Months after the attacks by Destoroyah and then the Devil’s Masterpiece had left the world in a state of liminal decay. Mothra and Leo had been healing the plantlife as well as the numerous pockets of poisonous spores that dotted the sky. With the help from the MUTO and Shimo regularly visiting from Monster Skull Island’s pocket dimension, the planet started to heal. The visitors would absorb the toxins in the air and coat themselves with the tainted water, taking it off of Earth and disposing of it with Shimo’s primordial ice.
Iuvegda had intended to entirely snuff out the life remaining on the planet. Thankfully, Godzilla had stopped him. The skies got a little bluer each passing month, and the rusty tinge in the ocean started to recede. It wouldn’t be perfect, not by a long shot. But Earth would have another chance to improve.
Solomon had been tending to other parts of the world, but he always made sure to stop by the same spot in the forest where Billy had laid the banner over two years ago and meet with his friend. Some days, Billy didn’t show, but he was there most of the time. The world nearly ending twice in only a year had upended everything.
It was Saturday again. As usual, when the sun was cresting in the sky, Solomon went to the spot where Billy normally was waiting. He was there. Solomon landed, his huge form causing the swirling mists to vanish before they coiled back around his body and the trees. Billy had his back turned to Solomon, and he was pacing.
“Hey Zach,” He said almost under his breath. But Solomon could hear him just fine. “So I have some… REALLY fucking bad news,” The human paced until the grass beneath his feet started to compress into the soil, the moisture from the dew and mists making it a muddy spot under Billy’s shoes.
“Goddamnit, I’m gonna cry again-” He stopped pacing and pressed the back of his hand that he’d balled into a fist against his own lips. He gave a shaky breath, clearly bothered by something.
“My boyfriend- The dude I told you about a few months ago, Ethan, has asked me to move in with him,” He winced and sniffled as he continued pacing. “Fucksakes, just- SAY it to him, don’t make him wait,” He stopped again and nearly sobbed on the breath out.
“I’m uh- I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna move in with him. But that uh- FUCK-” He sobbed openly, finally, the dam burst as he crumbled under the weight of the confession he spoke.
He squinted his eyes closed hard, clenching his fists at his sides as he fought the tears down and kept going, “But that means I won’t- I won’t be coming here on Saturdays anymore.” Billy held it in for a moment longer before his bleary eyes spilled tears again.
“Zach- Zach please understand I don’t- I don’t want to leave you here, I don’t want you to not know where I am, but-” He sobbed again, putting his head in his hands as he slumped to his knees in the grass.
“I’m talking to a giant bat, and he can’t respond in English - I’m- I know this is selfish and I fucking hate myself for it, but I just need to get my life back on track after all the shit the planet went through,” He sniffled as he looked down at the grass, unwilling to look the bat in the eyes.
“I hate myself for- for having you back in my life and I’m abandoning you now,” He wiped his eyes then his nose in his shirt as he sniffled, “I know you’d be kind to me and tell me I’m being stupid by staying around instead of making a life for myself.”
He winced, “W- well actually I have no clue what you’d be like… 7 years being tortured by a fucking demon probably made you bitter… or angry…” He slowly stood on his feet, wiping the dirt and blades of grass that had stuck to him, slight moisture spots on the knees of his pants.
“You get it- right? You understand that I’m not doing this to hurt you and your feelings?” He didn’t wait for a trill or a pop, he felt like he’d burned the house down with Zach inside it and he was lucky they were friends, because maybe Zach would have crushed him over this. No… No Zach wouldn’t do that.
He sobbed again, trying to get the sentence out, “I… I ah- I am moving to North Carolina- Fuck- FUCK, WHY THE FUCK IS THIS HOW OUR LIVES ENDED UP!?” He kicked the dirt hard, shredding the grass and soil as he stood there, sulking.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Zach- I really, I wish you could speak to me and tell me how you feel…” Billy hung his head as he finally quieted down and awaited a response from his best friend. The language barrier was strong, but the two of them had managed to make something coherent out of the bad situation they found themselves in.
Solomon slowly lowered his head, the mists coiling around his face as he peered at Billy. His eyes were crystalline blue as he watched his friend closely.
