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.]
[Barry doesn't read much poetry. He doesn't like the floral language, doesn't put any stock into the wildly inaccurate descriptions of the world, written in such a way to manipulate him emotionally. He may be a romantic, but he's still a scientist. The world doesn't stop moving because his eyes land on someone beautiful. The globe doesn't stop spinning on its axis, the universe doesn't hold its breath in anticipation. It's absurd.
But... for some reason, when the woman speaks, when her hood falls back to reveal her face, the noise around them fades, the silence deafening. Artificial. Imagined. It has to be. He can barely hear his own breathing over the silence in a manner almost... poetic. It doesn't make any sense, but very few things about Barry's week has.
She's even more beautiful than he'd imagined. Almost too beautiful to be real. Her eyes... something about her eyes is so captivating, he feels like he's being pulled into them... like if he gazed into them long enough, he'd lose himself forever...]
Y-Yes. Yes, of course. [Barry returns to his senses, finding the world still spinning and the universe having caught its breath. How absurd. He slips into the seat next to the beautiful stranger, mind reeling as he motions for the bartender to prepare another drink for the lady. Maybe there is something to the odd musings of poets after all. Barry has no other explanation for what he just experienced.]
So, uh... [He takes a slow, calming sip of his beer.] You... Have y'been in town long?
Just a few days. [Now that he's sitting with her, attempting some casual conversation, the woman turns on her stool to face him, smiling at the question. She props up an elbow and leans casually against the countertop while the bartender slides another beer her way, but her attention is focused solely on Barry.]
Business slowed down enough that I could take a few weeks off. Thought I may as well get out of town, try to get lost in someplace new. Meet the people, see the sights. Try the cuisine. That kinda thing. Feels like ages since I've been out this way. [She finally curls a hand around her beer, tapping a dark fingernail against the glass.] Doesn't seem like the city's changed much.
[Her eyes finally flick away from Barry to briefly drag across the other bar patrons. When she reaches Barry's gaze again, she huffs out a laugh and rolls her eyes.] People haven't changed much either.
[She's so... cool. Every syllable she speaks exudes power and confidence, every way she moves her body seems calculated, deliberate, calm and smooth and confident. Her eyes, her beautiful chilling eyes, they're fixed on him, almost boring into his soul. How do they do that? Everything about her is arresting, captivating, gorgeous in a way that almost freaks him out. It's just a little... off. Unnatural.]
Oh yeah? These uh, these guys around here buggin' ya?
[That's another thing: why did she choose him? There are plenty of men and women here who aren't gross or disrespectful, who are more confident and more interesting than him, who look better. This mystery woman might not be looking for a hookup at all, but even if she's just looking for conversation, why single out a fat, balding, boring middle-aged man?]
Uh, no, I-- I've been livin' here a couple years now. Got a job at th'university after teachin' out in th'suburbs for a while. Thirteen years. Don't usually come here though, to be honest, uh... [Barry's gaze finds the patrons the woman indicated earlier. He grins sheepishly, offering a little shrug.] This isn't really my scene at all.
[For all that Barry feels so utterly captivated by the woman's presence, frozen in place beneath the intensity of her gaze, the stranger's own eyes seem to have trouble falling away from him too, her interest obvious and surprisingly sincere. Whatever Barry can't quite see in himself in comparison to the other men in this tavern, she seems to have taken notice.]
Not anymore. [The corner of her mouth quirks upwards, as if she's holding back a laugh from some private joke, but she continues on quickly enough.] I'm guessin' they won't bother me as long as you're here. A woman alone just invites the attention.
[A hand slips across the bar to rest against his arm, her brows arching in interest.] Thirteen years? [She lets loose a low whistle.] That's a hella long time. You must really enjoy it. What d'ya teach? Anythin' fun? No, no, let me guess. Somethin' in the, hm, sciences? Yeah, you've got distinguished scientist written all over you. Very cute.
[The woman catches Barry's gaze the second it lands back on her, her stare just a little too intense, a touch of playfulness there in her eyes.] Oh? Then why have I seen you here every night this week, Barry?
... Yeah. Yeah, I taught high school science, uh... chemistry and physics.
