Prologue

prologue

Miss Helga Goosefoot was a groundling from all over. She had been from the wild, until her family moved into human suburbs when they began to take over their home. When she was a rebellious teenager, she had dubbed herself the name of Helga and ran off to the city. But now, she was a far more relaxed, older groundling. She now resided in a calm human home in which her safety was guaranteed. Her name was known to many by now, most groundlings referring to her as Miss Goosefoot.

But why was she so famous?

Well, that would be because of her rehabilitation program.

Because of the guaranteed safety in her house, many groundlings sought out her home after being discovered or getting injured. She would help them, for however long it took, until they were ready to move on to a new house or back out into the wild.

But the thing that made her house so safe wasn't that, perhaps, it lacked humans.

No.

It simply contained two of the nicest ones she had ever come across.

But no one else had to know that.

♡ GT July 2024 Prompt List ♡

faeries

okie dokie, lets do faeries v avians

General Culture:

Avians: bird like society, family is very important though each child eventually 'leaves the nest'. Their wing type and personality depends on the bird they are born of.

Faeries: cicada like society, they live in large communities underground and will emerge whenever they wish. They do still buzz like cicadas.

Agriculture: Avians don't often grow food, their diet is very bird-like and depends on their respective species diet. Faeries grow many things and enjoy eating the roots of plants. Every few months, a few emerge to go and gather tree sap which is used in teas and also drank raw.

Names:

Avians: Bird names, often based off of species OR the tree they were born in

Faeries: based off of the tree sap they were fed right after birth but sometimes the first root they ate

Human Relationships: Avians are far more likely to have relationships with humans due to the fact that they adapted to human culture and urbanization. Faeries don't often have relationships with humans because they used to be hunted for their wings since they have magical healing properties.

Communication: Avians use a whistle language in addition to the language spoken in their country or city of origin. Faeries use a buzzing language and don't often speak human languages, though they can learn them very quickly

Assorted Fun Facts:

Faeries are closer to the common groundling and suburbian groundling and thus many groundlings know how to mimic the buzzing language AND faeries know the sign language for better communication

Avians are more likely to fall in love with humans than any other small folk

Faeries do possess some magic, but its beginning to die out

The Date (oneshot)

HI. this is my first writing, i hope the g/t community on here likes it

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Sal was not a confident person, they would count themself as far more anxious, in fact. It didn’t help that sometimes they felt as though they had a phobia of Lobians - a newly befriended species that just so happened to be huge. Sal hadn’t even graduated college yet, they were an intern at a company to pay the bills, but they didn’t care much for the work. It would look good on a resume, and that was all that mattered. Lobians were frequent in the office - well not in the office but near it - but Sal never had to talk to them. It wasn’t until they met another paid intern that they first spoke to a Lobian.

“Hi,” he said, a small wave of a hand that could cover Sal like a weighted blanket, “you’re Sal, right?” They looked up from the forms they had been filling out and took a minute just to give him a light nod. “I’m new here - only been working for a few months actually - and my boss told me you’d be the best person to talk to about how to use the copier.” 

“Well, I-I don’t know if you’ll be able to use it,” they began, then realized that if they made this giant angry it could be over for them. “B-but, um, I can copy some things for you, i-if you need.” Sal tapped the papers on the table once, then set them down and stood. The Lobian offered another kind smile and scratched the back of his neck.

“Thank you so much,” he stated, reaching his hand out. Sal flinched and prayed he didn’t notice. He unfurled his fingers - about the size of Sal themself - and in his palm sat a piece of paper, a little wrinkled and wet from the sweat of his palm. Sal offered a nervous smile. 

Little did they know that would be the first of many interactions. Sal eventually learned the Lobians name - it was Ezra. Sal also learned a few other things about Ezra. He was talkative, friendly (at least on the outside), and oblivious as hell. He was denser than a rock. At least Sal knew he’d never get angry over their little flinches or the times Ezra would laugh and Sal would shake for a few moments after that. Still, Ezra scared them, and Sal knew deep down that there was something off about him. Nobody was that happy. 

