Glad You Came

Pillow Fight

Brian was starting to understand that even their weird, twisted sense of normal was slowly becoming unraveled at the hinges. Certainly, living in what one would be considered an abandoned house in any normal aspect with a bunch of deranged psychopaths and killers that had no master wasn't normal to begin with. But it had became an odd sense of normalcy amongst himself and Tim; something that was being uprooted by none other than the Tall Man himself. And certainly not in ways they had expected.

It was a rather chilly winter night; the house for once lulled into a state of mild peace (only mild due to Jeff, of course) as any resident residing within went about their business. Or tried to, Brian mused, as Sally and Lazarus could easily be heard playing in their shared room without a care in the world. They were two darling girls, they really were. Even the most evil creatures -- or asshole, if you counted Jeff and Eyeless Jack -- couldn't say no to them, and as such were treated as though they were princesses. They deserved it, honestly, with the lives they had to endure. Even the Tall Man, in all his faceless glory, seemed to have a major soft spot for them.

"Think they'll even go to sleep?" snorted Tim from his spot on the couch, chin in one hand as he attempted to watch the flashing television screen.

"They're ghosts, Tim," snorted Brian at his side. "Don't think ghosts actually need sleep, ya know?"

"Yeah," Tim smirked. "I'd be nice though."

Brian rolled his eyes and attempted to continue watching the television. This was, of course, interrupted by a soft yet distinct crashing sound from above. Tim half stood almost reflexively, head snapping towards the stairs as if ready to charge up them to make sure everything was okay. Everything was, considering not moments later Lazarus came bolting down the stairs in a fit of giggles with a pillow narrowly missing her as she darted into the kitchen.

"Easy there!" Brian called as another pillow came rocketing down the staircase. Sally was close behind with a pillow in hand, obviously searching for her companion with BEN half jumping down the stairs behind her with a pillow of his own.

"What're you doing?" Tim asked as he stood fully, concern apparent.

"Pillow fight!" Sally all but screeched, launching her pillow playfully at the dark haired man.

Tim's brow furrowed as the soft object hit him before flopping to the ground; Sally picking up one of the discarded pillows before plowing her way into the kitchen. Screeching laughter could be heard quickly after.
"What?" BEN snorted as Tim almost curiously picked up the pillow. "Never had a pillow fight before?"

One would think Tim would have been annoyed at worst, scorning them for roughhousing inside. However, he instead took the three quick strides to BEN as if to hand him the pillow personally -- only to get sputtering laughter from the blonde as the Link look alike was promptly hit square in the side.

"Nah, just never had one with a ghost," Tim snorted as he whacked him again.

BEN was quick to retaliate, causing an all out brawl. Brian quickly stood from the couch, more amused then baffled as as Lazarus and Sally were quick to return, scrounging up their own pillows that had been carelessly thrown about. Not even Brian seems to hear the commotion that had started upstairs due to the ruckus as he grabbed two of the couch cushions; one being thrown at Tim and hitting him square in the head as the other was used to 'ward off' Sally. More pillows were thrown about as Toby and Jane appeared from upstairs, obviously having heard the "fighting" going on and didn't want to miss out.
It must have been some on minutes before, unbeknownst to them, the front door slowly creaked open and shut once more. Feathers had began floating about from a couple pillows having been burst open, and it wasn't until the newest addition to the chaos stood for some time watching them that they were finally noticed by speaking up.

<"Children,"> said the Tall Man calmly, though voice still loud enough to be heard over the screeching and laughter, <"what is going on?">

All the adults instantly froze in place and even mud swing, a few feathers still fluttering about (and some in Toby and BEN's hair, comically enough) the living room. The Tall Man looked at each of them almost curiously before the girl's, as if realizing the adults were too mortified in being caught in such a position.

"Pillow fight!" squealed Lazarus.
The Operator looked around at said objects that were both held and scattered across the living room floor before looking at the girl.

<"Why?"> he asked simply. <"Pillows do not make great weaponry in a fight.">

"Duh!" snorted Toby. "That's why we're using them!"

Slenderman stared. If it could have blinked dumbly at that answer, it likely would have.

"Have… have you never heard of pillow fights?" asked Sally.

The Tall Man shook his head. Of course not. Why would he?

"We can teach you how to play!" Sally said with an excited grasp, quick to pick up one of the extra pillows on the floor and trotting over to the entity. She held it up to him and, after a long moment, it carefully plucked the pillow from the girl's tiny hands and inspected it. "All you gotta do is hit other people, like this!" Sally went on. She hit the entity on one of it's long legs. "And then they hit you back, like this!"

She gestured for the Operator to stoop to her level; of which he did without question. Sally moved him through the motions of - gently - hitting her with the pillow. Toby had giddly approached the two, as had Lazarus, as Slender seemed rather confused about the whole ordeal. Tim was, too, if his expression was anything to go by. Brian and Jane were just trying not to burst into laughter at such a ridiculous sight.

"See? It's fun!" Sally squealed as Slender finally stood. He looked at the pillow as if still confused.

"It's not fun if he doesn't actually understand it," Toby snorted, using his own pillow to hit at the Tall Man's side.

The Tall Man was full of surprises, however. Half turning to Toby, Slenderman raised the pillow and promptly hit Toby in the side in return -- hard enough to send him to the floor with an "oof!" before he had any chance of reacting. There came a moment of shocked silence among the group, before Toby and the girls erupted into fits of laughter.

"Oh my God," Brian said, covering his mouth as he tried to hold back his own laughter.

But the Tall Man obviously wasn't through. He looked to the pillow in his hands as if contemplating something. Then he promptly turned, looking directly at Tim with obvious intent. It took a moment for it to click for everyone what the Tall Man was thinking - and then another one for Tim to dart out the front door, with his shoes, jacket and closing the door behind him be damned. It took yet another moment for the Tall Man to half turn to Brian.

<"How long does one--?">

"Just -- just go," Brian snorted before it could finish, nearly failing at losing his composure.

The Operator nodded and promptly strode through the front door with at least enough decency to close it behind him.

"That - that's probably scarier than just him trying to chase you," Jane snorted as she covered her own mouth.

"What?" Toby tried to speak, voice laced with laughter and hiccups.

"The Tall Man," Jane said, barely containing her laughter, "chasing you with a pillow. It's scarier than just him chasing you without the pillow."
Brian couldn't contain himself anymore, half stumbling back onto the couch as he began to laugh heavily. This caused Toby to start laughing more, with the others quickly joining in and BEN promptly falling to the ground while clutching his sides. Yeah, that sounded about right. With all the terror the Tall Man had caused, he was slightly more terrifying when coming at you with a pillow.

***

Tim returned roughly a half hour later, an abundance of feathers in his hair as he stomped through the front door. Not surprising, considering all the Tall Man had left of the pillow was simply the sack that held all the stuffing. Brian had mused that Tom had smoked no less than four cigarettes after returning (and Toby insisting he made him hot chocolate to warm up. At least he didn't seem as iffy about the Tall Man as he once had been -- though Tim wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

At least he wasn't dead yet, so there was that.