#mountain ranger ari

[bigtreefest]

Take a Stab

From: Bigger Houses Series

Pairing: Mountain Ranger! Ari x Reader

Summary: You and Ari rent a secluded cabin at the lake for your one year anniversary.

Word Count: 2,537

Content/Warnings: MINORS DNI 18+ ONLY, SMUT, protected p in v sex, outdoor sex, praise, secrecy and surprises, coffee sipping, happy crying, mentions of knife usage for whittling, pet names, like one swear

A/N: Ro, thank you for this hot gif. Ari with that sexy lean and the chest hair will never not do something to me. This. This is Ari getting up and making himself a pot of coffee when Duchess doesn’t think he’s awake yet.

As always, a great thank you to everyone who reads. I love your feedback in all forms. 🥰

Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Ari woke up to the creaking sound of the screen door at the front end of the cabin opening and closing. He immediately turned in the flannel sheets, reaching out for you, only to find your side of the bed still warm, but empty. Had you left something in the car? No way, he remembers checking one last time last night when bringing your bags into the cabin you had rented for the weekend. So what were you doing up when he knew this was a weekend built for sleeping in?

You and Ari were celebrating your one year anniversary together at the lake. Sure, you had your own cabin with gorgeous views, but this was a special occasion. And you didn’t live this close to water. A word to the wise: always take the opportunity to be near a body of water with Ari Levinson. He’ll most likely be shirtless, and that’s an image created by God himself. And definitely don’t turn down the opportunity of a canoe ride sunset picnic, either. The view is gorgeous…

But that was last night, and this is now. You woke up early in the hopes of getting a few minutes to prepare your surprise for him. A gift of true love to show how much you really valued Ari and took note of the meanings of his gestures. This was one you wanted to return: you were whittling him a spoon.

About a month into your relationship, Ari had gifted you one, along with his prized pocket knife over a bonfire in his backyard. He pulled out a block of wood to show you a few different techniques and how to get started, and that was one of the first moments you realized you really just enjoyed being with him. Sharing knowledge. Growing.

At the time, you didn’t know the significance of either of those things: the spoon and the knife. You just thought whittling was a cute little thing he did since he had the time and he had handed the knife over because he wanted you to be prepared since you were newly living in the outdoors. Nearly a year later, now, though, you were finally almost finished with your spoon for him. And Ari was constantly still shopping, looking for a knife like the one he gave you since it was no longer in stock, unbeknownst to you.

You had no idea the level of skill that went into making something as simple, or so you believed, as a spoon. It definitely wasn’t a throwaway gesture. And for him to do it that early into your relationship? You realized how much you’ve meant to him this entire time.

You could tell the knife was special, too, by the way he looked at you when you used it. He loved knowing it was almost always on your person, especially on hikes, and he was always trying to show you how versatile it was.

All that was left were the finishing touches: completing a small little carving of a bear in the handle, and then sanding it. If you played it right, you should be able to finish before Ari gets up. He should be exhausted from all of last night’s….activities still. So you had carefully slipped out of bed, reluctantly leaving his naked warmth, as to not jostle him, grabbed your supplies, and headed out onto the cabin’s wraparound balcony which overlooked the lake. It was a beautiful view, which in a few minutes would host the sunrise.

When Ari woke up in a jolt, he immediately padded through the cabin, looking through the windows to see where your possibly could’ve gone. As he got to the kitchen, halfway to the front door, he was relieved to see your head peeking over the outdoor furniture. Ari breathed out his sigh of relief as he moved around the large island and started to make a pot of coffee. You hadn’t even done that, probably out of fear of waking him, which led him to wonder what you were keeping so secretive.

He pulled down a mug from the cabinet, rinsing and filling it with hot water as the coffee brewed, to get the mug warm, doing the same for yours. He leaned back against the counter as he waited, looking out towards you. The amazing scenery around him didn’t hold a flame to your glow, even coming from someone who had admired nature his entire life. This was a dream vacation for him, but honestly, Ari would’ve visited a garbage dump as long as it was with you.

The front door surprisingly blocked out the loud whirring of the old machine since you didn’t stir as the last drops of coffee sputtered out. Ari poured out the water and filled the mugs, sauntering towards the side door of the cabin to the balcony. If you could be secretive, he could, too. And this door was much quieter.

As Ari rounded the corner of the porch, the high-pitched scratching of sandpaper became louder. He perched himself at the corner, silently setting down your mug and leaning against the railing. He just stood and watched you for another second, the way your brows furrowed in concentration as you were completing a task he was all too familiar with.

You held the spoon in front of you, checking if you missed any spots when you were startled by the sound of slurping coming from your side. You jumped, dropping the spoon when you saw Ari taking a sip of his coffee. The smile that grew on his face when your eyes met took your attention from his nearly nude form. He must’ve slipped shorts on before coming out here. Shame. You were about the same, though, only wearing a fresh shirt you plucked from his duffel on your way out here. Now he had one less clean shirt to wear? Tragic. Guess he was gonna have to find a way to deal. You wouldn’t mind.

Your face mirrored his, beaming in the soft haze of first light, before your face fell when realized what he had walked out to see you doing. You scrambled to pick the spoon up off the deck, tucking it behind your back. You sighed, slumping back in your chair and raising an eyebrow at him.

Ari continued to smirk at you, taking another sip of his coffee before clearing his throat. His voice still held a bit of a deep grumble from how early it was. “Good morning, Duchess. Keeping secrets, are we?”

He gave a light laugh as he grabbed your mug, making his way over to sit next to you. You grabbed your coffee in defeat, taking a big gulp before setting it down next to the knife on the small coffee table and turning to face him. Ari pulled your legs over his in habit as you reached up to stroke his bearded cheek.

“Less of a secret and more of a surprise. I thought you weren’t going to be up yet.” You leaned in to Ari kissing your forehead and pulled away.

Ari set down his mug next to yours and took the opportunity to pull you close, resting his chin on top of your head before pulling away again and leaning in for a proper kiss.

“Kinda hard to sleep when you’re missing…And you’re a loud walker. Zero stealth skills, Angel.”

You rolled your eyes playfully and lightly smacked his chest before reaching a hand behind you.

“I’m sneaky enough to have gotten by for this long. Now do you want your surprise or not?”

Ari knew the drill by this point, closing his eyes and pulling a large hand from its place rubbing your back and holding it out between the two of you as you pulled out the spoon. His one eye cracked open just enough for him to catch a glance at your proud smile before closing it again. He hadn’t gotten a very good look at what exactly you were doing before, so when he felt the curved wood hit his palm, Ari froze with stark, full realization.

His long eyelashes fluttered open just for tears to immediately soak them. He looked down and examined the smooth, freshly sanded wood before looking back up at you. You were immediately struck with worry at his visceral reaction.

“What, did I do something wrong? Are you upset I used your knife for it? Is it that bad? You don’t have to accept it.” You bit your lip in worry as Ari shook his head and ran his thumb over the small, intricate bear engraving in the handle. He could see how much time you put into it.

He quickly pulled the spoon to his chest like he would die if it ever left his grip. “No, it’s perfect. I love it so much. I’m just so…happy. You made this? Just for me?” He was touched beyond belief.

You giggled as tears began to fill your eyes at his reaction. “Yeah, of course I did. It took me way longer than I expected, but now we match.”

Ari nodded and sniffled before pulling you into a tight hug, tucking his face into your neck. You shivered at the vibration against you as he spoke. “God, I love it so much. I love you so much. I can’t believe you made this. Thank you.”

You ran your hands up and down his back in a soothing gesture, moving upward until you were at the nape of his neck. You began running your nails through his hair and Ari pulled away to look at you, deep blue eyes sparkling in the first few rays of the sunrise. He moved to set down the spoon, careful to keep an eye on it before he dragged you to straddle his lap.

“Really, Duchess. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. How long did it take you?”

You continued scratching his head as his eyes closed in satisfaction. “Hmm, about a year. I worked on it on and off. It’s not very easy, especially the little carving.”

Ari hummed. “Yeah, I bet. It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve never tried anything like that but you did great. You put me on it.” He opened his eyes and beamed up at you.

“Of course I did. You’re my sweet Bear. You deserve the same as you give. I love you so much.” You returned the smile and leaned in to kiss him.

Your tongues danced together in a tango of deep, overwhelming desire before pulling away, Ari pulling your hips down tighter against his crotch. You didn’t miss the deepening smirk on his face and the fire filling his eyes. “You know, it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful sunrise. What do you say you and I go up to the railing to watch it together?”

The sunrise was beautiful, painting the sky in pastel strokes of orange, red, and purple. You were enjoying the view, bent at the hips, leaned over the railing, with Ari right behind you, holding you close. Your shirt was hiked up, hanging on your hard nipples as Ari’s shorts hung just low enough for him to have pulled out his cock.

Ari was dragging against your walls in slow, deep strokes, as one hand rubbed your clit in circles in time with his hips and the other gently tweaked a nipple. His head rested on your shoulder, body molded against yours, as he looked out over the lake with you.

Every now and then, Ari turned his head to kiss your neck in the spot just above where it met your shoulder. The one that made you let out those delicious moans every time. He whispered in your ear as your one hand squeezed his forearm over your chest, the other digging into the railing as you braced yourself against the overwhelming pleasure.

“Fuck, you’re so amazing. So talented. I can tell you worked so hard for me. Can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

You whined and clenched at that, thriving on Ari’s praise and having thought the same about forever before, but never verbalizing it. Ari was it for you and the perfect shared moment proved it. You couldn’t have expected a better reaction to your gift. To have someone just as understanding of the little things as you was soothing to your soul. To have someone who carried their gestures with the same weight was one in billions and you couldn’t believe you found him.

You threw your head back against Ari’s shoulder, whimpering between heavy breaths. “So good, I-hmmm- I love you, Bear.”

You felt Ari’s chest rumble as he moaned against you, picking up his pace and grunting near your ear, captivated by the way the sun was hitting both of you, lighting up the heavenly moment. “Ah, I love you more, Angel. You’re so good to me. So sweet.“

He rubbed your clit faster, both of you rising towards your peak with the sun that was nearly cresting the horizon, almost fully in the sky. Your eyes squeezed shut before Ari looked over and caught it, taking his hand off your clit. “Ah ah ah, eyes open. Don’t wanna miss this moment.”

You forced your eyelids apart and looked over at Ari, a thin sheet of sweat causing some of his hair to stick to his forehead. The golden light was highlighting his features and weaving through his beard gorgeously. He was right, you wouldn’t have forgiven yourself for missing out on this view. He put his hand back on your clit and rubbed in furious circles, leaning in to kiss you harder, sloppier. When he pulled away, he softly smiled at you and spoke through red kiss-soaked lips. “Good girl.”

His warm breaths hit your cheek as your smile mixed with your blissed-out face. Your pussy fluttered and squeezed harder. You could feel yourself getting close as Ari’s thrusts became uneven. “Please. Please, Ari. Give it to me. Come with me.”

Your words set him off as Ari spilled into the condom within your tightening walls. He continued rubbing your clit and shuddering in response to your rhythmic squeezing against him as you leaned more of your weight into the railing, gasping for air after your release. Ari placed a kiss against your shoulder as he gingerly pulled out. He rested his forehead between your shoulder blades before quickly running inside to dispose of the condom and refresh your coffees.

When he came back out, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling your back close to his front and kissing you cheek. You turned and smiled up at him, nestling in closer, enjoying the view of the brightened trees and reflective water, surrounded by Ari, nature, and nothing else for miles.

Ari’s eyes twinkled when he caught your gaze again and held it. “This is the most amazing day ever already, Duchess.” He kissed your forehead. Neither of you had even been up for an hour yet, but you agreed that there’s not much else that could make it any better.

“Absolutely perfect, Bear.”

Bonus A/N: Whittling a spoon for someone is like, a HUGE sign of love. That PAIRED WITH giving over your prized knife? Y’all can deduce what that means. And yes, I do have a spoon whittled, waiting for the right day… what about it??

Series Taglist:

@patzammit

@hawkeyes-queen

@identity2212

@jamneuromain

@whiskeytangofoxtrot555

[ronearoundblindly]

Hi Ro! Just wanted to say I LOVE your bedrock and blueprints series. I literally have told everyone in my life about it (I’m sure my friends loved the multi-hour phone call where I went through the entire plot lol). Ari is just so tender with how much he cares and has patience and understanding, despite appearing gruff. I feel like we need more best friends to lovers like this because it makes the relationship so much sweeter. It really got me when Ari was like “who has a kid and doesn’t have an SUV?” And then keeping the signature truck nearby when they got their SUV🥺. Just so much mastery in one fic, I fell in love with it and wanted you to know. I keep coming back to this. Thank you, now what’s a girl gotta do to get an Ari for herself?

WELP, the good news is that I feel like I deserve to answer this because before today I hadn't written anything for B&B since September...

I made sure to put the SUV in the newest piece (where Rachel gets sick for the first time) and it will be mentioned again in the follow-up to that 😊

I miss the good ol' days of having long phone calls with friends, so I am thrilled to have provided some gossip for that. Say hello to your friends for me! I guess they'll be hearing just a little more about these blorbos in the near-future... Also, I have been loving your Ari series, Bigger Houses. I can totally see him as a mountain ranger; it's so fitting 😍🥵

Finally, alas, gurl if I knew where to get an Ari, I would never be on this hellsite. That's the truth of it, lmao, because I would be busy elsewhere if you catch my drift.

🥴😅😭

[aries-rp-corner]

With the arrival of Rina, the Rangers, Baron’s, and Aries’s confidence grew more and more. While the Rangers were searching through the mountain, they found not only Peons scurrying about but they witnessed old enemies from the past… Dim Sun Grunts using their now improved Miniremo to control Pokémon as their personal guards, and the Pinchers using their own control devices within their gloves to manipulate Pokémon as well. As fears grew more that old enemies are now merged with a foe who can use unknown darkness… making the Rangers and the Trenya family concerned that Cipher have now brought back up to eliminate anyone who gets in their way… even Trainers are not safe as well… both Dim Sun and the Pinchers’ equipment “improved” to also control Trainer’s Pokémon… Yet for Baron, Rina, and their daughter have thought differently. If team Dim Sun and Pinchers believe they can come back for vengeance like Cipher, then they to shall meet their defeat as well.

