Hello! I'm Lizzie! I'm a certified hermit who doesn't post much and reappears like, 3 times a month (or 1 time in 3 months). Also I love writing.
I'm a non-native English speaker nor do I live in USA/Europe (I'm Russian), so things may sound strange/facts are not going to fact. (Actually if you notice it - tell me please, I like to learn and I don't like to sound like an idiot)
My social battery is always at 5% so I usually post and then disappear for some time to recharge. Asks are open as well as dms, but I don't always answer (except dms) because I have that thing when you need 3 business days to gain energy to answer.
If you want me to tag you DM me.
Hope you all are having a nice day! <3
Masterlist (under the cut)
Some of my writing still exists on @whatwouldsylwrite, so some of the links will lead there.
Well I asked the host of the community radio station of a small desert town and he said "Don't let numbers tell you what to do. You are blood and earth, not theory and chalk", so maybe think about that.
Summary: Abby runs away from her (former) pack and into your forest. You're not happy with your new (woods?)mate.
Tags: fantasy au, sloppy worldbuilding, fem!reader, alpha!abby, witch!reader (so not an omega), sentient forest, stubborn idiots in love who annoy each other.
Notes: um quick question what do you think will happen if someone actually burns down your forest? We're really in it now, and Abby gets to experience first-hand what you truly are. Will she stay by your side at the end?
TW for blood, torture and gore. (not really graphic)
Taglist: yikez-on-bikez beanbagbitch lia-winther @ghost-curator @nerdy-creature @mumuming @ibatman @largedawndishso @littletinyladybugs @wuh-luhwuh4natasharomanoff (if you want me to tag/untag you for the whole series dm me please)
Also I really appreciate your comments if you have any! ✨
Thank you everyone who leaves comments! I collect them like a dragon her horde and then spend my time just staring at them to feel happy. <3
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"I'm ready." Abby braces herself and Caitlyn touches her forehead.
Abby thinks of her friends, of her family before they left Salt Lake and it was still standing. It's bittersweet, but it feels so long ago - and it is, ten years have passed. In these ten years a lot of things happened to Abby, things that somehow felt worse in comparison to her city being destroyed.
Maybe the time has washed away this pain, but knowing the whole picture now Abby only feels grief, not anger.
Caitlyn's eyes are unseeing, glazed over and cold, but then she blinks and takes away her hand.
"Before I tell you." Caitlyn takes a pause, her eyes calculating. "Why do you need to know it? Why can't you just go home now?"
"I need to be sure-" Abby can't find the words, but she understands what Caitlyn is hinting at. "I just need to know. I will crawl back to her anyway."
And it's true. Abby doesn't want to feel like a fool, she wants things to be honest between the two of you, to accept you for what you are. Caitlyn seems to have the same idea.
"There's no loophole into making her to be a saint, Abby. You cannot underestimate her past if you want to understand her future."
"I don't need her to be a saint. I want to have a clear conscience, know that I chose this with all the knowledge, not just-" Abby takes a pause, remembering your resigned face when you told her to think about it. "I want to know all of her, not just weird fairy things. I want to know myself too."
"She killed Marlene." Caitlyn cuts, her eyes hard, challenging. "Revived and killed."
Abby closes her eyes. Marlene was her dad's friend, someone who Abby thought as a role model. They were not close enough for Abby to consider her a mother figure, but Marlene was one of her adults: reliable, kind, helpful. She remembers how much she cried when they found out, Marlene's funeral pyre was so bright. Her dad got quieter after it and way more careful, even wary, with new people. He was always worried they'd meet another witch.
Abby chuckles, miserable - how cruel was the fate, to link her up with the witch who destroyed their lives. It is almost absurd, it almost feels like a punishment - and Abby doesn't know for what sins, and if these sins are even hers.
For just a second Abby sees the bloodied face of Joel Miller, feels the pain and the fury - and stops pretending to be innocent. Maybe it is fate - two revenge seekers haunted by the aftermath, two fallen domino pieces - and who knows which fell first.
"Still going to crawl back?"
Abby looks at Vi - she's smirking, but there's apprehension in her tense shoulders. Like she doesn't know which answer she wants more. But Abby feels it in her bones now, somewhere so deep there's nothing but abyss staring back at her - she is meant to crawl back. She is the only person who understands and the only person who can break the cycle and grant forgiveness. She is your past, present and future, and you're hers.
"Yes." Abby smiles, like this is the easiest thing she's ever done.
"You're batshit crazy, wolf."
Abby shrugs. Caitlyn watches her closely, her blue eyes scanning her face.
"Don't rush, Abby." She warns. "Even if you go back, don't go back to her just yet. It won't do anything good if tomorrow you'll wake up from a nightmare and feel only resentment."
Abby nods and goes up to get dressed. Vi and Cait stand in the hallway as she puts her jacket on.
"Thank you for dealing with our mess." Abby chuckles half-heartedly when she is ready to leave.
"Just a normal day here." Vi says. "Take care, wolf."
"And keep your distance." Caitlyn adds.
Abby nods and opens the door - cold air hits her nose and all her instincts go on alert. The cold air smells of smoke - thick, heavy scent of a fire.
"There's fire." She hurriedly says to Cait and Vi. "Something is on fire."
Vi and Cait glance at each other and follow Abby out, worried. The smell is strong enough even for their noses to catch on.
"Shit." Vi says as she looks around. "It's not in the village."
"Why?"
"Because people would have started running and helping to put it out."
It seems like three of them arrive at the same conclusion at the same time, and Abby's heart sinks in horror when her nose picks up the direction of the smoke. They all look at the forest.
"No." Abby whispers as she watches the grey smoke rise into the black starry sky. Her legs move before she notices, and she starts running to the forest while Cait and Vi follow her.
"Wait!" Caitlyn yells, but Abby doesn't care - they can't see the fire, but she can smell it and it's getting bigger - in the matter of minutes the whole forest will be aflame. "Wait for me, damn it! I can put it out!" Caitlyn yells again.
Abby turns around and while she runs back to Caitlyn, she turns - they'll be faster like this. Caitlyn gets on her back right away, her cold fingers gripping her fur, and Abby takes off, ignoring Vi completely - there's no time for marriage quarrels. She runs like she's never run before - not even from Isaac's dogs. She doesn't know what you can do, but Abby has a suspicion even the Salt Lake witch can't survive the lack of air.
"She'll be fine." Caitlyn tells her. "She is probably trying to put it out already."
Abby growls, not able to ask if you're so powerful, wouldn't have you put it out already?
"Something is not right." Caitlyn states. Abby huffs in agreement. It's fucking February, how is it possible for a fire to happen in such cold? "Shit. Abby, turn around." Caitlyn demands and tugs on her fur, but Abby doesn't listen - what, just because there's something suspicious about it, the great ancient elf will pull back? "Abby, turn around now!" Caitlyn yells, but Abby keeps goin-
Abby barely hears a crack before the explosion hurls them across the field. Abby's ears ring and her head hurts, the smoke chokes her - she can't really breathe, her eyes are watering. She is disoriented for a moment, but she comes to her senses when she feels the tug of cold fingers on her fur.
"Abby, hey, can you hear me? We need to get out." Caitlyn says frantically. Abby's never heard her sound so worried.
Abby nods and gets up. She looks up: the whole forest is ablaze, the sky is bright orange. She doesn't want to get out, she has to go in and find you, save you - you're still in there!
"Abby, please." Caitlyn begs.
And then Abby hears a horrifying shriek, a wail - a terrible sound of pain and grief - and it reverberates through the whole forest. It's you.
Abby lunges again, but this time she trips over something and falls face first on the ground.
"Abby, listen to me." Caitlyn says sharply and she uses her magic to hold Abby down. "Something is happening, look at the ground." She pushes, but Abby doesn't fucking care about the fucking ground, you're in the forest that is on fire, and you're screaming, who gives a shit about the ground?!
Abby growls and tugs on the magic - Caitlyn is just an elf, she is not as powerful as you are, Abby can break through.
"Hold her down!" Caitlyn says and then Abby gets pressed down not by magic, but by the pure weight of - she growls and glares at the offending object - Vi's gauntlets.
"Cait, what the fuck? Are you okay?" Vi asks, her voice shaking, but her grip is firm on Abby's middle even as she thrashes and tries to buck her off.
"I'm fine. Look at the ground."
Abby snarls, annoyed at this stupid request and bucks again.
"What the fuck…" Vi trails off as she looks at the ground. "Abby, for fuck's sake, stop!"
Abby snaps her jaws at her, furious and helpless. She is sick with worry, she needs to do something, not wallow in dirt!
"You're really not helping here." Vi snaps back at her. "Stop fucking around and focus!"
Abby snarls again.
"You want to help your precious little witch?" Vi growls at her. "Then fucking change and listen!"
The desperation takes hold of Abby: she can't help while she's being held down, and maybe Vi is right and she can be more useful if she changes back. So Abby turns back and sits up, agitated, lost, crazy with worry. She cleans her hands on her pants and finally blinks into awareness.
