thisavrou_log | Open | Our house it has a crowd

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Open | Our house it has a crowd

Who: Bill Denbrough + Any
When: During the flooding
Where: The Hall of Music; The Bartering Block
What: Bill is working on set pieces and scripts in an appropriately inspiring setting.
Warnings: None currently

Bill Denbrough Leaves His Mark

[After the flooding starts, the Chemisty unit he shares with his friends becomes too damp and too chaotic for much focus. Bill relocated his stack of paper and his bookbag to the main performance stage in the Hall of Music. He had looted a few paints and markers from the bartering block, as well as some broken sides of boxes and crates. His supplies were scattered all across the stage area, and his bookbag was overflowing, stuffed with shredded linens.

His sleeves were rolled up to work, and the names of each of the losers were written on the inside of his right arm, starting with Eddie and Stan the largest of the names. On his other arm were the words Never Forget. His hands were both wrapped in white medical gauze, though his nose and the bruises under his eyes were almost fully healed now. His new pin is proudly displayed over his heart.

He hasn't been back to the unit in a little over two days, so caught up in his work that he has slept twice on the stage, waking up with marker stains on his hands and face that were only worsened by his rubbing at them. He spent a lot of his time sketching out set piece designs on one of the larger pieces of broken crate in pencil, preparing them for painting and cutting once he gets the Losers together.

Among the pile of abandoned supplies from those that had left the station and their belongings behind, Bill had found an old tattered cowboy hat, well worn and losing it's shape a little from age. He wears it on his head while he works, and can be heard softly repeating one of his vocal exercises to himself, his marker moving over the pencil sketches in small, careful arcs.]

He thrusts his fists against the p-p-p-posts.

Fuck.

[He rubs the side of his hand against his forehead, smearing a streak of black across it with the rest of the smudges and sighs, sitting back to look at his work.]

If you need a friend, Don't look to a stranger.

[When he finally takes a break from his work, storing it all carefully away in one of the smaller private rooms, Bill takes off on a quest. The floppy cowboy hat, too big for him and too weak to keep its shape, bounces atop his head with every step. There's a backpack resting against his front, worn backwards with bits of fabric sticking out of it haphazardly. He keeps a protective arm around it while the other points a flashlight down into darker storage areas searching for one thing in particular but keeping his eyes open for other things that might prove useful.

He slips by the occasional task bot or quick dashing cluster of tiny dinosaurs disturbed by his light as he goes, moving things out of his way and peering around doors. He's on the hunt for a crate big enough for a young boy to fit in, and still sturdy enough to survive getting a chunk cut out of its side.

Every now and then he finds another scrap of linen or an old abandoned shirt and adds it to his pack before continuing on.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Bev watches in the doorway for a few minutes, silhouetted by the light from the hall as she watches Bill work. She hadn't seen him yet, since her arrival. It had been Stan and Richie and Eddie, so it had mostly been Stan and Richie.

Not that she blamed Eddie for avoiding her. She'd been avoiding him, too.

But Bill- Bill she'd wanted to find. It had taken her some time, but here he was, wearing some silly hat that he managed to make look effortlessly cool. What he was doing, however, Bev couldn't figure out. Drawing something- but she couldn't make sense of it.

Carefully, she drew a few feet closer, careful to remain as quiet as she could until she was hovering right on the edge of the stage. When she was close to the stage, Bill swore and Bev knew it was her time to make herself known.]

Whatcha working on?

[Pretend the last time you saw each other you didn't kiss. Please.]

[The last two times Bill saw Beverly, one of them she was taking part with him in a great betrayal, and the other- Well. Actually, the other was also a betrayal, to a woman Bill didn't know.

Bill had been avoiding her, if he was honest. It wasn't kind, it was cowardly and he knew it. He just needed time to get over his incredibly awkward and confused emotions both from the past and the future with Beverly.

When she shows up, he flushes slightly and looks back down at his cactus outline, biting his lip for a moment before looking up with a soft smile. It isn't Beverly's fault he hates his future self and the future he saw. He's glad she's there. At least together at the station they could all keep each other safe.]

