Who: Sheva et al. When: month long Where: all around What: post holiday catch up, dorch things, etc. Warnings: the usual monster things and will update as needed.
[She's struggling terribly without a proper bond with a witch, and today has turned out to be particularly testing. It'd be a lie to say she's not worried about her reaction to seeing Bucky's most recent transformation for the first time, and she'd tried to present a reasonable and relatively positive front in her texts.
Frankly, it's difficult to spin turning into a spider man too positively, particularly when spider monsters feature in many of her PTSD fueled nightmares from Kijuju. Suddenly, she's grateful for her hairless tail, ugly as it is tucked away in the back of her jacket.
Her nerves buzz in her chest and she walks quicker than usual, only slowing her pace when she rounds the block and starts navigating the home he shared with Tony and Steve. Absently, she pauses to drag her nails down the older marks on the frame of the front door, rubbing her palm over it afterwards.
It's not much longer when she steadies herself with a long inhale, puts on the bravest face she can muster without looking angry, and knocks on his door.] It's me.
[It's really hard to be positive about anything right now. He can guess at Sheva's mental state even without a Bond, though - monster changes are screwing with them both. So while he still doesn't feel particularly up for company in his current state, he wants to try to be supportive in turn, not push her away.
He doesn't quite manage to bring himself to the door. Navigating small spaces on these legs is still difficult, so instead he calls out,] It's unlocked! [Inside, the magitech lights are heavily dimmed, and he's the only one home - hanging upside down from the ceiling, where he's strung up a half-assed web like streamers. He's shirtless and still looks pretty much like he did before, above the waist.
Down below his navel, scarred skin transitions into the hairy, chitinous (though still slightly soft, not yet fully hardened) lower half of a truly massive, brown and black wolf spider, with eight thick legs and a shorter pair of pedipalps. No, he's not coming down off the ceiling. This is better somehow??]
[She turns the knob and pushes the door open slowly, choosing not to peek before she steps into the familiar room and closes the door behind her and staring. Of all the scenarios she had run through her mind in preparation, him hanging from the ceiling upside down in the midst of what appeared to be a very sad attempted at birthday party decorations wasn't one of them.] Hey you.
[It's a lot to take in, and she finds herself almost tilting her head to be able to reorient herself to match. Once she realizes what she's doing, she stops and shifts to set her bag of stolen snacks down, along with the million questions popping into her head. Instead, she squints and sighs, almost disappointed.]
A hug would result with your head between my legs. [She finally states with a bit of a perplexed tone. A hug had been one of her reaction options she figured might be appropriately supportive and nonsexual. His inversion clearly puts a different spin on things.] That seems inappropriate.
[Instead, she steps forward quietly as she focuses on the portion that's the man she's grown close to over these months. It's an odd position, but she reaches out to run the pads of her fingers along his scruffy jaw and cheek.
Eventually, though, her eyes continue to wander, and while she tries to school her face as best as she can, it's not a complete mask. Mostly, she's worrying for him while trying to adjust quickly so she can be supportive.] Are you in pain?
[He's not very artistic, not like Steve. His webs are pretty sad and bare-bones. There's also, among the sticky white silk draped around the room, a misshapen lump of white off in the corner - the cocoon he broke out of.] Hey. [His eight legs shift restlessly from side to side, and his shoulder-length hair sways a little.
His smile turns wry.] One more thing to miss, huh? [It's a bad joke, a really bad joke, but he still isn't sure how to handle this new change or any of the changes it's going to bring with it.
He sucks in a breath at the feeling of fingertips along his bearded cheek, stilling.] No, just. Sensitive. Everything feels a little... soft. [And vulnerable. That'd be the reason he hasn't been keen on leaving the room just yet. His chitin is still hardening and his skin feels similarly oversensitized.]
[Her eyebrow lifts at his joke, glancing over his hands and lingering on his lips for a moment.] You still have a head and I still have thighs. Now, you just hang upside down better.
[Her hand pauses at the moment of the inhale, pausing without pulling away. Instead, Sheva steps closer and gently continues the motion until she's threading fingers through his hair, which looks a bit ridiculous hanging upside down. It earns a slight, but genuine, smile as she already decides on the mission to braid it back at some point.