Aries though, have thoughts of worry for not only her parents, but her friends as well. Cipher grew bold in recruiting help, but it’s the thought of who else is going to get hurt badly from old enemies that the Rangers defeated. Now giving her more ideas of an Protection spell from the two new foes… yet for Baron and Rina, a deeper fear grew… Team Olethros may return as well, or an enemy the matriarch, Lupa herself faced so long ago… once a friend, no a sister to her at the time… who used such darkness to corrupt the sun…and almost corrupted Lupa as well. For now, the two hope it will never happen…for all sake.

[laresearchette]

Tuesday, January 14, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES? FBI TRUE (Season 6) (Paramount + Canada) THE MISFITS (Paramount + Canada) ROBIN HOOD (2018) (Paramount + Canada) ST. DENIS MEDICAL (CTV2) 8:00pm NIGHT COURT (CTV2) 8:30pm

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN

NETFLIX CANADA ARI SHAFFIR: AMERICA’S SWEETHEART SINGLE’S INFERNO (Season 4) (KR)

2025 AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS (TSN) 7:00pm: Early Round Coverage Day #4

TGL GOLF (SN360/SNEast/SNOntario) 7:00pm: Los Angeles Golf Club vs. Jupiter Links Golf Club

NHL HOCKEY (SN1) 7:00pm: Lightning vs. Bruins (TSN4) 7:00pm: Stars vs. Leafs (TSN5) 7:30pm: Sens vs. Islanders (SNPacific/TSN3) 8:00pm: Canucks vs. Jets (SNWest) 8:00pm: Flames vs. Blues (TSN2) 9:00pm: Habs vs. Utah (SN360) 9:00pm: Rangers vs. Avalanche

NBA BASKETBALL (SN Now) 7:00pm: Thunder vs. 76ers

ONE DISH, ONE SPOON (APTN) 7:00pm: Expert paddlers Ellie Joseph and Michael Hill invite Chef Tawnya and Dakota for a sunrise paddle on the Grand River; chef Tawnya reflects on her ancestors' resilience as she serves a fireside treat in the 17th-century Kanata Longhouse.

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (CBC) 8:00pm

HUDSON & REX (City TV) 8:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): When a murder investigation devolves into a kidnapping, Rex's nose leads him and Charlie to Bell Island, and right into the middle of a double murder plot.

COUNTRY HOUSE HUNTERS: CANADA (CTV Life) 8:00pm/8:30pm: Eco-conscious couple Terra and Ben want a sustainable retreat in Cobble Hill. They're looking for a home that supports their green lifestyle while offering the serenity of rural living. Can they find the perfect balance of charm and sustainability? In Episode Two, Sarah and Ligaya are searching for a cozy home in Orillia. With a mix of practical needs and aesthetic desires, they hope to find a property that suits their lifestyle. Will Orillia deliver their dream home?

THE EDIFY SHOW: HEARTIES TUESDAY (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm

SON OF A CRITCH (CBC) 8:30pm: Tensions rise between rival schools as Fox finds a friend who invites her to a field party; Mark worries about older kids; Mike Jr hires Dick's daughter as the new VOCM promo girl.

NORTH OF THE NORTH (CBC/APTN) 9:00pm: Siaja's first day of work goes awry when she accidentally starts a fire at the dump; Alistair and Kuuk visit the community center to discuss Ice Cove's candidacy to host a polar research station.

HIGHWAY THRU HELL (USA Network Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Jamie realizes he's been given the wrong information; Team Reliable wrestles with a cable barrier on Highway 1; Aggressive Towing battles with a heavy B-train down a deep ditch in the Fraser Valley.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN WRECKERS (USA Network Canada ) 10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): A semi bursts into flames, pushing Jesse and crew to make an urgent recovery; Mountain Recovery fights to free a jackknife during a big storm.

[steviebbboi]

Heehee I'm so glad you enjoyed it, bb!!! Ugh literally, your mountain ranger!Ari and my lumberjack!Ari will always be the ultimate weakness!!!! And yes -- he adores her 🥹 i really love that about their relationship.

Good For It

Pairing: Ari Levinson x F!Reader

Word Count: 8.1k~ (no idea how this happened) 🫣

Summary: Ari was deeply misunderstood by everyone except you. What happens when someone tries to hurt the one person he cares about the most?

Disclaimer: This is my submission for @stargazingfangirl18 writing challenge, "Siri's Birthday Bonenanza"~ Thank you to Siri for hosting this, and hoping that you all enjoy this as much I loved writing it :)

***I don't give any permission for this to be reposted anywhere! Pls do not steal work, plagiarism isn't demureeee~~~~

Warnings/Triggers: 18+ Minors DNI; Mentions/threats of violence, mentions of drugging reader (not by Ari), mentions of sexual harassment (again, not by Ari), explicit language, explicit smut, oral sex (f. receiving), p in v, angst, fluff, mentions of trauma, PTSD-like symptoms, Lumberjack!Ari, Veteran!Ari.

Prompts: Ari Levinson x F!Reader feat. Bryce Langley (not involved with Reader at all) + "The moment you or babe realize you’re in love with the other" + "Scary!babe is in love and a simp for you" + "Playful trolling/banter"

Quote Prompts: “Why can’t you just let yourself be loved?!” + “Goddamnit, will you just fucking let me do this for you?” + “You move an inch, and you’ll be sorry. + “Can you just…hold me, please?”

Trope Prompt: Scary, dangerous!babe who is only soft with you

Kink(s) Prompt: Size kink + Praise kink + Squirting + Manhandling +soft!dom (ish) + Possessive!babe + breeding (ish?)

Other kinks: mild choking, spanking, overstimulation (if I missed any TW, feel free to lmk)~

Rowdy laughter and the clinking of glasses came into earshot as you pushed the bar doors open. You greeted the bouncer as you usually did and gave a quick scan of the back of the bar. Once you found who you were looking for, you felt your lips quirk into a small smile as you headed toward the back.

Ari Levinson, the local town recluse with only four friends (including yourself and the bouncer-ish). He’s a retired military veteran and is known as “that weird, scary dude who lives alone up in the mountains.” To be fair, the town’s whispered descriptions of him were not entirely inaccurate.

You could feel the regular, daily stares coming in hot as you continued walking toward the back booths. Although you were used to it at this point, you could feel yourself becoming more tense as the whispers started to creep through.

A tired sigh escaped your lips as you passed by one woman in particular who seemed to always let out a muttered comment under her breath—all synonymous with criticism that you never took lightly.

“Poor girl doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’ll end up in the morgue someday.”

“He just has her wrapped around his finger, huh? Someone should say something.”

“You know he almost beat a guy to death a year ago. What is a sweet girl like her doing with a guy like him?”

“Nobody told her to leave the undesirables alone.”

Any and all comments surrounding Ari’s character felt crushing every time you heard them. In the beginning of your relationship with Ari, you used to cry yourself to sleep every night because some of the comments were so scathing. All these people were just judging you because you were with a person that you deeply cared about.

Ari would be there every night to soothe you (he didn’t care as much about what others said). He would wipe your tears by holding your face in his big hands and kiss you until you couldn’t remember what you were crying about in the first place.

See, there are things that people don’t know about Ari. They judged him based on his background and one incident at the mill. He was hulking over everyone at 6'5", his stature and demeanor a bit more closed off and quiet. When people tried to say hi to him, he would give them a small grunt and continue on his way. He wasn’t a small man by any means, emotionally or physically (of which, your size difference is something you both indulge in, in many ways).

The problem was that they only saw and perceived things from the surface. They didn’t see all of the qualities underneath that make him so desirable, wanted, and valuable to you. With Ari, you felt protected, safe, and secure in ways that you had never experienced before. You never felt disrespected by him in the slightest. People didn’t see that, even through his dark aimless stares or quiet mumbles and grumbles, he still cared and was incredibly kind.

One day, you were working furiously on your laptop as you sat on Ari’s couch. Your work was demanding, and more often than not, you would work your remote 9-to-5 job straight through without taking care of yourself. Ari only ever gazed at you with curiosity and never said anything about it. Although you could tell from his stare that he disapproved of your self-negligence. The next time you sat working, Ari placed some dinner on the coffee table in front of you. The smell of the hot, homemade food made your tummy rumble as you stopped typing after four hours of working nonstop to look up at him with surprise.

“Eat,” Ari said simply and reached out to stroke the exposed skin peeking out from underneath the blanket on top of you before heading back to the kitchen. You usually wouldn’t let anything get in the way of your work, but his act of care was so wholesome and precious that you stopped and ate the whole thing.

Ari came back once you were finished to sit down next to you under the blanket with a book. He made an effort to get comfortable by placing his large, calloused hand on your inner thigh underneath your now-shared afghan before getting back to his reading. You could only stare at him, astonished by how this beefy, quiet giant of a man managed to not only get you to pause your work but also make you eat (disrupting your chain of focus and habits was not an easy feat, just ask your ex-partners). He let out another deep grumble when you kissed his bearded cheek with a soft thank you as you put away your laptop and leaned into his shoulder to read with him.

It was then that you realized Ari, depicted as this scary, violent, tainted, isolated person, was deeply misunderstood.

It was also the moment that you realized you were deeply in love with him.

Coming out of your reverie, you let out the tension that had been carried in your chest as you saw your man start to turn as you finally approached the booth. Your soft smile turned into a genuine grin when your eyes met his. You greeted Sammy (his third friend) as you went to scoot next to Ari. You put an arm around him to give a gentle rub on his large back while giving him a quick kiss on his cheek. As usual, he gave you a quiet, deep mumble of acknowledgement but proceeded to put his muscular arm around you protectively, giving you the opportunity to place the hand that had been shoved to your side around his thick, jean-clad thigh.

“What are we talking about?” You engaged Sammy first, knowing that Ari would likely be more of an active listener, as he usually was.

Sammy and Ari were in service together, along with Rachel (the bartender and the fourth friend, completing the group). Ari was noticeably relaxed with them, as he was with you, but you had no idea how they got the man to talk. You heard stories of their time in active duty, but they never went beyond surface-level details. You knew Ari had done some dangerous work during his time in the military; he never really talked about it, but you could surmise that he was still recovering from it, especially since that incident a year ago.

“Oh, you know, same old, same old. Rachel threw beer on a guy who was trying to score free drinks by hitting on her,” Sammy said with a smirk.

You laughed freely. “Man, I wish I had been there to see it! Some newbie at the office messed something up, and who has to fix it? Me, of course.” You rolled your eyes and put a hand to your forehead to rub away the fatigue.

“Did you eat, baby?” Ari cut in quietly. You turned to meet his concerned gaze and gave him a soft smile with a rub to his knee. “Yes, honey. I was able to have my assistant run out to grab some grub. Don’t worry.”

He gave another affirmative grunt with a nod and shifted to hand you a beer that was hidden at the end of the table. You huffed out a quiet laugh before giving him one last squeeze on the knee before reaching for the drink gratefully. Of course, Ari had already gotten you a drink but only gave it to you after you gave your daily report. He was always looking after you.

“When are they going to gear up and give you that promotion?” Sammy asked, shaking his head.

You gave a despondent shake before sighing. “You know, they’re a small company. I think we’re understaffed as it is right now. That’s why these new hires keep making these small mistakes.”

“Aaaand that’s why they need to promote you to manager, to teach some sense into ‘em! Ari’s always sayin’ you’d be a great supervisor.” He replied with an encouraging smile.

Now you were the one letting out a small questioning mumble while looking down at your drink bashfully. You felt Ari stroke the back of your arm with a firm gentleness, and you knew it really meant, “Yes, you do deserve more.” 

This kind of touch was often a reminder for you to believe in yourself and that you deserved better things (a tough job for your ex-partners, you might add). Ari had seemingly broken a cycle for you, helping you genuinely care about yourself in a way you hadn’t before. (All the ways he protects you are just sickeningly cute, aren’t they?)

Bringing yourself back to the present, you gave Sammy a stronger “hm” in response and said, “I know. I mean, when will these bastards just wake up?”

Sammy gave a shout of laughter and a “hell yeah”  before giving you another supportive response. You turned to Ari briefly to give him another smile of appreciation, only to notice that he was already looking at you. But the glint in his eyes… you hadn’t seen that before. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you registered Sammy announcing he was going back to the bar for another drink.

The two of you were now alone, just observing each other. A shiver ran down your spine at his piercing gaze as you asked quietly, “Everything okay, honey?”

At your reserved tone, Ari gave you a subtle, tilted smile. “I love you,” he said simply.

Your breath hitched, and you felt your eyes widen at his surprise revelation. You knew that you loved Ari, maybe even before you realized it yourself. There were many ways the two of you showed your love and care for each other—from cooking food for each other to gentle caresses during more intimate moments. However, this was the first time either of you had ever said it out loud.

Now you were the one stumbling over your words, struggling to respond, swallowing thickly as you tried to say it back. It’s not that you felt you couldn’t, but the man had just revealed that he loved you, in a bar no less! The guy was usually full of grumbles, deep hums, and mumbles. You never would have expected him to reveal something so vulnerable and intimate in an environment like this. You figured your actions would be proof enough, and that was okay with you. You accepted that about Ari—you never expected him to actually say it.

At your floundering, Ari had a full-on smirk on his handsome face. He seemed to appreciate how the tables had turned. You stopped your mumbles once you saw his reaction to your shock and squinted your eyes in fake indignation. His smirk only grew wider, the glint you noticed earlier now turning into an affectionate mirth that you knew Ari reserved just for you.

“Damn him and his sexy, lumberjack hotness,” you thought to yourself. You and Ari both knew you loved it when he teased you like this. You pretended to be upset, but it was all part of how well the two of you bantered throughout your relationship.

