[Social] Room 103 - Don't You Dare Laugh

[Miriam Bell]

"I think I get it. And you wouldn't necessarily want to be roused every time I feel like I need a mental hug."

[Will Stanton]

"It's not even necessarily a matter of want. The longer it goes, the more difficult it can get to be roused, at least in a timely manner."

[Miriam Bell]

"So you'd need some stimulation to not drift off into a blissful fugue?"

[Will Stanton]

"Well, I mean, that's one option, yes," Will nodded. "Alternatively, that can be the, erm, base layer, and you could use other things for added intensity, when needs be. Extra dosage. Belt and suspenders and all that jazz.

I just don't want you to go to all this trouble and get nothing out of it you couldn't have gotten at Ikea."

[Miriam Bell]

"Don't ever compare yourself to some cheap presswood furniture ever again, Will."

[Will Stanton]

"Not all of us have tastes as expensive as yours, Miriam," Will lightly teased. "Some of us are fine with McDonalds."

[Miriam Bell]

"And I feel for you on that, but I am not ordering IKEA or McDonalds because it'd be an insult and a waste to have you turn into something so mediocre."

[Will Stanton]

Will wagged a finger. "No judging, right? If we start judging things, we'll be here all day.

Anyway. If you just want the bed, we can just do the bed. I wasn't trying to make things more complicated than they had to be."

[Miriam Bell]

"No judgement, only a compliment. Let's stick with the bed for now and if it ends up fading into too deep a slumber I'll see if I'm pathetic enough to come ask you for an emotional support pillow."

[Will Stanton]

"Righto," Will nodded, looking like he had made up his decision.

And then he turned and left and walked back towards the mirror.

[Miriam Bell]

"Uhm. Will?" Miriam asks, following after him but stopping in the doorway to the common room.

[Will Stanton]

"Hrm?" Will asked, stopping halfway into the mirror. "Was there something else?"

[Miriam Bell]

"Well yes, aren't you going to shift into the bed?"

[Will Stanton]

Will blinked for a moment, and then laughed.

"Oh, no no no. I just came out here to plan the thing. Believe me; I have very little desire to have your ass in my face every night.


I'm gonna go in there and explain what's going on, and an eager beaver will be out shortly. Fun for the whole family, right?"

[Miriam Bell]

"That makes... a certain amount of sense. In Will-terms anyway."

[Will Stanton]

Will nodded. "When I'm out here -- especially if someone actually reaches in and pulls me out -- you're getting the part of me fit to task. Right now, we were organizing and planning. I don't think a me with cotton pouring out of my head was going to be able to nail that one. Nor do I really have any taste for going clubbing, or sparring with Sam, or any of the other zillion things I could be doing. I like solving puzzles and going through solutions. It appeals to me. It doesn't appeal to all of us.

There's a me for pretty much everything, I think. You felt how...uncontrolled things were when we were all together out here. Couldn't handle it. Couldn't stay focused. In there," he added, slapping the surface of the mirror, watching as it rippled. "That's an...interesting experience, and not one I can easily explain. Out here, it made us useless.

I guess it does mean you only get a facet of the Stanton experience out here, but no one should go full Stanton."

[Miriam Bell]

"You said I could step into the mirror. You meant that literally, didn't you?"

[Will Stanton]

Will nodded. "I don't quite get how it works, either. But then, I've never been much of one for physics.

I'm also not sure how...healthy it would be for you. You weren't exactly in a great place when you left the first time. But if you ever need more than a bed to lie on, more than a midnight snack or a dance partner..." he trailed off.

[Miriam Bell]

"Careful, one might think you're coming on to me." she teases.

[Will Stanton]

"You're the one who invited me to your bed," Will smirked.

[Miriam Bell]

"Speaking of. Hop hop, go take my custom order to the mother-dough."

[Will Stanton]

"Should make you pay extra for not using the self-checkout, but I'll waive that this time," Will joked, as he finished stepping into the mirror, which rippled a bit as he popped in.

There was a moment's pause, as Miriam felt the 'background radiation' of the room intensify for a moment, before dipping back to normal -- the Will that was out and about getting re-absorbed in? Some kind of telepathic equivalent of a chemical reaction? Anyone without telepathic powers would just notice the reflections getting all wobbly for a second before returning to normal.

As she was pondering this, Will re-emerged...or, I suppose technically, a new Will came out, blinking for a moment, and then flashing his eyelashes at Miriam. "Well, then. Looking for something nice and comfortable, are we? Let's get you all set up."

[Miriam Bell]

"Best furniture shopping experience I can imagine. You know everything the one who went in did?"

[Will Stanton]

"Well, yeah," Will laughed. "I'm not that forgetful. Got it all stored up here," he said, tapping the side of his head to indicate intelligence.

[Miriam Bell]

"Okay, good. I figured that's how it'd work but it's good to see it actually does."

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, nobody knows how this works yet. It's all new and confusing to us too, don't you worry," Will said, 'reassuringly', as he strode past Miriam on his way back to her bedroom.

[Miriam Bell]

"Unraveling the how is not as important as being able to bring thoughts and memories back into the fold."

[Will Stanton]

"Well, sure, I guess. It's really very sweet that you were worried about that," Will grinned.

[Miriam Bell]

"Alright, that's enough out of you." Miriam shushes Will, but she's is smiling ever so slightly.

[Will Stanton]

"Yes, yes. I have no mouth and I must fluff," Will laughed.

He walked into Miriam's room and did a couple stretches near the door frame, limbering up. Entirely unnecessary, one would assume, and done more for show than for purpose, before springing up, up, and up, stretching himself nearly up to the ceiling before flattening, spreading, and pulling himself impossibly upwards.

At first glance, it looked like pure black mahogany, though closer inspection would reveal it to be an obsidian green. It rose up, stopping about three feet from ceiling level -- a little roomier than a coffin, if for no other reason than to allow people to sit up without smashing their heads into the ceiling, which was considered a plus. Dark green velvet curtains, pinned to each of the four elegant posts lofting the bed, rose up into a canopy that covered the ceiling, creating a soft cocoon-like atmosphere when they were all drawn shut -- not quite the full enclosure from the hotel room, but certainly a place to escape from the world at large. The head and footboards were carved with intricate designs, abstract patterns that spiraled and twisted. The mattress itself was thick and sumptuous; quilted foam and cashmere that allowed someone to sink right in without being swallowed up. Over it, Egyptian cotton sheets shined, inviting and welcoming.

Well, he didn't underdo it, that was for sure.

[Miriam Bell]

"I suppose I'll have to get used to having green incorporated into my style. You're lucky it still works." she says as she runs her hand over the mahogany before grabbing the curtain and rubbing it between her fingers. "Can you give me... a foot more room?" she asks, tugging the curtain downwards as if that could make the bed lower itself.

[Will Stanton]

And, indeed, it did -- or, at least the tugging coincided with the bed itself lowering, now only about 60% up the wall. It now blocked a little of the doorway, but not enough to make it unusable.

I can do black if you'd prefer. You didn't specify.

[Miriam Bell]

"No no, this is good. I wouldn't have picked it but it's growing on me. Adds a little texture."

[Will Stanton]

Well, you're very welcome. Not sure I'd call it texture myself; that's a tactile thing, but a splash of even dark color can add a certain je ne sais quoi."