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honestly-mad-person · 7 months

Text

KEEP THE NOISE DOWN

｡･:*˚:✧ pairing: Zayne x fem!reader ｡･:*˚:✧ genre: smut ｡･:*˚:✧ synopsis: Acne Hospital is holding another banquet to celebrate the positive growth in the medical chain, so Zayne has invited you to attend with him. ｡･:*˚:✧ word count: 4,9K (I didn't expect this size, lol) ｡･:*˚:✧ a/n: Leave a comment about this story! I'm wondering if I did a good job of conveying this hot and horny atmosphere. Enjoy your reading!

— Are you sure I should go with you? – you asked, holding your hair up in your hand as Zayne slipped a silver chain around your neck.

— I'm sure, – he answered, after finishing and looking at your reflection in the mirror, he kissed your shoulder, putting his hands on your waist. – Otherwise, I wouldn't have invited you as my +1 to this banquet.

Looking down at your black evening dress that fit perfectly on your body, accentuating all the curves, you felt a little nervous about the banquet Akso Hospital was throwing to celebrate its promotion through Lincoln City's medical facilities.

Biting your bottom lip, you looked over at Zayne, who was watching you intently through the reflection.

—You don't need to be so nervous, princess, – he said in his calm and gentle voice, stroking your sides with his fingers. – I will be by your side all the time.

Turning to him, you touched his face with your fragile fingers and, looking into his eyes, gently pulled him to you, kissing his lips.

Arms wrapped around your waist, pressing against your strong body, forcing you to arch your back. His tongue traveled over your lips, licking your lipstick that you applied a few minutes ago and begging to enter your mouth. Unable to resist him, your lips parted, letting the hot tip inside.

Meeting your tongue, Zayne let out a low, strangled moan, pulling you closer to him.

Your arms wrapped around his neck, not giving Zayne the opportunity to interrupt the moment. Until he wants it himself.

Your tongues swirled in a kind of dance, making wet kissing sounds. You felt yourself start to melt in his arms again, until suddenly he pulled away from you, breaking the kiss.

The tip of his tongue quickly ran over his lips, licking away the remaining lipstick.

Whining, you looked into his eyes, demanding another kiss, but he just shook his head silently, giving you a ghostly smile.

— Not right now, princess, – he answered, letting you go from his arms. – If I kiss you a little more, we won't go anywhere.

A slight blush appeared on your face as Zayne stepped away from you and walked across the room and pulled a small box out of a drawer.

—Here, – his hand stretched out in your direction. – This is a gift for you.

Your heart beat faster as you took the box with shaking hands and opened it. Inside you saw the device and the remote control for it with a small screen.

Confused, you looked between the device and Zayne who was watching you.

— What it is? – you asked, tilting your head.

—It's a vibrator, – he answered in a calm tone, taking the remote control out of the box. – You need to insert it into yourself.

Your eyes widened at what you heard.

— Insert?

— Yes, insert, – he repeated, nodding. – I will wait for you in the car, princess.

After kissing your forehead, he left the room with a faint chuckle.

Still confused, you stared at the curved device. It was not difficult to guess which part of it should be inserted into yourself. Pulling the vibrator out of the box, you looked in the mirror.

Your reflection did the same with the gift in hand.

— Oh, Dr. Zayne... – you breathed out and lifted the bottom of your mid-thigh dress up.

When you stepped outside, you looked around, wondering what a beautiful summer evening it was outside.

Stepping onto the stone path, your high heels clicked with every step you took.

As you approached the car, Zayne got out of it and, walking around it, opened the door for you, holding out his hand.

Placing his palm in his, he leaned into your ear, speaking softly.

— Did you insert it into yourself?

Blushing, you felt Zayne's gift inside you and looked at him, nodding.

One part of it was outside, barely touching the clitoris, the other, curved, comfortably fit in your womb.

— Good girl, – he smiled and, kissing you on the cheek, helped you sit on the seat.

Blushing even more, you bit your lip as you watched him walk around the car again and take his seat.

— Why are we so quiet? – he asked, starting the engine.

— I'm nervous... – you answered quietly, looking at your hands, which were lying on your hips.

Your fingers were nervously intertwined.

As the car pulled into the driveway, Zayne put his hand on top of yours. His warmth was transferred to you and acted as a sedative.

— I'm with you, princess, – he said consolingly, holding the steering wheel tightly with one hand and gently caressing your hands with his thumb. – You look so beautiful that I don't think I can leave you alone even for a few seconds.

— Then don't leave, – you answered and stretching out your hands, you put his palm on your thigh, stroking it with your fingers.

Fingers squeezed your soft thigh, caressing the skin again. Zayne wasn't averse to such a change.

— If you want so badly, we can go back home and do something more interesting, – with these words he raised his hand, pulling up your dress.

Hearing this, you glanced at him.

— No, we're not coming back, – you furrowed your eyebrows, shaking your head categorically. – You have to speak in front of the employees, and you also have to receive an award for your work.

— My award possession is right next to me now, – Zayne replied with a small smile on his face as he continued to caress your thigh. – I can live without other awards.

— Zayne! – squealing, you threw angry looks at him. – You shouldn't say that, it's your job and you must do it.

— When you're so sweetly mad at me, all I want to do is crawl into you and fuck you until that angry look on your face turns to tired-satisfied, as it always does when you're barely hanging on to the last shreds of consciousness after several orgasms at a time.

Flushed with shame, you turned your red face towards the window.

— I can hear you gnashing your teeth all the way here, princess, – laughing, he stroked your thigh and removed his hand, shoving it into his pocket.

In the dim reflection of the window, with trees and lanterns flickering beyond, you saw Zayne's hand holding something small and dark. You wanted to turn your head, but suddenly you felt a vibration inside you.

A moan escaped your lips, as sudden as the movement below. This made your body tremble and your legs clench together.

You immediately covered your mouth with your hand and looked at Zayne, your eyes wide.

— It's working, that's good, – nodding, he moved his finger across the screen and the vibrator responded with an increase in speed, hitting you in two sensitive spots at once.

— Zayne! – you barely shouted, mixing his name with your moans, arching on the seat.

— What? – he asked, pretending that it had nothing to do with how your vibrator worked. – You look like a whore right now, moaning like that, squeezing your hips together and arching.

Unable to answer, you gripped the doorknob with one hand, flinching every time the vibrator aimed right at a sensitive spot. You clamped your other hand between your thighs.

— Shut it off, Zayne, please...— you whimpered, barely gathering your thoughts.

— I think we can take a little ride around town while we still have time before the banquet starts.

— No, please, ah… – arching your back, you felt the vibration once again hit a sensitive spot and holding back a moan, you looked at Zayne. – Please...

— No, princess, – shaking his head, he picked up the speed again, causing you to whimper even more, shuddering.

The feeling of pleasure quickly grew from the way the vibrator moved inside you. Your legs began to twitch, signaling that it wasn't long before your finals.

— Fuck… ah, – moaning loudly, you threw your head back, arching your back from the pleasure that was already hovering on the horizon.

There were a few seconds left before orgasm until suddenly everything was over.

You didn't immediately realize what had happened until your desire-fogged brain cooled down.

Breathing heavily, you turned your head towards Zayne. You whined pleadingly, squeezing your hips together again and touching your hand to his thigh.

—Zayne? – your voice sounded quiet and hoarse from excitement. – Zane, I want to cum, please…

The corners of his lips twitched upwards when he felt your hands on his. Seeing his reaction made you want to cry at how cruelly he interrupted you.

— Just a minute ago you were begging me to turn it off, and now you're asking me to turn it back on so you can cum? – he asked, glancing at your red face. – We will soon come to the restaurant, so get ready to leave, princess.

You were touched by Zayne's words, but there was nothing you could do. Your body was on fire, your stomach was relentlessly begging for more, and your arms and legs were shaking with desire.

When you got there, you and Zane stood outside for a while. He cautiously stood with his back to the restaurant so that none of the guests could see your red, tomato-like face.

Looking into his eyes, you stroked his hands that gently touched your cheeks, cooling them.

—We wouldn't have to be standing here now if it weren't for you...— you mumbled and furrowed your brows.

—It's you, – Zayne kissed your forehead with a shrug. – You are so damn sexy, I couldn't resist it.

When the tension subsided and you could confidently stand on your feet, you entered the restaurant.

Wandering with Zayne from one guest to another, you squeezed his hand with a small satisfied smile.

He wasn't lying when he said he'd be with you all evening. While talking to colleagues, Zayne continued to hold your hand, and when someone asked about you, he answered briefly:

— Mine +1

Twenty minutes passed before you reached your table. Thank goodness Zayne had requested a table for two ahead of time.

Exhaling heavily, you already forgot about what happened while you were driving here, confused and confused by new and not so good faces.

Looking around the hall, you tried to estimate the number of people present, but the sudden voice of Zayne over your ear made you flinch.

—Who are you trying to find with your beautiful eyes, huh? - his hand rested on your thigh again, squeezing it.

— Are you jealous of me? – you asked in response, turning your head and meeting his gaze.

He could scare someone else, but you only saw the beautiful eyes that were fixed on you now. Smiling at him, you propped your head up with your hand, resting it on the table while your other hand snaked under the table, onto Zayne's thigh, stroking.

—I don't think you have any success teasing me like that, – Zayne said, keeping his gaze on yours until suddenly a figure appeared from behind you.

— I'm very sorry, Dr. Zayne, but...— the man in the suit fussed, tugging at his tie. — We have... we...

— Something happened? – Zayne interrupted him, removing his hand from your leg and looking at the man.

— Yes, the point is that… – excitedly, he muttered something under his breath. – Dr. Zayne, would you mind if two guests sit with you, please?

Turning back to you, he looked into your eyes for a second. You noticed a strange shine in them and before you had time to react somehow, you heard him:

— Do not mind.

— Thank God! — the man happily nodded and hurried to leave you as soon as possible.

When he was out of sight, you looked back at your companion.

— Are you sure you want this? – you asked, feeling sad that you wouldn't be alone like you had planned from the beginning.

— I can't refuse people when they're in trouble, – he answered calmly and took out the familiar remote control from his pocket and looked over your shoulder. – Besides, we have this.

You were about to say something to Zayne when you were suddenly interrupted by approaching voices.

Turning around, you saw a man and a woman. You met them a little earlier. Man a neuropathologist and his wife, who worked in the direction of gene mutation.

Like the beginning of a snow avalanche, you felt a weak vibration inside you. Trying not to show off, you greeted your acquaintances as well, shaking their hands.

— It's nice to see you again, Dr. Zayne,— greeted the man, sitting down across from him.

— To each other, Dr. Hudson,— nodding, he leaned back in his chair, looking at his interlocutor. – How is your research going?

— There are no changes yet, – he answered, shaking his head.

Your attention was slowly taken over by the vibrator, which vibrated more and more inside you. You frowned as you watched Zayne sit at the table with his legs crossed and nodding to his colleague. You wanted him to look at you.

— Men will always find a common language, – you heard the voice of Dr. Hudson’s wife, Linda.

Turning your head towards her, you barely smiled, holding back your trembling.

— And don't say, Linda, – you tried to keep your voice even, but sometimes it sounded uneven.

— Can I ask a question? – asked the woman, looking at you with a smile. – Are you here as a couple or are you his friend?

Smirking the corner of your lips, you looked over at Zaнne, who was engrossed in a scientific and medical dialogue.

—I'm his +1, – you answered, turning your head back in her direction.

Linda continued to chirp, oblivious to how hard you were trying to hold back your moans as the vibrations varied in intensity.

Even now, when Zayne is talking with such a serious look, his finger in his pocket is playing with the remote, making you squirm in your chair.

— Oh, are you all right? – Linda asked, seeing how your face turned red.

As soon as that happened, the men's conversation stopped and Zayne leaned into your ear with a concerned look on his face.

— My little whore wants my dick now, doesn't she? – he whispered quietly so that only you could hear it, burning your ear with his hot air. – Do you want me to fuck you so much that you can no longer hold back your desire?

Pulling back, your eyes met. Your eyes widened as Zayne increased the speed of his vibration as he looked directly into them, making you on the verge of moaning.

Taking a deep breath, you smiled at him, shaking your whole body. His palm rested on your head, stroked your hair and went down to touch your red cheek.

After a few seconds, you felt the cold on your face. Breathing heavily, you looked at him through your eyelashes.

Zayne turned to our neighbors, apologetically.

— I'm sorry, she's a little afraid of large crowds of people.

Touching his hand with your fingers, you caught his attention.

— What? – he asked, looking at you.

— Please, – your lips whispered almost audibly as a hand imperceptibly rested under the table on his groin.

You saw Zayne clench his teeth as your hand gently caressed his masculinity. With each movement, you felt how it got bigger and smiling, you bit your lip.

— Is everything okay with her? – asked Linda, taking her husband's hand.

— Yeah, just a little stress, – he answered, not taking his eyes off you.

Feeling the vibration in you only grow, you can no longer hold yourself back, leaning forward, burying your nose in Zayne's neck, clenching your teeth and thus suppressing your moans.

—My God, – said Linda quietly, looking at her husband. – Maybe she should get some fresh air?

Her husband was looking at you, at the way you pressed your nose against his neck, where the vein stood out, then at Zayne himself, whose gaze changed.

— Yes, – he said uncertainly, nodding. – Maybe she really needs to breathe.

Meeting Zayne's gaze, he lowered his eyes, confident in his guesses.

— I'm sorry, – Zayne said curtly, removing your hand from him and standing up, he helped you up.

Your legs disobeyed you and shook, but a strong arm wrapped around your waist. Looking up at him hazily, you felt the frenzied desire to feel him inside you growing with each movement of the vibrator in your core.

With Zayne's help, you quickly left the hall, heading to the restroom. Tangling in your legs, you whined quietly, trying not to fall.

— You little whore, – he whispered somewhere next to you as you walked down the hall.

Opening the door, Zayne led you into the dressing room and locking the door, pressed your face against it.

— Zayne, please… ah.. I can't…— you whined, arching your back, pressing your ass against his erection.

With a low growl, his hand slipped into his pocket and the vibration in you stopped. Groaning, you closed your eyes, feeling his fingers slip under your dress and tug at the elastic of your panties, pulling them down in one motion. Spreading your legs wider, you felt Zayne pull out the vibrator, trailing a thin thread of your arousal and his soft moan reached your ears.

—What the hell are you...— he said, throwing his gift into the sink.

— Mhh,— you whimpered, rocking your hips as you looked over your shoulder at Zayne. — I want to feel you inside me... please..

— Tell me what exactly you want me to do, – he whispered in your ear, taking your hand around your neck, forcing your head to tilt back.

Another moan escaped your lips and covering your eyes, you barely breathed in air.

— I want you to fuck me, – you said in a hoarse voice, feeling with every cell of your body the hellish desire to be fucked. – I want your cock..

Gritting his teeth, Zayne placed a hand on your thigh and pulled you into his pelvis, his groin against your buttocks.

— You're driving me crazy right now, – he whispered in your ear, pulling away from you and unzipping his pants, freeing his cock.

Burning with desire, you continued to move your hips, urging him to act faster.

You froze when his head touched your pussy. Zayne's hand moved from your neck to your mouth and clamping down he slowly entered you. His other hand landed on your thigh and squeezing it, Zayne pulled you closer to him.

From excitement and feeling him in you, small flashes appeared in your eyes and rolling them, you rested your hands on the door, arching your back to take his cock deeper.

— It's so damn tight... ah… – Zayne whispered in your ear, snuggling tightly against you.

His cock pulsed inside you, making your body tremble and writhe, demanding movement.

— Wait, – his hand gripped your thigh with a firm grip, making it possible to make even the slightest movement.

Your nails scratched the surface of the door as you whimpered muffled into his hand.

— Bitch, – Zayne scolded and abruptly pulled out to again thrusting himself into your cervix.

If it weren't for the hand that tightly closed your mouth, everyone could hear how loudly you were in favor moaned in this moment. Your body weakened and you shook, barely standing on your feet.

— Stand straight,— Zayne ordered, moving inside you.

His thickness rubbed against your walls, moving confidently deep and hitting the cervix. With your chest pressed against the door, you could hardly breathe.

You shuddered with each of his thrusts. Your pussy, hungry for his cock, made wet noises every time Zayne entered you full length. It seemed as if he wanted to penetrate directly into the uterus, hitting her neck with sharp movements.

His hand moved from his hip to his front, lay down on your stomach.

— Do you feel me well, princess? – he whispered, pressing in the place where a small bump appeared from each of his thrusts. – Do you feel my huge dick inside you?

With tears in your eyes, you nodded, feeling the pressure below.

— Be a good girl and don't make a sound, understood? – his gaze, full of mad desire, was fixed on your face.

Removing his hand from your mouth, Zayne kissed the crook of your neck, grabbing your waist and planting your cunt on top of his cock. You made a frantic effort not to moan at the top of your voice. Instead, you whined softly, pressing your chest against the door and arching your back, biting your lips.

— Are you a good girl? – Zayne asked, leaning into your ear and bringing one of his hands down in front of you, touching your clit with his fingers.

— Yes… yes, I'm good! – you said hoarsely, tightly closing your eyes. – Damn, Zayne, ah… So… So deep, ah…

— A good girl doesn't make that much noise. – The fingers tightened around your waist as your hips gripped Zayne's cock. – Fuck...

— I’m sorry.. I’ll be good… just for you, ha.. just.. just give it to me.. – you whispered and clenched your teeth as his fingers started caressing your gem below.

Your head began to spin with pleasure and feeling like you were about to cum, you turned your head to look at Zayne.

— What a whore you are, – he whispered, looking at your red face, at your bitten lips, at the saliva dripping from the corner of your lips, at your eyes that were clouded with desire.

Zayne's body pressed you against the door harder as his hips crashed into you. Suddenly, he slowed down and you wanted to beg for more, flinching at the fact that he interrupted your orgasm, but his lips quickly met yours.

Absorbed in the sensations that flooded your body, you didn't immediately hear voices outside the door.

Breaking the kiss, Zayne looked into your teary eyes and smiled, pressing his finger to his lips.

Breathing heavily, you barely nodded, moving your ass.

One of Zayne's arms wrapped around your waist and the other was back down. The fingers, having found the clitoris, began to circle around it, which made your body twitch with pleasure.

— Did you hear that today will be the awarding of the prize of the year? – a man's voice sounded nearby.

Unable to think, you didn't care about uninvited guests. You were too hungry and you had everything you wanted.

Zayne's hips picked up speed, slamming mercilessly against her cervix. His fingers gripped you tightly until your legs began to buckle from the speed.

— Yes, and Dr. Zayne will receive the award,— said the other sadly.

The voices grew louder. They seemed to be walking down the corridor towards the dressing room.