Most of your relationship involved speaking in a language your friends couldn’t quite understand, which only played into the image of how polar opposites you two were. But you and Ari reveled in it, just like Ari was now. You were more embarrassed at being caught stumbling on your words, and felt the need to beat him in your little game. The man hadn’t even said anything in the past minute, and he was already winning. He knew how you felt about him; it was just fun for him to see you all flustered.

“HA– alright, Mr. Grumbles. I’m going to get us some more drinks. Did you want anything else?” you said begrudgingly while gathering your glasses to bring back to the bar.

“No, baby. Sammy said he was going to get us some, though.” Ari conceded his smirk (and victory). Speak of the devil, and he shall appear—Sammy came up behind you to slide back into the booth, but with only one drink in his hand. You and Ari stared at him and then looked back at the beer with questioning eyes.

Sammy got comfortable and noticed both of your stares only when he realized that nobody was talking. Glancing down at his own drink, then toward your empty glasses, and back to your amused stares again, he muttered abashedly, “You didn’t say I had to get you another drink too.”

You let out a small giggle and looked back at Ari again to repeat, “Did you want anything else, baby?”

Ari responded with the same amusement in his tone. “No, love.” He grinned back at you as he said the endearment, which only furthered your fake ire. You pouted your lips in playful anger and met his beguiled stare with your own before standing up from the booth.

As you gathered the empty glasses again, you saw Ari attempting to grab them from you as he also stood up from his seat.

“No– don’t worry, Ari. I’ve got it,” you reassured him, but he ignored you and responded only with a grunt. He proceeded to scoot out of the small booth, hunched over the table.

Letting the glasses go, you pressed down on Ari’s shoulders hard to shove him back into his seat. His eyes widened in surprise at the forceful touch as he sat back down, but you knew you hadn’t hurt him. If anything, he lurched back from you since he didn’t want to bump into you while attempting to get out.

“Goddammit, will you just fucking let me do this for you?” you scolded him in feigned anger. You grabbed the glasses quickly and scurried away before he could respond. You only heard him and Sammy laughing at your retreat before the chatter from the other end of the bar became more prominent as you approached.

Setting the two glasses down on an empty section of the bar top, you leaned over slightly to catch Rachel’s perceptive gaze. She nodded with a smile on her face as she made you two new drinks. Glancing around the rest of the bar with mild interest, you couldn’t help but reflect on Ari’s intimate reveal.

A smile spread onto your lips, and you let out a small laugh to yourself. You were in love with a man who communicated with short hums and grunts, and with only three words—he had unraveled you. You felt so happy in that moment to be with someone who could meet you where you were, for once.

At first, you were intimidated by the looming lumberjack, but as you got to know each other, you grew to understand that he didn’t need big, fancy words to connect with you. Ari was the kind of partner who was straightforward with you and never hid anything maliciously while still respecting the integrity of your relationship. You felt grateful to be a part of each other’s lives.

Floating mindlessly in your thoughts, you didn’t notice the man staring at you across the bar. You also didn’t notice him approaching until you heard him say, “Hey there, what are you smiling about, sweetheart?”

Glancing over, the giddiness you felt thinking about your relationship with Ari was now interrupted by feelings of annoyance and suspicion. “I’m good, thanks,” you responded dismissively, not even bothering to answer his question.

“Aw, c’mon—just wanna talk a bit. Hey, are you with anyone right now?” the guy persisted.

Looking at the intrusive person, you could tell he was a bit younger than you. His polo shirt was disheveled, and his demeanor seemed careless. If his side-swept hair wasn’t an indication of his immaturity, it was the way he reeked of alcohol and weed. A smug smile lifted on his face as he assumed you were checking him out, when in reality, you were trying to piece together how to shut this down and walk around him on your way back to the booth.

“Uh, I am. Just waiting for our drinks,” you answered shortly, hoping your dismissiveness would be enough to make him go away. Heckling men never seem to take the hint when you’re not interested, and it seems like telling them off only riles them up more.

“Well, if I were your friend, I certainly wouldn’t have let you come up here by yourself. There are some weirdos out here, y’know?” He leaned onto the bar and into you, his body too close for comfort. You leaned back and crossed your arms defensively.

“I’m sorry—let me? Listen, kid—you got one thing right: there are weirdos out here. Almost like some weirdos just don’t seem to get the hint when they’re harassing women who only want to be left alone by the bar.” You couldn’t hold in your snark as this misogynistic asshole seemed to only smile wider at your reactions.

“Right! That’s why you’re lucky I’m here, sweetheart. Considering that I’m being so helpful by giving you this piece of advice, I think that now makes us friends.” He laughed, ignoring your irritation.

“Everything okay here?” You looked up to find Rachel putting down the newly made beers while looking the stranger dead in the eyes. You could see him squirm a bit, and you stifled a giggle—you were always amused to see her put men in their place.

“It’s okay, Rach. I’m heading back to those two dummies, anyway.” You left some bills on the counter. Rachel gave you a look since she always insisted drinks were on the house for you, but you never really listened. She took the money anyway, gave the guy one last daggered look, and made a small dismissive sound before leaving to attend to other customers.

Ignoring Rachel’s reaction, he turned to you and said, “Well, where are these two dummies you speak of? Are they cute like you?” He looked over at the general crowd of women lingering behind you.

You cleared your throat at his blatant ignorance. “Actually, my two dummies are over there.” You pointed to the back where Sammy and Ari’s profiles could be briefly seen.

He followed your hand to see the two men sitting there and let out a surprised “ah.” He looked back at you after seeing the men but couldn’t help but do a double take once he recognized one of them.

“Wait, you’re that guy’s friend?” he asked incredulously, looking at you expectantly.

You gave him a warning look and made an affronted sound. “Careful. ‘Friends’ don’t talk to their friends like that. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” You gestured to take your drinks, which seemed to snap him out of his shock.

“Hey, hey—wait! Relax, relax. That just took me off guard, but… I mean, you do know what he did, right?” He gave you the same look others would give you, almost disgusted, as if he couldn’t believe a ‘girl like you’ would be with a ‘guy like him.’

Your eyes narrowed and you huffed an exasperated breath, preparing to retort, but were interrupted by a voice yelling, “Yo, Bryce, hurry up!” You looked to the end of the bar to see another young man in a polo (god, these entitled kids are a dime a dozen) looking over at you. They wore the same cocky, smug smiles, and you were immediately done with this interaction.

Letting out a scoff, you replied, “Well, Bryce, it’s been real. Now, please, leave me alone.” Not mincing words nor your mocking tone, you started to grab your drinks when you froze in place, frowning as you noticed one of your drinks had an abnormal fizz on top.

“Are you kidding me? Did he just…?” Your thoughts felt scattered as you realized that your drink had been spiked. Your frown persisted as you looked back at Bryce in disbelief. “Did you really just do that?”

Bryce looked nonchalant at your question and, almost innocently, responded, “What are you talking about, sweetheart?” He had a dopey look on his face, but he couldn’t even hide his rising grin at your growing outrage. You knew you weren’t overreacting and you knew what you saw in your drink.

“You just spiked my drink—what the fuck is wrong with you?!” You accused and turned to catch Rachel’s attention. A strong grip twisted your arm back to Bryce as he looked at you with something completely vile in his eyes. He leaned in close to whisper in your ear with venom as you leaned back and attempted to get his hand off you. “Stuck-up bitch. You know you would’ve been asking for it if you didn’t have your killer boyfriend to cover you.”

Feeling his hot breath in your ear made you panic even more, his unrelenting grip getting tighter by the second. You shouted while trying to push him off you, “Get the fuck off of me! LET GO!”

You flailed your limbs more in your attempts to make a scene. You heard a barstool crash to the ground loudly, and all of a sudden Bryce’s fingers were no longer around your arm. The only thing in your vision was a person’s vast back.

Ari.

Catching your breath from your panic, the sounds of the bar that had seemed to mute during your thrashing suddenly tuned back in. You registered pained groans and the utter silence, yet concerned murmurs scattered across the room. Looking over from behind Ari’s back, you saw Sammy putting a hand in between Ari and Bryce, who was now on the floor, clutching his nose with blood spilling out rapidly.

“You fucking prick! I’ll press charges!” Bryce shouted from the ground as his friends crowded around him, trying to get him up.

Rachel raised her voice to be heard amidst the chaos and said, “I saw what happened, asshole. I’d be happy to call the cops and let them know about you and your buddies’ attempts to sexually harass my customers.”

Bryce, now being held up by his friends, looked over at Rachel menacingly. Rachel didn’t back down and walked towards the phone on the wall. “Shall we?”

Bryce hissed in pain from his new injury and looked back to meet Ari’s stone-cold eyes. Sammy turned to face Bryce and his friends with a look of caution, almost ready to get into a fight if it came to that.

Bryce took a heavy gulp, attempting to stare Ari down with bravado. He then locked his jaw and scoffed, “Whatever, I’m out of here.”

The bouncer suddenly appeared behind you, making you startle slightly, and pushed the group toward the exit. As they got closer, you hid yourself behind Ari’s back and gripped his shirt tightly for comfort. You could feel Ari’s hand reach for your waist, and you assumed he could sense your shaking and wanted to offer you more protection and ease.

In your peripheral vision, you could see and feel Bryce’s eyes staring at you, almost as if he wanted to say one last thing. But Ari’s grip on your waist tightened as he turned to face Bryce directly, orienting you with him and blocking his gaze from you. Though you couldn’t see it, Ari looked deadly in that moment, removing any access Bryce had to your presence.

“If you ever come back in here, and if I ever see you near her again, I will hurt you,” Ari said quietly, but his warning reverberated across the large space. “And you know that I’m good for it.”

Bryce, still clutching his nose, averted his gaze and continued moving toward the exit.

As the group exited, people still looked over but gradually returned to their tables and muttered conversations. The jukebox came back on at a lower volume, and people eventually resumed their activities.

You were still clutching Ari’s back as you released a sigh of relief. You leaned into him, your forehead resting between his shoulders. The adrenaline had left you with residual energy, and it was noticeably hard for you to regulate your emotions. Ari heard you release one more exhale in an attempt to calm down before he turned to meet your tight grip with his strong hands.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay, baby.” He released your hands with one last squeeze and cupped your face sweetly. He whispered more reassurances as he pulled your face close to his and leaned down to give you a soft kiss on your forehead.

“Sammy, we’re gonna get going.” Ari glanced at the teary-eyed look on your face and knew you couldn’t stay. He wouldn’t have expected you to, either—he was accustomed to chaotic and loud environments, able to regulate during scary situations. Ari knew this was exceptionally jarring for you, and he desperately wanted to protect you from any feelings of unsafety. His priority since you entered his life was to preserve your softness, and if his hard exterior could help do that, he would go to any length to ensure you felt secure with him.

“Of course, check in and get home safe.” You also turned to give Sammy and Rachel a soft smile and a quiet ‘thank you.’ If there was any effort to expend, it would be that.

They returned your smile with reminders to be safe while driving home, and Ari took your small hand in his to lead you to the exit. You both passed by the bouncer, who returned Ari’s thanks for earlier with an affirmative nod and also gave you a parting “feel better.” You muttered your appreciation and clutched Ari’s forearm with your other hand still in his. You felt that if you weren’t right by his side, if he weren’t touching you, the panic would rush back in.

On the car ride back to Ari’s place, you kept yourself as close to him as possible. The truck’s seats facilitated closeness; Ari wrapped his right arm around you protectively while driving with his left.

Ari appreciated that you felt safe with him. Unbeknownst to you, his own panic about losing you crept in whenever you weren’t by his side.

His arm wrapped around you tighter, and his caress provided comfort for him as well during the rest of the ride home.

Later that night, after Ari got out of the shower, you noticed cuts on his knuckles from his punch earlier.

“Ari, why didn’t you say anything earlier? Come here.” You scolded him as you led the giant of a man (a very half-naked, still wet giant of a man—okay, focus) to sit on the toilet seat.

“Baby, it’s fine—” Ari began to say, but you interrupted him, “Honey, let me do this—why can’t you just let yourself be loved?!” Ari let out a rare scoffed smile at ​​your dramatic flair before acknowledging you with his usual grunt. You returned his smile and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Ari watched you as you ventured over to the bathroom counter to gather the first aid kit. You were already in your sleep clothes—simple camisole and shorts. Though he remained silent, you could feel his eyes roaming over your newly exposed skin. You glanced up at the wide mirror and caught him in the act as his gaze lingered a bit too long on your ass. You stifled a small laugh, and his eyes met yours unashamedly.

You turned to walk back over to him, and his eyes never left yours as you took his palm gently between your hands. As you cleaned the small wound, you could feel his gaze burning on your skin. You took your time patching him up, and with the last bandage, you brought his burly hand to your lips, planting a meaningful kiss on his knuckles. Continuing to brush your lips against the back of his hand, you left more kisses until you reached the underside of his wrist.

Ari’s gaze darkened with every peck of affection you left on his clean skin. As you raised his hand to rest it on your cheek, Ari’s other arm wrapped around the low of your waist, pulling you in closer. Deciding you weren’t close enough, you straddled his towel-clad waist. Enjoying the intimacy, you both savored the simplicity of feeling safe in each other’s embrace. Your arms wrapped around his neck as you softly caressed his wet strands of hair away from his face. Tucking your face into the crevice of his neck, you closed your eyes and hummed contentedly, feeling his large hands rub up and down your back. You felt so small enveloped in his arms.

“Look at me, baby,” Ari whispered softly. He laid a calloused hand on your cheek and stroked it gently with his thumb. His other arm remained wrapped around you to support you, and he said, “I know that we don’t talk about this often enough, but I want you to know that I would never hurt you. Ever.”

You gave Ari a confused look. “I know that, Ari. I trust you. I always feel safe with you.” His eyes were full of concern as you rushed to reassure him. Your own hand rested on his bearded cheek. “I know that what happened at the mill last year has lingered a bit.”

He turned his gaze downward until you cooed at him, making him look back at you. “Hey, I know you. I know that you were only doing what you thought was right. At that moment, it was about protecting Sammy. The guy was making threats against you both. It made sense that you went to defend yourself.”

