2012-07-16 Unashamed Fanboys

Thanks to a meeting with John Johns, Eddie managed to get himself a mean so he's feeling better today. In jeans and a t-shirt bearing a Spider-Man logo, he's in the park. It's too hot to be underground right now anyway. Hoping he doesn't attract any hostile attention, he's found a bench and is happily reading through a comic book he managed to get from a destroyed news stand. He doesn't get them often so this is another rare treat for him.

Young hero and unashamed geek Billy Kaplan had a good week last week. He has saved a woman from hell, he has fought a sailor Moon story arc with Thor, he has met other teen heroes, and did I mention he met /THOR/? Now he is hopping to continue his good luck with a post lunch relaxation in the park. Dressed in a black t-shirt with the red Superman S shield on it and a pair of jeans along with his sunglasses the raven haired teen finds himself humming a song sme busker on the subway was singing about Spiderman. clutched in his right hand is one of his favorites, the first Trad Paperback of The Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. Now, all he has to do is find a place to sit and read, try not to attract the wrong attention, and hope that there is no Supevillian or idiot with a gun in the park ready to change the theme of his day.

When he hears someone coming, Eddie tenses. Its the hummed song that really catches his attention. He recognizes it, having spent some time talking with that particular busker about Spider-Man. He looks up with a smile, surprised by the sight of Billy not only wearing that shirt but carrying a comic TPB too. After a moment of debate, he decides to risk it and at least speak up. If things go badly, he can always run and hide after all. "You like that song too?"

Billy faulters a little when Eddie suddenly speaks out but grins turningt o face him. ~HEy there, there goes the Spiderman!~ H can't help but sing out the last line as he gets there. "Dude, of course. The song is a serious ear worm, that and Spiderman! Hello one of the twoten cooler heroes out there."

Eddie winces a little at the faultering, expression taking on some apologeticness. The singing makes his smile grow though. "He really is great, isn't he? I saw him swinging once or twice and it was really cool!"

Billy nods and grins. "Seen him take on a group of bangers in an alley way, although he had help from a British chick that turned into a monster and magic user." Ok, it was Spiderman-2099 but since he was out of costume Billy does not know it was not the original. Billy bounces over near to where Eddie was and offers his hand. "Billy Kaplan, glad to meet another unashamed fanboy in person."

"Really?" Eddie's expression lights up. "You're so lucky!" he really wishes he got to see that. He jumps when Billy bounces over, not used to being approached non-hostily yet. The hand and introduction get another look of surprise. Eddie hesitates before shaking Billy's hand, smiling a little nervously. "I'm Eddie," no last name given.

Wiccan grins and nods at Eddie. "Nice to meet you Eddie. Luckiest place to live in the world is New York if you like the capes and cowels set. An eigth the danger of Gotham, more street level heroes than Metropolis, and its home to Stark tower."

Eddie quietly doubts that it's 'nice' to meet him but he keeps up the smile. "It is the best place to be a hero fan. I really hope I get to see more of them soon," he says. "Especially the new Justice League!"

Billy found it fairly nice to meet the devil's daughter, so metting Eddie is deffenetly going to be on his nice list. "I know, the whole Justice League thing is going to be so awsome. There has also been talk of them doing a Jr version for all the teen heroes that keep popping up too like Superboy and Iron Lad. Other than the few they have officially announced I wonder who is going to be in the Leauge."

"A teen justice league?" That definitely has Eddie's attention. If that happnes, he could try to help them. "Oh man, I have really got to see that!" he's excited and hopeful now. "I hope maybe Spider-Man would join the League. If him and Superman teamed up it would be amazing!"

Billy can't help but nod. "Exactly, although Superman, Thor, Captain America and Colossus all in one team is going to kick enough backside on its own." Leave it to Billy to focus on the three strongest and best developed guys that are on the official and almost guaranteed to be on the team lists. "I wonder if they are going to end up with any decent magic support to go with the heavy hitters."

"Thor and Captain America joined too? Oh wow!" Eddie grins at this. The news is just getting more and more exciting. When magic is mentioned, Eddie nods quickly. "I just read about Zatanna joining last night."

Billy grins, "Well its a given that they will, unless Shield starts up a seocnd group. Wait, Zatanna Zatara? The illusionist? Hmm, had a riend that always said she had to have real magic to keep a figue that can wear tights like that." The idea of someone with real magic, like the spell casting type instead of the Godly kind, being on the leauge is great news for Billy. Who knows, between that and actually beng on friendly terms with Satana could lead to him learning how to use his powers in ways other than just spamming wishes.

