With no true home to return to during summer break at the uni they both attended, Lup had managed to talk her twin brother into a spontaneous road trip in their beat down Ford. They wanted to see the world they'd grown up in in an all new light. Sure, they'd spent a portion of their childhood out there already, struggling to survive and so very scared, but now they were returning to their roots with an adult perspective. There was nothing to be fearful of now, not when they were grown and capable and so very bright. Whatever was out there, they'd prove to themselves, and to anyone who doubted them, that the Taaco twins were the biggest badasses around.
And Lup knew just how to do it.
A few weeks into their trip, she'd pulled up a website on her phone and pushed it straight under her twin's nose, showing off the image of an abandoned shack out in the middle of a nearby forest. There were rumors that the place was haunted, that the spirits who lived there were violent and just wanted to be left alone. According to the site, no one had dared venture out that far into the woods, that it hadn't been visited in well over a decade, the fear of the ghosts surrounding just too much for the locals to take.
So, she'd asked with a grin, wouldn't it be bomb to shoot a vid of us out there in the middle of the night, livin' it the fuck up? Post that shit online an' rack up the views? Internet famous before the sun even rises. And that had been that.
But then Taako had caught the eye of a dashingly handsome man while they'd been complaining over their soggy dinner at a nearby diner. Leaving her with only a wink and the bill to pay, Taako slipped into the seat across from the stranger to chat him up instead. And later that night in their crummy motel, instead of prepping for their trip into the woods, he'd given Lup's cheek a condensing pat and grinned, promising they could go the next night. He was out the door too fast after that, blowing a kiss from the doorway, and quickly disappearing.
It was supposed to the two of them, but now Lup's trudging through the woods on her lonesome, grumbling angrily under her breath with each step forward.
Maybe it's foolish to be out in an unfamiliar part of the woods nearing midnight, the only light guiding her the tinny beam of her flashlight, but now she had a brother to show up. She could do this all on her own. Then she'd be the one with all the recognition, the total badass to take on a whole shack of spooks all on her own. And what would Taako have? A crappy one night stand in a shitty motel? Booooring.
So wrapped up in her own thoughts, the woman didn't even catch on that she wasn't completely alone. Was that the sound of approaching footsteps? The beat of wings from above? Or just the wind rustling through the trees on her way deeper and deeper into the woods?]
ii. come get this monster gf
[There's something very off about the woman perched at the bar, but the what seems to dance along the tip of your tongue, always just out of reach.
She's been in the same spot every night for the last week, always walking in alone with the same heavy, wool cloak draped over her slender frame. Hood pulled up past her ears to obscure the sharp features other patrons have only caught quick glimpses of.
It's the same routine nightly. She comes in close to dusk, drops a few coins on the bar, and ignores all the attention she's garnered in favor of just enjoying a drink or two alone. There's rumors floating around that the regular patrons who've tried to approach her suddenly stopped coming by, but that's just a rumor, right? She's been coming to this same tavern for seven days now, sitting in the same exact seat, and speaking to no one. And the routine has never once changed in the slightest.
Until now.
For whatever reason, the woman's eyes drift up from her drink to slip cross the room and catch yours. The rest of her face is shadowed beneath that heavy hood of hers, but her eyes seem to bore right through you, like she's seeing right through you, slipping straight into your soul.
And then she grins, beckoning you closer with a crook of her finger.]
iii. wildcard
[Hit me up with anything or leave me a prompt to write a starter for. M O N S T E R S]
[Barry doesn't usually go to the bar this often. Certainly not several days in a row. It was supposed to just be one beer after a long day in the lab, something to take the edge off before returning to his empty bed in his empty apartment. But it somehow turned into him returning to the bar every night after work, utterly transfixed, all so he can keep watching the woman sitting at the bar. No matter how hard he tries, he just can't get her out of his head. At work, at home, in bed, whenever he closes his eyes, there she is.
There's something about the unseen, the unknown, that is completely irresistible to Barry - as a physicist that's kind of par for the course, but this is something entirely new to him. Even though she's been there every night this week, he's never seen her face. Not once. Not only because her hood is always pulled up, but because whenever he tries to study her, whenever he looks at her for just a little too long, he starts feeling... strange. Waves of goosebumps, chills up and down his spine. He doesn't understand why.
Maybe he's just lonely. After this many years alone, anyone would be. He's never been like this though, where just the thought of a person gives him chills, no matter how lonely he is. But there's no other logical explanation for it.
He's also heard the strange rumors from the other patrons, watched a few charming and not-so-charming men approach her, only to watch them give up and leave when they were met with silence. Maybe she just wants to be left alone. And well, those rumors certainly can't be true. They can't.
Barry is in his usual spot tonight, gaze going between the woman and his beer, when all of a sudden her head is turned towards him. The man stiffens in his seat, watching her intently. He can see her eyes now, just barely, staring at him. Something about the way she's looking at him is making him tremble, cold sweat prickling at his forehead, his neck, hair standing on end. Then she beckons him closer. Barry swallows. Why is he so nervous? She's just a mysterious woman who likes her privacy... Nothing to be scared of... right? It takes him a beat or three, but he finally picks up his drink and walks over to her, his heart racing.]
You, uh... [How does one conversation again?] You lookin' for some company?
[Barry nervously approaches with his drink in hand, no doubt feeling the eyes of the other bar patrons following along with his every step, before he's finally in front of her. The atmosphere within the tavern suddenly goes tense and and heavy, even the old jukebox in the corner falling silent when the woman tips her head up and smiles from beneath her hood at this single man chosen over all of the rest.]
What can I say? [Her tone holds a surprising amount of strength behind it, but it remains soft enough that no one else but Barry would be able to hear her words.] I was starting to feel a little lonely.
[She finally reaches up to push her red hood back, giving the man his first real glimpse of the woman who's been haunting his every waking thought. Her fingers slip through thick hair, shaking out the loose waves that had been tucked up inside of her hood, her hands just lightly skimming over the tops of her pointed ears. Light freckles are splattered like constellations across her dark skin, her mouth pulled to the right in a curling, playful grin. Overall, the stranger is beautiful, sharp-featured and taller than most men in the room, but not nearly half as intimidating as the heavy cloak she wore would made one think.
But if Barry stared into her eyes long enough, they'd feel off, like he was looking straight into swirling inky pools instead of the unusual, but pretty golden eyes watching him right now.]
Care to buy a gal a drink?
[The rest of the tavern patrons seem absorbed in their own conversations again, the jukebox piping out a slow, static-filled song in the corner, the bartender right back to cleaning glasses. It's just the two of them.]
(It's definitely a rush of wings, but whether or not this is fortunate for Lup remains to be seen.
Lucretia had sensed the unrest in the forest, so closely tied to the particular silence of it that the unnatural noise had at once registered to her. Better, perhaps, that she had been the one to go and look. She's a force to be reckoned with for sure, but nowhere near the nastiest thing that lives amongst the trees.
Has Lup ever seen a harpy before? Because she's about to meet one.
Lucretia lands right in front of her, and tries not to look as irritated as she feels. Humans sometimes stumble in here by mistake, and while she's not especially fond of them she'd still much rather deter them instead of watching them get lulled into a horrible death. Hard to enjoy your forest when somebody is, like, getting torn to pieces and screaming their head off or whatever.)
What are you doing here? (She's a lot taller than this human. She probably looks pretty intimidating too, with her large wings instead of arms, talons instead of fingers, long and wickedly curved. She does at least bear the naked torso of a human woman, but her skin descends into dark feathers at her hips that trail right down to her birds legs and feet. While she's mostly dark brown and mottled black in colour, her hair is a shock of white.)
[Lup would like to think that she's seen a lot of shit during her twenty-some years of life, but nothing could really prepare her for the size of the bird that swoops down in front of her out of nowhere, making the young woman jump.
Wait. Woman? Bird woman? Woman bird? Wasn't there a specific term for that? She really should have brushed up on her monster knowledge before she went rushing straight into the forest in the middle of the night. Never know who you'll run into.]
Uh, you're... [The harpy descends, enormous and intimidating, all feathers and talons, a beautiful clash of white hair against gorgeous dark skin. Lup points lamely at the harpy in front of her, clearly taken back, but a lot less scared than she probably should be.] You're...kinda hot. I mean... oh shit. Does that mean I'm a furry? Fuck. I think I owe my brother money.