Ari was quiet for a minute. You continued stroking his cheek to let him process. This was a vulnerable conversation for Ari that his usual grunts couldn’t explain.

He broke the silence by saying, “I lied to you.”

Your heart froze, and you felt even more confused. Your hand dropped back down to grip his bulky shoulder. “What do you mean?” you asked tentatively.

Ari met your curious gaze with an ashamed look. “He wasn’t making threats against Sammy… he was saying things about you. Us. How a woman like you shouldn’t be with someone like me—‘damaged goods.’”

Lines formed between your eyebrows as you tried to register what Ari was saying. Leaning into your silence, he continued, “Then he started saying that he would be a better fit for you. He talked about all the ways he would treat you better, and then he shoved me and… I just lost it.” Ari’s mouth twisted grimly, and his eyes held a weighted look. “I just… didn’t want to lose you.”

Swallowing thickly, you reflected on that time in your relationship when you heard about Ari being involved in an accident at the mill. It wasn’t until you saw him that you realized there had been no accident, and that Ari had put his co-worker in the hospital. Of course, you worried about the implications of his actions and what it would mean for the two of you. At a certain point, you did question your safety with Ari.

But you remembered meeting him at the station when the police let him go due to it being self-defense (and many of Ari’s co-workers, including Sammy, vouching for the incident). He had the same look that he had now—fear.

In that moment, despite what he had done, you knew there was something so strong and willed behind his reaction. He was so protective and gentle with you, and you believed him. You believed that that was the man that you were falling in love with. You just never would have guessed it came from the fear of losing you.

Realizing you had been quiet for a while as you processed your feelings and what you wanted to say, Ari didn’t move from his position. He licked his lips nervously, waiting for your response.

Releasing a slow breath, you cupped Ari’s face in your hands and looked him in the eye. “You protect, Ari, that’s just what you do.”

Ari exhaled in relief and felt a dark weight lift off of his shoulders, his stomach no longer churning, while putting his forehead to your chest. He moved his arms under your butt and lifted you slightly to do this but you embraced him openly. You stroked his hair again as he started kissing your exposed skin above your breast until he was laying a series of soft kisses up your neck. You both knew what his kisses really meant: “I’m sorry, I love you.”

You hummed out a soft moan as his lips found that spot under your ear that felt extra sensitive to his touch. Turning his face to meet your cheek, he tilted his head slightly so that he could finally reach your mouth. You allowed Ari to control the pace of the kiss and moaned when you felt his tongue softly caress yours. 

The tension in the air quickly thickened into something more primal and electric from Ari’s confession. There was something about this huge, strong man protecting only you that made you feel so worshiped and desired. These feelings start to overcome you and you move to sit on top of Ari’s towel-covered erection only to grind yourself down on him. Ari groaned sensually into the kiss at the feeling of delicious pressure sitting on his hard cock. Your mouths continue languidly meeting each other when you let out a squeak from Ari suddenly gripping your thighs tightly to carry you back into the bedroom. 

You released a squeal as Ari threw you on top of the bed before dropping his towel on the floor. Breathing heavier, you backed up on the bed to get a better look at his glorious sculpted figure and Ari only smirked at your hooded eyes gazing all over his body. Standing at the edge of the bed, Ari decided that you were too far away and he gripped your ankle to roughly tug you back towards him. Letting out another brief squeal and giggle, you quickly sought into his rhythm as he kneeled onto the bed. 

His bulking mass overshadowed you as he leaned forward to place more deceivingly gentle kisses upon the exposed skin of your stomach where your tank top rode up. Your stomach fluttered as you could feel his kisses getting wetter, and were leading down towards your cotton-clad pussy. You whined in anticipation as Ari gently tugged off your shorts to reveal your soaking core. 

Ari let out a deep groan at the sight of your pussy weeping for his touch. Using his hands to spread your legs open to make space for his massive stature, you gasped for air even though he has barely touched you. You stroke the hands holding you down and beg, “Ari, please. Please do something.” 

At your begging, Ari released a louder groan this time. “God, baby. Look at you just creaming for me, and I haven’t even touched you yet. You want me to take care of you, sweet girl?” 

He used his forearms to hold your already squirming legs down as he used his thumb to cut through a string of wet and reveal your thrumming pink clit. Not being able to resist his own yearning, he gave a firm lick up your cunt and released a deep groan at the first taste of you on his tongue. “Oh fuck, you taste so fucking sweet.” He groaned and went back into your cunt for more. 

You sobbed your pleasure at the feeling of his tongue caressing your wet folds, “Yes, please, Ari– please!” His tongue continued licking all over your pussy while he released his own small moans at the taste of you. He made sure to thrust his tongue into your soaked opening before licking his way back towards your now puffy clit. 

Your moans steadily increased in volume and small, short-bursts of whimpers fell out of your mouth as Ari devoured you. Feeling his lips suction at your clit, you mewl and feel his thick finger start to breach your entrance. Your head fell back on the bed, your mouth agape at the sheer pleasure you were receiving from your man. One hand tightly gripping the sheet next to you and the other wrapped in Ari’s hair as you kept him in place, your hips started to thrust back into his mouth and fingers. Not expecting for you to turn so wildly, Ari’s mouth left your clit unwillingly. Letting out a whine at the loss of warmth, you press down on the back of Ari’s head to get him back into position. 

But all of a sudden, you felt a sharp smack on your ass and you let out a yelp. Ari was still thrusting his finger, and inserting a second one, at a slower pace when he looked up at you. His lips and beard glistened with your wetness when he said darkly, “You move an inch, and you’ll be sorry. Do you understand me, baby?”

You could only respond with a soft whimper before letting out another cry as he slapped your ass again. “I said, do you understand me?” 

“Yes, Ari, I understand.” You responded with a glazed look in your eye at the combination of pain from his smacks and pleasure from his domineering words. 

“There’s my sweet girl, so good for me.” Ari said before he kissed his way back to your sopping cunt, his fingers thrusting faster now as his mouth created a suction on your clit again. Releasing out a louder cry at the transition, you could feel Ari’s fingers start to push deeper and curve inside of you to find your g-spot. You let out a sharp gasp once you felt him start to stroke that spongy spot over and over again while his tongue started to softly create a rhythmic pattern on your throbbing bud. 

The other thing about your relationship with Ari is that he was the most vocal when you were fucking. He always let you know how you felt around him and freely praised you as you gave each other the most visceral and intense experience. Anticipating more from him, your body rolled with his fingers to get him even deeper inside of you.

Only squeaking out sounds now, your high-pitched tones of pleasure were music to Ari’s ears. Your wet starting to squelch around his fingers and spurt out of you, Ari knew you were almost there. His fingers thrusted faster into you and curved in deeper with each thrust. He groaned, “Hmm, yeah baby? Is this the spot right here?”

You couldn’t conjure up a response as you were only experiencing the immense pleasure that he was giving to you and almost animalistic groans started leaving your throat. Ari looked up to see your head thrown back on the bed and your upper body contorting, your tanktop having ridden up and was now showing your beautiful perky, round breasts. Nipples peaked in heightened pleasure. Witnessing you like this was a privilege for Ari and he never thought you looked more beautiful than when you were writhing for him in the bedroom. 

A deep desire to witness more of you, Ari increased his efforts by pushing down on your tummy just above your mount. “Yeah, that’s the spot. Be a good girl for me, and let me have it. Let go for me.” He breathes against your slit while giving you one last intentional suck and rapid licking at your clit. 

Inhaling sharply, his words were your undoing as you felt that tight knot inside of you tear in ecstasy. Your head tossed back in euphoria as you cum hard, your pussy clenched around his fingers. Though, Ari didn’t stop thrusting his fingers deep inside of you. Whispering good girl and so sweet against your thrumming folds as he continued to coach you through your release. 

You let out a satiated whimper at experiencing your orgasm but Ari wasn’t stopping. If anything, his fingers curved into your g-spot faster and his tongue licked harder at your humming, swollen clit. You did thrash at the overstimulation. Your disobedience resulted in Ari slapping your ass once more. Even though it was served as a punishment, it seemed to only end up heightening your yearning for a second release. Noticing that your juices were spurting out excessively now, Ari kept slapping your ass as your pussy gripped tighter onto his large fingers. 

Letting out a myriad of whimpers and desperate moans, you sobbed out, “Ari please, please…I can’t do it, please!”

“Yes, you can baby, you can. Don’t you want to be good for me?”

You couldn’t answer him other than your random babblings– you couldn’t even think as you felt so consumed by the pleasure that he was giving you. You felt like you were being consumed by him and adored at the same time. 

A cry left your lips as he slapped your ass harder. “I asked you a question, are you my good girl?”

“Yes, yes, please, let me cum, please!” You sobbed out. 

Ari grunted deeply, “Your pussy is begging for it– you hear that?” He quieted only for the sounds of your own wetness slopping out of you to fill the space. “Mmm, see, I know you can do it, just one more, love.” Ari went back to suckling on your clit while he rubbed and grabbed at your now pink-colored flesh. 

Hearing him use this endearment again as his lips never left your body made your eyes roll up and you inadvertently held your breath as you let go for the second time. You register Ari’s moans and praise against your clit as you squirt your cum into his awaiting mouth. 

All you could let out were quiet mumbles of satisfaction as Ari’s fingers slowed. Your body was still jerking as it carried out aftershocks of your release, and you let out another sharp breath as Ari left one last kiss on your velvety folds. 

You were attempting to catch your breath as Ari kissed his way up your body, spending some time on your nipples by taking one in his mouth while his hand caressed your other breast. Ari brought up his fingers that were just inside of you to stroke your nipple and groaned as you glistened with your own cum. Leaning down, he took your nipple in his mouth again to suck it clean. You moaned softly and arched your back to give him more access as your hands stroked affectionately through his hair.  

Working his way back towards your bite-ridden lips, Ari slanted his wet mouth over yours as you taste yourself on his tongue. The both of you moaned as you continued making out leisurely. Ari pulled back to lick your lips sensually before dipping into your open mouth one more time for his tongue to meet yours in a passionate, sloppy dance.

Ari stroked your hair away from your face. “You ready for my cock, baby?” 

You whined and nodded as he leaned down to give you another wet kiss. You feel him reaching for his cock, hard and resting on your clit heavily. You mewled at him again as he slapped your clit with the wide mushroom head of his cock and he pushed in slowly. 

Groaning together at the feel of his thick cock bottoming in you, Ari lets out a strained moan. “Fuuuck baby, your pretty pussy is just sucking me in. Agh, so tight.” 

He withdrew until he was almost out of you before thrusting back into you deeply. Your eyes rolled back in your head and your mouth fell open as you could feel the veins on his girthy cock graze your inner walls. 

Ari leaned his head back in ecstasy at the feel of you clenching around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned out your name, “Yes, take it, baby. Take my fat cock.” 

You felt like you could barely breathe as his thrusts became faster and harder. He was sinking in so deep and you were gasping for air at all of the sensations your body was experiencing. Besides your mutual groans and moans, the sounds of your union could be heard as you only became wetter at the stimulation. 

“I’m so full, so full…so big, Ari.” You mumbled out, your eyes crossed in ecstasy. Ari let out a condescending laugh, “Aww, look at you. Can’t even speak, can you? Just continue taking my cock, honey, you’re so good at it.” 

Ari leaned up and thrust out of you, despite your desperate whining, only to turn you on your stomach. You feel him kneel outside of your thighs that were clenched together, and only had time to hold onto the pillow in front of you as he thrust back in. You gasped out a high pitched moan and small, repeated sounds of pleasure came out of your mouth as you felt his long shaft pit up against your g-spot with every thrust. 

“There she is, yesss. You’re so fucking tight when I take you like this, baby. Your pussy is gripping me like a vice, goddamn.” Ari groaned louder as your warmth enveloped him. Tension started brewing again deep inside your belly as he thrust faster into you. 

Leaning down, his chest was damp and his hair grazed your smooth skin as it met your back. He lifted you slightly to wrap his right hand around your neck and squeezed. He whispered harshly in your ear, “Don’t ever forget that you’re mine. This pussy is mine, your body. I’ll always protect you, you hear me, love?”

Gripping onto the pillow in front of you fiercely, you couldn’t contain your moans that were now resonating in the room. His possessiveness, his fingers gripping your throat so protectively, and the passion in his words made you feel so hot, you felt that coil in your belly about to snap. The sensation pulling at that area inside of you that felt so full and relieving when released. “Ari, yes, I’m yours! You’re gonna make me cum again!” 

“Yeah, I am, love. Soak my cock, make a mess with my pussy.” He released the grip on your throat to lean back up and take your hips in his hands for full control. His thrusts were consistently hard and deep. It twisted that coil inside of you so delightfully that you finally snapped and cried out your orgasm. 

Ari’s thrusts became sloppier as your juices squirted around his cock. He bellowed out a deep and low groan from his strained throat and followed you as you rode out your orgasm against him. You moan at the feeling of his dick throbbing inside of you and feeling him cum so deep in your pussy made you feel like you were being claimed. His dick was still buried deep inside as you gyrated against him. At the overstimulation, Ari thrust out of you with a sharp hiss and a mixture of your cum with his started to spurt out of you. 

“Fuck, so pretty, baby. Here, let me help you.” He breathed out heavily while his hand left your hip to use his finger to push your combined cum back into your quivering pussy. You moaned out at the sensation of his thick finger thrusting his warm spend further into you and mewled in content. 

Ari kneaded and squeezed your ass one last time before attempting to get off the bed to get a towel to clean you up but you clutched his hand before he could fully leave and pleaded, “Wait baby, stay. Can you just…hold me, please?”

He picked up the hand that you were holding to kiss the back of yours softly and collapsed on the bed next to you as you leaned into his outstretched arms. Cuddling him as your head rested over his chest, you felt him graze his fingers soothingly on your arm. You both were satiated in your passionate release, and after the day that you had, you both were starting to feel the effects of it. 