"They might. SHIELD could try for a private group," Eddie suggests. He then nods quickly. "That's right! Her! She definitely has real magic. I got to see her use it on TV once," he says. Eddie wants to learn how to use his powers too but he's got no idea who could even teach him.

Billy nods, "Thats awsome. I always seem to miss the cool stuff on TV. Like the whole Stark Expo fight with Captain America and the Neo-Nazis happened while I was stuck babysitting."

"I miss a lot too. I guess I was just lucky that time," Eddie admits, shifting a little. "I missed that too. There are clips online though," he chimes, having seen them in the library.

Billy sighs, "Just glad I caught it on TiVO. Coolest clips oline though are Thor and Sif sparing." Billy grins knowing now for a fact that it is in fact the Godess Sif that Thor is often enough seen with despie the fact she never seemst o get identified in the news or anything of the like.

"TiVO?" Eddie blinks. "Oh, that recorder thing," he murmurs. Nope, doesn't have that. "That's really the real Sif? Like from the myths?"

Wiccan nods at Eddie. "Yup that is the real thing, and a pretty cool woman too. Better at Thor when it comes to understanding modern american culture too..." Billy lets his voice trail off as he scratches the back of his head. He probably should not have let that slip, although he did meet Sif in his civilian ID and learn about her as Billy not as Wiccan so probably not too bad a slip so he might as well finish. "...and running head long ino her is like hitting a brick wall."

Eddie Resilver just about jumps off the bench. "You met her?!" he asks, expression nothing but excitement again. "Oh man, you're the most lucky guy I know. You didn't get hurt running into her, right?"

Billy blinks and blushes a little hen Eddie jumps off the bench. "Got coffee spilt on me, and a small bruise but was not gonna mention that too her. Was trying to find a museum and I am apparently the only person that did not see the giant woman with a sword walking down the sidewalk." At being told he is the luckiest guy eddie knows he blushes again. "Luck runs two ways, havn't mentioned yet anything about bullies, nearly getting killed in an electrical fire, or shoving my foot so far in my mouth when I met Superboy that I can still taste the leather."

Eddie gives a sympathetic look at the mention of coffee spills. He's been there. He blushes too when Billy explains walking into Sif. he probably would have done the same thing. When bullies come up, Eddie tries to shrink back into his seat. Even on the street he has to deal with them. "You met Superboy too?!"

Billy nods. "Outside of a little diner not too far form here. Place has the best fries in New York and was having one of those days I needed a double order of cheese fries. He dropped out of the sky wiht a fist full of cash wanting a burger and fries. Between Gods, Demons and clones I am still short of meeting an Alien, a robot, and a time travler." What Billy does not know is that he has already met two time travlers, and an interdemensional half sister.

"Wow..." Eddie trails off. He's jealous now. He's always wanted to meet Superboy from the moment he learned about him. Little bit of a fanboy crush going on there. "You're even more lucky than I thought," he says with a smile. "I should go to that diner," and dig through their dumpster. "Have you umm...met any mutants yet?" he asks, tone a little more hushed.

Billy is not sure how to answer the question. One, he could admit that he is one and run the risk of instant hate and bile. Two, he could say no and change the subject fast. Or he could go with option three. "I..well one I did meet a pretty cool girl named Talia out near ESU. Blue skin, tail, and her Mom comes from the same little country I was born in."

Eddie smiles. "Wow, cool," he says. "I got to meet a couple mutants once in the subway. They were nice," he remarks, having run into a few young morlocks in the dark tunnels. "Where were you born?" he's curious.

Billy nods at Eddie and grins. Ok, so at least if it comes up then he won't have to worry about insta-hate. "Transia, place is so small most maps of the area don't even list it. As much as I have ever been able to find out the only things the place is known for is Mount Wundergore and having a huge Gypsie population."

Eddie Resilver isn't the type to instahate anyway. And he has no idea about the orgins of his own powers. For all he knows, he could be a mutant too. "Transia?" he's getting a mental image of vampires. "Oh, I heard about Mount Wundergore in the Library. It looks like a nice place to visit."

Billy shrugs. "Thats what Talia said about it, the rents too although only time they were there was to pick me up at the orphanage." Billy would not fault eddie for picturing vampires, he always has when he thought of the place. "How about you? You come from or ever go anyplace interesting?"

Eddie Resilver blinks. "Orphanage? You're adopted," more curiousity. When he's asked about himself, Eddie tries to shrink back into his seat again. "No...no, I was born here in New York. I got to go to Metropolis once but other than that I've never left the city."

