o5 . bone house mingle!

[necrolord]

Who: necrolord and CR!
What: Several teens move into the horrible necromancy mansion, and sometimes they bring their friends.
When: Early March.
Where: Bone House in Gaze.

Content Warnings: Skeletons, discussions of death and grief, violence where marked, vomit where marked. Note all the usual warnings of this character.

Comments

[terriblepurpose]

[Destined to fight evil draws a troubled veil across Paul's expression, paints a thin crease between his brows. He knows enough of monsters to be able to imagine what that might be like as a burden.]

She's lucky to have people by her side. I wouldn't say that's 'just' anything.

[There's too much feeling in the words. He swallows visibly, throat working around a snag.]

Do you know it hasn't stopped? I know that's what people say, about how it's meant to work.

[frogfear]

She's my best friend. I figured out in high school what I really wanted to do with my life was help her.

[It's said fondly. Willow doesn't regret her choice at all in helping Buffy, in spite of the times it's been dangerous, or terrifying.

To his question, she nods. She's not sure which answer he would prefer - is it better to think of time just stopped at home, or would it be kinder to believe that it carries on like he never left? ]

I heard it from Cynthia - uh, the Moon Presence - in the dream. I don't think she'd lie about something like that. She liked us too much for that, and I think she'd want us to be able to make our own choice on that based on the truth, you know?

[terriblepurpose]

[There's the question of faith, again. Does Paul have it in the affection-rooted honesty of a woman he never knew, who ascended to an alien godhood he does not trust, relayed by a stranger? He knows what the world wants his answer to be. He knows the answer changes nothing.

Maybe he's too young to imagine the world going on in his absence, no matter what the evidence suggests.]

Moon Presence does seem to have our interests at heart like few of the others. [He can allow that.] I suppose it's not that important, under our current circumstances.

Like a few things - I've kept you a while, haven't I?

[Kept her a while, and probed her with a series of unimportant questions. It's not exactly polite.]

[frogfear]

[The Moon Presence is the only one of Pthumerians she is willing to trust, only because of their interactions in Deerington. Is she still Cynthia here? Willow would like to believe so. She certainly still seemed to be herself on the beach between worlds in spite of the change in her form.]

I think she does, yeah.

[Worrying about what's happening at home might not make much difference here, but it's understandable. It's difficult not to think of the people, and the home, left behind. She takes comfort, though, in the knowledge that things are carrying on as they ought to in her absence. None of her old friends even realize she's here.

That part feels a little less comforting.]

It's fine - we can talk whenever you want. This isn't exactly an easy place to live from what I've heard. But maybe we can all make it a little easier for each other.

[terriblepurpose]

[There are moments of fleeting possibility for Paul where the idea of putting his faith in something seems less impossible. Willow has caught him during one of them. He may not trust the Moon Presence or its fellow Pthumerians, but maybe he can let himself, however briefly and confined, trust Willow's offer.

It's a nice thought. It coaxes a faint smile from him again, along with a nod.]

The same to you, for what it's worth. My room is the one on the left upstairs, if you need anything.

[frogfear]

Thanks. I, uh, don't actually live here. I'm just staying in the guest room for a couple days.

[Or until she figures out where exactly she really lives, at least. She's hoping it won't take too long.

Maul aside, it's not too hard for her to trust other Sleepers. She's quite used to them all having to band together against the horrors Deerington exposed them to, and from what she's heard so far, Trench isn't so different.]

After that, you can always drop me a message through the network too.

[terriblepurpose]

I'm a guest, too.

[The way Paul smiles when he says it doesn't make it all the way to his eyes, but perhaps that has to do with their glow obscuring the subtleties of expression otherwise possible. They're guests alike, pulled from the water to dry off and find their feet, and there's an obligation Paul sees in that.

And she seems kind. He has a soft spot for kindness, and for trust, even if he so often lacks either quality - or because of it.]

Of course. I'd like that. [He pulls his blanket closer around himself.] I think I'm going to lie down for a while. Let me know if anything changes about the mushrooms. It was good to meet you, Willow.

[If she has nothing else to add to that, he'll ascend the stairs to curl up on his side and rest his throat, eyes half-lidded as he drifts between the present and the future. He wonders if he'll see her in the latter, and what he might see if he does.]