#Characters: Orcs & Friends | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

murakamiyuki · 1 month ago

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A Silver Lining

You're a healer in a party of adventurers! Unfortunately, you seem to be the side character of their story. While your friends bask in the glory and love, you're brushed aside into the shadows, along with your orc friend. One day, during yet another dangerous mission, an accident happens, and you and your party split up. Who knows... Maybe could a disaster turn into an opportunity to finally forge your own story?

A/N: OKAY, I wrote this in a flash after I read a tumblr post, and the muse decided that I had to suffer until I write a full fanfic for it, so here you go! @blossompencil I have finally finished it >W< What do you think? 👉👈

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Masterlist

Your eyes are blurry, barely able to catch the shape of the forest around you. Your lungs tighten with each move as you try to avoid inhaling the nasty smoke. Flames tickle your skin, and it would definitely burn you, leaving an array of nasty scars had it not been for a protective layer you cast upon yourself and your party. Your ears are filled with the sounds of a fierce fight in the dead of the night. Your muscles scream for a break after a continuous battle against the firebreathing salamander you never even agreed on. This is too much for a mere human like you.

In front of you is your teammate – orc Garon. He towers over you at a solid 7 feet. His giant form is a shield between the other smaller lizards and you. The steel poleaxe in his hands swings faster than your eyes can follow, but you cannot rest.

Your hands are raised, and your form is glowing as mana flows out of your body to follow your command – to protect your teammates.

In the midst of chaos, you hear Leo, your leader, scream your name. Your eyes travel to his form—his sword raised in a protective stance as he pants hard—and you notice a bleeding gash on his shoulder. Your hands tremble, but you raise them anyway to heal a fresh cut. Soft green light emits from the tips of your fingers and travels all the way to Leo, and within a few seconds, the wound closes, leaving behind only a shredded piece of armor.

You’re shaking. Is it exhaustion after fighting for so long? Frustration at the sheer strength of the enemy? Or fury at your teammates who decided to bite off more than they could chew? You don’t know at this point.

However, on the other hand, you understand the reason behind it. All other adventures above the required level were scattered throughout on their respective missions. All but your party. And if the salamander isn’t defeated, it will simply burn all farms and crops, singlehandedly causing famish upon the entire city.

Still, as your knees buckle underneath you, you can’t help but internally curse your friends for dragging you out here.

“Cat! Heal!” Hareene, the elf, calls out for you. Her eyes are still trained on the salamander as she charges at its vitals with the sharp of her spear.

You ignore the nickname, focusing on your task of healing her burnt side until the skin looks as dainty as possible for an elf.

You breathe deeply to calm down your racing heart. The fiery scenery swims in your eyes. You try to blink away the black spots, but it only makes it worse. When you hear Garon call your name, you’re ready to fall dead from exhaustion.

“Just hold on a bit longer,” his own voice is breathless and rigid, yet the determination and a quiet promise of a reprise give you just a sliver of strength to stand firm.

‘Just a bit more…’ you think—hope—anxiously to yourself.

“Caaat!!!” You hear Saeka’s, the fairy mage, almost weeping voice somewhere above your head. You look up and see the flap of her sparkling wings carry her through the sky. She waves at you until you notice her bleeding ankle—an attack she barely managed to dodge. Reluctantly, you heal it too.

A tired sigh leaves your lips. Your mana is depleting much faster than you anticipated, especially having to sustain the fire-protecting barrier on 5 people, and the monster is way too stubborn to die. You don’t know just how much longer of this fight you can handle.

But then…

You hear it first. A pained cry of the salamander, loud enough to be heard all the way back in the city. The sound is so excruciating, that one might question the humanity of your actions.

Then, you see it. Peeking from behind Garon, you stare at Leo’s sword digging into the monster’s chest. Hareen managed to nail one of its paws to the ground with her spear. Meanwhile, Saeka continuously conjures ice spikes, dropping them all over the salamander’s spine.

‘This is it,’ you think.

‘Finally, it’s over,’ you pray.

Gathering the last bit of your might, you direct your mana to your teammates. Despite your muscles breaking, on the brink of consciousness, you concentrate on pronouncing—hopefully—the last spell in your head. Soon, a soft glow embraces their figures once again, and suddenly their strength is immaculate.

With a fierce cry, Leo drives the sword all the way through the scaled body and up to the head, finally killing the creature. Sparks fly from its fire glands before gradually diffusing into smoke. Then, the salamander falls to the ground with a thunderous thud. At the same time, Saeka uses her magic to summon water, at last, putting out the fire.

You stare at its body for a short moment, heart pounding wildly in your chest, before releasing a shuddering breath. There’s a loud ringing in your ear. The stress of the situation finally begins wearing off, and your legs give out underneath you.

