paradisalost

[the journal falls open to the sound of quiet humming, as a blue crayon gets dragged across the page. As this is happening, Sweets is starting to wake up and realizes that he isn't alone. He SHOULD be alone, but he's not, and when he looks over at Angela, his eyes widen a bit.]

... Uh-oh. Uh ... Angela?

[Angela stirs next to him, head of dark curls turning to look at whoever is disturbing her beauty sleep. Blinking her eyes open, her eyes meet with Sweets' and she groans]

Oh my God--- what did we do?

[shakes his head as he pushes himself up]

I don't think we did anything? I think the castle had something to do with it.

[She sighs and pulls the sheet up with one hand, the other rubbing her face. He's got a point. Where is her hangover? Because that's the only way---]

That's crazy, Sweets---

[She glances down at the little person drawing and--]

Who... is that?

[the drawing stops as Billy looks up at them both, and gives them a wide toothy smile]

You're awake!

[Sweets just stares at him and it clicks almost instantly]

Uh-oh.

[It sort of hits Angela when she sees how much the baby looks like them and she just...]

Oh boy.

This is a bit of a tradition. I can explain.

[and with that, he's reaching forward to pick up his son and closes the journal in the process]

Congrats, you're a mom?

[Black is Sweets, Purple is Angela, and Red is the bb.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[shrugs as he sets the kid down on the bed]

It's something the castle does every year. It gives random couples children, no matter how improbable, and has them raise them as parents for a week.

[She looks at the baby and sort of... smiles, reaching out to touch his outstretched hand] Only for a week? [The toddler wraps his fingers around a few of hers]

[nods as he grabs a chair to sit across from them]

Then they disappear. No one knows where they go. But some people who have been here for a long time get the same children back each year.

[She feels suddenly protective of the child and pulls him into her arms] Let's not talk about this in front of the idkay. [Yes, she just pulled out some pig latin]

[the kid is oblivious, just snuggling closer to Angela when he's pulled. Sweets just smiles before nodding]

Got it.

[he then leans forward with a more child oriented grin]

How 'bout it, big guy? Want some breakfast.

[and that gets Sweets victory arms and a wide smile]

[She laughs softly and lets go of the kid] What's your name big guy?

[he's been working really hard on that. just so everybody knows. Sweets grins before looking up at Angela]

You wouldn't happen to have cereal in here, do you?

Billy, huh? [She grins too]

I have chex mix, but no cereal.

Okay, then. I will head downstairs to pick up some cereal. You guys sit tight.

We will. [She grins, smiling at her... son, and stroking his hair]

[and with that, Sweets wanders off to get the cereal while they do some mother-son bonding. he'll be back in a bit.]

[By the time he gets back, she'll have the boy drawing in her sketch pad in her lap, just like she's had the boy for years.]

[smiles a bit at that, before placing the box of cereal and the bowls down on the table]

Breakfast is served.

Thanks. [She grins as Billy holds up his picture to show his daddy. It's not really anything but a bunch of scribbles but hey, he's trying] Daddy look!

[grins as he looks at the picture]

That's awesome, little man.

[She grins too, glancing down at their little guy] You hungry, sweetie? [And of course, he nods] Your dad's got us breakfast.

[hops down and heads back over to the table to eat]

Well, at least he's got a lot of energy.

Well, between the two of us, it was bound to happen.

[nods]

This is true. Though ... music and art is a pretty daring combination.

He can be part of the blue man group.

[grins]

I like the sound of that.

[She laughs softly] What do you think little man? Want to be painted all blue? [The little guy nods enthusiastically as he stuffs his face with cereal]