— Did you see the queen he came with today? — asked the third voice, changing the subject.

Fingers danced to the general beat, caressing your clit as the voices drew closer.

— Zayne,— you whispered softly, scratching at the bathroom door.

He hissed in your ear, silencing you. Only a soft whimper escaped your lips.

— Did you hear that? – asked the voice behind the door. – I thought someone was crying in the restroom?

You and Zayne froze for a second, but he immediately thrust into you roughly, forcing another soft whimper out of your lips and your hand immediately covering your mouth, stifling another moan.

— Did you hear?!

A soft knock was heard from the other side of the door.

— Are you all right? — the man asked in confusion.

Zayne removed his hand from your clit and grabbed your wrist, forcing your hand away from your lips. Casting a pleading look at him, you met his lustful, longing gaze. Letting out another strangled moan, you spoke hoarsely.

— Yes, everything is fine, don– ah, don't worry.. mh...– the fingers found your clitoris again, which made you moan softly.

—Are you sure miss? – the man behind the door did not calm down.

— Yes, please! – whether it was a response to him, or whether it was Zayne's response to his frantic rhythm, you couldn't know for sure.

— Okay then… – confused by this, the man moved away from the door and, whispering with the others, continued down the corridor.

— Such a dirty whore, – Zayne hissed in his ear, burning him with his hot breath.

— Zayne, please... Ah, I'll soon... I gonna cum soon, – barely saying it, you felt tears fall from your eyes.

— You're ruining your makeup, princess, – his lips touched your neck, leaving a wet mark on your skin. – I'll make sure you cum, I promise.

Groaning softly, you nodded. The hand released your waist and was already firmly pressing your wrist against the door. His hips pounded against you, driving his cock deep inside you. Your viscous juices covered every inch of him and dripped onto your panties.

— Yes, yes, mh! Please! – you whimpered, trying to control your moans.

— Keep the noise down,— Zayne reminded, feeling your cunt squeeze inside him.

Gritting his teeth at how tight it was and how your muscles were contracting, Zayne continued to move.

Your eyes rolled with pleasure, and a wave of orgasm passed through your whole body like lightning. In the first seconds of orgasm, not a single sound came from your lips, but soon you couldn't control yourself anymore.

— Zayne, damn, ah! P-please! Ahh!... — your voice, hoarse with excitement, echoed loudly in the dressing room.

— Fuck, – hearing your moans, Zayne also couldn't control himself anymore.

He abruptly pulled out of you and, turning your face towards him, made you fall to your knees with one movement.

Trembling from orgasm, you only had time to open your lips, swollen from bites, when a wet and hot cock slipped between them and in one sharp movement plunged straight to your throat. Tears welled up in your eyes again as the tip of your nose touched Zayne's groin.

With a stifled moan, he pulled it halfway out to enter his full length again.

— How warm... How nice to fuck you in your mouth, princess, – Zayne said hoarsely, placing his hands on your head, messing up your hair. — Take everything, to the last drop.

Breathing heavily, you could barely see his face through your tear clouded gaze as the hot and viscous liquid poured straight down your throat. Closing your eyes, you swallowed everything he gave you. Every last drop was in your mouth as Zayne pulled out his cock. A thin strip of saliva stretched behind the head to the lips.

Sitting on your feet, you looked at him with a loving look, still breathing heavily. Licking your lips, you swallowed the last drops of his semen and covered your eyes with a smile.

— Love you, – you whispered, feeling your head start to spin.

— How are you, princess? – hastily hiding his cock and fastening the button, Zayne crouched in front of you, lifting your head by your chin.

— I… – you whispered, looking into his eyes. – Satisfied.

Shaking his head, he laughed quietly.

— I'm glad about that, but… – pulling out a napkin from his pocket, he touched the corner of your cheek. – If we plan to return to the hall, you need to get yourself in order...

— Do I look scary? – you asked, letting Zayne take care of you.

— Well, – he shrugged, clearing his throat. — It's like… You look like I fucked you a few minutes ago

Frowning, you put your hand on his shoulder and standing up, you walked over to the mirror on weak legs. Your eyes widened when you saw what happened to your face.

Mascara ran down your cheeks in black rivers, and Zayne's attempts to wipe away the black marks only made it worse by smearing them. Your eyelashes were stuck together from tears and the marks of mascara on your eyelids looked scary.

Whining, you looked at Zayne's reflection in the mirror.

— What? – he looked at you in response.

His face showed nothing but his usual seriousness.

— I'm scared now! – sobbing, you looked at yourself in the mirror again.

— No, you're not, – Zayne said, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist, covering your eyes with his free hand. – Don't look.

— But how can I get back now? – your fingers touched his hand, forcing it to go down.

Your gaze landed on Zayne again.

— You didn't take any cosmetics with you from home? – he asked, touching the curve of your neck with his lips.

— Hmm... – looking into the mirror through your eyelashes, you furrowed your eyebrows. – I took it, but my purse remained in the hall...

— Let me bring it to you? – Zayne asked, looking into your eyes through the reflection.

— Yeah, that would be great, – nodding, you watched as your companion let go of you and was about to leave the restroom, when suddenly you stopped him. – Wait.

— What? – he froze and, turning his head towards you, kept his hand on the lock.

Approaching him, you tried not to look into his eyes, being ashamed of how you looked. Almost resting against his chest, you bit your lip, feeling his watchful gaze on you.

— You're a doctor and your reputation should be clean, – you said, zipping up his pants.

— Princess, – his fingers took your chin and lifting your head, he gave you the softest kiss he could. – You are too good for me.

Blushing, you looked away and stepped back from him, waving your hand. – Go and bring me my purse.

Smiling, he watched as you took off your wet panties with a blush on your face and, throwing them on the vibrator in the sink, straightened your dress.

— Maybe we'll be here for a while. – smiling, he turned the lock, closing the door again.

— Zayne!

#love and deepspace #love and deepcpace x listener #loveanddeepspace #love and deepspace zayne #zayne #zayne love and deepspace #lads zayne #zayne smut

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scaredcrab · 7 months

Text

Macaque x Reader - Silly Vallentine

Promotional Disclaimer: This chapter is being posted here to promote the whole work on AO3! To read more chapters, go to the AO3 link, in fact, the new chapters will be posted there first!

✐ 1 Chapter summary: Overcome by boredom, Macaque goes for a walk on Valentine's Day and finds you. An event that turns out to be more amusing than expected.

✐ Category: Fluff; Hurt/Comfort; Cute; Slow Burn; Slow Romance; Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence; Reader-Insert; Touch-Starved; Cuddling & Snuggling; Foreign Reader; Gender-Neutral Pronouns; Humor; Mythology References; Not Beta Read.

Trigger Warning (for the whole work, not this chapter in particular): Angst; Blood and Violence; Trust Issues; Self-Esteem Issues; Self-Worth Issues; lots of issues; Xenophobia; Trauma; Swearing; Emotional Baggage; Emotional Hurt.

-✐-☾-✐-☾-✐-☾-✐-☾-✐-☾-✐-☾-✐-☾-

Chapter 1 - Valentine

This kind of celebration usually doesn't matter much to warriors dedicated only to fighting and revenge, there's no time to meet new people and to love if you're busy going after a hated acquaintance.

But that doesn't mean boredom can't knock on these people's doors.

A powerful monkey demon walks through a large city disguised as an ordinary human. The monotony of his hiding place had ended up irritating him, resulting in a stroll during "lovers day".

The tedium was enormous to make someone so reclusive go out on a day like this. Streets are full of commemorative decorations, mainly pink heart-shaped ornaments, and serenades with sweet music can be heard everywhere, even the sky looked rosier than usual, however what occupies the surroundings more than the color pink are couples laughing.

Couples that make you want to throw up for being so clingy, many of them look like exaggerated caricatures of what a happy pair would look like. The demon even rolled his eyes when he heard some phrases from the loose lovebirds, sometimes having a good hearing is a nightmare.

"I'm scared, honey, what if I don't like the people at the party?" - A short girl passes by the monkey.

"Calm down, if you get nervous, we'll just get out of there. Trust me, we're in this together." - The other girl takes one of her partner's shoulders and speaks in a sweet, calm voice.

He stops in place, for a brief moment.

... Yeah, even though the concept of clingy couples was a little annoying, there was a part of him that held a certain... Interest.

The idea of having someone who cares about your emotional and physical state, the idea of being appreciated, someone to give you attention and affection, someone to trust, all of this was somehow pleasant to imagine. A part of him really craved someone he could actually count on, someone that would actually choose to stay with him.

The warrior shook his head to get that unimportant feeling out of there. Is the holiday making him emotional? This is so pathetic. Like, come on, he had more fun things to do than that!

The biggest fun of being on the streets today is watching couples break up. Or to see people rejecting each other. Dramatic love situations filled with people with broken hearts, looking like over-the-top soap operas in real life. That was pure entertainment.

A rattling bell and the sound of hard material hitting the wall shows that someone has opened a door not far away with incredible brute force, the door in question being the door of a luxuriant restaurant.

"Wait! Come back! What did I do wrong, my little pudding?!" - A man cried while trying to reach a woman in a fancy dress.

"I've already made it clear to you that I hate it when you call me that. What were you thinking, showing up dressed like that in front of my entire family?" - She pointed with her index finger at the clown nose the man had on his face.

"I-I wanted to make your family have fun."

"You made everyone laugh at me! Laugh at us. You made me look like an idiot!"

Ooh, this was a good drama, an argument for a ridiculous reason. This gives a bunch of inspiration to an artist, stupid story scenarios becomes the perfect reference to fun scenes. The beauty and the clown, yeah, this could be the theme of a shadow play, a funny one. A few laughs escaped the demon's lips, so much suffering for such a stupid reason was a special comedy to watch.

Unfortunately for him, the pairing didn't take long to reconcile, returning to the restaurant's interior happily and holding hands.

He rolled his eyes at the scene, boredom returned and, so did his quest for entertainment. Maybe looking for fun outside the hideout wasn't such a good idea at all.

He looked at the restaurant through the front window, taking off his hood of his head, so it wouldn't get in the way of the view, inside there were several couples eating fancy dishes that looked delicious...

Ah yes, the second reason to go out today, the food.

The dishes had too many heart decorations for the Six Eared Macaque's taste, however, that didn't change how tasty they looked. Main courses full of meats and spices, a big variety of drinks and sugary desserts filled the space in every busy table.

If he sneaks into the shadows the right way, it won't be hard to get some good meals.

His belly growled.

"AaaAh! That was loud!" - He looked to the side and saw... You. - "Gosh, you scared me!"

Macaque jumped startled, he hadn't seen that a human had approached to look in the window too. A loud noise came from your belly almost as if it was competing with his stomach.

"Oh... You must be hungry. You also don't have a partner to eat a Valentine's Day food?" - Your hunger had reminded you of that scary noise that came from his tummy.

Macaque was starting to consider fleeing away from there, all he needs less now is boring small talk in the midst of invasion plans.

"Today there are various places offering special dishes for couples, but only for couples." - You keep talking even without hearing an answer from him. - "I'm alone too, so I understand the feeling of walking around without a partner, it makes us think about all the good food we're missing. I only left my house today to see everything decorated and pink, you know. I wanted to see the city transformed."

/ Does this human get chatty when hungry, or are they just naturally annoying? /

After that thought, the belly of the two rumbled together, a synchronized noise, it sounded like a were a rehearsed trick.

"Argh! Those foods look so delicious! I would even pay someone to accompany me, pretending to be my partner."

/ Wait a minute, what did they just say? /

"Would you really pay someone to do something like that?" - An interest appeared behind the question.

"Of course, I really want the couples discounts and stuff." - You answered honestly without even thinking twice, it's a habit of yours that ends up putting you in complicated situations all the time.

A mischievous grin broke out on his face.

He turned around and put a hand on your shoulder to have your attention just for him, you look into the eyes of the man who was holding you. - "Well, today is your lucky day! I am completely willing to cooperate with you in exchange for a good payment."

Now the human eyes stared at the man, the owner of those eyes carrying a certain nervousness within them. We all know that you shouldn't make deals with strangers, you know that very well yourself, but this is an opportunity to eat the exclusive foods that will only be available for today...

You took a good look at his figure to study his details, checking out the sparkle in his eyes, the charming smile, the beard that added the final touch to his attractive face. He wears clothes in nice colors that match each other, specifically dark red and black, his dark hair wasn't super tidy but wasn't tossed around either. The strands look very soft too, a strange urge to stroke the locks of hair haunted your head, but you held back. A man full of charisma stood before you.

You had to admit, he is hot. He is really hot, and he probably knows that (right?), so how expensive would that service be?

"... And how much would be a good payment in your opinion?"

He moved closer to your ear (a thing that made your whole body heat up and shiver) and using a seductive, soft voice, he whispered the value. Your brain melted hearing the voice while collapsed, listening to the number being said. God. The company of pretty men really was expensive.

He seemed to be delighted to see you shudder, to see you making such a shocked expression at the answer, a smug and satisfied smile graced his face. And honestly, this attitude only made you feel more silly feelings in your chest.

"My lord! This much just because you're handsome?!"

"Nice try, but flattering me isn't going to make me change the price I set."

"W-Wait! Let's talk a few things before accepting any price! Like, what places do you allow us to go? What couple things I can do with you? What are your personal boundaries? It wouldn't be fair to charge a specific amount without considering certain things."

The man stares at you intently for a few seconds like someone trying to see through dark glass, arms crossed defensively as he "scans" you up and down. He seemed to be searching for lies through the aura of your soul, or something like this.

"... Like a spoken contract? A kind of sacred agreement between us?" - You nodded with your head.

After thinking some more, Macaque started to say his limitations: No kisses. No hugs. No pet names. You're only allowed to walk holding hands (so you don't end up getting lost).

On your turn to speak, you negotiate the places to visit: an elegant restaurant, a chocolate fondue stand and a cute cafe. These places had great deals for couples and unique Valentine's Day dishes.

/ Isn't that too much food for just one person? /

He had no idea how much food would fit in your stomach, but he could eat a lot himself, so he was getting a big prize. Caring for you was the least of his worries, so your final state at the end of the tour doesn't matter as long as he's well paid and well-fed.

Being so demanding and limiting turned out to affect the final price of the deal, you would have to pay less to the fake boyfriend, but it was still a hefty price.

With everything settled, it was time to pay.

You looked in your wallet with a sad expression. - "Goodbye sweet money, I will never forget you."

When you were about to hand over the payment, you remembered a basic socialization step.

"Wait a minute! I don't know your name." - You held your money close to your chest, hesitating.

The monkey blinked in disbelief, processing the moment, of all suspicious things was it the lack of name that made you hesitate?

A light chuckle escaped from him. - "You can call me Mac. What about you?"

After revealing your name, you glared at the man as you slowly handed over the money, taking your time to say goodbye to the lost fortune. When he took the money from your hands, you made a thin little noise of suffering. Honestly, you're so exaggerated.

We can say that you're dumb too! Knowing each other's names isn't going to stop one from running off with the payment. Lucky for you, Macaque was starting to be entertained by the human innocence. Or would it be better to say stupidity instead of innocence?

Well, it doesn't matter, a fake date has begun.

#lmk #lego monkie kid #monkie kid #lmk x reader #lego monkie kid x reader #lmk macaque x reader #macaque x reader #lmk fanfiction

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am-i-the-asshole-official · 7 months

Note

WIBTA for subscribing to a city’s community radio station as a musician when I don’t live in the city?

I’m (31F) a musician who will be releasing my first single in about a month.

My special interest relates to a specific city’s music scene and its history. The city has a really cool independent community radio station that’s a huge part of that history.

One of the station’s main sources of income is subscriptions where people can make a yearly payment to support the station. You can subscribe as either a regular listener or as a musician. Musician subscribers are listed on the station’s website and also get a live read campaign on the radio. Since I’m going to be releasing music soon, I’d like to subscribe as a musician.

Here’s where I’m worried I may be TA:

-I’m not from the city where the station is based, nor have I ever been there. My main connection to the city and its music scene is my special interest. Since it’s a community radio station and I’m not part of that community, I’m worried I’d be inserting myself somewhere I don’t belong.

-In addition to the above, I’m from the US, while the radio station is based in another country. The radio station puts a lot of importance on promoting local artists and challenging the mainstream. If I subscribed as a musician and benefited from the live read campaign, the station wouldn’t be promoting a local artist, they’d be promoting some random USAmerican.

-Even though I’d be financially supporting the station by subscribing as a musician, I could support them just as well by subscribing as a regular listener.

-I want to subscribe to financially support the station, but part of my motivation is selfish. I’m really interested in this radio station and have spent a lot of time nerding out about its history, so I think it would be really cool to be listed on their website and mentioned on air. Also, I would imagine the station is more likely to play songs by subscriber artists, and it would be amazing to hear my song on the radio, especially on this station.

-I’m autistic (as you’ve all probably guessed from me having a special interest) and I sometimes have trouble determining whether or not my actions will be appropriate or well-received, so I don’t really trust my own judgment on this.

I thought about emailing the station to see whether it would be okay for me to subscribe as a musician (and I probably still will if the results aren’t a YTA sweep) but since I think so highly of the station, I’d hate for anyone working there to think I’m an asshole for asking.

WIBTA?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

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shadowwalkerimagines · 2 years

Text

Hell’s Canyon

『 Hell’s Canyon: Run 1, Day 1: It’s You 』 Undertale - Convergent Mob AU | Sans (Various) / You; Papyrus (Various) / You; Reader Insert; Second-Person Point of View

Rating: M | Warnings for this fic: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Dark Fic, Dark Themes, Kidnapping, Drug Use, Non-consensual Drug Use, Obsessive Behavior, Manipulation, Unhealthy Relationships, Power Imbalance

Summary: Hell’s Canyon is a city plagued by crime and poverty. You moved here a few years ago, intent on following your dreams and bettering your career—you had no plans to linger any longer than necessary, after all, but... This city doesn’t just let people go. Especially not when you manage to catch the eye of those that run Hell’s underbelly.

You better make the right decisions if you want to make it out of this city in one piece.

At the end of each update Readers are presented with a choice. It’s up to you to make the right one.

It has almost been five years (that’s half a decade) since you moved here and you find yourself regretting the decision more and more with each passing day. You had told yourself it would be temporary—just a quick stint while you worked towards a better position and a comfortable cushion in your bank account; surely a better opportunity in a better location would open up soon! But oh, had you been so blindingly naïve back then—not yet jaded by corrupt management, nepotism, and the extent people will go to to ensure they come out on top. Five years and so many opportunities for advancement you have been passed over. Empty words and sorry attempts at sympathy replay in your mind—

“Oh, I’m sorry dear, you just don’t have the right experience.”