You plop down onto the grass, eyes closing while groaning as your muscles cry of relief. It has been a while since the last time a battle wore you down this much. You feel utterly spent and exhausted.

“Don’t relax just yet, Cat,” Saeka murmurs in your ear in that honey-sweet voice of hers. You force your eyes to open, and you find her crouched beside you, her long hair tickling the side of your face, and her wings down, resembling a cape. “We still gotta report the completed quest.”

“What’s gotten you so tired anyway, it’s not like we took much damage,” Hareene remarks when she and Leo join the rest of the team, he carries the salamander’s head as well. Her tone sounds annoyed. However, it could be because of the new set of armor she purchased for a big sum of money that was now in rather pitiful condition. “That cheapskate promised a high quality…”

You ignore her comment, too tired to argue with her.

“I guess I’m not gonna tell you I told you so,” Leo rolled his eyes which inevitably traveled to his own broken armor. He sighed in defeat but quickly recovered when another command fell from his lips. “Alright, warriors, let’s return!”

You want to protest, silently begging for another 5 minutes or days of rest. But the thought of a hot bath and a soft bed makes you almost whine. Thus, you push yourself off the ground with a grunt. Your whole body is in pain that you contemplate retirement. However, seeing your friends tired but unscathed, you can’t help but feel relieved and proud. They survived thanks to you.

Every step is painful. Your brain is still fuzzy, fighting desperately for a break, but you push back, hoping to at least reach the city before you allow yourself to fall into slumber. But then, you feel the world shift when you’re lifted into the air by something. Or better say, someone.

Garon hoists you up gently like you’re a delicate flower. He maneuvers you until you lie like a princess in his hold. The warmth of his green skin makes you tingle as a blush creeps up your face. Whether it was his natural temperature or the result of the fight, you aren’t sure, but you’re not complaining either when you finally relax into his embrace.

Garon might not be the most talkative person in the world, but the message in his gestures is perfectly clear.

“Nawwww, look at you two lovebirds~” Saeka teases while she hovers above the both of you.

“Shut up,” Garon’s voice is calm and nonchalant, but you swear you felt his fingers twitch and his skin heating up even more at the implication. You yourself can’t help but blush harder.

“Cat and Garon are sitting on a tree!” Saeka begins singing, swirling in the air. “K-I-S-S-S-S-S-S-I-N-G!”

“I think there’s one too many s’s,” Hareena chuckles despite the confused frown.

“Not if they’re doing it for a long time~” Saeka teases and proceeds to sprinkle you and Garon with fairy dust from her wings.

“Hey, stop that!” Garon growls, pressing you closer to his chest protectively. The action seems almost involuntary, but you notice.

“Ha! Make me!”

Distantly, you hear Saeka cast a spell again. You don’t have time to react—not like you could do much from your current position—when the world spins again, worsening your headache. You feel cold water coat your legs, then the realization dawns on you. Saeka just shot you with a water ball, and Garon was quick enough to turn around, allowing the water to land on his back.

“You menace-!” Garon is about to draw his poleaxe when your whimper of discomfort draws his attention and he resumes the steady pace.

“Lovebirds~”

“Quit fighting there!” Leo’s authoritative bark instantly seized any war that could’ve followed. He jerks his head forward, gesturing at something. “We’re here.”

The city couldn’t be more alive, despite the dead of night. Perhaps they have been startled awake by the deafening roar of the slayed monster. Streets overflow with people—still in their nightwear with a simple cape over it to cover up—who have strolled outside to see for themselves the reason for the commotion.

Then their eyes land on you and your team – the traces of a fight are prominent on you. You gradually make your way from the main gates, heading toward the Adventures Guild. You can feel the tension rising with every step as the citizens carefully assess you. They’re looking for an appropriate reaction, you’re sure of it.

Then, Leo raises the head of the salamander to showcase that he and his team are the ones who defeated the monster that had been terrorizing the city. Gasps and whispers reach your ears before they morph into raging cries of victory.

Garon walks with you a bit further at the back. You feel a little awkward, weaving through the crowd. You hear people congratulating you, or rather the trio in front of you.

“You are our heroes!”

“Thank you, brave warriors!”

“May the gods bless you for what you’ve done!”

“Thank you for saving us!”

“Are those two also with them?”

Your heart sinks. Your lips purse into a thin line the more you listen to the conversations.

“Is that an orc? What’s an orc doing here?”

“Who in their right mind would invite an orc to their party?”

“Who is that girl he’s carrying?”

“I heard that’s a stray they took in out of pity.”

“No wonder she’s so beat up, the heroes had to protect her as well.”