[How did she know that? She couldn't have. She must've just guessed... that must be it. Barry probably looks more like a former high school science teacher than he'd honestly like to admit. At least she thinks it's cute, for whatever reason. Hearing her say that makes him blush a little. Not to mention the hand boldly settling on his arm, making goosebumps chase up his arms and down his back, all over him.
Barry doesn't get it. There's just... something about her. Something he has no words for, something he doesn't experience with other men or women he takes an interest in, who flirt back, who join him home. Something alluring, something unnerving...
It almost feels like time around them stops once again. Like a blanket of silence drapes over their surroundings, muffling everything except the sound of his racing pulse, his barely controlled breathing. How did she know that..? Barry may be bad at a lot of things, such as small talk, appearing confident, approaching women, but one thing he's always excelled at is memory. He can retain and recall information very well, almost obsessively at times. And he knows for damned sure he never got as far as introducing himself.
He never gave her a name.
Barry watches the woman carefully, very conscious of his movements. All of a sudden, he's a little frightened.]
[Before Barry can react, the woman is so much closer to him than she'd been the second before, a warm palm curling delicately under his chin. Just as the blanket of silence descends upon the other tavern patrons, time seems to skip with how fast she's suddenly there, her grinning mouth just an inch or so away from the man's own. It feels like they're out of sync with the rest of the world completely in this moment, trapped in their own little bubble, deaf to everything else. Just the two of them.
She tips his chin up just slightly, to where she can capture Barry's gaze in her own.]
Didn't I hear someone call you that earlier in the week? [Unlikely. But it seems like an easy enough angle to spin. Maybe he'd just forgotten.] Cute name for a cute man. What can I say? It stuck with me.
[Her fingertips, cold and smooth, dance upwards across his cheeks, caressing over flushed skin.]
You stuck with me. I've known hundreds of men, but none of 'em are half as special as you.
(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?
(Yeah, Lucretia's really not having the kind of effect she'd hoped for. Her frown slides right off, expression giving over to surprise as the woman points at her and starts babbling away.)
I'm– excuse me?
(This is embarrassing.
She'd flown down from the sky, a piece of the night dropping to the forest floor out of nowhere and this woman can't even afford her the courtesy of being properly afraid. Lucretia straightens and drops her shoulders; she refuses to feel strange and naked in front of this woman and her confusing words. Her eyes narrow a little. She'll try one more time.)
Look; I'm trying to help you. You can't be here. You'll be eaten alive.
(There's nothing to this human! She's pointy, and small. Lucretia could grab her in her talons and hoist her into the air, cut her to her bones if she wished. ... Her skin is dappled, now that Lucretia is looking at her. It's quite pretty, actually. She gives her head a little shake, exasperation curdling in her stomach as she mentally berates herself. This isn't the time.)
Turn around now, and pass out through the way you came.
[Lucretia means one thing by saying she'll be eaten alive, but the way the human's eyes widen in awe absolutely suggest the harpy's words may have been taken in the worst possible way.]
Oh yeah? Is that a promise? [Is this bird woman hitting on her? Lup sure hopes so. It's dark out and Lup's nerves are running a little wild considering the circumstances she's in, but the woman can't help the blush at her cheeks when she flirts right back.] Y'know, if I sat on your face, I bet you could eat your way to my heart.
[Hey, if you're gonna fuck the cryptid, just fucking go all in.]
Uh, (Lucretia splutters, bewildered and embarrassed; this isn't– it's not supposed to happen like this! This human is supposed to be terrified of her, she's supposed to... oh, drop to her knees, beg for her life and then thank Lucretia profusely for sparing her. That sort of thing! She isn't supposed to start propositioning her.
She realises her mouth is slightly open in astonishment. Now she really does feel like tucking her wings in about herself even though underneath all the confusion, flattery has snuck in.)
I could rip you to pieces, (she points out, but she doesn't sound cold, or scary. On the contrary, her voice is light, curious. If this human means to confuse her, it's certainly working. Perhaps this is a new tactic, or something??)
[This is the greatest day of Lup's entire life. Taako who???? Her brother what????
The harpy seems entirely too flustered, completely taken back by her flirting, which Lup just takes to mean is working very well. Sure, maybe she's laying it on super thick, but there's a hot bird woman in front of her and she is so much more interesting than any spooky ol' house that Lup had originally planned on visiting.]
Honey, if that's your kink, I'm so into it too. Super hot.
