singillatim | (open) i am not a builder

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(open) i am not a builder

Who: Bigby and you!
What: An encounter with an old woman and tea - and the possibility of seeing a memory of the Big Bad Wolf.
When: Somewhere between the middle to the end of August.
Where: A little bit outside Milton.

Content Warnings: Gore and people getting eaten (by a wolf) throughout all the memories. Think about the fairy tales about the Big Bad Wolf, those are practically the themes you're dealing with.

[ As it so happens, you and Bigby both seem to have come across the old woman. Maybe you were out there with Bigby while running into her, or maybe it's a total coincidence that you're both sitting here with her. Either way, the end result is the same-- a talk with the old woman, and then the woman moving to offer you both tea.

Bigby seems.. a little unsure of the offer, but he also knows that sometimes refusing is actually the wrong thing to do. You don't want to piss off a witch, after all, and this woman is very mysterious.

So even though he doesn't refuse the offer, he does give you a cautious glance, muttering only loud enough for you to hear: ]

Let's keep an eye on each other, just so we notice if it has some weird effect.

( ooc: this log is an opportunity to see a memory of bigby's past as the big bad wolf! i will be giving different memories to people, so feel free to tag in with a reply to the above starter and then i'll kick in a unique fun (okay, maybe not so fun, actually) memory for the thread!

also, replying with either brackets or prose is fine! i will match! c: )

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We could have just not stopped.

[ They could have kept going, the way they meant to, heading into the woods to some lonely place where they could both shift and Bigby could show her more of what it's like to be wolf and not just human. She could go off on her own, of course, but ever since her dream and the first times she'd shifted, she's almost craved companionship, the wolf under her skin constantly seeking friends, seeking pack.

So she hangs here with him, eying the cup of tea in her hands, breathing in the sweet-smelling steam that lifts from its surface and making arguments just for the sake of arguing. They did stop, and they did accept some tea, and now they're in for... wnatever they're in for.

At least she's with Bigby. They can watch each other's backs. Wynonna lifts her cup to him in a mock toast. ]

Bottoms up/

The effect that I'll be warm for a little bit?

[ Is this probably a bad idea? Sure. But Bigby's here and the old lady isnt' transforming into the fucking baba yaga, so it's probably fine. He does look Bigby dead in the eye while he takes a long sip, doing a fairly good job of not making a face as the extremely hot water nearly burns him. ]

Of course it has a "weird effect," man. You know where you are?

[ Lalo snorts. He picks up on the same vibe Bigby does. That refusing might come with unexpected, unintended consequences. But then, so could accepting. Lalo holds his cup, but doesn't drink from it.

It gives him pause that Bigby seems reluctant to argue with this woman, though. So for now he just smiles politely at her, holding his cup, not drinking from it but not tossing it out either. ]

[ Bigby rolls his eyes just slightly at the first remark - though he doesn't seem genuinely annoyed as he does so, considering that he does understand what Wynonna means by it. The context she means it in. Bigby still can't say he's the best person around at this whole social thing, but something about both being wolves now definitely makes it easier to understand someone from his pack.

It's why he even moves his own glass over to tap it against hers, like they're toasting, before putting it back to his own mouth and downing the entire thing in one go. Like it's a shot, rather than a glass of tea to sip.

But as they drink, something changes. It's like they're no longer sitting in the forest together. Instead there's-- darkness, though after a moment it might be easier to tell that it's not pure darkness, but just a dark room in front of them. A door creaks open, pouring some more light into the room, making it clear that it's an older person's bedroom. There is someone in the bed too, though it's hard to make out who or what exactly in this darkness, just a formless shape.

And in the doorway - the reason the door opened at all - is a young girl, wearing a little red cape with a hood on it, curiously peering into the room.

Bigby, right next to Wynonna in his usual human form, groans as he realizes what's going on. What they're seeing. ]

The tea's bad. [ He says, rather than addressing anything about what's happening in front of them as the girl heads into the room with a soft question of "Grandmother?" ]

[ Bigby manages to roll his eyes before putting his own cup to his lips and doing the same thing. In fact, Bigby isn't even just doing a long sip, he's just downing that entire cup in one go like it's some sort of shot he's taking. He - similarily - also doesn't seem to react all that much to how hot the liquid must be as it's going down his throat, but maybe that's since Bigby is a little distracted.

Because he can see something in front of him, all of a sudden. March can too, if he looks. It's like they have been taken out of the snowy landscape they've been living in for months upon months now into a place that seems greener-- a meadow.

And standing there, in the middle of the open space, is a house seemingly made out of nothing but straw.

Bigby makes a pained face the moment he sees it, like he's realizing something. ]

Oh god no.

[ He's not too surprised Lalo isn't drinking right away. It fits with the image that Bigby has of the other. Someone who's obnoxiously social and loud, sure, but also does seem to think about things pretty thoroughly.