“You’re just not what we’re lookin’ for right now. Maybe give it a go next time.”

“He’s just more knowledgeable in this subject matter than you; you understand, don’t you?”

You crumple the paper in your hand and toss it in the garbage. If you slammed the lid down a little too forcefully… well, it’s not like there’s anyone around to judge you for it.

You might have only read the first line but you didn’t need to read anything else. It would just be more empty words anyway.

Rejection was still rejection, no matter how nicely it was fluffed up.

* * *

There is only a half hour left before your shift is over and as you watch the hands tick ever so studiously across the face of the clock, you find your mind drifting to the mini chocolate cake packed away in the back of your fridge. You had gotten it as a little treat to yourself on your grocery run, a cheap little $5 thing from the grocery store bakery, but after today… well, you were most definitely looking forward to treating yourself.

A day full of dealing with self centered customers and coworkers that seemingly have nothing better to do than pass their work on to you really wears on a person.

You most definitely would be taking the opportunity to treat yourself! Now if only time would hurry up.

“Hey there, Trouble!” comes the voice of your coworker, causing your mood to immediately plummet. Not this asshole again. You try (and ultimately fail) to hide your disgruntled expression at the man you had been passed over for a full time position, who was then quickly promoted to a supervisory role. How the lazy, corner cutting piece of—no. No. Stop. Take a breath and calm down. Don’t let him know how much he gets under your skin.

“What is it, Robert?”

“Aw, c’mon, don’t be like that! How many times’ve I gotta tell you to just call be Rob?”

You purse your lips as the man immediately invades your bubble to slap a hand around your shoulder, his palm grasping at your shoulder, pulling you against him. You immediately slip out from under him. He’s always been annoyingly “friendly”—invasively so. You’re sure that’s how he managed to weasel his way into his position, despite all the errors and half assed jobs he would inevitably push onto you.

“I don’t know, Robert, but you can add one more to the count. What do you want?” You pointedly look towards the clock and thankfully, as dense as the man pretends to be, he catches on.

“I know, I know,” he shrinks in on himself and you just know he’s about to ask for a favor. You’re about to give him a firm and solid “No,” but he starts back up before you have the chance. “I forgot we had a really important order for a customer that was due for delivery today but Naomi already left and this has to be dropped off today—no exceptions.”

“Okay?” You quirk a brow, entirely unsympathetic. Surely he’s not asking you to take it on.

The silence that stretches along with the pathetic pleading expression he gives you is answer enough.

“No way,” you sigh out, running a hand over your face and pulling it through your hair. “I’m done in a half hour, that’s nowhere near enough time to make a delivery and make it back in time.” Even with as good a brownnoser Robert is, even he has never been able to hold any sway over Deb and her ironclad control of ensuring people clock in and out on time. “Aw, c’mon,” he pleads, “you can take your own car and just head straight home after the delivery—I’ll clock you out!” When you frown and narrow your eyes at him, he goes so far as to clasp his hands together. “Pleeeease??? I’ll make it up to you, I swear!”

Yeah, like you haven’t heard that one a hundred times before. Another glance at the clock and you notice it somehow hasn’t even been five minutes. You heave a heavy sigh. It has been a pretty slow day, Robert could handle whatever came up in what little time remained (and if you gave a silent plea for the world’s most self-entitled, unreasonable customer with the most asinine of orders to come in… well, no one would know). You draw in a slow, heavy breath, hold it for a beat, and then breathe it out with a, “fine.”

It takes all your inner strength to keep from rolling your eyes at the little “whoop!” and jump Robert does. It’s not like you agreed to this with altruistic intentions—it’s the only way to ensure he will leave you alone.

“Great!” he explains at the same time he pulls a rather crumpled and crinkled looking envelope from his back pocket. He stuffs it in your hands and all but shoves you towards the back office, where your bag and the back door are. “The address is written on the envelope, just tell them you’re there for Bobbie!”

And the next thing you know, you’re standing in front of your car, a crinkled envelope in one hand and your bag in the other. You shake your head and blink a few times to clear the daze that overcame you, and proceed to fish out your keys.

“What in the hell was that about?” Sure the man always seemed to run on high but even for him that was a bit overly pushy. You ultimately decide to shrug it off, not nearly invested enough in the man to know the answer, as you get seated and remind yourself that Robert has always been weird. The sooner you get this delivery sorted, the sooner you can get to that cake waiting for you at home.

You cast a glance at the curiously beaten up envelope, squint at it, but when it doesn’t whisper the secrets of the universe to you, decide it’s not worth your job to pry.

* * *

You pull up to an unsettlingly empty looking strip mall. The parking lot is empty save for a stray car or two and most of the shop fronts have missing or damaged signage.

“Uh… did I get the address wrong?” With anxiety rising, you grab the beaten up envelope and read the address: 2435 Market Plaza, Suite 18. Staring back to the desolate shop fronts you acknowledge that it looks right… straight down to the numbers adjacent to each door. You’re sat in front of 12... there’s 13, 14, 15...

Something prickles along the back of your neck. Is Robert playing some kind of sick joke on you?

You need to make a decision. Do you…

[Check the suite?]

[Go home?]

#Undertale Fanfiction #Undertale Mob AU #Reader Insert #Hell's Canyon

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dondocodocodon-blog · 1 year

Photo

How Small Businesses Can Use Hyperlocal Marketing to Win Big

Hyperlocal marketing is the future of small businesses looking to make a big splash with their product or service. Discover how it can be used to target new and existing customers in very specific geographical locations.

The recent technological advancements in communication, marketing, and advertising have changed the way businesses market themselves, especially small businesses. From the age of only considering inserts, banners, and small print ads to gain attention, today there is an opportunity for businesses to engage their customers with hyperlocal marketing.

What is hyperlocal marketing?

In simpler terms, hyperlocal marketing is the practice of targeting customers and prospects in very specific geographic locations. It’s not just about hitting the right city or zip code but drilling down to the exact street or neighborhood they live in.

This type of marketing is particularly beneficial for small businesses because they often have a more limited customer base and service area.

According to Allied Market Research, the global hyperlocal services market is expected to reach $5,188.60 billion by 2030.

What has driven the rapid growth of hyperlocal marketing?

The key drivers of the hyperlocal market are the huge penetration and increased usage of smartphones, changes in purchasing behavior of consumers, the rise of disposable income, and curated products and services to meet the aspirations of customers.

Technology has made location awareness and geo-targeting possible, and this is the crux of hyperlocal marketing.

What should small businesses do?

Small businesses should take advantage of hyperlocal marketing to reach their target customers. Businesses should use location-based ad platforms such as Google Ads and search engine optimization to reach out in the local area and leverage social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

In addition, businesses should make sure their websites are optimized to appear in local searches, and consider offering promotions or discounts through apps like Groupon.

How to go about creating hyperlocal marketing?

It is essential for businesses to effectively communicate with customers in order to grab their attention so that they come to your door or pick up the phone.

For instance, if you are running a pizzeria, you need to make sure that when someone searches for pizza near your area of operation, your business should show up. You should also ensure your service and goodwill go hand-in-hand.

Here are three golden rules for creating a successful hyperlocal marketing strategy:

1. The omnichannel approach

Opt for the ideal channel mix, depending on your budget. It could be a combination of traditional (print, radio, OOH, etc.) and hyperlocal channels such as social media networks, localized banners/kiosks, apartment drives, and digital OOH.

Here are a few best practices to keep in mind while deploying a multi-channel approach:

Leverage search Engine Optimization (SEO)

To get your hyperlocal SEO in place, use relevant keywords related to your business and include your business address and name, as well as contact information in various directories (Yelp, Four Square, Trip Advisor, Nearbuy, etc.).

According to Google, the majority of information people need is from within one kilometer. Neighbourly, Google’s hyperlocal question and answer App is gaining popularity and can be used to target customers in a specific local area.

The importance of SEO can't be overstated, and that's why many businesses are investing a lot of money and effort into improving their website's SEO. Few businesses have gone as far as to use AI to create hyper-personalized SEO local campaigns.

Localize content

As a local business, your message should also feel local. Take advantage of local stereotypes to dress up your marketing campaigns and make them more personal.

For instance, during the winter season, you can create a campaign around the cold weather in your area. If you're into F&B, use visuals and stories of people enjoying hot beverages to reach out to customers in a more personal way.

Use geo-fencing

It allows you to target audiences in very specific geographic locations. Geo-fencing is a great way to reach out to customers who are physically present near your store or who are actively looking for what you have to offer.

Target contextually

Segment your target based on customer preferences and behavior. For instance, a restaurant can offer special discounts when customers post pictures of dishes from the menu.

Consider retargeting

Use SMS and email campaigns to keep existing customers engaged. Customers who have shown an interest in your business or visited the store at some point are more likely to be converted to promotional offers, discounts, and loyalty programs.

2. Hyperlocal advertising

When people search for related products/services, make sure your business appears in their search outcome. Hyperlocal advertising helps you reach out to customers who are interested in what you have to offer when they are close to your store.

Make sure you add location-specific call-to-action in the ads, such as directions or contact numbers, so that customers can easily contact you. You should also consider exploring platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Yelp Ads, where you can specifically target people in a certain location.

3. Reviews & testimonials

Online reviews are an important part of hyperlocal marketing, as people look for customer feedback before they decide to purchase something. Prompt your customers to leave reviews on review sites such as Google, Yelp, etc.

Make sure you respond promptly to all the comments and reviews, both positive and negative. Each negative review should be addressed properly with an apology and a strategy to make it better. Garnering positive reviews is essential for local businesses as they build trust and credibility.

In addition to these three golden rules, there are several other ways to boost your hyperlocal marketing efforts. Use the power of influencers, leverage local events, and participate in local markets.

With the right hyperlocal marketing strategies, local businesses can make an impact in their area and get the maximum return on their investment.

#seo #hyperlocal marketing

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junkerboss654 · 2 years

Text

Mattress Removal Companies

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When you have to replace a mattress to suit your change of requirements, then it could be worth contemplating reselling your old bed. The Salvation Army - Certain branches of the Salvation Army can help with mattress disposal. They do have strict guidelines old mattress removal about how to donate a mattress in correct situations, so guarantee your mattress is free from damage earlier than you sign up for donation. It’s most likely time to consider your choices for mattress disposal.

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If your mattress and field spring are in good situation, considerdonating them. Otherwise, the City’s Junk Pickup Program is a free handy approach to eliminate old mattresses, field springs, futons, and mattress toppers. You can opt for in-home setup plus old mattress haul away with the purchase of a mattress at checkout, which will embrace the removal of your old mattress. The fee for in-home setup plus old mattress haul away is $150 and will present the setup of your new mattress as properly as the removal of the old. In-home mattress setup plus old mattress haul away is just available for our mattresses right now.

Bear in thoughts that there may be a cost for taking away your old mattress even though you’ve bought a model new one from that firm, so at all times examine the T&Cs first. Leaving something this sizeable out for the refuse collectors isn’t an possibility. A sturdy, high-quality mattress will hold you feeling comfortable and well-supported for years to come— and a few, like Hastens, may final generations. Cheaper mattresses may old mattress removal depart you feeling uncomfortable and even in pain after only some years and require replacement. That’s why it’s so essential to spend as much as you comfortably can on an excellent mattress that can last. Once moved outdoors, clearly label that the mattress is infested to deter anybody who may be tempted to rehome your item earlier than waste disposal picks it up.

When you want a mattress removal, we are able to usually be out and in in a couple of minutes. Once you have your guaranteed worth estimate from your Junk Expert, all you have to do is have your telephone handy the morning or afternoon of the mattress pick up. For the fastest guaranteed value estimate in your mattress removal, Live Chat with a Junk Expert in the bottom proper nook.

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beihonglin · 5 years

Note

bruh i just read your ask about swin and i’m like livid right now didn’t think there could be shittier companies than iqiyi, yg and sm but apparently not

and it sucks that there are so many talented kids who work so hard and deserve to be known that get stuck in this kind of company with terrible management that only knows how to waste their potential 😭😭😭

#pelias can suck it #all they did was sent qibo for nonstop auditions #there was a point where gengyin kept getting questions in his livestreams like #when are yall releasing a new song #or when are you going to promote in (insert city here)#and in the beginning he kept saying we're working on it we're working on it #but at some point it swapped over to #why don't you ask the company we have no idea too #swin was such a good group they had such a good combination #they had great vocals who knew how to dance #they had great dancers who knew how to sing or rap #but all pelias knew how to do was push them into acting #and pinlin said too that even if he likes acting he's only at home on the stage #am i mad that swin was ot10 and not ot15 #maybe #am i even angrier that useless pelias didnt know what to do with ot10 after getting them #yes #caixukun-9 #vivi answers stuff

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kaepop-trash · 3 years

Note

i'd love a drabble where we get to see how johnny and y/n try to cheer each other up on bad days

I've already done Johnny here, so you can see that for what it would be like if the roles were reversed. This is admittedly, too much. I've written a character so sweet that I bet everyone hates me. I hate me. Hope you enjoy it though.

WC: 1.8k

Warnings: making out, mentions of familial dissapointments and the existential dread it brings, too sweet Johnny, too much fluff

She slid the door to Johnny's balcony, slipping into the night.

"Yes, hi. Can you hear me now, mom?" She questioned, wincing when a wind blew up. It was getting colder, she noted; autumn already settling in.

"Yes, I can hear you now." Her mother affirmed. "How is work going? Have you met anyone?" He asked in quick succession. (Y/N) rolled her eyes at the attempt.

"You already know the answer to that question." She mumbled, tired but also feeling apprehended.

Her mother sighed, a clear and certain sound of lament.

"You know, the Park's daughter is getting married in end of fall?" She said with tired nerves, "She went to school with you." The last part felt like a deliberate insertion.

"That's very good news for the Parks. Have fun at the wedding if they invited you." She looked down to her feet, shuffling and making one of the ends of her sweatpants unfold. Johnny's long pants fell on the dusty ground and she sighed.

"When will I get to give someone good news?" Her mother sounded urgent.

"Why don't you get married then? Why are my decisions dictated by your grocery store gossip?" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as a buffer. She reminded herself that she hadn't spoken to her parents in a while. Fighting immediately would not be nice.

"You're hopeless." Her mother sighed, "Are you even dating anyone? What do you do alone in the city?" She questioned with a mix of frustration and concern.

The words made (Y/N) turn, shifting till the man whose house she was in came into view. He sat on the sofa, eyes glued on the movie he was watching.

"No I'm not." She told her mother with a smaller voice.

"Why? It must feel lonely in such a big city. Don't you want to find someone?" Her mother questioned with building insistence.

(Y/N) watched as Johnny leaned forward, picking up a piece of chicken from the ones she'd fried on a whim. He sat back into the sofa, bringing his beer to his lips as he relaxed further into his seat. Her heart tugged at the sight.

"I'm sure I will someday." She mumbled, voice distracted.

"It's not like the right person will drop out of the sky, (Y/N)." Her mother took on a more serious time, edging on a parental command.

She looked away from the image in front of her, an illusion that only burdened her mind more with her mother's words in her ears.

"Don't you care about anything else?" She questioned, brows furrowing with a sense of deep irritation from having to repeat the same conversation every single time. "You never ask me about anything else. Yes, I'm fine. I sleep well, I've gotten a decent raise. I have friends to depend on when I need company. I'm not lonely." She told her, the last part ringing in her ears.

It wasn't that being alone was a problem. Growing up an only child to busy parents, she was used to it. Her entire life, she never worried about it. Loneliness didn't come to her in solitude. It came in moments like this one, when she stood with her back to a glass barrier behind which was a dream she could never have; while she spoke to someone who would never understand her at all.

"Tell her." She heard her mother shuffle in the back.

"Listen to your mother." Her father spoke, voice gruff and always stern.

"I am listening. I'm just not going to act on it." She mumbled, earning a grumbled disapproval from her father for her tone.

"What is this I hear about you getting a promotion? Don't you want to quit?" He questioned.

She blinked, caught off guard by the question that came out of nowhere.

"Why would I quit my job?" She questioned.

"How long will you work at a music company? You got a law degree to read song lyrics?" He questioned, a breath short of outright clicking his tongue at her.

"That's not what I do. Just because I don't work at a law firm doesn't mean I don't do things a lawyer would do. I get paid well, it's better hours than a firm. Why would I quit?" She questioned, knowing exactly what his answer was.

"Don't you want to work at a firm?" He asked.

"No, you want me to work at a firm. I did it once and it was awful. I like where I work." She said with a sense of finality.

"You worked at such a good firm and you just gave it up. If you would have just stuck to it a little longer and tried a little harder then you could have been a senior associate already." He continued like he hadn't heard anything she said.

"It's like talking to a wall." She groaned, "I don't care if they wanted me to be a partner. I'm fine with my current job." She snapped.

"Don't talk to your father like that." Her mother chimed in, making her realise that she was on speaker.

"Why can't you both just be happy for me?" She asked, voice small like she was a child again.

"We are happy for you." She said with a sigh. "We just want you to do a little better."

Johnny looked up when he heard the balcony door slide open. She walked back to the couch, sitting down with a distant look on her face.

"What's up?" He asked, unsure of what the protocol was in such a situation. Was it his place to talk about her parents?

She shook her head, turning to give him a small smile that looked a little worn down to him.

"Just another phone call with my parents." She shrugged with a tired sigh. "Nothing eventful."

Johnny nodded, unconvinced but he decided not to push.

As they continued watching the movie, Johnny could tell that something in her mood had shifted. Everytime he turned, her eyes were on the tv but still seemed somewhere far away. Eventually he put his arm around her, bringing her a little closer. She nuzzled into him, burying her cheek into his chest. They both let out a small sigh.

After a few more minutes, Johnny gave into the part of him that itched to give her some reassurance. He tilted his head to her, planting a kiss against her temple. She turned before he moved away, looking up at him with the same contemplating eyes.

After thinking about whatever she had on her mind, her eyes drifted to his lips. Before Johnny could part them to speak, she sat up to come closer to them and pressed her own lips over his. She looked up at his eyes, piercing him with the unspoken thought that weighed down on his curiosity.

With the same searing look, she left a few lingering pecks against his lips before her hand reached up to his cheeks. With her fingers cradling his jaw, she deepened the kiss.

The arm Johnny had behind her moved to pull her closer, her chest pressing against the side of his body that he moved to face.

"What is it?" He spoke softly when he pulled back for a breath, refusing to move his lips away from hers. Their eyes opened at the same time, meeting with equal trepidation. "You can tell me. I might not understand, but I'll listen." He tilted his head just enough to kiss her cheek.

Her fingers dropped from his jaw, resting against his shoulders as she pulled away like she was bracing herself.

"I'm good enough, right?" She looked up at him with a shattering level of uncertainty. The question made Johnny's mind swirl with words, but he waited for her to clarify.