Stop, (she chuckles, equal amounts flustered and pleased,) I'm serious.
(Well, at least they aren't in any foreseeable danger, as they seem to be completely alone in the forest tonight. It's very quiet. Almost too much so, and Lucretia doesn't understand how her human doesn't find any of this more eerie. Perhaps she's used to it? Although...)
Who are you? I haven't seen you around here before.
(Lucretia would have remembered if she had, there's no doubt about that. She does tuck her wings in a little now, weight shifting on her birds feet.)
[Flirting with hot bird women is clearly Lup's one purpose in life.
The woman chuckles, looking more pleased than anything, so Lup's almost predatory grin softens just slightly, amusement dancing in her eyes.]
Lup. I'm Lup. I'm not really from around here, so that's probably why. Though if I'd known there were cute woman hiding out in the forest-- [She grins and lets the sentence hang, unable to help from laughing a little. Because honestly, she's into all of this, totally, but it is pretty damn crazy this is happening at all.]
Who're you? Are you the forest guardian or something? Here to keep folks from getting eaten up by the spookier things out here?
[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.]
[This is fun! Barry splishes and splashes around, extending his stretchy limbs and kicking water into the air with little giggles of delight. It feels super good, cool and slick, pattering against his bright blue membrane. He loves the water. Lakes are a little scary still, because they're so deep and he's not a very good swimmer, but he can still bounce around in the shallow parts, playing or even hiding from predators.
He can't flatten himself enough to hide in a puddle though. Something he becomes all too aware of when he hears a noise from behind him.
Barry stops moving, looks around at his blurry surroundings. He can't really see that well. The slime that makes up his body jiggles softly with fear, his body contracting to make himself as small as possible, about half of what it just was. There's someone there.]
H-Hello? [His voice is a quiet, gurgly squeak. They'd laughed... Maybe they're friendly?] Wh-Who's there..?
The girl disappears quickly behind the thick tree trunk before Barry can catch sight of her but then his voice rings out, soft and impossibly quiet, the most nonthreatening squeak Lup's ever heard in her whole life. So she peeks out, just to get a better glimpse of the boy, her bright eyes going wide at the way he's contracting his body like that.
It's like nothing she's ever seen before. It's kind of awesome.
From where Barry's quivering, all he'd be able to catch sight of is a shift of vivid green against the tree trunk, a pair of bright eyes blinking back at him from Lup's hiding place.]
M-me. [She sounds terrified because she is terrified. Lup's never talked to anyone who wasn't her brother before. She's usually the brave one of the two, but this is so much.]
[Barry still trembles, upsetting the water he's sitting in, sending ripples through it as he waits for his fate to be decided. He could be eaten. He could have to run or roll away, and he's bad at both of those. If whoever's out there laughing at him has malicious intent, Barry won't live to see the sun set.
There's movement in the corner of his blurry vision, and he turns towards it, wide-eyed and quaking. He can only see the shift in color, can't make out any distinguishing features, any teeth or claws that could spell bad news for him. All he can tell is that it's... a girl. A young girl. And she sounds scared.
Barry's still tense, keeping all his jelly close to his little core like a squishy protective barrier, but he's not immediately moving to run away. If it's just a girl...]
Who... Who are you, though? [And then, just to make sure,] Y-You're not-- You're not gonna eat me, are you..?
[But the fear in the girl's voice seems to slide away almost immediately at that response before she's bursting into laughter, the sound high and sweet, ringing out like echos through the sturdy trees surrounding them.]
Why would I even wanna eat a you? I'unno what you even are!
[She shifts again, clearly wanting a better view of Barry, before Lup finally takes a step out from the tree trunk she'd been hiding behind, leaving the young dryad exposed and fully in view of another creature for the first time in her life.
She's humanoid in appearance, but instead of skin, the girl's body is composed entirely of tree bark, all the way from the toes of her bare feet to the tips of her long, pointed ears. Her young age gives her body a slightly more green tint than the dark brown that any adult dryad would have, something she'll grow into in age. Her long hair is a vibrant shade of green that camouflages perfectly against the colors of the forest. It's made up from elegant vines that curl and twist all the way down her back, each vine sprouting new leaves and budding flowers.