There was one time, of course, when he slipped that facade. Watching when a man who was several stories tall yells at someone? It’s an experience you don’t forget. It didn’t help that the incident practically confirmed office rumors. People had already begun to claim that Ezra had been violent in the past, that he had anger issues and had only gotten the job because he had intimidated the boss. After the incident, the rumors furthered in severity. The secretary, Jenni, had looked his name up on the internet one time, and an article popped up. Allegedly, when he was sixteen, he had been caught trying to french a human, and then that human was found dead a few days later. Unrelated, the article had said. But Sal didn’t believe it.

“Sal? I had a request, if you aren’t busy.” He poked his head through the balcony window. Sal spun around in their chair, trembling lightly. How could someone so big sneak up on people like that? 

“You, um, you have the floor Ezra.” They noted, sitting on their hands so that they would stop shaking. 

“Would you like to get lunch together?” He asked, his cheeks lightly dusted with red. No. Sal thought. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. They panicked silently with their eyes open and a soft smile on their face. He couldn’t be serious. There was no fucking way. Either way, Sal could not have a choice in the matter. They had seen what happened if Ezra wanted his way - he got it, always.

“Okay,” they practically breathed out the response, their muscles tensing. They flinched when his hand laid down on the balcony. 

“Well, lunch break starts in a couple minutes, you wanna go now?” Sal stared at the hand. They couldn’t take too long in their response, or Ezra might get mad. But even if they said yes, would it be safe to go with him? If he had an unstable past, it surely wasn’t. But, if he had an unstable past, what was stopping him from doing whatever he wanted? So Sal got up from the chair, trembling of course, and sat in his hand. They tried not to look at his face as he blushed again.

Ezra had talked their ear off the whole way there, but Sal hadn’t been listening. They were preoccupied with the fact that they were now on a date with a guy they didn’t like who might’ve had a track record of hurting human partners. They trembled in his hand the whole way to the cushy restaurant, and felt even worse when the giant hostess made a face at them when they walked in. She seated them swiftly, but gave a knowing look to Sal. They’d gotten it before. It was one that meant ‘if you need out of here, just let me know.’ 

“So, I’ve probably bored you with all the nerdy work stuff, what do you want to do outside of filing papers all day?” Ezra asked, still oblivious to Sal’s discomfort. They fiddled with their fingers in their lap.

“I-I’m studying to be a psychologist right now, but, um, I don’t know if that’s what I’m going to go with yet.” They said, using the menu as a shield to hide behind. Ezra looked at his own menu, but continued the conversation.

“That’s really cool, Sal!” He noted loudly, though he changed the subject with a laugh. His laughter was always so unrestrained and loud, but now it felt mocking, which only added to Sal’s discomfort. He smiled playfully, “I know just what you should get. The fish and chips! Ha, I still remember when you told Jenni about how much you hated fish.” Sal’s toes curled inside their shoes and they desperately tried to make themself look smaller. How had he even known about that conversation? He wasn’t even a part of it? Had he just been listening to everything they said? When the waiter finally came, Ezra ordered himself a chicken parmesan sandwich. 

Sal ordered fish and chips. 

“Hey, you know I was just joking, right? You-you didn’t have to order the fish and chips.” Ezra suddenly got quiet and lower to the table. Closer to eye level. His face changed, and for a minute Sal’s brain lied to them about what it meant. It was by no means an angry face, but the sudden shift in Ezra’s mood made them more twitchy. Sal kept quiet, their eyes keeping away from him like the way he looked was poison. “Sal? Are…you okay?” Sal’s gaze snapped up to meet him and they nodded quickly. It was then Ezra caught on. “Oh. Oh no. Not again.” He gasped lightly and sat back up again. Sal tensed and he noticed. “I-I. Sal, you aren’t…no. No. I didn’t- I’m sorry.” He stood up from the table. “I-I’m going to the restroom.” Sal was left alone at the table.