It's February and she has dirt on her hands.
Abby looks up and sees the bare ground all around the forest, not snow, as if it just melted.
"What?…" She asks, confused, but her eyes are still glued to the fire.
"That's why I told you to turn around, that's why we need to get away." Cait says, irritated. "I have no idea if it was her who did it, or whoever set the forest on fire, but this means the forest was woken up. We go inside, who knows what will happen. We stay here, who knows what will catch us through the softened ground."
Abby thinks of your connection to the woods, how delighted you were to feel what they feel. No way you'd have woken up the forest to feel its agony as it burned.
"She didn't do it." Abby says, clutching her fists. "She couldn't have."
The crack of a second explosion makes them jump and still in fear for a moment, but it wasn't the forest - it was the village.
"It's an attack!" Caitlyn says as she stands up and starts running back to the village, Vi is right after her.
"You're gonna leave her there?" Abby yells, desperate. She can't just walk away and leave you to die!
"She has a chance, Abby. Our people don't." Caitlyn replies sharply and doesn't stop.
"You wanna do something?" Vi yells back. "Protect the people she cares about!"
Abby looks at the burning forest, looks at Cait and Vi and she can't leave you, but she can't abandon defenseless people in the village, the kids, - she can't. She looks at the forest one more time and sees a small figure stumble out of it - she doesn't think twice: she turns and runs.
The smoke burns her lungs, the dirt under her paws is slippery, but she doesn't let it slow her down. She makes it just in time before she turns back into a human and catches - her brain registers the bone arm - Sevika. She is coughing and wheezing, but she is conscious.
"Wolf?"
"Where is she?" Abby asks as she carries Sevika away from the fire.
"Don't know." Sevika has another coughing fit. "Hasn't seen her."
"Fuck."
"I heard other wolves." Sevika says and Abby stops in her tracks.
"What?"
"I guess your old pack came to pay a visit."
Abby swallows, a million thoughts goes through her head. No way Isaac is behind this. No way-
They both look up when their sensitive hearing picks up screams - plural - coming from the village. Abby's whole world falls apart - behind her is the burning forest with you still inside, ahead of her is the village with innocent people being attacked by her former pack.
"Leave me here." Sevika says. "I'll heal and go back for her, the forest will let me in. You go and help others."
Abby nods and helps Sevika sit on the ground. Then she turns back into the wolf and runs.
You don't know what is happening - it's hot, you can't breathe, you cover your ears because the screaming and shrieking in your head is so loud it feels like your skull will split in half. The pain shoots through every part of your body, but you manage to stumble out of your burning hut before it will collapse on top of you.
Everything is bright and hot, you don't understand where to go, you try to harness the fire around you so you could clear the path, but it doesn't obey you. You fall on the ground - bare fucking ground - and when your palms touch the dirt, the agony becomes unbearable and the voices become so loud you scream your damn lungs out. The fire makes you think of being trapped under Salt Lake for years and the bone-deep fear crawls up your throat and makes you sick - you can't be buried again.
"No. No-no-no-no-no." You sob, terrified.
You try to find your way out in the blind, running somewhere - nowhere, where are you? - but the forest is in so much pain, and it won't let you out, no. No one wants to die alone, and the woods will drag you down with them just to have the comfort of a company.
You lean on a tree for support, but it's like touching the molten iron - you wail and fall on the ground again. You can't give up - you won't be buried again - you crawl through the pain, with no air in you lungs. The pain is so strong and the voices are so loud you can't even think, let alone use your magic.
Suddenly you get spat out, thrown across the forest like a ball, and you land on something soft.
There's no voices, no pain, no heat.
You sob in relief and cling to whoever is holding you, trying to breathe, coughing while the tears run down your cheeks.
"You're fine." Sevika says and you sob harder, cling closer. "Come on. Get your shit together."
You want to snap at her, but instead you focus on your breathing, on calming down.
"I thought I'd die there."
"Good thing I begged the forest to let you out." Sevika says as she moves away and shakes you. "You don't have time for the pity party. It was your wolf's pack, they set the forest on fire, and they're attacking the village."
The fear and grief disappear as something very old and very deep awakens in you. The fury and cold bloodthirst runs through your veins like lead, grounding you, from your forehead to your feet. The ancient need for revenge burns you from inside out and all you can think about is the bloodbath you'll swim in when you'll be done with Abby's pack. You're going to skin them, then bleed them and feed their blood back to them until the choke on it and die.
And the witch who did this to your woods - because there's no way a bunch of mutts were able to start a forest fire in minutes in February - the witch will pray to Void to save them from you, but you'll kill them both, slowly and painfully.
You stand up and watch your forest burn, not hearing its voices or feeling its pain - and your heart, the part that is not yet devoured by your revenge, breaks.
"Can you put it out?" Sevika asks, her pose apprehensive of you, as if you'll harm her too just by proximity.
"Move." You tell her as you walk away to give yourself a run up.
Sevika moves, giving you space. You run and leap in the air, using your magic to stay above the forest. Now, cold and concentrated, you break the witch's magic with your own and force the other's fire to obey you. You tug the fire up, out of the forest, making a vortex as the flames go through your hands and into the sky. You feed on it, absorbing everything you can and letting the hollow parts die in the cold air. The damage to the forest is enormous - and even after you get rid of the fire the burns hurt it. You cry from grief and fury as you send the last flames up. The sky is not orange anymore, back to being black, and you can't see the state of the woods.
You land next to Sevika, shaking, anxious, desperate to do something to soothe the forest's pain. You need to freeze the ground, get the woods to fall asleep and not feel this agony anymore. You glance at Sevika.
"Get out of here." You tell her quietly as you place your palms flat against the ground. The pain shoots through you again, but you grind your teeth and bear it. "Now."
Sevika turns and runs away, to the direction of the village. You let out a sigh and then whisper the spell; your magic flows under the ground, weaves around every root and then you freeze it and let it grow until the dirt under you gets covered by a thick sheet of ice and you don't feel the pain anymore.
You sit back and take a few breaths - it took a lot out of you, even with the energy you absorbed from the fire. Then you stand up and start walking to the village - what you have left is more than enough to kill them all.
Abby returns to the village and the first thing she sees is a gigantic wolf of top of Coen who is trying to keep it away from him, holding its jaws with his bare hands. Abby runs and knocks the wolf down; she bites into its neck and only lets go when her mouth is full of blood and the wolf doesn't move. Coen manages to get up and goes to help others.
Abby turns to do the same when another wolf jumps on top of her and they roll around, biting and growling. Abby manages to push the wolf away and jump at it, going straight for the throat, but she gets hit from the side and she tumbles down. Both wolves jump at her, biting into her exposed stomach and her throat; for just a second she panics, but then the wolves whine and run away. When Abby stands up, she sees Caitlyn with a bow - clearly made by Vi since it shoots metal arrows - and Caitlyn doesn't miss her shots even with one eye.
Abby watches her for a moment, how she draws back before releasing the arrow into another wolf - and just as Caitlyn takes out another arrow, she gets hit and falls face down on the ground. Abby runs to her, tries to understand what hit her to neutralise it, but she gets hit with it too.
Abby can't move, pressed down as if Vi was holding her down with her gauntlets, but there's nothing on top of her. She is held down by magic. For a brief moment she feels relief - magic means you're here - but as she looks around and sees everyone on the ground, not able to move, with wolves circling them, she has a familiar feeling in her gut, one she felt right before her throat was ripped out: they're all going to die.
She starts transforming against her will, her claws and fur disappearing, and at this moment she finally sees who is doing all of this.
Isaac stands there, smug and triumphant, watching Abby, and next to him is another man: he's concentrated, his arms are spread similarly how you spread yours when you kept her and Sevika from fighting. He is a witch.
"You thought we won't find out about your little stunt?" Isaac sneers as he comes closer to her. "That the little fairy would save you from us?" Isaac grabs her by her jaws and makes her look at him. "I'll make you pay for your disobedience, you mutt."
Isaac takes out a knife and cuts Abby's cheek, collecting her blood.
"And after I'm done with you, I'll find that fucker Owen and his little pregnant bitch and make them pay too." Isaac shoves her face into the ground and goes back to the witch, giving him the bloodied knife.
Abby can feel the bond snap in when the witch absorbs her blood. Something tugs inside of her like a leash.
"One soul is not enough, I burned that whole damn forest. Give me more." The witch demands.
The realisation dawns on Abby and she thrashes against the magic, but in the next second she starts choking on air.
"Uh-uh-uh." The man witch laughs. "Be a good little puppy."
Abby wants to growl, but nothing comes out of her throat. She watches helplessly as Isaac goes around people - her friends, your patients, kids, everyone who lives in this village - and cuts them, collecting their blood. Small kids start crying and screaming, scared and hurt, and Abby can't do anything.
"Take them and leave her to us." Isaac tells the witch.