Billy nods at Eddie. "Yeah, the rents wanted kids but couldn't at the time for some reason so ended up adopting me." Billy blinks as Eddie shrinks back, and decides not to push at all. Being the son od a shrink comes with at least some passing ability to read people. "Thats cool, other than the occasional trip to visit Bubbah Kaplan never been outside of New York myself."

"Why did they go so far away?" Eddie tilts his head to the side as he asks this. He's glad that Billy isn't pushing. He's enjoying their chat and doesn't want to run. "Bubbah?" and confused again.

Billy shrugs, "Not sure exactly, something to do with problems with a local adoption agency and a friend that had contacts to an agency that adopts kids out of some less than great parts of Eastern Europe." At the confusion from Eddie Billy can't help but laugh. "Its yiddish, one of a few words used for Grandomther."

"Oh. Well I'm glad you got adopted then!" Eddie smiles again. The laugh makes him pout slightly though. "Oh!" and blushing. "Where do you go to visit your grandmother?"

Billy says, "Pretty glad I was adopted too. New York is a way better place to live especially..." He faulters a second before covering with, "...especially with all the goings on in the Superhero community here." At the question about his grandmother he answers, "Boca. She moved down there a few years ago."

"I'm glad I'm here too," Eddie smiles. "So much superhero stuff, it would only be better if I could meet more of them," he says. "That's in Florida, right?"

Billy nods. "Thats right, she says the weather is better or her joints." She also says the single's scene is better there too, but thats something Billy does not want to think about. "I would give advice on how to do that but short of putting on a costume or needing to be saved I can't think of anything anyone could do to meet as many as I have."

"The weather does get pretty crazy here in New York," Eddie muses. He looks down at the mention of putting on a costume. He wants to. He really does. He just has no idea where to get one. "I'm more likely to need saving..." he trails off quietly.

Billy sighs and nods. "I know the feeling. Up till the end of school this year my life was like an Ella Mae bowen song." Its an odd refference, but what hero fanboy won't kno the song 'Holding out for a hero'?

Eddie Resilver can't help but smile at that reference. "I like that song," he says quietly. "I always love when I hear it," he adds. Of course he could sing it too but he's too embarrassed to do that in public.

Billy grins. "Its number one on my ipod list, although the version I have of it is the one from the old show Kids Incorperated. Always makes me feel good to liten too."

Eddie nods. He doesn't have any form of mp3 player. "I've never heard of Kids Incorperated. Is that version really different?"

Billy nods, "It's an old TV show from the 80's. Only difference is they had one of the kids on the show singing it. Always thought he did a more interesting version thant he orgional."

"Oh, that would explain why I've never heard of it," Eddie laughs quietly. "A guy sang it?" he's curious now, having only ever heard female singers for that song.

Billy grins and nods. "Yeah, I know its a bit odd but the show had some weird bits in it like that. They even had a couple of guys sing a a song that was origioaly a lovbe song duet that was rewritten to be about friendship.' The dark haired teen gives a small laugh and gives air quoas tot he word friendship.

Eddie blushes as he laughs along with the darker haired teen. He kind of wants to see this show now. It gets added to a list of things to try to find on YouTube next time he gets the nice librarian at the library. "It sounds like a nice show."

Billy nods. "The show is kitch as can be, and kinda makes e wonder about Dad since he is the one that has the collection of eppisodes he recorded."

Eddie Resilver just smiles. The only DVDs his father had were X-rated. And he got a black eye and split lip for even knowing they existed. "Maybe he enjoys kitch?"

Billy's fther had the show on VHS, mostly because it never got a DVD release...or a legitamte VHS release thanks to ownership bieng split out between 3 different companies and it being based around covers of songs owned by none of the three companies. "Probably, I always did share a taste in music and complete lack of fasion sense with him."

"I like how you're dressed," Eddie replies quickly. "I've got a shirt like that too," except his is faded and has a hole under the left arm but he did fish it out of goodwill.

Billy looks down at his clothes and shrugs. "So do I, but its never gonna set the fasion world aflame. Only reason it works on Superboy is that he has the body to make anything look good."

"The fashion world is overrated," Eddie replies automaticaly. He doesn't comment on the Superboy fact. He just turns red and shifts a little awkwardly.

Billy coughs a little and turns red himself when he sees eddie blush. "Sorry, shouldn;t have said that last bit out loud..."

Eddie bites his lip, looking away. Now its his turn to worry about insta-hate from someone he's hoping will be a friend. "It's okay," he says, gathering all the courage he can. "Do you...umm...like Superboy...more than Supergirl?" he asks, cringing at how awkward it comes out.

Billy blinks and swallows. "Never met Supergirl so can;t say that. But if you are asking if I am gay, would be stupid to lie and say no since I got outed by a stupid prank my freshman year." While he has never said anything about it to his family, he has pretty much been out in the rest of his life thanks to that little...incident.