Look, I'm just kinda passin' through. [That 'kinda' is stretching it.] Total accident. Think you can just forget you saw me?
[The world is a big and scary place for small slimes.
Towering trees and seemingly bottomless lakes, rocks and boulders as insurmountable as mountains, and much bigger, much more dangerous creatures looking for a squishy snack. Barry can't imagine he tastes very good, but he's more than happy to stay out of their way anyway.
Young slimes don't get much in the way of parental guidance however, so for the time being, he just has to explore the dense forests on his own, trying and failing and learning as best as he can. It might be scary out here, but it sure is beautiful!
At the moment, he's splashing around in a shallow puddle, bouncing and squishing his little body around, enjoying how the water feels against his slippery gel-like exterior. The splashing water and the sounds of his soft giggles might be what draws the attention of another...]
Lup and her brother had been alone for as long as either can remember, no memories of loving parents or any other figures having ever been there over the course of their short life. It's always just been the two of them against the world, clasped hands while they've just worked on surviving, never quite understanding just what they were, but accepting it easily because they were the same.
And as a rule, they both tried to keep to the shadows when others were around, to stay unseen and remain forgotten. All they'd ever needed was each other, so what was the point in ever making themselves known?
But there's a weird boy splashing in a nearby puddle, his body slippery and strange, like he's a melting candle, thick drops of something rolling down his round sides. And he's laughing, completely alone, but making his own fun by himself, kicking up water and giggling when it rains back down on him.
Lup's hiding while she watches him, just out of sight behind a nearby tree, but when the boy gives a particularly enthusiastic hop, she can't help but laugh just a little too loudly from her hiding place.]
[Above all else, Taako enjoys being a little shit.
It's so, so easy to tool with humans- a shove to a rowboat here, putting fun things on their fishing lines there, chucking skipped rocks directly back at people who think they're alone all over the place. It's fucking hilarious. Others have warned him plenty of times not to get too cocky, too close- humans are still dangerous, and hurt what they don't understand. But between him and his sister, there's nothing that's going to get the jump on them. The shimmering pale blues in his tail blend in perfectly with the water, long pale hair braided back with pearls and shimmering rocks to show off long, pointed ears. He looks more like a ghost than a merman most of the time; nothing's going to mess with him. Nothing would dare.
On this instance, he's by himself, Lup promising to catch up with him later, just his torso peeked out of the water by the beach. He's looking for a target, but don't worry. You'll be fine.
That rumor about mermaids wanting to drown people for fun are just rumors. Right?]
ii. fae au
[Depending on who you ask, Taako is either the best or the worst fae to ever exist.
Objectively, he's confusing and tempting; eyes just too bright, tongue too quick, charming in a way that makes people give up things precious to them. It's seldom a night he spends in the mortal realm that he doesn't return with a name, a heart, a lover trailing through the wood to get lost for all eternity, and there's always entertainment in the courts to figure out just what he's doing at any given point. Taako isn't as malicious as others could be, not in the way that he means to cause harm- he just doesn't care when he's done it. He's confusing even to fae folk, and his allegiances can only be tracked truly to his sister. But he's funny. He's funny and keeps his place and only ruffles the feathers that please the court, not the ones that could be done with him.
But tonight, he's over again on the human side of the world, stepping with the click of heels through a dark bar with the music pounding, long hair left free and shimmering when the lights hit it, with his too-bright eyes and his too-sharp smile. And it seems, tonight, he's picked you to saddle up to, those too-bright eyes meeting yours in a flash.
And he waves. Smiles. Let's see what he can get tonight.]
iii. modern au
[The show has been going incredibly well lately. Taako knew that he and Lup were always made for TV, but it was only a matter of time before they were finally noticed. Sure, their cooking was slamming, and their faces more so, but the real talents were in their quick tongue and their incredible ability to bullshit. So when they skyrocketed to youtube sensations for their 'totally haunted' tours for ghosts in abandoned buildings, bigfoot hunting in the woods, and how to end a vampire with thirty garlic clove chicken, it was only a matter of time before they were offered a deal to produce for their first webseries. The promo they aired had been a hit, and now, halfway through filming, everything was going impeccably well.
Of course, it was all crock. There's no such thing as monsters-- they knew that. They were basically getting paid to bullshit online, which in Taako's opinion, was the best kind of bullshit.
They needed to find a location for their next episode, and Lup and Taako had broken off to different sides of the small town they'd found themselves in, Taako currently sliding into a (possibly) abandoned building right at the edge of the woods. Perfectly spooky. He's got his phone out, snapping a selfie or two by the busted door for ambiance, poking around to see if there's anything he could set to really freak her out.
But y'know, it's empty in here. He's got time. Right?]
iv. WILDCARD
[hit me with fucking anything, a prompt, an idea, more monsters??????? FUCK, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T CARE, I WANT IT]
(Not so abandoned as he might think, but does a lonely ghost count for much?
Lucretia's lived in this house for as long as she can remember, and she's more or less always been alone. Something things that come in here have noticed her; mostly animals. Enough people that her house has a light reputation for being haunted and is kept away from. Every so often somebody will come to investigate but Lucretia has found over time that fewer and fewer people are able to see her at all. It's made for a pretty bleak existence, all in all. She spends a lot of her time with her consciousness spread out across the house, living through it in a way. Living in the little plants that grow up through the rotting floorboards, living in the spiders and the webs they make in the corners.
She's ebbing this way in the flow of the house when somebody comes to pay her an unexpected visit. Lucretia draws herself up out of the fireplace from where she'd been settled amongst the rotting logs and stretches out aches that don't exist. There's a person at the door, and he's taking snaps with a phone. Lucretia's seen it all before.
Though she doubts he can see her, she still does a quick rush by in the background. If Taako were to look back through his camera roll he might notice in one or two pictures there's a blur of unexpected motion behind him, maybe even something that looks like a face...)
[Oh, he finds it. He's flipping back through the pics, trying to pick which one to send Lup, and his finger stops. What... is that? He clicks the screen off for a second, wipes it on his sleeve, but when he pulls the picture back up it's still there. He flips left, right, and-- no, not in these.
He narrows his eyes, finally tearing them from the screen to look around the room. Alright, there's only one explaination for this, and he swings his hands to his hips impatiently.]
Alright Lup, haha, lie to your dear sweet brother for the sake of a goof, I see how it fuckin' is. You can come out with your whatever the fuck you just did.
[He looks back at his phone, checking his settings quickly to be sure AirDrop is off. Would not be the first time she ganked something from his camera roll to put something dumb on it, though it was... uncannily fast.
Best not to think about that right now. Still, he walks a little further in, eyes scanning around carefully.]
I'm fuckin' serious Lup, I'm out here doin', uh, serious work and you're giving me shit! That's shitty and you know it!
Taako's near the beach, sticking up out of the water, probably flipping his long hair around to lure some idiot human in for entertainment. But before he can find a new plaything, Lup's swimming up from behind him to grab him around the waist, dragging him under the surface with a laugh.]
[Well, she's right. Taako is entirely unsuspecting of her, sunning his more human looking half on a rock and letting nearly dry hair cascade over his shoulder that he runs his hand through as soon as he locks eyes with someone attractive. Of course, before he can get any further, Lup drags him under and he squawks absolutely ungraceful and ugly, just barely missing smacking his chin directly into the stone face as he goes under.
He whips around in her grip, but he knows it's her before he's even halfway. But he does put his hand directly in her face for good measure.]
Fuckin-- rude, Lulu! I was working. Had 'em hook line and sinker, and now I gotta start all over. What the fuck.
[He's not actually mad, as evidenced by the way his tail curls around hers, arms loosely around her neck. There she is. That motherfucker. His family, whom he loves and is going to noogie to death. Yes.]
[The handsome- sorry, ethereally beautiful, what the fuck- stranger waves, and Kravitz looks to his right, assuming someone has taken a seat next to him in the past ten seconds and he hasn't noticed, because there's no other explanation for what is happening right now.
He's two drinks in. Not yet drunk enough to enjoy the thumping music or forget about his shitty day-week-month, but also not sober enough to be subtle. He narrows his eyes at Taako, confusion evident on his face, and points questioningly at himself. His finger jabs sharply into his own chest, and he mumbles 'ow' to himself.]
