[If he were a human, perhaps they would have fought. If he were obviously human, perhaps this would have been enough to galvanize them into some sort of furious action, attempting to tear him apart before he could - before he could grab them.]
[As it happens, the sight of him alone is enough to stop their heart in their chest, widen their eyes - and all for the opposite reasons that one might expect.]
[For the first time this entire nightmare of an evening, a slender grain of recognition takes root beneath their skin and fans warm relief out through to the back of their throat.]
[Right up until the point where he tries to seize them.]
[They drop low and try to scuttle back, frantic. If he manages to grab them - it will be over. It will all be over, once someone gets their hands on them. It's impossible for them to squirm free from the grasp of someone that enormous, larger than any human, any adult.]
[But it is a monster, which means that reason is on the table. Which is more than they can say for humans, and thus the reason they manage to gasp out:]
eye emojis
[As it happens, the sight of him alone is enough to stop their heart in their chest, widen their eyes - and all for the opposite reasons that one might expect.]
[For the first time this entire nightmare of an evening, a slender grain of recognition takes root beneath their skin and fans warm relief out through to the back of their throat.]
[Right up until the point where he tries to seize them.]
[They drop low and try to scuttle back, frantic. If he manages to grab them - it will be over. It will all be over, once someone gets their hands on them. It's impossible for them to squirm free from the grasp of someone that enormous, larger than any human, any adult.]
[But it is a monster, which means that reason is on the table. Which is more than they can say for humans, and thus the reason they manage to gasp out:]
What are you doing?