Hey, Bev-Beverly. [Nonchalant he could do. He was spending so much time pretending to not be dwelling on things, he could do it with her too. His smile strengthens a little, and he tilts the wood so she can see the outlines he's drawn. A tumbleweed beside a cactus. When he tilts his head to look up at her, the hat tips back.]

Set pieces. We're p-p-putting on a play. You can be in it, t-too. I'm not d-done writing it yet.

[Without waiting for an invitation, Beverly hoists herself up on to the stage and rises once more to her feet. A small smile plays on her lips, she's genuinely happy to see Bill. She just had no idea what he had personally seen.

She takes a few steps back toward him, appraising the cactus carefully.] Neat. I'd love to play a part. [The play they'd been in together was already a wisp of a memory.

Beverly turns back to Bill and her smile almost instantly becomes a concerned frown.] Shit, Bill. What happened to you? And what's with the tattoos? [she gestures at their names written on his arms.]

R-really? Great. I'll f-figure out where to edit the st-story.

[Give her a good role in the western, something that would suit her and make her as much a hero as the Loner Brothers. It was only right that she would be. He rubs at the fading bruises under his eye and tugs at his sleeve self-consciously. For now they're just a special kind of ink, not the permanent ones he wants, but he touches them up every night before he sleeps.]

It's f-fine. It doesn't hurt anymore.

[The names though. He looks at them, running his thumb down the side of the names and frowning a little.]

Being away from Derry. Sometimes m-m-memories get f-fuzzy.

[Softer, and without looking directly at her, he continues.]

We made a promise the we wouldn't forget or leave anyone behind. [No one dies. Bill knows that part of the promise isn't something they really control, but the other two parts? Those he was determined to keep to.] This way I know I won't forget again.

Cool. Thanks.

[The smile she gives him is warm. She's going to have to track down the first part of his story on the ACE.

She pushes a lock of her hair behind her ear, and Beverly shifts closer to Bill. She looks over at his injuries apprasingly, before smiling fondly.] I think they look pretty badass.

[Huh. Now that he said it, her time in Derry was getting fuzzy. She'd thought it was just natural but- no, he was right.]

So it's happening to you, too. [These are things she hadn't been able to really speak with the Losers about. She could have put it together before, with the reminders to remember written on their walls, but she couldn't even ask what the reminders were for.

Well, now she knew. Beverly nods, her face sober.] I'd like to make that promise, too. [She knows why that promise came about. You didn't have to be a genius to see it, especially with the way he didn't look at her.

Honestly, that's what hurt the most.]

Eddie was the first to f-figure it out. He's the one who started the wall.

[Bill had been happy early on when he arrived, his memories distant and growing further, but things had triggered them. The little boat he sailed with Eddie, the writing on the walls, the silver slug that had been such a heavy weight in his pockets.

Now the fear of forgetting has been solidified by the visions of the future, and Bill isn't willing to risk forgetting again. That's why finding a way to make those tattoos permanent is so important to him.

He moves to unfold, gesturing to the floor of the stage beside him. She could sit beside him if she wanted.]

I th-think that would be a good idea. [For Eddie most of all.]

Things have b-been... A lot has happened h-here. Eddie's been here longest but the rest of us have be-been here for a month. It's better than Derry, but it isn't safe. Things happen that are h-hard to explain.

[He glances over at her as he speaks, his fingers curled in the fabric of his pants. He can't tell her why it's so hard to look directly at her, but he can try to push it down. If Eddie was right, It had something to do with their awful future selves. Bill has to believe that, or he'll sink back into the pit of guilt, anger, and fear it had tossed him in to begin with.]

But I'm gl-glad [He flushes a little and looks down, biting his lip gently.] I'm glad you're h-here.

Eddie's a smart guy.

[She doesn't waste any time coming to sit next to him. She's happy to just be near him- she'd missed him probably the most of all.]

I'll talk with him about it. [Or she'd wait for him to come to her, that seemed the best option, with what Eddie knew. She didn't want to aggravate the situation any more than she already had just by showing up.