[His smile only grows wider as the other man just looks befuddled. Ah, perfect. He needs someone here by themselves, someone looking a little out of the crowd. Someone who might be willing to follow him out of this dark place, to somewhere he doesn't remember, and somewhere he won't be found. He raises an eyebrow across the floor, but starts to approach regardless.
It's hard to place, as he moves, because it's easy enough for Kravitz to write it off as the lights, as the sound, as the alcohol buzzing through his system, but something us undoubtedly off about the man crossing the floor. Something about him just catches strangely, in the pull of his smile, to the curve of his wrist, to his eyes that always seem to shine.
Before Kravitz knows it, the man has pulled up next to him, slid into the empty seat next to him at the bar. His hair falls over his shoulders, soft and inviting, moving down free to just past his waist. He reaches up and tucks it behind one of his ears as he smiles that too sharp smile directly at him.]
Yeah you, goofus. Wanna buy me a drink? You look like you could use some company.
He likes living out here. It's peaceful. Quiet, most of the time. Kravitz is just far enough down the beach to avoid the most touristy spots, but close enough that his cottage is only a five minute walk from the sand. He likes to think of the ocean as his neighbor. A neighbor that never makes too much noise, listens to him as he vents his annoyances in the early morning, and gives him inspiration late at night when his writers block is at it's worst.
Alright, so he could probably use some real friends. But that's tough when you've moved to a new place and you're a recluse whose only hobbies don't exactly lend themselves to socialization. But that's fine, he's okay with that. Perfectly content, really.
Kravitz was expecting another quiet evening with his perfect little spot to himself, but apparently that's not in that cards today, because there's someone else here. 'Someone' does not do them credit, but he's a little too dumbstruck for anything more descriptive.
Feet bare and pants rolled up past his ankles, Kravitz stands on the cool sand and stares. He's not sure the man he's seeing is even real.]
[Taako's careful, whenever he does this, to only sunbathe so much so that his top half is shown, his tail tucked neatly behind the rocks near the shore. It's absolutely something he shouldn't be doing, of course- not safe for merpeople to expose themselves to humans, not when humans knowing about them on such a grand scale would mean anything but death. They're not magic, per se, but humans are nosy, greedy little creatures. Always wanting more.
Taako could pretend, in some sort of justification, that this is the reason he's doing this. To get back at humanity, to mess with them for everything they've done. But really, Taako just finds it hilarious. Human men are so simple, so easy to please- and Taako likes being pleased. Likes being ogled from afar, capturing hearts and minds with a flick of his wrist, a twirl of his hair. It's enticing. Exquisite.
And today, he's caught another. Look at him. The boy fishing pro.
Taako pretends he doesn't notice, at first, rolling a shoulder so he can lay himself across the rock a little more, stretching hands above his head to show off bare chest, lean body, hair that always seems to glitter. And in that arch of his back is where he meets Kravitz' eyes, and lets himself smile.
Are those teeth just a little pointier than you usually see, Kravitz? Must be your imagination.]
i: monster-integrated society!! [For being run by humans, this is one of the best spots in the whole city.
It’s a small establishment, nestled in a side-street between a bakery and a flower shop, the smells of both mingling with the strong scent of coffee and liquor and the various patrons frequenting this place. It’s never busy, at least not when Barry comes around, which suits him just fine. After a long day of work and mandatory integration-classes, the last thing he wants is the hustle and bustle of a busy bar or coffee shop. He just wants peace.
The owners seem... okay with the whole Other thing. So do most of the human patrons. Not that he’s spoken much with anyone here, human or Other. Barry tends to keep to himself when he comes here, tucked away in a corner with either an incredibly strong coffee or a cold beer in front of him, lost in thought or pouring over notes in writing so tiny it’s a wonder he can read any of it through the thick glasses perched on his nose. He is one of the more humanoid-looking Others around, but... there's prejudice everywhere. Some humans just resent what they don't understand.
Do you join him at his table? Approach him at the bar? Looking to pick a fight with this furry... thing daring to show their face around good, honest human folk? Either way, you'll be met with a tired, quiet gaze from the Other as he waits for you to speak.]
ii: long-time star-crossed friends/lovers *w* [As soon as the sun starts setting, Barry is lacing up his boots, stuffing his backpack, and heading out the door. It's the first new moon since the winter solstice, the air is chill and crisp, and the streets are abandoned. Perfect. Barry prefers making this annual trip with as little attention on him as possible.
He's giddy with nerves for the whole trek into the woods. Getting to see them again is always exciting, getting to spend that one precious day with someone he's come to care for so deeply. Every minute in their presence is a gift he doesn't take for granted - they risk so much even showing up, both from their own tribe and from possible human interference. But ever since that first freezing winter night almost a decade ago, they've kept showing up, and Barry has been right there by the little lake to greet them. Every year, on their anniversary.
Finally arriving by the pond deep in the woods, Barry gets settled by the water's edge and starts building a fire, to keep himself warm and signal that it's safe to come out now. Even though he's freezing, he's smiling. He's so thrilled to see them again.]
iii: barry is a borrower kind of fight me [Don't mind that bit of scurrying you just heard, that little rustle of something-or-other that interrupted the silence just now. You didn't hear that. Must've imagined it. You're all alone, aren't you? There's only you in this room, right? Of course.
Pay no attention to the soft, panted breathing you thought you just heard off to your left. It's pretty late at night, after all. You must be tired. How else would you explain the little glimpse of something tiny and blue ducking to hide behind your dresser? The light must be playing tricks on you.
The scratching inside your dresser drawer... That must be a mouse. You have mice! That must be it. It certainly isn't a tiny man the size of a mouse, wearing tiny glasses and tiny jeans with a tiny, fluffy tail peeking out from the hem, his tiny hands rooting through your stuff.
What an absolutely absurd concept.]
Edited 2018-02-10 13:08 (UTC)
i; hello my name is lup im 30 and im a monster fucker
[Not all of the stares directed at the creature are entirely disapproving or scandalized.
Lup's certainly heard stories of the man who wasn't really a man who seemed to enjoy the establishment next door to the bakery where her brother was apprenticing, the place carefully tucked just off of the main path, hidden to those who weren't already frequent patrons. The Monster-Human integration laws were new enough that finding any non-humans in any human establishments was still fairly rare, the monsters seemingly content to stick with their own kind for the most part, attempting to avoid what lingering prejudices remained.
So it was only natural that Barry's frequent appearances would catch a lot of eyes and start a lot of rumors.
But finally getting to see him in person? Lup's kinda disappointed that the shit she's heard doesn't really fit the man. For one, he doesn't look nearly as uncivilized as he's been described and he certainly isn't doing anything to disrupt the other patrons. To be perfectly honest, he just looks awfully boring, like a quiet nerd just pouring over his notes in public instead of socializing. Who does that?]
What are you doing?
[Looking up at this unexpected interruption, Barry would find a human woman, dark-skinned and grinning widely at him, her squinting gaze focused down at his tiny scrawl. She's trying to read over his shoulder. How rude.]
[It isn't much longer after the fire's lit that she appears from the forest.
It would be far safer for the both of them for Lup to show a little cautious restraint in these annual meetings, to hold back until she's completely certain they're alone, but ever since the fateful day of their first meeting, she's never been able to leave Barry waiting for long. Not when the time they do get to spend together is so little.
The naga slithers silently out into the open, his old dark cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders, while she slips forward to close the distance between them with a few effortless curls of her powerful tail. Even in the low light between them, Barry wouldn't have a chance of missing the happiness that dances across her expression at the sight of him, the genuine brightness of her smile. She lifts her arms out from under the cloak in greeting, the bangles along her limbs and the dangling jewelry of her ears glinting in the fire's growing light.
And whether he's prepared for her or not, the woman launches herself right at him, with just enough force to send them both tumbling backwards to the ground.]
[Run by humans. Sure. Maybe the owners. But not necessarily all the staff.
Taako's been watching Barry from the other side of the counter since the first day he came in. He's not always out front, spending the mornings in the back with his hands full of pastry dough and flour inevitably on his face. But when Barry starts coming around, he finds it in himself to be behind the counter. Just to get a quick look.
