House of M - The Beginning

[selfhelp]

Who: Billy Kaplan + Anyone who wants to be involved in the House of M Plot + Related CR + Anyone Really
What: Um. The House of M Plot.
When: October 1st-7th
Where: Literally anywhere in Luceti, yo
Summary: Billy returns from a kidnapping feeling a bit, er, different. A white light envelops the village for just a moment, and when it fades... well. All kinds of things are different, actually.
Rating: Varies, anything above R take it elsewhere!

Still accepting last minute sign-ups, if anyone is interested.


It starts off so innocently, early on the morning of October 1st. A burst of light, a warm rush of energy that consumes everything it touches, and it's gentle enough to feel like stepping out into sunlight from the shade. It's so brief that some people might not even notice it happened. But there are certainly... differences. Some subtle, some not. And those changed won't even understand the problem.

After all, why would perfection be a problem?

The truth is, there are no problems. There can't be. It's perfect, Billy thinks. Believes it. His belief is his reality, and now, it's their reality. It all has to be perfect; they deserve it, all of them, for one reason or another. And he'll do whatever he has to protect that perfection from being tainted, ruined, taken away from them.

Teddy died so this could happen, after all.

So what is your new reality?


((first two threads reserved for the intro thread and billy's status; after that consider this log a free-for-all.))

Comments

[touchofrogue]

She smiled at that kiss. He had proved it in so many ways, but the reminder was... everything.

"You should go on an' get," Rogue said, turning around and smiling at him. "You'll just be a distraction if you hang about."

Anja shifted and made a tired, happy noise, turning her head to continue to smile at her father.

[complicatedliar]

"Always the troublemaker." He leaned down to kiss his daughter on the forehead. "Go back to sleep quickly, if you please. I'd like your mother back."

Then he took another light kiss from Rogue and turned to head out the door.

[touchofrogue]

Rogue smiled softly and watched him leave, then turned to sit down with Anja on the rocking chair. The baby looked somewhat perplexed that her father had left, her wide green eyes sleepy but aware. Rogue smiled at her daughter, "That's right, you little trouble-maker. I shouldn't even be doin' this, you know. I should let you cry yourself to sleep."

...she hadn't been able to do that yet. Maybe tomorrow night. As it was, Rogue sang a soft lullabye over her daughter, banishing the terrors of the night and invoking strength and wisdom in Anja. When the baby at last fell asleep, Rogue set her carefully back down in her bassinet.

She stood there, watching her sleeping daughter, and almost didn't want to move. There was something so precious about watching Anja sleep, completely safe from harm.

I will protect you she promised quietly.

And then, far too awake to go back to bed, Rogue padded silently down to the kitchen.

[complicatedliar]

Loki wasn't anywhere close to talking back asleep. When he heard Rogue head for the kitchen, he slipped back out of need and followed her, walking almost silently on bare feet. He paused in the doorway of the kitchen, leaning on one shoulder. "All that lovely body heart I produced for you, wasted," he said, mock-mournfully.

[touchofrogue]

At the oven, Rogue was just putting on the tea kettle. She glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. "You could always come over here an' warm me up."

[complicatedliar]

Loki smiled and walked up behind her, then wrapped his arms slowly around her waist. He leaned in against her, lips coming to rest by her ear. "I thought you would never ask."

[touchofrogue]

Rogue leaned fully against him, the subtle nuances of her body language welcoming him, savoring the way he still touched her. Hello, lover.

"I didn't want to keep you up," she murmured, the smile caused by him whispering in her ear lingering on her lips. Rogue tilted her head slightly to make room for him.

[complicatedliar]

"Mmm." Loki delicately kissed her ear, then grinned wickedly. "But you always keep me up, in the best ways."

[touchofrogue]

Rogue laughed, ducking her head. A familiar feeling of butterflies launched in her stomach. "Brat," she said, smiling. "But I guess I should have seen that comin'."

[complicatedliar]

Loki laughed and ducked his head, to nibble lightly on her neck. "You are just kind enough to make it easy for me." He moved his fingers lightly against her stomach. "And we haven't even touched on what else you could see coming tonight. See? As I said."

[touchofrogue]

Rogue tilted her head to make more room for him, melting into him. She grinned, "Is that somethin' you want me to touch on?"

[complicatedliar]

His shoulders shook with barely contained laughter, the sound of it brightening his voice. "Always."

[touchofrogue]

She loved the sound of his voice like this; she didn't hear it enough. It was never enough. Rogue let her head rest on his shoulder.

"I seem to recall touchin' on that particular topic is somethin' that led to a certain surprise sleeping upstairs."

[complicatedliar]

And thinking of that left him rather pleased with himself, all told. He loved his daughter. He liked the idea of having a larger family too, if Rogue would give him one.

Loki nibbled delicately at her neck again. "Hmmm. I am full of surprises. Lovely surprises. And that's proof, you see?"

[touchofrogue]

Rogue slid one hand up through his hair, smiling. "I think it's probably best not to think too much on what you might be full of."

She tugged at his hair, encouraging him to come up, and then whispered against his lips, "Though I'll admit I love that surprise."

And even though she occasionally freaked out about being too young or about the future complications Anja would have to face, she loved her daughter. And Rogue would always be glad to be able to share that with Loki.

[complicatedliar]

"It has been one of my favorites," he whispered back. And Anja had been unintentional on his part, which made her even more special. He kissed Rogue with slow, barely contained passion.