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+---- Thread: FILUM SERICUM - open (/showthread.php?tid=11275)
FILUM SERICUM - open - ABATHUR . - 02-12-2020
The wind blew over him, passing the hard exterior of his carapace, giving a gentle tug at each of the hairs it touched - a message was in that wind. Something telling him to wake up, that he had been asleep for too long, that he had to wake up now lest he never wake up again. He always hated the wind, pulling at his sensitive hairs, as if trying to grab him and take him somewhere, but succeeding only in annoying him. Making him uncomfortable. That was enough to get him to wake up, though.
His eyes opened. Light filtered into them.
He didn't see.
It wasn't that long ago that he started going blind. Maybe a month, at most, if he was calculating correctly. Now, he wasn't just legally blind, he was physically blind, eyes turning the color of freshly fallen snow, slightly milky, a far cry from the verdant emeralds of his past. It seemed a combination meditative trance and hibernation couldn't solve his problems - though what did he expect, really, if not to wake up blinder than when he slept. What did he really think he was doing other than running away from the problem, hoping the gentle hold of unconsciousness - or as close as his body could get to it - would ease himself.
It didn't.
It still felt like there was something missing, something integral.
But he had to get up now, out of his web. Had to do something. He had gone through worse and come out better, he told himself. He'd spent years alone, and he wasn't going to isolate himself just because he couldn't see. So, with a fire rushing through his blood, he descended from the web that had housed him for these past weeks, and headed straight for his old house. He could only hope that nobody took it up while he was gone.
Nobody had, of course, but he would have seen it as a suitable punishment for his absence. Not like he needed it anyways; the breezes were light, most days, and he could avoid the worst of them with a quickly made blanket, or something similar - perhaps he should carry one with him? Even though he had the supplies to make any such thing on his person at all times, it never hurt to save some of that time. Then again, he would look a bit silly; a spider crawling along, toting a silk blanket as white as his eyes. As if he was a baby, grasping on to an anchor of comfort in the harsh tides of reality.
Perhaps he wouldn't make a personal sheet after all.
Thoughts such as these invaded his mind, guests that came and went, each one uninvited but not unwelcome. He wondered if people missed him. That was unlikely, of course, since he had only really interacted with one or two choice denizens of the clan. Perhaps it would be better to ask if people noticed he was gone, something which he was less sure of the answer to - he wasn't the most active, no, but surely people would notice the sudden absence of a spider, yes?
Would they be mad that he disappeared for a bit without any explanation? That he didn't have the time to think about, as he arrived at his doorstep, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, entered into the silk-lined domicile, marching around to figure out what next to do with his life.
He left the door open, which might have been a conscious act, a symbol of invitation to the world, or it might have simply been a mistake that he made.
His eyes opened. Light filtered into them.
He didn't see.
It wasn't that long ago that he started going blind. Maybe a month, at most, if he was calculating correctly. Now, he wasn't just legally blind, he was physically blind, eyes turning the color of freshly fallen snow, slightly milky, a far cry from the verdant emeralds of his past. It seemed a combination meditative trance and hibernation couldn't solve his problems - though what did he expect, really, if not to wake up blinder than when he slept. What did he really think he was doing other than running away from the problem, hoping the gentle hold of unconsciousness - or as close as his body could get to it - would ease himself.
It didn't.
It still felt like there was something missing, something integral.
But he had to get up now, out of his web. Had to do something. He had gone through worse and come out better, he told himself. He'd spent years alone, and he wasn't going to isolate himself just because he couldn't see. So, with a fire rushing through his blood, he descended from the web that had housed him for these past weeks, and headed straight for his old house. He could only hope that nobody took it up while he was gone.
Nobody had, of course, but he would have seen it as a suitable punishment for his absence. Not like he needed it anyways; the breezes were light, most days, and he could avoid the worst of them with a quickly made blanket, or something similar - perhaps he should carry one with him? Even though he had the supplies to make any such thing on his person at all times, it never hurt to save some of that time. Then again, he would look a bit silly; a spider crawling along, toting a silk blanket as white as his eyes. As if he was a baby, grasping on to an anchor of comfort in the harsh tides of reality.
Perhaps he wouldn't make a personal sheet after all.