For all intents and purposes, Taako looks like a normal human. His skin is dark and smooth, thick coarse white hair (it's dyed, he insists, he just can't stand the roots showing so it's never seen) usually tied back into a braid or a low bun for his work, and icy blue eyes. No hints of magic or trickery, though he's been accused multiple times on the quality of his muffins alone. But there's nothing anybody can prove. Just a young talented assistant chef at a modest little coffee shop, and who could call him on that?
The integration laws are strict, promising peace, but they're new. Too new for him or his sister, having played this con for plenty of time already. Why should he trust the state to keep them safe? That's never how it's gone. So there's no need to believe that would start now.
He catches not more than a few words with him in the first week Barry spends there, but finally decides to go for it after that. He's talked it over with his sister, extensively so, and he's curious if he can be trusted.
Besides, she thinks he's cute or something. Whatever. Nerd.
Taako waits until he's settled with his drink before sliding into a chair across from him, wrapped scone from behind the counter in hand.]
Sup, homie. Seen you every day this week. What brings you to our little corner of the city?
[The tales of the El Naddaha had been told long enough at this point that many just considered it a tale told to scare children away from the Nile so that they wouldn't end up drowning, or an excuse for men to just up and disappear. The reality of the matter was that it was more... complicated than just sitting on the edge of the Nile and trying to beckon someone into the water to their doom, no. No a good number of them, male and female alike, had taken to traveling to the towns nearby, taking in stranglers and then leading them back to their home for drunken nights and what-not that had led to the same familiar deaths.
Such as this one near Cairo during the evening, every single one of them clad in outfits that would have made many blush. Though it was simple enough garb, colorful and some decorated with coins or bells, things like that.
As was the case with a silver haired woman that seemed to be taking the lead with current song's dance and merely making it seem as if it were just alluring in that type of manner instead of a game to hypnotize those foolish and weak enough to follow. Though simple enough to pick up on for those with an eye, ear, feeling for this sort of uncanny spell.]
ii. Captivity
[Perhaps it was bold of her to go after someone that was clearly capturing her kind, thinking she would be different from the others and be able to get rid of the problem in the entirety. Instead she'd ended up in a net of all things, a gag shoved into her mouth and arms tied behind her back in order to keep her complacent in transport and ensure her escape wasn't possible.
Once Kisara had found her new home, as it were, in a sound proofed glass cell she'd been freed and the gag removed from a safe spot. A few others could be seen further down the hall, creatures that were nowhere near human and clawing or kicking at their walls. Useless.
With a soft huff she's moving to sit on the floor, a palm delicately placed against the glass to await her fate. Whatever these humans had in store, she supposed. How boring.]
[He doesn't remember life before the cold. To Kravitz, it has always been there. His only, constant companion. Maybe it says something about how far gone he is, that he's long since begun regarding that which killed him, as a friend. Or, maybe it speaks more to all the years he's had to reflect, stuck in time. To learn an appreciation for the beauty and savagery of the ice.
The first kill was an accident. (That's how he remembers it, anyway.) Desperation, fear, loneliness- he could blame it on any number of factors, but the end result won't change. After that, he has less excuses to make. It's become second nature. Whipping up snowstorms. Removing tracks. Holding them down until their limbs are cemented to the ice, and their eyes glaze over.
In the distance, he can just barely see it- the outline of another traveler, destined to go missing in the mountains.]
2 / vampire child
[He is not centuries old. Not yet an adult trapped in a child's body, not yet a mind growing restless in eternity. Nah. He's just a very small, very bitey kiddo who is feeling, hearing and smelling a lot- including you.
And you smell great.]
3 / jorogumo
[The forest seemed so open and bright at first. Color and light, dappled over a sea of leaves and daisies. Then it all began to thin out- the flowers, the light, the color- everything except the trees, which only grew thicker and closer, as if swallowing everything else up.
And then you spot it.
Web. Strung not between branches or blades of grass, but encompassing entire trunks. Crawling over boulders and hills spanning all the way up to the overhead canopy in places, where it hangs like a moth eaten blanket. You've wandered too far. The web near surrounds you.
And something is stirring.]
4a / merman
[He's a merman. Do I need to purple prose here? Nah. Maybe you're a merman/maid/person too! Family? Partner? Wacky neighbor a little too into kelp? Or maybe this is a human and merperson star-crossed lovers/friends deal! Go for it.]
4b / siren
[Or with a twist: this is no little mermaid. This is a siren, one who has tracked your ship, or drifted in to see you at the shore, all with plans to lull you into complacency and drag you out to sea. Stay sharp!]
5 / centaur
[You've caught him with his guard down. Centaurs are reclusive and shy by nature, and Kravitz is no different. But he's injured and tired, one leg folded awkwardly and blood running from his hair into his face. He's bent over a stream, attempting to wash it off, and some combination of pain and exhaustion has allowed you to draw close. Will you help? Or do you, presumably like his attackers, value Kravitz's pelt over his life?
Or: pick your scenario! One that doesn't involve playing nurse. Looking at you Taako, you horse fucker.]
6 / ghost
[Play with clay. Get spooked. Take your pick. Hell, maybe you were the ghost all along...!!!!]
7 / wendigo
[The hunger is all-consuming. Burning. And yet, Kravitz knows that every time he gives in, the further away from humanity he slips. Half of his mouth is stretched wide, teeth jagged and thin, long and razor sharp. They prick at his cheeks, where his skin grows sallow. Sickly. His nails are growing out, and his eyes are large and milky. At his temples, he can always acutely feel the worst of it.
Antlers. Slowly but surely, sprouting from his skull. They don't hurt. But they don't feel right, either.
If anyone wanders into the woods again, looking for Kravitz, the missing man- he doesn't know what he'll do.]
[or literally whatever else, hit me!]
Edited 2018-02-25 14:46 (UTC)
im gonna do a bunch but im starting with 5, don't call me out like this
At first, he thinks he's seeing things. Taako had spent the first part of this weekend camping with the rest of his friends- which uh, when you're partying with your sister and a number of literal rocket scientists at a top university trip, means he's spent the majority of the last two days blitzed out of his mind. Chemists make amazing cocktails, and he frankly thinks Davenport has outdone himself every single time when it's a miracle he can even remember the night previous. It's still early in the day, early enough that he's only had a morning mimosa, so he's pretty sure he's sober and not just hallucinating from a combination of whatever fucked up shit Merle passed him last night.
But also... that's a horse man. That's part man part horse. That's a shirtless dude- an incredibly attractive shirtless dude- that is also part horse. He's seen some shit in his mind and also on the internet but that is a horse man and he's trying to figure out if this is freaking him out or not.
Regardless of if it is, Taako can't help but find himself fascinated, and a little confused. Did he get into a fight? Do horse dudes do that? Oh jeez, there must be more of them somewhere. This is the most wild thing that's happened to him, like, this month at least.
He moves a bit to get a better look, and the bushes he's hiding in shift, his feet crunching a bit in the dirt as he resettles. But he's not exactly being subtle over there since his whole head is basically out and staring. Whoops.]
From an outside perspective, Taako has no incredible stake in this. Sure, he knew Kravitz- as far as anyone else was concerned, they shared a few classes at their college, had some meetings in the dining halls, traded books and notes. But they weren't friends. Who was really friends with Taako besides his sister? He's a guy everyone knows, a guy most people even liked or at least found funny. But there's no one that close. What reasons does he have now, weeks after Kravitz has gone missing, for a barely there not friend to be tromping through the woods with a flashlight as the sun sets?
Only Lup knows, when she cornered him on his way out the door, cloak pulled over his head as he tried to slink out without her seeing. But she got it, through the badly concealed blush, the mumbled confession he never gave, the vulnerability he never knew how to be when Kravitz was around. And now, tromping through the underbrush, light from the sky fading, he just wants him back. Just wants one more chance. Taako hates permanence- he hates this middle ground of not knowing, not doing anything, just nothing. So he's going to fix it. He's going to bring him home.
Intermittently, he calls out, waiting for some sort of response.]
Krav? Look, I know you've gotta be out here, just-- come on.
[He sounds tired. He's so close to giving up. But he'll go just a little farther.]
