#horizon fic

[modelofnerds]

My current Gentlebeard WIP: Find Me in the Horizon (Rated E)

A Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West AU, where Ed finds a hologram from the Old World of a curious man.

Influenced by @lukelemon-art 's OFMD/Horizon crossover art.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55219933/chapters/140060053

[ofcrowsanddragons]

WIP Folder Game

rules: make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous and tag as many people as you have WIPs. People send an ask with the title that most intrigues them, then you post a snippet or tell them something about it!

Thanks to @hyperions-light for the tag!

Bold items are OPEN, items with links are closed I'm almost out of open files! Send me an ask if you'd like to see A.W.R. snippets from 3 or 9.

Spite Isekai (Modern Demon in Thedas)

I Would Do Anything

Cut content - A Working Relationship

Chapter 5 - A Working Relationship

Lucenzo Bellavanto

Alternate POV: The Wigmaker Job

Let Go (Neve/Rook/Lucanis)

Unposted Spite/Rook Thoughts

Future Snippets - A Working Relationship

Masquerade (Aloy/Erend Fic Summary, Snippet 1, Snippet 2)

Family

No pressure to anyone, but if you would like to share the names of your art files or story files, tag me and I will send you an ask! Let's see, who hasn't been tagged in this so far (as far as I'm aware): @msviolacea @sageadvice @postcardsfromheapside @teyrnacousland @blightedcrow @pilzr @thilien @boomballoonmachine @no-perceivey @corvus-frugilegus @the-sparrowhawk @beepoven @teddywesworl @basedonconjecture @broodwolf221 @dragonagedidiot @thesummerstorms @sorrowsfallallaround @lord--of--trash

[gentlyrowan]

"Right! So, that's settled, then!" Erend said. "You and me, giving old, dead culture a whole new life! Who'd-a thought it?"

Kotallo's voice had the low, gravelly quality of a man coming out of a dream when he answered, "What?"

But Kotallo's voice was always low and gravelly.

"You and me," Erend repeated, "keeping some of the best stuff the Old Ones came up with alive for the folks of today."

Kotallo blinked at him through the scrolling wall of text in the air that he had been reading through his focus. He raised one finger to pause its scrolling and held Erend's gaze for a long, inscrutable moment. Underneath all that white Marshal paint, he was as stone-faced as the Bulwark.

Erend grinned.

"This is gonna be great!"

DRUM SNARE

My ongoing fic in which Kotallo accidentally joins Erend's band – leading to shenanigans, baggage-unpacking, real friendship, and at least one Thunderjaw – updates weekly.

[everybodylovesaloy]

RARE PAIR ROUND-UP MASTER LIST

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone that participated in the round-up!! We had some really amazing contributions, I recommend literally every single one of them. PLEASE give some love to these authors if you enjoyed their works, it's tough to get eyes on rare pair fics so toss some kudos and comments their way!

Fic:

Radiance by @mehoymalloy (Regalla/Nasadi)

Always by @pikapeppa (Fashav/Vanasha)

Steady by @garbage-dono (Atekka/Hekarro)

Sacred Lands by @bluntblade (Talanah/Nakoa)

One day we'll meet again by @melikochan (Tom Paech/Charles Ronson, Tilda van der Meer/Elisabet Sobeck, Alva/Federa, Chekkatah/Ikkotah)

Heavy in Your Arms by littleboxofwonders (Fashav/Ritakka)

bury these old knives by @foibles-fables (Atekka/Ritakka)

A Meeting of Ice and Sea by @dinokieranmadness (Ikrie/Seyka)

a wanderer, now by @souls-that-have-senses (Hekarro/Rost)

Art:

Leave Your Titles by the Door by @sorbetowl (Avad/Ersa)

Accompanying Art for Heavy in your Arms by @murmart (Fashav/Ritakka)

Thank you SO MUCH again to all the talented participants! You all did amazing!!

[pikapeppa]

In Becoming Whole, Aloy seemed much more willing to let Kotallo in. Sure, it wasn’t easy for her but she seemed so ready to trust him…

With Drakka though, she just seems so angry and so often shuts down when things get too real.