Thoughts such as these invaded his mind, guests that came and went, each one uninvited but not unwelcome. He wondered if people missed him. That was unlikely, of course, since he had only really interacted with one or two choice denizens of the clan. Perhaps it would be better to ask if people noticed he was gone, something which he was less sure of the answer to - he wasn't the most active, no, but surely people would notice the sudden absence of a spider, yes?
Would they be mad that he disappeared for a bit without any explanation? That he didn't have the time to think about, as he arrived at his doorstep, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, entered into the silk-lined domicile, marching around to figure out what next to do with his life.
He left the door open, which might have been a conscious act, a symbol of invitation to the world, or it might have simply been a mistake that he made.
tags - "speech"
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - beck. - 02-12-2020
[align=center]
A slight smile twisted his bloodless lips at the sight of a lumbering oversized spider, although an arachnophobe would display the opposite reaction. Abathur disappeared right after the little ghost met him in the light of a housefire, the shadowed mass with beady eyes and spindly limbs looming above him, concern to his disjointed speech. He beamed, bandaged paws turning in his meandering path to approach. Only for the spider to disappear within the four walls of a previously vacant home -- he stopped, his smile vanishing along with Abathur. Beck stared past the doorway, shifting his weight side to side in indecision. He wasn't supposed to intrude as he used to in his haunting days... but Abathur walked with a slump, a gloomy shroud about him. Grim acceptance, even. Surely, he wouldn't mind if he poked his head in to ensure the spider was alright.
"Abathur?" sounded a quiet chirp from the doorway as Beck padded across the threshold, blinking in the dim light. Taking a sharp inhale, he pressed further, ears twitching warily. "You wanna come outside? It's... lonely in here." Pathetic. Beck cringed, idling by the entrance as he scanned the room.
"Abathur?" sounded a quiet chirp from the doorway as Beck padded across the threshold, blinking in the dim light. Taking a sharp inhale, he pressed further, ears twitching warily. "You wanna come outside? It's... lonely in here." Pathetic. Beck cringed, idling by the entrance as he scanned the room.
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - wormwood. - 02-13-2020
[table][tr][td]
AURUM
DO NO HARM BUT TAKE NO SHIT !
[/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]
Aurum had definitely taken notice of Abathur's absence around town as of late, if only because of his constant efforts to make sure everyone was alright. He liked to keep tabs on people, even if they were only vague ones, and normally he took notice fairly quickly when someone went missing. This had been the case with Abathur as well, the large arachnid's scent slowly fading more and more from the building he had once claimed as home, as well as around the town in general. He wasn't completely gone, Aurum knew from patrolling around and catching fresh wafts of the spider's scent on occasion, but he certainly wasn't making himself much of a presence. The lion tried not to worry too much, knowing he could certainly be quite the mother hen at times. After all, Abathur could've just decided he liked living outside of camp more, or perhaps he found the trees much more suitable for his meditation. The other had always been a bit of a wildcard, mainly because Aurum wasn't sure he possessed the mental abilities to keep up with how Abathur lived life. They were very different, but Aurum enjoyed the other's company, and as more and more time had passed without the other male saying so much as boo, Aurum had begun to feel that familiar little ache in his chest that happened when he thought a Tangler had disappeared. That mix of overwhelming worry and guilt, as if he thought they had somehow been captured, or he had driven them away. It was a beyond unpleasant feeling, and Aurum often found himself just closing his eyes and taking a deep breath whenever it began to manifest itself, knowing he couldn't do anything else about it, not really.
The lion had been out and about already that day when he heard Beck's voice, rather surprisingly politely asking if Abathur wanted to come outside. The proxy immediately felt his heart speed up with slight excitement at that, his head snapping up in the direction of the arachnid's previously abandoned home. He tried not to seem too overeager as he made his way over, being sure to keep a few generous steps between he and Beck as he neared the house. He knew the boy had a few issues with him, and trying to solve them before had never really worked, so now he just tended to give the spirit a wide berth. Usually he would've avoided the situation because of the founder's presence, but he was far too excited about Abathur's return to consider such a thing. So, instead he found himself settling nearby, his voice a warm rumble as he glanced around inside, "Abathur...? Abathur, you're back. It's nice to see you around again, big guy." He cracked a small, albeit slightly tired smile in Abathur's direction, unaware of the fact that the other couldn't really see it. He had somewhat picked up on the decline in Abathur's vision earlier, but he had no idea if the milkiness that now formed a sheet over the arachnid's eyes was a sign that he was now truly, fully blind. Aurum was blessed enough that, even after the whole unfortunate incident that had ended with him being down an eye, he still had the other one to see out of. Occasionally he needed to turn his head a bit more to see all of something or to focus on an opponent, just because he right side was effectively a huge blindspot, but he wasn't nearly on the same level as Abathur now. At the very least Abathur had made it all the way out here back to his old home, which meant that hopefully he still had tools in place to deal with the change, even though it would probably be a big life step.