[Taako pulls Kravitz by the wrist through the water, tail twisting impatiently as he halfheartedly drags the other man forward. Sure, where they're going isn't perfectly safe, when pretty much their colony's only instructions are "don't mess with human shit", but Taako knows he can talk Kravitz into anything. Lup's providing cover for them back with the pod, so they have the time to slip away for a few hours. Just a quick trip and back. Taako takes a hand off of Kravitz to adjust the strap on his shoulder bag, stop it from digging into his neck from the angle he's swimming at. His long hair is braided back today to stay out of his face, devoid of the typical adornments he has around his neck, wrists, and tail. Still, the pale blue of his scales glimmer in the sunlight as it filters through the water, glittering from patches of dark skin back to the near-white of his hair. Today's for adventures. Today's for finding new, interesting things.
If that's in the shipwreck, or with each other, well, that's a different story.]
The quicker we get there the quicker we can get back. Kapeesh?
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lup | open l gimme any monster i live for them all
[It was supposed to be the two of them.
With no true home to return to during summer break at the uni they both attended, Lup had managed to talk her twin brother into a spontaneous road trip in their beat down Ford. They wanted to see the world they'd grown up in in an all new light. Sure, they'd spent a portion of their childhood out there already, struggling to survive and so very scared, but now they were returning to their roots with an adult perspective. There was nothing to be fearful of now, not when they were grown and capable and so very bright. Whatever was out there, they'd prove to themselves, and to anyone who doubted them, that the Taaco twins were the biggest badasses around.
And Lup knew just how to do it.
A few weeks into their trip, she'd pulled up a website on her phone and pushed it straight under her twin's nose, showing off the image of an abandoned shack out in the middle of a nearby forest. There were rumors that the place was haunted, that the spirits who lived there were violent and just wanted to be left alone. According to the site, no one had dared venture out that far into the woods, that it hadn't been visited in well over a decade, the fear of the ghosts surrounding just too much for the locals to take.
So, she'd asked with a grin, wouldn't it be bomb to shoot a vid of us out there in the middle of the night, livin' it the fuck up? Post that shit online an' rack up the views? Internet famous before the sun even rises. And that had been that.
But then Taako had caught the eye of a dashingly handsome man while they'd been complaining over their soggy dinner at a nearby diner. Leaving her with only a wink and the bill to pay, Taako slipped into the seat across from the stranger to chat him up instead. And later that night in their crummy motel, instead of prepping for their trip into the woods, he'd given Lup's cheek a condensing pat and grinned, promising they could go the next night. He was out the door too fast after that, blowing a kiss from the doorway, and quickly disappearing.
It was supposed to the two of them, but now Lup's trudging through the woods on her lonesome, grumbling angrily under her breath with each step forward.
Maybe it's foolish to be out in an unfamiliar part of the woods nearing midnight, the only light guiding her the tinny beam of her flashlight, but now she had a brother to show up. She could do this all on her own. Then she'd be the one with all the recognition, the total badass to take on a whole shack of spooks all on her own. And what would Taako have? A crappy one night stand in a shitty motel? Booooring.
So wrapped up in her own thoughts, the woman didn't even catch on that she wasn't completely alone. Was that the sound of approaching footsteps? The beat of wings from above? Or just the wind rustling through the trees on her way deeper and deeper into the woods?]
ii. come get this monster gf
[There's something very off about the woman perched at the bar, but the what seems to dance along the tip of your tongue, always just out of reach.
She's been in the same spot every night for the last week, always walking in alone with the same heavy, wool cloak draped over her slender frame. Hood pulled up past her ears to obscure the sharp features other patrons have only caught quick glimpses of.
It's the same routine nightly. She comes in close to dusk, drops a few coins on the bar, and ignores all the attention she's garnered in favor of just enjoying a drink or two alone. There's rumors floating around that the regular patrons who've tried to approach her suddenly stopped coming by, but that's just a rumor, right? She's been coming to this same tavern for seven days now, sitting in the same exact seat, and speaking to no one. And the routine has never once changed in the slightest.
Until now.
For whatever reason, the woman's eyes drift up from her drink to slip cross the room and catch yours. The rest of her face is shadowed beneath that heavy hood of hers, but her eyes seem to bore right through you, like she's seeing right through you, slipping straight into your soul.
And then she grins, beckoning you closer with a crook of her finger.]
iii. wildcard
[Hit me up with anything or leave me a prompt to write a starter for. M O N S T E R S]
ii, gorgeous spooky monster wife pls ;; <3
There's something about the unseen, the unknown, that is completely irresistible to Barry - as a physicist that's kind of par for the course, but this is something entirely new to him. Even though she's been there every night this week, he's never seen her face. Not once. Not only because her hood is always pulled up, but because whenever he tries to study her, whenever he looks at her for just a little too long, he starts feeling... strange. Waves of goosebumps, chills up and down his spine. He doesn't understand why.
Maybe he's just lonely. After this many years alone, anyone would be. He's never been like this though, where just the thought of a person gives him chills, no matter how lonely he is. But there's no other logical explanation for it.
He's also heard the strange rumors from the other patrons, watched a few charming and not-so-charming men approach her, only to watch them give up and leave when they were met with silence. Maybe she just wants to be left alone. And well, those rumors certainly can't be true. They can't.
Barry is in his usual spot tonight, gaze going between the woman and his beer, when all of a sudden her head is turned towards him. The man stiffens in his seat, watching her intently. He can see her eyes now, just barely, staring at him. Something about the way she's looking at him is making him tremble, cold sweat prickling at his forehead, his neck, hair standing on end. Then she beckons him closer. Barry swallows. Why is he so nervous? She's just a mysterious woman who likes her privacy... Nothing to be scared of... right? It takes him a beat or three, but he finally picks up his drink and walks over to her, his heart racing.]
You, uh... [How does one conversation again?] You lookin' for some company?
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What can I say? [Her tone holds a surprising amount of strength behind it, but it remains soft enough that no one else but Barry would be able to hear her words.] I was starting to feel a little lonely.
[She finally reaches up to push her red hood back, giving the man his first real glimpse of the woman who's been haunting his every waking thought. Her fingers slip through thick hair, shaking out the loose waves that had been tucked up inside of her hood, her hands just lightly skimming over the tops of her pointed ears. Light freckles are splattered like constellations across her dark skin, her mouth pulled to the right in a curling, playful grin. Overall, the stranger is beautiful, sharp-featured and taller than most men in the room, but not nearly half as intimidating as the heavy cloak she wore would made one think.
But if Barry stared into her eyes long enough, they'd feel off, like he was looking straight into swirling inky pools instead of the unusual, but pretty golden eyes watching him right now.]
Care to buy a gal a drink?
[The rest of the tavern patrons seem absorbed in their own conversations again, the jukebox piping out a slow, static-filled song in the corner, the bartender right back to cleaning glasses. It's just the two of them.]
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SWOOPS
Lucretia had sensed the unrest in the forest, so closely tied to the particular silence of it that the unnatural noise had at once registered to her. Better, perhaps, that she had been the one to go and look. She's a force to be reckoned with for sure, but nowhere near the nastiest thing that lives amongst the trees.
Has Lup ever seen a harpy before? Because she's about to meet one.
Lucretia lands right in front of her, and tries not to look as irritated as she feels. Humans sometimes stumble in here by mistake, and while she's not especially fond of them she'd still much rather deter them instead of watching them get lulled into a horrible death. Hard to enjoy your forest when somebody is, like, getting torn to pieces and screaming their head off or whatever.)
What are you doing here? (She's a lot taller than this human. She probably looks pretty intimidating too, with her large wings instead of arms, talons instead of fingers, long and wickedly curved. She does at least bear the naked torso of a human woman, but her skin descends into dark feathers at her hips that trail right down to her birds legs and feet. While she's mostly dark brown and mottled black in colour, her hair is a shock of white.)
You need to leave.
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Wait. Woman? Bird woman? Woman bird? Wasn't there a specific term for that? She really should have brushed up on her monster knowledge before she went rushing straight into the forest in the middle of the night. Never know who you'll run into.]
Uh, you're... [The harpy descends, enormous and intimidating, all feathers and talons, a beautiful clash of white hair against gorgeous dark skin. Lup points lamely at the harpy in front of her, clearly taken back, but a lot less scared than she probably should be.] You're...kinda hot. I mean... oh shit. Does that mean I'm a furry? Fuck. I think I owe my brother money.