The girl stares Barry down with wide eyes, like she's seriously considering bolting, before she's tipping her chin up and smiling across the distance between them.] Hi, my name's Lup. I promise I won't eat you up. You don't look like you'd taste real good anyway.
[For some reason, the way she says that makes him feel almost a little indignant. Yeah, it's nice she doesn't wanna eat him or whatever, but-- but grossarooni? Barry isn't gross-looking, is he..?
He supposes it's infinitely better than being tasty-looking.
The girl comes into view, and while Barry still has to squint to get her in focus, he's struck by how... sweet she looks. She looks like a tree! A little tree, a very young tree, only she's moving on two legs and has two arms and a head with hair and everything. Trees don't have that. She looks almost a little like the fae he sometimes sees around the forest - who like to prank him with glittery showers of light and spook him - or even the weird hairless apes who make cloth houses in the woods and set pieces of dead trees on fire in the nighttime. Except this girl - Lup - is nicer looking. Trees are nice. Trees are his home.
And now, maybe trees can be friends too.] Um... My name's Barry. [He relaxes his body, letting his membrane soften and his shape plump up with more liquid. It's still a little jiggly with residual nerves.] What're you doing here? I um, I-I've never seen anyone like you here before...
[His body seems like it's always in motion, jiggling and liquified, unlike anything Lup's ever seen before. It's just enough to have the young girl stepping forward, shortening the distance between them, her earlier nervousness quickly being replaced by an overwhelming need to investigate. He's just so weird.
Would it be rude to touch him? She'll find out soon enough.]
I've never seen a you either! You're body's so wiggly. How do you do that? [Each step closer brings her own unique features into clearer focus, but the girl's expression is bright in awe. She's looking at Barry like he's truly incredible.] I just wanted t' see who was makin' all that noise an' it was you! Were you playing a game?
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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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But... for some reason, when the woman speaks, when her hood falls back to reveal her face, the noise around them fades, the silence deafening. Artificial. Imagined. It has to be. He can barely hear his own breathing over the silence in a manner almost... poetic. It doesn't make any sense, but very few things about Barry's week has.
She's even more beautiful than he'd imagined. Almost too beautiful to be real. Her eyes... something about her eyes is so captivating, he feels like he's being pulled into them... like if he gazed into them long enough, he'd lose himself forever...]
Y-Yes. Yes, of course. [Barry returns to his senses, finding the world still spinning and the universe having caught its breath. How absurd. He slips into the seat next to the beautiful stranger, mind reeling as he motions for the bartender to prepare another drink for the lady. Maybe there is something to the odd musings of poets after all. Barry has no other explanation for what he just experienced.]
So, uh... [He takes a slow, calming sip of his beer.] You... Have y'been in town long?
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Business slowed down enough that I could take a few weeks off. Thought I may as well get out of town, try to get lost in someplace new. Meet the people, see the sights. Try the cuisine. That kinda thing. Feels like ages since I've been out this way. [She finally curls a hand around her beer, tapping a dark fingernail against the glass.] Doesn't seem like the city's changed much.
[Her eyes finally flick away from Barry to briefly drag across the other bar patrons. When she reaches Barry's gaze again, she huffs out a laugh and rolls her eyes.] People haven't changed much either.
But your face is new to me. Been in town long?
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Oh yeah? These uh, these guys around here buggin' ya?
[That's another thing: why did she choose him? There are plenty of men and women here who aren't gross or disrespectful, who are more confident and more interesting than him, who look better. This mystery woman might not be looking for a hookup at all, but even if she's just looking for conversation, why single out a fat, balding, boring middle-aged man?]
Uh, no, I-- I've been livin' here a couple years now. Got a job at th'university after teachin' out in th'suburbs for a while. Thirteen years. Don't usually come here though, to be honest, uh... [Barry's gaze finds the patrons the woman indicated earlier. He grins sheepishly, offering a little shrug.] This isn't really my scene at all.
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Not anymore. [The corner of her mouth quirks upwards, as if she's holding back a laugh from some private joke, but she continues on quickly enough.] I'm guessin' they won't bother me as long as you're here. A woman alone just invites the attention.
[A hand slips across the bar to rest against his arm, her brows arching in interest.] Thirteen years? [She lets loose a low whistle.] That's a hella long time. You must really enjoy it. What d'ya teach? Anythin' fun? No, no, let me guess. Somethin' in the, hm, sciences? Yeah, you've got distinguished scientist written all over you. Very cute.