I can see that both versions of Aloy have the same concerns, insecurities, and trauma… but with Kotallo she seemed to want what she could have with him, and pushed herself to honestly share herself with him, even if it scared her or felt like a betrayal to her divine mission etc.

And with Drakka she just seems so much more tortured and haunted. I know that you fleshed out her reactions/feelings to Drakka a fair bit during his base visit, but it seems at odds with Kotallo’s version of Aloy.

Was there any particularly reason you’ve made Desert Bloom’s Aloy more reserved?

I know you’ve been winging a lot of this but do you have any thoughts on whether it’s a personality thing… a trust thing… anything? 😂

In my mind Drakka is the home she’s always wanted and is desperate to protect it… but I’d much prefer your pov lol

Sorry for the essay! Love your work x

Ah yes, the comparison of Aloy-with-Kotallo vs. Aloy-with-Drakka… This is what I bring on myself when writing two concurrent ships with Aloy (technically three including Avad LOL).

The way I see it, I haven’t made Aloy a different person in Desert Blooms compared to Becoming Whole. She was the same person with the same trauma/concerns/insecurities when she met Kotallo and when she met Drakka. It’s that Kotallo and Drakka are very different people, and the quality+amount of time she spent with each of them was VERY different, so her dynamics with each of them have resulted in relationships that look quite different. 

More below the cut!

One of the things I love so much about Aloy as a protag is that she’s so multifaceted: she can be gentle and empathetic, she can be sassy and lighthearted, and she can be downright rude/sharp (in the best way sometimes, e.g. with Studious Vuadis LMAO), and all of those mannerisms for her are in-character — and this is also reflective of how people are IRL. I know for sure that I act differently with my husband vs. with my closest girlfriends vs. with colleagues at work, but all of the ways I act are still “me”. Similarly, the “me” I was with my high school boyfriend is different from the “me” I am now with my husband. Part of that is time/age/experience, for sure, but it’s also a function of the man I was with/am with — but both versions of me are still “me”. Maybe this sounds stupid and self-explanatory, but we are changed and affected by the people we have relationships with, and this is why Aloy “seems” so different with Kotallo vs. Drakka. 

With Kotallo in Becoming Whole, there are so many reasons that Aloy opened up more quickly. I made a table to make it easier to compare these reasons side-by-side and because I’m a fucking nerd LOL. Please do tap to enlarge if you're so inclined, I'm sorry for the small font -- blame technical issues on my side for this 😂😭💀:

(Note that the above is based on headcanons unless otherwise stated.)

There’s probably more I could add to this table, but I think this is enough for now without me looking like Charlie Day in that meme LOL.

In any case, this reply might come a little late since some of your questions might get addressed in the chapter of Desert Blooms that I just posted 😂 but in any case, I hope this was an interesting response! 

-- love from your friendly neighbourhood Pika! xoxo

[horizontwinflames]

Okay, so... there are currently... 21 chapters with the plot set (counting the last 3), and it's a bit past half of the story... we possibly will get around... something between 30 and 35 chapters for the Zero Dawn act.

I will continue to replay HZD to have a better memory refreshing, especially about Talanah's side quest because I want to "mix it" with the main story somehow.

I also discovered it's fun to use my own playthrough experience to write, for stuff like, which machines I found in my way, the troubles I got, weather... mostly the stuff related to open wolrd, you know? It's nice to use to compliment the writing (I started to use that in chapter 9 in front).

Also, for those wondering, Isaac will debut at chapter 9.

Side note, I cannot even imagine the length of the Forbidden West and Burning Shores Acts with all the divergences from canon they have.

[ma-i-d]

Ok I really don't know what is going on or what to do. I've been stuck with chapter 7 and 8 for almost two months now, no signs of improvement. That's fuckin rock bottom and I have no ideia how to fix it.

[zarnzarn]

Athena shoots upright as soon as her eyes fly open, gasping. She calls on her spear and slashes in a brutal curve, provoking shouts from the enemies who'd been holding her down as they back off. Bares her teeth in a snarl as she grabs the sheets off the bed to whip at the eyes of the assailants and-

Light floods into her eyes as they step away from her attack and she freezes as she remembers a flash of brightness too fast to escape, heat and burning like never before, electricity that seeped into her very bones, thunder that deafened, lightning that hurt-

"Get back!" She hears and turns unsteadily back to- back to where Apollo is pulling Ares back by the cape against the far wall. Apollo. Ares. Aphrodite, Aephestus, Artemis.

