Chaos Plot Reactions!

[thefinaljedi]

Who: Anyone/Everyone affected by Helios' nasty bout of Possession Sickness
What: Picking up the pieces
When: August 11th/12th
Where: Wherever there was bad mojo!
Summary: Apep, an Egyptian god of Chaos, possessed Helios and wrecked havoc. Those involved are going to have to cope with their injuries, mental traumas, and newfound night terrors!
Rating: R, for possible trigger warnings for descriptions of violence and bad language.


Nothing is ever easy for them House 46 folks. Gawddamn!

Comments

[fleurdesel]

Lupin's shoulder was dislocated at the least- I don't know the rest of his injuries. [The fact that she cannot rattle off a precise catalog of them is damning.]

Helios is bruised but well, now. He is himself again.

[She scrubs her face with a hand and looks back up to Ben. It's not fair. No one's at fault. This was because of the Malnosso.]

...I hope the mission was a success.

[averybadfeeling]

[... It was, he supposes. He doesn't answer her. His shame stings, but he looked her in the eye anyway.]

"... And you?"

[fleurdesel]

Did as I always have in a time of crisis. Stood. Alone. And very nearly died for it.

[averybadfeeling]

"I... I am sorry. If I had known..."

[His voice trails off. He cannot finish the sentence. If he had known, he would have, what. Protected her? Like he did on the beach? Like he protected Anakin?]

[fleurdesel]

You didn't. There was no way to know. None of us could have prepared for this- but Luke being less avoidant may have helped. He's been running off on missions to avoid coping with Ami's kidnapping and all the rest that causes him stress here-and you went with him instead of trying to get him to cope.

[It's cold, hard, and entirely without venom. A surgeon's voice pointing out the symptoms of the situation.]

[averybadfeeling]

[... The last time he saw her like this, it was after the week with Tony Stark.

At her cold neutrality, he flinches. That cold neutrality, aimed at him. This time, he realizes, the comfort, peace, and certainty were not a love built up and stolen by the Malnosso in a week. They were the result her own faith in him, and he had nobody to blame for their painful, traumatic destruction but himself.

It was all he could do not to weep. He could not. He had no right. Not after...

... he had just wanted to protect her.

His voice comes out carefully neutral and distant as well.]

"... It was... a decision made partially motivated by a... concern of my own, and so it was not made with a clear understanding of the consequences it might have. I can offer no sufficient apology."

[He will not shed tears.]

"... Perhaps it would be best if I left you in peace for the time being. If you have need of me for any reason-"

[His voice wavers for just a moment, almost imperceptibly. He controls it. He has no right.]

"- let me know, and I will help you if I can."

[He will not weep.

He turns and begins walking off, forgetting entirely about the sticker lying on the ground in his wake.]

[fleurdesel]

I would rather not be alone. I would also rather not see you like this.

[She scrubs her face with a hand and reaches out to grab his sleeve, to hold him there. Walking away does nothing. Last time it had taken an ice storm, a panic attack, and medication to see them settled again. She's rather not repeat that cycle. She doesn't want to drive him away. Not after she's lost Rick, after he's lost Anakin.]

You are not at fault, Chevalier.

[Softer, warmer, with the hope that the endearment would sooth his distress.]

There is nothing for which you should apologize. Especially since I am being a frigid bitch. Sit. Please.

[averybadfeeling]

[... He freezes immediately.

She was comforting him.

She was traumatized so painfully that she would not even tell him how,, and she was comforting him.

He tries to keep the tears from his eyes when he turns again, but it's too late. They started the moment she couldn't see his face. He can only hope they are not too visible beneath his hood.]

"... Do not be concerned for me. Of course I will stay with you."

[fleurdesel]

...why are all the men I know idiots?

[It's murmured with a fond exasperation, she reaches out to tug him down and stubs out her cigarette as to not bother him. She can't know his mind, she's lost that ability to connect with him, but she can pull him close and lean against him. Warmed by contact and familiar brown wool. Not singed. Not reeking of smoke and ichor. Ben was safe, Ben was whole, and nothing she'd seen had been true.]

You're dear to me Ben. I'll always be concerned for you.

[averybadfeeling]

[He manages a smile at that, albeit a weak one, as his arms slip around her protectively.]

"I simply meant to imply that I am not the one in need of healing at this moment."

[fleurdesel]

[It's Ben. She's safe. He won't hurt her-

And she still goes tense for a moment. She doesn't flinch, she doesn't pull away, she just...braces herself for a vision that doesn't come.]

There's no medication for what was done to me Ben. Trust me, I've looked.

[averybadfeeling]

[When she tenses, he very nearly pulls back, but a moment later, she relaxes. It is as if she was expecting a blow that never came.

Not from him, surely...?]

"Not all healing is done with medicines, I believe."

[And yet she still does not tell him what happened. This is beginning to worry him.]

[fleurdesel]

I don't...even know how to begin to fix this.

[She allows her eyes to fall half closed and sags against him. Relief for a moment. For an hour.]

I don't even know how to explain.

[averybadfeeling]

[His arms tighten a bit around her, as if to reassure her that he was really there and not leaving.]

"What did the being possessing Helios do, precisely?"

[fleurdesel]

Aside from lock your home in silence and darkness?

[There isn't a simple way to explain it. No pared down, clinical term that she can use. No way to distance herself from what happened.]

...he was going to kill Lupin. I drew his attention. And then he grabbed me from behind and forced me to witness all my darkest fears.

[averybadfeeling]

[He sighs.]

"Do we know what brought on this possession?"

[fleurdesel]

I've no idea. Helios couldn't tell me and I'm not going to pressure him for an answer.

AND THEN LIKE A YEAR LATER

[averybadfeeling]

"Ah... of course."

[He sighs- and, remembering the fallen sticker, he stoops to retrieve it, slipping it back into his pocket.]

"Still, it has been... dealt with to your satisfaction?"

GOD SO SLOW GUY

[fleurdesel]

He's himself again and mending. Sabriel is doing much the same. I'll...cope. In time. Lupin is resting. There is not much else to be dealt with here.

Durrrrrr taglines

[averybadfeeling]

"Very well."

[Having slipped the sticker back into his pocket, he then finds her hand with his.]

"I would hope it went without saying at this point, but... if there is anything I can do, please do not hesitate to tell me."

You're a derp

[fleurdesel]

[Her fingers curl in his, it's easy enough to lean against him. Take comfort in the fact that he is here. Home. Hiding something.]

You could explain what it is you just hid in your pocket.

AND YOU LOVE IT

[averybadfeeling]

"... Ah. That? It's... not significant at the moment."

[Not technically a lie]

Maaaaaaybe

[fleurdesel]

Ben.

[That's all. Just. 'Ben'.]

[averybadfeeling]

[He meets her gaze for a moment, relents, and finally slips his hand into his pocket, fishing out a small white slip of paper. On the reverse was what appeared to be a temporary tattoo, though all it showed was a black square.

Obi-Wan didn't bother with requesting a fancy design. He didn't see a point.]

"... This... is one of the things I went on the mission for."

[fleurdesel]

...what?

[It's so small a thing, and fairly innocuous. She's never seen something like it before and at the moment cannot guess to it's identity. She leans forward, eyes narrowing at that innocent little square.]

Ben, what is that?