restinglichface | Open rp post!

[It's Year One and absolutely none of this is at all like what the twins had envisioned it would be.

Taako and Lup are holding hands while they stride forward in perfect rhythm, their long legs carrying them over the grassy plains far faster than the chubby human struggling to keep up with them. Even if this isn't the first time the three of them have set out together to gain the trust of the mongoose family that was slowly accepting them into their ranks, the twins continue to purposely ignore the human in favor of speaking conspiratorially with each other.

This was their mission, after all, until the denim nerd decided to invite himself along during their research.]

Maybe we'll gain their trust faster if we feed them Barold.

[Frankly, Taako couldn't give a shit about the rest of the chucklefucks here. This mission was supposed to be him and Lup, checkin' out space for two months and then coming back absolute legends. Instead, everyone around to worship them is on four legs and none of them can even speak to him yet, which is the worst.

Well, maybe not the worst. The worst is the dude who he doesn't know who continues to tag along and can't string more than a single coherent sentence together around his sister. It's nothing against Barry- well, nothing specifically- it could've been anyone and Taako would've been miffed. This is their mission. It's their glory.

He keeps his hand in Lup's and laughs almost too loudly at her comment, just to make sure he can hear that and nothing else.]

Mm, but think of all the prep work. Wouldn't want to make them sick, so there'd be so much slow roasting involved. Lotsa effort for a peace offering we don't care about in the first place.

Edited (when u hit send and then see a typo as its sending) 2017-11-07 05:04 (UTC)

[You'd think Barry would be used to this by now.

Not even from the world at large - he's endured decades of glances and snickers and cruel whispers - but from the twins in particular. They'd been obnoxious during the rigorous training leading up to the mission, and this past year they've somehow gotten worse. While the rest of the crew grieved in their own ways over their lost home, the twins just didn't seem to care about anything but themselves and each other. The more things change.

Yet he'd still decided to tag along on this mission. Not out of any urge to steal their glory - why would he even care about that - and certainly not out of any lingering curiosity about the twins. Or, well. About one of them. God, no, they're so young (for elves) and insular and meanspirited. There's nothing for Barry there. It's all for the sake of discovery, for science, for advancing the mission. That's it.

His sweaty face flushes bright red as Taako's loud laughter cuts through the air, and he just knows. They're talking about him. That sting in his gut is completely irrational. At this point, Barry's much too old to care about tittering young people making fun of him.

... That's a lie. He cares immensely.]

You, uh... [He tries to speed up, to catch up with them, weighed down by a backpack full of rations and notebooks and equipment, and his own terrible out-of-shape body.] Y'think we're gettin' close? I haven't had enough time t'really chart their migratory patterns yet, but uh-- I-I don't think they coulda gotten far. Yer sure they'd head this way?

[Hopefully Barry's at least gotten a little used to the way the two turn and flick their gazes to him in perfect unison, their equally secretive and amused smiles curling at their mouths.

It doesn't help that poor Barry is so red-faced and looking out of breath from trying to keep up with them--Lup's elbow nudges at Taako's side discreetly in an unspoken joke between the two of them--before the woman's smile turns just a little sharper, showing off too many of her teeth. When she speaks, her tone is just dripping with a smug sense of superiority.]

Of course we're sure, Barold. [Lup inclines her head to the strip of grassy plains to Barry's right.] Look.

[And sure enough, at last ten yards off, there's a pair of striped, furry bodies running parallel to the trio, as if silently guiding them straight to their den. There hasn't been much progress in actually learning the language of grunts and snorts the animals of this plane all use, but at least the mongoose family they'd been building up trust with was welcoming them in more and more with each returning trip. This is the first time they've had anyone come out to greet them like this though, the pair chirping back and forth to one another as they race to keep up with the twins' longer strides.

That has to be a huge step in the right direction. Another accomplishment to add to Taako and Lup's growing list.

(And, she supposes, Barry helped a little by carrying their stuff).]