[The woman catches Barry's gaze the second it lands back on her, her stare just a little too intense, a touch of playfulness there in her eyes.] Oh? Then why have I seen you here every night this week, Barry?
[Had he even mentioned his name?]
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[How did she know that? She couldn't have. She must've just guessed... that must be it. Barry probably looks more like a former high school science teacher than he'd honestly like to admit. At least she thinks it's cute, for whatever reason. Hearing her say that makes him blush a little. Not to mention the hand boldly settling on his arm, making goosebumps chase up his arms and down his back, all over him.
Barry doesn't get it. There's just... something about her. Something he has no words for, something he doesn't experience with other men or women he takes an interest in, who flirt back, who join him home. Something alluring, something unnerving...
It almost feels like time around them stops once again. Like a blanket of silence drapes over their surroundings, muffling everything except the sound of his racing pulse, his barely controlled breathing. How did she know that..? Barry may be bad at a lot of things, such as small talk, appearing confident, approaching women, but one thing he's always excelled at is memory. He can retain and recall information very well, almost obsessively at times. And he knows for damned sure he never got as far as introducing himself.
He never gave her a name.
Barry watches the woman carefully, very conscious of his movements. All of a sudden, he's a little frightened.]
How did you know my name..?
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She tips his chin up just slightly, to where she can capture Barry's gaze in her own.]
Didn't I hear someone call you that earlier in the week? [Unlikely. But it seems like an easy enough angle to spin. Maybe he'd just forgotten.] Cute name for a cute man. What can I say? It stuck with me.
[Her fingertips, cold and smooth, dance upwards across his cheeks, caressing over flushed skin.]
You stuck with me. I've known hundreds of men, but none of 'em are half as special as you.
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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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I'm– excuse me?
(This is embarrassing.
She'd flown down from the sky, a piece of the night dropping to the forest floor out of nowhere and this woman can't even afford her the courtesy of being properly afraid. Lucretia straightens and drops her shoulders; she refuses to feel strange and naked in front of this woman and her confusing words. Her eyes narrow a little. She'll try one more time.)
Look; I'm trying to help you. You can't be here. You'll be eaten alive.
(There's nothing to this human! She's pointy, and small. Lucretia could grab her in her talons and hoist her into the air, cut her to her bones if she wished. ... Her skin is dappled, now that Lucretia is looking at her. It's quite pretty, actually. She gives her head a little shake, exasperation curdling in her stomach as she mentally berates herself. This isn't the time.)
Turn around now, and pass out through the way you came.
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Oh yeah? Is that a promise? [Is this bird woman hitting on her? Lup sure hopes so. It's dark out and Lup's nerves are running a little wild considering the circumstances she's in, but the woman can't help the blush at her cheeks when she flirts right back.] Y'know, if I sat on your face, I bet you could eat your way to my heart.
[Hey, if you're gonna fuck the cryptid, just fucking go all in.]
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She realises her mouth is slightly open in astonishment. Now she really does feel like tucking her wings in about herself even though underneath all the confusion, flattery has snuck in.)
I could rip you to pieces, (she points out, but she doesn't sound cold, or scary. On the contrary, her voice is light, curious. If this human means to confuse her, it's certainly working. Perhaps this is a new tactic, or something??)
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The harpy seems entirely too flustered, completely taken back by her flirting, which Lup just takes to mean is working very well. Sure, maybe she's laying it on super thick, but there's a hot bird woman in front of her and she is so much more interesting than any spooky ol' house that Lup had originally planned on visiting.]
Honey, if that's your kink, I'm so into it too. Super hot.
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(Well, at least they aren't in any foreseeable danger, as they seem to be completely alone in the forest tonight. It's very quiet. Almost too much so, and Lucretia doesn't understand how her human doesn't find any of this more eerie. Perhaps she's used to it? Although...)
Who are you? I haven't seen you around here before.
(Lucretia would have remembered if she had, there's no doubt about that. She does tuck her wings in a little now, weight shifting on her birds feet.)
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The woman chuckles, looking more pleased than anything, so Lup's almost predatory grin softens just slightly, amusement dancing in her eyes.]