Bev takes in what Bill has to say. He's good at this sort of thing, and she nods.] I figure space would be dangerous, but at least it's better than Derry. Not like anything here could scare us, right? [She nudges him slightly, giving him a flirtatious smile. They weren't afraid of anything anymore.]

Thanks. I'm glad you're here, too. [She glances down at the space between them.]

He is.

[Bill's glad she's going to talk to Eddie. Of all of them, Eddie is the one who most needs the promise. Maybe it would help things between them. He smiles thinly when she mentions nothing could scare them, and thinks of how scared he had been of losing all of his friends, of becoming the person in those future visions, of never being able to mend the broken pieces when those visions fractured their friendships and trust in one another.

He swallows the emotion and nudges her back with a soft, quiet laugh. Right now, he wants this, this glimmer of normality of the forged friendships they had built up. He thinks Bev might need it too. It's only been a month since he arrived but he still remembers the uncertainty and confusion and the odd soft hopeful wonder. The station wasn't safe, and it wasn't a place without fear or trouble, but it was better than Derry and he wanted all of them there and safer and ripped away from It's influence and the future It shaped for them, if Eddie was correct.

And Bill felt he was with the same certainty he knew that they all needed each other. ]

It's safer than D-Derry. [He agrees, and it's the most neutral response he can give without possibly ruining that surety of hers and scaring her. They would protect each other from any threats that came. He would make sure nothing happened to rip his friends apart or break them the way those visions almost had. Not if he could in any way do something about it.]

We're n-not going back there, Bev. [Without thinking he gently takes her hand in his bandaged one, looking her in the eyes with a furrowed brow and a determination in his voice as strong as any speech he's ever given.] Not ever.

Isn't almost everything?

[it's so nice to be around Bill. She'd always valued her time spent one-on-one with them, wishing he'd been the one to write her that poem.

Well, now he was writing her a role in his play, and that was certainly something.

So was that kiss.

Beverly looks down at her hand as he grabs hold. His hand is bandaged, giving her slight pause. But she takes his hand, meeting his gaze. ]

Never. [She promises him, squeezing his hand gently so as not to hurt his wounds. She believed Bill. She wanted to, and it was so hard not to when she looked at him and heard the clarity, the compassion in his words. It was the same way he'd spoken to them all outside of Neibolt. When had hadn't stuttered.]

We won't leave each other. [She glances down at his lips just slightly, remembering how it was to kiss them, how gentle he had been.] We all take care of each other. Screw Derry.

Edited 2018-01-10 18:15 (UTC)

[He laughs at that, his cheeks coloring faintly as their hands stay together between them. He squeezes hers back, not yet ready to let go, and looks away with a darker blush.

Past events aside, there's something about being around Beverly that always makes him feel like he just ran across town.]

S-screw Derry. [He agrees with an affirmative nod and lets go of her hand reluctantly only to pull one of his notebooks over and offers it to her. There's a sketch of a set design on the pages, including horses and cattle.]

It's a w-western. I thought maybe you could be the m-m-marshal. [Flustered, he stumbles a little. It's frustrating when he can't get his words out, but he's confident she'll like the idea. He had already had the character in but it was no issue to rewrite them to suit her more.]

Sh-she goes rogue, but it's f-for a good cause.

[Her hand feels so empty when Bill takes his away, but it's soon filled with one of his notebooks. While listening, she begins to page through, looking at his beautiful drawings, sketches.

He's a brilliant artist, something she'd never realized before. It makes something inside her swell, makes the whole room feel lighter.]

I'd love that, [she tells him.] Beverly Marshal. [It's a pun on her last name, and she grins at it.]

I better be a good shot. [They both knew of her slingshot prowess.]

Th-the best, obviously. [He laughs a little, smiling at her when she clearly approves. He can't stop the way his cheeks heat up, but he is still smiling when he looks away.]

H-here. You want to help me m-mark over the p-p-pencil lines? [He offers her one of the sharpies when he asks, gesturing to the sketched set pieces littering the stage floor.]

[His smile is infectious and she lets it bloom over her own face. It's stupid, she thinks, the way she looks at him like this, the way he makes her feel. It's ridiculous.

She wants to ask him about the kiss that day- before she left, when they'd all made their original promise. But deep down she can't help but think it's something that will never be addressed.