But even though Bigby also knows the drink is obviously suspicious, he knows at the same time that refusing may not exactly be the right option either. He eyes the woman for a moment, but then fully turns to look at the other guy. ]

Yeah, but I don't think we're going to get a choice. [ He eyes the drink Lalo is holding - a little more obviously this time, like he's silently telling the other to drink up - before raising his gaze back to the other's face.

He lowers his tone so it's just audible to the two of them before adding: ]

Look, I'll drink first. [ It isn't like Bigby to force anyone else with him to do so first, after all. ] If anything weird happens, I'm trusting you to get me out of here. Got it?

( it's the whole you don't want to piss off a witch, that keeps jason sitting down. because he doesn't know who the hell she is, what the fuck is in this tea, or what she's getting out of sharing with them. for all they know, it could be poison. but if she wanted to kill them, there are easier ways to try and go about that.

so he's here. cup of tea in his hands, suspicion clear on his face while he eyes the liquid.

and tips his head back to bigby. )

Age before beauty. ( if it is poison, jason can at least attempt to keep bigby up. you know. if he isn't dying. )

[ Bigby is trusting him??? BIGBY IS TRUSTING HIM??? Lalo is delighted, all misgivings float away instantly! Lalo gives Bigby a big smile. ]

Got it!

[ Lalo is good at getting people out of situations! He can do this! ]

[ She opens her mouth to say nah, tastes fine to me, only to shut it with a snap as some... scene unfolds around them. In them? She hasn't moved, can still feel the ground beneath her and the cold that lingers against her skin, but they sure as hell aren't sitting at tea time any more.

Everything moves strangely as she looks around, like it's building itself just in time for her to see it before dissipating again at the edges of her vision. ]

Is that—

[ A bed, with a blanket-covered lump that's just waiting, pretending to sleep. A little girl in a red cloak. Grandmother? ]

You have got to be kidding me.

[ It's at least the good thing about having Jason here with him. Bigby knows that if something happens, it's not like Jason is just going to abandon him - no matter what he might pretend at times. On the other hand, it also means the Jason is stuck here in this situation too, which is less ideal.

Then again, there's nothing to be done about it. Nothing to be done about this situation in general unless Bigby wants to dare risk whatever this old lady's wrath could be, so he raises the cup to his lips, downing it in one go, like it's a shot rather than tea. Easier to be done with it all at once.

He opens his mouth after he swallows, wanting to tell the younger guy that it doesn't feel like there's something wrong with them, but then it's like their surroundings shift. They're no longer sitting in the woods with the old lady. They are still in the snow, but this place seems even more barren. There's no trees. There's nothing but endless fields of snow, and a huge stone castle standing in the middle of it all.

There's a man in front of the castle. He is a tall, muscled and imposing figure, with hair as white as snow and a mustache. Strangely enough the man looks both ancient and yet intimidating at the same time, like there's a strength to him that doesn't seem to match his age. Like a buff Santa, really.

Bigby instantly grumbles from where he's standing next to Jason: ]

Fucking-- [ At least he doesn't sound scared. He just sounds annoyed.

Worse than annoyed, actually. He looks outright angry when he manages to tear his gaze away from the man for long enough to instead look at Jason. ]

Alright, forget the alarm. It's just a memory.

[ He sure sounds angry though, for this being 'just' a memory.

In the distance a dark wolf is running through the snow towards the castle - and towards the man. ]

[ Okay, maybe that's a little bit too much enthusiasm on Lalo's end-- But beggars can't be choosers. And Bigby is stuck here with Lalo, so relying on the other it is.

He puts the cup to his lips, and then just throws his head back to down the entire thing in one go. Like it's an alcoholic shot, rather than a cup of tea. But maybe the man just wants to get this over with as soon as possible, no matter what might happen. Or if nothing might happen at all.

It seems like the latter sure is a false hope though, because as the two men are sitting there, their surroundings change. The old woman vanishes, the snow vanishes. Even the tree vanishes, leaving the two of them sitting in the middle of a field instead.

But the field.. isn't empty. Far from it. Everywhere around them, as far as the eye can see, are bodies. Most of them are clad in gear that you'd only see on medieval soldiers, rather than something more modern - and every single body has been completely torn to pieces. ]

Oh, god.

[ One might think that would be an exclamation of worry, given the fact that the sight around them isn't exactly fun. Or reassuring.

But rather than sounding worried, Bigby sounds much more exasperated for some reason. ]

Don't.

[ Look, he knows that Wynonna can be sensitive about some things. He knows she isn't some total asshole, else he wouldn't have bothered to befriend her in the first place.