You avert your eyes away from the crowd. The whispers, murmurs, and rumors are quiet, but you’re able to make them out very well. Their words sting, but they are not that far from the truth. You’re not a fighter; you never have been. Physically you’re weak, and the healing powers are all you’ve got. They are a gift from a deity, and it has always been enough for you. However, the longer your adventure goes on, the worse the self-doubt settles.

‘Am I dragging them down?’ You think to yourself, fighting the tears that are threatening to fall.

“Don’t let them get to you,” Garon suddenly whispers into your ear. His usually gruff voice is soft and velvety but never lacking the resolve that he always carries. You look up only to find him staring straight into your soul. His eyes sparkle in the moonlight as they bore into yours as though silently pleading with you to believe him. “They can think whatever they want about you. Your opinion of yourself is the one that matters.”

You can’t help the blush creeping up your face. You bury your nose into his neck, inhaling the scent of musk and burnt wood. But despite the embarrassment, you ponder his words carefully. But as you think, more questions pop into your mind.

“But…” you start, hesitantly at first, but seeing his gentle face, waiting for you to continue, you find your voice. “Doesn’t it bother you though? We do just as much work, but they get all the glory?”

“Glory and fame don’t interest me,” Garon replies casually. “Besides, humans never truly liked orcs,” he adds coldly. He might’ve sounded nonchalant, but you felt the way his fingers clenched. “So, no matter how many achievements I accomplish, they’ll always see me as a monster, so I just ignore them.”

Your heart aches for him, but at the same time, you feel just a tad bit closer to him. The thought makes you smile, and quite bold when you raise your hand to cup his cheek. The movement is so tender, that Garon stops in his tracks to look at you once again. Suddenly, the victory, the people, and their nasty comments are but a blur.

“I don’t see you as a monster,” you softly murmur in his ear, and you swear you feel him shiver.

However, the intimate moment is ruthlessly interrupted by Saeka, who begins dusting you with sparkles off her wings again, making both you and Garon sigh in annoyance.

“Cuuuuuute~!” The fairy squeals, kicking her feet in the air, and the crowd laughs. You bury your face into Garon’s neck again to hide from prying eyes. “Come on, lovebirds, we got a room at the inn down the road. It has a hot spring!”

*~*~*

You groan groggily when you feel someone shake you awake. Your eyes are closed, but you don’t have to guess who exactly is the impatient one to rouse you at the crack of dawn. You shoo off Saeka’s hands and turn away from her, hoping to catch every last bit of sleep you can. You’re still tired after the fight last night.

“Caaaaat,” Saeka drawls as she climbs to lie on top of you, plopping down with all her weight. You huff and try to pry her off you; despite her dainty build, she’s not as light as people tend to believe. “Come ooon, we got a new mission!”

At that, your eyelids fly open. Your head slowly turns to stare at the girl on top of you. Your eyebrows join together in a frown as the meaning of her words finally sinks in. Suddenly, you’re wide awake and protesting, wiggling out from underneath the blanket. You jump onto the wooden floor and back away till your back hits the wall. “What?” You ask, just to make sure you didn’t mishear her.

“What?” Saeka sits up at the foot of your bed and tilts her head to the side, innocently. “Leo picked up another mission this morning. We’re heading out soon! So you better get ready.”

‘No, I did hear it right…’ you think to yourself, eyes going wide in a panic. “But we just completed a commission yesterday!” You exclaimed, tiredly rubbing your face.

“Well, Leo thought that we could use extra money,” Hareen said as she walked into the room, Leo and Garon strolling behind her.

“Besides, it’s a good practice. After all, the salamander yesterday was a bit challenging, so we have to get stronger,” Leo added with a shrug.

“I just don’t get what you’re complaining about, your job is the easiest,” Hareen crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. Her glare was cold, challenging. You wince at her words.

“Yeah, Cat, I think it’ll be good for you, too,” Leo says with a smile, but his words are nothing short of discouraging.

“Maybe, before we make any decision, we should ask her what she thinks about it,” Garon’s voice is rough and seizing like he’s holding back his anger, which he totally is.

“Oh, come on,” Saeka whines as she jumps off the bed to stand by your side. Her wings nudge your shoulder, teasingly. “She’ll agree, right? She’s Cat! Cats are flexible!”

There it was again. Your nickname. Her snicker makes your stomach churn. The stigma that makes you want to crawl under a bridge like a true cat. Saeka’s words pop into your head, ‘Scaredy cat… Fast and agile, but weak and not as useful compared to other animals, but cats are adorable!’ Ever since she dropped that line, you’ve been nothing but Cat – unable to even fight.