She leans in slightly to take the pen from him, her fingertips brushing up against his. She pulls back a little, blushing and tucking her hair behind an ear.] Sure, Bill. Hopefully I'll be decent at it- I'm not much of an artist.

[She uncaps the pen.]

[He blushes deeper, fumbling with the other marker before uncapping it as well. Even the slightest brush of her fingers against his skin manages to fluster him, but he keeps smiling, glancing sideways at her before dragging over one of the bigger set pieces.]

It's easy, it's just t-tracing. Here I'll sh-show you.

[The pictures are already drawn in pencil on the surface, and Bill carefully pulls the marker down along one of the lines, changing it from pale thin graphite to a thick, dark black.]

Just like that, s-see? If the smell st-starts to bother you, I have some bandannas f-for the play we could use.

[Beverly watches. Tracing is easy, but it's cool to watch Bill do it, tracing over his own lines. His hands are so sure.]

Cool. I think I can handle that.

[She moves closer to the set piece.]

If I mess up, promise not to hate me?

[When the flooding starts, Clara promptly takes to making sure all her students are safe and sound. She also helps them relocate to drier areas. She doesn't keep tabs on anyone in particular at first, since the commotion of everything is slightly overwhelming. But once she finishes doing her part in saving dinosaurs or robots, and helps sandbag here and there she sets out to make sure the children are alright. She may only be their teacher, but she sees the kids enough each day that she's come to care for them.

Their safety is her priority.

When she finally tracks down Bill, she quietly approaches. He seems caught up in his drawing, and as she gets closer she realizes that he's working on his speech as well. That doesn't stop her from getting in closer, gathering up her dress so that she can properly sit down beside him.]

Whatever this all is for, I can't wait to see the end result.

[Bill perks up when Clara speaks up, smiling at her when she sits. He liked her. She was a good teacher and nice while not being a pushover. He turns the wooden set piece toward her so she can see the western backdrop he's been working on, complete with cactus and tumbleweed.]

It's for the p-play. [He's proud of it, and of the play he is working on writing with and for his friends. With the play at least, he's confident he can get through it without his stutter making a fool of him. He did better with speeches and things he could rehears and practice. It's possible no one would even come to it, but it wasn't about who would see it. It was about the Losers, old and new, doing something they could enjoy together and have a good time with.]

I'm doing the outlines so we can paint the p-pieces once things aren't so damp.

[He's so creative that it leaves her in awe. She was always good at writing and coming up with stories, but nothing to the extent that Bill is able to come up with. She's known that they were at work on something, but hearing it's a play makes her face light up with a smile.]

I'd ask to help, but I know how important this is to you. I'm invited to your first performance though, aren't I? I'll be very cross if you say no.

[She teases him, managing to hold her stern teacher face on for a few seconds before laughing. She thinks that this all is good for Bill and his confidence, a way for him to work on his stutter without it being too high pressure. ]

Of course you are! [He's so glad to hear her seem excited about this play. He respects Clara a lot, and her opinion matters, so of course he's thrilled when she says she wants to come see it.]

I w-wouldn't mind if you wanted to help wi-with the set. A-actually I... could I ask you a f-favor?

[ The music hall is one of the drier areas of Avagi at the moment. That fact alone serves as all the excuse a small, pink-and-black teacup pig needs to invade the sanctuary Bill has made for himself, a rapid tik-tik-tik of tiny hooves accompanying the pig's advancement. He grunts softly to himself as he sniffs along the floors-- looking for something to eat, perhaps, his tiny tail flicking behind him. To make the situation a bit more ridiculous still, the piglet is also wearing a somewhat luridly colored knit sweater, a bit damp in places by the looks of it. ]

--Now, where do you think you're going, Mister? [ The words are aimed at the piglet, coming from a tall woman that suddenly rounds the corner and strides in after the piglet, her ginger hair in a high ponytail and her pants damp up to her knees. The tiny animal gives an indignant little squeal at having his exploration so disrupted when the woman scoops him up to cradle gently against her chest, dashing some ruffled bangs out of her eyes with her free hand as she straightens up again and notices Bill for the first time. ]

Oh! [ Surprise flickers across Pepper's expression, but she recovers quickly and smiles politely. ] I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was here. Hello-- I hope we're not intruding overly.

