Pictures in the Dark

[formidable]

General PSL/FUNBOX post for aurajen and formidable. Lots of OC shenanigans. ➢ Cool Mood Music No. 1 ➤ Cool Mood Music No. 2

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[mallom]

[Malus blinks, because honestly, this is treading on the outskirts of being plain confusing. Her reactions are strange, but individuality was always something he struggled with when trying to read the emotions of humans. It tired him, how varying they could all be at times.]

What's easier? [Because yes, he heard that.]

[gorgone]

To pick on of course!

[Lulu waggles her finger at him as if the answer is obvious, vindictive as it was.]

Human males have a tendency to swagger around to try and make their physical presence more intimidating than it actually is. It's much more fun when you remind them that the opposite is true.

[Somehow, it's getting wildly off-topic, but that's Lulu for you.]

[mallom]

...All right. [IF YOU SAY SO? Of course, it's not like he can argue that what Lulu's saying is inherently untrue.]

But that implies that you're picking on me for no real reason, I'll have you know. [He hesitates.] And you also skirted around the issue of why you asked me such a strange question.

[gorgone]

[Some guys are passing by, glancing at Lulu as if trying to catch her attention with knowing glances. But she ignores them and instead opts to lean in, with one hand raised to her lips as she whispers to Mallus.]

Because you're not human are you?

[mallom]

[He leans back in response, still not completely comfortable with this lack of personal space between them -- his frown deepens, and he looks over her for a moment, with consideration.

She wouldn't be the first person he's met that can tell when something is off about him, but she's the first to jump right to the conclusion that he isn't human. Either she's certain because of... some talent she possesses, or she's making a very bold, educated guess. Either way, Malus is careful about his response.]

Correct and incorrect. I am very much human now; but a lifetime ago, I wasn't.

[He pauses again. He speaks plainly, not caring about who overhears because honestly, there's so much noise at this party. He doubts anyone except for her is listening in so intently.]

Who are you? Or should I be asking you the same thing? What are you?

[gorgone]

[Lulu positions her arms by leaning back to look up at nothing in particular as she decides what her response is going to be.]

A lifetime... Could it be that you're older than me then??

[A shrug as she contemplates what seems to be an amusing notion to her.]

I'm a monster. A specific one mind you, but I don't know what you are so I doubt that you would know what I was unless you've heard of it during one of said lifetimes.

[She whimsically gestures with one hand as she talks. It just goes to show how animated she was.]

[mallom]

[He could almost say with certainty that he's older than her. He hasn't met anyone yet who's older than him; yet he only shrugs in response. It isn't of consequence to him, nor is it something he would wish to flaunt anytime soon.

He does show a spark of interest at the mention of her being a monster, however.]

I've lived on Earth for a long time. I've probably heard of your kind in passing, or maybe more intimately. Who knows? [He's seen a lot in his day.] There's no name for my kind. What's the name for yours?

[gorgone]

[Her answer? Blunt and straightforward.]

Gorgon.

[A pause and she looks around to make sure no one is listening in and thankfully, people are more interested in boobs and ogling at each other than this odd pair so she lets out a chuckle.]

Well, not THE Gorgon, but a Gorgon. A bit of a difference there.

[mallom]

[He blinks in what might be interpreted as faint surprise. He's not sure what answer he expected, but gorgon wasn't one of them -- he knows of the myths, though now is his chance to sort truth versus fiction.]

And what is the difference? The Gorgon versus a Gorgon? Could you petrify me, if you wanted?

[gorgone]

Now, now! [She flaps her hand at him at the ridiculousness of the notion.]

You'd have to disappoint me after a few dates for me to resort to that. And that's being generous!

[mallom]

Dates? [What. He scoffs, not even worrying about sounding rude.] Who said anything about dates?

But basically, the answer is yes, right?

[gorgone]

It's a joke, dear.

But yes, petrifying is one of my repertoires.

[mallom]

[Does this look like a man who jokes very often? He just figured Lulu was being presumptuous; how would he know otherwise, having just met her?

Regardless, he just raises a brow at her.]

Well, remind me not to ever get on your bad side. [He sighs.] What's a gorgon doing at a pool party, then?

[Of course, the same could be asked of himself, but never mind that!]

[gorgone]

Oh, simple really. I crashed!

[Well, somehow that's not surprising given how she's presented herself so far.]

No one's complaining as you can see.

[mallom]

...Really? [He can't decide if he's impressed or concerned.] Even I was invited.

[And of course no one's going to complain to see a pretty young woman at a pool party, he thinks to himself, but doesn't find it necessary to share those thoughts.

Still, why did she have to take over his chaise lounge?]

Is that what a Gorgon does now? Crash parties and steal perfectly good seats? How things must have changed in the years past.

[gorgone]

Just occasionally. My sisters didn't want to leave the house so I decided to stalk somewhere else, is all. Not that there's much going on here.

[She twirls a strand of her hair idly.]

But you talked to me and got me to notice that something was off about you. At least something got done today.

[mallom]

[...And now he doesn't know if he should be offended or just... what.]

I'm not a line on an itemized list to be checked off, you know. And I'm of the opinion that there's too much going on here. Everyone's so loud; the bass of the music literally feels like it's jostling my ribcage around. The men are too drunk and the women are too loose.

[At least he tells it like it is.]

[gorgone]

[She lets out a laugh, wholly amused by him.]

Well then, ditch! What's stopping you?

[mallom]

[A shrug of slender shoulders. It's a legitimate question.]

I was dragged along by a friend. Probably expected me to be his wingman, or something like that. Seems like he doesn't even really need my help.

[So basically he's bumming around because he has nothing better to do.]

[gorgone]

You have an actual friend???

[LULU...]

[mallom]

[r u d e]

And what is that supposed to mean?

[gorgone]

[the rudest monster on this side of the galaxy probably]

Mm. Well, now that I think about it, having a friend isn't unusual. It'd be more unusual as a human to have no friends whatsoever especially after several years, right?

[mallom]

I suppose that depends on the person. I've met plenty of humans with few friends, who lead happy lives.

[He flips the question around.] What of your friends? [What kind of friends do Gorgons have? DOES THIS RUDE LADY HAVE FRIENDS?]

[gorgone]

Sisters, like I said. We're not quite blood related, but our origins are the same.

[They're all Gorgons, each had been a strand of snake hair at some point in time. But they strangely looked different from each other with only a few unifying features that linked them to each other.]

As for the mundane, not many. I'm much too abrasive.

[ah, so she is aware]

[mallom]

[He sets his jaw at the mention of her sister again. Family. At least she was friendly with hers. He couldn't quite say the same.] Mm. [-is his only real response to that, though.

As for being abrasive... Malus thinks, Isn't it worse to be self-aware of your own faults and not bother trying to fix them?] Maybe you should work on that.