She clutched his t-shirt softly, "I like the work I do, I like going to work. I'm good at what I do. I pay my debts and I provide for myself." She furrowed her brows and Johnny could tell that her own doubt was annoying her. "I'm not perfect," She paused, giving him a more guarded look. "But I'm good enough, aren't I?" She questioned, voice sounding smaller.

Johnny's hands reached up her back as he tried to swallow the irony.

"(Y/N)," He spoke softly, pushing stray strands behind her ear. "You're more than that." He pulled a little closer to him, nose bumping against hers. "You're incredible at what you do. You're smart, thoughtful and funny." He pecked the side of her nose, smiling when she looked at him. "You respect yourself, you have a solid sense of who you are and you never compromise on it. Everybody who knows you is better for it."

He squeezed her waist, giving her a soft smile. "I'm a better person for getting to know you, to see you for all that you are." He pecked her lips next. "You're more than enough, (Y/N). You're incredible." He sighed, the deeply felt admiration coming up to his eyes as the words he truly felt finally tumbled out of him. He wanted to say so much more. To tell her that, to him, enough wasn't even close to what she was.

She was everything he wanted.

"Thank you." She nodded, blinking away to look down to her fidgeting fingers.

"You can't make everyone happy." He tried to comfort her, earning another nod.

"I just want them to love me for me, you know?" She smiled, the gesture full of longing. "But they don't even really know me. They're too busy thinking about what I could be to ever stop and see what I am." She bit down on the corner of her lip, tugging at the skin.

"You can't control that." With a small sigh he lifted her legs into his lap, reaching up to cradle her head in his neck. "As long as you are the person you want to be, the rest is just a happy bonus or an unfortunate situation." He patted her back, feeling his heart tug when he tried to consider how she was feeling.

"I don't know the person I want to be." She said it so low that the words felt fragile, then she let out a huff, "But you're right, I needed to hear that." She nodded against his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled to himself, glad he helped. "Let's go get dinner, I want to drink a milkshake." He told her, knowing that it was the exact thing she liked to have on bad days.

She sat back, looking at him. For a moment he thought she'd say no, holding his breath.

"With fries?" She asked him, looking too cautious for such a simple question. Johnny laughed, letting out a relieved breath and nodding.

"Sure." He slid his hand up the back of her neck, threading it into her hair. "Anything you want."

Character from: Chance Encounter

Mini Masterlist

#nct #nct 127 #nct johnny #johnny au #johnny scenarios #johnny drabbles #johnny x reader #johnny imagines #johnny smut #johnny fluff #johnny #nct scenarios #nct imagines #nct drabbles #nct fluff #miscellaneous #chance encounter #ask

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kitkatpancakestack · 3 years

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In response to this. I am replying in a new post bc I have the "no sense of brevity" flavor of ADHD so I know this is gonna get long.

@yramesoruniverse thank you so much for asking, as a matter of fact I do have some thoughts *cracks knuckles*

Let me preface this by saying I am not going to sit here and pretend I don't spend 90% of my waking hours ruminating on this. We all know what we're doing here. That being said, I have considered several variations on how I would love the 9-1-1 team to deliver this:

1. Let's call it the "Two Trapped Dads" scenario:

I implore you to consider the ANGST and POETRY of Buck and Eddie getting trapped somewhere, as civilians, and being forced to depend on each other in order to survive. The serve of this hypothetical scenario would be made more rich set in the context of them having had an argument, or just there being some kind of withstanding tension between the two that has been ignored and left to build to a nauseating degree.

(Side note: I love Buck and Eddie because when they fight it's never with any real animosity. It always stems from the terrifying magnitude of their Love for each other. It's not arguing, it's just them caring about each other very aggressively. Absolutely iconic.)

ANYWAY, in this scenario they careen into disaster over Christopher, as I see it playing out that for some reason they believe only one of them will be able to 100% make it out alive. I imagine the tension has been building since the guardianship bomb and Buck regresses to what he believes he does best, which is being a sacrificial lamb, which shoves their moment from 4x14 back into the forefront. It would force Eddie to not only seismically double down on what he said, but literally spell out to Buck what he means to Eddie, not just Christopher.

Example:

Buck: Obviously you're the one that's getting out, you have a son waiting for you.

Eddie: Screw that, you mean just as much to him as I do.

Buck: I'm irrelevant unless you're dead, Eddie, and there is no way I'm letting you die here today.

Eddie: You're such an idiot, Buck. How can you still not get it?

Buck: Get what?

Eddie: We're a family. All three of us. What did you think that whole will thing was about, anyway? Christopher and I . . . there's no us without you.

jfc someone stop me before I write an entire script, but I think you get the gist of this one.

2. Next we have the "Just-Tell-Me-What-You-WANT" scenario:

The Drama Queen in me is obsessed with this one. It would, unfortunately, require a significantly laid foundation between Buck and a love interest (Taylor ig? It's not important, tbh). Originally, I had this scenario flipped, but since we as a fandom have collectively established Eddie as the Pining Idiot in Love, we're gonna switch it up.

So, again, Buck would be progressing significantly in his relationship with [insert intentionally poorly-defined love interest here]. In the fallout of the guardianship scene, I can still see him struggling with how to untangle his Feelings about what Eddie said to him, and losing himself in the disingenuous familiarity of "Buck 1.0" (I am with Eddie in that I hate his software updates but it's canon material so there you go). The escalation of this hypothesis results in Buck contemplating taking the next step with Taylor or, more realistically, contemplating moving out of the city with her as she's been recruited for a promotion elsewhere. I could see Eddie coming over to Buck's place and them discussing this, because they discuss everything, and Eddie just getting more and more exasperated because Buck doesn't look happy but he won't stop and think, he's just barreling ahead as usual. And so Eddie calls him out.

I think it would be something like Eddie going, "What are you even doing? You obviously don't want this."

And Buck being like, "I'm not discussing what I want with you."

and Eddie just exploding, "What? What do you want, Buck? You never express what you really feel so just . . . what do you really want?"

And Buck just going fuck it and grabbing him and pressing years of want and need and love into Eddie's mouth and yeah *fans face* I'm FINE.

3. Finally, the "Wait-For-Me-To-Come-Home" scenario:

Ideally a season finale moment, paralleled to the other couples on the show. The episode would feature a series of calls relating to couples/families experiencing some degree of separation but always finding their way back to each other. At the end there's a montage of Bathena, Madney, Mavid, Henren etc. reuniting after some sort of contention and then it would stop on Buck alone in his apartment, sitting at his table identical to what we saw in Tsunami Pt. 2, completely overwhelmed by how quiet it is and how alone he feels. And maybe Buck is considering something he heard on one of the calls. Whatever the situation, it ends with him heading to Eddie's house and it's late, like two in the morning late, and the final scene is Buck knocking on Eddie's door looking wild-eyed and desperate and there's no dialogue, just them. And Eddie opens the door wider and steps back as Buck steps in and they just stand a breath's distance away, just staring at each other, and then Eddie closes the door and everything fades to black and *flings myself off a cliff*

Bonus: I call this the "Fever Dream" scenario because I dreamt it when I was, in fact, feverish and hallucinating after my second COVID vaccine:

Buck is out running an errand before going into work and ends up in a robbery situation where he obviously intervenes and ends up getting hurt. The episode would open with the 118 being unable to reach Buck and ragging on him, and the first call they respond to is, indeed, Buck on the verge of death. The rest of the episode would then show the sequence of events leading up to that moment and finish with Buck and Eddie in the back of the ambulance, and Buck just touches Eddie's face, or wraps his fist around the St. Christopher necklace hanging around Eddie's neck, and Eddie is Not Handling Things and then Buck flatlines in the back of the ambulance and jfjdsaldflja somebody stop me before I write a fic *flings myself off another cliff*

As you can see I haven't thought about this much at all. Also, you deserve a fucking award if you made it to the end of this.

I have buddie brainrot! They're actually ruining my life! I have lost control! I'm doing GREAT!!!

#buddie #somebody take my brain away from me #I would like to put it away for a few days and be free from this endless cycle of violence #evan buckley #eddie diaz #idiots in love smh #greatest love story of all time though #buddie meta #long ass post #speculation

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rivalsforlife · 2 years

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you know it’s 2am guys and you know what that means: more incoherent thoughts about lotrop. I genuinely was going to try and do a rewatch and take notes and screenshots but I don’t feel like it. those things are long. so [insert general disclaimer about future show spoilers from the assorted works of tolkien]:

I’m probably going to collapse any second now but my brain is buzzing I need to yell at someone and nobody else is with me :( so tumblr you get to suffer through this.

NUMENOR STUFF:

Numenor is cool I love the statue of Earendil. I actually really like how they’ve set things up so far? Making it pretty clear it’s in a state of decay/decline. The thing with Miriel and Pharazon is interesting because it sure did seem in promotional things that Miriel had more control than she actually had. I think she is secretly Faithful but is playing along for now to try and keep her control over the people, but the second Tar-Palantir dies, Pharazon is going for the kill (cousin marriage). I liked their little line of like. Pharazon saying that they had to be careful with Galadriel since they don’t want to risk the “cloud that [Miriel’s] father brought over” or whatever. Nice way to allude to Palantir being one of the faithful and the last of the faithful so briefly. Honestly I can’t remember if that’s just a thing I picked up on or if it is something casual viewers would pick up on too. idk.

I liked the little name etymology conversation with Elendil. And I’m glad that it was very clear Anarion IS existing in this show and around just not... here. my numenorean geography sucks. this main city place. ... armenelos... idk. again: 2am give me a break.

The main complaint I see is that Elendil doesn’t seem to be Lord of Andunie and Miriel seemingly doesn’t know who he is. Possibly Miriel could have been lying about not knowing. And I guess possibly Elendil (or Amandil) could have lost that title when people got very anti-Elf and anti-Faithful. idk. A bit of a departure, but not an extremely egregious one, I feel? like the gil-galad stuff was worse for me. But I do think Miriel at least believes he is secretly one of the faithful by giving him the task of watching over Galadriel. I like the “keep her confined to the palace grounds” [galadriel and elendil go on a trip to visit halls of lore] which may imply that Miriel defied her seeming orders and hopefully Pharazon doesn’t find out about it.

Hmm THE ELROS POSTER. I was so happy. I was going to do a “watch the show normally and then rewatch for the commentary” but I did pause for Elros. I’m so glad he got a decent mention and explanation about him being Elrond’s brother. That’s important stuff I’m glad they got to touch on. and elros building the library <3 I see you’re a nerd like your brother. always good.

OH AND ABOUT GALADRIEL’S INTRODUCTION [<- jumping around everywhere] FINARFIN MENTION!!! GALADRIEL OF THE NOLDOR. DAUGHTER OF THE GOLDEN HOUSE OF FINARFIN. LOVE THAT.

The thing is there was a teaser for this scene that just had her introduce herself as “galadriel of the golden house” and that just seems to be the marketing team cutting out all the lore stuff so it seems more accessible [COWARDS] I’m so happy we got Finarfin mention. I know he was probably in the appendices and Fingolfin wasn’t but I’m still holding out to complete the trio with Fingolfin. somehow. somewhere. episode 4 maybe. [sorry feanor for putting you in a trio with fingolfin and finarfin]

like I already have a Reaction every time the word “Noldor” is dropped. even in the simplest ways. I am That gone for the Silmarillion. But hearing Finarfin’s name made me clap to myself like in an excited way. Finarfin namedrop + long Elros mention were the highlights of this episode. it is interesting how it implies that Galadriel knew Elrond and Elros fairly young -- like I assume right at the end of the first age. Elrond and Elros walking out of the care of Maedhros and Maglor following their horrific ends only to walk right into another house of finwe member:

Oh also uhhhh one thing. the Galadriel planning to take a boat by force. IS SO FUNNY. GIRL. WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME SOMEONE TRIED THAT.

Uhh last thing I can remember right now (though undoubtedly I forgot something important like how I FORGOT THE OATH OF FEANOR CALLBACK FOR THE FIRST EPISODE WRITEUP DESPITE THAT BEING THE THING THAT MADE ME CARE ABOUT THIS SHOW IN THE FIRST PLACE anyways) is the reveal that the sigil is a map of Mordor. I’ve seen that theory online but I didn’t expect it to be revealed so soon!

isildur and earien I’m not super attached to right now. I think Elendil is going to be an interesting guy. I think right now the standout to me of the Numenoreans is Miriel.

oh actually one more thing about deceptive trailer editing. There’s a line somewhere in one of the major trailers with Miriel and Galadriel by the Palantir and Miriel says “It is here, Galadriel. The moment we feared.” and that line is actually her talking to her father like “It is here, father. The moment we feared. The elf has arrived.” I am interested to see what the implications of that are (prophecy?) and also that she does seem to actually be on her father’s side here. which seems contradictory at first about the idea of an elf being here but you know. anyways trailer editing is so deceptive it’s weird and honestly I don’t like taht but it’s not the show itself so whatever.

wait another numenor thing I had to come back to: UINEN STATUE IN THE CELLS!!! I was whispering to myself trying to remember her name when I saw it like NOT OSSE. WHO’S ASSOCIATED WITH OSSE... I think it’s Uinen. that was another exciting little thing.

hm I think that’s all the Numenor stuff. except for one crucial thing I’m going to take a whole part to talk about:

THE HALBRAND THING:

Did not expect a Halbrand Identity Reveal this soon. Because I was really feeling nervous throughout this whole thing. Him being drawn to forges and claiming to be very good about it? Concerning. Him trying to win people over by being charismatic but deceptive? Concerning. And him seemingly being very strong, enough to like. break limbs easily. Concerning. I really was feeling like this was beginning to build towards Sauron but then Galadriel came in with the save (king of the Southlands reveal) and I was like. oh okay that’s a relief.

and honestly I know that they could fake that out later. but I really really don’t want them to. I don’t want them to have a twist for the sake of having a twist, you know? I want Sauron to show up as Annatar. I think it’d be super weird if he’s pretending to be a man and tries to deceive Galadriel but then Galadriel eventually finds him out after seemingly trusting him and then he leaves and then HE COMES BACK AS ANNATAR TO TRY AND DECEIVE GALADRIEL AGAIN. like that would suck.

like between this and then his later numenor thing it’d be weird if like... “here’s a guy you think you can trust... SURPRISE IT’S SAURON. okay now here’s a new guy you think you can trust... SURPRISE IT’S SAURON AGAIN” back to back over 2/3 seasons it’s going to seem real bad. The audience (or at least those who are familiar with the lore) are going to guess Annatar right away AND THAT’S NOT A BAD THING. The interesting thing is seeing why Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mirdain are won over by him and stuff like that. Not the OHHH I NEVER GUESSED HE WAS SAURON that’s cheap.

I know Sauron later claims to be the King of Men. But I don’t see why that necessitates him being an actual human PLUS trying to escape -- to Valinor? To Numenor? Having other people with him who get killed and don’t seem to hold him in any particular reverence? And also I hate the idea of Galadriel and Sauron teaming up. that’s so much a... non-tolkien thing. it’s unbearable to me. it’s like “isildur ringwraith” level.

though admittedly it could make the significance of the dagger somewhat interesting since Sauron would recognize it as Finrod’s dagger and thus this is Finrod’s baby sister, but. the costs FAR outweigh any benefits they could have here. both lore-wise and also just the integrity of the story. I’m good with Halbrand Future Nazgul, I’m good with Halbrand King of the Southlands, I’m good with Halbrand eventually defecting to Sauron and giving him info on the elves and Numenor, I just do not want him to be Sauron himself because that seems so. weak. you know?

Also the One Thing on my “If you do this I am dropping this show, despite the possibility of seeing stories I’ve wanted to see come to life for a long time actually come to life” list is Galadriel-Halbrand romance. I did not like some of those comments from the other guys hinting at it. I want to bash my head against a wall. let people be friends. my god. the last thing this show needs is a Galadriel romance plotline that’s not with Celeborn and even then they should keep that to the fucking minimum I am not here for this shit I am here for Celebrimbor Forging The Rings Of Power And Getting Turned Into A Banner and I am here for Silmarillion References and I do not need this romance stuff. ... I’m getting belligerent from being so tired, so time to move on to stuff I care less about.

HARFOOT STUFF:

this one will be brief. ... which is that I have no real thoughts on them. I’m sorry. my brain is mostly noldor. and silm. in which the harfoots and hobbits have no part.

The Stranger is helping them now so now I extra do not want him to be Sauron. I just don’t want any of these people to be “Sauron in disguise” like save it for annatar. sheesh.

ORC STUFF:

orc time. how did those other guys get captured? I feel like I didn’t care enough for them to care when they died it kind of reminded me of “Haldir dying at Helm’s Deep” in the jackson movies where it’s like wow. that sure happened. and I feel it has more weight here than it should.

The big thing is Adar since he’s the episode title and we didn’t even get to see his unblurred face which is such a shame I was really looking forward to that given my crack theory that he’s Maglor Gone Off The Deep End. (It’s how I trick my silly little brain into caring more than I should.) I’m glad they addressed it’s an elvish name.

but on the subject of elvish it’s REALLY bothering me that the elves who are seemingly silvan elves are speaking quenya. literally why would they do that. it’s the extreme version of the “why are they answering to gil-galad” from the first episode THESE AREN’T NOLDOR, YOU CAN’T INTERCHANGE THE DIFFERENT ELF TYPES OR PEOPLE LIKE ME GET MAD. IF YOU WANT THEM TO BE NOLDOR JUST MAKE THEM NOLDOR? and it’s not like we have no information on Sindarin as a language! IT’S THERE. PLEASE.

like it would make way more sense for all the elves to speak Sindarin than Quenya that stuff has been outlawed for a decent amount of time and even then only the Noldor should really be speaking it anyway. quenya by silvan elves... the world has gone upside down. I’m really tired and probably angrier than I should be. Maybe This Was A Bad Idea Typing This So Late.

I am curious about what’s up with this adar dude though. why’s this guy running an orc camp that captures and tortures his fellow elves. like that does push me away from the maglor crack theory a little more. (not that I was ever sold on it in the first place but come on. you have to admit it would be funny.) but since they left it on a cliffhanger we’re not getting the answer until episode 5. but I mean he does seem to be built up into a decent part of the story?