"Wh-" She manages, before she's bowled over, coughing. She has never done it before, and she can't stop it from happening- chest rattling as her knees give out, barely holding herself up with her spear in time to reach the bed. It doesn't stop, doesn't stop, plumes of smoke escaping her mouth as she can't stop, can't breathe-

"Athena," Hera whispers, and a rough hand gently touches her on the shoulder, handing her a glass of nectar. She accepts it gratefully, tilting her head back to down it. It's soothing like it's never been before, stoping the coughing at last and it clears her headache long enough to realize that she isn't in her armour- she's in a chiton.

"Where is my armour?" She rasps as soon as she can, wiping her mouth. Looks around- Apollo's chambers.

She'd always known being the favourite wouldn't protect her forever. But repeating the words didn't seem to reduce the hurt.

Nor the shaking fear.

"-not!" Apollo is saying, indignantly setting his hands on his hips. "Do you have any idea how hard you got hit? You're lucky I could even stabilize your aspect enough to reduce some of the damage, otherwise you'd still be having a seizure back at Mount Olympus!"

"Mount Olympus," Athena mutters oddly, without much intent to it. She tries to stand again and her vision suddenly cuts out, provoking a round of screams as she loses her balance.

When the world blurrily comes back into focus- and she doesn't like this, hates this sudden weakness; she's always been able to get back up from any blow, has never visited a medical chamber in her existence, even when they had to fight the Titans- she's in Ares' arms, oddly horizontal.

"Cease this stupidity, sister," Artemis hisses at her as she grabs onto Athena's arms to bring her back to the bed. "Calm yourself. You are alive. You are safe."

"My armour," Athena says, voice cracking, head rolling oddly on her neck, unable to look upright. She catches a glimpse of Aephastus holding onto a sobbing Aphrodite, staring at her with a strange sort of sorrow.

Something twinges in Athena's chest in reply, but she stumbles before she can address it, feeling a fission of panic at the instability before Ares' grip on her tightens enough to keep her upright. They're all staring at her like that, she realizes, with that same horrified heartbreak.

"Didn't Artemis just tell you to cease stupidity?" Ares barks, though it's rather quietly said, for him. He adjusts her on the bed until she can lean back against the pillows. His hands are shaking, and Athena stares at them with curiosity. "Weren't you the one to lecture me half to death about when to remove the armour?"

"What," She says weakly, then moans as an aftershock trembles through her, residual sparks humming maliciously as they exit her skin, leaving her trembling. "I- hmmm, what? What were- what were-"

"Athena, calm down, please, you're scaring us," Hera says, bangles jangling as she sits down next to her, taking one of Athena's hands with desperation. Athena tilts her head to squint, noticing the tears for the first time, before she shudders as her skin registers the heat, the unbearable heat.

"Scaring?" She murmurs when it stops, voice coming out smaller than she intended it to.

"Her fever keeps rising and falling," Apollo reenters the room before anyone can answer, carrying a large tub of some odd liquid. "Here, help me rub this on her skin, it should extract any remaining- any remaining lightning."

They all move towards the tub at the same time, dipping the cloths provided and then taking positions in a circle surrounding her. Athena stiffens, fingers twitching for a weapon, but the first touch of Hera's drenched cloth on her forehead makes her moan in relief, the blessed coolness of it making her melt back into the sheets. She has no strength to complain or protest when her fellow gods each take a limb to rub at, a sensation both horrifically terrible and unbearably good. She has never taken her armour off in her life.

"Easy, that's it," Apollo says coaxingly, lips downturned like he's trying not to cry. She whimpers as the cloth on her left leg suddenly burns as a spark escapes, instinctively pulling it away, but Aphrodite grabs it before she can and resumes rubbing, whispering apologies. She turns her head and weakly opens her mouth for the herb Apollo lifts to her lips, desperate for relief from the splitting headache.

She can't think. She can't think.