Look, I'm just kinda passin' through. [That 'kinda' is stretching it.] Total accident. Think you can just forget you saw me?
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iii; wildcard - babies!! owo
Towering trees and seemingly bottomless lakes, rocks and boulders as insurmountable as mountains, and much bigger, much more dangerous creatures looking for a squishy snack. Barry can't imagine he tastes very good, but he's more than happy to stay out of their way anyway.
Young slimes don't get much in the way of parental guidance however, so for the time being, he just has to explore the dense forests on his own, trying and failing and learning as best as he can. It might be scary out here, but it sure is beautiful!
At the moment, he's splashing around in a shallow puddle, bouncing and squishing his little body around, enjoying how the water feels against his slippery gel-like exterior. The splashing water and the sounds of his soft giggles might be what draws the attention of another...]
MORE 👏 KIDS 👏
Lup and her brother had been alone for as long as either can remember, no memories of loving parents or any other figures having ever been there over the course of their short life. It's always just been the two of them against the world, clasped hands while they've just worked on surviving, never quite understanding just what they were, but accepting it easily because they were the same.
And as a rule, they both tried to keep to the shadows when others were around, to stay unseen and remain forgotten. All they'd ever needed was each other, so what was the point in ever making themselves known?
But there's a weird boy splashing in a nearby puddle, his body slippery and strange, like he's a melting candle, thick drops of something rolling down his round sides. And he's laughing, completely alone, but making his own fun by himself, kicking up water and giggling when it rains back down on him.
Lup's hiding while she watches him, just out of sight behind a nearby tree, but when the boy gives a particularly enthusiastic hop, she can't help but laugh just a little too loudly from her hiding place.]
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taako | ota | seriously hit me w ANYTHING
[Above all else, Taako enjoys being a little shit.
It's so, so easy to tool with humans- a shove to a rowboat here, putting fun things on their fishing lines there, chucking skipped rocks directly back at people who think they're alone all over the place. It's fucking hilarious. Others have warned him plenty of times not to get too cocky, too close- humans are still dangerous, and hurt what they don't understand. But between him and his sister, there's nothing that's going to get the jump on them. The shimmering pale blues in his tail blend in perfectly with the water, long pale hair braided back with pearls and shimmering rocks to show off long, pointed ears. He looks more like a ghost than a merman most of the time; nothing's going to mess with him. Nothing would dare.
On this instance, he's by himself, Lup promising to catch up with him later, just his torso peeked out of the water by the beach. He's looking for a target, but don't worry. You'll be fine.
That rumor about mermaids wanting to drown people for fun are just rumors. Right?]
ii. fae au
[Depending on who you ask, Taako is either the best or the worst fae to ever exist.
Objectively, he's confusing and tempting; eyes just too bright, tongue too quick, charming in a way that makes people give up things precious to them. It's seldom a night he spends in the mortal realm that he doesn't return with a name, a heart, a lover trailing through the wood to get lost for all eternity, and there's always entertainment in the courts to figure out just what he's doing at any given point. Taako isn't as malicious as others could be, not in the way that he means to cause harm- he just doesn't care when he's done it. He's confusing even to fae folk, and his allegiances can only be tracked truly to his sister. But he's funny. He's funny and keeps his place and only ruffles the feathers that please the court, not the ones that could be done with him.
But tonight, he's over again on the human side of the world, stepping with the click of heels through a dark bar with the music pounding, long hair left free and shimmering when the lights hit it, with his too-bright eyes and his too-sharp smile. And it seems, tonight, he's picked you to saddle up to, those too-bright eyes meeting yours in a flash.
And he waves. Smiles. Let's see what he can get tonight.]
iii. modern au
[The show has been going incredibly well lately. Taako knew that he and Lup were always made for TV, but it was only a matter of time before they were finally noticed. Sure, their cooking was slamming, and their faces more so, but the real talents were in their quick tongue and their incredible ability to bullshit. So when they skyrocketed to youtube sensations for their 'totally haunted' tours for ghosts in abandoned buildings, bigfoot hunting in the woods, and how to end a vampire with thirty garlic clove chicken, it was only a matter of time before they were offered a deal to produce for their first webseries. The promo they aired had been a hit, and now, halfway through filming, everything was going impeccably well.
Of course, it was all crock. There's no such thing as monsters-- they knew that. They were basically getting paid to bullshit online, which in Taako's opinion, was the best kind of bullshit.
They needed to find a location for their next episode, and Lup and Taako had broken off to different sides of the small town they'd found themselves in, Taako currently sliding into a (possibly) abandoned building right at the edge of the woods. Perfectly spooky. He's got his phone out, snapping a selfie or two by the busted door for ambiance, poking around to see if there's anything he could set to really freak her out.
But y'know, it's empty in here. He's got time. Right?]
iv. WILDCARD
[hit me with fucking anything, a prompt, an idea, more monsters??????? FUCK, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T CARE, I WANT IT]
iii 👀
Lucretia's lived in this house for as long as she can remember, and she's more or less always been alone. Something things that come in here have noticed her; mostly animals. Enough people that her house has a light reputation for being haunted and is kept away from. Every so often somebody will come to investigate but Lucretia has found over time that fewer and fewer people are able to see her at all. It's made for a pretty bleak existence, all in all. She spends a lot of her time with her consciousness spread out across the house, living through it in a way. Living in the little plants that grow up through the rotting floorboards, living in the spiders and the webs they make in the corners.
She's ebbing this way in the flow of the house when somebody comes to pay her an unexpected visit. Lucretia draws herself up out of the fireplace from where she'd been settled amongst the rotting logs and stretches out aches that don't exist. There's a person at the door, and he's taking snaps with a phone. Lucretia's seen it all before.
Though she doubts he can see her, she still does a quick rush by in the background. If Taako were to look back through his camera roll he might notice in one or two pictures there's a blur of unexpected motion behind him, maybe even something that looks like a face...)
THANK FUCK
He narrows his eyes, finally tearing them from the screen to look around the room. Alright, there's only one explaination for this, and he swings his hands to his hips impatiently.]
Alright Lup, haha, lie to your dear sweet brother for the sake of a goof, I see how it fuckin' is. You can come out with your whatever the fuck you just did.
[He looks back at his phone, checking his settings quickly to be sure AirDrop is off. Would not be the first time she ganked something from his camera roll to put something dumb on it, though it was... uncannily fast.
Best not to think about that right now. Still, he walks a little further in, eyes scanning around carefully.]
I'm fuckin' serious Lup, I'm out here doin', uh, serious work and you're giving me shit! That's shitty and you know it!
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i;
Taako's near the beach, sticking up out of the water, probably flipping his long hair around to lure some idiot human in for entertainment. But before he can find a new plaything, Lup's swimming up from behind him to grab him around the waist, dragging him under the surface with a laugh.]
YES
He whips around in her grip, but he knows it's her before he's even halfway. But he does put his hand directly in her face for good measure.]
Fuckin-- rude, Lulu! I was working. Had 'em hook line and sinker, and now I gotta start all over. What the fuck.
[He's not actually mad, as evidenced by the way his tail curls around hers, arms loosely around her neck. There she is. That motherfucker. His family, whom he loves and is going to noogie to death. Yes.]
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faeeeeeeeeEEEEE
He's two drinks in. Not yet drunk enough to enjoy the thumping music or forget about his shitty day-week-month, but also not sober enough to be subtle. He narrows his eyes at Taako, confusion evident on his face, and points questioningly at himself. His finger jabs sharply into his own chest, and he mumbles 'ow' to himself.]
YESSS
It's hard to place, as he moves, because it's easy enough for Kravitz to write it off as the lights, as the sound, as the alcohol buzzing through his system, but something us undoubtedly off about the man crossing the floor. Something about him just catches strangely, in the pull of his smile, to the curve of his wrist, to his eyes that always seem to shine.
Before Kravitz knows it, the man has pulled up next to him, slid into the empty seat next to him at the bar. His hair falls over his shoulders, soft and inviting, moving down free to just past his waist. He reaches up and tucks it behind one of his ears as he smiles that too sharp smile directly at him.]