So, as you stand in the room, all eyes turned at you, expectantly, pressing. Your breath hitches. Your teeth cage your lower lip, grazing over the soft flesh over and over again. The weight of the request pushes you down, and you’re not sure you have it in you to refuse. Your eyes trail over your friends’ faces, unsure and slightly panicked. Your mana still hasn’t fully recovered, so going against another monster so soon is a risk. At the same time, though, you think that maybe things will be fine, and your party won’t need your skills at all. They are experienced warriors, after all.

After what felt like an eternity, you let out a defeated sigh and nod, praying that the monster would be kind enough to let you all go with nothing but a scratch.

However, as you stare at the giant serpent, partially sticking out of the water, you feel your legs give out, and you fall flat on your butt. The wet rocks scratch the skin on the back of your thighs, but your mind barely registers the pain. All your attention is on your friends, fighting and losing what was supposed to be an easy job.

“The commission says that in the cave by the mountains lives a horde of goblins. We have to either chase them away or kill them,” Leo read out the request banner as they entered the cave.

“Goblins? That’s an easy one. You could’ve stayed at the inn, Cat,” Hareene mused, and you rolled your eyes at her. Yet, you couldn’t rid yourself of that gnawing feeling that something seemed off. Your intuition screamed at you to turn around and leave, before it was too late.

“The cave is deep, might even be a labyrinth at some point. Watch out, everyone.”

Goblins are niche monsters. They’re dumb and reckless. They lack any sort of intelligence whatsoever, with their only thought and driving force being sustenance and chaos. Goblins are only strong in numbers, but even a regular citizen can deal with them if they’re dedicated enough. It was supposed to be quick and easy.

When did it even go wrong? When you strayed too deep into the cave, stepping somewhere you shouldn’t have? Or when the commissioner failed to mention the ginormous serpent residing in underground waters that you successfully disturbed? One second, you were admiring the still waters, the second one, a blue-scaled monster burst above the surface. It doesn’t matter anymore.

Tears well up in your eyes, and your body locks in fear, refusing so much as to even blink. You can’t breathe or think properly. All you know is panic and your brain screaming at you to get the hell out of there. You want to. You desperately want to run for your life, but, realistically, how far would you even make it on shaking legs?

You see Leo and Hareen, fighting with all their might, but their efforts don’t even land a scratch on the monster. Saeka tries to conjure up a fire blast, but you notice the way her hands tremble in terror. Her eyes are wide, and her dress is torn and dirty after taking a powerful hit from the monster’s tail that smashed her into the cave wall. You are screwed.

The serpent releases a roar. The sound is so abhorrent and loud, you’re forced to close your ears to not go deaf. It lunges forward, aiming to catch Leo in its wide jaws. Its fangs—dripping with poison—sparkle, even in the dim lights of the cave. Hareene, thanks to her quick reflexes, redirects the attack by throwing her spear into the serpent’s eye. But the creature is faster. It manages to evade the sharp object, and the spear ricochets off the wall and falls into the waters. You are so screwed.

“RUN!!!” You hear Leo’s desperate voice. You see him charging toward the exit, dragging Hareene by her wrist. You want to follow the command, you really do, but your body still refuses to listen.

“Cat! Hurry!” Saeka cries out to you as she lurges past you after your leaders.

Finally, you feel blood rushing through your veins. You scramble to your feet like a toddler who still learns how to walk. You have no idea where you’re going, but anywhere will be safer than here. Your feet are numb, and you’re scared you’ll fall again. But then you make the mistake of looking back. You see the serpent’s eyes—red and shiny like rubies—lock on your form. Its cold stare makes your movements halt. And as you stand there, you think to yourself, ‘I can’t…’ suddenly realizing that this is how you’ll meet your end.

The serpent rushes to close the distance, the sharp fangs are seconds away from piercing you when Garon jumps at the monster with a roar of his own. You see him trying to tackle it, his poleaxe manages to graze its tongue, and, as the serpent cries of pain, wiggling and thrashing, it gives Garon enough time to hoist you up and break for the exit.

The ground shakes at the creature’s anger. Its deafening scream is the only thing you hear besides the thumping of your heart. You squeeze your eyes shut when the debris starts falling. Your hands fist Garon’s shirt, crying and praying to come back to safety. Just then, stalactites begin falling as well, and to your horror, the floor shatters under its weight, taking you both with it into the abyss.

When you open your eyes again, you’re outside, lying underneath a tree. The sun had long descended, ridding you of the comforting warmth you longed for. Your muscles hurt as you move, and your brain is foggy, but you will it to reconstruct the chain of events. The cave… The commission… Goblins…. The serpent… Suddenly, Garon’s face flashes before your eyes, and you sit up abruptly only to groan in pain when a pounding headache makes your eyes black out.