Embracing you in his arms, the warmth of your body and the softness of your skin felt like heaven against him. Before his sleepy eyes shut completely, you gave him a gentle tap above his heart to get his attention one last time. He peered down at you and gave you a relaxed grin. With his familiar grunt, his eyes questioned your touch. 

You gazed into his blue eyes that were filled with such affection, the same glint that you saw earlier at the bar. A familiar burning in your eyes started to come on at his stare, but you blinked them away to smile back fondly at him. 

“I love you too, Ari.” 

A/N: Welp! We made it -- I'm hoping ya'll enjoyed Ari and reader on this one. Something about Lumberjack!Ari being protective and only having eyes for you makes me feral and that can be the only explanation as to why this is so long lol. I would love to know what ya'll thought! Speak soon, lads~

Main Masterlist

Ari Levinson Masterlist

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****if you wanna be notified on my work (and next updates)!

[the-melting-world]

🍉 About Adrenaline 🍉

portrait by @ aircane

Significant Tags:

🍉 mestra adrenaline - Everything including fics, asks, hcs, and picrews 🍉 art of adrenaline - art commissions 🍉 adrenaline energy - aesthetics and inspirational quotes

Appearance / Picrews:

“An exiled capoeirista who hangs in the balance of forgetting her past and preserving what’s left of it in order to survive...”

Picrews: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

*Rest is under the cut!*

Full name: Mestra Rosario Adrenaline

Nicknames: Adrenaline, Nali (most commonly used), Rio, Zar, Dre (these last three were only used before her exile from her homeland.)

Age: 34

Height: 5′10

Pronouns: she/her

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Most likely to… make you call in sick and drag you to a day spa.

Occupation: Formerly a lightning paladin (a small elite militia made up of storm mage capoeiristas). Currently works as a freelance bodyguard.

Favorite Food: barbecued pork ribs (the stickier the better)

Favorite Drink: watermelon daiquiri

Zodiac: Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon, Aries Rising

Patron Minor Arcana: Three of Cups

Upright: friendship, community, happiness

Reversed: herd mentality, conformity, solitude

Flower: Corsage Orchid

Personality:

LOUD. AND PROUD

Boisterous, energetic, playful, scrappy

She’s the most high maintenance of the three. One of the things she and Bai bond over

If you look up the phrase “Work hard, play harder,” Nali’s headshot is right next to it

A proud party animal. Don’t tempt her with a drink unless you came to go hard.

Fiercely loyal. She doesn’t play around when it comes to people she cares about or even her clients. She would absolutely die, and more importantly, kill for them.

With that being said, good luck trying to fight her. She’s built like a mountain.

Legendary Origins: Brazilian/Amazonian legend of the boto encantado – a dolphin shapeshifter known to behave similarly to the Western concepts of incubi/succubi, Power Rangers, Capoeira (Brazilian dance-fighting)

Magic/Abilities: A black belt (mestre) in Storm Capoeira (also known as Capoeira Tempestade) Think Last Airbender’s Princess Azula’s style of lightning-redirection/firebending mixed with Brazilian dance-fighting. If it sounds very cool to see, believe me, it is.

Backstory: Follow Nali’s journey (past, present, and future) through fics/asks that feature her with the tag: mestra adrenaline. You can also gather clues to her personal history and growth with the tag: adrenaline energy

[transdeputy]

#3 from each section of the oc asks for ariel?

Ooooh

Basics: do they have any nicknames?

The in-game nicknames as well as “Ari”

Appearance: What’s their style like? Clothes, hair, makeup?

Very functional. Short, low maintenance hair, no makeup, long sleeves and sturdy jeans and heavy boots.

Personality: what are their hobbies and interests? Do they have any favorites?

They love nature! They want to be a park ranger, so they spent a lot of time studying and reading about that stuff. They also enjoy camping and stuff, heading into the mountains and traveling when they can. Also their favorite food are apples.

Background: What factions or organizations are they part of? What ranks and titles do they hold?

I mean obviously they’re a Junior Deputy of the Sheriff’s department in Hope County lol. They’re also an honorary member of the Cougars and Whitetail Militia

Relationships: What’s their love life like? Do they have any kids?

They’re divorced and have a late daughter named Asa. There are no current romantic entanglements.

[villain-princess]

Hi friends! I got a new puppy and I need help choosing a name! He’s a Bernese Mountain dog and Golden Retriever mix. All these names have at least one meaning behind them!

1.) Aries

2.) Draco

3.) Chief

4.) Stout

5.) Ranger

[namelists]

names inspired by: lord of the rings

this list includes names inspired by tolkien’s epic high-fantasy, and the various people, places and things that inhabit it

disclaimer:

please don’t take this too seriously. it’s just a list of words from lotr that i think would make cool names. if i changed any spellings, i put “from [language]” in the meaning. i had fun with this, and i hope you will too!

Adan: the Elves’ name for those Men who first crossed the Blue Mountains

Aduiel: from Sindarin (an Elvish language), meaning “eventide, twilight, star-opening”

Adun: Adûnaic (an extinct Mannish language) meaning “west”

Aelin: Elvish, meaning “lake, pool”

Aiglos: Sindarin for “icicle”

Ainura: from Quenya (an Elvish language), meaning “holy ones”, refers to the angelic spirits created by Ilúvatar

Alda: Quenya, meaning “tree”

Aldaloma: from Quenya, meaning “tree-shadow”

Alqua: Sindarin, meaning “swan”

Amarië: a Fair Elf woman of ancient Valinor

Ambarona: Quenya, meaning “world’s birth”

Amila: from the Elvish for “mother”

Amon: Sindarin, meaning “mountain, hill”

Anarya: Quenya, meaning "day of the sun”, the second day of the Elvish week

Anna: Sindarin, meaning “gift”

Anodo: from Sindarin, meaning “Ent”, the ancient race of tree guardians

Anárion: a human who lived in the Second Age

Aragorn: the king who returns in Return of the King

Arda: Quenya, meaning “region, realm”, became the term for the world

Áre - Quenya word for ‘Sunlight’.

Ari: from Adûnaic, meaning “royal”

Arnu: Adûnaic, meaning “king”

Arwen: half-elven daughter of Elrond and Celebrían, and wife of Aragorn

Avallone: the name of a city on the eastern coast of the Elven island realm

Avari: Quenya, meaning “unwilling”

Balin: Dwarf companion of Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit

Barliman: the owner of The Prancing Pony Inn in Bree

Beleriand: a vast region located in north-western Middle-earth during the First Age

Benadar: another name for the enigmatic Tom Bombadil, a nature spirit who lived in the depths of the Old Forest Beren: a hero whose romance with the Elf Lúthien was one of the great stories of the Elder Days

Bilbo: the hobbit from The Hobbit who discovered the One Ring

Boromir: warrior of Gondor and member of the Company of the Ring

Bowman: Bard the Bowman was a Man of Esgaroth who slew Smaug the dragon

Brethil: Elvish, meaning “silver birch”

Calaquendi: the Elves of the Light

Calen: Sindarin, meaning “green”

Calma: Quenya, meaning ‘lamp”

Coirë: Elvish, meaning “stirring”, the last of the six Elven Seasons

Corana: from Quenya, meaning “sun-round” (aka, a year)

Cormallen: Sindarin, meaning “ring bearers”

Cuivie: Elvish, meaning “awaking”

Círdan: Elf leader. Shipwright and bearer of a Ring of Power.

Dae: Elvish, meaning “shadow”

Dagor: Sindarin, meaning 'battle’

Denethor: the name of at least three rulers

Dina: Elvish, meaning “be silent”

Drego: Sindarin, meaning “flee”

Drúedain: a strange race of wild Men that lived in the Drúadan Forest

Duin: Elvish, meaning “long river”

Echor: Elvish, meaning 'encircling mountains’

Edhel: Sindarin, meaning “elf”

Edhellen: Sindarin, meaning “of the Elves”

Elbereth: the Vala Varda, goddess of light

Eldaliéva: Quenya, meaning “elven spirituality”

Eldar: Quenya, meaning “people of the stars”, the Elves’ name for themselves

Eldarin - Quenya word for the languages spoken by the Elves

Elear: Sindarin, meaning “visionary”

Eleni: Quenya, meaning “star”

Elenya: Sindarin, “day of the stars”, the first day of the elvish week

Elessar: another name for Aragorn II

Elrond: powerful leader of the elves, and ruler of Rivendell

Emyn: Sindarin, meaning “hills”

Endari: the middle of the year in the Elvish calendar

Endóre: Quenya word for 'Middle-earth’

Éomer: the eighteenth King of Rohan, and first of the Third Line of their kings

Éowyn: female member of the royal house of Rohan who kills the Witch King of Angmar

Eriador: a region of Middle-earth located between the Blue Mountains and the Misty Mountains

Eryn: Sindarin, meaning “forest, wood”

Esse: Quenya, meaning “name”

Estel: Sindarin, meaning “hope”

Estellio: Sindarin, meaning “trust”

Ethuil: the first season of the Elvish year, equivalent to spring

Eärendil: First Age half-elf who eventually became a legendary figure. He and his wife Elwing are key to the victory of good in the Silmarillion.

Falas: Elvish, meaning “shore, line of surf”

Faramir: the Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien

Faroth: Elvish, meaning “hunt, pursue”

Finwë: First king of the Noldor

Firith: Sindarin, meaning “fading”, the fourth season of the Elvish year

Formen: Quenya, meaning “north”

Frodo: the nephew of Bilbo Baggins who bore the One Ring to its destruction in Mount Doom

Fëa: Elvish, meaning “spirit”

Fëanor: one of the Elves that first departed from Valinor

Galad: Elvish, meaning “light”

Galadriel: Queen of the Elves

Gandalf: ancient wizard badass. a member of the Fellowship of the Ring

Gildor: Elf of Rivendell in the Third Age

Gilthoniel: Varda, the Vala responsible for the outlining of the stars

Gimli: Dwarf and member of the Fellowship of the Ring

Gondolin: a hidden city of the Elves

Gríma: an ally of Saruman who gave false advice to the King of Rohan

Haleth:  Haleth was the daughter of Haldad, leader of the Haladin

Húrin: a hero of Men during the First Age

Iarwain:  another name for the enigmatic Tom Bombadil, a nature spirit who lived in the depths of the Old Forest

Ilúvatar: the supreme deity of Arda

Incánus: another name for the badass wizard demigod Gandalf

Indis: a female Vanyar Elf of Valinor

Istari: five Maiar spirits sent to Middle-earth as human forms to aid the Free Peoples against the threat of Sauron

Kaliondi:  the Elves of Darkness

Khôr: Adûnaic, meaning “lord”

Laira: from Quenya, meaning “summer”

Lalaith: an Edain child, named Urwen at birth, but renamed after the stream running by her house

Legolas: beautiful elf warrior, member of the Fellowship of the Ring

Lindon: an important Elvish realm, known for its harbors and Elven Ships that would sail for the West.

Luin: Sindarin, meaning “blue”

Lórien: a magic forest and Elven realm into which evil could not enter without difficulty

Lúthien: An ancient elf, predating the First Age

Maedhros: one of the princes of the Ñoldor, the eldest of the seven Sons of Fëanor

Maia: near-primordial spirits that descended into Arda to help the Valar first shape the World

Melkor: the original evil being in Tolkien’s legendarium, succeeded by Sauron

Mellon: Elvish, meaning “friend”

Meriadoc: a hobbit and companion of Frodo Baggins, and member of the Company of the Ring

Merry: Meriadoc’s nickname

Minas: Elvish, meaning “tower”

Minelle: from Adûnaic, meaning “sky”

Mithrin: Sindarin, meaning “grey”

Mordor: the Land of Shadow, a dark volcanic plain that Sauron used as his military base

Moria: an underground kingdom beneath the Misty Mountains

Moriquendi: the Elves of Darkness

Morwen: Wife of Húrin. one of very few female characters in this series

Muindor: Sindarin, meaning “brother”

Muinthel: Sindarin, meaning “sister”

Namárië: Quenya, meaning “farewell”

Narya: one of the three Elvish Rings of Power, described as having the power to inspire others to resist tyranny, domination and despair

Navaer: Sindarin, meaning “farewell”

Nelya: the largest of the three houses of the Elves

Nenya: one of the three Elvish Rings of Power, wielded by Galadriel, normally invisible

Nikerym: Elvish, meaning “captain”

Nilu: Adûnaic, meaning “moon”

Nimir: Adûnaic, meaning “elf”

Nimrais: Sindarin, meaning “white peaks”

Nin: Elvish, meaning “my” (example: ‘mellon nin’ means ‘my friend’)

Olórin: Gandalf’s original name

Orod: Sindarin, meaning “mountain”

Palantíri: Quenyan, meaning “far-seeing”

Parma: Quenya, meaning “book”

Peredhel: Sindarin, meaning “half elvish”

Peregrin: a hobbit companion of Frodo Baggins, and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring

Pharaz: Adûnaic, meaning “gold”

Phelle: from Adûnaic, meaning “daughter”

Pippin: Peregrin’s nickname

Quelre: Sindarin, meaning “good day”

Quenya: one of the Elvish languages, along with Sindarin

Rivendell: a peaceful, sheltered Elven town, located at the edge of a narrow gorge of the river Bruinen

Rohan: a great kingdom of Men, located in the great vale between the Misty Mountains to the north and the White Mountains to the south

Samwise: loyal companion of Frodo Baggins who accompanies him to Mordor

Sarati: an alphabet and writing system invented in Valinor by Rúmil of Tirion

Saruman: A wizard. Once a leader for good, he formed his own empire as a rival of Sauron and was defeated at the Battle of the Hornburg.

Sauron: The primary antagonist of The Lord of the Rings. He crafted the One Ring, and was destroyed upon its destruction at the end of the The Return of the King.