~

He’d done it again. This happened so many times. Ezra would meet someone, mistaken their complacence was kindness, and then think they were way closer than they were. He looked at himself in the mirror of the bathroom, desperately messing with his hair.

“Oh god, no. I-I didn’t mean to-.” He didn’t know how to deal with it, so he just cried. He slumped onto the sinks and cried. Soon enough, someone came to check on him. 

“Hey man, you okay?” It was the waiter that was waiting his table. He looked up at him and sniffled.

“I-I did it again. I th-thought- I didn’t know.” The waiter just looked at him, confused.

“Your date sent me, by the way.” He added, washing his hands. “You might wanna head back out there.” Ezra splashed some water on his face, took in a deep breath, and let out a ragged exhale. When he got back to the table, the food had arrived, but he wasn’t hungry anymore.

“Listen, Sal, I am so sorry. I-I thought we were friends, and I didn’t know that you were…” he trailed off, his eyes refreshing with tears again. He slumped on the table, not wanting to look at the little face he had admired. There was a soft touch on his forehead and his head slowly moved up. Sal was standing right in front of his face, shaking, but there.

“N-No. I-I’m sorry, Ezra. I-I should’ve…” It was then he took in their nervous body language and recognised it as the language that had been there the whole time. That first day with the copier, he knew they were nervous then, but he assumed they had never talked to one of his kind before.

“Sal, I-I’m going to quit.” He said quickly and quietly. “I-I’m so sorry I didn’t notice before- oh god, I-I’m so sorry.” Ezra cried softly, mindful of how close Sal was to him. 

“No, no, y-you don't have to do that, i-its okay, really.” Sal tried to assure him, though they were shaking and stuttering. Ezra sighed into the table.

“I…is everyone there afraid of me too?” He asked softly, terrified of the answer.

“Well I-I know Mr. P isn't,” they offered.

“That's the boss, he doesn't count.” Ezra frowned. “I-I’m so sorry. It wasn't supposed to go like this again.” Sal gave him a confused look. “This isn't the first time I fell in love with someone who was afraid of me.” He commented, not really wanting to speak on it further.

“I-Is that what that article was about?” Sal asked themself quietly, probably trying to make it so Ezra couldn't hear them. But he did.

“What article?” He began to sit up. Sal flinched and he clenched his aching fingers.

“Jenni showed us an article, um, about…you.” Sal said, legs shaking. Ezra inhaled sharply.

“Oh. Wh-what was it about, anyway?” He had a hunch, but he needed to hear it from someone else just in case it wasn't what he thought. Sal took a deep breath and backed away, like they were afraid he was going to lash out. His stomach sank, knowing that fear was actually reasonable. He had freaked out at the boss a few weeks ago.

He was interning in HR, and somebody had voiced a complaint about him. Instead of doing the reasonable thing and saving his frustration for later like he typically did in the presence of humans, he expressed his frustration to his boss. Loudly. For a minute he forgot the office was made almost entirely out of windows and he yelled about it. Mr. Picker had told him softly that he could have the rest of the day off, and so Ezra left early that day.

“Um,” Sal's voice brought his attention out of his thoughts. “It was about something that happened when you were sixteen. I-It involved a human who later died and, um, yeah.” Ezra covered his eyes with his hands and began to cry again. “Ezra? I-I’m sorry.”

He was sixteen and in love with a human boy at his school. By now the two had begun dating, and Ezra had thought things were going well, at least, until the police burst in when they were getting very passionate. It turned out that Ezra's boyfriend hadn't been in love with him, in fact he was afraid of him. A few days later, his ex was found dead and he was taken to court over it. It was the most stressful time in his life, and he became more angry as a result. He was tired and scared.

“No, no, i-its partly true. I-I had done what I did to you, b-but it went further than it should have. B-but I didn't kill him.” He said, not looking at Sal at all. There were a few moments of silence between them as he cried. “I-I’m so sorry, it makes sense why you're all so afraid.”