Yeah you, goofus. Wanna buy me a drink? You look like you could use some company.
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icon keywords
LAUGHS
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aaaaaaaaaand MERMAID+HUMAN
He likes living out here. It's peaceful. Quiet, most of the time. Kravitz is just far enough down the beach to avoid the most touristy spots, but close enough that his cottage is only a five minute walk from the sand. He likes to think of the ocean as his neighbor. A neighbor that never makes too much noise, listens to him as he vents his annoyances in the early morning, and gives him inspiration late at night when his writers block is at it's worst.
Alright, so he could probably use some real friends. But that's tough when you've moved to a new place and you're a recluse whose only hobbies don't exactly lend themselves to socialization. But that's fine, he's okay with that. Perfectly content, really.
Kravitz was expecting another quiet evening with his perfect little spot to himself, but apparently that's not in that cards today, because there's someone else here. 'Someone' does not do them credit, but he's a little too dumbstruck for anything more descriptive.
Feet bare and pants rolled up past his ankles, Kravitz stands on the cool sand and stares. He's not sure the man he's seeing is even real.]
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Taako could pretend, in some sort of justification, that this is the reason he's doing this. To get back at humanity, to mess with them for everything they've done. But really, Taako just finds it hilarious. Human men are so simple, so easy to please- and Taako likes being pleased. Likes being ogled from afar, capturing hearts and minds with a flick of his wrist, a twirl of his hair. It's enticing. Exquisite.
And today, he's caught another. Look at him. The boy fishing pro.
Taako pretends he doesn't notice, at first, rolling a shoulder so he can lay himself across the rock a little more, stretching hands above his head to show off bare chest, lean body, hair that always seems to glitter. And in that arch of his back is where he meets Kravitz' eyes, and lets himself smile.
Are those teeth just a little pointier than you usually see, Kravitz? Must be your imagination.]
Hey. Sorry, did I take your place here?
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barry | ota | GIVE 👏 ME 👏 THOSE 👏 MONSTERS 👏
[For being run by humans, this is one of the best spots in the whole city.
It’s a small establishment, nestled in a side-street between a bakery and a flower shop, the smells of both mingling with the strong scent of coffee and liquor and the various patrons frequenting this place. It’s never busy, at least not when Barry comes around, which suits him just fine. After a long day of work and mandatory integration-classes, the last thing he wants is the hustle and bustle of a busy bar or coffee shop. He just wants peace.
The owners seem... okay with the whole Other thing. So do most of the human patrons. Not that he’s spoken much with anyone here, human or Other. Barry tends to keep to himself when he comes here, tucked away in a corner with either an incredibly strong coffee or a cold beer in front of him, lost in thought or pouring over notes in writing so tiny it’s a wonder he can read any of it through the thick glasses perched on his nose. He is one of the more humanoid-looking Others around, but... there's prejudice everywhere. Some humans just resent what they don't understand.
Do you join him at his table? Approach him at the bar? Looking to pick a fight with this furry... thing daring to show their face around good, honest human folk? Either way, you'll be met with a tired, quiet gaze from the Other as he waits for you to speak.]
ii: long-time star-crossed friends/lovers *w*
[As soon as the sun starts setting, Barry is lacing up his boots, stuffing his backpack, and heading out the door. It's the first new moon since the winter solstice, the air is chill and crisp, and the streets are abandoned. Perfect. Barry prefers making this annual trip with as little attention on him as possible.
He's giddy with nerves for the whole trek into the woods. Getting to see them again is always exciting, getting to spend that one precious day with someone he's come to care for so deeply. Every minute in their presence is a gift he doesn't take for granted - they risk so much even showing up, both from their own tribe and from possible human interference. But ever since that first freezing winter night almost a decade ago, they've kept showing up, and Barry has been right there by the little lake to greet them. Every year, on their anniversary.
Finally arriving by the pond deep in the woods, Barry gets settled by the water's edge and starts building a fire, to keep himself warm and signal that it's safe to come out now. Even though he's freezing, he's smiling. He's so thrilled to see them again.]
iii: barry is a borrower kind of fight me
[Don't mind that bit of scurrying you just heard, that little rustle of something-or-other that interrupted the silence just now. You didn't hear that. Must've imagined it. You're all alone, aren't you? There's only you in this room, right? Of course.
Pay no attention to the soft, panted breathing you thought you just heard off to your left. It's pretty late at night, after all. You must be tired. How else would you explain the little glimpse of something tiny and blue ducking to hide behind your dresser? The light must be playing tricks on you.
The scratching inside your dresser drawer... That must be a mouse. You have mice! That must be it. It certainly isn't a tiny man the size of a mouse, wearing tiny glasses and tiny jeans with a tiny, fluffy tail peeking out from the hem, his tiny hands rooting through your stuff.
What an absolutely absurd concept.]
i; hello my name is lup im 30 and im a monster fucker
Lup's certainly heard stories of the man who wasn't really a man who seemed to enjoy the establishment next door to the bakery where her brother was apprenticing, the place carefully tucked just off of the main path, hidden to those who weren't already frequent patrons. The Monster-Human integration laws were new enough that finding any non-humans in any human establishments was still fairly rare, the monsters seemingly content to stick with their own kind for the most part, attempting to avoid what lingering prejudices remained.
So it was only natural that Barry's frequent appearances would catch a lot of eyes and start a lot of rumors.
But finally getting to see him in person? Lup's kinda disappointed that the shit she's heard doesn't really fit the man. For one, he doesn't look nearly as uncivilized as he's been described and he certainly isn't doing anything to disrupt the other patrons. To be perfectly honest, he just looks awfully boring, like a quiet nerd just pouring over his notes in public instead of socializing. Who does that?]
What are you doing?
[Looking up at this unexpected interruption, Barry would find a human woman, dark-skinned and grinning widely at him, her squinting gaze focused down at his tiny scrawl. She's trying to read over his shoulder. How rude.]
lup ur in good company here
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alex dont read this. cease!!
yEAH STOP THAT WE SAID CEASE
UR INNOCENT EYES ARE BANNED
I L L E G A L
i cant believe alex went to jail
if only she'd listened!! she was so young!!!
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ii; S T O P M E
It would be far safer for the both of them for Lup to show a little cautious restraint in these annual meetings, to hold back until she's completely certain they're alone, but ever since the fateful day of their first meeting, she's never been able to leave Barry waiting for long. Not when the time they do get to spend together is so little.
The naga slithers silently out into the open, his old dark cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders, while she slips forward to close the distance between them with a few effortless curls of her powerful tail. Even in the low light between them, Barry wouldn't have a chance of missing the happiness that dances across her expression at the sight of him, the genuine brightness of her smile. She lifts her arms out from under the cloak in greeting, the bangles along her limbs and the dangling jewelry of her ears glinting in the fire's growing light.
And whether he's prepared for her or not, the woman launches herself right at him, with just enough force to send them both tumbling backwards to the ground.]
N E V E R
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i ;)
Taako's been watching Barry from the other side of the counter since the first day he came in. He's not always out front, spending the mornings in the back with his hands full of pastry dough and flour inevitably on his face. But when Barry starts coming around, he finds it in himself to be behind the counter. Just to get a quick look.
For all intents and purposes, Taako looks like a normal human. His skin is dark and smooth, thick coarse white hair (it's dyed, he insists, he just can't stand the roots showing so it's never seen) usually tied back into a braid or a low bun for his work, and icy blue eyes. No hints of magic or trickery, though he's been accused multiple times on the quality of his muffins alone. But there's nothing anybody can prove. Just a young talented assistant chef at a modest little coffee shop, and who could call him on that?
The integration laws are strict, promising peace, but they're new. Too new for him or his sister, having played this con for plenty of time already. Why should he trust the state to keep them safe? That's never how it's gone. So there's no need to believe that would start now.
He catches not more than a few words with him in the first week Barry spends there, but finally decides to go for it after that. He's talked it over with his sister, extensively so, and he's curious if he can be trusted.
Besides, she thinks he's cute or something. Whatever. Nerd.
Taako waits until he's settled with his drink before sliding into a chair across from him, wrapped scone from behind the counter in hand.]
Sup, homie. Seen you every day this week. What brings you to our little corner of the city?