The wolves start circling her while the closest people to the witch start to wheeze in pain as the life gets sucked out of them. She can smell Sevika somewhere near - she barrels through the wolves, clearing the space around Abby, and then she leaps at the witch, but she also gets pressed to the ground and forced to transform.
"You're gonna die, asshole." She growls, but gets choked for it.
"You can't do anything against me." The witch laughs. "And now I'll make sure you die painfully."
Sevika tries to look back at Abby.
"She put the fire out." Sevika wheezes. "She is coming."
Abby looks at the black sky; she holds her breath in pure terror - she can't see you die in front of her. She can't.
"That little fairy of yours?" Isaac laughs.
"That little fairy is the Salt Lake witch, dumbass." Sevika says with a shit-eating grin.
Everyone, everyone who is old enough to know your name, flinches. Isaac's smirk is replaced by a face of scared disbelief. And Abby remembers it too, and she realises: it won't be you trapped here with them - it will be them trapped here with you.
"Everyone knows she didn't survive Salt Lake." He tries, but Abby can smell the anxiety on him. Even one foot in the grave Abby can't help her glee at his expense. Finally Sevika's love for starting shit has paid off.
"She won't save you from death." The witch sneers and doubles his efforts, absorbing Sevika's life energy until she stops making any sounds, stops moving and breathing.
"Kill her." Isaac growls and the whole pack of wolves jumps at Abby.
Abby closes her eyes, but the pain doesn't come - the wolves whine. She opens her eyes and see how all of them get dragged away as if something is pulling them by their tails. They try to hold into something, but the pull is stronger - soon they disappear into the darkness. Isaac stinks of fear now.
The witch stops absorbing people and turns around: they all watch the darkness, waiting. Abby smells you before she sees you, and she closes her eyes in relief - you're alive.
"She'll kill you all." Sevika suddenly laughs, weak, barely alive.
Abby sees your tattoos glow, and then she sees your eyes - florescent, cold, furious. You don't look like you from Caitlyn's memories; hell, you don't look like yourself at all. The way you walk, they way your face doesn't show anything - there's cold determination in you, ancient and great, and you're pissed. Your eyes flick around, collecting everyone, and the temperature around gets colder.
Abby screams. The pain ripples through her as if something was tearing her apart; that fucking man witch.
"You come any closer and I'll kill her." The witch threatens. You stop and Abby stops screaming. She is panting and shaking, but she manages to look at you and slightly nod okay.
"Now what?" You ask.
"Now you'll stay-"
"I didn't ask for your demands." You cut the witch off. " I asked how are you going to stop me now?"
"I said I'll kill your precious dog." Abby screams in pain again. It's too much and the tears run down her face as she screams herself sore. "So don't try anything."
You eyes land on Caitlyn.
"Blood binds? Everyone?"
Caitlyn nods. Next you eye Isaac, who should've run the moment Sevika said your name, and Abby's nose is full of his fear and your ash. He tries to make a sound but nothing comes out. You look back at the man witch.
And then you start moving. Abby chokes, no air comes into her lungs. She is fucking dying again!
"What's your plan now?" Your voice is calm and steady, somehow soothing Abby despite putting her through panic and pain. Abby keeps thinking she can do this for one more second and then one more second and more if it means you'll get an upper hand.
Suddenly Abby can breathe - and she coughs, trying to get it under control. When she looks up again, she sees the man witch throw a fire ball at you. Abby doesn't have a chance to get scared because you walk right through it, wave it away with your arm like a fly.
The next second you move so fast even Abby can't see you.
You appear right in front of the witch; you put one hand on his forehead and the other on his chest - and both of them glow. The witch screams from pain, the clothes on his chest melt; Abby feels the leash loosen, and the pressure is gone. She is free to move. She tries to stand on her fours, but she is exhausted.
Abby hears the nasty crack of bones and she snaps back to watch you - and you have your hand inside his chest. Abby can only stare - in shock, in horror: you watch the witch scream and choke on his own blood while you push your hand deeper, and there's pure joy in your eyes.
"You could've killed my wolf, but I'd have just revived her again." You shrug, your tone casual. "Not sure who will revive you." You tell him as you look for something inside of him until you get a grip on it. "When you see Void tell her I said hi." You hiss and pull your hand out.
The witch falls on the ground. You stand there, smelling of ash and blood, your arm covered in it up to your elbow, your fingers squeezing the witch's heart. You tore his heart out with your bare hands.
You look at Abby as if you're challenging her to say something, but Abby is speechless. She looks around, sees people start moving, even the ones who were already gone. Some people groan, the mothers immediately start comforting the little ones, Vi crawls to Cait and kisses her forehead.
Sevika turns on her back and takes a deep breath.
"Thanks for the save, witch." She says, her voice rough.
"I'm not done." You look around, your glowing eyes colder than ice, until you see frozen Isaac. "You and your pack will pay for what happened to my forest."
You yank on an invisible leash and Isaac gets dragged into the darkness just like the rest of them. Then you come to Abby and sit in front of her. Abby blinks from the sheer whiplash she gets seeing your empty eyes suddenly become alive again. You look at her with pain and guilt and affection, and Abby stares back, trying to recognise you.
"Can I heal you?" You ask hesitantly.
"I'm fine." Abby tells you quickly and it makes you flinch as if she's burned you.
Abby wants to say something, but right then Caitlyn stumbles over and uses your shoulder as support.
"You need to fix this." Caitlyn nods at people behind them. "This was a terrifying night and on top of it they watched you kill the witch."
"Right."
You stand up and sit in the centre. The snow under you melts and the ground blackens; your tattoos glow violently and all humans stop whatever they were doing. You start mumbling something under your nose.
Caitlyn sits down with Vi's help, and Sevika comes to them too.
"You okay?" Vi asks and Sevika winces.
"Been better. You?"
"Been worse." Vi looks at Abby uncomfortably long. "Wolf?"
"I'm fine." Abby says again.
"Bullshit." Vi scoffs. "She tore his fucking heart out and you're fine?"
"Leave her be, Vi." Caitlyn interjects.
They sit in silence, and nothing except your murmuring breaks it. Abby watches you, but her head is empty. She feels nothing, she thinks nothing, she hurts nowhere, she's just there.
Her eyes track the blood on your right arm. You're not wearing anything warm, just your sleep clothes, and you're sitting on the cold ground. Abby doesn't register how she gets up on her shaking legs ans walks over to you - or how she takes off her jacket and puts it around your shoulders. You shudder and look up, surprised.
"You'll get sick." Abby explains and sits next to you. She hears you swallow, sees how you tighten your fists from anxiety. "Help your people."
You nod and keep mumbling. Family by family, humans slowly go back to their houses that seem to be fixed as well. You sigh, releasing the tension, and stand up; Abby stands up at well.
"What now?"
"You stay with Cait. If-" You swallow, anxious enough for Abby to smell it under the layers of ash. "Stay with Cait."
"And what you're going to do?"
"I'll kill them." You tell her.
Abby swallows. She knew this already, but she had to ask, to see your face and finally connect the puzzle. Your eyes harden and go cold, but Abby can see the affection somewhere inside.
"They're in the forest, bound to it. I'll wake it up, let it trap them and then one by one I'll skin them, bleed them and use their blood to water the woods. That's what I'm going to do."
Abby's heart sinks, but not in fear or disgust - in resignation. She still wants you, even after hearing about all the torture you'll inflict. She doesn't care if you set the world on fire, she'll be right next to you.
This is the moment when Abby breaks the cycle - she thought she'll have to forgive you for what you are, but turns out there is nothing to forgive. Abby is not sure if she'll save both of you or just create two monsters, but she also doesn't fucking care.
"I'll see you on the other side." She says and looks you in the eyes.
There's genuine fear in you, like you're scared of her - no, not of her; of her acceptance. You give back her jacket and walk away, not saying anything.
Abby watches you go: her heart aches and her moral compass yells at her for this. Caitlyn stands next to her, a silent support.
"Hey, Cait." Abby calls weakly. "When is monster not a monster?"
I just finished ep 5 of heated rivalry and oh my god Ilya's speech
Hearing it in my native language, knowing what exactly he was saying to Shane, the intimacy of hearing him bare his soul like this... It hit me like a fucking train.
The grief, the anger, the longing, the desperation and hopelessness in his voice is so raw and so genuine I felt it deeply. There's something about understanding him and connecting with him that is locked behind the language barrier - it's not available to Shane but is available to me as a viewer so fully. Shane has no idea what Ilya is saying, but I not only know, I've said the exact same words before. (although come on I bet he googled how to say I love you in Russian just because he was curious)
Yes, there's translation, but it doesn't, well, translate it - and not in terms of the language, they worked really hard on the accuracy here - but it doesn't reflect the depth of what Ilya feels in this moment. I stopped reading the subtitles because they just dull in comparison.
His voice breaks every time when he says "you" in the confession and there's so much love and resignation, he knows his fate is sealed, there's nothing he can do about it.