I know the elves are speculating he’s Sauron but I think that would be too obvious. Yet despite that between Halbrand-Stranger-Adar being Sauron I’d prefer this Adar guy since he’s so far had zero positive interactions with anyone he shouldn’t be having positive interactions with. BUT STILL. SAURON COULD JUST NOT BE HERE YET.

hmmm I was hoping I would be more convinced by this episode since 3 is my lucky number. and there’s a couple times now I’ve gotten invested in something on the third episode/installment of the thing. but not this time :( I mean I loved the numenor stuff but some things like the “silvan elves using quenya” seems oddly careless? which I mean... there may be a reason and I’m trying to be open to that, I definitely don’t know languages enough to pick up on if this is actually sindarin and the subtitles are just messing with me, but if it is quenya then that’s. really weird. sorry. it’s strange since the elves are so Important but it feels a bit like they dropped the ball on some important elf stuff, or maybe it’s actually not that important and I’m just a crazy person obsessed with the Noldor and nobody other than me cares. and THAT is a sign that I should stop since it’s now 2:30 am. hopefully I didn’t forget anything massive in my sleep deprivation. bye bye

#lotrop #ramblings #... this doesn't even go in the rankings tag it's that out of it.#if I have more thoughts if I do a rewatch I'll make another post. you all have to suffer with me #or suffer me I should say. more accurately.

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saleintothe90s · 2 years

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461. Daily Press, June 1, 1991

Some things never change. While we didn't get to 100 exactly last week, it got pretty close.

Woah, so that's a big correction.

Chris got probation in August:

Rock singer Chris Robinson, 24, was sentenced to six months' probation when he pleaded no contest to a charge of disturbing the peace during a late-night beer run. The court dismissed an assault charge.

Robinson's group, the Black Crowes, had played a May 29 concert in Denver, when he went to a 7-Eleven for beer and was turned down because it was after midnight. He allegedly spit on another customer, Elizabeth Juergens, who asked, "Who are the Black Crowes?" 1

Whitney's concert at the Hampton Coliseum was canceled on July 2nd due to "sluggish sales":

The July 5 concert was killed Tuesday by promoter Dimensions Unlimited of Washington, D.C. Only 2,500 of 10,000 tickets had sold, said Alysia Taylor of Dimensions Unlimited. Even additional television advertising failed to sell the show.

Taylor said a mutual decision to cancel was reached by Houston's New Jersey-based management company and promoters. It was the first cancellation of an East Coast appearance by the singer.

"It's horrible," Taylor said. "I think it hurt us really badly that people got to see Whitney for free a few months ago."

Houston's Easter Sunday concert at Norfolk Naval Air Station aired for free on the Home Box Office cable network. 2

What exactly is a dinette? There were stores devoted to them back then, but all I'm seeing is a dining room set. Webster's says a dinette is a "small dining table and chairs" 3

The Bushes had Graves Disease, which is a thyroid disorder. Millie had lupus.

That motorist was Rodney King. 4

Tops reached their highest in 1991. They've never been that high again.

This is messed up. You know how years ago I would share the bottom 100 from Spy magazine? Well, in the 1991 edition, there was an entire section of ridiculous murders : 5

I'm sure that kid is wearing cutoffs that original said "Colonial" but now they just say "COLON". Colon shorts.

Okay, so here is the thing, the newspaper's microfilm copy that is on ProQuest is missing the Lifestyles section. I'll try to fill in the pieces.

There was supposed to be an article about how the Virginia Living Museum built a dinosaur exhibit in the old Miller & Rhoads department store at the Newmarket Fair Mall. I found this article from a special insert from the day before.

My dad took me to this while mom shopped at Sears. I wish I remembered more from it, I just remember that it was at the mall, and I got a cardboard dinosaur pencil case afterward. I wish I had more memories of going places with my dad, he's not close with me anymore.

WOAH WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THIS ARTICLE AND THIS AD RUNNING TOGETHER.

I used the Eugene Register-Guard to fill in the comics page:

oh, this was a couple of months after Elly had April, the accident baby.

You know how the strip has been in reruns since 2008? They're currently running strips from 1993. The original strip ended right when I transferred to another college in 2008 when I was 25. We're getting old.

Don't ya just want to slap Jeffy sometimes?

Staff. ‘ROCK SINGER GETS PROBATION’. Buffalo News. Accessed 30 May 2022. https://buffalonews.com/news/rock-singer-gets-probation/article_ee81dda5-27d2-5820-91df-5e9d00d0e0b2.html.

Daily Press. ‘WHITNEY’S CONCERT CANCELED’. Accessed 30 May 2022. https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19910703-1991-07-03-9107030079-story.html. https://archive.ph/dcx7Q

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “dinette set,” accessed May 30, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dinette%20set.

UPI. ‘Attn: Editors and Publishers Reporter Fined for Refusing to Identify Source in King Case’. Accessed 30 May 2022. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/05/30/Attn-editors-and-publishers-Reporter-fined-for-refusing-to-identify-source-in-King-case/3514675576000/.

Spy. ‘Ten Most Senseless Murders in New York City This Year (so Far)’, October 1991. https://books.google.com/books?id=66y_cHgHTYYC&printsec=frontcover&lr=&rview=1&hl=en#v=twopage&q&f=true.

#1991 #the 1990s #1990s #old newspapers #daily press #newport news #hampton virginia #dinosaurs #for better or for worse #reebok #90s fashion #Chris Robinson #the black crowes #whitney houston

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thisweekingundamwing · 3 years

Text

This Week in Gundam Wing (August 22-28, 2021)

Hey Gundam Wing fandom! Here’s your weekly roll-up. Show your fellow fans some love.

--Mod LAM

EDIT (August 29): have removed tags for richardarmititty per their request (and for evan-wins for good measure). Please do not submit posts by either party going forward. I will also be BLOCKING both accounts to avoid future inadvertent inclusion (again, per their request to not be associated with the content captured in this roll-up).

Fanfiction

The Life of the Immortal Jellyfish (CH.14/35) by @lemontrash

Pairings: Duo x Wufei

Characters: 5 pilots + Relena, Hilde, Noin, Une

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: post-canon, post-Endless Waltz, UST, roommates, Preventers, slow burn, insomnia, friendship

Summary: Is it chance that lands Duo and Wufei in the same university dorm room? They're not stupid enough to believe that but too tired to fight it. Duo's dragged himself back from the brink of going too far and remains teetering on the edge while Wufei's doggedly trying to prove himself to the 'good guys' in the aftermath of the Eve Wars. Sleep and normalcy eludes them both. As they become increasingly aware how damaged they are, they start to edge towards friendship, or something more, but all too soon the peace seems jeopardised by a new and manipulative threat.

Thrash (welcome to the gutter) by @gemstonecircles for @noirangetrois

Pairings: Duo x Relena, implied Heero x Trowa

Characters: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Relena, Hilde

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: safehouses, friends to lovers, unresolved (and eventually resolved) sexual tension, graphic sexual situations,

Summary: “Not that it’s not a pretty bitchin’ look,” Duo said, his words slightly distorted by the key-pin hanging from his mouth, both his hands engaged with the grocery bags from the pick-up location in the city outside, “And OverKill is an excellent choice, but don’t you have your own clothes?”Relena and Duo are pent up in a safehouse and something’s gotta give. Eventually.

Lucerne by katopiyo

Pairings: Duo x Quatre

Characters: Duo, Quatre

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: canon insert, dancing

Summary: Duo and Quatre catch up in the Peacemillion's break room.

The Empresses’ Third by @tziganecaffiends and @zaganthi

Pairings: Wufei x Treize x Meilan

Characters: Wufei, Treize, Melian

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: threesome, alternate universe - everyone lives, fix-it, happy ending, love, prisoner of war, coercion, Light Dom/sub, pegging, Porn with Feelings, families of choice, implied/referenced child abuse and suicide

Summary: Out of a war, she had secured the safety of her husband, obtained a third, and had a daughter. They had managed to fix their colony, and they now had viable economic gains that were steady and sufficient to support their people because she had felt greedy, angry, horny, and petty, yes. Because her husband had been fascinated by the man who was now showing Mei-Xing the parts of a rose bloom, and stumbling for a moment as Wufei gave him the right words in Mandarin.

Warmth by @noirangetrois for Purdys aka Diane

Pairings: Heero x Relena

Characters: Heero, Relena

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: huddle for warmth, only one blanket, resolved sexual tension, sexual situations, Heero’s an idiot

Summary: The front door opened and Relena heard the sound of rain pelting down outside. Heero entered and shut the door behind him, dripping water everywhere.“You didn’t wear a jacket!” She had been asleep when he’d left to scout the perimeter and hadn’t realized. “It wasn’t raining when I left,” he replied.

Stand Without Flinching (CH.46/?) by @angelselene

Pairings: Heero x Duo, Trowa x Quatre, Wufei x Sally, Steve x Tony, Wanda x Vision

Characters: GW and MCU cast

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: GW-MCU crossover, alternate universe, canon divergent, fix-it, romance, Preventers, PTSD, moral ambiguity, family reunification, slow burn, found family

Summary: Wufei wasn’t sure what to expect when Maxwell came back in by himself.

With Open Arms by @bryony-rebb

Pairings: Zechs x Noin

Characters: Zechs, Noin

Rating: EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: post-canon, post-Endless Waltz, reconciliation, emotional hurt/comfort, semi-public sex, porn with feelings

Summary: In the immediate aftermath of Endless Waltz, Zechs and Noin (ahem) reunite.When he looked back at her, there was a slight furrow between Noin's brows, a downward twist to her lips; her eyes seemingly stuck on the slim leather fold of his wallet. "The dead man carries cash," she quietly observed.

The Art of Making a Machine by @the-reanimated-bhg

Pairings: N/A

Characters: Dr. J, Professor G

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: two brilliant minds bickering incessantly, failed NaNoWriMoFic, humor

Summary: A Story of Love, Friendship and Fisticuffs

Fanart

Heero Smoking by @bettertasting

No Sleep (Heero x Duo) by @bettertasting

Heero and Relena by @alphaikaros

Heero and Relena Halloween by @alphaikaros

Halloween Relena by @noromax

Wufei by @farshootingstar

Quatre by @darksharinganz

Other Fanwork

Cosplay and Gunpla

(RG) XXXG-01W Wing Gundam review by @reversemoon255

Custom EW Heavyarms 1/100 HG by @the-reanimated-bhg

Heavyarms by @christianmswanson

Sandrock and Deathscythe by @christianmswanson

Shenlong by @christianmswanson

Discussion and Headcanons

@kittykatz took and online survey and found 8w7 is Une’s enneatype according to PDB. Try it yourself over here!

Gundam Fuel Source by @meggie-stardust

@kittykatz is sharing some scans of GoL and their thoughts on the scenes

Wufei and Treize’s fight and the immediate aftermath

Miscommunication at its finest

The Lightning Count

Singapore base + more Treize and Zechs

Heading to outer space

Heero’s freak out

Duo and Hilde

Other Fun Stuff

@incorrectgundamwingquotes is still making us laugh

It’s Always Sunny in Gundam Wing by @incorrectgundamwingquotes

Skeletons by @the-reanimated-bhg

Make it happen by @the-reanimated-bhg

Helmet-ception by @the-reanimated-bhg

Too hot to handle by @vegalume and @janaverse

Calendar Events

@gwcocktailfriday is back with this week’s prompt! Be sure to post your responses on Friday (September 3) between 3-5PM EST!

@/ficwip (Twitter) is hosting a "Rise of the Dead Fandoms" event. Contributor sign-ups end on Monday (August 30), so be sure to register soon! Creation period runs September-October; posting will be in November. More info at their FAQ.

September is National Prostate Awareness Month and @expewrites and @boxofhatebrains are hosting a GW Prostate Health Event at @prostatehealth-gundamwing beginning September 1. More info is available on the Event AO3 Page but in brief, options are to (1) create something or (2) donate to your prostate health organization of choice.

@gundamzine has opened up the mailing list, so be sure to register to get your FREE PDF on October 1! In the mean time, be sure to follow the account so that you can learn about the stellar 2021 Zine Crew members. Also consider donating to the team’s chosen charity, World Literacy Foundation (donations are optional, but encouraged).

The @weedgrandpacookbook is a go! The project will be an homage to the fanon of Howard as the Gundam Wing’s chillest Weed Grandpa. Yes, this includes content that promotes/celebrates/normalizes the consumption of marijuana and adjacent substances recreationally. The FREE digital zine would be presented like a cookbook, with room for meta, fic, general advice, art, graphics, crafts (Gundam-themed pipes anyone?), and of course, dank recipes. More info to come this month, with sign-ups planned for October.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the theme, this zine will be considered 18+ NSFW. Be mindful of your local laws regarding creating and engaging with content of this nature.

Spooky prompt idea generation for the GW Hallows Event will kick off mid-September, and posting period will happen in October. Stay tuned to @thisweekingundamevents!

Keep an eye on @gwoc-october while you’re at it for news on the GW Original Character (OC) October Event. You can expect a prompt calendar to go live in September with posting in October...but you can also just use the month to showcase works with your original GW characters!

Also, @thisweekingundamevents will be opening sign-ups for the 2021 Holiday Gift Exchange in September! Participants will get their assignments in October, followed by the creation period November-December and finally posting in early January 2022.

Got an event you want us to showcase? Let us know!

#gundam wing

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secretpeachtea · 3 years

Text

Onigiri Miya Tidbits Ch 10

Title: the big game

Genre: gen fic, reader insert

Word Count: 4.8k

Summary: Onigiri Miya is now hiring and you just happen to be the right person for the job. The business has been gaining popularity since its grand opening, and many customers travel from different cities just to have a bite of Miya Osamu’s delicious recipes. You did expect some craziness from working in food services, but what you didn’t expect was to be bombarded with frequent tomfoolery from a bunch of attractive volleyball players during your shifts.

disclaimer: manga spoilers

A/N: i present to you...a new chapter a little earlier than usual because im not good at making productive decisions for my life or getting enough sleep :D

Previous///Next

You’re greeting yet another hungry customer during work, but your surroundings are a bit different from usual. Today, you stand behind the Onigiri Miya food stall at Kamei Arena Sendai. Osamu had planned to set up a stall for the V. League Championships event to promote his restaurant. Even though he won’t admit it, he is also here to support Atsumu.

The different setting isn’t the only thing that was new, however. Today, you had an extra worker helping out with the stall.

“Dai-kun, can you refill the Grilled Mentaiko and Salmon onigiris on the shelf?” You ask a male standing behind you while passing an order to the awaiting hands of a father and his child.

He jokingly salutes at you. “Aye aye, captain!”

Kimura Daisuke is a cousin of yours that is a year younger than you and has recently moved into town to transfer into the local university. He currently has an online tutoring job but has shown interest in working at Onigiri Miya around the time you’ll be leaving. Having your cousin assisting today is sort of like a trial run for your boss to assess. It’s also nice to have an extra pair of hands since the day was surely going to be very busy.

Osamu suddenly bumps your shoulder. “Have I already been replaced as the boss? Kimura-san seems to listen to you more than his potential employer.”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’re just slacking?” A small giggle leaves your mouth and he returns your smile.

It’s been a couple of weeks since that day. After Osamu had walked you home in the rain, he didn’t treat you any differently during work despite the slightly intimate moment you two had shared the night before. You couldn’t bring yourself to mention anything, so you decided to just act like nothing happened. It was honestly a bit of a relief since you don’t think you really have the mental capacity to deal with your feelings while trying to prepare for your new life in graduate school.

Your thoughts are cut short when you hear Osamu let out a noise of recognition. “Oh hey! It’s you, uh...from Karasuno! You were the one with that really nasty jump floater!”

A tall male with freckles scattered across his face responds to Osamu’s exclamation. “Ah. It’s Yamaguchi.”

Your boss snaps his fingers as he remembers something. “Oh yeeeah. This is Sendai. Duh. It’s your home turf.”

“Yeah. But, even if it wasn't being held here in Sendai, there’s no way I’d miss this game.” There’s a certain glint in Yamaguchi’s eyes.

Osamu grins knowingly. “I bet you wouldn’t.”

As the two look up at the Adlers vs. MSBY banner behind the food stalls, you decide to voice the question that had popped up in your mind when Osamu first greeted Yamaguchi. “Hey, you said you went to Karasuno, right? Does that mean you were teammates with Sho-kun? Or, uh, Hinata-kun?”

Yamaguchi is a little flustered when he realizes that you’ve been listening to the whole conversation but nods his head. “We were on the same volleyball team all three years of high school. Are you a friend of his?”

“Yup! I actually met him in Brazil and we’ve been good friends ever since. He’s told me a lot about his former teammates, but I’m just bad with names.”

He points to you in realization. “Oh! So, you’re the friend from Brazil! Hinata’s mentioned you a couple times when we talked over the phone.”

You chatted with Yamaguchi a bit more and even got to meet another girl named Yachi who had also been involved with Karasuno’s volleyball club. Eventually, they both had to leave since the game was starting soon and needed to meet up with a friend.

Once the Adlers vs. MSBY game commenced, there weren’t that many customers, so you were able to watch the majority of the game undisturbed. You were, however, surprised to see Akaashi when he came up to the stall to buy some onigiris. You haven’t seen him since your first day of work, so it was a bit comical to witness him slightly deflating when you mention that you haven’t told anyone about the tax incident.

For the rest of the game, the only sounds you make are ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as you try your best to follow the fast pace (Although, you did meet a nice guy named Koganegawa who practically jumped like a child when you handed him his food). Even with all of the things you already know about the sport, this volleyball game was just too intense for you to digest everything. Before you knew it, the match was officially over with MSBY scoring the win. You felt proud of Hinata and was thoroughly impressed by all the other athletes you’ve come to know at work.

Osamu and Kimura both cheered in joy at the fantastic game as well. Even though you technically didn’t win anything, you still wanted to take advantage of the positive atmosphere, “Do you guys want to take a picture as a memory for this day?”

Your boss smiles. “Sure. I can take it with my phone. Get in!”

The three of you stand close to each other to get into the frame, with you being the middle. Osamu takes the picture and pulls it up to show you and your cousin how it turned out. Just as Osamu is about to take another photo, Kimura steps aside and you both look at him curiously.

“You guys should take a picture with just the two of you!” Kimura suggests.

You tilt your head in confusion. “What about you?”

“I just think you guys should take a picture together since you’re technically the ‘real’ workers...and some other things.” Your cousin mumbled the last part of his sentence, but you couldn’t ask him what he meant since he had already turned around to speak with someone at a nearby stall.

Both you and Osamu just shrug your shoulders at Kimura's explanation. Osamu puts his phone in a selfie position again and gestures for you to get closer. You comply and muster up the happiest smile you could make. The man beside you also produces a bright grin and snaps the picture. Afterwards, Osamu sends you both pictures and your expression softens.

Now that the game has concluded, there’s an influx of hungry customers that leave your stall busy for about an hour or so. Osamu has allowed Kimura to man the second register and your cousin has been doing fairly well for his first time on the job. After helping an elderly man with his order, the lunch rush seems to have finally died down.