The lion had been out and about already that day when he heard Beck's voice, rather surprisingly politely asking if Abathur wanted to come outside. The proxy immediately felt his heart speed up with slight excitement at that, his head snapping up in the direction of the arachnid's previously abandoned home. He tried not to seem too overeager as he made his way over, being sure to keep a few generous steps between he and Beck as he neared the house. He knew the boy had a few issues with him, and trying to solve them before had never really worked, so now he just tended to give the spirit a wide berth. Usually he would've avoided the situation because of the founder's presence, but he was far too excited about Abathur's return to consider such a thing. So, instead he found himself settling nearby, his voice a warm rumble as he glanced around inside, "Abathur...? Abathur, you're back. It's nice to see you around again, big guy." He cracked a small, albeit slightly tired smile in Abathur's direction, unaware of the fact that the other couldn't really see it. He had somewhat picked up on the decline in Abathur's vision earlier, but he had no idea if the milkiness that now formed a sheet over the arachnid's eyes was a sign that he was now truly, fully blind. Aurum was blessed enough that, even after the whole unfortunate incident that had ended with him being down an eye, he still had the other one to see out of. Occasionally he needed to turn his head a bit more to see all of something or to focus on an opponent, just because he right side was effectively a huge blindspot, but he wasn't nearly on the same level as Abathur now. At the very least Abathur had made it all the way out here back to his old home, which meant that hopefully he still had tools in place to deal with the change, even though it would probably be a big life step.
━ I'M GONNA WIN.┆PROUD. WARM. PROTECTIVE. ━
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - ABATHUR . - 02-14-2020
The aura of grim acceptance, as one so delicately put it, continued its pervasiveness around his person, as he paused to listen to the first intruder into his house. He shifted to the right a small amount, plucking at one of the silk strands on the walls, pulled taut, leading to a whole web of silk that stretched around and throughout the whole house. He had set it up after he first moved in, along with kicking out all the furniture, both as an aesthetic choice and just so he knew what was happening in his own home - now, though, the former didn't matter to him, and the latter switched from convenience to nigh necessity. It was funny, how life worked. At least he was prepared in this one case.
Even if it was just this one.
He could feel Beck's hesitance, his light steps, the odd shuffle of paws as an awkward person tried to figure out their footing in an alien world. He hadn't seen the phantasm since their wayward meeting in the boat fire, and yet he seemed concerned for his own well being. In another world, at this point in time, he would've thought it disheartening, that someone could get remotely attached to another in a single meeting, could show that amount of weakness. Now, though, he was simply enthralled by this concept. What made Beck tick, he wondered? People had to have some sort of function, otherwise rules about politeness wouldn't have been set up, rules that he prodded and poked at with the same amount of curiosity a child would a piece of roadkill on an empty highway. He could feel that curiosity rising in him once again, though it was - not tainted, nor replaced, but muffled by his current mood. It was a low conversation in another room to what used to be a guitar solo with the amp turned to eleven.
It was lonely, he said.
The spider began to talk, slowly turning around, not quite facing in the right direction, but oriented well enough to where his words weren't muffled. "Lonely," he mused, in thought. "Perhaps will get some plants. Find roommate. Would help with lonely feeling, yes?" He said, at first, a rough hypothesis that he spun on the spot, less refined and soft as some other things he might be known to spin. He realized, then, that he never actually responded to the question, and so he continued: "Yes, will leave in moment. Was just coming back to house. Believed act of small pilgrimage would help gather own thoughts."
Aurum was next, which he should've expected - and really, he wasn't surprised. Aurum's movements told him much as well. Hurried paws, heavy steps, confident, but straying away from the other guest in Abathur's domain, as if some sort of tension filled the air between them. A curious thing he would also have to think about. "Subject Aurum." He greeted, cordial, even if his voice still held the air of someone in another place mentally. "Am not that large, though." His voice was filled with much concern at that remark, as if he was truly worried about the phrase 'big guy,' as if its implications were something to be puzzled over.