I don't know, it's the first time when I connect to the character just by sharing the same language, and it does speak about how much the language holds and how easy it is to make natives feel alienated from such characters as Ilya just by not putting effort into research. (looking at you marvel, there's a collective vendetta against that fucking billboard in Avengers)
And yeah, natives are not the target audience and I just like whining, but they could have ruined Ilya as a character and made him so disingenuous that he wouldn't have felt like a real person. If they had decided to put less work into it, if Connor was not a language nerd - Ilya would have been dead.
If course they have their moments that felt like no one proofread the text, but they took Ilya and his story seriously and I applaud them for it.
(also Connor sounded a little bit like Scriptonit with his bol'she, bol'she, bol'she)
i was so happy to find out about r’s secret i was like “oh finally that itch has been scratched” only to be left on a cliffhanger, im being tortured over here😭
jokes aside, i loved what you did and what you’re doing with the story so far! how many chapters do u think u have left?
Thank you so much!!! ♥️ The cliffhanger wasn't planned, but as I kept writing I understood I've started the next chapter, so this was the logical place to end since the pov switches right after.
Soo the chapter question is a complicated one. Moon peppers is a tlou fanfic, but it's also a fanfic for my OG story, which is long and has romance as a secondary plot, not the main one. If I follow the plot of the og story it will take at least 10 more chapters (and two more years judging by the speed I update the story) , but it's not why we're here, is it? 😂 we're here to see them happy and in love, not fighting over who is a trembling
creature and who has the right (forgive me Dostoevsky) for another 10 chapters.
I would want to finish it maybe in 5 chapters, but it will depend on how I'll adapt the plot.
Summary: Abby runs away from her (former) pack and into your forest. You're not happy with your new (woods?)mate.
Tags: fantasy au, sloppy worldbuilding, fem!reader, alpha!abby, witch!reader (so not an omega), sentient forest, stubborn idiots in love who annoy each other.
Notes: All I can say is that this chapter should be called You can have it all by Florence and the Machine. I'm very excited about this one since the witch's story is very dear to my heart and I've been carrying this chapter in me since I first created my OG witch a few years ago. Hope you'll like it!
Taglist: yikez-on-bikez beanbagbitch lia-winther @ghost-curator @nerdy-creature @mumuming @ibatman @largedawndishso @littletinyladybugs @wuh-luhwuh4natasharomanoff (if you want me to tag/untag you for the whole series dm me please)
Also I really appreciate your comments if you have any! ✨
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You dream of darkness, of cold, of complete isolation. There's pressure everywhere and you can't move or breathe, while your fingers clench in helpless attempts to grasp something, anything. Then the darkness suddenly gets ripped apart by a surge of the hellfire that obliterates everything, every part of you and this dark, cold place. You're torn to pieces, set alight and utterly destroyed, down to every cell of your body.
You gasp and wake up, clutching something in your fingers, your heart racing. Absentmindedly, you chuckle to yourself: it's been a while since your last nightmare. Nightmares are never fun, and you've had a fair share of them to know this.
Fucking Sevika.
It takes a few seconds for you to notice where you are. It's your room, but you're lying on top of a living, breathing being and it's not a fucking mystery who could it be. Shit, how drunk were you yesterday?
Abby holds you just tight enough to make you feel safe, to ground you, and when you take a moment to actually listen, you hear her shallow breathing: she is awake. You dare to lift your head from her shoulder and look at her.
The moment you breathe out Abby winces and you quickly cast a spell from memory that cleans up your breath and mouth. Abby notices and chuckles.
"Are you okay?"
"Ye-yeah. Just a fucking nightmare." You sigh. "What the fuck happened yesterday?"
"You got drunk and then fell asleep." Abby murmurs.
"I fell asleep on you?"
"Your spell got us stuck."
"Shit, I'm sorry." You try to roll over immediately, but instead you fall down on Abby's chest and both of you wince in pain. "Sorry for this too."
"It's okay. You're warm." Abby says softly and your heart skips a beat.
Abby is looking at you with such pure fondness it takes your breath away. You swallow and look back, greedy for Abby's attention.
Abby puts your hair behind your ear and looks into your eyes with impossible tenderness.
"Your eyes are so beautiful."
It's an impulse, a visceral reaction to being cherished for something that makes you a monster to everyone else - your breath hitches, your ears ring and then you kiss Abby.
It's a chaste kiss, one you don't expect to be reciprocated - it's a firm press of your lips to hers, but it's perfect. The overwhelming tide of vulnerability, safety and gratitude washes over you and flows to Abby.
There are warm fingers on your neck and Abby draws you in, opening her mouth so she could kiss your properly - and all of a sudden you feel too hot and the sounds Abby makes are being seared into your brain.
You press yourself into Abby, seeking her heat, leaning into her touch. You didn't even realise how starved you have been this whole time, you can't get enough of Abby.
She can't take enough of you too: she rolls both of you over, gets on top of you, and you can't help but smile into the kiss.
"You like me."
"You kissed me first." Abby smiles, teasing you.
"You said my eyes were beautiful."
"Because they are."
Abby leans down and kisses you again, soft and exploring. You weave your fingers into her undone hair and bring her closer, letting yourself finally touch her and enjoy the warm skin and firm muscles under your palm. Abby is like a furnace, so pleasantly hot - she makes you needy, she makes you long for something you've never had before. It's breathtaking, it's beautiful, it's perfect.
Something you will break if you don't come clean now, when you still have a chance, not later when your lies will become unforgivable.
For now though, you enjoy your little make out session. The slow drag of Abby's tongue in your mouth feels right and she is so gentle: she caresses you with determination to learn you, her fingers firm and warm on your waist and your neck. You lean into her, and Abby slowly drags her hips over yours - your ears ring when you feel that Abby is hard. It's so hot; you're shaking under her from the pure lust that is melting your veins, you arch into Abby and she grinds against you, but it's slow and sensual, with no destination to reach, no fevered heat, just joy.
Solid ten minutes later you two manage to get out of your bed when you undo the broken spell. Abby cooks breakfast and you break your fingers from anxiety, because you have to tell her. Abby watches you and takes it on her own account.
"Second thoughts?" Abby asks, her eyes vulnerable. You shake your head.
"No. I like you. Fuck, you don't know how much I like you." You chuckle and sigh nervously. "So I need to do this right."
"Are you going to ask me to marry you?" Abby smirks, but you can't reply in the same lighthearted manner, no. You clench your fists and die inside before Abby gets the chance to kill you herself.
"Where were you when the Salt Lake happened?"
Abby freezes. You don't need to explain what you mean - everyone knows about the Salt Lake.
"I was on the road with my pack, going back home. Back there. Why are you asking?"
"How old were you?"
"Around sixteen."
"Did you lose anyone?" This is the most painful question: it's hard to imagine that Abby didn't. Everybody did.
"My- two of my friends. Why?"
"Do you know what happened there?"
"Yeah, a witch destroyed the whole city." Abby huffs, clearly resentful of this memory. Then she freezes and looks at you like she has never seen you before. "It was you?"
The change in Abby's voice cuts deep. She hasn't talked to you like this since you've started to be friendly. Now she sounds just like before, when she wanted to kill you, when even the idea of you felt life-threatening.
"Yes." You admit, but you don't hear your voice.
"No." Abby sounds heartbroken and disbelieving. "You can't do this to me."
*I'm sorry." You manage to say, barely holding yourself together. You can only hope that this will end in rejection and Abby leaving you, instead of her trying to get her revenge on you.
Abby rubs her face.
"Why now? Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because I kissed you. I sure as shit wasn't going to tell you this when we met, then you left, and then I started liking you and…I can't go any further without telling you. You're important to me."
Abby frowns, angry.
"This is fucking unfair. If I knew earlier, I wouldn't have-"
You throat shuts completely, your chest tight. She wouldn't have stayed, wouldn't have trusted, wouldn't have gotten feelings involved.
"I just- you're soft. How the fuck-" Abby can't even finish the sentence, how angry she is. "The whole city. Burned and buried." Abby spits.
You feel guilt - you always do - but you also feel anger. She doesn't know the whole story, she doesn't know your side of the story.
"I didn't do it for fun, Abby, although that's what people say." You spit in return. "I was buried under five meters of rocks for my deals, deals just like I make here, when I help people. I spent five years under that fucking city, where they expected me to die, because I couldn't drain anything. For healing a fucking kid. Kid that ratted me out." You tell her, your rage still fresh. "So yeah, I burned it all down because I wanted to be free."
Abby is still frowning, her eyes defiant and hurt. You don't know what else to tell her.
"You couldn't be free unless you killed the whole city?"
"I couldn't be free because I was five meters underground and I had to get out!" You cry out, suddenly remembering how isolated, scared and helpless you felt. You were young, fucking hell you were so young. "It was the only thing that kept me sane for that whole time."
"So what, you dug yourself out and then went on a killing spree?"