“Whoa, careful,” Garon’s voice is soft and quiet. He abandons the task of skinning a rabbit and approaches you in quick strides. His hand is warm when it palms your cheek. “Relax, you’re safe.”

“Where are we? What happened? Where are the others?” You ask, still disoriented, but alleviated to see your friend alive and safe.

“Not sure. I never caught up to them when the floor crashed. We fell into a river, and it spewed us here,” he explains calmly, and you sigh in exhaustion.

You ponder his words and feel a stinging pain in your chest. Tears prickle in the corners of your eyes, both out of relief and regret. Your gaze drops to your lap, and you begin sobbing. “I never should’ve agreed to this!” You cry as a feeling of guilt overtakes your senses.

Garon looks at you in disbelief. Are you seriously blaming yourself for something, not even Leo, a former soldier, could’ve predicted?

“Hey, none of that. It’s no one’s fault, okay?” Garon says urgently. His hands cup your face to ensure you look him straight in the eyes.

“But…”

“No buts,” he interrupts you, a frown prominent on his battle-hardened face. “It could’ve happened to anybody, but you’re alive, and that’s the main thing.”

His words make your heart soft. Your lip wobbles before another array of sobs break out from your chest.

The sight of you crying tears him from the inside, and he doesn’t even think twice before capturing you in his embrace. His muscular arms wrap around your frame, pulling you closer until there’s not an inch of space between you. His large palm softly caresses your lower back, hoping that the motion will soothe you.

Your tears only intensify, feeling so many different emotions clash inside you. For minutes, or hours, you weep non-stop until you’re no longer able to, and your loud wails are reduced to quiet hiccups. Garon holds you firmly the whole time, gently cooing in your ear. His voice, his warmth, and his scent seem to work wonders in grounding you as you descend the mountain of your emotional breakdown.

“I boiled some water if you’d like to freshen up while I prepare us food,” Garon murmured. Only then did you notice a campfire, softly crackling in the background; it’s most likely the reason as to why your clothes are mostly dry. You stare weakly at the dancing flames before you nod.

You fight to suppress a whine when Garon pulls away from you. Luckily, he doesn’t stray too far, just far enough to grab a piece of cloth that he actually crafter out of his torn-up t-shirt. It wasn’t visible in the dim flickering light of the campfire, but you just now notice that he’s shirtless. He placed a pot—one that he made out of the piece of chestplate he found—of hot water and a tiny log for a stool by the river, making up a camp shower.

He beckons you, handing you the cloth, and suddenly you feel bashful. It was the first time being in his company alone. Tears washed away most of your worries, making space for more ordinary contemplation. One of which is being one-on-one with your crush. You look at the hot water, your face heats up at the mere thought of having to undress in his presence.

“Thank you…” You murmur shyly. You sit on the smoothly carved log before turning to face the orc once again. “Uhmm… A little privacy, please?”

Garon never even realized he was ogling, his eyes tracing your soft features while he could. He clears his throat to wave off the embarrassment and walks away, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, take your time. I’m gonna make dinner.”

You nod and tug your shirt off in one swift motion.

After you washed off most of the dirt and algae, you felt like a human again. A deep sigh falls off your lips as you sit on the grass, the smell of roasted rabbit is filling your nostrils. The rumbling in your stomach angrily reminds you that you haven’t had any proper meal ever since leaving the inn this morning. You silently observe the way Garon slowly turns the meat until it’s crispy.

The taste is worse than you anticipated. It’s expected, though, given your lack of any proper seasonings or vegetables, but it’s enough to satiate your hunger.

“Do you think they got out safe?” You ask as you toss a stick Garon used to prepare the meat into the fire.

“I’d say yes,” Garon replies casually. However, you feel like his tone is void of any sympathy for your friends. “They’re capable warriors, they can handle themselves.”

“So what do we do now?”

“My suggestion would be to head to another city, relocate completely, and see from there,” he says, chewing on the last piece.

“Are we not going to search for them?” You question with your eyebrow raised. You assumed that reuniting with your party mates would be a priority.

Garon snorts, but the sound lacks any trace of amusement. “Is that what you want?”

“Well, they could be hurt, stranded somewhere just like us, and-” you start rambling but are quickly interrupted by your comrade.

“I’m not asking what they need,” the firmness of his tone makes you pause. The weight of his words is not completely foreign to you, but abnormal enough to really stop and listen. “What I’m asking you is if you really want to come back to them after everything they dragged you through?”