I d-don't mind. [He can't help but smile when he looks up from his work, watching the little pig squirm in her arms. It's cute, and Bill has a soft spot for animals. He caps his marker and sets it aside, sliding to the edge of the stage to dangle his feet over the edge.]

Your clothes are wet. W-w-were you in the flooded areas? [He's glad the little pig is okay. After Richie 'adopted' Teddie it became pretty clear some of those little dinos all over were meat eaters.]

Is he okay?

[ Pepper strokes over the pig's ears as she wanders a little closer and settles him down at least somewhat, grunting in contentment at the attention. ]

Yeah, over at the labs to see if anyone needed help hauling anything sensitive to safety. [ She shakes her head a little ruefully. ] It's always something acting up in this place...

[ Smiling at the question, Pepper nods. ] He's fine, thank you. I normally wouldn't mind him being a slippery little thing, but I'm not crazy about letting him run free with those dinosaurs around. His name is Ziggy, and I'm Pepper. [ What a pair of names, really... ]

What are you working on, if I may ask?

Ziggy. [Bill repeats it softly. He's never seen a live pig before, let alone one so small and apparently a pet. But he'll remember both unusual names and he smiles again, tugging a notebook out from under a pile of pencils to offer to her.

The page it's open to has a set design mock-up sketched out on the lined pages.]

My friends and I are putting on a p-play. Our room is fl-flooded so I've been working on this until the l-leaks are stopped.

[ Pepper comes over and carefully takes the offered sketch book in her free hand from him, setting it down on the edge of the stage for easier handling. A lopsided smile of delight comes to her face as she studies the sketches on the page. Ziggy noses the edge of the book with interest, sniffing it. ]

Oh, what a great idea! I always thought it was a shame we had such good set-up here and nobody to really take advantage of it.

[ Certainly, they'd been a little busy with... well, surviving and all. Still. Pepper had played with the idea of an amateur theater at one point herself, but this is infinitely better. She glances up with an encouraging smile. ]

I hope we're all invited to the grand opening when you're ready? I think this station could definitely use the pick me up.

I still have to see how the others f-feel about it. But I th-think so. I think it'd be f-fun.

[He isn't sure how many people are in the station, and most of them seemed to be adults, but Bill thinks they could pull it off, and there's no real pressure besides the stage fright potential. He's sure Richie would be thrilled at least, but less sure how Laura might feel about it.

He reaches out and lightly pets Ziggy's head without asking, distracted by the animal.]

You're w-welcome to come see it.

[ Pepper smiles kindly, and Ziggy pushes his head into the hand that's petting him, almost dog-like, grunting softly in approval and closing his eyes in enjoyment. ]

Thank you. I think it'd be fun, too, but I do understand if you'd all rather keep the audience small.

[ She can't assume all his friends feel up to performing to the whole station, after all. ]

You and your friends must be new here. [ There were never many kids around, after all, not even when they were still on Thisavrou proper. ] I don't think I caught your name?

It's okay. Shhh. Don't cry....

(Eddie's voice is baby-soft coming from a dark storage enter Bill happens to walk into. There's minimal flooding in this particular storage area, but the room is a little chilly. Eddie is tucked up in the corner, his back to the entrance of the storage room. If it weren't for his soft cooing, it would have almost looked like a potentially horrifying situation given their history.

But it isn't. There's a flashlight turned on and facing what appears to be a vent, and Eddie's moving very slowly. There appears to be a sweater in his hands.)

That's okay there, little guy. Aw see. You're not mean at all. Gosh, you're cold though.

(Then there's delicate little chirping, not quite like a baby bird, but for people who have never heard dinosaurs before? It's the closest resemblance Eddie can think of. Eddie pulls back, and when he sits himself down, despite the thin layer of water, he's got a sweater bundled up around an aquilops. Not that he knows what that is.

But that's when he notices Bill. He startles instinctively at first at the sight of someone, but relaxes just as quickly once he realizes who it is.)