"Do you want to know what happened or do you want to keep fighting?" You snarl, annoyed. "I can tell you everything if you will listen."
Abby sighs and stands there, thinking.
"I was there. When the witch hunt happened. My dad told me a witch has blood-bound a kid, and they will kill the witch so she doesn't hurt him."
You sigh and sag onto your chair.
"His lungs were sick. I made a small deal, just like I do here with people, but I couldn't bind energy yet, so it was a blood deal. I wanted to help him, and I did. His parents were grateful, saying how not all witches were evil. I was happy I could be useful despite being cursed.
"Then this fucking kid told on me - he was probably scared the deal wasn't off and the big scary witch will own him for the rest of his life. I was young and I didn't listen to elders, they always told me to keep quiet. The whole city went on the hunt, and I couldn't defend myself. They cornered me against the hill and brought that whole hill on me with explosives. They planned it well.
"And there I was, not dead because of the magic, because hollow creatures are not really alive, buried underground. All this time I was looking for a connection, for something to hold on to with my magic. I reached deeper and deeper until I felt the white hot heat of liquid earth and I understood. Rocks were just hardened fire. And I pulled that fire all the way up, until it exploded and finally freed me. But the pull was so strong, and I had so much magic - fuck, so much magic, I was God in this moment - that I exploded not only my prison, but also the whole Salt Lake. And I was mad with revenge.
"So yeah. I went on a killing spree. I found the man who ordered the witch hunt, but he was already dead. And I was so furious, I just couldn't let it go. I revived him. And killed him again myself. And then I revived him again, revived his whole family just to kill them in front of him, and killed him once more. And it felt good. I don't remember how much time I spent just finding people who buried me and torturing them. Of course people tried to take me down, but I just drained them."
You swallow and look at Abby: she is pale and there's so much pain in her face. She looks absolutely defeated.
"Blood deals?"
"I didn't need them, not anymore." You shrug. "I crossed the line no one's ever got to cross, Abby; I learnt how to reverse death, not even the Saints can do this and you know it. I could have turned everything to ash with a movement of my hand if I wanted, and I did."
Abby presses her lips together and doesn't look at you. You have no idea how are still standing.
"How old were you?"
"Twenty when I got buried. Twenty five when I got out."
Abby stays silent for a few minutes. You stare into empty space, your fingers twitch with the memory of holding so much power at once. It was fucking exhilarating.
"What happened after?"
"Well, I was going completely mad while I was also getting extremely powerful. I'm good now, but I told you before: there's no limit to my power, because there is no end to the hunger. The more I took, the more demanding her voice was."
You shudder, remembering the voice of Void in your head, hissing the orders to take more, to take everything you see. Abby watches you and there's some signs of sympathy. You drunk it all up, desperate to see something beyond rage and disgust.
"She saw what I can do and pushed me further, but fuck, Abby, I was so damn angry. I didn't listen to her, because who the fuck was she?" Just the Goddess of complete un-existence that could take your life for your disobedience. "So I started rejecting her while still going over the Salt Lake and getting my fucking revenge, and guess what she did? She started draining me, taking everything away. I became powerless in a day, started coughing up my own blood on day three. And honestly? I got even more mad. So I broke the deal."
That makes Abby stare at you with gigantic eyes.
"It's impossible." She breathes out.
"Well, yeah, because you pay for it with your own life." You snort, because this is how it usually ended for your people. "But we make deals because Void makes deals with us before we are even born, so I thought fuck it. I'm dying anyway, can as well make this bitch suffer."
Abby flinches at your blasphemy, but it's been a very long time since you've broken the deal and you're not scared of her anymore. Somewhere in your mind you have a crazy hunch that you could take Void in a fight and fucking win now.
"And you survived." Abby says with so much confusion.
You laugh: you couldn't breathe after you broke the deal, you were blind and couldn't move because Void took all the energy you had in you, including your own.
"Barely. My coven found me when I was delirious and my mother blood-bound me into taking her life so I could survive."
"What?"
"I told you that I didn't listen to my elders, that was my coven. We were nomads, going from place to place. And my mother mourned me, and then she found me half-dead and just couldn't let me die again. So I turned my mom to ash."
You don't want to remember it: how tightly she was holding you, how her lips pressed kisses on your face just like she always did since you were little, how slowly she turned into nothing under you fingertips. You mother was beautiful and kind, and you wanted to be just like her, but instead all you had on your hands was ashes and blood.
You shake your head and wrap up the story.
"And then I somehow made it here. The rest is history. So no, I didn't destroy Salt Lake for shits and giggles, and I didn't make that boy my slave, and I didn't know I would take the whole city down when I got out. But I am a very powerful, vindictive creature, Abby, and I can't outrun myself."
Abby stares at you, completely torn apart: this situation became so damn complicated now. She looks at you and sees a young woman (although this is not true: if Abby's math is correct you're almost ten years older than her) who has been through hell, who has been wrongfully accused and punished for trying to do something good. But she also sees someone whose revenge ended in total obliteration of an entire city with no care for collateral damage. Shit, you are the reason they had to move, that Abby's dad died, that Abby ended up with Isaac's pack and that she is fucking here, of all places. It's all on you.
Abby is helpless and angry, because she fucking gets it, she understands how much of it was just a tragic, accidental line of events that led to this, but you're also right. You can't outrun yourself: you've looked more happy and confident since you got what now Abby realises is a small ounce of your power back. You enjoy it, being so powerful, and Abby fears what can it do to you in the future.
For the first time Abby feels how dangerous you actually are, despite the smell of anxiety rolling off of you in waves.
"Why are trying to be good, then?" Abby asks, getting angry at herself for having hope, because deep down she doesn't want to let you go, and she is ashamed of it. Her whole city was leveled, her life drastically changed, and she looks at the cause of it and wants.
"Because this is how I was brought up. It's still in me, a part that is just natural to all witches, and I have to make a conscious decision every damn time I say the word "deal", but I got so much better at it. I don't find pleasure in harm."
Abby snorts. Right. What did you tell her before? You revived that man's family just to kill them in front him?
"You sure?"
"If I was sure it wouldn't have to be a conscious decision every damn time."
Abby can't help her bitter laugh.
"I don't know what to say." She flaps her arms helplessly. "This is fucked up."
"It is. This is why I told you now."
And Abby gets this too: if you've actually started something serious, just like Abby wanted half an hour ago, your confession would have been a betrayal of undiscovered depth. You wanted to do the right thing, and Abby is angry again because why are you like this? Why don't you leave her a chance to fuck off and never see you again? Why do you choose to be good? Why are you still trying to outrun yourself even when you said you can't?
"You can't change who you are." Abby says darkly.
"No, I can't. I made peace with some things. I'll always be vindictive and it will always end in a disaster - this is something I have accepted. But in my day-to-day life I can make small choices despite my nature."
"What, I will break your mug and you'll kill me to get your revenge?" Abby half-jokes, but she needs to know where is your line.
"Fuck off, no. If you decide to actually hurt my friends or the forest - yes. I'll kill you." Your eyes are like steel that even Abby can't bend, and she knows you're serious. Abby swallows, but she has to admit:
"Fair."
It's weird. This whole violent, powerful side of you is scary and Abby can't wrap her head around it. Abby's mind is completely blank, and her heart is a mess, while you look at her with badly hidden vulnerability. And Abby should only feel anger, but instead she wants to fucking hug you.
"I'm going fucking crazy." Abby sighs, but stands up and comes closer to you.
Your shoulders are raised to your ears, like you expect her to hit you, but Abby pulls you in a tight hug and something rights inside her chest. Your scent changes to even more intense worry so Abby presses you closer.
"This is so fucked up." Abby murmurs.
"It is."
"But it's you." Abby means: soft and kind, funny and skittish.
"But it's me." You sound resigned, and what you mean is: powerful, out of control, out for blood. "Please don't give me hope. Before you do anything, think of people you've lost because of me."
Abby has lost a lot of people, but the one who mattered the most died from a bullet in his head, not a hungry witch. You seem to notice that Abby is ready to brush it off, because you hammer the last nail in her coffin.
"What if one of your friends was from those families I tortured? I didn't know the names and now I barely remember their faces. Could you live with that?"
Abby's hold on you grows weak. Your words hurt, and Abby is angry again because what the fuck?! She's got a home, she found her person and now all you're doing is ruining it for the both of you.
"Take some time to think about it. I can go."
"No, no. I think I need some fresh air."
You nod. You're about to break into million pieces, and Abby can't do anything about it. Not now.
Abby leaves the hut and turns into the wolf, not really understanding where she is going, but it doesn't matter now. She is furious with you, she wants to punch something, she wants to stop feeling guilty for still liking you. She thinks back to the story Sevika told her and now she is surprised that you didn't kill Sevika instead. She thinks of Vi's disbelieving face when Abby treated you gently, and it all makes sense now.
But Abby also thinks of the village kids who tease you mercilessly, of the amount of food the people give you to show their gratitude and not because you can suddenly go insane and kill everyone. She thinks of you saving her life despite everything, and this doesn't make sense.