"Oh," Eddie looks up with concern. "What happened? With the prank, I mean?" he asks. "It wasn't anything too bad, was it?"

Billy pulls his feet up onto the bench and hugs his knees as he sighs. "Asshole named Kessler. Had this whole set u with fake notes, figured out at some point I was gay and set things up so that he could broadcast me making an idiot out of myself to a football player I had a crush on, and who had no idea it was comming, to half the school."

There's an almost instant dislike of this Kessler in Eddie. It only gets worse when Billy explains the prank. Hesitating for a moment, he reaches over to put a hand on Billy's shoulder. Eddie hopes it's a comforting gesture.

Billy sighs and puts hand on top of Eddie's hand in a silent thanks for the comforting gesture. "Could have been worse and on the up side after the last day of school I won't have to worry about him for the rest of highschool."

Eddie Resilver looks a little worried. "What do you mean? Did he transfer or something?" he asks, misunderstanding what Billy said.

Billy lets himself grin a little. "I mentioned the electrical fire earlier, right? He was in the middle of giving a freshman a swirliy when it happened. School has a zeroe tolerance policy, and at elast the football team can't blame me for him being found out since it only came to light because of the fire." The fire Billy accidently started, but no one actaully knows that part.

"Wow, that was kind of lucky," Eddie murmurs. "I'm glad he got found out. Did everyone get our of the fire okay?"

Billy starts to feel like a bobble head doll with the nodding, but it does not stop him anyway. "Yeah, lucky." He says a bit slowly. "The explosion of one of the lights nocked everyone but me out. Tell me, do you think its wrong a part of me feels guilty because part of me really wants to gloat over being the one to pull Kessler and his idiot friends to safty?"

Eddie Resilver shakes his head quickly, a smile growing on his lips. "It's not wrong. I'd want to do that too if I saved the people that bullied me."

Billy grins and laughs a little. Oh yeah, he is deffently renaming Eddie as his new best friend. "Good, just making sure that that little place where saudenfreunde meets Jewish guilt is not too strange."

Eddie can't help but brighten at the laughter. Between meeting John and now Billy, his week is great. "I think everyone's got a little of both in them."

Billy says, "I can guarantee that, and thats without all the school and experiance Mom has at shrinking heads."

Eddie Resilver chuckles softly but then pauses. "Your Mom is a psychiatrist?" he asks. "Are you going to be one too?"

Billy nods at Eddie. "Yup, and Dad is a cardiothorasic surgeon. I honestly don't know. Pretty sure I am not following Dad's footsteps, never too fond of blood, but I have thought of doing the psychiatry thing. That is if I miss my chance at being a superhero and have to fall back on a second or third choice."

Eddie Resilver shuddes slightly at the mention of blood. "I'm not a fan of blood either," he admits. No matter how many times he's dealt with his own. "Miss yourr chance? What do you mean?"

Billy shrugs again. "You know, invent super tech, get hit in the head with a glowing space ring, develop super powers..." Or maybe just fail at bieng able to save people with the power he has so badly he gives up. "Just saying, Superhero is the first choice at the what I want to be when i grow up question. Has been since the first time I saw Superman save Airforce one."

"Oh," Eddie replies, pouting a little. He was hoping he met a real hero. "That's what I want to be too," he says confidently. "For me it was when I read about all those old heroes that came before Superman but seeing him just made me want it even more."

If only Eddie knew, he would probably freak, but Billy is trying really hard on the whole secret ID thing, only really failing when he was dealing with Superboy and Cassie and mostly becaue they had Superpowers of thier own. "Never really knew much about any others before hand. Ok, had heard about mutants and what jewish family does not have some story about Captain America?"

Eddie would indeed freak. He's trying the secret identity thing too. For now anyway. "I did a lot of reading when I was little," Eddie admits, blushing again. "I think everyone has a story about one of the heroes."

Billy read a lot as a wee one too, but most of it was general scifi instead of stuff with heroes. "Yeah, one of the cooler parts of living in New York. Or even our whole world. Can you imagine living in a world with no heroes, or Superpowers at all?"

Eddie Resilver just looks horrified at the general idea. "That...that would not be a nice world. I wouldn't want to be in it."

Billy can't help but laugh a little. "Sorry, had to bring up the idea. Recently started a book that was pretty much an alternate history fiction about a world like that. It is pretty interesting and seems well thought out."

Eddie Resilver frowns a little. "What's the book called?" he'll look it up even if he knows he won't like it.

Billy gives the name of the book. "Its a bit depressing in parts, but still fairly interesting. Not everyone's cup of tea though."