He crawled towards the two then, taking the equivalent of a few steps. "Do subjects wish to come in? Probably still have furniture somewhere. Can spin up blankets otherwise... Perhaps self should plan more for social events on top of acquiring additional organisms in house."
For all that his mind was occupied on a lack of a sense, and the pressure put on him from that sudden inability to see, at the very least, he wasn't in fear of people disliking him.
Even if it was just this one.
He could feel Beck's hesitance, his light steps, the odd shuffle of paws as an awkward person tried to figure out their footing in an alien world. He hadn't seen the phantasm since their wayward meeting in the boat fire, and yet he seemed concerned for his own well being. In another world, at this point in time, he would've thought it disheartening, that someone could get remotely attached to another in a single meeting, could show that amount of weakness. Now, though, he was simply enthralled by this concept. What made Beck tick, he wondered? People had to have some sort of function, otherwise rules about politeness wouldn't have been set up, rules that he prodded and poked at with the same amount of curiosity a child would a piece of roadkill on an empty highway. He could feel that curiosity rising in him once again, though it was - not tainted, nor replaced, but muffled by his current mood. It was a low conversation in another room to what used to be a guitar solo with the amp turned to eleven.
It was lonely, he said.
The spider began to talk, slowly turning around, not quite facing in the right direction, but oriented well enough to where his words weren't muffled. "Lonely," he mused, in thought. "Perhaps will get some plants. Find roommate. Would help with lonely feeling, yes?" He said, at first, a rough hypothesis that he spun on the spot, less refined and soft as some other things he might be known to spin. He realized, then, that he never actually responded to the question, and so he continued: "Yes, will leave in moment. Was just coming back to house. Believed act of small pilgrimage would help gather own thoughts."
Aurum was next, which he should've expected - and really, he wasn't surprised. Aurum's movements told him much as well. Hurried paws, heavy steps, confident, but straying away from the other guest in Abathur's domain, as if some sort of tension filled the air between them. A curious thing he would also have to think about. "Subject Aurum." He greeted, cordial, even if his voice still held the air of someone in another place mentally. "Am not that large, though." His voice was filled with much concern at that remark, as if he was truly worried about the phrase 'big guy,' as if its implications were something to be puzzled over.
He crawled towards the two then, taking the equivalent of a few steps. "Do subjects wish to come in? Probably still have furniture somewhere. Can spin up blankets otherwise... Perhaps self should plan more for social events on top of acquiring additional organisms in house."
For all that his mind was occupied on a lack of a sense, and the pressure put on him from that sudden inability to see, at the very least, he wasn't in fear of people disliking him.
tags - "speech"
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - beck. - 02-23-2020
[align=center]
His head tilted to the right, intrigued by the gruff preposition rumbled from the unseen space between pedipalps. The mention of plants earned a wince from the little ghost. The memories of a young Audrey III gumming on his arm, of the first shed tooth, of the absent body in the ash remnants pierced his mind as the arrow did to his lung. Beck swallowed uncomfortably, shrinking closer to the floor when the cyclops of a lion lumbered closer unannounced. His breathing hitched. He should leave. Leave before anything went wrong.
But his paws stuck fast, ankle-deep in tar. Teeth clenching, he leaned far from the angel, casting a bitter glance before focusing on Abathur once more. The spider spun an invitation to stay, to stay with Aurum as company, of all people; he scrunched his nose as he prepared an excuse. "Oh... I- I have stuff to do. Sorry," he mumbled, stubby tail tucking in shame. "M-maybe another time? We could hang out, y'know, with each other. One on one? If you're- if you're okay with it." An awkward grin worked its way to his snout until he remembered the clouded vision of the arachnid. He grimaced, not wanting to insult or offend the recently-handicapped spider. Instead, he hastily traced a smiley face on the floorboard, hoping to get the message across to the whiskery hairs bristling Abathur's legs.