Athena has no idea how long it goes on, how long the other gods ignore their realms to tend to her. Slowly, they strike up a conversation, something light-hearted that she can't follow- different from their never-ending arguments and insults, as they talk about the past year and humourous stories and varied anecdotes.

Athena can't help but relax into it, the soft bed at her back and gentle hands massaging her sore muscles and warmth all around her. Feels something trembling within her since she first became aware of herself settling down with a sigh.

Until she suddenly smells ozone.

Hera and Apollo both notice her tensing up immediately, and look to where she can hear slow footsteps approaching. Apollo growls and shoots out a hand, bringing up the shields of his realm.

The conversation dies down as they all look to the side, at the distinct shadow at the other side of the curtain.

Rage, Athena realises, thoughts slow and muddied. They're angry with him.

"I will handle this," Hera says coldly, with the steel undertone that Athena strives for. She moves her cloth aside and leans down to kiss Athena on the forehead, like a mother would. "You rest, my daughter."

Athena's breath hitches, eyes burning. Nobody has ever cared for her, apart from Zeu-

Nobody has ever cared for her.

... Nobody has-

Hera turns sharply at the noise that suddenly escapes Athena, half hysterical laugh and half distraught wail.

"Did I win?" Athena asks desperately, pushing herself upright, ignoring the protests of the others as she pulls her limbs from their grasp. Hera stares at her and Athena grabs the side of the bed as she tries to lever herself up like a wild animal, demanding in a broken voice, "Did I win?"

A silence that stretches for a painful moment before- "Yes," Aephastus says, putting his hand on her shoulder to guide her back from the edge. "Yes, Athena, you won."

A strangled gasp of relief leaves her, making her light-headed as she leans back against the pillows. She shivers, then sobs- humiliation running through her before she hears an answering noise of sorrow from Aphrodite next to her, pressure all around as her five younger siblings embrace her carefully, gently, like she would break at any moment.

She's not the one who's been raped by a Titan's daughter for seven years.

The thought has her breath hitching, wiping her tears away with a hand that refuses to co-operate the first few tries. "I need to-"

"No," Artemis snaps, glaring at her. "I know you think of nothing but your work, but Athena, you cannot do it this time." Outside, Hera's and Zeus' voices rise as they begin to shout and scream. "You must rest."

"N-no, that's not- aah," She groans as another aftershock rips through her, leaving her panting and soaked in sweat when it's done. "I need to- I need-"

"Hermes has gone to his grandson," Aephastus says soothingly. "Peace, Athena. Your hero is free."

For a moment, it doesn't comprehend and she stares at him blankly. "Free," She repeats, words still infuriatingly faint and lilting. "He's free? I- I need my helmet, where is-"

"No, Athena!"

"Sister, please, you cannot resume your duties, you are in no state!"

"I need my helmet, please, please- just give me my helmet!"

Her cry echoes off the walls and she hears herself when it bounces back to her, broken and pleading and so unlike her she feels nauseous. Her siblings have gone silent and still at her begging, staring at her with shock and horror and fear and sorrow alike. Even Zeus and Hera have stopped talking.

Athena shakes, wishing she could rip this awful vulnerability out of her veins, wishes she could find a stone footing to stand on once more, wishes she wasn't in this horrible chiton.

"Please," She whispers.

Quietly, Aephastus gets to his feet and walks in the direction of the nearby drawers, where she can now see her belongings stacked up haphazardly, blood-stained.

"Sister, you must calm down," Aphrodite pleads. She takes her hands and Athena dazedly looks down at her, with her wide, scared eyes. Seizure, her mind registers finally from Apollo's earlier talk. Ah. She seems to have frightened them all. "You cannot afford a relapse."

Athena squeezes her fingers in acknowledgement, but reaches for the helmet when it's held out, dented and worn.

She touches the metal and feels the full force of seven years of silenced prayers hit her at once.

She's crying before she knows she's doing it, clutching the helmet to her chest as the warmth of the worship wraps around her like a shawl, and holds it tight against her as Ares tries to pry it away.

"No, no!" Apollo intervenes, shifting forward. He touches a hand to the helmet and suddenly the hymn bursts forth around them, loud even though the prayer itself is quiet and broken. Athena inhales at the feeling of it, soothing over the cracks in her own mind with their never-ending continuity, desolate, unbroken faith even when she never came to help-

He's still singing.