“I'm sorry I judged you so quickly. That was wrong of me.” Sal commented, not able to look at Ezra. “Let's just go back to the office.” Ezra wiped his face.

“I shouldn't carry you right now. I'm sorry.” He said, sniffling. “I shouldn't have taken you out. I should have known better.” His head was laid in his arms and he kept his gaze away from Sal.

“Focusing on the should’ves doesn't help.” Sal said automatically, but then Ezra looked at them and they flinched. “I-I mean from a psychological standpoint.” Ezra laughed breathily.

“I know,” he wiped his eyes, “it's just really easy to.” The pair sat there in silence for a few minutes. “Thank you for not, I don't know, running away or screaming or hiding from me.” Sal gave him an honest soft smile.

“It's the least I could've done.”

Eventually, the two of them made it back to the office and were called in by Mr. Picker. Ezra was fully ready to take the fall, but Sal surprised him when they told their boss about all the ways Ezra was doing well at his job. He almost cried for the third time that day when Sal said they would stake their career on him. He would get to work there, but Mr. Picker was changing his job to be a delivery boy between employees to help prevent the collective fear due to ignorance.

Another weirdly specific brainrot is plagging me-

Imagine finding some item at a pawnshap/garage sale/thift shop, Maybe the item is a little figuring, maybe it's a book- whatever it is, the item is fairly small. Upon bringing it home, you start feeling weird. Your head hurts. Thinking it's a migraine, you grab the item and go to head to bed, only-

It yelps.

In a panic you drop it.

It screams.

At first you're quite freaked out, but upon realizing that the item is far more freaked out, you start to calm down. They, whatever it is they are, have been bound to that item, fully aware and conscious- able to feel and perceive, yet completely helpless and unable to do anything. Just an inanimate object. You're the first person that's been able to hear them. They're desperate for your help, though you can tell they're still terrified of you. You're huge to them, and they are quite literally unable to do anything except beg you be gentle.

It's odd, comforting an item, especially one so very terrified of you, but you do your best.

After some time, through conscious actions or random happenstance, you're able to figure out how exactly they're bound to the item- a small binding insignia scrawled on the surface of the item. All you'd need to do is interrupt the lines of ink and they'd be freed, returned to whatever body they came from.

Maybe you've grown close, and the notion of them leaving is sad, maybe the item is absolutely annoying and you're so very excited to get them out of your hair- whatever the case, you do it.

Though things don't work as expected.

They don't return to their body... in that, the item doesn't just go silent as the bound soul zips off to reunite with its body. No- instead, the item glows, taking on a human shape. It grows, but to your horror- it doesn't stop at 6ft. Not 7 or 8.... the once-object-now-person keeps growing beyond the limits of what's humanly possible. Are they 12ft? 20?? 50?? Up to you- but they're clearly far too big to be human, and suddenly, that feeling of powerlessness they once felt is now very unpleasantly relatable.

Is it a magic mishap? Are they from another world? A different species? Perhaps they're dangerous, bound for a specific reason. Are they grateful? Annoyed? Angry???

Adhdjsfjdjd I just think there's so much odd potential from what is essentially a very odd size swap. Lots of potential for both angst and sillys and very unique fearplay, and that combo is my go to happy meal.

G/T Dialogue for Story Inspiration!!

“That’s it. I’ve had it. In my pocket you go.”

“I can make that jump! You just have to trust me!”

“Little one? No please don’t hide again!”

“Christ- you’re huge. Wait- is that offensive? IM SORRY-“

“Stop moving! I don’t wanna drop you-“

“Cities look entirely different from this point of view…”

“Why are they running? I just wanted friends…”

“See this needle? You do NOT wanna be on the other side of it- big guy!”

“You literally bought me a tiny Remote control car…”

“God you’re adorable! I might just keep you like this- kidding! Unless-“