The smile fades to an expression of thoughtful concentration as she spends another few moments to take in the whole spider part. She's trying to acclimate herself to the new... Everything. In doses seems like a fair method, so she shifts her attention to the furniture in his room, even though the layout's committed to memory.]
We're going to need to rearrange the furniture a bit in here. Unless you want to try and drink upside down?
We'll see if you're still into it when you see the legs in action. [He's self-aware enough to know how creepy it is - the way he walks now, on eight thick, hairy, chitinous legs. It doesn't exactly scream 'this is a good bed partner'.
His eyes slip closed (the two human ones, at least, but the spider eyes go a little glassy, the cue that he's not actively watching anything) at the feeling of fingers through his hair, and he exhales slowly.]
I'll probably just sell it all on- whatever this place has that passes for craigslist. Room's a little cramped these days. I guess I can still use the desk, but that's about it. [His smile turns wry.] Not sure how spiders handle booze. I guess we'll find out.
I'm into you. [She says perhaps a little too loudly, but not because she's forcing the feelings behind the words. The lack of a bond continues to tax her, despite her best efforts. Sighing softly, she continues thread her fingers through his hair and massage his scalp, finding it soothing herself.]
What I mean is, that I'll figure the rest out because you're worth it, creepy spider parts and everything.
[Honestly, the thought of getting it on with spider parts is very unnerving, but mostly because the rabbit hole of monster parts is dark and dangerous. It's also something she doubts he wants to discuss anytime soon.]
Hm, sounds like you need to start drinking, and I need to start moving some furniture into the hall for Tony to... Manage. [And yet, she keeps with her handiwork and shifts her weight, her own spine pain returning as the adrenaline of encountering half spider Bucky fades. Her humor slips into something more serious, softer.] Would you be against me installing a hammock?
I'm not, really. [Bucky answers, short and simple because this isn't a rabbit hole he wants to go down. He's better, a lot better, than he used to be, these days, but there's still a lot of self-loathing wrapped up in his calm - and now very creepy - exterior.
He hums out a brief agreement, but doesn't move from where he's hanging, unnaturally still.] I think you need to sit down and do some drinking with me. The furniture can wait.
[One eye cracks open briefly.] Not against it. It'd fit better in here probably.
[She gives him a stern look for that, understanding all too well his thoughts on the matter, especially given her own history. What a pair they are, a former child solider and a former brainwashed assassin.
A noise of agreement follows the long silence, during which she continued working her fingers in a scalp massage.]
In a moment. [It's a soft murmur, followed by her own pause, lost in thought and maybe building up the courage to lean in and steal a kiss. It's hesitant at first, gentle and searching for something more familiar and grounding than all the spider bits. When she pulls back, not wanting to push too much, Sheva exhales in relief, slightly more at ease.
At least until he turns the spotlight on her, and she hesitates. Her problems don't seem much like problems compared to becoming a giant spider.]
Not really. [Time to get the alcohol.] I still don't have a proper bond with a witch, so... I'm struggling wit that, and the tail.
bucky - spider trunk junk
Frankly, it's difficult to spin turning into a spider man too positively, particularly when spider monsters feature in many of her PTSD fueled nightmares from Kijuju. Suddenly, she's grateful for her hairless tail, ugly as it is tucked away in the back of her jacket.
Her nerves buzz in her chest and she walks quicker than usual, only slowing her pace when she rounds the block and starts navigating the home he shared with Tony and Steve. Absently, she pauses to drag her nails down the older marks on the frame of the front door, rubbing her palm over it afterwards.
It's not much longer when she steadies herself with a long inhale, puts on the bravest face she can muster without looking angry, and knocks on his door.] It's me.
no subject
He doesn't quite manage to bring himself to the door. Navigating small spaces on these legs is still difficult, so instead he calls out,] It's unlocked! [Inside, the magitech lights are heavily dimmed, and he's the only one home - hanging upside down from the ceiling, where he's strung up a half-assed web like streamers. He's shirtless and still looks pretty much like he did before, above the waist.
