What makes us Human?

some  ideas  for  first  meeting  prompts  that  may  help  break  the  ice  between  characters .  feel  free  to  amend  contexts  &  roles  where  required !  violent  &  alcohol  related  prompts  present . 

trigger warnings apply for … well, trauma. no specific trauma listed but post includes mentions of: reporting  trauma, PTSD, self-blaming, and self-doubt.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“You didn’t do anything to provoke them.”

“You should have been believed the first time.”

“I don’t think it matters how you reacted.”

“Did you report it?”

“You’re the expert about it. It was your experience.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Something’s hurting you. Talk to me.”

“Do you want me to help you make a report?”

“It can take years for PTSD symptoms to develop. A few months isn’t abnormal.”

“And you did that… alone?”

“’I survived it’ isn’t usually what you say about positive experiences.”

“How long has it been a problem?”

“Do you want me to come to the hospital/psychologist/etc with you?”

“… Well. Fuck them.”

“That wasn’t fair.”

“You’re a good person, you know.”

“What you did before or during or after it doesn’t matter. It still shouldn’t have happened.”

don't make promises you can't keep, darling.

i'm pretty sure you said that to me last time.

everyone else bores me. not you.

you're the only one who ever held my attention.

i'm quite a fan of yours.

this is how it always has to be.

i suppose we're just going to keep doing this?

you always find a way to surprise me.

you're getting better at this, you know.

have you ever considered... us?

now now. not in front of my friends.

behave yourself, or i'm warning you...

when did you start looking at me like that?

i never knew you felt that way about me.

i'm not crossing a line. you are.

i thought you promised to behave.

we talked about this last time.

have you ever thought about what it might feel like to kiss me?

i've only ever thought of you.

wipe that cute, smug look off your face.

i wish you would take this seriously.

what does this mean to you? is it serious, or just flirting?

that's not what you used to say.

keep talking like that and i might end up in your arms.

you know me better than anyone on earth.

is that your way of asking me to bed?

you say that every time, but you never mean it.

how long have you been staring at me?

you're looking rather beautiful tonight.

you flatter me, dear.

everyone knows you want to fuck me.

i could use some time with you. alone.

what if i kissed you right now?

do you touch yourself when you think of me?

you know all my hiding places.

figured you'd find out i was here.

have you been keeping an eye on me?

do you ache for me?

you know my blood better than my heart does.

you must be so lonely.

everything is easier when you're here.

i hate that i think of you.

i wish you would just kiss me.

it's a shame we can never be together.

this is just flirting. this will always be just flirting.

that's not what you usually say when we're alone.

must you always make things so complicated?

you give me such a headache.

oh please. don't flatter yourself.

does it ever get tiring, being so beautiful?

the song made me think of you.

this isn't normal for us. acting this way.

i thought you liked keeping things at arm's length.

i know, i know. you don't want to get involved.

WORDS

“Where did you get those?”

“Is that…. somebody’s hand?”

“Is that… a bootprint?”

“It’ll look worse before it looks better.”

“Come on. Let’s get it wrapped up.”

“Do you want some painkillers?”

“Let me guess, I should ‘see the other guy’?”

“How’d you get a black eye?”

“I know you don’t do it on purpose, but I wish you’d stop coming home bruised.”

“I like the new look. It suits you.”

“Ouch, that looks like it hurts.”

“Talk to me.”

“You shouldn’t end up with bruises because you disagree with them. You know that, right?”

“Will you tell me how it happened?”

“Come and sit with me.”

ACTIONS

(send ‘+reverse’ to reverse the roles, or specify which muse is which!)

[sit] – sender comes and sits next to a bruised receiver. no words, just warmth.

[care] – sender provides physical care for receiver’s bruises (ice pack, wrapping them up, etc)

[shower] – sender takes one look at a bruised and bloody receiver, and goes to run them a shower. hot showers fix everything.

[offer] – sender has something they know receiver will want, and because receiver has had a bad enough day as it is, sender gives it to them. it’s the little things.

[stay] – sender offers receiver a place to stay, so that – wherever they got these bruises – they don’t have to go back.

[concussion] – sender checks receiver for a concussion, because it’s very possible receiver has one.

Does sleep come easy to them or no? What does their bedtime routine look like?

If they could only have one food for the rest of their life, what would it be?

What would the bring with them to pass the time on a long flight?

Do they play an instrument? If not, have the ever wanted to learn?

What movies are the most nostalgic for them?

Do they know how to cook? If so, what’s their favorite thing to make?

Sweet or savory?

How do they like to unwind after a long day?

What is their relationship with their extended family like? Are they the kind of person who’s very close to aunts, uncles, and cousins? Or are they the kind of person who barely remembers they exist?

If they had to pick to one song to listen to for ten hours straight, what would it be?

What is their morning routine like? Are they a morning person or no?

What is their pain threshold like? Will a stubbed toe take them down, or does it take something much more drastic?

Are they a binge watcher or do they prefer to stretch shows out? What kind of shows do they like? Are there any that they rewatch with any kind of frequency?

Do they have read receipts on?

"You said [x]. It upset me."

"What did I say that made you think I didn't want to know you?"

"I'm trying to figure out where we went wrong."

"When we speak I notice a sort of ... conflict. I'd like to do something to change that."

"We're going to be working together. Let's try to get along."

"Do you think I should feel bad forever?"

"What makes you think I should apologise?"

"I don't understand what you think I did wrong."

"I don't want to hurt you, but I don't know how to stop."

"I know it's hurting you. I can't stop."

"I'm not interested in having that sort of relationship with you anymore."

"You didn't think to tell me?"

"How long have you known?"

"How long have you been hiding this?"

"It's not your fault, it just... it just really sucks."

"Every time I look at you I think about it."

"When I see you like that, I'm... you scare me, [name]."

"When you do that, I feel afraid."

"Sometimes you worry me."

"The way you act about your own safety... that's scary for people who care about you."

"Can we not do this right now?"

"I want to talk about it but I don't have the mental space for it right now. Can we come back to it?"

"Sit down."

"I have something I need to tell you."

"Can we talk?"

"Whatever you say, it always feels ... like you're holding something against me."

"It's time to come clean."

"So, you're finally awake."

"Good of you to join us."

"They don't know you're awake yet. Stay down."

"Oh my god. [Name]? Hi, [name]?"

"Get up. Now."

"I'm not leaving you here. GET UP."

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Sleep okay?"

"You know there are, like, actual beds here. You didn't have to take the floor."

"Relax. Nothing happened."

"Thirsty?"

"Can you hear me?"

"How'd you sleep?"

"You absolute fucking idiot."

"How could you be so stupid?"

"You were pretty out of it."

"Relax. We're safe here."

"We're not there yet. Go back to sleep."

"We're about halfway."

"You're on next watch."

"Up and at 'em. We have activity."