But he also knows she can be a smart-ass about things, and he doesn't feel like hearing her be that way about the situation in front of them right now. He knows it's just a story to her, that Wynonna is a mundy when it comes down to it - but it's very real for him. ]

I don't know what you were about to say. But just-- don't. [ He watches as the girl slowly moves through the cabin.

.. it's been so long since he's seen her, he only now realizes. She never made it out of the Homelands, people said. ]

But I'm not in the mood for jokes about this, alright?

[ Bigby is grumbling, but at least he doesn't sound outright angry. Not yet, anyway. It's Wynonna, so he's giving her some leeway. ]

( bigby downs the whole thing in one go, which jason would call him out on that being a really stupid move to take, but - eh. guy's thousands of years old, ain't he? if he's that stupid at this age, that's his problem.

jason's a little more cautious. lets it touch his lip enough he can taste it, to see if anything is off about it. aside from it being extremely dissatisfying tea, he can't really - taste anything off about it.

but they go from sitting in the snow with tea and a freaky old lady to standing in the snow with less greenery, which isn't much of an improvement. especially when it becomes evident that bigby is not happy with this change-up. and despite jason intentionally trying to piss him off before, he doesn't take the anger currently radiating off of him as a good opening to really set him off. there's nothing to gain from it, here.

so jason takes a different route.

huffs out a sigh with a shake of his head. )

Damn, and you couldn't give me another two seconds to do the whole "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore" thing?

( do you hear how disappointed he is, bigby. like waking up after getting bashed in the head is pretty standard, but waking up in another snow-covered hell in one piece at least deserves a line of its own. especially with a guy saying he's the big bad wolf.

maybe he'll just start calling bigby 'toto' anyway. for fun.

except there's a massive fucking wolf that jason catches out of the corner of his eye and he's - stepping to the side, back to bigby but closer, hand hovering over where his knife's settled at his side. his shoulders are a little stiff, but he gets the it's just a memory bit--ish. )

Don't tell me you ate Santa.

That's not Santa, kid.

[ There's not a joke. Sure, there often isn't one with Bigby, but he does make dry remarks most of the time. Especially around Jason, when he wants the other to know that he's not just plainly letting him walk all over him.

Right now there's none of that. There's not even the vaguest hint of playfulness around Bigby. He also seems alert, but in a different way than Jason. He's not anticipating potential danger, but he's anticipating.. something. It's in the set of his shoulders, drawn tight, Bigby's entire body seeming like it's tightly wound up, ready to blow. ]

That's--

[ Bigby doesn't have to say it.

Because it's the large man near the two of them that speaks up first. He lets out a huff, before speaking with a voice that sounds-- strange, almost, like this man is bigger than life in some way, more than just human. ]

This again? Wouldn't the runt know better than to try this all over again? What is this, the fifth time? [ The look in his eyes is cold.

But then again, the huge wolf doesn't look all that much friendlier. But there's no coldness in its eyes - instead there's heat, a burning anger as it snaps back at the man: ] Oh, so now you're paying attention, dear father? Except you aren't, because it's the sixth.

[ Bigby's fist - the human's, obviously - curls up even more tightly into a fist as he watches it all. ]

( jason plays the part of an idiot well enough when it suits him, but despite attempts to throw himself into that box - he's observant. dangerously so, on occasion. bigby doesn't throw any half-attempts to snark back at him, which is telling enough. he's on edge about something, and whatever that something is, it's not good.

which becomes all the more clear when the man speaks up, and the wolf responds. he recognizes that look in the wolf's--bigby's--eyes, recognizes the words even if jason couldn't explain how the hell he can, but it's - uncomfortably close to circumstances jason doesn't want to get into. ones that leave him understanding bigby's lack of retort, has his mouth pressing into a tight line as eyes fall to where the guy's hands are curled into fists.

jason wants to get snarky, wants to offer a ha, daddy issues. really? or something else equally stupid just to see if he can get a rise out of bigby and ease up the tension here, but he instead just - holds his knife by the hilt and raises it towards the guy who isn't santa. )

Bet I can land this right between his eyes.

( it's a memory, ain't it? jason doubts hitting something that isn't there's gonna cause all that much of an issue. )

Oh god yes!

[ March, on the other hand, is delighted. He lets out a cheer, grabbing at Bigby's shoulders, enthused despite the other's stormy attitude, and shaking him with all his might. This has no affect on Bigby due to the fact that March has the strength of a wet noodle. ]

What the hell just happened? There's fucking grass, Bigs!

[ At first it almost seems like Bigby might not answer, given how much his gaze seems to be clued to the scene in front of them, watching the man with the white hair speak. ]

Don't use that name as if you mean anything to me. [ Said man snaps back to the wolf - obviously angry, but his voice low, rumbling, like an incoming thunderstorm. ] You are just like your brothers-- All of you mistakes.

[ ...