You take off your apron and put it off to the side. “Osamu-san, Dai-kun. I’m gonna go to the bathroom. Will you guys be okay on your own for a bit?”

Kimura nods his head fervently.

Osamu waves his hand at you. “We’ll live.”

You snicker at his response and make your way into the closest restroom, which was actually a lot further than you expected. After taking care of your business, you walk out of the bathroom and see two male strangers loitering in the hallway, both adorning tracksuits of a team you can’t recognize. You attempt to walk past them unnoticeably but fail to do so when they stop conversing and stare at you with lingering eyes.

“Oh, hey there. You’re pretty cute.”

“Yeah. You got a boyfriend?”

The two men slowly walk over to where you’re standing and corner you against the wall from either side. You did not want to deal with this right now. “Doesn’t matter to you. Move out of the way.”

One of them scoffs and a drop of spit lands on your cheek. “What’s the big deal? We just complimented you. Can’t you see that we’re being nice?”

You wipe your face in disgust. “I’m trying to get back to work. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

As you try to push past them, you feel a rough hand grip around your wrist tightly. Another arm threateningly wraps around your waist and your steps are halted. You struggle a bit to escape, but their holds are too constricting. In the back of your mind, you wish Osamu was there.

You grit your teeth. “Let me go.”

The one with the grip on your wrist uses his other hand to grasp your chin and you glare at his face. “Listen, we’re volleyball players. Isn’t it like every girl’s dream to hang out with cool athletes like us? Clearly, being nice isn’t enough, so we’ll just have to use force.”

Having had enough, your instincts tell you to raise your leg and get ready to kick one of them. Just as you’re about to wreak havoc, a new hand grabs onto the wrist of the man in front of you. The vice grip on the man’s wrist causes his hold on you to loosen. The arm on your waist also disappears and you don’t hesitate to pull away.

In your haste, you almost lose your footing but someone catches you and pushes you behind them. Your face is assaulted by a comforting citrus scent and you immediately know who you bumped into. Sure enough, when you look up, a freshly showered Hinata is standing in front of you. He’s staring at the men who were harassing you and you’ve never seen him carry such an angry expression.

When you finally take in your surroundings, another familiar figure comes into view, his blonde hair still wet from washing up after his recent game. The mysterious hand belonged to none other than Miya Atsumu. “Looks like we’ve got some pieces of shit that leaked out of the bathroom.”

Surprisingly, Ushijima was the one who had pulled the other guy away from your waist. “Indeed.”

Both of them glare at the harassers coldly. Starting to feel a bit threatened, the strangers step aside and begin walking down the hall while looking behind them. “Ugh, these guys are just from those big shot teams. We better run before we get banned from playing.”

The men started to pick up their pace but suddenly ran into another tall figure. When they look up, Kageyama is intensely staring them down in silence. The strangers’ faces pale at the sight of the Adler’s setter.

“Dude, that's Kageyama! I think we made him angry!”

“Fuck! S-sorry!”

The two practically sprinted away leaving behind a rather confused Kageyama. He has absolutely no idea why they ran away from him. Despite what had just conspired, you internally laugh at how unaware the male was.

“Are you okay, (Name)-san?” Hinata turns around and faces you. Any traces of anger had completely dissipated from his face. “They didn’t hurt you or anything?”

“I’m okay. I appreciate it, Sho-kun.” You give him a reassuring smile.

“Man, those guys are scum,” Atsumu says with clear irritation in his voice. Even through his irritation, you can still recognize the concern in his own eyes as he focuses his attention on you. “Lucky you had your knights in shining armor?”

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Atsumu-san.” You raise your eyebrow at his words but wonder if this was his way of comforting you.

The blonde raises his hands in front of him in a defensive stance. “Oh, I know. I’m sure you can deliver a nice blow to the next guy that dares lay a hand on you, sweetheart.”

Ushijima speaks up from his usual quietness to give his own input to the conversation as he remembers a certain incident the first time he visited Onigiri Miya. “She has actually already done so to one of my former teammates.”

Atsumu smirks. “Well, damn.”

You get flustered for being exposed by the stoic spiker. “It was an accident!”

Before you could suffer any longer, the moment is interrupted by loud voices echoing the halls.

“Oh, wow! Are we finally gathering for that arm wrestling competition?” Spiky grey and black hair animatedly sway from side to side as Bokuto sees all of you together.

Behind him, Hoshiumi runs up to the group enthusiastically and starts to jump in place. “Oh, boy! Count me in!”

Kageyama blankly stares at his bird-like teammate. “Ah, Hoshiumi-san.”

With the addition of two more rowdy people into the group, Atsumu looks like he’s about to have a heart attack with the way he clutches his chest. “No, no! We’re doing this again?! What is this ‘let’s overwhelm the reader part 2’?!”

You have absolutely no idea what he was talking about and just shake your head in indifference. It was probably best to just leave him alone in his own strange distress.

Your movement catches Hoshiumi’s attention and the male waves his arm in greeting. “Oh, hey (Surname)-san! Did you watch our game? Did you see my skills?”

You giggle at his excitement. “I did. I was impressed by your jumping ability. You all played really well. ”

Bokuto perks up at your comment. “You have a pretty nice view from Myaa-sam’s stall, so you’ve seen all of my spikes too, right?!”

“Of course, Bokuto-san.” You briefly check your phone and realize that you’ve spent far too long going to the bathroom. “Speaking of ‘Myaa-sam’, I should probably head back to work.”

You quickly waved to all of the volleyball players and they each gave you their own warm goodbyes before walking back to their own locker rooms. However, one person stayed behind.

“I’ll walk you back, (Name)-san!” Hinata offers.

“You don’t have to. It’s not that far of a walk.” You put your hands in front of you.

He shakes his head and sends you a friendly grin, but a hint of concern is laced into his eyes. “Just in case.”

Understanding his worry, you nod and let him stay beside you as you start walking down the hallway. Right as you turn the corner, a figure wearing a face mask leaning against the wall startles you.

Hinata is momentarily shocked as well but relaxes when he realizes that it’s just another one of his teammates. “Omi-san? What are you doing here?”

Sakusa doesn’t answer Hinata and moves away from the wall to make his way towards you with his hands in his pockets. As soon as he’s in front of you, a single word leaves his mouth, “Hand.”

You’re confused but slowly lift up one of your hands anyways.

“No, the other one.” Sakusa looks at your other arm.

You comply and lift up your other hand instead and without warning, the masked man takes his hands out of his pockets and squeezes a generous amount of hand sanitizer on the wrist that was manhandled a couple minutes ago.

You stiffen at the sensation and just watch in bewilderment as Sakusa leaves without uttering another word. “What...just happened?”

Hinata softly smiles at the interaction. “That’s just how Omi-san shows he cares.”

“Me? Why would he care about me?” You ask.

“Hm...that’s something even I’m not too sure about. Omi-san can be pretty hard to read.” He places a finger on his chin in contemplation. You hum in understanding and spread the hand sanitizer around your wrist thoroughly.

Both of you continue walking back to the food stalls when Hinata comes up with an idea. “Since you’re here already, do you want to meet my former teammates from high school? They’re all staying for the whole duration of today’s games, so you can meet them after you finish work!”

“Are you sure?” There’s a small part of you that wants to meet the people who helped shape Hinata’s bright personality. “I wouldn’t want to impose on your reunion.”

“It’s no problem at all! We already kind of met up after the game, and I would love everyone to meet you since we’re also close friends! Kageyama will be there too, so you’ll know at least one other person.”

You give it another moment of thought before answering, “Alright. I’d love to meet them.”

You finally make it back to the Onigiri Miya stall after what felt like hours even though you’ve only been gone for a little while. Osamu nods his head at you first and Kimura vocally welcomes you back.

“Ah, I was wondering what was holding you up.” Your boss turns his attention to Hinata and gives him a pat on the shoulder. “Hey, man. Good game out there.”

“Thanks, Miya-san!” Your orange haired friend gives you a quick hug. “I’ll see you later, (Name)-san!”

“See ya, Sho-kun! I’ll text you when I’m free.”

Once Hinata leaves, it’s just the three of you behind the stall once again. Osamu claps his hand loudly and glances at his two co-workers. “Ready for round 2 of the pre-game lunch rush?”

“Yes, sir!” Both of your voices respond back in unison and you all get to work.

All three of you let out a final huff as you finish packing up all of the supplies and equipment used for the stall. You’ve been working nonstop for a couple hours now, but the day is finally over and everything has been cleaned up.

“You said you were meeting up with those Karasuno folks, right?” Osamu questions. “You can head over to meet them now.”

“But, what about all of this stuff?” You point at all of the boxes and tables you’d just organized.

“Kimura-san and I can take care of it. I rented out a van to move everything, so we’ll just borrow two carts to avoid any second trips,” your boss explains. He walks behind you and gently places his hands on your shoulders. “Don’t worry about us and go do your thing.”

Without much room to argue, you’re pushed away from the stalls. “Okay, okay. I’m going. I’ll see you tomorrow, Osamu-san. See you around, Dai-kun!”

Both men respond back with a shout of their own and part ways. You quickly shoot a text to Hinata telling him that you’re done. Your friend messages back immediately and lets you know where everyone was meeting up.

It wasn’t too difficult to find the Karasuno alumni since their group stood out quite a bit from others. You were able to spot Hinata first because of his apparent orange hair and even Kageyama’s furrowed eyebrows have become common enough for you to recognize. You walk over to where they are and try to position yourself in your friend’s line of vision.

“(Name)-san, you’re here!” Hinata makes eye contact with you and cuts off the conversation he’s having with a tall blonde to greet you. “Our old coach left with our kouhais since it was getting late, but most of my former teammates are here.”

Now, you’ve caught everyone’s attention and feel a bit flustered. “Um...hello. I’m Sho-kun’s friend, (Surname) (Name).��

There’s a brief pause and you wonder if you’ve already done something wrong. Suddenly, a chorus of ‘hellos’ and ‘nice to meet yous’ fill your ears and you’re slightly overwhelmed by the enthusiastic greetings.

A broad shouldered man approached you first with two other people following closely behind. He holds out his hand and you place your own in his for a handshake. The handshake is firm yet comforting. “It’s finally nice to meet you, (Surname)-san! I’m Sawamura Daichi, former captain of the Karasuno Boys’ Volleyball club.”

The grey haired man with a mole under his eye introduced himself next, “Sugawara Koshi! Hinata’s told us a bit about you, so it’s nice to finally be able to put a face to the stories. This guy next to me is Azumane Asahi; he’s a bit of a shy one.”

“S-Suga! I’m not like how I was in high school anymore. Stop teasing me!” Asahi whined to his friend before turning to you once again. “I’m Azumane Asahi.”

The rest of the group took turns introducing themselves and you were delighted to see Yamaguchi for the second time today (Although, you’re not sure why Kageyama introduced himself again since you’ve already met before). You felt more comfortable knowing that you weren’t the only girl in the group, but you’d be lying if you said that Kiyoko didn’t seem a bit intimidating with her beauty. Even Yachi’s cuteness almost blinded you.

You were in the middle of telling Yachi and an uncaring Tsukishima how you’d met Hinata in a foreign country when the man named Tanaka let out a shout to get everyone’s attention, “Guys! Noya-san wants to video chat!”

Most of the guys crowded around Tanaka’s phone and eagerly waited for ‘Noya-san’ to appear on the screen. It wasn’t long before a man with spiky dark hair and a tuft of blonde popped up a little too close to the camera. “Ryu! Everyone! What’cha guys been up to?! I caught a Marlin this morning!”

“Nishinoya! We’re doing great! We’re just meeting up for a bit before we have to leave. Hinata brought his friend too!” Daichi responds.

At the mention of a new friend, Nishinoya’s eyes light up. “Oh! Who are they? Can I meet them?”

Tanaka shifts his phone so that you’re the only one visible on camera. Feeling a bit awkward, you just give a slight wave. “Uh...hello, I’m (Surname) (Name).”

For a minute or two, the male just stares at you with wide eyes. You have no idea what to do, so you just stand still and hope for someone to intervene. Nishinoya is the first to speak and his tone turns serious, “Ryu, take me to Shoyo.”

Tanaka turns the phone to Hinata who is just as confused about the sudden change in demeanor. Once the focus is on the MSBY spiker, Nishinoya holds out his arm in front of him as if he were virtually holding the younger man’s shoulder. “You’ve done well, my young disciple.”

Hinata blinks. “Huh?”

The audio almost cuts off as Nishinoya yells his next few words, “SHE’S GORGEOUS!”

Your cheeks turn bright pink at his exclamation as the rest of the guys laugh at their friend’s antics. You weren't sure whether to feel embarrassed or flattered by the compliment.

Luckily, the excessive attention on you is short-lived as Nishinoya switches to another topic. “Should I send you guys some souvenirs? I saw this strange mask that kind of looked like Ryu from high school, and I think you guys would really like it!”

Tanaka looks amused and begins to smirk when a sudden idea pops into his head. “Noya-san, you should definitely get Daichi-san one of those!”

Daichi begins to panic. “What do you mean, Tanaka? What are those?”

“Ah, yes!” Sugawara mischievously grins. “I think he’ll like one of those!”

At this point, Asahi is nervously sweating.

Hinata looks up at Kageyama, perplexed. “Kageyama, do you know what they’re talking about?”

“No, dumbass.”

“What?! Why’d you have to add ‘dumbass’?!”

“‘Cause that’s what you are.”

A new voice pitches in. “Oh? Is the tyrant back for his new reign?”

“Tsukki!”

You’re standing off to the side with Kiyoko and Yachi, sweatdropping at the chaos enfolding in front of you. “Were...were they always like this?”

“Yeah...they haven’t really changed, huh.” Yachi lets out a lighthearted sigh. Kiyoko laughs softly.

It takes a couple minutes before everyone calms down, and Tanaka eventually ends the call with Nishinoya. It doesn’t even take a second before Sugawara makes a suggestion. “Hey, guys! We don’t know when we can all meet like this again, so let’s take a group picture!”

Tanaka jumps in agreement. “That sounds like a great idea!”

“I can take the picture,” you offer and Sugawara passes you his phone gratefully.

Hinata steps to the spot next to you. “Are you sure you don’t want to be in the picture too?”

There’s no way you’d feel comfortable butting into their picture, so you shake your head. “No, it’s fine. This is your reunion. I promise I’ll take some nice pictures.”

Everyone gets into position and you take multiple photos while making sure to capture all of their comical poses. Once everyone is satisfied, the group relaxes.

Daichi checks his watch and musters a tired sigh. “Alright. I should probably head back to work. I’m up for a night shift today.”

“I have to go too. I have a couple exams that still need to be graded by tomorrow.” Sugawara stretches his arms upwards. “We should definitely eat together next time!”

Everyone seems to agree to call it a day which is your cue to leave as well. “It was nice meeting you all.”

Asahi smiles at you. “Same here! If anything, we’re glad Hinata was able to find a good friend while he was in Brazil. We were all pretty worried about how he would fare in a new country.”

Hinata rubs the back of his head bashfully and you share a knowing look with him. “He helped me out just as much, so I’m glad too.”

After parting with the Karasuno alumni, you stopped by the bathroom before heading out. It seems like the universe has decided that you haven’t had enough chaos today when a shadow looms over you and a chill washes over your body.

You quickly turn around ready to chuck your bag at the mysterious entity but stop yourself when you make eye contact with yet another familiar individual. He’s once again in a professional black suit alongside his usual bedhead. “What the f-! Kuroo-san?”

Said male smirks. “In the flesh. How have you been, register girl?”

“What are you doing here?” Your body relaxes, but your mind is still sharp since you never know what the man is plotting.

“I work for the Japan Volleyball Association. I think it would be natural for me to be at a volleyball game, “ Kuroo explains nonchalantly.

“Could you not sneak around like some horror movie creature?”

“Oho! Already so sassy and we’ve only met once before!”

“You just give off a sassable vibe.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Whatever you want it to be.”

“Are you dating him yet?”

Kuroo’s sudden change in topic catches you completely off guard and almost stumble in place even though you’re not even walking. “...who?”

He lets out a pitiful sigh at your uncertain answer. “Poor guy…”

You’re confused as to why Kuroo’s acting like this, so you just stare at him blankly. He doesn’t seem to want to answer your unasked question and instead brings up another subject. “Well, if you’re still single, you wouldn’t happen to be interested in a guy that streams online and is also a CEO of a company?”

“If you’re trying to set me up with who I think you’re trying to set me up with, then it’s gonna have to be a no,” you quickly reply. Kuroo looks a little disappointed and you feel a bit bad for shutting him down so harshly. “Not that Kod- Kozume-san is a bad guy or anything. I just...don’t think getting in a relationship right now would be a good idea. I’m gonna be super busy and I won’t be here for much longer anyways.”

The lanky man’s expression shifts to one of curiosity. “You going somewhere?”

You suppose you should get used to explaining yourself since you’ve only told a handful of people about your future plans. “I’m going to a graduate school a couple hours away, so I’ll be out of this area in a few months.”

“What are you studying?’

“Sports medicine.”

Kuroo lets out a low whistle. “Never took you as the type to study something sports related, but that’s pretty cool.”

He reaches into the pocket of his blazer and takes out a business card. He offers it to you with a smirk on his face. “Here’s my business card. My number’s on it.”

You raise your eyebrows at his gesture and cautiously take the card. “I still have your number from when you sent me pictures, remember?”

His eyes lighten up at your revelation. “I’m flattered that you never deleted it. Pass this to a friend of yours if you’d like then.”

“Is there a reason you wanted to give me your business card?” You place the card in your bag for safe keeping.

Kuroo’s face softens. “Give me a call after you graduate. I can hook you up with a few connections for a job.”

Your eyes widen at the unexpected kindness. You’ve only met the guy twice, but he’s already offering to do something so helpful. If you didn’t already know the people he surrounded himself with, you would have definitely been more suspicious of him. “That’s...really nice of you. Thanks, Kuroo-san.”

“Anything for my best friend’s number one fan.” He points to the Bouncing Ball keychain dangling from your bag and you feel a bit shy. The man then places a hand to his chest and lifts his other arm to the side. “Plus, I’m always this kind.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

The two of you exchange amused expressions before you finally head out of the building. The night air is refreshing after spending an entire day inside of a crowded gymnasium. Despite the variety of personalities that you’ve met in a span of less than an hour, you’re walking off feeling strangely at ease.