The realization hits like ice-cold water. You recall every Hareene’s snide comment, the way she would diminish you, and your inability to fight unlike all of them. Saeka’s sickeningly sweet voice calling you that degrading nickname she felt so proud for coming up with rings in your ears like a curse. You remember Leo, the leader, the wisest of them all, who would dismiss your every concern and suggestion. No matter how infuriating you felt, you learned to push down those feelings for the sake of your friends. But, realistically, are they your friends?

‘No…’

You shake your head, stating your answer. You don’t want to go back to how things were. You are fed up with constant danger, and being in the company of people who wouldn’t bat an eye before dragging you down. There might be some truth to it, but a ‘thank you’ would be appreciated.

Your eyes lock, and for a moment neither of you says anything, just contemplating the moment of sudden closeness. You see the corners of Garon’s lips tug upwards in a proud grin. You see something in his eyes you’ve seen multiple times – adoration.

You’re the first to break eye contact, growing shy again under the intensity of his gaze. But the way he looked at you, you can’t help but wonder if there might be something more than he lets on.

“We should head to sleep. We need rest,” he said after a while.

Sleeping on the cold ground may have not been ideal, but you have little room when you… actually have little room, tangled together like matching pieces with Garon. Your face is on his chest, so close you hear his steady heartbeat. One of his heavy arms is wrapped around your waist, while the other rests on your back, caging you in a protective embrace.

You don’t even know how that happened, for you two fell asleep a respectful distance away from each other. Was it your wishful thinking, or your unconsciousness trying to get closer to the natural source of comfort and warmth? Or perhaps Garon, even in his sleep, wanted to keep you safe and sound? You can only wonder.

You twist your head to see his face. You drink in his features, rough and scarred. His eyebrows are relaxed, the first time you witness it.

It has been almost a year since you’ve met. You remember it as clearly as though it happened yesterday – Garon, exhausted and injured, sitting by the tree, similar to the one that is your abode right now. You approached him in quick strides, ignoring the scowl of disdain and clear disapproval on his part. You healed his wounds and patched his clothes to the best of your abilities while offering the kindest smile he’d ever seen. That moment solidified your bond. Garon, previously feared for his skills and hated for his upbringing, became your shield, your silent protector. A smile stretches on your lips at the nostalgia.

“You’re staring,” Garon mumbles with his eyes still closed. You don’t even question how he knew, you just accept it.

“Just admiring you,” you whisper, afraid that if you speak louder, you’ll ruin the precious moment between you.

You don’t know what came over you. Maybe it was the newfound freedom or the absence of one annoying fairy teasing you constantly. You feel a surge of longing and confidence, and you lean closer, pressing your lips to his.

Garon stiff beside you, clearly never expecting such a move from you, but the initiative is welcome. Your heart flatters when his palm that once lay on your waist cradles your face to deepen the kiss. It’s a bit awkward working around the tusks, but his lips are soft and warm. You practically melt, wishing you could simply merge bodies together in one piece.

A barely audible whine leaves your lips when he pulls away, but his hand still holds your cheek tenderly.

“What was that about?” He asks quietly, hopeful. His breath is hot against your red lips.

“Just…” you start, bashful, your confidence is long gone, and you grow shy once again. You squirm lightly in his hold, but it just causes you to tangle more. “Just wanted to kiss you, that’s all.”

Garon hums in acknowledgment. His eyes linger on your face, searching for any trace, any little hint of hesitation or regret. However, all he sees is the shine of certainty, and the steady warmth of your gaze, brimming with affection. Relief flickers across his features, gentle and real. He leans in again, slowly, giving you the chance to pull away. You don’t, though, instead closing the distance yet again. Butterflies erupt in your stomach, and you almost feel like crying at the softness of the moment.

You skip along the road, humming a random song you once heard at some pub. Your mood is alleviated after the fond morning you shared with Garon. You replay the scene of your kiss in your head over and over again. Your heart sings with affection and love that the events of the previous day are nothing but a dull memory.

Garon walks beside you, his lips are pursed in embarrassment. Can orcs blush? You’re not sure, but if they can, he’s doing it now, considering that the green of his face is a few shades darker. It’s oddly endearing, this rare crack in his usually impenetrable demeanor.

There’s a quiet between you, not awkward, but new—tentative. It felt surprisingly freeing, not to have to rely on one selfish demand after another. You find yourself basking in this new dynamic – finally, an adventure where you don’t have to risk your life for a few golden coins.

“SOMEBODY, HELP!!!”

You curse under your breath, less out of annoyance, more out of fear. The flashbacks of the serpent, its red, murderous eyes staring into your soul resurface. Cold sweat forms on your forehead. Your body freezes, not knowing what to do.

Luckily, Garon acts quicker than you.

Instantly, he bares his weapon and rushes to the source of the voice. His form disappears behind the bushes, and the rustling of the leaves breaks you out of your trance.