She shifts her hands on the helmet to make sure but- yes. Odysseus is calling her, still, at this very moment.

Her head snaps up, but even the dizziness the motion causes doesn't take away from how much clearer the room looks. "Where is he?"

"Sister-"

"If you do not answer me, I will take to the skies myself," She says firmly. "Where is he?"

Her siblings exchange looks.

"Three days out from Ithaka," Artemis replies with a sigh. "On a raft. But listen, wait but an hour, at least absorb these prayers-"

Athena stumbles off the bed and pulls on the helmet, closing her eyes.

"Wait, the bandages-!"

"Athena, you'll hurt yourself, please!"

"Daughter, be careful!"

Athena opens her eyes and looks out at the waves, rough and choppy, but not enough to sink the raft. She looks down and looks at the way the faded clothes don't fit him, the way he has no water left to drink but he still continues to sing.

"Odysseus," She says, and he freezes.

A wave rises and falls. They stay silent, unmoving.

"Won't you look?" The words break out of her, cracked and desperate.

He inhales and exhales, tears in the sound of it. "I don't want to look if you're... if you're not really here."

She swallows against the lump in her throat, takes a step forward. "Well, I-" Her voice cracks, but the fragile grin on her face is real as it spreads, the frailest thread of laughter entering her voice. "I would hope. That if you were hallucinating of me, that the spectre would at least have wisdom enough to tell you that you were."

Odysseus sobs and her heart cracks, feels his heart cracking in turn; yet it is akin to a misaligned bone that never healed right and has to be reset- she can hear the laughter before it comes, with relief coming from the brink of madness, with joy they'd both forgotten and missed. "It is you."

"I could not reach you on Ogygia," She blurts out, desperate to make him understand. "Could not hear your call. I would have come the second time you prayed, if I had."

"It is you," He whispers, swaying. A wave rises suddenly and they both burst into movement, grabbing ropes and pulling the mast, balancing together to keep it steady.

The wave passes. They are almost touching now.

"Won't you look?" Athena asks again, raw and grieving. "Odysseus. My companion, my friend. Please."

He turns at that, a stunned expression on his face- before it turns into wide-eyed horror as he looks at her. She laughs breathlessly, slightly dizzy, but- her friend. How lovely it is to see him again.

"Athena!" He rushes forward with unexpected vitality, the parts of him that she knew suddenly rising to light in his eyes, in his movements, becoming unhidden from the defeated, beaten figure he'd been moments before. "What in Gaia's name-"

"I'm sorry," She interrupts as she slumps forward into the hands on her arms, off-balance. "I should have tried better to understand, all those years ago. I understand now and I- Odysseus, I am-"

"Athena, shut up," Odysseus snaps, clearly panicking. She laughs again, because isn't it such a novelty, to have a person who will have the audacity to tell her to? "Of course it's forgiven, I'm sorry too, I should have fucking listened back then- but listen, what in Hades happened to you? Why do you look like this- why do you have bandages- Hermes wouldn't answer when I asked if something happened to you, fuck-"

"Peace," Athena rasps, even as her vision blinks in and out, forcing her to kneel. They both grimace as another wave crashes into the raft, but they don't upturn. Odysseus kneels down with her, staring at her with such worry and concern she can feel nothing but fondness. "The disagreements of gods are often violent."

"Gods-" His eyes flicker to the side of her face, and he frowns, reaching out to push back the helmet. She bends her face down to let him, feeling an odd burning on the left side that she has a vague bad feeling about- proved right when Odysseus' expression falls into blank horror. "You got into a fight with-"

"Yes."

"But he's your-"

"I know. He did not take kindly to my petition to release you," She smiles dryly, without mirth.

"To release me?" Odysseus wheezes, face cracking into anguish and disbelief alike. "Athena, what- I- I'm not worth-"

"It was worth it," She snaps. "Consider it my penance for abandoning my own. I certainly don't regret it."

"I never felt abandoned," Odysseus whispers, taking her hands as she shifts, supporting her body with his own as they lean against the mast. She looks at him, and remembers why Penelope is still weaving, why he's still out on the waters, why Ithaka is waiting out the suitors till Telemachus takes the throne. "I always knew you would come back. I just figured it would take ten years more, perhaps."