You were nothing like Abby expected the witches to be; and now you turned out to be the worst of them all, the fucking boogeyman of every child's tale. Local scary story, Vi called you, and holy shit had she underestimated the story of the Salt Lake witch.
Abby wants to sink her teeth into some poor animal and tear it apart. She can't put all of you together in her head, she can't piece what are you.
Abby ends up on Vi and Cait's doorstep. She knocks, and when Vi opens, she is smiling. Then she looks at Abby's face and her smile disappears.
"She told you." Vi says knowingly and Abby nods. Of course Cait and Vi know about you. "Come in."
Caitlyn is reading on their sofa when Abby comes in their living room, and she doesn't have to say anything - Cait gets it right away.
"I'm sorry, Abby." Caitlyn says gently and pats her shoulder, living a cold spot on it. "She told me yesterday that she planned on telling you everything, but I didn't think she will do it immediately."
"We kissed." Abby blurts, but it's true, this was the reason. Caitlyn nods.
"This makes sense."
Vi comes back with tea and puts the mugs on the small table in front of them.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Vi asks, her eyes serious. Abby chuckles.
"I don't know. I don't know what to think."
"At least she was nice about it." Caitlyn says and both Abby and Vi look at her: Abby confused, Vi shocked.
"Are you still mad about it? Sweetheart, you totally deserved it." Vi laughs and then turns to Abby tovexplain. ""When she ended up in our forest, Caitlyn felt her magic, so we came to investigate. We heard what happened and we wanted her gone. But she was mad as fuck. Cait was an asshole with her righteous bullshit-"
"Well-" Caitlyn tries to defend herself, but Vi is not having it.
"You went on a ten minute monologue about how much witches don't deserve to be alive to a witch's fucking face, Cait. Give up." Vi deadpans.
"She exploded the whole city, I think I can get a pass on this." Caitlyn grumbles.
"Fuck off." Vi huffs, but it's harmless. "Anyway. Cait was an asshole, the witch was mad, and she just got fed up. I don't even remember how it happened, but suddenly she was touching our heads and I was going through hell."
"What did she do?" Abby asks suspiciously.
"She showed us her own memories. Like, fuck you, you can have it all." Caitlyn says, her voice tense. "It was one of the worst experiences of my life, and I've lived a long life."
Abby nods and looks at Vi, who is staring into empty space, lost in her memories - or, Abby guesses, your memories.
"I'm still mad about it." Caitlyn admits and Vi rolls her eyes. She mutters fucking elves under her breath and pushes the mug to Abby.
"Do you want to stay with us for a while? We have space." Vi offers.
"I just want to- fuck. I have no idea what I want."
"Do you hate her now?" Caitlyn asks as she drinks her tea.
"I feel like I should. But I'm just angry. At her, at myself. At this whole situation." Abby sighs and sags in her seat. "It's been ten years, I've moved on. I feel more rage for the guy who killed my father than I feel for her for destroying my city. And that guy is dead. I get revenge, I do. And she got punished for nothing, for trying to be good, right? She always tries to be good. But this is what she does when she, what, doesn't repress who she is? This is who she truly is?"
"Of course it is, she is a witch. She is not this fluffy, rainbow out of her ass fairy that you conjured in your head." Vi huffs.
Vi's words hurt because they're true: Abby was so entertained by how scared you were of her that she stopped taking your power into account, thinking you were just a silly, weak witch. A harmless weirdo.
Then you insisted you didn't blood bind and Abby was immediately charmed. It was her fault for losing her sight.
"Why are you friends with her?"
"Deep down at her core, she is good." Caitlyn smiles. "She is still scared of herself, she is constantly so wound up so she can hardly even breathe. What happened in Salt Lake was a tragedy, but it is what happens when humans choose their hubris over conscience. You're young, you haven't seen what we have seen: terrible witches bathing in blood for entertainment; giant dragons destroying castles in revenge for being held captive; my people turning woods and sees into torture chambers because humans insulted them. With powerful creatures, the consequences are million times worse than the crime."
"And we fucking know what she felt, fuckin' firsthand experience on that one." Vi joins in. "It's hard to judge her when I know what it feels like to be buried alive, set on fire, to go mad with rage, then be killed by Void, come back and take my own mother's life just to have a chance to live, and all of that in one fucking week."
Abby listens, shocked: how many times did Vi think of that day to remember everything? How horrifying were your memories that a stranger still knows all of it after ten years?
"You remember all of it?"
"Hard to forget when someone plants their nightmares in your fucking head." Vi snorts.
"I had to use spells to free us of this burden." Caitlyn says. "Our point is that she is who she is, and we love her, because we know her. She is not insane or cruel, she was put in extreme circumstances and she acted accordingly. But it's for you to decide if you can live with it."
Abby sighs. She doesn't know, that's the thing. She wants to go back to yesterday, when everything was perfect. She wants you back.
Abby suddenly has a very, very bad idea.
"Can you show me?"
Both Cait and Vi freeze in place, staring at Abby like she is asking them to torture her. Which is probably true.
"Why do you want to see it?"
"I just want to know if- if she hurt my friends. I can't- I can't come back to her without knowing."
"You want to come back to her?" Vi asks, surprised, and Caitlyn elbows her.
Abby shrugs, helplessly: the heart wants what it wants, and hers wants you. Caitlyn seems to understand, if her resigned sigh is anything to go by.
"We can't show it to you, I'm sorry. Those are her memories, and unless she agrees, I'm not doing it." Caitlyn says firmly. "You can show me yours and I can tell you if your friends are in her memories, but you'll have to take my word on it."
"You can show Abby your memory of her." Vi suggests. "So she can see what she was like, get rid of this bullshit impression that the witch is all kisses and butterflies."
"Would you want to see this?"
Abby swallows. Abby nods.
Caitlyn sits closely and explains how this will go: first, she will show Abby her memories, and then she will take Abby's memories and go through yours. Caitlyn doesn't need any specific set up like you did, so Abby has no time to prepare before Caitlyn puts her whole palm on Abby's forehead and their house is gone.
Abby is in the forest again, and it's winter, but she is taller and moves with grace inaccessible to mortals. She sees a figure, sitting on their knees, and Abby recognises you right away, even though it's not really you.
You're glowing just like you always are, but this glow is too bright - Abby never knew that light could be so violent. It's so bright that the traces of runes are actually black, as if they're sucking the light in, instead of letting it out.
You look at Abby, and these are your eyes - white and glowing - but the look in them makes Abby take a step back. She is not scared because you're a witch, she is terrified because she sees so much grief. There's an edge to you, a feeling of ever-present threat that keeps Abby on alert.
Abby looks at your hands and sees blood, and as she looks up your arm there's ash. You're dirty, your clothes are torn in places, they're old and not warm.
"You are not welcome here." Abby says with Caitlyn's voice. You chuckle, but it's dark and bitter.
"Go away before I take your life too." Your voice is low and menacing, but it's yours.
And yes, indeed, Caitlyn goes on a long speech of what abominations the witches are - you're listening, but with every word the ground around you becomes black as you drain it. One moment Caitlyn is still speaking and the next you're leaping towards her, furious and unstoppable.
A bloody hand touches Abby's forehead and Abby feels like she is going to explode from the pain and fury she feels, and she sees absolutely nothing, her chest is tight as if she is pressed down by a big rock and-
Abby is back at the house, her chest heaving in pure terror - in your terror. She breaks down in tears and sobs, her whole body shaking. Vi pats her back while Caitlyn just watches her in silence.
The two separate pictures finally come together: Abby sees now how her kind, silly witch became this, and the sudden realisation hits Abby in the back - it couldn't have been any other way. The aftertaste of your memories make Abby feel like the destruction of Salt Lake was completely justified, and it's a terrifying thought.
"Drink." Vi pushes the bug into Abby's hands. "Did you see something?"
"No- no." Abby tries to gain control of her shaking voice. "I felt it."
"Fuck." Vi says.
"The next part will be easy. You just think of your friends." Caitlyn says. "Tell me when you're ready."
Abby calms down, wipes her tears and takes a few breaths. She has to know.
Fuck Tumblr for showing me Heated rivalry I'm serious I can't be overdosing on yaoi cocaine I have a job
But I get to judge how much the translators fucked up! (the main reason I went and watched it)
(I'm a petty linguistic snob I bitch about languages on every opportunity)
And honestly they did such a good job! You can't tell unless you really know the difference between the sentence structure of both languages. They even make Ilya do the typical mistakes like not using the articles or dropping subjects. And the actor's voice is low exactly enough (don't know if it's his normal voice or it's lowered for the accent, but it's good!).
But all I think about is that Ilya is too fucking polite! He should be saying блять every three words, there should be compilations of him saying блять because this is how this language works! His sentences have to either begin or end with it! Such level of clean speech is just fucking creepy.