‘Someone must be hurt there…’ You think frantically, landing a solid slap on your cheek to gather your thoughts together. Eventually, you rush after the orc. You weave through the woods until you see a carriage, thrown over on its side. Next to it sits a woman, whose shout you heard before. She holds a crying little boy, shielding him with her body against the giant wolves.

Garon stands between the woman with her son and a pack of wolves. Their eyes look crazed as they growl furiously at him. But even wolves know better than to charge erratically at an orc armed with a poleaxe, so they circle them, waiting for a chance to spree.

At that moment, your reflexes kick in. You raise your hand, casting a dexterity spell on your companion. Then, with one swift motion, Garon swings the poleaxe, grazing some of the wolves. Crimson liquid stains their fur and they release a blood-curdling howl before they sprint away. Your spell wafts off, but you immediately cast another one over the woman with her child to treat their wounds.

“Miss, are you okay?” You hurriedly approach to check in with them. You assess the damage, and luckily, thanks to you, they got away with barely a scratch and some torn clothes.

“T…thank you…” The woman mumbles, her voice still trembling with fear and adrenaline. Her hands instantly roam across her son’s body to ensure he is safe, but when she sees clean skin instead of an open wound, she breaks down in tears, hugging her little boy while peppering his face with kisses. “Thank you… Thank you, heroes!”

You look at them for a moment. Your thoughts twirl like a swarm of wild beasts. You hear both of them cry, bawling their eyes out in relief, and you can’t help but feel this tingling sensation blossoming in your chest. It makes you feel warm and content, almost… like you’re happy.

You turn to look at Garon, and he’s wearing the same expression as yourself – confused but proud.

It’s a weird feeling. You have saved people enough times before, but no one even once ever looked at you like this. You? Heroes? No one has ever called you that. An unknown backup? A someone to pity? Definitely. But a hero? No, that’s first.

For a moment, you feel—you believe—that you can become a hero as well.

*~*~*

About three months have passed ever since you parted with your party. And to speak quite honestly, you’ve never been happier. You’ve been traveling alongside Garon, just the two of you in perfect harmony. The road stretches long, but with him beside you, it never feels lonely.

Slowly, but surely, you build your reputation across lands as a healer with a holy touch and an undefeatable orc warrior. People begin whispering of your duo in marketplaces and taverns, not as a ballast to an infamous party of adventurers, but as something more genuine – a symbol of hope and power not to be tampered with.

Even now as you stroll through the streets of the city you arrived no long ago, you can’t help a dopey grin when you hear the rumors about you. You pick out the vegetables for dinner when it reaches your ears.

“Is that the healer people talk about?” One man asks the other as he glances backward to look at you.

“I heard she fixed Jonah’s broken collarbone,” he answers, while sipping his morning tea, voice laced with wonder and pride over knowing such private information.

“Do you think she can restore my eyesight too?”

“Man, you’re practically blind, nothing can help that,” his friend snickers. “But go ahead, you can ask her.”

You smile to yourself, preparing for a conversation and possible healing session. You don’t mind, of course, as long as you’re able to bring hope and smiles to people’s faces. However, what you catch, makes your blood run cold. Instead of two gentlemen, you hear her.

“Caaaaat!” Saeka’s honeyed voice rings in your ears, unlocking the memories you’ve tried to push down for the past 3 months. You don’t even have time to properly face her, when her arms wrap around your shoulders from behind, squeezing tightly in a suffocating embrace. “I’ve finally found you?”

“S…saeka?” You stutter through gritted teeth when you finally come to your senses.

“It’s me! Where have you been?? We thought you and Garon died to that serpent!” She whined tearily, hugging you tighter. You’re about to wiggle out of her trap when she spreads her wings and soars into the sky with you in her hold. “Come with me!” Your basket is dropped on the ground, the vegetables scattering around haphazardly. Your screams are the last thing people hear as Saeka flies away, taking with you.

One moment you cry your voice out, the next moment you’re in a tent, your face flushed, and your hair disheveled. But the sight of Leo, pale and weak, lying on a pile of blankets and rolls of bandages sloppily wrapped around his shirtless body. The wound is deep, judging by the fresh blood staining the material.

“Cat?” Hareene sounds surprised when she sees you entering the tent, but her shock quickly morphs into indifference. She gestures to Leo, waving her hand. “Hurry up and heal him.”

You stand there, unmoving. Your brain short-circuits at the sudden turn of events. Your former partymates stare at you expectantly. Once again, you feel like a broken and timid little helper, while others take advantage of you. You’re not sure what would be the best course of action, after all, in your eyes, you never meant to meet them. Yet, here you are.