Pretty easy to figure out if you're paying attention. They left paths behind through the dirt when they migrated north to their new den. [And sure enough, it's subtle amongst the tall grass, but there are at least two distinct paths created by numerous tiny footprints racing across the plains. Headed straight in the same direction the three were walking now.

It was an easy clue to miss, sure, but one that stuck out like giant, blinking warning sign to the twins. After years on the road alone, if there was one thing they'd picked up fast, it was to always cover up your tracks. To never leave a single trace of themselves behind. These paths made by the mongoose family were just too damn obvious for the two to miss.]

Edited (words) 2017-11-08 06:26 (UTC)

[Honestly, it's because they've lost it all that Taako and Lup are attached at the hip; their world simply isn't the first time it's happened. They've lost everything but each other plenty of times over their lives so far- this isn't an exception, or even a super particularly noteworthy one. As long as he has Lup by his side, Taako doesn't care. She's all he needs.

He snickers as Lup points out the mongeese, bumping her hip back with his from the poke at his side. His hand is up at his face like he's imitating trying to hide his giggles, but it's just curved so you can see his whole mouth anyway. He's halfway to the oujosama laugh at this point, and he is unstoppable.]

Yeah, c'mon Barold, what good are those dishes on your face if they don't let you see?

[He swings his other hand around to high-five Lup a little, still grinning.]

Humans, am I right? Anyway, don't wanna leave 'em waiting.

[He looks towards the mongoose family, giving them a little wink and a two-fingered salute their direction, getting a few chirps in return.]

[His cheeks are so red it hurts when he finally catches sight of the tiny mongooses running parallell to them, about nine or ten meters off to the side. The fact that they're so small and well-camouflaged against the grass and the trees doesn't register, nor the fact that he had literally no chance to see them in his periphery, uncovered by his glasses. Only the fact that the twins once again have the upper hand seems to make a difference.

Barry doesn't like looking like an idiot. ~~Especially not in front of her.~~ All he can muster as he ducks his head and trundles along behind the elves is a mumbled correction:]

It's Barry. [It's quiet, impotent. If they even hear it, they won't take it to heart. He's positive they keep calling him Barold just to hurt his feelings. ~~It doesn't even make any sense, who ever heard of someone named Barold anyway. Stupid.~~

The mongooses twitter and giggle as they lead the odd-looking animals back to their nests, where a pack of bigger mongoose are waiting. They don't immediately scurry away at the sight of the ape-looking creatures in red following the younglings, but they're still hesitant to approach, only ducking their heads out of their burrows to observe. Not the pups, though. The smallest one runs little circles in the dirt, flopping over and rolling around, excited to play, while the older gives their parent a quick cuddle before shooting up to Lup and Taako, chirping the same loud tune over and over.

Barry keeps his distance, slowly pulling a notebook and pen out of his backpack. The way he always does.]

[Taako raises a hand and Lup doesn't even need to look to high-five him back without missing a beat, the two snickering cruelly together as Barry goes red, his steps falling behind theirs.

If either of the elves hear his quiet correction, Lup ignores it completely, content to swing her attention between her twin and the mongooses bouncing along at their side, From there, the walk to the den is over quickly enough, the older family members watching the three approach with curious, careful tilts of their heads.]

Sup, noodles, [Lup greets the larger of the pups as it scampers over to the the pair of elves. She drops down carefully to the ground, finally releasing Taako's hand so she can reach over to trail her fingers over the creature's wiggling form, chirping with excitement at Taako's heels, wanting the same attention from both twins.

But try as Barry might to play the silent observer at the edge of this scene, at least three of the other mongooses scamper over eagerly to sniff at him, nipping playfully at the cuffs of his jeans and bouncing between his legs.]