Eddie Resilver nods. "I'll...probably skip reading it then," Eddie replies. "I don't like depressing things."

Bill grins and says, "Perfectly understandable. I tend to feel that way, but sometimes a good story and interesting characters lead you right through the sad bits. Besides, sad is like happy for deep people." Even as he says it Billy knows there is a better than even chance even another geek won't get that one. He does, however, make a note to find some way of working in a sudgestion to 'reverse the polarity of the neutron flow' if he ever ends up fighting along side Iron Man or Iron Lad.

Eddie Resilver jumps blinks. Nope, didn't get it. He tilts his head to the side, trying to puzzle through what was said. Eventually he frowns. "I...don't think that makes sense, Billy."

Again Eddie has Billy laughing. "That is part of the point. And its a quote from one of my favorite eppisodes of Dr Who."

Eddie Resilver just blinks again. "Dr. What?" he's never heard of the Doctor before. Sorry, Billy.

Billy shakes his head and grins. "No, Dr Who. Whats on second." Its an old joke, but a classic. "Its a British TV show, about an alien with a time machine that goes all over time and space saving worlds and generaly being awsome."

A joke that goes right over Eddie's head. He's never heard the old classic beforre. The poor kid has missed out on a lot. "Oh, I've never heard of that TV show before," he replies. "I um...don't watch a lot of TV. I wasn't allowed."

Billy nods at Eddie and shrugs. "I probably watch too much TV anyway." If Eddie hangs out with him enough he is going to end up learning all the pop culture he could ever care for.

Eddie could stand to learn some things. He did technically drop out of highschool. "I don't think you watch too much if it's just things you like. And if you're reading and outside like you are right now, you probably aren't doing it too much."

Billy shrugs. "Either way at least I am not one of the basement dwellers I guess." He wants to ask Eddie if his parents are just super strict, but remembers his reactions to questions about home life and is not wanting to push.

Eddie Resilver tries to shrink again. He sort of lives in Central Park's basement in a way. "Yeah, I'm glad you aren't. We probably wouldn't be talking if you were."

Billy frowns a little at the reaction, deffenetly not what he was expecting. "Exactly, and missing out on meeting someone else that I can geek out with would be a bad way to start he week."

Eddie squirms slightly uncomfortably at the frown. Billy's words make him blush though. People usually aren't happy to memet him. "This week is going pretty good so far then."

Billy grins and nods. "This week is deffenetly shaping up to be another awsome one. "

"I hope it keeps being awesome," Edie smiles too. "If it keeps being anywhere as awesome as yesterday and today were, I'll be happy."

Billy says, "The power of positive thinking, it is gonna be an awsome week." Billy nods sage like sure that the week ahead is going to be awsome for both him and Eddie.

Eddie Resilver bites his lip a moment then nods. "Right!" he chimes, pumping a fist in the air. "It will be!"

Wiccan says, "Exactly!" Billy chimes in pumping he air as well.'"

Eddie Resilver settles back with a happy grin. He's quite pleased with how the day has turned out.

Just as he is cheering on Eddie in how awsome the week is going to be Billy's pants start to ring. After a second he reaches into a pocket and pulls out his cell phone. "Sorry man, I have to take this." He answers the phone, "He Dad, whats up? Mmm, hmm, mm hmm, Was just hanging out with a friend but yeah, I can. Sure Dad, be home in just a few." The teen flips shut his cell phone in the super thick rubber armor. "Sorry Eddie, that was Dad. He is getting called in on an emergancy and I have to go back and take care of my little brothers."

Eddie Resilver lets out a startled squeak at the sudden ring, blushing once he realizes what is is. He tries not to listen in but being called Billy's friend makes him blush some more. "It's okay," he says. "I guess I'll see you some other time then, Billy."

Billy nods at Eddie and grins. "Cool, got a phone we can exchange digits on before I run or just want to make a plan to meet up some place later this week?"

More shrinking. "No, I don't have a phone," which he feels bad about now. "A plan sounds like an idea though."

Billy lays a hand on Eddie's shoulders as he shrinks back. "No worries. Only reason I have one is the rents wanted a leash on me. Tell you what, hows wednsday sound? After lunch?"

"It sounds great, Billy," Eddie replies, unconsciously leaning into the touch. Any time is good for him. "Where should we meet?"

Billy grins and gives a shoulder bump to Eddie. "How about here again, we know we can both find this part of the park." Billy jumps up looks around before giving a wave too Eddie. "See you then."

Nodding quickly, Eddie smiles again. "Alright. I'll see you then!" he calls, waving as Bily goes.