Shire: the homeland of the majority of the Hobbits in Middle-earth, located in the northern region of Eriador

Silma: from Quenya, meaning “starlight”

Silvan: the name given to the woodland Elves

Sindarin: one of the Elvish languages, along with Quenya

Strider: one of Aragorn’s nicknames

Taliska: the language of the Bëorian and Hadorian Houses of the Atanatári

Tauriel: Elvish, meaning “daughter of the forest”

Tavrobel: a town in the northwestern part of the island of Tol Eressëa

Teleri: the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman

Thalia: from Elvish, meaning “bravery”

Thalin: Elvish, meaning “dauntless”

Thorin: Dwarf that led the company of dwarves that retook Erebor from the dragon

Théoden: King of Rohan

Tuilë: Quenya, meaning “spring”

Túrin: A First Age man who later became the subject of legends

Undómiel: another name for Arwen

Ûrî: Adûnaic, meaning “sun”

Urulóki: Quenya, meaning “hot, heat”, also used as a name for Fire-Drakes

Vala: Elvish, meaning “mighty”

Valar: the Powers of Arda who shaped and rule the world.

Valdra: Elvish, meaning “inferno”

Valinor: Quenya, meaning “land of the Valar”

Vanya: one of the Fair Elves, or Light Elves

Vilya: one of the three Elvish Rings of Power, may have provided the ability to heal and to preserve

Zadna: Adûnaic, meaning “house”

Zimra: Adûnaic, meaning “jewel”

Zîra: from Adûnaic, meaning “friend”

Zôr: Adûnaic, meaning “flame”

[bigtreefest]

Bigger Houses Masterlist

An Ari Levinson Series based off Dan + Shay’s latest album

Mountain Ranger! Ari x Female Reader

Main Masterlist

Series Summary: A year after shattering break-ups, two hearts start life anew in the Rocky Mountains. It’s always just when you swear off love that a new beast crosses your path.

*chapters are arranged in the order they are to be read but track # in parenthesis is as they are on the album

1. Breakin’ Up With a Broken Heart (Track 1)

2. Heartbreak On The Map (Track 3)

3. Save Me The Trouble (Track 2)

4. Neon Cowgirl (Track 11)

Thunder + Birds

5. Heaven + Back (Track 7)

Leads to You

Rocky Road

The Pizza Incident

6. Missing Someone (Track 9)

In The Stars

A Night Out

7. Then Again (Track 6)

8. What Took You So Long (Track 8)

Take a Stab

Garden Party

9. For The Both Of Us (Track 5)

You’re a Gem

Words Are Just Words Unless They’re Verbs

10. We Should Get Married (Track 10)

Keep it Move-in

Bound to You

11. Bigger Houses (Track 12)

A Little … Snow

Even Bigger Houses

12. Always Gonna Be (Track 4)

Drabbles & Extras

Sexy Sasquatch

How they Show Their Love (ask answer)

Who they run to (ask answer)

Happiness and Jealousy (ask answer)

[chunsoftie]

what four disney world attractions you are based on your zodiac sign

we’re all experiencing the the disney withdrawals a little differently for those who are locals and those that travel to the parks in general, especially those who were supposed to visit but didn’t get a chance - so let’s cut the intro and jump right in, yeah?

aries - toy story mania // rock n’ roller coaster // the magic carpets of aladdin // tomorrowland speedway

taurus - splash mountain // dumbo the flying elephant // buzz lightyear’s space ranger spin // turtle talk with crush

gemini - it’s a small world // jungle cruise // rise of resistance // spaceship earth 

cancer - the many adventures of winnie the pooh // na’vi river journey // star tours // living with the land

leo - big thunder mountain railroad // kali river rapids // pirates of the caribbean // country bear jamboree 

virgo - space mountain // soarin’ around the world (california) // dinosaur // kikimanjaro safaris 

libra - slinky dog dash // frozen ever after // enchanted tiki room // peoplemover 

scorpio - tower of terror // millennium falcon: smugglers run // stitch’s great escape // mad tea party

saggittarius - flight of passage // the boneyard // mission: space // monster’s inc: laugh floor

capricorn - seven dwarfs mine train // carousel of progress // test track // hall of presidents

aquarius - alien swirling saucers // haunted mansion // journey into imagination with figment // primeval whirl

pisces - peter pan’s flight // mickey and minnie’s runaway railway // the seas with nemo and friends // triceratop spin

*tag yourself as your personal favorite ride and sign!!

[youngke]

INSTRUCTIONS: TAG 10 PEOPLE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BETTER!

and [thor voice] ANOTHER! a much longer one, too. tagged once again by the loveliest of lovelies @kidmannicole <3

name: sheryl starsign: aquarius sun, gemini moon, gemini rising hogwarts house: i’m finally a ravenclaw height: 5′3″ i think sexuality: queer favorite animal: doggos, pandas, elephants average time of sleep: 5-6 hours but i wish it was more current time: 10.34pm dogs or cats: doggies blankets you sleep with: one big one i like to wrap around myself so i’m a human burrito when you made your blog: this blog? maybe 3 years ago? but i’ve been on this site since 2009 omfg followers: about 150 why you made your blog: surprisingly, tumblr now seems like the least harmful social media platform for me since i can curate this space as much as i want reason for your url: bong joon-ho is a boss

RULES: ANSWER 21 QUESTIONS AND TAG 21 PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET TO KNOW BETTER

real name? sheryl nickname? sher zodiac? aquarius favorite musicians or groups? janelle monáe, julien baker, pvris, my chemical romance, fall out boy, taylor swift, lady gaga, blackpink favorite sports teams? i am Clueless here other blogs? not anymore do i get asks? only sometimes how many blogs do i follow? about 100 and like maybe 10 of those are probably chris evans fan accounts tumblr crushes? ari you’re one of them!! also @whatelsecanwedonow whose blog is EPIC lucky numbers? 2, 7, 11 what am i wearing? black shorts, meg & dia t-shirt dream vacation? i want to visit all of scotland and ireland dream car? ya girl can’t drive and doesn’t really plan to LOL favorite food? carbs. <- SAME drink of choice? black tea or black coffee, no sugar instruments? piano and guitar languages? english and a little mandarin celebrity crushes? many many many people. i get crushes on talented performers all the time. and idk if you knew this but if you just spent a teeny bit of time on my blog... the answer is chris evans random facts? i cannot ride a bicycle

THIS OR THAT

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

20 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT MAY SURPRISE PEOPLE.

1. do you make your bed? NO 2. what’s your favourite number? 11 3. what’s your job? i write 4. if you could, would you go back to school? fuck nooooooooo 5. can you parallel park? the bitch can’t drive. 6. a job you had which would surprise people? eh i’ve always worked within my field 7. do you think aliens are real? yep. 8. can you drive a manual car? is this quiz just trying to make me feel inadequate for not knowing how to drive!!! 9. what’s your guilty pleasure? nothing anymore 10. tattoos? sadly, none 11. favourite colour? lilac, powder blue, obsidian 12. things people do that drive you crazy? people who willfully miscommunicate drive me bonkerssss 13. any phobias? butterflies and moths 14. favourite childhood sport? netball 15. do you talk to yourself? all the time. 16. what movie do you adore? the lord of the rings <- DITTO 17. do you like doing puzzles? i haven’t done any since i was a kid so i don’t know! 18. favourite kind of music? anything with narrative, introspective lyrics 19. tea or coffee? truly both 20. the first thing you remember you wanted to be when you grew up? buzz lightyear space ranger. seriously.

honestly if you got to the end, you’re such a champ!!! ily. tagging you reading this specifically.

[pinpuku]

pokemon partner + team + trainer class for @fantasticfelicityfox​

original request & description under “keep reading”

I’m an Aries with a Sagittarius moon and Cancer rising. My MBTI is ITSP.

My favorite color is purple and I live by the beach but I like the forest and mountains better. I like to go on nature walks, play video games, and take naps. I also really like the paranormal especially vampires and I love a good soap opera. (My favorites are Dark Shadows and General Hospital). My favorite foods are coffee and french onion soup.

I’m currently a grad student and I want to be a park ranger or work in a museum when I’m done. I would also love to write a book one day.

Positive Traits are that I am resourceful, and always try to be polite. Negative are that I’m always tired and kind of irritable and lazy.

If you don’t mind could I also have a trainer class (I prefer female).

Thank you!!

Hi! I unknowingly went ahead & made this team mono-color, too lmao. Let’s meet your partner! 

♡ Your partner is Tsareena☆! Tsareena is a noticeably human-like, intelligent pokemon. When they have a close bond with their trainer, it’s more like having a somewhat silent best friend. And this pokemon is definitively known for bonding strongly with their trainers. They have an calm, collected but powerful aura, and they will not be timid with letting you know how they feel. Especially if they aren’t liking something! Otherwise, Tsareena is a self sufficient & easy pokemon to care for. Almost nothing will spook her. They usually have nerves of steel & they know that they are not ones to be messed with! Tsareena won’t mind watching scary movie or being involved in your paranormal interests. Feel free to walk around the forest at night in hopes you will see some ghost-types or dark types! They do have a softer side, however. You will have moments when Tsareena will act quite motherly & affectionate with anyone she’s close to. Tsareena also has a great love for nature. Nature walks are some of the things Tsareena loves most. Plus, with its powerful legs, it will not tire easily from physical activity. Taking care of nature, protecting it & even enforcing the law in said nature’s name are right up Tsareena’s alley. Tsareena would be an invaluable asset to any park ranger. And of course Tsareena would not turn down any chances it gets for some self pampering, so naps & lazing about are also ideal situations. Tsareena has a queenly attitude, and while they can seem intimidating by default, they are usually very polite & friendly to those who pose no threat. 

♡ Your trainer class is Pokémon Ranger! Pokemon Rangers are trainers that have chosen a life that is dedicated to protecting wildlife, pokemon & nature. They are usually quite adept when it comes to pokemon battling. They also make sure to protect & help other people/trainers they comes across while on patrol. Resourceful & ready for all situations, they always have medicines, food, tools, maps etc.. at hand & ready to use. Given their job description & lifestyle, Rangers often come across rare pokemon & hard to reach/unexplored locations. People enjoy learning from rangers as much as they can & hearing the tales they have to tell. Especially fellow trainers & nature enthusiasts!

Hope you like your team! If you have any other questions about your other team members, feel free to ask! I’m trying to save the lengthy descriptions for partners these days! xx

[enidangleanna1]

Heart of Winter

Icewind Dale. The hours seem longer here. The days don’t feel like days. There is very little sunlight. The cold is unforgiving. Most can only last a few hours journeying through this frozen tundra.

It had been several days since Toruviel set foot in Icewind Dale. She knew it would be many days more, as she traveled alongside Prince Neronvain of the Misty Forest and Yaevinn, one of the most skilled rangers to come out of the forest.

Only the most skilled rangers could survive Icewind Dale. Because of the harsh conditions and windy paths, only an experienced tracker could navigate through the terrain. On top of that, some of the most deadly and dangerous beasts roamed these lands.

The mission was an important one - retrieve tomes from a very powerful wizard, known as Meltharond. Neronvain led the expedition, as he had been researching Meltharond's work for years. The biggest obstacle - this wizard had one of the most powerful enemies at his expense: the ancient white dragon Arveiaturace (better known as Iceclaws).

This is why Toruviel had begun to feel impostor syndrome invading her thoughts. While she was a skilled ranger in her own right, she was nothing close to Yaevinn, a seasoned veteran. And, of course, traveling with the Prince of the kingdom she served put the pressure even more on herself.

“Why did Neronvain choose me?,” she thought to herself that morning as the three of them suited up for the fourth day of traveling through the icy mountain. “Surely there are so many other skilled rangers in our kingdom that could do a better job.”

She kept these thoughts to herself as they ventured out from the small alcove where they had made camp for the night and pressed on through the side of the mountain. Alongside Tor was her beast companion, Arivae the fox. Or Ari, for short.

Toruviel traveled everywhere with Ari, the two were bound together in a special way that any ranger shared with their beast companion. Before venturing out to Icewind Dale, Toruviel was uncertain of bringing Ari with her on the journey - this was the first time she had considered separating from her companion. Her fox had always been a forest dweller and was particularly keen to the warmer climate - she named her little companion after the Elvish word for "sunlight", and Icewind Dale was not a place of much sun.

Ultimately, she knew Ari was a strong and steadfast little creature that would likely adapt to the colder climate even faster than she could. And he did. Within a day, Ari's coat had grown thicker than she had ever seen it. And it even began to slowly change shades of lighter, cream-like orange hues to blend with the environment.

Those who dared to explore Icewind Dale usually had to wait until the sun was at its highest to travel, as that was considered the warmest time of the day. But those sunny hours did not last long. A small window of comfortable travel, at best.

Yaevinn had been tailing a tracks of a potential dragon den that he suspected was nestled along the windy mountain trail. Based on the evidence he had spotted the day before, it would only be one to two more days of travel before they made it.

Toruviel had learned much from Yaevinn during this journey. While Yaevinn had dedicated his life to tracking beasts, Tor's skills lied more in her archery and keen eye for detail.

“Toruviel, keep your eyes up. It looks like there is something - or someone - ahead of us,” Yaevinn said as he looked down at a small trace of remains not far off the snowy trail. “Looks like they tried to cover their tracks, but did a poor job at it. Could only be a few meters ahead of us.”

Yaevinn always made sure to describe every detail of his work to better help Toruviel hone her own skills as a ranger. He had always been a mentor to Tor - as he was much older and had centuries of experience - and she always looked up to him.

Back in the kingdom, Yaevinn had taken a liking to Toruviel and always made time to teach her. Many other rangers and knights that served alongside them had always suspected that he was giving her preferential treatment. These  rumors didn’t bother Toruviel much. The fact that she was able to learn to be an expert hunter in only a few years of training, as opposed to the centuries it had taken other elves in the kingdom, meant to her that this was indeed her calling and that Yaevinn was the ideal master.

Toruviel scouted the area ahead to see if she could find an easy opening to keep an eye ahead of the others. She glanced back to see Ari pranced off the trail down an icy alcove sniffing the remains of what looked like bones of a beast. The fox grabbed one in his mouth and brought it to Yaevinn. She could hear Yaevinn talking to Neronvain.