Oh, hiya Bill. Look what I found. He's cold and shaking. (Which is enough to make Eddie's voice crackle. He wasn't good at seeing things suffer, and he tucks the creature more firmly against his chest.) You think he'll be okay?

Edited 2018-01-10 23:46 (UTC)

[Bill walks slowly and quietly over to where Eddie is, crouching down once he's close enough to get a better look at the dinosaur. It's such an unusual little creature, but it doesn't look that dangerous, and Eddie holding it makes it somehow look even smaller and more fragile.

He reaches out to gently brush his fingers against it. Eddie's right, it's cold to the touch.]

Was he hiding in the v-vent? [His words are soft and gentle but he pulls his backpack off and sets it down between them, opening it and pushing the scraps of fabric around.]

If we get hi w-warm and find him something to eat he sh-should be. Here. Try wr-wrapping him up in these.

[While he leaves Eddie to that, Bill starts digging in the other pockets, looking for anything they might be able to feed it. He has half a soylent bar in one, and he breaks a tiny piece off, holding it out in an open palm near the tiny dino.]

I wonder if he got l-lost trying to escape the w-water? [He's seen a few packs of the little dinosaurs, not like this one, but all the ones he had seen had been fleeing wet areas.]

Mmmhm. I think he's scared too. (Eddie's voice was brittle with emotion. The creature was small and sweet, and he didn't do so good with things like this suffering. It was even shaking every now and then against him, causing Eddie to squeeze a little more firmly around the creature while still considering its size.)

Thanks, Bill. (Eddie instantly gets to work on gently wrapping the dinosaur up with the fabric. He eases him back into the sweater and bundles him up. Eddie was a little cold now too, but he could handle it.

When the food is offered, the dinosaur gladly snips at it, and Eddie smiles. It's good to know that it'll at least eat that.)

Probably. He seemed pretty disoriented when I first found him.

(Probably the shock of the cold and all that water. Eddie moves to stand up, a little glad for it. The dinosaur, thankfully, isn't too heavy.)

What are you doing wandering around?

Poor little guy. [Bill likes animals well enough. This one needs their help, and he isn't the sort to let someone or something suffer. He knows if he had found it instead of Eddie they would still be in the same situation.

He picks up Eddie's flashlight and stands up with him, gesturing for Eddie to follow.]

Let's find somewhere warmer so we can get a b-better look at him. He m-might be injured. [It didn't look like he had sharp teeth, but Bill knew some of them did, and even those aside there was plenty to get hurt on or by in the station right now.]

Do you know if the greenery is flooded? He might like the plants and it's usually w-warmer there.

(Eddie hoped he wasn't injured, but the lighting in here wasn't great even with the aid of a flashlight. He gives a nod of appreciation to Bill for grabbing the light.)

That's a good idea. I have some stuff in my bag if he is. (Of course he did. Eddie sticks close to Bill's side, and the question has him nodding.)

Yeah, it's dry there. (Eddie and Richie went to the Greenery often- especially after the whole future event. Bill had a good point though, and Eddie lead them away. Thankfully they are relatively close, and once they get to the Greenery, Eddie feels a whole lot better for it.

Eddie automatically goes towards that small wheat field he and Richie would vanish into for hours. He stops just next to the broken stalks and the obvious path inward before sitting down right in front of it. He lowers the animal into his lap and opens up the fabric to really properly look at the creature. He instantly frowns.)

Aw. His tail. (It wasn't too bad, Eddie doesn't think, but the very tip looked like it had gotten caught on something, and was bloodied up.)

Here, let me hold him. [Bill sits down in front of Eddie, his legs crossed. If the little dino is injured, Eddie is the better one to care for its injuries.

The greenery is the closest they get to fresh air and the outdoors. It's not the same, but the plants help. He grabs a handful of grass growing around the bottom of the broken stalks, holding them out to see if the little dino would eat them. The could find him some better food later. Some fruit or vegetables maybe.]

It doesn't look t-too bad.

Okay. Careful. (Both for Bill's own sake, and the dinosaur's sake. He slides his backpack off his shoulders and digs through it. He isn't so sure the differences between taking care of an animal and taking care of a person, but he figures it'll be about the same since the cut didn't seem too bad.)