Athena is silent for a bit, absorbing that. And then, because she can't hold it back any longer- "I am sorry about your men." His breath hitches under her and she turns to take him in her arms, knowing what's coming. "I am sorry about your friends."

He sobs, ugly and loud, and she holds him tighter. "I am sorry that Titan's whelp had you for so long, and what she did to you. I am sorry the Fates were so unkind."

"Athena," He keens, finally falling to pieces. The sobs are mere loud gasps for air at first, before it dissolves into wailing, screaming, grieving for all the men they'd kept alive through a war, only to lose them to this cruel tragedy instead. Even she hadn't known- hadn't anticipated how wrong things would go after she left. Hadn't even thought that he hadn't reached home.

"It's all my fucking fault," He shouts, shaking. "If only I had- if only-"

"It is not. No one could have known," She whispers. "The Fates are unknown to us all."

He sobs louder and she closes her eyes.

But finally, their tears dry up. She holds him still, as the night fades and the sun rises again, trying to take his hurt into herself so he can be happy again.

"I am sorry," She whispers, seaspray around them. "That my enemies became your own. That I pushed you so hard. That I chose you, and brought pain to your life so."

"Hey now," Odysseus says, pulling back to look at her, a broken smile on his face. "Hold your blasphemous tongue, before you insult the wisdom of Pallas Athena." She laughs, even as tears spill over. "Even if I had the chance to choose again right at this moment, my goddess, I would still choose you."

"That means more than you know," Athena murmurs, overcome. She gathers all her strength and reaches out to run a hand over his head, soothing his mind and driving away the last tendrils of madness that were still holding onto him. He sighs and relaxes under her, some visible weight lifting from his shoulders. "Still. I will learn from my mistakes. If you would give your old friend a chance-"

"Stop right there. Of course I-" Odysseus scoffs, reaching out to hold her left cheek for emphasis. "Athena, your left eye is half gone."

"Ah. Well, that explains the depth perception," She mutters, then bursts into giggles at the incredulous look on his face.

"Are you drugged?" Odysseus demands, but he's already trying not to laugh himself. They both move on fast. "What am I saying, of course you are- have you been drugged this whole time? Who on Earth drugged you?"

"That would be me," Apollo says, crossing his arms.

Odysseus snarls, grabbing his sword and swinging wildly in an arc, half-animal in his panic, pushing Athena behind him.

"FUCKING- whoa, hey, calm down, it's her brother, it's Apollo!" Apollo half-shrieks inelegantly, jumping back. "Honestly! Athena, call off your hero, please."

"Apollo?" Odysseus tilts his head, lowering his sword and narrowing his eyes.

Apollo stares at him. "Wow, you two- really do act the exact same, huh. Yes, Apollo, god of please let me change your fucking bandages, do you mind?"

Odysseus bows and murmurs apologies, clearly wary of getting into more trouble, but to her mild surprise walks behind Athena instead of to the other side of the raft.

"I don't need assistance," She mutters to him, even as she grimaces at the length of the chiton as she tries to pull herself upright.

"You're still dizzy," Odysseus points out, settling in behind her to hold her steady. He wipes at the tears still on his face and smiles at her. She manages a half-smile back. "Do you need to go back to Olympus?"

"Yes," Artemis crosses her hands and Odysseus' fingers tighten painfully on her shoulders.

"I'm not quite certain there's space for so many on this raft," Athena mutters.

"It's a magical raft, it'll survive- but never mind that, could you not have at least sent a message that you were okay?"

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before running off without a word!"

"Really, daughter, you should know better!"

Odysseus grip is bruising now, and his sword is in front of Athena protectively; she can already tell what moves he's planning to use if they choose to attack. "Who..?" He asks lowly.

"Pantheon. At ease," She replies back shortly, before looking up at the others. "I thank you, my fellow go- my family, for your worry and concern. But we are only two days out from Ithaka and I would like to see this journey completed."

"You are not going to see yourself completed, if you don't rest," Apollo says, roughly at the exact same time that Athena undermines her own argument by throwing up on the raft.