A/N: cockblock atsumu strikes again but for the good of the universe this time :D

In case you’re wondering why i added Kimura (cousin) suddenly, i just made him the little dude working with osamu at the stall in the manga hehe

Also:

2 MORE TIDBITS LEFT

taglist: @kiyoo-omi, @tris-does-stuff, @livshotel, @bokuatsubro, @akkeyomi, @kaleidoscopekai, @hirugachan, @geektastic84, @ntimacy, @sagefzy

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intrepid-scribblings · 3 years

Text

Depths (Part 1)

Notes: Special thank you to that one Tumblr post about “What if the ocean was replaced by the forest where the trees get taller the deeper you go in” (source). [Insert Link to Eventual Masterlist Here]. [Insert link to a brief appendix here]

Warnings: Descriptions of blood and gore and violence typical of medieval warfare so if that’s not your deal you may want to sit this out.

Genres: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Summary: It blanketed the known world in a carpet of trees that grew ever taller the deeper you went in and forced what was left of humanity to fight for survival in a few remaining cities. Havenhold stands proudly as the central city of the four bastions of humanity that stand against The Forest. However their tenuous position will not last. Rienn - newly promoted Lieutenant of the Havenhold Guard - and Archmage of Havenhold - Halim - must work together to uncover the mysteries of The Forest and stop its spread before it destroys them all.

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Part 1

The signs of battle were still clear even a week later.

The preceding days had seen no meaningful rain to wash the blood from the ground and walls, no cool weather to stave off the heavy stench of decay that settled over the small farm like an invisible fog. Tiny bits of armor and broken weaponry lay strewn about, being picked over by the haggard-looking peasants who stared at Rienn with a mix of suspicion and envy.

They dare not mess with the golden-haired warrior who wore plate armor emblazoned with the crest of the city they lived outside of, lest they face the wrath of the entire city guard. Word had gotten around that the guards rather respected their new lieutenant and would be quick to retaliate if anything were to happen to them.

A man in a leather jerkin leaned casually against one of the crumbling stone fences that surrounded the farm, a strange-looking spear leaned up against the fence next to him. As Rienn neared, they noticed the spear was actually a large quill, hewn roughly off at the base. He grinned as he noticed them staring, “You like it?” he asked gruffly, his words almost slurring together though he didn’t appear to be drunk, “Ripped ‘er off the hog’s corpse. Nice and sharp this is,” he placed a loving hand on the spear, “No creature’s going to bother me or my family.”

“It’s … not bad,” Rienn said and then nodded to the farm where most of the damage was, “Were you there? When the attack happened?”

He nodded solemnly, “It’s my brother’s farm,” he said, “May the Fates deem him worthy of Rebirth into a good life.”

He bowed his head and drew a circle from his forehead down to his chest with his left hand.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Rienn said.

He grunted, “Thanks m’lord… and yes I was here, that beast fought like it was possessed by a demon. It was as big as a bear...”

Rienn raised an eyebrow, “What kind of bear?” they asked, crossing their arms.

“A normal bear you’d find in the woods I suppose… but regular woods, not …” he looked over his shoulder at the forest beyond the farm, “Told him not to build so close to The Line…”

He shook his head and scoffed, “As if there’s anywhere else to build.”

A light wind kicked up, doing little to dispel the heat of the summer day and only served to bring the sickly-sweet stench of decay over to where Rienn and the man were standing. They both barely batted an eye at the odor. Sweat trickled down Rienn’s forehead and they swiped at it before it could get into their eyes.

The man looked to Rienn, “So … what are you and your fancy guards going to do about this? Call it another ‘unfortunate risk’ of living out here?”

“We’re increasing patrols,” Rienn said automatically as if reciting a written statement. Perhaps they were.

The man certainly didn’t look convinced, “So you and your brutes can spy on us common folk? Keep us in line?”

“So we can keep you safe and creatures from that,” Rienn stared towards the trees beyond the farm, “Away.”

The man glowered at Rienn and said, “You know what’d keep us safe? Letting us stay inside the city walls.”

Rienn shrugged, “Not everyone can fit - we’d be overcrowded.”

They didn’t sound convinced or convincing. In the back of their mind, they had the image of the city towering over them on the small mountain it sat atop. Sure it wasn’t as large as the cities that used to dot the landscape but certainly, it could fit a few hundred more people inside its walls…

“Right,” the man almost rolled his eyes, “You keep telling yourself that as you go back to your warm bed tonight behind the city walls, guard,” he pushed himself off the fence and grabbed the quill spear, “You really want to help us? Strengthen The Line… I may know little about magic but even I can tell that either it’s weakening or the Forest is strengthening. Neither is good for the future of us down here or your precious city up there.”

He walked away, leaving Rienn alone to stand among the carnage.

Rienn walked through the farm and took a look at the blood-soaked field and what was left of a giant carcass. Most of the meat had been cut away by the more hungry denizens of the villages that lay outside of the city walls. All that was left was a skeleton and its quill-laden skin hacked away from it. No one had any use for the leather and Rienn couldn’t tell if anyone else had the same idea the man had in taking a quill away as a spear.

They turned around and walked back towards the base of the mountain, through rather ramshackle-looking wooden shacks and some more substantial wattle and daub houses. As they neared the city, the buildings became more and more well built and maintained, stone houses began to appear. Then they reached the large, whitewashed stone walls of the city.

The gates were wide open, guards flanking each side of the massive gate, watching as people streamed in and out of the city with their wares. As Rienn stepped inside the gates and in the shade under the thick stone walls they felt a chill as the air temperature dropped several degrees. A wind seemed to be blowing past them and out into the hot summer air just beyond the wall.

“Lieutenant!” a guard greeted Rienn as they passed by. Rienn nodded to the guard.

“Ganther,” they said, “How goes your shift today? No trouble at the gate?”

He shook his head, “None so far. I didn’t know you were heading out of the city today.”

“Just taking a walk, wanted to see where the Captain and His Highness took down that forest hedgehog last week, barely anything left of that thing but bones and quills,” Rienn said.

“We were lucky to make it through that fight with no losses,” Ganther harrumphed, “Still got several men out of commission for the next few weeks.”

Rienn frowned, remembering the blood and the farmer’s brother, “No losses in our garrison,” they said, “But several of those villagers died before we could make it there.”

Ganther said with a shrug, “Shouldn’t have built so close to The Line.”

“Perhaps…” Rienn said uncertainly, “Reminds me … I need to talk to Halim - Archmage Halim.”

Ganther nodded, “Have a good day Lieutenant.”

Rienn found the archmage sitting atop one of the tallest towers that made up the wall surrounding the city. Looking rather bored with their posting, the guards up there didn’t seem to pay the stout and bespectacled young man much mind. Rather they scanned the fields and forests below the city with wary eyes.

The city sat atop a small mountain, shielded in an alabaster wall, a white island above a sea of dark green forest. The forests surrounding the city were massive in both scope and scale, covering all the land as far as the eye could see. The trees in the forest grew progressively taller and taller as one walked further in, to the point that the tops of the tallest trees rivaled the height of the mountain the city sat on.

Rienn knew in their childhood before the city had been built, they would come up to this mountain top and see the flat plains the towering trees now dominated. To go into the deepest depths of the forest now would be to walk into a dark world of giant horrors. They frowned at the sight and then turned their attention to the people on the tower.

The guards wore a uniform of sorts, a chainmail hauberk under a dark green and light blue tabard. Their nasal helms had cheek guards and a full aventail to protect their necks. Their stern and unyielding appearance was a stark contrast to the man who now leaned on one of the crenels, using it as a desk to hold his notebook as he sketched the scenes below. His loose and long dark hair framed his brown face and blew behind him in the light breeze.

His leather-bound notebook was thick and well worn but his light blue robes were immaculate, well-tailored, and clean.

The guards on the tower immediately stood to attention as they walked in, “Lieutenant.”

They gave a curt nod to the guards before turning their attention to the man who had apparently not noticed the visitor, they cleared their throat loudly before saying, “Halim!”

The man started, turning around to see the lieutenant there with a stern expression on their face.

“Thought I’d find you up here,” they said, “Though you really shouldn’t be …”

They gave a meaningful glance to the guards who suddenly became very busy with their interest in the landscape around them. Rienn had known Halim since he had stumbled into their city in the first years of construction. He had helped strengthen these walls, helped develop the sigils that warded off some of the more substantive threats that came from the Forests, and in the years that they had known each other they had become close.

“So who’d you bribe this time? Athred? Genneth?”

“Neither,” the man said, “Though you wouldn’t need to worry about bribery if you paid your guards more,” he broke out into a grin, “But why’d I need to resort to bribery when my best friend is the lieutenant?”

“Because said best friend told you that under no circumstances were you to be up here without my permission,” they crossed their arms, “Given what may happen to me if the archmage were to tumble off a parapet in an accident.”

The man rolled his eyes, “As if I’d be that foolish. King Oderan may think of me as an absent-minded academic but I do pay attention.”

“Ri-ight,” the lieutenant didn’t seem very convinced as they leaned against the merlon, staring out over the forests that surrounded the city. Their forehead crinkled, their worry-lines standing out on their pale skin.

“It’s been qu-,” Halim started to say.

“Shush,” the lieutenant said quickly, the guards within earshot shuffled nervously at their posts, “That word is forbidden.”

“Ohhhh, you can’t tell me that you believe in that old myth?” Halim argued, “As if saying q-,” he hesitated as the lieutenant fixed him with a withering stare, “Fine … ‘the q-word’ … summons trouble.”

“Why tempt the fates?”

“Fine, there’s been no sign of activity from the forests in several fortnights,” Halim said, looking back to the lands outside the city walls. The late afternoon sun cast an orange glow on the treetops, the sunset off to their left side in the west.

The lieutenant nodded, “And we’d like to keep it that way. How has your research gone?”

Halim looked annoyed, “Nothing of this makes sense - ever since the Eruption the forests and animals have been growing at a rate that challenges both contemporary scientific and magical theories!”

“While we’ve been pushed further and further into our last bastions,” Rienn scowled at the forest below, “Our patrols had to help a farm fight off a hedgehog the size of a bear last week.”

“I thought you said things had been …”

Rienn fixed him with a look.

“... non-noisy.”

“Compared to what we’ve dealt with in the past, that was only slightly out of the routine,” Rienn said, “But it’s becoming more and more routine as the seasons wear on… The villagers are worried about the state of The Line.”

Halim scoffed, “As if they would know anything …”

Rienn raised an eyebrow at their friend.

“... being untrained in the arcane arts like I am,” Halim continued, “I’m confident in the ability of The Line to hold - after all … I was the one who drew it, cast the proper anchoring spells, drew every single one of those runes that grace the perimeter. It will not fall and no one should have anything to fear from the Forest.”

A commotion at the front gate, which the tower overlooked, caught everyone’s attention. Rienn peered over the side, eyes locking onto the banner one of the knights held aloft. The image of a golden half sun emblazoned on the red fabric that fluttered in the wind.

“They’re from Westhold,” Rienn said.

Halim squinted, he was unable to make out many details in the dimming light but he recognized the garish red and gold robes from even way up on the tower and even more so, felt the immense power emanating from the individual.

“They have a mage with them,” he said, “a powerful one at that.”

He wondered if it was the archmage, Inge, but that meant ... he hurried to the stairs, “Where has that scatterbrained assistant of mine gone off to?!”

She was, in fact, waiting attentively at the bottom of the tower, fidgeting with a scroll in her hands. Her black hair was tied in a tight bun with not a stray lock out of place and she wore robes similar to Halim’s though less intricate in design.

“Sir,” she handed him the scroll which he took and read over, eyes narrowing.

“When was this sent?”

“Early this morning, after you left,” she said.

He stared at her, “And you didn’t come to tell me?”

“You were at the top of the tower all day,” she said matter-of-factly, “... I wasn’t allowed up there.”

Rienn couldn’t help but smirk at the indignant expression on Halim’s face, “By gods if you told them you were with me …”

“You’re not supposed to be up there either?”

“And you couldn’t have just handed the message to one of the guards?”

“The message clearly said that it was only for the eyes of the archmage and his associates, while I consider myself an associate - I do not consider the guards as such.”

The archmage sputtered, “We’ll talk about this later, just … take this as a lesson Zhen - you can bend the rules once in a while…”

Zhen smiled ever so slightly as she said, “I know, I just would prefer not to.”

The archmage stalked away towards the castle where his study was, “Need to get ready to receive Inge … what type of tea did she prefer again? Did she even like tea? Or was it that bitter drink she liked?”

Rienn followed closely behind, “Is there anything I should know?”

“Know?” Halim looked at his friend with confusion.

Rienn looked at his scroll, “The missive you’ve received, is there anything I should know? If there’s any threat to our city the captain-”

“No, no,” Halim cut them off but immediately looked guilty at his rude answer, “Sorry, I … Inge is a powerful archmage, even more powerful than I. I’m just very concerned about making a good impression on her. There’s nothing in this letter that would concern the safety of the city, just theories on what caused the Eruption, King Oderan and the rest of the council are meeting with her tomorrow.”

“So why the secrecy?” Rienn raised an eyebrow. They neared the castle, the walls cast a long and dark shadow over them and the air chilled.

Halim sighed, “People fear that which they do not understand, which can lead to some … messy situations. Magic is a complex field filled with theories that mortal minds were not meant to understand and only those blessed with the ability to study the arcane gift can even begin to scratch the surface of its inner complexities,” the archmage started to ramble.

Rienn crossed their arms, face betraying no emotion, “Above my station. Got it.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you were somehow lesser for not being a mage, I just … I,” Halim trailed off, trying desperately to find the right words to say as his face grew red in embarrassment.

“Relax friend,” Rienn said with a laugh and patted him on the shoulder with a strong hand, “I am comfortable with my station. I don’t need to be an archmage or even a mage to be powerful,” they placed their hand casually on the hilt of the sword at their side, “Trust me.”

Rienn left to the barracks to help organize the perimeter patrols for that night while Halim ascended the steps to his study and residence. Zhen was already there, brewing a drink that smelled full and slightly nutty, Halim felt his mouth begin to water at the aroma that filled the room. His eyes lit up in recognition.

“Coffee! That’s what Inge prefers to drink! Coffee! Zhen, you are a lifesaver.”

“I know sir.”

Rienn ascended the battlement later that night, one last sweep of their solo patrol before they turned in for the night. The guards nodded at the lieutenant as they passed by. Rienn noted a lone figure on one of the walls, looking towards the west over the Forest. They cautiously approached, though the guards seemed to pay the figure no mind, Rienn was suspicious of anyone that wasn’t a guard hanging out on the battlements after dark.

The clouds parted, revealing the full moon that illuminated the world in a milky white light. The gold embroidery in the figure’s red robes seemed to shimmer in the moon’s bright light. Inge, Archmage of Westhold was a fair-haired woman with fine features. She stood slightly taller than Rienn though her build was thinner, more lithe. Her pale skin almost glowed in the moonlight and her light brown - almost golden - eyes exuded warmth.

Rienn stepped beside Inge, staring at the same patch of forest the archmage of Westhold was staring at, “You shouldn’t be up here m’lady,” they said.

“Your archmage said that you would be fine with it,” Inge raised an eyebrow at the lieutenant.

Rienn sighed, “Of course he did…”

“I can leave,” Inge said, “If I’m not allowed up here.”

Rienn said, “You can stay up here for a few more minutes,” they leaned against the wall, “As long as I’m here.”

“Thank you …,” Inge trailed off.

“Lieutenant Rienn,” Rienn introduced themself, “Of the Havenhold Guard.”

Inge smiled, “Well Lieutenant Rienn, you have a well-fortified city here, I shudder to think of the fate of any creature that would dare attack you.”

Rienn replied, “Havenhold itself hasn’t been attacked since the early days after the Eruption. A few smaller creatures have made it across The Line to attack the outlying villages.”

“Ah,” Inge smiled softly, “I’ve heard of your fabled magical defense against the Forest. Halim’s solution is quite famous amongst the mages.”

“The Line’s been holding the more dangerous creatures at bay … and we fortified the city well but haven’t had a real test of our physical defenses yet,” they felt at ease around this woman who radiated such power and confidence.

Inge nodded, “Well Lieutenant, I suppose I should take my leave now - early council meeting tomorrow.”

“Of course, Archmage,” Rienn bowed respectfully and then turned to a nearby guard, “You there, Grendar is it? Escort Archmage Inge back to her quarters.”

Inge waved off the guard, “Oh no need, I can find my way back just fine.”

“M’lady I must insist,” Rienn said, “The walls can be rather treacherous to navigate in the dark.”

For a moment, Rienn could have sworn they saw a look of annoyance crossed Inge’s features but it was quickly replaced by a pleasant smile, “Of course Lieutenant. Grendar…”

“M’lady,” the guard bowed respectfully before escorting the archmage off the wall. Rienn stared skyward for a moment before looking back over the Forest - leaves looking almost silver in the moonlight.

‘Mages, always stubborn as donkeys.’

The next day dawned still and hot, the sun shone weakly through a thick layer of haze as it rose above the horizon and cast an orange glow on the land. Rienn wiped the sweat from their brow as they took a few hearty swigs from their water skin. They hoped for a breeze or any kind of relief in the courtyard where they watched the recruits train but the air remained stubbornly calm. Idly they looked up to the tower where the king was meeting with the council and wondered if they could steal Halim for a moment and make him conjure a wind.

They smirked to themself, imagining the uproar that would cause, and banished the thought from their mind as they yelled at a pack of recruits to start another drill.

High above in the tower, the air was just as stifling - the windows had been opened to catch any whiff of a breeze but none came. Three large tables sat in the council room, forming a large “U”. At the center of the “U” was a map of the world, built into the floor. Servants with forked sticks stood at the edges of the room, ready to hand them to whoever at the council table needed them at the moment to move around the figurines that dotted the map.

At the center of the map was the city, Havenhold, surrounded by the dark green that was the forest. Three lines radiated outward from Havenhold like spokes on a wheel, the safest routes for travelers to take, one line meandered its way northward towards the table at the bottom of the “U”, where the king lounged in a large chair, resting his chin on his right hand as he stared down at the map.

He was an aging man, with more silver in his hair than gold. His face was horrifically marred, four large scars etched their way diagonally across his left eye, down his nose, and through the right side of his mouth. Because of this scar, the right side of his mouth was permanently downturned into a pained scowl. His left eye, somehow having survived whatever attack left the grievous scar, stared out at the council table through a drooping eyelid.

He whispered something and the woman at his right stood up, she was dressed as regally as he was, her crown was silver instead of the gold one the king wore.

“Both King Oderan and I, Queen Adelia, would like to welcome Archmage Inge of Westhold to this council meeting,” the woman said, her voice ringing out clear and loud over the room. She wore her authority like a cloak, chin held high as she spoke, her raven black hair was half up in several intricate braids that held back the loose portions of her hair.

Inge bowed deeply to the couple, “Thank you, I am honored and humbled to be in the presence of such a great king and queen.”

She continued, “For who was it that led humanity out of the dark after the Eruption? Who traveled to the heart of the event itself and brought back our only hope of countering this magic? It was you, King Oderan. We owe you a great debt.”

