[PRP] Definitely not a cat (Oliver & Horace)

[Melancholies]

Oliver didn't really like the idea of this at all. He wasn't super enthusiastic about it, but he was a Beaumont, and that meant rolling with this punches. His entire life up to this point was dealing with s**t he had no control over, so how was this any different? All he could do was work with it, right?

So he spent one of the first days after the full moon ambling around Otherworld, not as a human, but... as an animal. His conversation with Eve was still fresh in his mind—the one about senses, about how to sharpen them, use them—but it was still a skill he was having trouble grasping. As a raccoon, sure, he had everything that was stated on the tin. Maybe, he thought, spending more time as one would help out his endeavor.

Not that he particularly enjoyed being a raccoon. A fox would have been sly, or a wolf would have been cool in the storybook sense. Or like, a cat, he would be dandy with being a cat. Even a rabbit like Jamie; at least he'd be cute. But this?

His paws puttered along the sidewalk, stride and gait both still awkward. Walking on fours was a lot harder than it looked, okay? His head craned up and he snuffled around, trying to get used to his new weird senses.

The Semblance of Unity

who needs to wait for rps to wrap am i right

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace had wandered through a door and ended up in 'other' Ashdown. Again. He sighed, tucking his chin down into his scarf. It gave him more opportunity to practice magic, though he hadn't learned much, but it was hard to get back. And often, it interrupted him in the middle of studying. This time, he'd popped out to the corner store to get some snacks and come out here. Luckily, it meant he was wearing a sweater and scarf. But his hands were freezing.

He sighed and turned the corner. Then he froze. There was a raccoon here. He'd never seen much in the way of animals here, and the way the raccoon was walking seemed odd. "H-hey," he said awkwardly. "You okay there, little buddy?"

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Ollie did look like a drunk raccoon, all things considered. His movement was sloppy and his actions were delayed. Mostly. Horace's voice made him jump into the air not unlike a cartoon before splaying over the side. He laughed there listlessly like he'd just been hit by a car, his tiny leg twitching sporadically.

Except wait; you recognize that voice, Beaumont! His head shot up again, bizarrely blue eyes staring at the much larger human.

He made a weird, squeaky chittery sound before looking vaguely irritated. He forgot he couldn't speak normally.

The Semblance of Unityyyy

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace couldn't help it, he laughed. It was part humor and part shock at how the raccoon moved. Still, he moved forward in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner. After a moment. he crouched, extending his hand to the fluffy animal.

"Please don't have magical rabies," he said.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

The raccoon chuffed in response to the laugh, getting really poofy. He did, in fact, not have magical rabies, but Horace didn't know that. Actually, hadn't Jamie warned him about biting people? s**t. He did have magic rabies.

Not wanting to transform his friend into an accidental raccoon, he settled for sniffing the hand and then consequently slamming his head awkwardly into it. Being an animal was very bizarre, but also kinda fun. He scrambled up to his legs before awkwardly standing on his back ones—posture and balance wobbling slightly—as his front paws rubbed together. Then the lifted up to touch his own ears.

His eyes bore into Horace expectantly.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Holy crap. Was this raccoon tame or something? It butted Horace's hand and he instinctively stretched out his fingers to pet it, but the raccoon moved slightly away. Horace watched the animal, fascinated.

"Do you.... do you want to scratch your ears? Um, c'mere, little fluff." Horace stretched out his arms to the raccoon.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Little fluff? He got even fluffier, but he awkwardly waddled forward on his back legs despite this. Did Horace really not know? Well, he supposed it wasn't like he knew he was a raccoon either before. His very floofy tail wagged a little. How was he supposed to give any indications without blatantly turning back?

He wiggled both of his paws out to grab one of Horace's hands, hopping closer.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

To say Horace was utterly charmed would be an understatement. There were stars in his eyes. Those little wiggly paws and that floof.... He reached forward and scooped the raccoon up into his arms. Hopefully, it wouldn't bite. And, even if it did, it was so worth it.

The raccoon's fur was soft and warm. "You're so cute!" Horace said, and shifted so he had one hand free to scratch the little guy's ears. He wondered if he could get away with burying his face in that floof. Maybe not, but he wanted to.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

The raccoon stared at him as Horace scooped him up, his entire body going limp like a ragdoll. Oliver thankfully did not bite. His head tilted into the ear scratches again.

Actually, he was kinda amused that Horace didn't realize who he was. It'd make for a bigger surprise once he was finally ready to show him that he was trolling.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Are you tame or something?" he said, bemused. Here he was, sitting on the pavement in weird Ashdown, cuddling a raccoon. Oh well, there wasn't much else he could do here, aside from wandering around and trying to throw sparks at things.

He looked at the raccoon, debating things. The softness felt kind of familiar, but it wasn't like a cat's softness. Animals were just great. While he still could be startled by their touches, he didn't experience any nervousness in touching them. Horace was just going to go for it. He leaned over and pressed his face to the raccoon's belly. So soft.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Well, he hadn't been expecting that.

The scritches were one thing, The face... burrow... thing? He made a weird sound that was caught between a squeak and squack. He was very soft though; far softer than any raccoon really ought to have been. His paws scrabbled at the highly intrusive face; unhand me you fiend!

He was so going to use this against Horace.

He wriggled in an attempt to get out of his grip.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace jerked his head back up, but his hands still held the raccoon in his lap. "I guess you didn't like that, huh." He smiled. "Worth it." He resumed petting the raccoon and scratching his ears.

"Oh, c'mon, don't be mad; I won't do it again." The racoon still wiggled a bit and Horace didn't really want to let him go. Maybe he really should get a pet.

melancholies

a lap raccoon!

 

[Melancholies]

Getting an actual pet would do him a fair bit of good, Oliver thought, since he was being so goddamn clingy with what he perceived to be a mundane animal now. He wriggled again with a little more vigor this time before making a huff-like sound. The scritches felt nice, but at the end of the day it was a little weird out of context. He was a human.

...a human who still didn't have a very good grasp on shifting, because the realization hit him with a harsh oh yeah sort of sensation. He didn't feel like a tiny raccoon anymore; mostly because he wasn't.

Cue one awkward—one very human looking Oliver—taking the place where the animal once had been. He stared.

The Semblance of Unity

he's gonna get electrocuted

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace yelled in shock and, funnily enough, produced a shock, moderately electrocuting them both. Of all things, he had not expected to end up with a lap full of Oliver. He tried to scramble backwards, but with the weight of someone on his legs, it just didn't work very well. Horace's eyes were wide and his breathing was quick. He was trying not to have a panic attack.

If Oliver would just get off, he'd be fine, if Oliver, if Oliver... What if Oliver was mad? He'd petted him, scratched his ears, pressed his face against Oliver's stomach. Abruptly, he shoved Oliver off and stared at him, looking both mortified and absolutely panicked.

"S-s-sorry," he stuttered out.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Horace yelled. Oliver yelled. And then Oliver was flailing backwards onto the pavement very ungracefully. His nose bumped into the floor or maybe his hand or something, but it made him wince regardless.

He pushed himself up, trying to ignore the slight singe smell that was coming from... somewhere. He patted the top of his hair, patted his fluffy ears. His tail was very bushy.

"Ow..." He shook himself of it. "Uh. I didn't mean--" that dint really go as well as he had planned. He scooted backwards a little bit. "My bad." His ears flicked back against his head.

The Semblance of Unity