[PRP] all very scientific (Jordan & Horace & Gloom)

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Alright, who's there?" Horace frowned and crossed his arms. If this was some other student ******** with them. "I thought all the workers had left," he said to Jordan. Whoever it was seemed to be deliberately trying to be creepy.

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"Huh. I can't pinpoint it," Jordan muttered, and turned in place, trying to recapture the blip. "That's weird. I'm not seeing another person shape, so unless the app's failing, it's not a worker."

A bit louder, he said to the mysterious voice, "That implies that you know a right place to look for ghosts. If you're not a ghost, who are you?"

azuredreams

The Semblance of Unity

 

[azuredreams]

When the light of the camera moved across the bookshelves there were a pair of eyes briefly visible, white and reflective.

Then they went black because whatever it was moved again.

"Gloom," the voice responded, "is shadows."

The Semblance of Unity

Prolixity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Shadows... shadows don't move. So - you're not a ghost, you're a shadow. Are you.. uh... a nice shadow?" He shrugged. To be honest, he'd been lying about being haunted; Horace had thought it would be fun. This, though, this was a little creepy.

"Turn the app back round towards me - see if it's still working, Jordan." And if it still was?

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"What kind of a shadow are you?" Jordan asked. The owner of the voice hadn't done anything aggressive, even if the mysterious little voice and the flash of eyes in the dark were a little creepy. He had actually heard something about a ghost in the library, but he hadn't actually believed it. The ghost hunt had been an excuse for goofing off. But it seemed they'd found something after all. Maybe this was the source of the rumors? "Is this where you live?"

He turned the phone back toward Horace, checking to see whether the app was still working. If it was, that would imply that the voice was something not human, as it seemed to be claiming. He kind of hoped it was, because that would definitely be more interesting than someone pranking them - although someone pranking them would be its own kind of funny.

The Semblance of Unity

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Shadows can too move!" Gloom countered, though his voice was hard to pinpoint. "Gloom is the best shadow, the friendliest shadow. Gloom is a friend." His voice was soft and sweet and absolutely endearing.

As the camera was turned towards Horace it was clear that whatever Gloom was was actually right behind him.

... and then there was a rather light weight that was on Horace's shoulders, fur soft as silk brushing against his neck before it moved away and was gone.

"Gloom does not live in the library. Gloom was just borrowing books."

The Semblance of Unity

Prolixity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

The touch on his shoulders, the sudden, passing weight, the soft caress... He froze. Then Horace sucked in a big breath, raising a hand to grasp at his neck even as he backed up and backed up until he hit something solid. In these moments, he forgot to breathe, not remembering things, but the feeling of things against his skin, the soft, cold fingers. He tried to move backward again, but could not. Horace sunk down into a crouch, finally finding his breath in ragged, short pants. No, no no, nono no he couldn't be like this in front of someone!

It was always different. It wouldn't even have affected him so badly if he'd seen it coming, if he'd not already been tense. Horace did not like things that hid in the shadows and touched him. He crouched, and struggled to breath, and his fingers scratched at the base of his thumb, the sharp, tactile sensation something to hold on to. He'd be fine. He'd be fine.

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

The camera showed something right behind Horace, and Jordan started to say something. Then Horace was backing up, crumpling down into a ball, and Jordan reached out automatically, stepping towards the other man. "Whoa, are you okay? What happened? What did you do?" he asked the darkness, suddenly wary.

The Semblance of Unity

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Of all things, that seemed to bring Gloom out of the shadows. Horace crouching to the ground made him appear and there was, so suddenly, a black as pitch marten-ish creature beside them both.

"Are y'okay??" Gloom sounded concerned, his eerie white eyes focused on Horace. They looked blind, his eyes, but it was obvious he could still see with them.

"Gloom is sorry, Gloom didn't mean to! Gloom only was on his shoulders!" The voice clearly came from him but his mouth did not move quite right. ... he was also very obviously worried if the swish of his long tail said anything.

The Semblance of Unity

Prolixity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"D-don't!" He jerked away from Jordan's hand, hating that he needed to jerk away, realizing he was probably freaking him out. Stupid, stupid. "Don't touch me-" A heavy breath.

"I'll be.. fine. I just... need a m-minute. S-sorry." he said, voice muffled against his knees. Focus, he tried to think through his pounding thoughts. Nothing was entirely coherent, but he tried. And he felt himself calm, a little.

azuredreams

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

Jordan pulled his hand back, frowning worriedly, concerned. A panic attack? "It's - it's okay, are you going to be okay?" he asked, his voice quiet and a little uncertain.

He looked to the small shadowy creature that had apparently been teasing them, turning his attention away from Horace to give the other man a minute to recover and pull his dignity back together. "You're, um, you're Gloom, then? A shadow?" A little bit of a stupid question, since that was what the creature had already said. "I don't think we were expecting to find anyone here, actually," he admitted.

xThe Semblance of Unity

xazuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Gloom's ears were flicked backwards and pressed to his head, his white eyes still watching Horace. He ended up twining himself between Jordan's feet as if to hide himself again but he was careful to not tangle him up and have him fall.

"Gloom is shadows, yes ..." he said in a soft voice, far quieter than usual. "... but also Gloom." It made sense, alright? Jordan was fixed with a very, very upset look from the shadow marten. "Is he going to be okay??"

Just a tad too focused on the fact that Horace was okay than anything else.

The Semblance of Unity

Prolixity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace could tell they were talking, though he wasn't listened to the words so much as focusing on himself. He did, however, take a moment to flap a hand at Gloom and Jordan. He just needed another moment. He'd be okay soon. It was perhaps a boon that he'd come to know just exactly how to pull himself out of a panic attack rather than let it drag on and on, but it still took some minutes.

prolixity

 

[prolixity]

Gloom twined around Jordan's ankles like a cat. He stayed still, so as not to either risk stepping on the shadow creature or tripping over him. "Yes, I think he just needs a minute," Jordan said, looking down at Gloom. He didn't know how long Horace would need to calm down, but they could wait. "I think you surprised him. You surprised me, too."

azuredreams

The Semblance of Unity

 

[azuredreams]

Gloom let out a sad chirp, head moving in what looked like a nod. His ears were still flicked backwards, flat against his head.

"Gloom is sorry ..." That long fluffy tail of his wrapped around his body briefly and hid his face. "For surprising both of ya."

Prolixity

The Semblance of Unity