No, it doesn't.

(While the little guy had eaten the bar Bill had given him before, it seems far more interested in the stalks of wheat. It grabs hold and instantly begins to nibble on it with vigor it hadn't shown with the bar.

Eddie smiles at that, glad to see it had an appetite, and gets to work using some disinfectant on the tail. The dinosaur gives a little screech at that, and Eddie is quick to pet it.)

Shh. Sorry lil guy. (Then he's wrapping the tail up as snugly as he could without further hurting the dinosaur. Once he's patched up, Eddie sits back onto his calves and looks rather proud.)

That wasn't so bad. Seems like he might not be a meat eater, I don't think.

That will make c-caring for him while he's recovering a little easier. [Bill knows them both too well to assume that a patched tail is the end of it. This little dino is under their care until he gets better, until the flooding is taken care of. Maybe longer.

The water had made Bill nervous at first. That was why he had left the room earlier than the other boys. But he would consider going back to the flooded areas if he thought he could help stop the flooding or move the water.]

That's b-better. He looks l-like he feels better already, Eddie. [Eddie isn't the only one who is proud. Gently, he settles the dinosaur back into Eddie's lap. He found the little guy, it probably feels safer with him. Besides, Eddie has a way with calming others, despite being hysterical or emotional at times. He does better when he has someone or something else to focus on. Bill knows he'll do well with the dino.]

What do you think p-plant-eating dinosaurs like most? Maybe we c-could grab a few other plants for him to t-try.

(It's true enough. Eddie would do what he could to care for the creature in the meantime. He's never had a pet, and certainly has no clue about dino care 101, but he would do his best.

Eddie wasn't a fan of the water at all. He was still concerned about how cold it could get, and what the water might bring with it.)

You think? (Eddie beams a little prouder at Bill's recognition. Always eager to get his approval. When the dinosaur is back in his lap, Eddie takes to cuddling it up against his chest, landing a kiss on top of the dinosaur's head. It's a valid enough point. Eddie was very good at forgetting himself for the sake of another.)

That's probably our best bet at figuring out his diet. You don't think Teddie will try and eat him, do you? (Even though Teddie was real tiny.)

Teddie's p-pretty small. I think as long as we keep them separate he sh-should be fine.

[Bill smiles watching Eddie with the dinosaur, his thoughts drifting back to Georgie caring for his stuffed animals as if they were real. He would have loved getting to see real dinosaurs. At least, small ones like these.]

Stay here, I'll go see if I can find a f-few plants for him to try.

[Hawke isn't pleased with this flooding. She stumbles through the water and generally looks like a grumpy, wet cat. Her dog, Kitty, on the other hand is happily splashing through the halls and chasing any small dinosaurs he sees.

When Bill's flashlight shines on her face, Hawke squints at him and covers her eyes from the light but still manages to catch him grabbing at a strip of fabric.]

...Er are those important? Just because that's not usually what people save in a flood.

It's for the dinosaurs. To help dry and w-warm them up.

[Bill's a little sidetracked by Kitty, though. He lowers his flashlight, his eyes trying to focus on Hawke but constantly drifting back to Kitty. He can't resist the call of the dog, though and splashes over toward them, rubbing his hand over the top of Kitty's head gently.]

Our unit got fl-flooded but we got most of our stuff put up. Is y-your place okay? [Despite the water, Bill crouches down to give Kitty more affection, drawn to the distraction of her massive dog.]

I was trying to find a box for R-Richie.

No, we're pretty much underwater.

[She gestures to her soaking appearance and to the wet dog. Thankfully, pacdiscs are good for storing things that are in danger of getting water logged.

Then she cocks her head.]

Richie? I have to say, he doesn't seem like he'd want to sit in a box. It'd get boring.

That s-s-sucks.

[But at least Kitty doesn't seem perturbed. He keeps petting Kitty but he turns his attention back to Hawke with a slight grin.]

It's for him to use as a p-prop. Like a T-T-TV.

[It doesn't even occur to Bill that anyone might not know what a TV is.]

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