[Taako doesn't even pay half a mind to Barry's correction, attention on Lup and now the wiggling furchildren noodling between their ankles. Taako laughs as Lup greets them, bending over to poke at one of their stomachs as it rolls over at his feet. They're pretty cute, all things considered. Not the worst planet to maybe spent the rest of their lives on.]

Hey, fur tubes. Nice wiggle today. Got that real loopy feelin' goin', natch.

[One of them latches onto the side of his pantleg and starts climbing him like a tree, and now he's trapped where he stands, trying not to laugh too hard as it tickles it's way up his body. He looks over his shoulder to Barry, watching a few shuffle over and try and get him involved.]

Aww, Barold, look. Someone likes you. I guess somebody has to.

[The mongoose currently climbing him makes it up to his hip and pokes into a soft spot there with it's claw, causing him to hiss a bit at it like it's a cat that got too enthusiastic about it's kneading.]

Oh come on, don't defend him.

[As soon as the mongooses get close, Barry immediately startles away, wide-eyed and nervous. One of them, he can handle just fine (no he can't, he's not fooling anyone), but three of them? That's too many. Three too many.

He yelps and jerks his leg away as one of them starts biting at his jeans, and he stumbles around for a while as he tries both to get away and avoid stepping on the eager little animals. Taako's snide comment goes without response. They don't seem to like him at all, they seem aggressive.]

H-Hey, uh-- A-Are they s'posed t'be gettin' th-this close? I-- I don't think--

[Whatever he was going to say next makes way for a wholly humiliating shriek as the bigger of the three leaps up and latches its claws into his cloak. Barry drops everything and just starts flailing, momentarily panicked as the giggling mongoose holds on for the ride and a smaller one starts trying to squirrel its way up his pant leg.]

G-Get it off! Help, h-help, get it off, please, get it off!!

[A world full of animals was always going to be so much better than a world of people. At least animals were predictable, always looking after their own needs. People were different. They could play kind and welcoming to a pair of young elves one minute and turn dangerously against them the next.

Taako throws down a perfect slam on the scientist and Lup is just about to add to the pile of insults when Barry lets out a shriek that nearly leaves the elven woman in tears from laughing so hard. The mongooses are probably one of the least threatening animals on this whole plane and Barry is acting like they're outright murdering him. After almost a full minute of laughing, Lup nudges Taako in the side and finally rises to her feet.]

You're pathetic, Barold. [She steps close enough to scoop up the mongoose from his cloak in one hand, grabbing for the smaller one in her other. The larger of the two moves to her shoulder and winds comfortably around her neck and the smaller seems content to curl up in her hand, watching Barry with dark, beady eyes.] Your screaming probably just sounds like you're having fun. They're totally harmless.

[Right in time with his twin, Taako starts laughing, loud and bright. They end up on a planet full of animals and Barry's afraid of this? How did such a coward end up even getting himself on a ship out of the fucking universe? At this rate he looks like he'd be too scared of his own jeans to even put them on in the morning.]

They're a foot long, Barold! They couldn't even fit your big toe in their mouth and you're losing it like they're gonna take your dick off!

[The little one climbing him finishes his ascent, balancing on his shoulder for a moment before making the jump to the wide brim of his wizard hat. Taako has to raise a hand to steady it on his head, but the mongoose seems to love it, twisting itself around the top like a decorative ribbon. Taako points enthusiastically, already tired of mocking Barry if he's gonna make it so damn easy.]

Look, Lup. Fur couture. You think we could get 'em to link into sleeve drapes? Only losers use dead fur, we got tiny space heaters.

[Finally, though, it seems all the hollering has brought out the actual adults of the situation, the mongoose's parents, emerging from the den with a small (but wary) grunt of greeting. One of Taako's ears twitches in acknowledgement, giving them a little wiggle-fingered greeting.]

Open rp post!

@barold & @pocketspa

awww yeeeah

NEXT STOP, SNARK TOWN

PASSING THROUGH THE PETULANT PLAINS

pit stop first at fuckoff mountain

final destination, sad boy station

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