“Come on, cat, hurry, we’re afraid he doesn’t have much time!” Saeka pleads with you. Her voice is trembling, on the verge of tears.

“How did this even happen?” You question as you approach the bedding.

“Well, after we split, Leo wanted to find other jobs to, you know, get stronger,” the fairy starts. “But he may have gotten a bit reckless, and rhino stabbed him in the stomach.”

“We’ve been searching for you ever since, and then heard rumors about a healer who travels with an orc,” Hareene adds. Her arms were crossed over her chest, giving away her anxiety.

“Pleaseeee!” Saeka drawls, her hands clasped together, begging and crying.

Again, you’re confused. Your body locks in a familiar feeling of terror. But there are a few things you know for sure – you don’t want to help them; you don’t want to join back; constant stress and danger, all depending on you was too much for you, and you dread the possibility of it happening again.

So you do one logical thing.

You heal Leo. Your hand glows as the energy flows into his body. You carefully weave around the wound, working to close it and force the body to start the restoring process. You see his face redden, and his pulse stabilizing, signaling his recovery. Then, in just a few minutes, he opens his eyes.

“Leo!” Hareene and Saeka wail in unison as they rush to their leader’s side to smother him with tears of relief and affection.

You stare at the pile, your face is drawn with indifference. Offering a curt nod—although you’re not sure any of them is in their right state of mind to pay you any attention—you exit the tent and begin strolling back to the city. Garon is probably worried sick about your absence.

“Cat, wait!” You hear Saeka’s voice call out for you as she catches up to you. Nothing but confusion is written on her face. “Where are you going???”

“Uhm, heading back?” You say the phrase like a question, unsure of the answer she was expecting.

“But… We have to get going, we have a job waiting to be completed, and-”

“Saeka,” you say firmly, interrupting her. Frankly, you’re not surprised in the slightest at her dismissal. But finally, for the first time during your whole journey, you know what you want. You’ve found your voice and you’re about to fight your way out with it. “I think you misunderstood something. I healed Leo, but I’m not coming with you.”

“What…?” The sorrow in her voice is almost enough to make you backtrack. Almost.

“Garon and I are traveling by ourselves now, and I enjoy it the way it is,” you reply with a fond smile. “So, thank you, for the invitation, but I’m gonna have to decline,” you bowed politely, hoping she would understand, but luck was not on your side.

“What?! No! You can’t!” Saeka practically screams in your face, growing desperate with each second. “Look, I’m sorry we weren’t giving you enough credit, we’ll get better! But I mean, you’re cat! You’re our cat! We travel together! It’s our journey! ”

“Not anymore, Saeka. Goodbye,” you turn around and begin walking away. You can still hear the fairy’s cries and pleas, but you stand firm on your decision. It feels amazing to finally be able to voice your opinion, to fight for what you want. This feeling is elevating. Just one more thing left, you think before turning around to face Saeka once again. “Saeka.”

“Yes?” She looks at you with a look of hope that maybe you changed your mind.

You simply smile at her, before you say, “I’ve always hated that nickname.”

You don’t look back. You ignore the look of utter shock and betrayal as you resume your walking. Your heart pounds in your ribcage with all the adrenaline, but you’ve never felt better. A weight you hadn’t realized you were still carrying lifts with every stride you take away from them.

When you arrive back in the city and find the stall of food you never had the chance to shop at, you see Garon, going from one person to another, frantically asking people if they’ve seen you. Your heart flatters and a warm sensation settles in your stomach. You call out for him with a smile, and, as expected, the orc immediately rushes to your side, swoops you up, and twirls you in a dizzying dance, before his lips find yours in a longing kiss. You giggle into his mouth, feeling as though you’re going to burst any second from happiness.

“Where have you been? I was so worried,” Garon asks once he steadies you back down on your feet.

“Saeka found me,” you say truthfully as you begin walking to the inn you’re currently staying at.

“What? And what happened?”

A frown is etched onto his face as you retell the exact play of events. But when you beam at him, he smiles, lacing your fingers together. The more he listens to your story, the more his body stiffens. He doesn’t like the fact that you’ve been found, but he can’t help but notice the way your steps feel lighter, your voice louder, and your eyes brighter. And as you finish your tale, Garon feels nothing but pride. He presses his lips to your forehead, and you melt at the touch, thinking that everything will be okay from now on.

Oddly enough, you’re glad fate brought you face-to-face again with your former teammates. It gave you the opportunity to end things on your terms; to say what you’ve always wanted to say. Now, you can move on with your own journey. No more playing a supporting role in someone else’s legend. You can finally become the hero of your story.

#original character #romance #monster romance #friends to lovers #orc x human #monster lover #x reader #reader insert #fluff #hurt/comfort #happy ending

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