"Bones. From a wolf? Or perhaps a bear. Whatever creature was here likely feasted on this,” Yaevinn described the details to Neronvain. 

Neronvain was conjuring some kind of spell on the area, likely to locate or identify the creature. He had his own set of skills in the arcane arts, and was also an exceptional fighter.

Finding a rather bare and icy pine tree, Tor quickly scaled it to get a further look ahead. When she and Yaevinn went on missions back in the Misty Forest, Tor had always been the scout - so naturally she continued these tactics while surveying Icewind Dale. Yaevinn, on the other hand, focused his ranger combat in more close quarters.

Looking out several meters ahead, it seemed there had been snow covered hills that continued for miles beyond, it was hard to believe anything could live up here. Thankfully, today had clear skies with not a cloud in sight, so Tor had good vision of the path ahead.

She quickly spotted movement, though it wasn't fully clear to her what it was. The figure had almost blended in with the white snow. As she continued to keep an eye on it, she gestured to Ari who then returned the message to Yaevinn and Neronvain. Although Yaevinn could not directly communicate with the fox, he had a clear understanding of the danger ahead.

The three on the ground had quietly pushed forward, while Tor remained on the high ground. She quickly drew her bow and honed in on the moving creature - not losing sight of it. It seemed to not be moving much from one small indent between two icy hills. 

Tor waited for the three to gain a more advantageous spot before she made any moves, as her sights remained set on the creature, she saw it was not even sitting up while moving. Then, it began to stand up. 8 feet tall at least. It had to have been an ice troll - and it was carrying an icy blue axe with it.

As Neronvain and Yaevinn approached slowly from behind the hill, Tor noticed that Ari had begun moving away from the group and sniffing more. That meant trouble - Ari sensed something else nearby. 

“An ambush,” Tor immediately thought. “This is not the only ice troll - there are more nearby.” Her heart sunk as she knew she needed to take her eyes off her target and survey the area around Neronvain and Yaevinn to spot any other danger. 

This didn’t make sense in her head, because every other troll she’s seen in the hills west of the Misty Forest had been solitary creatures. Were there more nearby? As she scanned the area, she saw no sign of others.

Then, she heard cracking, the hollow tree she had been hiding in was slowly beginning to wither and break. She quickly made a move to get back on the ground -- and that’s when things suddenly began to take a turn.

As she calculated her path to get back on solid ground, she peered over to the top of the hill, above Yaevinn, where another troll had a boulder, ready to drop on him. The trolls must have been aware of the group’s arrival.

“Yaevinn, up!” Toruviel yelled to him, now at least 20 feet ahead of her. This broke the element of stealth, but gave Yaevinn enough of a reaction to move out of the way before the troll could drop. “How did I miss that one? Should have seen him coming!”, frustrated, she thought to herself.

At this point, Yaevinn was able to quickly scale the hill to take on this troll, while Neronvain continued moving forward toward the other. Toruviel moved quickly to another tree so she could continue to scout from above. Then, three more of them made an appearance from higher ground. She grabbed a flurry of arrows to distract them, and the three quickly drew their attention toward Tor.

The three trolls picked up their pace and moved toward Tor, realizing she was an easy target. She called to her companion to move toward her - Ari was able to distract one of the three for some time. While the other two moved closer and began shaking the tree she was on. 

Tor quickly spotted another tree about 10 feet away - and she considered the option of jumping, though it would be quite the jump. Suddenly, one of the trolls pulled out a dart and pinpointed it upward in Toruviel’s path. The dart struck her arm and immediately her arm was covered in ice. One of her arms was immobile for the time being, making her bow useless.

She knew this wasn’t good - while Neronvain and Yaevinn were distracted with their one-on-one combats, she had to face two - and soon-to-be three ice trolls. She jumped down from the tree and drew her shortsword to begin melee combat with her only usable arm.

Taking on multiple, 8-foot giants was a lot for Toruviel, even with her being very quick on her feet. She was able to dodge most of their blows, but then one of them had her grappled. As she struggled to break free, that is when a scimitar came flying from behind and impaled the troll that was about to strike her while still grappled.

The impaled troll fell limp to the ground, leaving only two left. She noticed Ari had signaled to Yaevinn for help, and then she saw him run up and grab his scimitar from the dead troll. He immediately swung at the grappling troll and Tor was able to slip from its grasp and kick his lower legs to deliver a final crippling blow. 

Soon, the third troll that Ari had previously been dealing with also fell dead to the ground from a blast of a poison wave from Neronvain’s spell. The two elves had made their way back to Toruviel after dealing with the other trolls and finished the off ambush.

Toruviel fell on her knees into the snow for a second, grabbing her icy arm in pain. Yaevinn immediately kneeled down to her side.

“Tor, are you alright,” he asked with a heightened concern while looking at her arm.  “Ahh, my arm is completely numb - I can’t feel anything. That troll struck me with some ice weapon - I’ve not seen anything like it before,” Toruviel explained while grasping her arm.

Yaevinn put his arms on hers, feeling how cold it was. Despite how cold it felt to him, he tried his best to thaw out the ice. He gently helped her up and assisted her movement toward Neronvain. Neronvain, upon inspecting the arm, casted a gentle somatic spell that produced a small flame near her arm, expediting the thawing process. He was careful not to let the fire hit her flesh.

As the feeling began to return in her arm, she could feel the biting cold and it stung hard. She winced in pain and Yaevinn continued to hold her up.

“Easy there - it may sting for a while. You’ll be alright,” Yaevinn said gently to her.

“I’m sorry - I didn’t see the others. I think...it was a trap. There’s no way they blended that well with the ice - I think they had some sort of illusion magic on them.”

Neronvain spoke up, “That doesn’t seem right - trolls can’t cast spells like that. Unless they have arcane items from other means.”

“I should have known better” Yaevinn explained. “Many ice creatures tend to be highly cooperative with their own to ensure survival. You’ll rarely see lone wolf monsters wandering these parts. I should have known there would be more than one. I’m sorry, Tor,” 

“It’s OK - I, too, feel ashamed that I wasn’t able to properly track this. I was supposed to be the scout,” Toruviel said with her head down.

“Hey, you still saved me from a giant ice boulder landing on my head - I owe you for that one,” he smiled.

As the pain became less intense for Tor, Ari then rubbed against his master’s legs. She gave him a pet with her good arm and the group continued forward, closer to the caverns.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Another early night. The hardest part of this journey was the limited amount of time that one could travel - it made most of the day seem wasted as the three of them had to begin to make camp early. Especially after today's encounter, it seemed like they made no progress following the events.

To an elf, normally this wouldn’t matter. Elves had all of the time in the world to explore and travel. But Toruviel could sense that Neronvain was very anxious about this particular mission.

Truthfully, Toruviel didn’t mind that the three had to pack it in early. It meant she could to spend more time getting to know Neronvain, whom she has admired for years now. The three of them didn’t have much to do in the bitter, cold nights beside talk. Yaevinn himself was not always full of conversation. So Neronvain and Toruviel did most of the talking.

Tonight, however, as Yaevinn took the first watch as he routinely did each night, Tor made her way over to him, toward the front of the cave. Ari had already nestled himself near the fire that Neronvain was also sitting next to.

Yaevinn never took his eyes off the icy tundra in front of them, so Tor placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey. I wanted to say thank you for saving me today. You arrived just in time before those trolls would’ve had my head. Even when we’re not in the forest - you’re always looking out for me,” Toruviel said to him as she took a seat next to his watch spot.

"Of course, Toruviel. You put up a good fight today - we all had no idea of the ambush. I am the one that is supposed to be the most expert on this area, and I made a mistake. You still handled yourself very well and I'm proud," Yaevinn took a moment to take his eyes off the horizon ahead of them and look at Tor in the eyes, then down at her previously frozen arm. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. At least I fully have feeling back in this arm again. Nothing I can't handle," she had a slight smile on her face as she responded. "You know I learned from the best how to be resilient after any fight." She tugged at his arm playfully.

A rare smile came to Yaevinn's face as she said this. He placed his arm on hers, where a large scuff had been from the now thawed ice and gave her an encouraging look. "We're almost to the end of this journey - and I'm confident you'll be able to handle what lies ahead. Now, go back to the fire and get some warmth, my little protege."

Tor’s smile widened at those words. After taking another moment with Yaevinn she quickly got up to return to her already sleeping fox and Neronvain.

Tor was the next up to take watch, and then Neronvain after. Tonight was an exceptionally cold night as the three nestled inside a small alcove as a storm raged on outside, making the area beyond 10 feet barely visible.

“I feel so bad every time I have to kill an elk for his fur, but damn does this coat keep me warm,” Toruviel said as she buried herself deeper in her long elk cloak. She had taken off the rest of her armor for the night, but that cloak almost never came off her.

“Come on, Neronvain, you must have a few spells that can help keep us warmer," Tor asked as she snuggled up next to her fox, who was still peacefully curled up by the fire. Ari seemed to not have a care in the world while he slept.

“Is the fire I produced not enough, dear? If you’re really that cold, you can have my cloak," Neronvain, who was sitting a few feet from her, was resting his head along the back of the alcove wall.

“I would never take that from you. You are the VIP of this mission, remember?”

“Hmph. No need for special treatment on this journey. We are all in this the same.” He noticed her shivering and moved closer to her, extending his own cloak from his body to partially cover hers.

All three of them would take shifts to keep an eye on the alcove opening. That night, the cold was unbearable. Toruviel could barely get herself to concentrate in her trance-like elven slumber. She only needed a few hours to keep herself recharged for the next day. But tonight, she just couldn’t get herself to trance.

She finally jolted and got hoisted her body up from her resting state. Neronvain, who had been on his turn for watch that night, was leaning against the cave wall and looking out over the alcove, turned to her.

“Having trouble?” He asked.

She let out a small sigh. “Yes, it is impossible to trance tonight. It is so cold. My lips are blue. It hurts to even move my joints. This fire is too weak.”

Neronvain didn’t seem as troubled as she did about the cold. “I don’t know how I’ve gotten used to it so quickly already. Maybe it’s different for you, a high elf. For me, I embrace the cold. The bitterness of these winter nights do not feel like anything to me. Come here.” 

He gestured for her to come closer to him. She grabbed her elk furs and scurried the few feet across the cave toward him. Ari opened one of his yellow fox eyes to see where his master was moving to, but once he saw she had stopped near Neronvain he then closed his eyes again and continued to sleep, now near just Yaevinn who was deep in his own elven trance.

Neronvain took his hand and placed it on her shoulder, slowly gesturing for her to lean her body against his. She could feel some of the body heat from him, but as she laid near him she felt shame.

“I want to be stronger than this. I want to be like you and Yaevinn, not afraid to tough the cold. This is so pathetic of me,” Toruviel said while she laid herself on his side.

“Toruviel, you will get used to it. Do not worry, and do not pity yourself. None of the rangers at home were equipped for these conditions. Not a single person at home could have handled this job. We are meant to be forest-dwellers. Not tundra. But I knew I could trust you, and I knew you had the willpower to survive this. Which is why I chose you,” Neronvain reassured her.

In that moment, she felt the most secure she had felt throughout this entire journey. A small part of her still thought that he was just telling her what she wanted to hear in that moment. But as Neronvain gently stroked his hand on her shoulder she felt his warmth and it felt...genuine. The words he spoke were genuine.

She rested her head against his side and slowly drifted into her trance.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

As the days of travel continued on, the group came closer to their final destination. They knew they were getting closer to the dangerous den of Iceclaws. They knew because the caverns nearby had many hot springs, produced by a different red dragon known as Klauth. 

One long cavern that stretched about half a mile down had looked safe for the three to rest for the next cold evening. But for the first time since reaching this mountain, they experienced a comfortable, warm atmosphere thanks to the smoldering springs.

Toruviel felt beyond relived. This was the first night she wouldn't be shivering in her cloak. When the three reached a safe location, Tor immediately strung her cloak off and began undoing her gear.

As usual, Yaevinn volunteered himself for taking the first watch of each night. Toruviel assumed he did this so he could get a good scout of the surrounding area and identify any dangers to relay to Tor for the next watch.

With the hot springs producing enough heat in the area to keep the group warm, Yaevinn one more quick scan of the area. “I guess we don't need a fire tonight. I'll go ahead and keep the first watch for the evening."

As he dropped off some of his items and made his way back toward the front of the long cavern with his bow, Neronvain also made haste to remove all of his gear.

"Amazing to see these smoldering hot pools in such a cold place. I've heard much about Klauth and his ability to create springs like these," Neronvain began as he looked down at each of them. The springs ranged from small, 2ft pools to larger 7ft pools. "They remind me of the springs of Lady Summer in the Feywild. not as pleasant an atmosphere, of course."

"Hm, I don't know much about Lady Summer. But sounds like a very relaxing time. I must say these do look inviting," Tor replied as she placed a hand in the nearest pool to check the temperature. It felt good on her arm that had once been completely frozen a few days ago.

"Well, we didn't fight through these icy tundras for a week and make it all the way here just to look at them," Neronvain said with a smile. He then began to undress the rest of his attire.

He made no time at all to remove all of his clothes and slowly dip his body into one of the smaller springs. For a brief second, Toruviel was shocked that he did all this in front of her. She looked away quickly and felt herself flushed.

"Neronvain, we're still in danger here. What if there are creatures around us? What if there's something lurking down there?" Toruviel asked, still slightly looking away. In her awkwardness she hesitated on what to do.

"Good thing I have an expert ranger here to protect me," Neronvain winked, but Tor was not looking at him to see it. "But if you're really that concerned..." Neronvain began conjuring a spell that created a mirage around a 20-foot radius surrounding them. Tor wasn't sure what exactly he casted, some sort of illusion spell.

"Now, come on, Tor. Are you going to just sit there with that blush face of yours, or are you going to join me?" Neronvain asked.

Toruviel felt her heart beating out of her chest. Then the feelings she felt for Neronvain began surfacing again. These feelings have always been there, but then her mind began racing again.