Down below his navel, scarred skin transitions into the hairy, chitinous (though still slightly soft, not yet fully hardened) lower half of a truly massive, brown and black wolf spider, with eight thick legs and a shorter pair of pedipalps. No, he's not coming down off the ceiling. This is better somehow??]
no subject
[It's a lot to take in, and she finds herself almost tilting her head to be able to reorient herself to match. Once she realizes what she's doing, she stops and shifts to set her bag of stolen snacks down, along with the million questions popping into her head. Instead, she squints and sighs, almost disappointed.]
A hug would result with your head between my legs. [She finally states with a bit of a perplexed tone. A hug had been one of her reaction options she figured might be appropriately supportive and nonsexual. His inversion clearly puts a different spin on things.] That seems inappropriate.
[Instead, she steps forward quietly as she focuses on the portion that's the man she's grown close to over these months. It's an odd position, but she reaches out to run the pads of her fingers along his scruffy jaw and cheek.
Eventually, though, her eyes continue to wander, and while she tries to school her face as best as she can, it's not a complete mask. Mostly, she's worrying for him while trying to adjust quickly so she can be supportive.] Are you in pain?
no subject
His smile turns wry.] One more thing to miss, huh? [It's a bad joke, a really bad joke, but he still isn't sure how to handle this new change or any of the changes it's going to bring with it.
He sucks in a breath at the feeling of fingertips along his bearded cheek, stilling.] No, just. Sensitive. Everything feels a little... soft. [And vulnerable. That'd be the reason he hasn't been keen on leaving the room just yet. His chitin is still hardening and his skin feels similarly oversensitized.]
no subject
[Her hand pauses at the moment of the inhale, pausing without pulling away. Instead, Sheva steps closer and gently continues the motion until she's threading fingers through his hair, which looks a bit ridiculous hanging upside down. It earns a slight, but genuine, smile as she already decides on the mission to braid it back at some point.
The smile fades to an expression of thoughtful concentration as she spends another few moments to take in the whole spider part. She's trying to acclimate herself to the new... Everything. In doses seems like a fair method, so she shifts her attention to the furniture in his room, even though the layout's committed to memory.]
We're going to need to rearrange the furniture a bit in here. Unless you want to try and drink upside down?
no subject
His eyes slip closed (the two human ones, at least, but the spider eyes go a little glassy, the cue that he's not actively watching anything) at the feeling of fingers through his hair, and he exhales slowly.]
I'll probably just sell it all on- whatever this place has that passes for craigslist. Room's a little cramped these days. I guess I can still use the desk, but that's about it. [His smile turns wry.] Not sure how spiders handle booze. I guess we'll find out.
no subject
What I mean is, that I'll figure the rest out because you're worth it, creepy spider parts and everything.
[Honestly, the thought of getting it on with spider parts is very unnerving, but mostly because the rabbit hole of monster parts is dark and dangerous. It's also something she doubts he wants to discuss anytime soon.]
Hm, sounds like you need to start drinking, and I need to start moving some furniture into the hall for Tony to... Manage. [And yet, she keeps with her handiwork and shifts her weight, her own spine pain returning as the adrenaline of encountering half spider Bucky fades. Her humor slips into something more serious, softer.] Would you be against me installing a hammock?
no subject
He hums out a brief agreement, but doesn't move from where he's hanging, unnaturally still.] I think you need to sit down and do some drinking with me. The furniture can wait.
[One eye cracks open briefly.] Not against it. It'd fit better in here probably.
You doin' okay?
no subject
A noise of agreement follows the long silence, during which she continued working her fingers in a scalp massage.]
In a moment. [It's a soft murmur, followed by her own pause, lost in thought and maybe building up the courage to lean in and steal a kiss. It's hesitant at first, gentle and searching for something more familiar and grounding than all the spider bits. When she pulls back, not wanting to push too much, Sheva exhales in relief, slightly more at ease.
At least until he turns the spotlight on her, and she hesitates. Her problems don't seem much like problems compared to becoming a giant spider.]
Not really. [Time to get the alcohol.] I still don't have a proper bond with a witch, so... I'm struggling wit that, and the tail.