Oderan looked rather flattered at her speech, Adelia’s eyes slightly narrowed but she said nothing. He spoke again and Adelia spoke for him.

“You have a way with kind words as you do with magic Archmage,” Adelia said, “Now let us discuss the business which has brought us all here - the matter of The Forest. General Liu...”

A middle-aged man with a long beard stood up.

“I hear you have a report for us?” “I do Your Highness,” the man said bowing respectfully to the king, “The scouting parties we’ve sent into the Forests have come back with troubling reports. Animals, larger than the ones we’ve fought before, are gathering closer and closer to the Line and our settlements. Prince Jaloc and Captain Aelder were on patrols a week ago when they came across a porcupine the size of a bear attacking a farmer near the Line. I fear that the creatures grow emboldened - something has them on the move.”

“‘Fear’ General?” a woman spoke up from across the tables - apparently not afraid to speak out of turn. She was younger looking than Liu, her brown hair was tied into a tight bun. Katerin’s most striking feature was her stormy blue-gray eyes that peered out from her tan and round face. She spoke slowly - as if she were still unsure of the language she was speaking - and her accent was almost as thick as the woodlands that surrounded them and forced her to move to Havenhold from the northern lands all those years ago.

The man looked momentarily annoyed, “Yes, Katerin, ‘fear’. Or do you not remember the last time Havenhold was attacked by the creatures of the Forest?”

“I remember it very clearly,” Katerin said, “and I remember the defenses we put up to protect ourselves - defenses I designed and have full faith in that it will repel another attack.”

Liu scoffed, “Hubris.”

“It’s better than sitting around in fear, General,” Katerin said. She and Liu obviously rarely saw eye-to-eye. As science advisor to the king, she and the general held equal positions of power in the council, and her aggressive attitude towards the Forest compared to the general’s more cautious approach saw them butting heads more than once. Adelia looked annoyed at the derailment of the general’s report but her husband sat quietly, watching the bickering continue with an unreadable expression on his face.

Liu scowled, “I don’t sit around in fear, m'lady. We’ve increased our patrols in the eastern sector,” he said, “I’ve also put forth a list of my best soldiers for an expedition.”

A murmur went up in the council chambers.

“An expedition?” Katerin raised an eyebrow.

“Archmage Halim and I have been talking,” Liu said.

“A dangerous pastime,” a fiery-haired man chuckled from his seat at the end of the table. A few people laughed before Liu began to walk around the table to the map in the middle of the room. As he did so, he grabbed a stick from a waiting servant and used it to point towards a spot in the north-eastern half of the map where a large tree was depicted.

“Another expedition to the Heart,” Liu said.

Another murmur, louder this time, and people kept talking.

“The Heart? What could we possibly gain?” “Suicide, absolute suicide.”

“Has General Liu gone mad?”

The King stared out at Liu, his brown eyes staring fiercely at the General as he whispered to his wife. Adelia repeated what he had said, “General Liu, whatever you think to find in the Heart better be worth the sacrifices that will need to be made. You remember the last time we ventured that far into the Forest, just after the Eruption… and you remember what we nearly lost - what we did lose in that expedition.”

Adelia fell quiet and the king reached out and squeezed her hand.

“I remember it all too well, King Oderan, and I wouldn’t be asking to put forth this expedition if we didn’t have good reason to believe it will provide clues to the source of the Eruption. Perhaps even a way to reverse the effects,” Liu said, “Halim?”

Halim stood up, “Your Highness, I was not there for your first expedition into the Forest but the tales have traveled far and wide of your triumphant gains and tragic losses. I can’t imagine what you and Queen Adelia have been through. However, Archmage Inge and I have been in correspondence for the past few months and have devised a way to potentially stop this … this curse from spreading across our land. I believe it may work.”

Inge nodded, “He’s right, we can stop this if we send out a strong enough force and penetrate the Heart of the Forest. With our combined magics, it may be possible for us to seal the source away or even stop it entirely.”

“And what is this source that you speak of?” Katerin asked.

Inge and Halim looked at each other, “Well we’re not quite sure yet,” Halim admitted.

“We’ll know it when we find it,” Inge said confidently.

“And how many men will have to die before you do find it?” Adelia asked, “And what response may the Forest have to this transgression?”

“‘Response’?” Inge repeated, “With all due respect Your Highness, it sounds as if you believe these creatures to be organized in some sense? Capable of fielding an army and launching counterattacks?” she scoffed.

“You may jest Archmage but I know what I saw when I ventured into those cursed woods years ago,” Adelia spoke, her husband’s eyes glaring out at the Archmage as he whispered to the queen, “They may not have a kingdom you and I may recognize but there was something there, something sinister, and controlling.”

He stood up with great difficulty, waving off his wife’s attempts to help him as he continued to whisper.

“I will consider your proposal for an expedition and let you know my decision by morn tomorrow. This council meeting is adjourned.”

With that he turned around and left through the door behind his chair, the queen following dutifully behind.

As Halim left with Inge, he heard someone call out his name. Katerin stood just outside of the doorway, “Do you believe Halim? Or do you know?”

The science advisor approached the archmage, “You said you believed your plan may work but how do you know? What proof have you?”

“Inge and I have come up with some theories,” Halim said.

Katerin looked almost offended, “You didn’t consult with me about these theories, Halim,” she said. She was a fellow council member and also responsible with Halim for uncovering the secrets of the Forest. The fact that the Archmage hadn’t even thought about talking to her…

“With all due respect Science Advisor, this is a matter of the arcane,” Halim said curtly, “Not to be explained by science.”

Katerin’s eyes narrowed, “You believe science can’t provide explanations for the arcane, that I have nothing to add to your theories?”

Halim nodded, “Precisely. Science and magic are not of the same cloth, they are two separate fields. I don’t presume to invade your field and I expect the same courtesy from you Katerin.”

The scientist glared at Halim, one fist clenching and relaxing as she took a moment to collect her thoughts, “Archmage Halim,” she said calmly, “I respect your authority on the arcane. I also would like to posit that we are on the same side, despite the differences in our respective fields of study. We all want to stop the spread of the Forest, to be able to defend ourselves from the creatures that lie within, and provide safety for our future generations. I would appreciate in the future some more communication between you and me about our theories, as I have extended the same courtesy to you unless you haven’t been reading any of my missives.”

Halim made a mental note to check with Zhen on the missives he’d gotten from Katerin.

“Now I have to go and practice my field of study away from any … arcane influences,” Katerin’s voice dripped in sarcasm, “Good day to you and Archmage Inge.”

She turned around and stalked away through the still crowded hallway. The fiery-haired man from the council chambers, having seen the whole thing, coughed awkwardly to hide a laugh as he turned to study a particularly interesting banner that hung on the wall.

“Rienn!” the voice cut through the din on the training yard. Immediately some of the recruits stopped to look at who was approaching, a few broke out into grins.

The lieutenant turned to see an imposing woman in plate armor walking towards them, “Just the lieutenant I wanted to see!”

Rienn immediately stood at attention, “Captain!”

Captain Aelder was older than Rienn and stood about a head taller, she wore her long brown hair in a braid that looped around her head like a crown. She had broad shoulders and a broad smile that never seemed to leave her face - even in the din of the fiercest of battles. Her attitude never failed to encourage even the most demoralized of troops.

“Come, Lieutenant, let’s take a walk,” Aelder said as she motioned for Rienn to follow, “I want to know how you’re doing with your first week of service.”

They walked out of the training yard and into the main square of the city, the city walls didn’t afford much of a view of the sky but Rienn had better visibility than in the training yard. Clouds were building around them, “I don’t need to be Halim to know it’s going to storm tonight,” they said as they looked at the billowing cumulus.

“Aye,” Aelder agreed, “Hopefully it’ll provide us relief from this heat. But I didn’t ask for a walk to discuss the weather, I want to know how you’re doing.”

“Fine, Captain,” Rienn said, “I’m doing fine.”

Aelder didn’t look convinced, “You looked unsure about my decision to promote you to Lieutenant, do you still have doubts?”

“No … well,” Rienn paused, “I mean, yes? I just … I don’t know what you saw in me, Captain. I’m now second in command of the garrison here.”

Aelder smiled patiently, “I know you are,” she said, “I know you to be a great warrior - but I also know you have great leadership skills, Lieutenant, and in time - with proper tutelage - you can become an amazing captain.”

She slowed her pace, stopping so she could look Rienn in the eye, her expression was solemn. Rienn looked at their captain with concern, they had seen Aelder with that serious of an expression outside of battle only a few times in their career, “Ma’am?”

“I’ve talked to General Liu, given my reports of the patrols along the Line,” she said, “You and I both know how drastically the situation has changed over the past weeks. More and more attacks from large creatures, the magic is leaking into the settlements at a rate we haven’t experienced since…”

“Since the Eruption,” Rienn said. They shuddered, remembering those first months as Havenhold - barely a village surrounded by wooden palisades - fought for survival as the Forest encroached and threatened to swallow them whole. Only Halim’s arrival and the return of the First Expedition were able to stop the Forest at the Line and help Havenhold become the city it was today. However from what Aelder was saying, if The Line wasn’t holding back the magic … did Halim know? And why were they only just hearing of it now?

Aelder nodded, “I can’t say much,” she said as she leaned close and lowered her voice so that only Rienn could hear, “but you may be called upon for a special assignment. And when that day comes, I need you to be ready for it.”

Rienn raised both eyebrows, confused and surprised, “What do you mean?”

“Keep your voice low,” Aelder said, “None of this is set in stone and I don’t want to risk giving anyone more hope than they should have. Rienn, I was asked to put forward the names of the best warriors under my command and you’re near the top of the list. General Liu and I need more than good warriors though, we need leaders, and people we can trust. In those categories, there’s only you.”

Rienn was quiet, they weren’t sure what they could say or wanted to say for that matter. They knew they were good but surely there were better fighters in the garrison. For their captain to say they were near the top of any list both flattered and frightened them at the same time. What could they say to that? Well, the only thing they were concerned with aside from the protection of Havenhold…

“Captain,” Rienn said - eyes narrowed in determination, “I won’t let you down.”

Aelder smiled at her Lieutenant, “I expected no less from you Lieutenant,” she said, “We’ll have much to go over but you must return to your duties with the garrison and I must meet with the general. Tomorrow morning I’ll call on you for more personalized training.”

Rienn returned to the training courtyard, their mind filled with thoughts as they drilled the recruits. The rookie soldiers noticed their Lieutenant’s distraction and one or two tried to get away with being slightly lazier in their shield wall formation …

“Padun?”

“Yes, Lieutenant?!”

“You do like your friend next to you, Jasim, correct?”

“Yes, Lieutenant!”

“You should lift that shield higher then. Come on! Square your stance! That’s it. Now your friend won’t get stabbed in the face by an enemy spear, there you go!”

As they trained into the evening, a storm billowed up over the mountain and the first raindrops began to fall. A cold wind blew in from the west and darkness fell with the setting sun.

Halim barely got any sleep that night, between the sheets of rain and hail pounding on the roof, the blinding flashes of lightning blazing through his window, and the howling wind that caused the tower to sway ever so slightly. He felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach and he wasn’t quite sure what was causing it.

‘For the sake of the Fates above,’ he thought as he finally got up in frustration to brew a cup of sleep tea, ‘I am a storm mage!’

This was his kind of weather. He should feel right at home!

Instead, he felt anxious. There was an energy in the air that wasn’t caused by the storm and he felt it on the very edge of his senses. It was as if someone were lurking in his periphery, just out of sight, and every time he tried to turn to catch the interloper - they’d quickly disappear.

Sighing as he sat down with his cup of steaming hot tea, he took a few deep breaths. He needed to calm down and focus, meditate, and then perhaps he’d figure out what was awry. As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, he attuned his senses to his surroundings. The rain was coming down as heavy as ever, the occasional hailstone hit his study window with a loud smack, thunder cracked loudly overhead and he could see the bright flash of the lightning through his eyelids. The tower swayed as a gust of wind hit and beneath his feet, he could feel rhythmic vibrations as if a giant were walking nearby.

Wait.

What?

His eyes flew open and as he stood up to go to the door and alert … well everyone … someone sounded the warning horn from a perimeter tower. Even over the din of the storm, he could hear the drone of the horns as the alarm went up from each tower and eventually someone rang the alarm bell on top of the main keep.

There was a huge crash, louder than any thunder in the storm, and the sounds of yells and screams. Halim rushed to the window and cursed, he couldn’t see a damn thing in this torrent!

He heard the guards running outside the study door, their chainmail clinking noisily and echoing down the stone halls. The archmage ran to the door, opening it as a guard ran past, “What’s going on?!”

“I don’t know! But those horns were from the western towers!” the man yelled, “Stay in your room!”

Down the hall, he heard more guards shouting orders, “Protect the King and Queen! Where’s Prince Jaloc?!”

Halim went back into his room, turning towards his desk where his staff sat propped up against the wall. As he turned, he saw something glow out of the corner of his eye. Not just something…

It.

He walked over to the thing that was shrouded in cloth and removed the covering, revealing a giant, umber acorn that sat atop a pedestal. It was shimmering a greenish hue that glowed brighter with each passing moment.

As Halim hovered his hand over the large seed, he smelled the musty scent of dead leaves, felt a cool, humid breeze on his cheek, and faintly heard the rustle of the wind passing through the canopy overhead. He blinked and he was back in his study, the feeling of an interloper just out of view was back.

“It calls to its Mother and Father.”

He spun around to see Inge standing at the doorway, an unreadable expression on the Archmage of Westhold’s face as she slowly walked into the room, “It calls to home.”

Rienn was on the southern wall when the attack happened. They were knocked flat along with the majority of the guards on the wall when the west wall was slammed into by a massive force. They shook off their disorientation as they stared blearily into the rain, lightning fractured the sky in a brilliant flash that illuminated two dark antlers towering over the western wall. They could just make out the top of the head of the stag before it dipped its head for another charge.

They stood up quickly, breath fogging in the cold air as they started to scream orders, “Everyone! To arms!!! Keep your eyes peeled! We might be attacked on this wall as well!”

They began to sprint towards the western wall and from what they could make out in the downpour - it was still intact. As they approached the corner tower, they saw Captain Aelder being supported by a fellow soldier as she continued to shout out orders.

“Captain!”

Aelder turned to face Rienn, a pained grimace on her face, “Go back to the south wall Lieutenant! I’ve got it handled here!”

“But-”

“Go!”

Aelder waved Rienn off, she wasn’t allowing for any argument on her order, “Where are the ballistae?!”

“Still loading another salvo!”

“Load faster! We haven’t much time before that thing charges again!!”

Rienn could faintly hear the sounds of gears turning as the four massive ballistae that protected the western wall were reset for another salvo. The engineer in charge of the ballistae turned to Aelder, “We can’t aim well in this rain and dark Captain, I’m not sure how effective this is going to be…”

“Well,” Aelder said in a pained huff as she looked at the damage the deer had caused to the wall and the looming form in the darkness, “That thing’s about as big as the damn mountain we’re sitting on - can’t be that hard to miss.”

Rienn made their way towards the gate on the south wall, below they could see the torch lights from the guards that were on patrol and dozens of villagers who were trying to get in. One of the soldiers was pounding on the portcullis like a madman, his panicked voice barely audible, “For the love of everything let us through!”

Rienn yelled, “Open the gate! Let them through!”

“Are you sure?” one of the guards at the gate, Rienn recognized him as Ganther, asked, “The western wall is close to here…”

Rienn raised an eyebrow, “And you think a massive deer is going to be able to even fit through the gate? Our soldiers are out there - as are the people we’re supposed to be protecting. I’m ordering you to open the gate.”

Ganther nodded, running to the winch to pull up the massive portcullis. As he did so, two more guards grabbed the gate doors and began to pull them open, boots slipping on the wet cobblestone and mud. One of the guards opening the gate had grabbed onto a segment of wood, the material seemed to morph under his hand and he started to scream as the gate came alive in his hands. The wood warped and twisted, engulfing and crushing his hand and arm, the door rooted into the ground as the wood had come back to life as a tree.

The last thing he saw before the wood swallowed him whole was the horrified expression on Rienn’s face. All around Rienn, anyone who had wooden weapons was suddenly affected by the strange phenomenon. Spears shafts exploded into poles of thorny branches that impaled their user’s hands and arms. Bows warped into vines, strangling the archers that tried to shoot with them while their arrows grew into saplings that rooted their blue corpses into place.

Rienn quickly cast their wooden kite shield aside as it exploded into a ball of thorns, they needed to gain control of the situation but they weren’t quite sure how. They stood frozen in place as they saw humanoid shapes emerge from behind the terrified villagers who were still at the gate. The figures were taller and lankier than the average human, they glowed with an unnatural green energy and Rienn didn’t need the benefit of a mage’s education to know that these were likely responsible for whatever was happening to their gate.

Said gate now was two massive oak trees, rooted firmly in the entrance courtyard, blood leaked out of crevices in the bark.

The lieutenant heard someone ask them for an order and they couldn’t answer, they stood staring at the figures and the gory scene around them - transfixed, hand resting limply on the hilt of their sword. A particularly loud clap of thunder crashed overhead and they flinched as shards of stone fell around them. They blinked, confused.

‘Since when does thunder explode into stones?’

They looked up to see the top of the tower where Halim resided had blown completely away. The rain began to slacken and the full moon peeked out between ragged clouds. The shadow of a bird passed overhead, landing on the remnants of the tower before flying off. On the western wall, Captain Aelder - barely clinging to consciousness - watched as the deer staggered forward. It was bleeding profusely from the wounds the ballistae had caused. She knew, however, that it wasn’t the ballistae that stopped the deer.

Everyone could hear its bones creaking and cracking as it slowly collapsed under its own weight. Whatever magic from the Forest had kept it alive through its attack had left it now as it encroached on the human’s territory. Both the deer and the Captain fell to the ground at the same time.

“Captain!”

Rienn, meanwhile, sprinted through the halls of the castle and up the half demolished tower.

“Halim!!! Halim!!! Gods damn it all!! Answer me Halim!!!!”

Zhen staggered out of the rubble, dragging a bruised and battered looking Halim with her, “Damn good thing I perfected that shield spell, sir,” she said.

“Damn good thing,” Halim agreed tiredly, he looked at Rienn - distressed, “Rienn … it’s gone. She took it.”

“Took what?” Rienn asked, “And who’s she?!”

Halim swallowed, his voice cracking as he said, “Inge, Inge took the Seed - the giant acorn the First Expedition brought back from the Forest. It’s gone,” he repeated, sounding angrier with every word, “She took it.”

#fantasy #dark fantasy #my writing #original writing #original story #Story Time with Em #forest #Depths Story

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