She always felt close to Neronvain. She was a very young girl when Neronvain had saved her and her brother from being sold into slavery. He was quite young back then, too. In a way, they grew up together and Neronvain had always looked out for Toruviel and her brother in a special way. But Toruviel always felt something more for him. She was never fully able to act on those feelings, as he is a prince and she herself is not royalty.

So, for the most part, Toruviel always kept those feelings to herself. She was certain her brother was aware of her feelings for Neronvain, though the two never fully talked about it. But, to her knowledge, not many others knew about this. In a way, it always remained as her secret crush.

There were a few close moments that Toruviel and Neronvain shared in the past, Tor remembered them all very well.

One was another time that Neronvain had saved her life. They were on a mission together when Toruviel had

One was at a royal wedding in the misty forest court, between two noble elf houses. It was a lovely occasion that much of the kingdom and knights attended. That night, many of the nobles and knights had been drinking and having a great time. Neronvain asked Toruviel for a dance, and the two shared a wonderful dance together. She had been so worried that the other nobles would say something about a prince dancing with a knight of his, but Neronvain assured her that he didn’t care about their petty gossip. Toruviel knew for certain that Neronvain’s father, King Melandrach, would not approve of the two having a relationship.

Later in the evening, the two walked out onto the balcony and shared a kiss. It was an evening Toruviel would never forget.

As these moments resurfaced in Toruviel's mind, she realized she needed to keep it cool. She didn't want Neronvain to think she was a hopeless schoolgirl with nothing but doe eyes for him. Even if that was the case. She had to keep it cool.

So she then quickly undressed herself. She wasn't sure if she should fully undress or not. There was a slight hesitation. But he just did it. And he might think it's weird if she doesn’t follow. So her process of elimination thinking and "keeping it cool" mentality led her to conclude she needed to fully undress, too.

She walked over - of course acting cool - and stepped into the hot spring. She wanted to ease into the pool but she was so nervous that she just went fully in as quickly as possible, even if it did burn her skin a bit.

She sat a few inches from Neronvain - she wasn't sure how close she should be from him. Her mind was racing with thoughts So she decided to give him some space. In her continued attempt to "act cool", she stretched her arms and let out a big sigh.

"Ohhh, this feels so good," she exclaimed as she let all of her aching joints relax. "I feel bad that Yaevinn has to take the first watch, but this is so worth it."

"Yes, well he'll be able to enjoy it later. It's nice to be able to relax for a few hours. Shame we can't stay here longer," he said. 

"So, it seems Yaevinn has taken quite a liking to you," Neronvain said, after a pause.

"Huh?" Toruviel was confused by his choice of conversation. "Oh, yeah. He has always been such a great mentor to me. I respect him greatly. He's taught me almost everything I know."

"Toruviel, darling, don't be coy," Neronvain began. "It's quite clear he feels something more than that. It doesn't take much to see that he clearly has feelings for you. I've been traveling with you both for so long now and I can see it clear as day."

"Oh...really? You believe that to be true?" Toruviel hesitated. Maybe this was something she noticed, but she never really thought about until someone literally said it out loud to her. She knew he liked her because of her skills as a ranger, but some reason she never associated that it could have been more than that.

"Of course, dear. I find it hard to believe you didn't notice yourself," he responded.

"I guess it was something I thought could have been there..but I didn't fully realize it until you told me now.”

“So, you're telling me you don't feel that way about him?”

“Well, no...not really.”

“Not really? No? Why's that?” Neronvain continued. “Sorry, dear, if I'm being too prying. But you two are very important to me.”

Toruviel wasn't sure how to respond. Well, she knew the reason why. But was this the best time to tell him?

“Because...there's someone else,” she finally said.

Neronvain didn't respond immediately.

“I mean, there's always been someone else. Do you know who?” she continued.

He still did not respond. He looked at her, she was looking down and not making direct eye contact with him as clearly she was nervous about speaking this. But he continued to look at her and wait for her to continue.

“You know...just now you said it,” Toruviel began. She was worried about how he would respond to the next thing she was about to say, but continued anyway. “You literally just said it about me - ‘I find it hard to believe you didn't notice.’”

She paused again, then continued, “Well I find it hard to believe you didn't notice the person I'm talking about is you. It's always been you, Neronvain.”

He still did not immediately respond to her. Making her even more nervous that maybe she shouldn't have brought this up.

"I've always tried to keep my feelings in check, because you are royalty and I'm not. You should be with another noble. And, of course, we grew up together. I wasn't sure if you thought of me as a little sister. But I never looked at you like an older sibling. You were always the person I've had feelings for. Always."

He finally spoke up. "Toruviel..”

Her nervousness led her to begin backpeddaling. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up now. Not here. I know, this is kind of weird. This a weird place to do this." She looked down.

"No, Toruviel, I am glad you are telling me this." He never took his gaze off of her the whole time she shared. But she very much did not always look back at him.

He finally reached his arm over to her chin and gently pulled it up so she could look him in the eyes.

"Thank you for telling me this, Toruviel." He said gently go her. He leaned in for a kiss.

The two shared a kiss that was much longer and more intimate than the previous kiss they shared many years ago. Soon the moment became more intimate and passionate between the two.

They spent the next moments in the hot spring, and as things heated up they both excited and shared their moment together in this cavern.

Toruviel was finally able to be one with Neronvain, the person she loved.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

To be continued in part 2:

Fighting the wizard and Ice Claws, getting the wizard’s tomes

Neronvain leaves Icewind Dale to head back to the kingdom after the mission 

Tor and Yaevinn spend time alone in Icewind Dale to train

Yaevinn disappears after fighting a Remorhoaz

Toruviel pregnant, spends time in the small village of Ten Towns and raises her son there for a few years

[erintoknow]

The dead mouse at your doorstep

Fallen Hero: Rebirth fanfiction! set after the end, before the in-progress sequel

“Ortega, what is it? I’m kind of in the middle of something right now.” You hiss into your suit’s headset as you scramble under the barricade.

“Are you okay there?”

“I’m fine. It’s fine. Everything’s fine here. We’re fine. It’s fine.” The ground rattles as a screeching metal beam crashes through the floor behind you. The lights flicker for a second then go out. In the distance you hear people scream and shout. There. That should buy you some time.

“Woah– hey, uh, Ari, what was that noise?”

“Things are a little… hectic at work right now. This really isn’t the best time.” You run through your escape path in your head as you make sure the bag clipped to your waist belt is secured.

“I thought you said you worked at a repair shop.”

“Look Ortega, some things are more–“ There’s another crashing of metal through drywall behind you. Load bearing drywall? Really? Shoddy construction job. “–more resistant to fixing than others. You know how it is.” You put your best upbeat smile into your voice, willing Ortega to accept it at face value.

That gets a laugh out of her. “Yeah, don’t I know it.”

You cut her off before she can press you again. “Look, I really gotta go.”

“Uh-huh. Are we still on to meet at the park this afternoon?” You’re going to have to really work on an explanation to explain this away later..

“Y-yeah, sure, 3 o’clock? Great-see-you-then-bye.” You end the call, count to ten, and then make a run for it. 

———

“So, this isn’t what I had planned on talking about; but you’ll never guess what happened this morning.” Ortega looks at you, leaning in, an edge to her smile.

You look back over the rim of your milkshake, straw in your mouth. “Mm?”

“You remember Pennybags?”

You drum the side of the glass with your fingers, making a show of thinking back. “The magnetic guy?”

Ortega nods. “Yeah. Big bank robber, stole a bunch of things from the old Rangers HQ too, remember?”

You nod, grimacing. “Yeah, that was a mess.” Of course you remember. One of the few times you had actually seen Julia really upset.

“Well, did you see the news today?” Ortega leans in further.

You lean back, shaking your head. “I was a little busy this morning, remember?” Stupid, you berate yourself. Don’t call attention to it.

Ortega tilts her head, side-eyeing you. “Yeah, I still need to ask you about that.” She waves it off with a hand. “Anyway, there was this big complex that collapsed up in the mountains in Hidden Springs.”

You eyebrows shoot up, practiced concern in your voice. “Oh geeze, an earthquake? Was anyone hurt?”

Ortega shakes her head, “That’s the weird part, no quake and most of the service staff were just hanging around outside when Steel and I got there. I tried talking to them, apparently everyone just felt… compelled to go talk a walk at the same time.”

You frown, why had they all gone back? “That’s… kind of spooky,” you say aloud.

Ortega gestures with a fry as she speaks, “You think that’s spooky, turns out, this is where Pennybags has been held up the past nine years, can you imagine? Stole millions of dollars and then vanishes so he can spend a decade playing stockbroker out in the sticks.”

You take another sip of your milkshake before saying anything, “So… you found Pennybags then?”

“Not yet, but he might be still be in there, Ground sonar shows an intact safe-room under the rubble. They’re still digging out the mess to get to it.” You take another sip of your milkshake to hide the possible smile. It had taken a lot of effort to leave only the single path.

But still, would it really be so bad if Pennybags… didn’t make it? Your smile wilts and you shift your arms under your poncho, always uncomfortably warm in the California heat. “Shouldn’t you be up there then?”

Now it’s Ortega’s turn to make a face, “Steel’s overseeing the effort.”

“Doesn’t trust you?” You ask, innocently.

Ortega’s response surprises you however, how her shoulders slump a little. “Maybe the right call in this case.” After a few more fries, she picks back up, “You’ll never guess how we know it’s Pennybags down there though.”

“Voice of god? Welcome sign? Villains Weekly magazine subscription?”

“Good guesses, but no.” Ortega’s smirk melts back into a frown. “Right outside what would have been the entrance someone left a folder… and an action figure.”

“An… action figure.” You repeat, skeptically.

“The signed Marshall Hood figure Pennybags stole actually. And the folder was full of all the photographs he’d taken from us too.”

“Oh.” You say. You hadn’t expected her to actually talk about this.

“I… don’t really have a lot left of him. I thought I’d lost these for good.”

“I remember.” You remember seeing the front door of its hinges, running through wrecked room after room, finding an alarmingly sobbing Ortega. The first time you willingly hugged someone.

“There’s maybe five people who know about that figure, Ari, and two of them are dead now.” Ortega’s voice is quiet, her hand on the table balled into a fist.

“What are you saying?” You whisper back, mirroring her tension with your own.

“I don’t think that building collapsed on its own. No, I think that new villain did this.” Ortega looks at you, questioning. “I just can’t figure out why.”

“Do…” You fish for an idea, “do you think they’re trying to send you a message?” 

Ortega looks you straight in the face, half-eaten hamburger now completely forgotten. You wish she wouldn’t. “A message? For what?”

You look back, willing yourself not to look away, not to look guilty. “I don’t know… I mean, it’s no secret you and Hood were close, is it?”

The look on Ortega’s face only intensifies. “You think maybe it was a threat?”

Your face blanches, and shake your head. This is not going how you thought it would. “I’m not in this game anymore, remember?” You shrug your shoulders theatrically, “for all I know it could be a love letter.”

The absurdity of it gets a laugh out of Ortega and you both relax a little. “Mierda,” she shakes her head. “That’s a hell of a way to send a letter.”

[truetgirl]

Hey look it’s the rest of those adventurers I came up with! Once again, basic of who these people are under the read more.

Piper: Human fighter, samurai, neutral good. Youngest child of a noble family bless with many children, Piper knew she stood to inherit little if anything. As such, she planned to train as a tactician and offer her services at court either to her eldest brother or perhaps the king if she were lucky. However, she was a poor tactician. In the end she found her true talent in her combat training, and so went on to become a knight of her brother’s new court. Now she travels as a knight errant and emissary for her house.

Edria: Half-Elf bard, college of swords, chaotic neutral. A sailor all her life, Edria was a fine hand to have on a vessel but her true value was in keeping her crew mates happy and entertained with music, dancing, and the occasional display of skill with her blades. Never happy to settle in one place long, she still wanders, looking for excitement and adventure.

Tina: Kobold monk, way of shadow, lawful neutral. Exiled by her people for failing to return from hunting with any food, Tina nearly went blind as she wandered the mountains above her people’s tunnels and the sun stung her eyes for the first time, magnified by the snow all around. After a few days and having largely resigned herself to death, Tina happened upon a monastery. Knowing she had nothing to lose, she knocked. Nearly twenty years later, Tina has grown comfortable among her new clan, as she sees the other monks. Now she ventures out again, wondering what else this world has to show her.

Marion: Fallen Aasimar ranger, monster slayer, true neutral. Once the pride of her small village, Marion’s life was shattered when her presence drew the attention of a demon lord and his forces descended upon the town, taking her and burning everything and everyone else. Tortured, corrupted by dark magic, and abandoned by the angelic guide that had once spoken to her in her dreams, Marion despaired for weeks. Eventually, once she could cry no more, Marion’s resolve turned to steel and she was able to break free of her prison. With no idea where she was, she fled into the forest, where she has lived ever since.

Brinel: Half-Elf storm sorcerer, chaotic neutral. Though she does not know it, Brinel was born under the clouds of a storm that is legendary to those that lived through it. And so, though she is unaware of it’s origin, she has always known she had magic. Given up by her parents when she was a baby, Brinel grew up first in an orphanage and then, when her powers emerged, under the watchful eyes of mages of a local academy. Finding this life suffocating, she ran away as a teenager. For a few years she worked as a barmaid, but eventually her boss asked her to dance and she could not take him up on it fast enough. Now, having danced her fill for the time being, she strikes out, wondering what the world beyond her home city might hold.

Rain: Tabaxi warlock, archfey, true neutral. A traveler for many years, Rain never dreamed she might find a crossing to the feywilds. Not one to miss such an opportunity, she struck a pact with a fae lord there, and now seeks to learn as much of magic as she can.

Val: Wood-Elf rogue, scout, chaotic neutral. This is another character I’ve played, though not as much as Ari. An orphan from the streets of Waterdeep, she drifted out of the city one day seeking entertainment in the wider world and encountered the inciting incidents of Storm King’s Thunder. The scout archetype is meant to reflect her growing affinity for the wild since leaving the city.