october: free for all | ❝ lurking in the shadows ❞

[quickfingers]

WHO: EVERYONE? Anyone. (And Peter.)
WHERE: X-Fam House, Nonah.
WHEN: Friday the 13th!
WHAT: Giant ass Halloween party. On Friday the 13th. YOU ARE ALL INVITED.
WARNINGS: tbd, probably some disaster.
NOTES: So this party's invites are pretty scattered so if you have CR with Peter, you can feel free to assume you've been invited (if he hasn't literally ic inboxed you) or found an invite/ heard about the party from anyone else and are still welcome to have fun! Feel free to plurk me (valleyheart) if you have questions but aside from Peter's top level, it's free game to do what you want!



The Invitations

[If you're a friend of Peter you might've been invited personally, but even so you might find one of these bad boys slipped your way, in your mail or taped to the inside of your next pizza order leading up to the 13th. On the back of the invitation is a hand scrawled address in Nonah, the home of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr - if you're familiar, you're familiar. If not, doesn't matter, 'cause it's Peter's disastrous party about to go down and you're still welcome.]

The House

[The party takes place at the "X-Fam" house in Nonah, which some of you may remember hosted a bbq not too long ago. Yeah, the place where Erik and Charles live - not that this party's sponsored by them in any shape, way or form. In fact it's more of a "while the cat's away, the mice will play" type scenario because asking permission to hold a killer party is not something Peter did.

He was responsible enough however to use caution tape to cross off the doors of the bedrooms in the house, preserving the privacy of his housemates to a degree. The other rooms aren't off limits and neither is the backyard, all of which are decorated festively for the occasion. Cobwebs litter corners and hallways, weaving through the banister rails complete with fake spiders nestled in them. The curtains are somber, as a variety of stick on decals are covering windows and mirrors alike. Decorations sit on mantles and door frames, with each window sill featuring a lit candle or something equally spooky.

The backyard is lit by dim orange lights, featuring seating and open night air for those who wish to get out of a hot, loud house and admire the stars. Just mind the witch legs and don't litter cigarette butts everywhere, alright?

The door's open and a variety of tunes are playing, audible from the street.]

The Party

[So you were invited (or not,) and you found your way to the right house. The lights are dimmed and the music's loud, so come in and get a drink from the fridge or the creative yet nerdy 'keg'. Peter's no Martha Stewart nor is Wanda really in a mood to make a lot of cute treats so you'll have to put up with standard party fair: potato chips, pretzels, a huge stack of pizzas and a few large bowls of candy corn. That shit is everywhere, there's no escaping it. You need ice? Just don't choke on the critters.

Rooms not cordoned off are yours to wander and get wasted in, same with the stretch of grass in the back yard. Wander with your goblets of definitely spiked punch and a handful of candy corn. Because if you're not eating it then you suck.

At some point there will be a cake pulled out because Peter's drowning in sisters and Lorna's birthday is this month. Clearly the thing to do is to (monster) mash it in to the Halloween celebrations with a creepy cake. Say a spooky happy birthday to the girl with green hair when you get the chance.]

Comments

[h2no]

He won't talk about it. He deflects me.

[archie grunts.]

He's avoiding me, too.

[magmamia]

... maybe he uh, needs time? Space? I've heard that's a common problem.

You know, to think. A lot did happen.

[he's trying]

[h2no]

That's what I'm trying to do.

[he hesitates, running his free hand through camerupts fur.]

Was it Tabitha or Courtney that went crazy?

[magmamia]

It wasn't- [he bristles a little, someone is protective of courtney and probably had to argue on her behalf more than a few times.

it's archie though, so he wilts and sighs.] Courtney, she... lost her way. It was settled, no one was hurt.

So Matt, he did the same?

[h2no]

Assuming you mean tried to end the world again on his own, then yes. He struck out because he was upset with how I'd treated him.

[goes without saying he blames himself for that.]

Courtney... she was here, you know. Couple years ago. I saw her on the network archive.

[magmamia]

Yes, that's what I meant. Sort of. [he sighs] I didn't realize, maybe I've been too... short with him.

[have a sidelong look] I assume you're thoroughly blaming yourself for it, as you do.

[that information makes his eyes widen then go back to his drink. sip sip.] Was she? I wonder how she liked this place. She always did have trouble with people, relating to them, understanding them. It must have been a difficult transition.

[h2no]

Why wouldn't I? If I'd treated him like a fucking human instead of just waving him off when he was upset too, then maybe it wouldn't have happened. This ain't Team Aqua fucking up because I think waking up Kyogre would help the world, this is Matt lashing out after his best friend treated him like shit. That's on me!

[he throws his hands up, getting a bit of vokda on camerupt, which he immediately takes his bandana off to wipe at.]

She seemed her usual self, from what I saw. I even met someone who said she was her friend... [he's quiet for a moment, wondering how to phrase the next part.] The other woman - Hazel - she was ported out a while ago. She's back now, but doesn't seem to remember anything. I'd know, because she set fucking carnivorous butterflies on me, the bitch.

[magmamia]

[maxie's face twists because boy. boy that was hard to argue when he felt the exact same way about himself. he sighs, taking off his glasses like he's going to clean them but regarding the keystone instead.] Archie you are... you are a remarkable individual. You have a passion and commitment unlike anyone I've ever met. I've known you for a long time, and to this day you still have one of the strongest and kindest hearts I have seen. I am not saying this to make you feel better, it's the truth.

I am not saying there aren't consequences for your actions, or that penance must be made but I- since coming here, seeing you in the state you are in, I can't shake the incredible fear that you will destroy yourself trying to make up for something you will never forgive yourself for. I cannot allow that. If you insist on being overly harsh with yourself than I will always be here to remind you of the good.

That is all. I admit I may not be very good at it though, 'pep talks' and the like. [drinking that sauce boy he's going to get sooooo drunk.]

[also a lot to unpack there] ... carnivorous butterflies? What did you do? [sigh] Well, if she made friends that's all I can hope for. I wish this Hazel remembered.

[h2no]

Yeah. Maybe she'll come back. I hope she does.

[he's scared of courtney but... it would be nice for maxie to have someone around that isn't him.

archie looks away for a long moment, focusing on camerupt. playing with its earsies. he almost lashes out, tells maxie that he's lying, that he must know how it feels and that what he's saying is utter crap. maxie has to know, he has to know that he's beyond redemption as well.

but... archie doesn't believe it. he believes maxie can redeem himself and deep deep down, he can too.]

This place'll be better off without me. Don't bother, Max. Your brain's better suited elsewhere.

[magmamia]

[maxie frowns, again boy all the feelings. he does, this time, put down his drink.]

I will not. I refuse. If I were saying all this to you, what would you say to me, Archie? That this place is better off without me as well?

[h2no]

[quietly and pathetically:] No...

[magmamia]

[that's what he THOUGHT. he shakes his head, putting a hand on archie's arm after a moment. camerupt sympathetically licks archie.]

You've done a lot here, Archie. You've made quite the community of friends.

[h2no]

No, I just haven't tried to end the world again.

[HE TRICKED THEM!!!!!!]

[magmamia]

[HAVE THE MOST UNIMPRESSED LOOK]

Yes, because you clearly haven't been dwelling on that mistake and learned your lesson.

[h2no]

What's that s'posed to mean?

[he knows. but he wants maxie to say it aloud.]