Finally Bigby speaks, still looking at the scene, rather than over at Jason. Like either he doesn't want to look at him right now, or he doesn't want to look away from the memory in front of them. ]

Go ahead.

[ His voice is steeled, yet also.. emptier than the usual. It's hard to figure out what emotion is in there, if any at all. ]

You know you won't hit anything anyway. [ It's why Bigby is letting Jason (though he's sure the other would have, even without his permission, because it's Jason). Because he knows this is just a memory, and his asshole father can't lash out at Jason - something Bigby would hate to see happen for an entire mixture of complicated emotions in all directions. ]

Why are you so excited?!

[ Bigby doesn't sound angry, mind you. He just sounds exasperated, like he just took a little kid on a field trip and now doesn't know how to deal with said kid. Especially since he's being.. just.. very lightly rocked by March's intense shaking at best.. ]

You know this isn't real, right? [ That almost sounds like a plea.

Like Bigby really wants to believe that March isn't that stupid. There's got to be a braincell knocking around in there somewhere, right? R-Right? ]

[ March is completely unphased. He does stop shaking him, but his fingers are still digging into the other's shoulders pretty hard. ]

I'm gonna need you to let me have this, pal. This is as close as I can get to concrete and sun so hot it makes the entire city stink.

Where is this?

Who's joking? I wasn't joking.

[ She knows the story. Everyone knows the story, the one about not trusting strangers, about staying on the path, so on and so forth and all the rest of that goody-goody bullshit. Wynonna's never been a fan. She stepped off the path and embraced the wolf years before she showed up in this dump.

Bigby's tense, almost shivering with it, and she probably would make jokes if he weren't right here and stressed enough to snap. ]

This all really happened?

[ Thankfully Bigby can't really bring himself to care about the way March's fingers are digging into his flesh - mostly because he has so much else to think about. Especially when he can only imagine the sort of dumb questions and jokes March could make about all this.

Seriously, did this place have to decide to show this to March of all people? Ugh. ]

Homelands. [ He says, almost curtly, but then realizes that won't say a thing to this dude. ] That's where I'm from.

[ Maybe March can use his PI braincells to put something together here, because something else is appearing in the grassy landscape. It's a large wolf - larger than any natural wolf on Earth, anyway - sneaking through the grass in the direction of the straw house. ]

[ At least he doesn't snap at her when she says that - especially when Wynonna asks that instead, which feels like a much more normal question in the face of this than just some dumb joke.

Bigby does make an attempt to visibly relax - exhaling, flexing his fingers at his sides - but it isn't really working. There's still a tension about him as the girl moves closer and closer to the bed. ]

Yeah.

[ His eyes are focused on the young girl in the hood. ]

That's how these stories exist in you guys' worlds in the first place. Everything that happens in the Homelands is put into the minds of writers in all other worlds. [ Another exhale.

He's still tense. ]

And you know how this story goes, right?

Yeah, I know it.

[ Everyone knows it: the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf that did his best to eat her and her helpless old grandmother right up. Hell, it's a classic.

Bigby's doing his best not to snap right in half. It doesn't seem to really be working all that well.

Who can blame him? They've already had this conversation, the one where they talk about all the shit people blame them for, about all the bad choices and how sometimes it seems like the world will never be able to move past them. She slides a glance his way as the girl comes close to the bed, lured by the predator pretending to be her dear old granny. ]

You okay?

This is fairytale land.

[ March lets go only because he's moving a little closer, intent on staring at the figure he soon realizes is a wolf. Big, intimidating. ]

Holy shit--that's you.

[ He moves a few more steps closer towards it, delight on his face. It's an odd sort of look, causing him to look almost boyish. Sheer, unadultered child-like wonder is flooding the face of someone who hasn't felt it in a very, very long time. ]

Are you looking for the three pigs? Red Riding Hood? This is gold.

[ Bigby's grumpy. March chalks it up to his usual self. ]

( there's no bullshitting his way out of this one. bigby's watching as if he's waiting for the memory to bite him, there's no emotion behind his tone, and jason's stuck here regardless of whether or not he wants to witness whatever's going on between bigby and his dad.

so jason - changes tactics. )

I tried to kill mine, once. ( it's not the same empty tone bigby uses, but more flippant. superficial. like he's not thinking too hard about the words coming out of his mouth. ) After I'd died and come back. I was pissed. Not 'cause I'd keeled over, but because the asshole who'd beaten the shit out of me and blew me up alongside my birth mother was still alive. He hadn't avenged me. I stuck a bomb under his car, where I knew he wouldn't find it in time. Waited until he came back 'round, holding my fingers over the detonator. I was ready for it. To end him. 'til he'd gotten in the car and I'd gone to push the button an' I realized--it wasn't going to fix what happened. It wouldn't make me feel better. Asshole didn't even know I was alive. It wouldn't've meant anything.

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