[Action / Voice] House of M Follow-Up

[selfhelp]

[So... he's probably delayed this long enough, even if a part of him would love to delay it indefinitely. Not only is it a month overdue, but now that he's home again and fully recovered from whatever had been affecting his mind, putting it off any further will just make things more difficult. Frightened as he is of the consequences, he won't get anywhere if he keeps hiding. It's time to apologize for the damage his spell caused, and make things right... if he can.

First, Billy seeks out those he knows personally, friends or acquaintances whom he remembers being affected or involved. Whether they're people he hasn't spoken to since the spell was in place, or people who visited him while he was possessed and halfway out of his mind, he'll try to be as thorough as possible. Teddy accompanies him from place to place, bless him, and they can be found walking hand-in-hand through the village and talking quietly, though Billy will be speaking with the people he's looking for on his own. Teddy's there for moral support, nothing more; the rest is his responsibility.

After those visits, presumably the hard part is over, but there's one thing left to do - reach out to those he couldn't find, missed, or simply doesn't know, as well as the general populace who'd probably noticed strange things going on at the time. They deserve to know about... well. To put it bluntly, the menace to society that he can be. Not that he'd give that reason out loud. Certain people would take issue with it.

They'd be wrong, but.

This time, he uses the journal network, his voice tentative, worried, and sick with guilt, and it happens later in the evening:]

...Hey... it's Billy. Um, Kaplan. I'm kind of a witch. You might not know me. Sorry if you do. ...Last month, October 1st, I was sent back from a Malnosso abduction... kind of a mess. I wasn't thinking straight, and... I cast a spell. It... it screwed with a lot of people. Badly. I don't know the full extent of the damage it caused, or how far it went, but- I do know that- people were hurt. And I know I might not be able to make things right again, either.

["Might". His hope for that one is still pretty pathetic; the forgiveness he's already received is something of a miracle to him. The day's meetings are still weighing on him, and there's an ache in his heart that refuses to go away.]

...Still. I- I need to apologize. Whether or not the Malnosso were the cause, it's still my fault. S-so I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I'm so...

[....]

...I'm... not going to use magic anymore. I'm done. I'm no good. At it. I mean. I- sorry. ...This won't happen again. And if you want to yell at me, or get a better explanation of what happened, or... whatever you need, I'll... be here.

Thanks. For hearing me out.

[And... that's that.]

Comments

[selfhelp]

He had expected that, but it still made him inhale sharply, the words stinging. His chest hurt, his heart pounding, and he clenched and unclenched his fists just to give his hands something to do, so he wouldn't feel so helpless in that moment. For months, more than a year, even, he'd been visiting that house, doing the odd chore here and there but mostly just visiting for the sake of visiting. He'd started out as just a fanboy and somewhere along the line become a friend.

And now? To hear that? To be just... cut off like that? It burned, and it took him a moment to remember how to breathe. He doesn't argue, though. He would never have assumed they'd want him to return, anyway. It was good-

....

It was... good... to get that confirmation. To have the question answered, to have that assumption taken out of his hands. So he merely nodded, his gaze trained on the floor.

"...I... understand. I won't... bother you."

[handing]

Despite everything, her own held in anger and sense of betrayal, Pepper couldn't help the sharp pang of guilt she felt at Billy's utter shock. Yes, Billy had been their frequent guest--Tony's even before Pepper's arrival in Luceti. But this wasn't something they could just forgive between breaths, and she knew that the separation was necessary, no matter how much that also hurt.

"We're just going to need some time." Days, weeks, longer; she truly didn't know. But the decision had been made and Billy agreed, even if part of her wanted to take it back now. She pressed her lips together, trying to think of what else to say, then slowly shook her head.

"Tony said he was working at the house today. He'll probably still be there." And now that this had all began Pepper wanted it over. There wasn't any way to prepare or to make what came next easier. She stood up, expecting Billy to follow her as she headed out of the office, and ultimately down the path to the house she shared with Tony.

[selfhelp]

"You don't have to... justify it, I..." He got it. He did, really. Everyone needed time. There was no cure-all for this. Much as he might like there to be, life didn't work like that. And wishing for it was just another kind of manipulation, a path he refused to walk down again.

He glanced back at the door, lips pursing, then he nodded, moving to follow her. No reason to... put it off, besides his own selfish fear. And what he wanted didn't matter anymore. "...Teddy's... waiting for me outside. I just need to tell him where we're going."

And then he'd do whatever she wanted.