"Athena, go," Odysseus says urgently when it's over, handing her helmet back to her and adjusting her cape as Hera kneels down beside her to hand her another glass of nectar, looking at him oddly. Odysseus grimaces and changes his tone. "I will be fine, patroness. I'll call for you when I reach the shores."

Movement catches her eye and she sees Ares remove his own helmet, giving her a reproving look. She remembers the speech he was talking about now- the one she'd loudly ranted at him when she was drunk a year ago, thinks about how much more at ease he is now.

"Alright," She acquiesces and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. "Two days."

Mania fills Odysseus' eyes as he smiles back, finally home from a war twenty years ago. "Two days."

Athena grins, even as she feels Hera wrap an arm around her to take her away. "Penelope is waiting."

Odysseus' eyes widen, then fill with tears, like he'd never quite truly let himself believe it; but his smile is wide and true. "Penelope is waiting. Thank you, Pallas Athena."

"You don't thank friends," She murmurs, exhaustion settling in. Odysseus laughs and the last thing she feels is a warm hand on her cheek and their foreheads pressed together, before the world goes black and she knows no more.

[wolfsbane-and-nettles]

A piece I commissioned from @verkomy for chapter 42 of ‘Chosen Horizons’! As always, I am amazed by @verkomy ‘s work, and just how beautifully they’re able to capture Thorin’s expressions. Thank you again so much for such a wonderful piece, I absolutely love it <3

[siggiedraws]

Cover for Sonic Horizons - a Sonic Frontiers rewrite fic by my friend @blurredblu! The story is beautifully poignant and just getting started, so check out the AO3 series and tumblr masterpost!

[badomensgoodomens]

Noah Sebastian x Reader (fluff)

noah + illness = a literal two year old

"shh, stop fussing, im just braiding your hair"

he mumbles and groans, pulling away from you. he yelps as you tug on a strand of his brown hair. the tv plays an episode of a random anime hes been binge watching.

he finally settles, sitting between your legs as you braid. he tells you about his day, a mumbling tired mess.

"baby?" you ask, he looks up at you. "can i do your skincare perchance?"

he groans.

"stop saying perchance."

you get up, giggling, you run to the bathroom to grab your array of expensive skincare. he sighs, getting comfy. as you settle back down again he turns to ask, "this won't hurt, right?" you almost laugh.

with a shake of your head you get to work. you pull his loose bits of hair; that had fallen out of the braids, back with one of those silly headbands. he snaps a picture.

you gently apply a serum, he whines about it being cold. The wind was picking up outside, october was amongst us. red plaid, pumpkin spice and annoying children in half-ass costumes. you continue with another serum, he bundles himself into a grey blanket.

"you getting sick, babe?" you ask, rubbing moisturizer in. he grumbles, a grumpy ass man he is. you continue massaging his face until he falls asleep, you change the channel to a show youve been watching lately. rain picks up outside. your fluffy dog trots up for cuddles, he snuggles into noah, who was now fully asleep in your arms.

3 hours later you woke up to a thunderstorm, and a sniffly, grouchy noah. you usher him into your shared bedroom and put the kettle on, you prepare hot chocolate as the wind howls outside.

"baaaabe! can i have two marshmallows instead of one?" he calls out, his voice scratchy and broken.

you sigh, smiling to yourself.

you carry the two warm mugs to bedroom, noah is under a pile of blankets with the dog. "here, let me feel your forehead."

he climbs out of the pile of blankets, flushed with messy hair. you press the back of your hand to his forehead. warm.

you hum and press a gentle kiss on his forehead. "ill get you some medicine, hm?"

he wraps his arms around your waist, rubbing his warm face on your stomach. its moments like this that truly remind you of how beautiful and raw your love is.

"what about some soup huh? chicken?"

he mumbles and tightens his hold on you.

you snicker, pulling away to look down at him.

"alright, come on lovebug. let me get you some soup and medicine hm?"

he sighs and slides away from you, he curls into your pillow.

--------------------

you come back 30 minutes later with hot soup and medicine. hes asleep.

you gently scratch his back, just tracing over his tattoos. he mumbles, stirring in his sleep. you press a gentle kiss to his back.

"mm?" he turns to face you. his cheeks are red.

