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

[which_witch]

[Wanda would like it if he would let the song and her presence lead him to sleep. You're safe, child. Your mother is here, and she won't let anything happen to you. Sleep. Rest. You are loved.

She combs his hair absentmindedly with one hand, always gentle. As the end of the song is reached she falls silent for a few moments, rather hoping that he's fallen asleep. The way his breath comes makes her think he probably hasn't. At least, though, he seems... calmer.]

[selfhelp]

[He tries to fake it, if only to give her some semblance of comfort, but he knows better than to let his eyes remain closed for long, lest he drift off for real. He can't allow that; it would ruin everything. After a while, he finally stirs, sighing softly against her.]

That was nice... I haven't heard that in a long time.

[which_witch]

You haven't had trouble sleeping in a long time. ... I used to sing that to you and Thomas. [She muses gently and quietly, having no desire to break the peaceful mood.] Thomas was usually the restless one. ... But you would pretend to be wide awake, just to stay up with him. You didn't want to miss a minute of the waking world if you didn't have to.

[selfhelp]

[He listens quietly, taking it all in, letting the memories of this new childhood override his old one, for a while, anyway. It sounded... really nice, actually. He and Wanda and Tommy, a family. He'd never had a brother to play with when he was really little- even back home, his younger siblings didn't mesh well with his age. They'd been too far apart in age for it to work.

Growing up with Tommy, playing with him... he loved those memories, even if they were false. And he loved that Wanda was finally theirs more than anything.]

I'm still like that sometimes, huh... just can't sleep while there's things to do.

[which_witch]

I'll tell you now what I told you then. ... The world will still be here when you wake up. Rest now, and come at it again with fresh eyes in the morning. [She smiles to herself.] ... Though I suppose promising you sugar for breakfast has less bargaining weight now, than it did when you were little.

[selfhelp]

Mm... well, you could try anyway. Sugar never hurts as incentive.

[which_witch]

[She kisses the side of his head again.] You can have any food you want for breakfast-- even those sugar covered marshmallow things-- if you'll just go to sleep. Just a little power nap.

[selfhelp]

...You drive a hard bargain.

[He could just... go to his room. Lay down. Not sleep, obviously, that would negate all his efforts, but... it can't hurt to indulge her.]

[which_witch]

I have to. I'm your mother. [She smiles, thinking she's convinced him, as she gets up.] It's my mission in life to keep you happy and healthy and, if I can manage it-- not completely zonked from lack of sleep.

[selfhelp]

Not completely. Okay.

[He smiles despite himself, standing up with her after a moment. It takes some effort, getting to his feet, but it isn't that far to his bedroom, and he can sit down again there, when he isn't being scrutinized.]

Okay... okay, you win. I'll sleep for a while.