Lup. I'm Lup. I'm not really from around here, so that's probably why. Though if I'd known there were cute woman hiding out in the forest-- [She grins and lets the sentence hang, unable to help from laughing a little. Because honestly, she's into all of this, totally, but it is pretty damn crazy this is happening at all.]
Who're you? Are you the forest guardian or something? Here to keep folks from getting eaten up by the spookier things out here?
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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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He can't flatten himself enough to hide in a puddle though. Something he becomes all too aware of when he hears a noise from behind him.
Barry stops moving, looks around at his blurry surroundings. He can't really see that well. The slime that makes up his body jiggles softly with fear, his body contracting to make himself as small as possible, about half of what it just was. There's someone there.]
H-Hello? [His voice is a quiet, gurgly squeak. They'd laughed... Maybe they're friendly?] Wh-Who's there..?
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The girl disappears quickly behind the thick tree trunk before Barry can catch sight of her but then his voice rings out, soft and impossibly quiet, the most nonthreatening squeak Lup's ever heard in her whole life. So she peeks out, just to get a better glimpse of the boy, her bright eyes going wide at the way he's contracting his body like that.
It's like nothing she's ever seen before. It's kind of awesome.
From where Barry's quivering, all he'd be able to catch sight of is a shift of vivid green against the tree trunk, a pair of bright eyes blinking back at him from Lup's hiding place.]
M-me. [She sounds terrified because she is terrified. Lup's never talked to anyone who wasn't her brother before. She's usually the brave one of the two, but this is so much.]
I am. I'm the one talkin'.
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There's movement in the corner of his blurry vision, and he turns towards it, wide-eyed and quaking. He can only see the shift in color, can't make out any distinguishing features, any teeth or claws that could spell bad news for him. All he can tell is that it's... a girl. A young girl. And she sounds scared.
Barry's still tense, keeping all his jelly close to his little core like a squishy protective barrier, but he's not immediately moving to run away. If it's just a girl...]
Who... Who are you, though? [And then, just to make sure,] Y-You're not-- You're not gonna eat me, are you..?
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[But the fear in the girl's voice seems to slide away almost immediately at that response before she's bursting into laughter, the sound high and sweet, ringing out like echos through the sturdy trees surrounding them.]
Why would I even wanna eat a you? I'unno what you even are!
[She shifts again, clearly wanting a better view of Barry, before Lup finally takes a step out from the tree trunk she'd been hiding behind, leaving the young dryad exposed and fully in view of another creature for the first time in her life.
She's humanoid in appearance, but instead of skin, the girl's body is composed entirely of tree bark, all the way from the toes of her bare feet to the tips of her long, pointed ears. Her young age gives her body a slightly more green tint than the dark brown that any adult dryad would have, something she'll grow into in age. Her long hair is a vibrant shade of green that camouflages perfectly against the colors of the forest. It's made up from elegant vines that curl and twist all the way down her back, each vine sprouting new leaves and budding flowers.
The girl stares Barry down with wide eyes, like she's seriously considering bolting, before she's tipping her chin up and smiling across the distance between them.] Hi, my name's Lup. I promise I won't eat you up. You don't look like you'd taste real good anyway.
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He supposes it's infinitely better than being tasty-looking.
The girl comes into view, and while Barry still has to squint to get her in focus, he's struck by how... sweet she looks. She looks like a tree! A little tree, a very young tree, only she's moving on two legs and has two arms and a head with hair and everything. Trees don't have that. She looks almost a little like the fae he sometimes sees around the forest - who like to prank him with glittery showers of light and spook him - or even the weird hairless apes who make cloth houses in the woods and set pieces of dead trees on fire in the nighttime. Except this girl - Lup - is nicer looking. Trees are nice. Trees are his home.
And now, maybe trees can be friends too.] Um... My name's Barry. [He relaxes his body, letting his membrane soften and his shape plump up with more liquid. It's still a little jiggly with residual nerves.] What're you doing here? I um, I-I've never seen anyone like you here before...
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Would it be rude to touch him? She'll find out soon enough.]
I've never seen a you either! You're body's so wiggly. How do you do that? [Each step closer brings her own unique features into clearer focus, but the girl's expression is bright in awe. She's looking at Barry like he's truly incredible.] I just wanted t' see who was makin' all that noise an' it was you! Were you playing a game?
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