[PRP] A Real, Certified Hooman (Nasir & Horace)

[azuredreams]

"Yeah, um ... Moonwalkers? They have to change into their animal forms at the full moon like weres to in the stories but they have to do it here. If they don't, they'll experience a kind of madness from the transformation not completing. It hurts them, makes them unaware of themselves, and kind of go into this black out state where they lash out and hurt others. They don't mean it but ..." It couldn't be helped. He shifted, fidgeting with a barrette in his hair for a moment; unclipped, clipped, unclipped, clipped ...

"Last year, a moonwalker got caught in Ashdown and didn't transform in other ashdown and it caused this entire thing at Blackfriars. Like the CDC got involved and there was a quarantine and-" Nasir let out a breath and shook his head. "Aliens sounds easier than what really happened but, um, it's kind of like what you're saying. Though it's not necessarily easy to just pick a bird that's in a tree, you know? You have to be able to find it and work on the bond."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"That sounds.... shitty." Understatement of the year. He watched the motion of the hairclip, knowing what it meant. Unclipped, clipped... "I meant you're the alien, Nasir. You and the people from that alternate place - it sounds like some of it was... more difficult that here. Someone told me you were trying to make it better. So far, so good, yeah?" He rolled his shoulders, feeling the tense muscles there.

"Well, I know who to ask for if I find an animal to, er, bond with." He smiled. No more talk of weres, no more anxious fidgets, please, he thought. "Trouble is really cute. What sort of things did you do to bond with him?" Maybe he'd bond with a fish... though that seemed pretty impossible.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I know but aliens, you know?" Aliens probably were easier than people who were transformed and lashed out because of the state they had been put into due to circumstances outside of their control. Aliens would have been a scapegoat and instead-

Well.

Nasir kind of had been a scapegoat then, dressed up and put into makeup and made to look as if he was someone who had a case of hypertrichosis so that they could all be let out and get help.

"I don't actually know that it's better but it certainly ... feels better? In some ways, at least." He finally stopped fidgeting, his thoughts going another direction with what Horace asked. "I wouldn't mind helping, if you want to try? It ... It's kind of hard to explain but the bond is nice. I know Trouble's there if I reach for him.

"As for bonding? For me it was a lot of ... reaching for him with my mind. Trying to be zen, find that mind state that let me find the bond that we shared and nurture it until it grew into something stronger." He smiled; it was a nice smile. "It's still growing too."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"So far, I like all you aliens." Nice fellas, the lot. Very concerned with the world, very magic, very cute. "I like to think this universe is much better, but I'm kind of biased, since it's mine." He wondered if he would have even met these people if they hadn't switched things around. Some of them, probably not, but he liked to believe in a little fat now and then.

Horace did, however, try to take a moment to think about bonding and animals and maybe it was easier to go get a pet dog... "I think it'd be nice not to feel alone. Uh, maybe." Was that oversharing? "Reach out and touch faith, or something, yeah? Trouble's really cute - maybe if I find something, I can bother you about it. Like a skunk or something." He fished his phone out.

"Is it alright if I grab your number? Promise not to text too much."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Horace was given an appreciative smile. It was something shy but warm all the same on Nasir's face. The reassurance that he liked those that came from the alternate reality was good and something he had not known he had needed.

"It's a bit reassuring, honestly. So long as you don't mind kind of making a home in your mind for them." Nasir was pulling his phone as well, to do the same, and he rattled his phone number off for Horace. "Let me get yours and I don't mind texts. Skunks are cute, though they kind of get the neighbor's dogs going at night sometimes ..."

He shook his head in amusement, attention flicking to Trouble who was back on his shoulder triumphantly with one of his hair clips. It was why a lock of hair was now falling into Nasir's eyes.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I don't that would be a problem, really." Horace tapped Nasir's number into his phone and sent a text that was just a string of random emoji. "Texted you. Yeahhhh. I heard they remove the scent glands of domesticated skunks, but I'm sure I like their defense mechanism taken away like that." It wasn't as though he was going to go find a skunk to pal around with.

He watched as Trouble deftly unclipped Nasir's hair. "Looks like he's living up to his name there." He paused. "Thanks."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Horace got a string of emoji smiley faces and one of a squirrel. "You should have a text from me too."

Nasir wrinkled his nose up at the idea of removal of scent glands from a skunk. "Yeah, I don't really agree with that either? Or cutting a doberman's ears to make them 'scarier' or declawing a cat ..." Declawing a cat was the worst, in his opinion, because it wasn't just the claws- it was part of the bone as well.

His hand raised to his hair to scooped up Trouble and deposit him into his pocket. Nasir got an angry chirp-bark from him until he a sunflower seed was produced and given to him.

"It's why he was named that, so ..." Nasir grinned, as if he did not mind at all the trouble caused. "... and, ah, no thanks necessary? I'm just glad I can do something that might help."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yeah, animals should be treated with respect. Somehow, I think Trouble is lucky to have you." He hooked his thumbs into his pockets. "I might bother you on the flip side, if that's okay... Right now, I kinda want to head home; I'm bushed."

He paused a moment, then tapped his glasses. "I can, uh, kind of see likely ways out if you wanna tag along? Like, if you don't feel like wandering more."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Sure," Nasir replied with a smile. "I mean, I can't really seem to find ways out without having to wander for a bit myself either ... So if you can see them? That'd be great."

He moved closer, towards Horace, but letting him have his bubble of space. "Do you want to go the way I came? Since if you didn't see anything that way, I may have missed something from where I came."

There was a pause before Nasir gave Horace a particularly bright smile. "I also don't mind if you want to bother me. That's fine, I like not being alone in all of this stuff."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yeah, they look kind of... orange to me. And a bit glowy. Can't see it with my glasses off, though." He shrugged. "Yeah, sounds good to me. We should be able to find a way out soon." Nasir was nice, Horace thought, and he seemed like a good guy. Although Horace felt a little weird about it, he'd categorized Nasir firmly in the 'resources' section.

He smiled and started walking. "You aliens are good people."

azuredeams

WC: 1,227  

[azuredreams]

Nasir liked anyone who was friendly and did not act like he was weird for being nice and friendly. Horace was definitely in the good people to be around crowd and he was happier for it.

"Sounds like maybe I should see if I can get magic glasses that let me see ways out ..." he chuckled, pushing up his own glasses. "You're a good person yourself. I'm glad we met."

The 5emblance of Unity

final word count: 1733