"i made you soup, baby. and some medicine. sit up."

he sleepily sits up, rubbing his eyes.

he gratefully takes the soup, whispering thank yous as he soothes his sore throat. he pats the bed next to him, gesturing you closer. you scoot over, immediately overwhelmed by the heat his body was emitting. you press a gentle kiss to his shoulder, and cuddle him back to health.

-----------------------

soooooooooooooooooo sorry i forgot about you guys :c

im trying so hard to make my posts longer but its not going very well lol.. do u guys prefer short- quick ones? or like full blown chapters/stories?

let me know!!!

[ruffbunny]

“growing up is going from billdip to billf/rd” growing up is realizing shipping is harmless and we all have bills and shit to pay and god above it does not actually matter outside of the online discourse bubble like…. It really doesn’t.

Please just go do something that makes you happy instead of being miserable and militant about thought crimes. Pleeeeaaaseeee Fortnite is free, the local animal shelter would love some volunteer work, there’s probably a shocking number of nature trails in your area, you could make bread😭

[quiche-draws]

My Secret Santa 2024 gift for @apricity-writes!!

Based on her fic "Love You Better" (chapter 19), an unplanned pregnancy AU that takes place four years after NEMESIS but with all the great angst and softness and (apparently!) happy ending! Give it a read! Talla is absolutely adorable!

Please do not repost! Reblog only!

[everybodylovesaloy]

Posting starts tomorrow for our rare pair challenge!! We can't WAIT to see what you've come up with!

If you post your fic to tumblr, please use #rare pair roundup so we can reblog. A master list will also be made at the end of the event so you can be sure not to miss any.

Posting will officially end on 7/26. Let's get this party started!

[pikapeppa]

Me, absolutely loving your bisexual Drakka in hardiest desert blooms and conditions of training:

HAHAHAH I'm so glad you're enjoying him!! Let's pretend he had a conversation with Aloy at some point that went something like this:

Aloy, running back to the base: this better not awaken anything in me

It did

If anyone else wants to enjoy some bi Drakka, you can find him in many places in my AO3 I have fever and the only cure is more Drakka:

Even The Hardiest Desert Blooms Need To Get Wet Sometimes (Aloy/Drakka)

Conditions of Training (Aloy/Drakka/Kotallo)

Finding Something In Common (Aloy/Drakka/Nil)

-- love from your friendly neighbourhood Pika! xoxo

[arcainworms]

MJV but it's their relationship flaws

(I love living in happy fluff world as my fic output would indicate but let's be realistic here)

Jayce is a chronic fixer. He hates seeing people he cares about upset at him, and thinks that if he can somehow logic them out whatever's making them feel that way it'll be better. It doesn't fix it, especially when he's in a relationship with the two most stubborn people in the world.

In my MJV headcanons Mel and Viktor were together first, and that's given Mel a tendency to speak for him when Jayce asks him a question i.e. trying to figure out his preferences about something. This is a triple-edged sword, because Jayce has a tendency to treat Viktor like he's made of glass, and Viktor appreciates Mel's attempt to deflect that for what it is.

When he's actually mad about something, Viktor is just. The biggest bitch. He says shit that he doesn't mean and then immediately apologizes. Mel forgives him, never forgets a slight and will bring it up years later if they're being hypocritical. Jayce, on the other hand, will be sad about it for days.

Jayce almost always has to be the bigger person out of the three of them and play mediator whether he was involved in the argument or not, because neither Mel or Viktor will ever admit to being wrong under any circumstances. Mel does this for his arguments with Viktor. When it's his turn to mediate, Viktor tells Jayce and Mel that they're both being stupid 90% of the time.

Similarly, Jayce is in a near constant state of being exasperated by the fact they never talk about their own feelings, despite being happy to hear whatever he has to say. This is worse with Mel, who's rarely even willing to admit she's upset about something. When Jayce is feeling particularly self-pitying, he'll get mad at them about opening up to each other more than him.

Viktor gets super defensive about anything he takes as passive aggression, and will escalate minor irritation into a fight. Jayce, maybe surprisingly, gets the worst of it on long nights. He has a tendency to convince himself things don't bother him, and let them build over time until he explodes.

But they all love each other and they all know they love each other and they fix these things over time by talking to each other.