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One of Captain Marvel's biggest regrets is isolating himself from the rest of the Justice League. Let him explain: he does not regret hiding his identity nor feels guilty about discouraging meddling. However, looking back, he realizes it was a bit stupid to not even lie to them. He did not mean to isolate themselves from the rest of the league. (really? He hadn't talked to them the first 4 months on the Watchtower!) He is trying to fix it now, though!
It's hard to connect with people older- (they are younger than us, Billy) than me. It was fun to be part of the same team as superheroes, but they are adults that talk about celebrities, news, and general adult stuff, ok? It was fine! He can pretend to be an adult when doing Captain Marvel things. He has the thinking of an adult - he guessed - but it can't make up for not being an adult. I mean, sure. They got to talk about missions, and, most of the time, it was easy to nod along while Billy rambled about anything he had found mildly interesting (Hey! I thought I was doing the talking!).
He doesn't regret trying to protect Billy as much as he hates how isolating it is to not be both sides of The Champion around them. It becomes tiring; to choose. But they are working on that! You see, Billy had a plan. Admittedly, not a well-thought-out plan, definitely not a step-by-step-Batman-would-be-proud-of plan. More like… a set of events that would help if they went right.
(Specific. Leave the kid alone, Solomon. You are the one who thinks we should risk it instead of "overthinking" it.)
Earlier this week, Mr. Morrison had given Billy a brand new - old - box of movies he was throwing out. (Holly Molly! Why does Peter Pan look like that?) And they are all mature enough to know that Billy just wanted to watch some (all!) of these movies. Batman had said they were allowed to use the facilities outside official business. Flash spent half the budget on Watchtower meals, and Cyborg requested new equipment almost weekly.
(Yes, Solomon, he is aware that this is not a team bonding activity.)
But… Billy really wanted to watch the movies, alright? Billy may be 10 already, but they all know he is excited about watching a movie in peace. No worrying about being attacked or "borrowing" a CD player just for someone to steal it back the next day. They could get caught! How does he explain that the Mightiest Mortal went to jail for stealing a CD player? They do say the Watchtower is as safe as it gets.
Billy finished the broadcast at Whiz Radio, gathered his new movies with shaky hands, and clutched Tawky Tawny (Yes, Tawny. He knows he needs to respect your inanimate time, but I cannot leave you at the radio station, now can I?) and turned into Captain Marvel. He tried to be as discreet as possible as he arrived at the Watchtower and set up the CD player. Billy is not doing anything wrong, but it's embarrassing, alright? He is an adult man! (No, you are absolutely not, Billy. You are supposed to like this stuff.) Well, he looks like an adult man!
And is that what this is? Captain Marvel has never encountered this issue before. Well, it has always been an issue, but never to this extent. The Champion has always existed as two minds sharing a body, millions of souls filled with magic and power concentrated on two consciousness. Unquestionably merged, but never has someone so young been tasked with upholding their virtue. Is Marvel to blame if Billy's personality bleeds with his own insecurities? Something so human that it has been reinforced in Marvel for millennia?
The movie had been playing for a while, he realized. Marvel's rambling and Billy's discontentment made it hard to pay attention. He could still make the most of it by sleeping for a while; it had been a long day at Whiz Radio and an even longer week at Fawcett City.
As he sank into the couch, he discovered he should really take advantage of Batman's kindness more often. Maybe Batman had modified the room to account for injuries? He could not believe what he had been missing out on. Rich people and their... couches, dude.
Billy fought to keep his eyes open, but Tawny was so fluffy when not… animated? That was probably the wrong term, but term stuff was more Marvel's deal, and Tawny was, in fact, inanimate until further notice. He had just started to doze off when he felt the couch dip causing his head to slip from where he rested it.
"Hey, Cap!" Cyborg said, because it had to be Cyborg. Look, Billy liked Victor! Mr. Victory! But, well, he is hard to act normal around.
"Oh, did I wake ya' up?" Victor thought he had had a rough night. He guessed whatever made the Captain drained enough to fall asleep on the Watchtower had to be worse than helping Flash with Captain Cold so early. Huh, can the Captain even get tired?
"No, no. Of course not. I don't need to sleep… 'cus of magic stuff. I am just… resting my eyes," Liar, but Cyborg has never been petty enough to call a man out on that excuse.
"Oh, man! Are you watching some movies?" Kids movies? Well, he guessed they are easy enough to fall asleep to.
"Jus' some childhood movies, y'know how it is," and if Billy was slurring his words, it had nothing to do with him trying to go back to sleep mid-conversation, no sire. Billy sank lower on the couch and readjusted Tawny from where he was holding it… wait.
"Ah, Cyborg! Yes," Billy exclaimed as he sat up straight, meeting Cyborg's gaze briefly before their eyes darted nervously to the stuffed animal in his lap. "I was just, um..."
"Oh," Cyborg stared at Marvel's lap for a second. He sprung upright and stared at the floor in front of them.
Oh god. This is the first time Cap has used the lounge room since… ever, isn't it? Cyborg can respect wanting to keep his identity secret. He guessed it must be tiring to be Captain Marvel every day. Even if he couldn't stop being Cyborg, he knows he misses it sometimes. To be just Victor.
"It's quite alright, Captain. Go, uh... back to dozing off, ya old man. You look exhausted." Victor avoided looking at the Captain and definitely avoided looking at the stuffed tiger. "Do you mind if I watch the movie with ya'? It's not often that we hang out".
"I..." Billy hesitated, "No, of course not. I don't mind."
Silence stretched over them like a blanket.
"We can, uh," The Captain cleared his throat. "We can change the movie," Cyborg could feel, more than see, the Captain shifting to hide the stuffed animal on the other side of his legs. "it's not really..."
"No!" Victor surprised himself. He cleared his throat. "It's uh, it's fine dude. Don't sweat it."
Victor may not get why this moment felt so important. But seeing Marvel relax back on the couch halfway through the next scene and finding the Captain halfway asleep and clutching the stuffed animal openly not even 5 minutes later, he knew this was something more. Victor was not gonna mess this up. Weirder things have happened, right?