But his paws stuck fast, ankle-deep in tar. Teeth clenching, he leaned far from the angel, casting a bitter glance before focusing on Abathur once more. The spider spun an invitation to stay, to stay with Aurum as company, of all people; he scrunched his nose as he prepared an excuse. "Oh... I- I have stuff to do. Sorry," he mumbled, stubby tail tucking in shame. "M-maybe another time? We could hang out, y'know, with each other. One on one? If you're- if you're okay with it." An awkward grin worked its way to his snout until he remembered the clouded vision of the arachnid. He grimaced, not wanting to insult or offend the recently-handicapped spider. Instead, he hastily traced a smiley face on the floorboard, hoping to get the message across to the whiskery hairs bristling Abathur's legs.
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - ABATHUR . - 02-26-2020
"Hmm," he grumbles. Not a word, really, a mere thought given audible form, but still something that expressed the slightest of displeasure. He didn't say anything to call him out, though, because he was still busy cataloguing all that information he had sensed from just before the feline spoke. Scrunching down close to the floor, as if afraid, his breathing hitching, weight shifting away even as he didn't move. It didn't take much to see that he was very, very uncomfortable. So Abathur wouldn't say anything to inquire into what the excuses entailed, what business the ghost could possible have sans a house, instead just humming once more and saying, "Okay. Subject Beck can come around any time. Door is always open. Metaphorically." A brief beat. "Unless self isn't home." His tone was calm, as usual, the weight of whatever suffering he was undergoing still affecting it, but lightly, distracted from all the doom and gloom by focusing on all the sensory information the others gave off. An effective strategy, if nothing else, as he puzzled over the small little smile drawn on the floor. Was it a smile? He couldn't be sure of its exact form, but he was certainly sure of its nature, a placative gesture. It was nice. Thoughtful. He dipped his body in lieu of saying goodbye, and shifted his attention back to Aurum, should the other subject speak again.
tags - "speech"
Re: FILUM SERICUM - open - wormwood. - 02-28-2020
[table][tr][td]
AURUM
DO NO HARM BUT TAKE NO SHIT !
[/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]
Aurum supposed he really should've expected this. The lion had been entirely ready to accept Abathur's proposition, considering he hadn't seen the large arachnid in some time and was eager to interact with him again... but then Beck spoke up. The angel tried not to let his ears pin back in annoyance when Beck spoke, mostly just irritated that the boy was flaking yet again on account of him. The proxy really had no earthly idea what he had done to make Beck hated him so much. Sure, they had never exactly been the best of friends, but he didn't really think he had done anything so heinous in the past that it would make Beck want to avoid him forever. He had thought multiple times that perhaps it was the eye thing, but the lion had never brought that up since then, mostly because he knew it would be an uncomfortable topic with no good end. He considered trying to speak with Beck and get to the bottom of things, but ultimately the male knew it probably wouldn't amount to anything. Beck was practically the king of avoiding his problems, distracting from things, and throwing fits and manipulating just so that he wouldn't have to talk properly. All it would probably end up doing was make the male hate him more.
However, with that in mind, Aurum wasn't about to let Beck's little misguided emotions stop him from reconnecting with an old friend. He knew full well that the boy wasn't actually busy, and he wasn't about to make up some bullshit excuse just so that it would look like he didn't want to hurt feelings. He glanced over at Beck with a single blue eye only briefly before he sighed, looking back to Abathur and offering him an unseen smile, "I'd love to come in, Abathur. My schedule is wide open for at least a little while, and it'd be nice to catch up with you." He wasn't sure what really the "catching up" would entail, considering the fact that Abathur was definitely one of the stranger members of Tanglewood as a whole, but he could deal with strange. After all, he was currently the de facto father of both a former gruesome science experiment and an emotionally traumatized dramatic thief, so he was pretty used to strange.
However, with that in mind, Aurum wasn't about to let Beck's little misguided emotions stop him from reconnecting with an old friend. He knew full well that the boy wasn't actually busy, and he wasn't about to make up some bullshit excuse just so that it would look like he didn't want to hurt feelings. He glanced over at Beck with a single blue eye only briefly before he sighed, looking back to Abathur and offering him an unseen smile, "I'd love to come in, Abathur. My schedule is wide open for at least a little while, and it'd be nice to catch up with you." He wasn't sure what really the "catching up" would entail, considering the fact that Abathur was definitely one of the stranger members of Tanglewood as a whole, but he could deal with strange. After all, he was currently the de facto father of both a former gruesome science experiment and an emotionally traumatized dramatic thief, so he was pretty used to strange.
━ I'M GONNA WIN.┆PROUD. WARM. PROTECTIVE. ━