mask, but it goes a long way toward dressing up the dark green blouse and jeans - not to mention, it's a little more effective than the goggles, even only covering the top of her face. She also looks a little more sure of herself, though that could just be his imagination.
When he finally finds his voice, it's actually more Dr. Horrible's voice. "Well. This is a surprise."
"I would hope so. If you knew I was coming, that would mean I was losing my touch." She steps in, sets her duffel bag down just inside the door - and then kisses him.
He definitely wasn't expecting that, but he does recover enough to kiss her back before she pulls away. When she does, he says, "Just a sec, I need to--" He waves a hand at the computer.
Penny smiles. "Go ahead."
Billy goes over to the computer and eyes the camera for a moment. "I don't know how much the camera caught," he says, "but the short version is, you'll have to get the proper introduction next time. Later." He shuts off the webcam, and then lets the shit-eating grin take over his face like it wants to.
"You... didn't mind?" Penny says, looking a little nervous.
"God, no. Not at all. I just... had no idea what you had in mind. It works, though. It works really well."
"Thanks."
"So, um." Billy looks down at his hands for a moment, though he's pretty sure he won't stop grinning for quite some time. "You have an alias in mind yet?"
"I'm still thinking about it. I'll make sure you know before you post again. Just... thought you could use a little plot, since your focus is officially changing. I mean, I did want to kiss you anyway--"
"No, it's okay, I got that part. Really don't think you would have done it like that if you didn't mean it."
Penny blushes, but she's smiling too. "Well, no."
"Oh, um. Update on the Bad Horse thing." He'd wanted to mention it Wednesday, but the laundromat didn't seem like the place to say anything, and when Penny mentioned wanting to do something with the blog, he decided to wait. "Turns out my hunch was right, which... means I don't have to worry, at least for now. He couldn't promise the League will never take an interest again, but."
Penny's smile grows. "Good. Want to get dinner to celebrate?"
"I'd like that. I'd... like that a lot."
"All right. Let's not go out dressed like this, though."
Billy can't help laughing at that; nor can he help thinking, as they head in separate directions long enough to change clothes, that this just might be the beginning of something very good indeed.