The only thing that is super fucking awkward is the use of full names - god I hate it every fucking time - he calls his brother Alexei and that girl (with the best fucking pronunciation out of all of them) Svetlana.. like. No one does it. Not even the weird ones or posh ones. No one. Full names are for strangers, colleagues and hospitals, not family. (I mean maybe they liked the sound of the full names, but please. Don't.)
On the other hand!!!! His brother called him Ilushka which is the baby version of Ilya (my baby brother is Ilushka and Ilusha and Ilunia because he is five and I love him to death) and it's a common thing among men to tease each other affectionately (or insultingly) with the baby names.
But calling his brother Alexei instead of Lyoha is just fucking blasphemy.
Anyway my snobometer rate is 8/10 for the authentic language and my delight at being able to bitch about it is 10/10
Summary: Abby runs away from her (former) pack and into your forest. You're not happy with your new (woods?)mate.
Tags: fantasy au, sloppy worldbuilding, fem!reader, alpha!abby, witch!reader (so not an omega), sentient forest, stubborn idiots in love who annoy each other.
Notes: Abby is sweet and you're a weak, weak woman. (honestly it was such a blast writing this chapter)
Taglist: yikez-on-bikez beanbagbitch lia-winther @ghost-curator @nerdy-creature @mumuming (if you want me to tag/untag you for the whole series dm me please)
Also I really appreciate your comments if you have any! ✨
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Something shakes her and Abby wakes up in the complete darkness; except when she takes a breath it's full of your scent, and her initial panic subsides. Abby looks up sees two fluorescent eyes staring at her, and it relaxes her. It should be the opposite of relaxation, but it's you. You're safe.
"You'll miss your work." You yawn. "Can't fucking believe I got up this early."
You shuffle to the kitchen and touch the kettle, your eyes closed. Abby blinks a few time and gets up, suddenly remembering that she has a job now and she needs to show up. She goes to the bathroom to quickly wash up and returns to the kitchen. You're not in the kitchen, but instead on the sofa, your face planted in Abby's pillow.
Abby's breath hitches. Your face is on her pillow, your scent is all over her sheets and covers and her damn pillow. You probably don't even know what kind of intimate ritual you're doing, but Abby feels like she will burst any second now. Even her cheeks warm up and she is an adult, for fuck's sake! She should feel threatened, since you've entered her territory, but instead she is flustered, excited to share her territory with you. It's her instincts talking, but Abby trusts her instincts - they still ring true even if their only purpose is making a pack. Abby feels safe here, with you. It's been a long time since she felt this way; since she wanted to share her space with someone.
You hear her moving and lift your head up.
"The kettle is hot. Grab something in the village on your way back, Vi will show you."
Abby takes a moment to decipher your sleepy words, but she gets it: there's no normal food, and if she wants to have a proper dinner, she should get some food in the village and bring it here.
"Why are you up?"
"Because it's your first day at work. You need a guide."
"A guide?" Abby asks, confused and a little offended by the implication. She makes her tea and sits down to drink it.
"I'll cast a spell. So you know where to go."
"I know where to go."
"Just to be sure." You mumble and put your head back on the pillow. "Vi is a fucking sadist. Who even wakes up this early."
"Cast the spell and go back to bed." Abby offers, but her voice is soft, caring.
"Good thinking. Come here."
"Are you going to sleep in my place?"
"Shit. You're right."
You stand up and come to Abby, your tattoos also glowing in the dim light of the kitchen. You touch Abby's forehead for a second and take a deep breath - and suddenly Abby knows exactly where to go.
"Your magic is so strange."
"You don't even know the half of it."
"Go back to sleep." Abby asks gently.
"Have a good day at work. Tell Vi to go fuck herself for making me get up this early."
Abby just chuckles and watches you shuffle back to your bedroom. She hears you falling down on the bed, the rustling of the covers and then your breathing evens out. You're out in seconds.
So you woke up just to make sure Abby will get to work. You really do care, and Abby is still astonished by it: because you haven't known each other for long, because she tried to kill you, because you're a witch. There are so many reasons why you shouldn't care, but you do, and Abby feels all warm because of it.
Abby gets dressed, braids her hair and leaves the hut. The cold dark morning immediately bites on Abby's skin, but she isn't afraid of cold or darkness: she turns into the wolf. She is warm and protected from any cold like this; and she is definitely much faster on her four paws. The forest looks all frozen: there's no leaves on the trees, it's very quiet and if Abby didn't have a good night vision, she would probably be in complete darkness, not knowing what is there on her next step. The pull of your spell overpowers her nose and she just follows her magically induced gut until she reaches the village. She changes back to not scare anyone, and walks over.
It's quiet there, but people are already up for their work. Compared to the pitch-black forest the village is lively: it's lit by the fire-in-the-boxes - clearly Vi's work, since it's the best invention of dwarves to ever grace the Lands - and people are chatting and laughing as they go about their morning.
Abby makes her way to the smithy; Vi is already there, the fire of the forge lighting up the whole space. Vi is looking at the table - Abby assumes it's her blueprints - but she looks up when Abby closes the door behind her.
"Morning." Vi doesn't sound hostile, like she did yesterday. Abby nods.
"Morning."
"I'm making a hand today, so you won't be able to help much, but you can watch."
Abby nodded, not sure what Vi meant by it, but she did build the arm for the bear, so she probably meant it literally. Vi motioned for Abby to come closer and showed her the blueprints. Yes. A real hand, from the wrist and up.
"So you build body parts?"
"Yeah. Also weapons, and small shit like cutlery or axes, anything people need here. They don't need much, but since I'm the only decent blacksmith in this whole damn kingdom, I get a lot of orders from outsiders."
"How long will it take?"
"A week, give or take. Faster if I get the witch to help, since she is all glowing because of you."
It takes a second to Abby to understand that Vi means your tattoos and not that Abby's presence made you happier, or something. Which is a ridiculous thought.
"Give me the mould, it's over there. We need to shape this motherfucker first."
Abby doesn't notice how the time goes by - Vi's work is complicated, requires a lot of maths and it's constant trial and error. Vi is competent, and by the time the sun rises she is less grumpy and more talkative. She tells her stories of her coolest and most ridiculous orders (a fucking statue of this dude, naked, made of metal scraps), and Abby listens. Her life is nothing compared to a life of a dwarf who is probably much older than Abby herself, so she doesn't speak much, only asks questions to understand what they're doing. And Vi is a good teacher - she lets her try everything and explains why it worked or why it didn't.
The clock on the wall shows it's already past noon when Abby smells another person coming - and she also feels it on her skin, the cold magic. It's somehow familiar, but she can't put a pin on it. Vi also feels it, and she smiles.
A tall woman enters the smithy, her dark hair loose, tucked behind her pointy ears, and Abby remembers: it's your elf friend. Again, what a weird fucking place.
"Hey Cait." Vi's voice is so much softer, younger even. Nothing like yesterday.
"Hello." The elf smiles back and then looks at Abby. "I'm Caitlyn."
"Abby."
"Nice to meet you." Caitlyn walks over to their table and Abby shivers despite how hot the forge is next to them. "Have you had any lunch yet?"
"No. You brought something?"
"Yes. Let's set it up in your nap nook."
"It's not a nap nook, I just-"
The elf, much less gracefully, mocks Vi, mumbling her words in a high voice. Vi huffs, pretending to be annoyed, but it's more fond than anything.
Abby just follows the dwarf and the elf: they look absolutely comical together. Tall, graceful Caitlyn and short, stomping Vi - they make a very funny pair. They've been together for a very long time, if Abby's nose to be trusted, and they're so synchronized they don't need to speak to each other. Abby doesn't have a chance to ask how she can help before everything is already done.
"Shit, since you live with our local scary story, you had to eat her food, right?" Vi laughs, her mouth full of food.
"Don't call her that." Caitlyn corrects as if she did it a million times before. "Although VI is right. Not the most pleasant experience."
"No. She should not be cooking. Ever." Abby smiles fondly. "But I can cook, so it's not a problem."
"Maybe we can start having dinners at her place again." Caitlyn chuckles. "When did you come back? She didn't tell us anything."
"A few days ago. I-uh. Had a fight with a bear."
Vi laughs louder.
"Who won?"
"(Y/n)." Abby deadpans, a little ashamed.
Cait and Vi laugh together, and Abby smiles. It seems like her life is taking a nice turn.
Living with Abby is great: she is tidy, she is not there for half a day, and she cooks. You love her cooking, even with the limited taste receptors. Abby's presence keeps you sane and less lonely, and it seems like she is content with your living conditions as well.
And now you also have a constant connection with Cait and Vi, since Abby plays the role of the messenger. Abby returns from her first day at work with Cait's demand for a visit, and you can't deny Cait the fresh gossip - you owe her that much for putting up with you for the last month.
You go for your usual rounds, enjoying a rare sunny day. Mari is getting better, her chest almost stopped wheezing, and she tells you she had been praying five times a day. You suddenly feel guilty: before Mari for not being able to heal her properly, and before the Graces, for marking Mari with your magic, adding darkness to her soul. But in the end you're just glad that Mari is better and her prayers worked where your magic couldn't. The day turns out to be beautiful.