/CHINHANDS
u3u
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Kisara | OTA you bitches
[The tales of the El Naddaha had been told long enough at this point that many just considered it a tale told to scare children away from the Nile so that they wouldn't end up drowning, or an excuse for men to just up and disappear. The reality of the matter was that it was more... complicated than just sitting on the edge of the Nile and trying to beckon someone into the water to their doom, no. No a good number of them, male and female alike, had taken to traveling to the towns nearby, taking in stranglers and then leading them back to their home for drunken nights and what-not that had led to the same familiar deaths.
Such as this one near Cairo during the evening, every single one of them clad in outfits that would have made many blush. Though it was simple enough garb, colorful and some decorated with coins or bells, things like that.
As was the case with a silver haired woman that seemed to be taking the lead with current song's dance and merely making it seem as if it were just alluring in that type of manner instead of a game to hypnotize those foolish and weak enough to follow. Though simple enough to pick up on for those with an eye, ear, feeling for this sort of uncanny spell.]
ii. Captivity
[Perhaps it was bold of her to go after someone that was clearly capturing her kind, thinking she would be different from the others and be able to get rid of the problem in the entirety. Instead she'd ended up in a net of all things, a gag shoved into her mouth and arms tied behind her back in order to keep her complacent in transport and ensure her escape wasn't possible.
Once Kisara had found her new home, as it were, in a sound proofed glass cell she'd been freed and the gag removed from a safe spot. A few others could be seen further down the hall, creatures that were nowhere near human and clawing or kicking at their walls. Useless.
With a soft huff she's moving to sit on the floor, a palm delicately placed against the glass to await her fate. Whatever these humans had in store, she supposed. How boring.]
kravitz | open | ready ur butts for 100 prompts
[He doesn't remember life before the cold. To Kravitz, it has always been there. His only, constant companion. Maybe it says something about how far gone he is, that he's long since begun regarding that which killed him, as a friend. Or, maybe it speaks more to all the years he's had to reflect, stuck in time. To learn an appreciation for the beauty and savagery of the ice.
The first kill was an accident. (That's how he remembers it, anyway.) Desperation, fear, loneliness- he could blame it on any number of factors, but the end result won't change. After that, he has less excuses to make. It's become second nature. Whipping up snowstorms. Removing tracks. Holding them down until their limbs are cemented to the ice, and their eyes glaze over.
In the distance, he can just barely see it- the outline of another traveler, destined to go missing in the mountains.]
2 / vampire child
[He is not centuries old. Not yet an adult trapped in a child's body, not yet a mind growing restless in eternity. Nah. He's just a very small, very bitey kiddo who is feeling, hearing and smelling a lot- including you.
And you smell great.]
3 / jorogumo
[The forest seemed so open and bright at first. Color and light, dappled over a sea of leaves and daisies. Then it all began to thin out- the flowers, the light, the color- everything except the trees, which only grew thicker and closer, as if swallowing everything else up.
And then you spot it.
Web. Strung not between branches or blades of grass, but encompassing entire trunks. Crawling over boulders and hills spanning all the way up to the overhead canopy in places, where it hangs like a moth eaten blanket. You've wandered too far. The web near surrounds you.
And something is stirring.]
4a / merman
[He's a merman. Do I need to purple prose here? Nah. Maybe you're a merman/maid/person too! Family? Partner? Wacky neighbor a little too into kelp? Or maybe this is a human and merperson star-crossed lovers/friends deal! Go for it.]
4b / siren
[Or with a twist: this is no little mermaid. This is a siren, one who has tracked your ship, or drifted in to see you at the shore, all with plans to lull you into complacency and drag you out to sea. Stay sharp!]
5 / centaur
[You've caught him with his guard down. Centaurs are reclusive and shy by nature, and Kravitz is no different. But he's injured and tired, one leg folded awkwardly and blood running from his hair into his face. He's bent over a stream, attempting to wash it off, and some combination of pain and exhaustion has allowed you to draw close. Will you help? Or do you, presumably like his attackers, value Kravitz's pelt over his life?
Or: pick your scenario! One that doesn't involve playing nurse. Looking at you Taako, you horse fucker.]
6 / ghost
[Play with clay. Get spooked. Take your pick. Hell, maybe you were the ghost all along...!!!!]
7 / wendigo
[The hunger is all-consuming. Burning. And yet, Kravitz knows that every time he gives in, the further away from humanity he slips. Half of his mouth is stretched wide, teeth jagged and thin, long and razor sharp. They prick at his cheeks, where his skin grows sallow. Sickly. His nails are growing out, and his eyes are large and milky. At his temples, he can always acutely feel the worst of it.
Antlers. Slowly but surely, sprouting from his skull. They don't hurt. But they don't feel right, either.
If anyone wanders into the woods again, looking for Kravitz, the missing man- he doesn't know what he'll do.]
[or literally whatever else, hit me!]
im gonna do a bunch but im starting with 5, don't call me out like this
Yet.At first, he thinks he's seeing things. Taako had spent the first part of this weekend camping with the rest of his friends- which uh, when you're partying with your sister and a number of literal rocket scientists at a top university trip, means he's spent the majority of the last two days blitzed out of his mind. Chemists make amazing cocktails, and he frankly thinks Davenport has outdone himself every single time when it's a miracle he can even remember the night previous. It's still early in the day, early enough that he's only had a morning mimosa, so he's pretty sure he's sober and not just hallucinating from a combination of whatever fucked up shit Merle passed him last night.
But also... that's a horse man. That's part man part horse. That's a shirtless dude- an incredibly attractive shirtless dude- that is also part horse. He's seen some shit in his mind and also on the internet but that is a horse man and he's trying to figure out if this is freaking him out or not.
Regardless of if it is, Taako can't help but find himself fascinated, and a little confused. Did he get into a fight? Do horse dudes do that? Oh jeez, there must be more of them somewhere. This is the most wild thing that's happened to him, like, this month at least.
He moves a bit to get a better look, and the bushes he's hiding in shift, his feet crunching a bit in the dirt as he resettles. But he's not exactly being subtle over there since his whole head is basically out and staring. Whoops.]
ill always call u out
i love you but also DONT
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comes back to open more of these, 7
From an outside perspective, Taako has no incredible stake in this. Sure, he knew Kravitz- as far as anyone else was concerned, they shared a few classes at their college, had some meetings in the dining halls, traded books and notes. But they weren't friends. Who was really friends with Taako besides his sister? He's a guy everyone knows, a guy most people even liked or at least found funny. But there's no one that close. What reasons does he have now, weeks after Kravitz has gone missing, for a barely there not friend to be tromping through the woods with a flashlight as the sun sets?
Only Lup knows, when she cornered him on his way out the door, cloak pulled over his head as he tried to slink out without her seeing. But she got it, through the badly concealed blush, the mumbled confession he never gave, the vulnerability he never knew how to be when Kravitz was around. And now, tromping through the underbrush, light from the sky fading, he just wants him back. Just wants one more chance. Taako hates permanence- he hates this middle ground of not knowing, not doing anything, just nothing. So he's going to fix it. He's going to bring him home.
Intermittently, he calls out, waiting for some sort of response.]
Krav? Look, I know you've gotta be out here, just-- come on.
[He sounds tired. He's so close to giving up. But he'll go just a little farther.]
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AND ALSO 4A BC MERPEOPLE GOD
[Taako pulls Kravitz by the wrist through the water, tail twisting impatiently as he halfheartedly drags the other man forward. Sure, where they're going isn't perfectly safe, when pretty much their colony's only instructions are "don't mess with human shit", but Taako knows he can talk Kravitz into anything. Lup's providing cover for them back with the pod, so they have the time to slip away for a few hours. Just a quick trip and back. Taako takes a hand off of Kravitz to adjust the strap on his shoulder bag, stop it from digging into his neck from the angle he's swimming at. His long hair is braided back today to stay out of his face, devoid of the typical adornments he has around his neck, wrists, and tail. Still, the pale blue of his scales glimmer in the sunlight as it filters through the water, glittering from patches of dark skin back to the near-white of his hair. Today's for adventures. Today's for finding new, interesting things.
If that's in the shipwreck, or with each other, well, that's a different story.]
The quicker we get there the quicker we can get back. Kapeesh?
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