selfhelp | [action / voice] backdated to the 16th

[Billy wakes up for the first time since the portal drama feeling nauseous, exhausted, and heartsick: sort of like waking from a long nightmare, only he can't recall dreaming at all. Instead of being at home in his own world and his own bed, he's still in Luceti, and what's worse is that he's alone. His magic doesn't seem to be working, either. Panic sets in, and... well...

After a bit of trouble-at-home, and a resolution that leaves him feeling even more weary, the reality of his (or rather, their) situation really sinks in: the portal didn't work. And while none of the people involved in the execution of said plan are in any great state of being today, he seems to be the only one who's up and talking and available to explain the situation to the general public (at least, to those who didn't witness what a spectacular disaster it was), and that leaves announcing it up to him.

Unfortunately.

He delays it as much as he feels that he can, perusing the journal in the desperate hope that someone else has done it for him, then wondering if it would be better to wait for someone more in-the-know to do it, until finally he steps up to the plate. Now or never.]

...Hey everyone. I'm sure a lot of you already heard, but for those that haven't, Tony and Jane's big escape portal didn't work. It kind of backfired yesterday, and...

[His voice trails off in the beginnings of a more distraught tone, so he pauses to compose himself.]

Nobody died? I mean, we've got that going for us. For what it's worth. But no one went home, either. The whole thing was a bust. No point in even keeping it a secret anymore.

One last thank you to everybody who gave up their mission points to get parts for it, though. I don't think it was a waste or anything - I mean, trying's better than sitting around and doing nothing, and something definitely happened, so we at least pushed a few of their buttons - but...

[Ugh, why did he think this was a good idea?]

...sorry it wasn't what we thought it would be. That's all.

[After that he really just wants to curl up in bed and pretend to be unconscious for the next several days, but that's not particularly responsible, so he'll have to settle for making it a few hours instead. It's the little things in life.]

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[It takes a bit for Billy to notice, since pillows are generally silent, but finally he pokes his head out the door, taking note of the increasingly growing pile.]

...Loki? Oh my god, where did you get all of these.

From Thors bed. And mine. And the couch.

[Loki plops a blanket on top of the pile.]

I am very excited about this social activity, Billy of New York.

[Billy lifts a brow at the pile, leaning against the doorframe, then shrugs off his surprise and grabs a few of the pillows, carrying them inside.]

Well, I'm happy you're happy. It's seriously been ages since I did this- not since I was back home with my little brothers.

Oh?

[Loki admires the pile for a moment before he moves to help Billy with carrying everything inside his apartment.]

Then it is about time you should indulge yourself with a fortress of pillows again, Billy. I think it is a case of emergency.

Maybe we should just keep the fort in the back of the kitchen or something, there's lots of room there. For... community emergencies. When things go bad around here.

[Loki is just busy with holding a multitude of pillows when Billy proposes to move the pillow fort business to the kitchen. Not a bad idea, Billy, not a bad idea at all.]

Hmmm. Well, it is closer to the snacks.

[He puts his hands on his hips and drops the pillow again.]

Aye! Lets do this. And do invite Teddy Altering Man. He is able to change into me and I need to sit between you both.

[After that he picks up a couple of pillows and trots to the end of the hallway, where the kitchen is.]

[Pfft, there's that nickname again. With a muffled sigh Billy grabs the pillows again and follows behind, jogging a bit to catch up and lifting an eyebrow at Loki.]

Why do you keep calling him that, anyway? I mean, for a nickname it's technically accurate, but...

[Loki tilts the pillow above his head to look at Billy.]

It is an accurate name...but... It is not accurate at all? Please explain.

[He thinks it is an excellent nickname for Teddy, actually.]

I don't know. It's just that it isn't his name. Aren't nicknames supposed to be shorter than the real thing?

We should ask Teddy if he arrives. I am sure he agrees with my statement and nicknames.

[After that he trots off to the kitchen to put the pillows down.]

Why don't you start getting the fort set up, and I'll go grab him? You can ask him yourself.

[If Loki has no protests, he'll head back into the apartment after depositing his pillow pile, aiming for Teddy's room.]

[Nope, Loki has no protests at all because pillow forts? He's got this!]

Aye!

[He gives Billy a thumbs up before he starts sorting out the pillows with great dedication.]

[Of course, Teddy doesn't object to pillow forts. Sure, it's been a long time for him as well, longer than it was for Billy due to not having little siblings of his own. But he definitely remembers them being fun.

Once he walks into the kitchen, he's carrying three pillows of his own with ease, and he seems to be murmuring quietly to Billy (something sweet, most likely, judging by the look he's giving him while he says so) before he lifts his head and inclines it to Loki in greeting.]

Hey! So, fort time?

[Billy does his best not to smile too obviously at Teddy's comment, giving his boyfriend a nudge before depositing the pillows from his bed, as well as a few blankets for extra cozying-up. It's not a good fort without a ceiling, after all.]

Definitely fort time. But first I think Loki has a question for you.

[Loki watches them as they arrive, right after he has arranged the pillows nicely.]

Fort time indeed!

[He nods.]

Billy of New York, I always have questions. But apparently I have a question for you, Teddy Altering Man.

Have you brought the top for on your lap?

[Teddy raises an eyebrow at that nickname - again with that? And then he just keeps it raised at the actual question.]

Top for... Oh! Yeah. [He drops his own pillows, letting the laptop that was under his upper arm slide down to his fingers instead.] Top for your lap, right here. And movies to last us the whole night.

We were talking about watching Gurren Lagann. "Believe in me who believes in you", and all that.

[Billy takes the laptop from Teddy and goes to get it set up so Loki can chat it up with Mr. Altering-Man himself.]

Guren Lagan? Is that a cool film about a lagoon? With pirates?

[Loki has never heard of the title. But then again, some movies are still unknown to him.]

Teddy Altering Man, can you change into me again?

No, not pirates. It's like... Actually, it's probably easier just to watch it. It's kind of hard to explain with just a simple summary. But there are giant robots, I can say that much.

[The request, however, gets him to pause.]

... Why?

Giant robots. Ah yes, I know of giant robots. They mostly fight battles with giant monsters in tinier cities.

[Loki looks up.]

Because it was rather cool.

[Billy lifts a brow, glancing back over at them. Teddy changed into Loki? That's news to him, but apparently it's fascinating enough to merit a repeat. He can understand that, though, he loves to see Teddy shapeshift.

Leaning back from his work, he gestures to Teddy, shoulders lifting in a shrug.]

Why not? It can't hurt to indulge him.

[Teddy glances at Billy at that and, as if that soothes whatever worries he might have, he nods, then rolls his shoulders and tilts his head from side to side.]

Okay, okay. But let's not make this a regular thing, okay?

[He kind of has a thing against that, after all, though he didn't used to. Once that's clear, he begins to change: hair darkening and growing out, height and muscle mass decreasing, eyes changing colors, voice changing, the works.

Once he's finished, he holds his arms out as if to show off his transformation.]

Am I Loki enough for you?

[... Though he didn't shift his clothes on today, which means that after his pose, he grabs onto the waistband of his pants to keep them from falling off his hips, though his facial expression doesn't change.]

[action / voice] backdated to the 16th

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