After you're done with your rounds and have collected all the gifts that the villagers gave you in return, you decide to visit the smithy and check on Abby and Vi.
In the hindsight it was not a good idea. It's nothing bad, but the smithy is hot - you enjoy it when you come in, warmth seeping into your bones - and it means that you get to be in Cait's shoes. You know that Caitlyn visits the smithy just to ogle at her lover, and you completely understand it: half-naked, sweaty, tattooed Vi is a sight to behold. On three separate occasions you appreciated the view too.
Right now, however, it's not only Vi who is half-naked and sweaty, illuminated by the fire of the forge. It's also Abby. Abby, who can smell what this whole view does to you.
Abby is using her pure strength to bend the piece of metal: her arms bulging, her torso tense with the droplets of sweat trickling down her skin, her hair messy. She is wearing gloves, but for some reason she is not wearing a damn apron and you don't even breathe as you watch her. Vi is standing next to her, cheering her on like this is some kind of competition.
You're in distress. You need a cold shower. You also need to be swallowed by the ground right this instant because Abby's nostrils flare and she looks up, staring right back at your dozed face and slightly opened mouth.
Fuck the weres, seriously. You're brewing the scent-hiding potion the moment you get to your still room.
"Hey." Abby grins.
"Hey." You say weakly, but try to compose yourself. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"We wanted to see if Abby is as strong as my gauntlets. She sure as fuck is." VI laughs and pats Abby's shoulder. "Since you are here, take a look at this. Think you can help out?"
"Where are my daggers, Vi?"
"Asshole." Vi rolls her eyes but still pushes the blueprints to you. You look at the possible magic adjustments and think. Vi waits.
"Yeah, I can do this. You're paying me."
"Of course." Vi huffs. "Come by Friday. We just started."
"I'm going to Cait. Anything to pass to her?"
"No."
You don't stick around, not ready to spend more time around Abby when she looks like this, so you leave.
You spend the evening telling Caitlyn the whole story: the fight between the weres, Sevika's assholish behaviour, Abby's fucking sense of scent, the whole steam bath experience. Caitlyn listens and laughs - it's great. You love complaining to Cait and you love making her laugh: sometimes it makes her magic just a bit warmer. Caitlyn tells you about Vi and her small temper tantrum about Abby, but she also tells you that Vi has already warmed up and put Abby above Sevika in her list of weres. You keep quiet about your little crisis, not ready to say it out loud, but you can see the mischievous glint in Caitlyn's eyes: she knows.
Vi comes home with Abby so she could take you home and leave Vi and Cait alone. You don't argue. It's dark already, and it's very, very cold.
"Do you like working with Vi?" You ask Abby as you two once again make your way out of the village.
"Yes. She is not as grumpy as I expected her to be."
"Good."
You get to the fields and you feel too tired for the whole "get through the untouched snow" ordeal. You sigh, and Abby notices. She thinks for a second.
"It's easier to get through the snow when I'm a wolf. Just hop on when I turn."
"You're not a horse." You laugh. "How would I even hold on to you?"
"You're a witch, I'm sure there's some kind of sticking spell or something. We will be home faster. Just do it."
Abby turns, her gigantic wolf form stands next to you, her eyes golden and shiny - nothing like your eyes. She sits, waiting for you to climb on her back. You think of a few holding spells and first enchant the bags that Abby's been carrying for you, and only then you climb. Abby's fur is not soft, and she is as wide as a damn horse, so you sit on top of her quite awkwardly before you decide to lean in and bury your fingers in her neck, where the fur is soft. You murmur another spell that keeps you in place and Abby gets up easily.
Abby doesn't run, but since she is bigger and has four limbs to walk on, she gets you home faster. You almost fall asleep on top of her, but all she has to do is to bark at you to wake you up. At home, Abby helps you sort out everything you brought from the village and you two go to sleep.
So yeah. Living with Abby is great.
The next month Abby uses all the knowledge she got from Vi to fix everything at the hut, and suddenly you don't have to spend so much magic on keeping it running. There's always food (that Abby tries to buy with her own money, but you don't let her: if you don't accept what the villagers give you, you will have to take something else, and you will never let it happen), and things just get done.
Abby carries you on her back on the days you visit the village, she helps you run the bath when it's time, she becomes friends with your friends.
The only problem is that she can smell you, and you don't like it. You walk in on her changing, see what you're only supposed to see during the bath time and Abby sniffs the air. That's it - you feel done with being smelled, so you brew the potion and you drink it.
Abby comes home from work and she looks panicked, like something bad happened. You get up from your place on the sofa where you were knitting and look at her with worry.
"Fuck, I thought something happened to you." Abby says and your stupid heart beats louder. And Abby can fucking hear it. "I can't smell you."
"Yeah." You say sheepishly. "I- uh. I drank a potion that hides my scent."
Abby looks genuinely hurt when she hears it. You can't stand it.
"Why?"
"Well, you can smell me. I don't want to make it weird with how I..you know I can't control it." You can't make yourself actually say it: I find you so hot I'd climb you like a tree if you let me.
"It's not weird. It's natural, everyone does it. I'm very used to it." Abby sounds like she is begging you and you get confused. "Don't hide your scent, please. It's like you stopped existing."
Abby looks at you with big, pleading eyes and you feel your cheeks heat up from it.
"Okay. I won't. It will stop working by morning."
You go to bed and think only of one thing: tomorrow you take your magic booze, go to Cait and get absolutely smashed. Everyone can be hot, but can everyone be as sweet, as helpful and as earnest as Abby? No.
You're fucked.
Abby spends the whole night twisting and turning, her sleep doesn't come to her easily. She is used to your scent - it's what lulls her to sleep every night, along with your steady, slow heartbeat. All of Abby's senses get stronger when she closes her eyes and this place, with you in it, became her safe space.
And you, silly witch, decided to hide her scent from her. Abby understands - well, not really, she can't sympathise - that non-weres consider this whole scent thing to be a violation of their privacy, but for the weres it's a sign of existence. People are born with their scent, people die with their scent, and even when there's only bones in the ground, it's still a scent. Yeah, smelling emotions and sex and attraction can be also creepy, but for Abby it's just how the world is. She knows you find her attractive, she can smell the heat between your legs when you watch her, but it's the same scent you have around Sevika and Vi. And you said it yourself: you can't control it, so who is Abby to judge you for it?
(Your scent is the strongest around her. She loves it)
But now, when you have that dreadful potion in your body, it's like you don't even exist in this world. You bedsheets smell like you, the house smells like you, but you yourself might be a ghost right now. It keeps Abby anxious the whole night, like she needs to actually feel you next to her to be sure you're there. It's the worst night she had in a while.
You still wake up every day to heat up the water in the kettle, since otherwise Abby won't have any tea with her breakfast, and every time you stand in the kitchen with your eyes closed, gently holding the kettle with your hand.
This morning, however, Abby comes out of the bathroom, smells your scent and something unravels in her, a tight knot in her stomach lets up. The next thing she knows is that she's pressed to your back, practically pinning you against the counter, and her nose is in your neck.
Abby takes a few deep breaths, revelling in your scent and the warmth of your body, and the whole world is back on its axes. You smell surprised, nervous and aroused - a pretty common combination these days.
"Abby, what the fuck?" You whisper, completely alert, but you don't move. The steam comes out of the kettle's nose.
Abby blinks and the situation dawns on her. She immediately steps away, embarrassed and guilty.
"Shit, I'm sorry. Your scent came back and I just- I wasn't in control."
Abby hears your heartbeat - it sounds like a drum, and your breathing is a little heavier than normal. You stare at her with your white eyes and Abby can only lower her head in guilt.
"It's- it's fine." You say in a light voice, like you can hardly believe yourself. "I mean, I get it. I didn't know it was that important."
"It is." Abby says, not ready to add anything else like your existence is the most important thing in my life right now.
"Okay. I'm going back to bed. Have a good day at work." You retreat, your face is still confused as you go, but there's no disgust or fear.
Abby really hopes you won't take the potion again.
Will four bottles be enough? You think as you pack your bag - it's daytime now, but you're still bothered by Abby's behaviour. Well, you're not bothered-bothered, you just can't stop thinking about it. You didn't expect your scent to be such a big deal to Abby, and you definitely didn't expect being pinned down by your hot werewolf roommate while she sniffed your neck at 5 in the morning.
You will combust soon, you're sure of it.
So with five bottles of the magic booze in your sac - just in case - you walk back to the village. There is more snow than ever, so you have to use your magic to clear the path. The skies are grey, but at least it's still the daytime.
Caitlyn is not surprised when she sees you, but she is surprised when you take the bottles out of your sac.
"Can I ask you what is the reason?" Caitlyn laughs, amused by your grim face.
"She sniffed me, Cait."
Cait laughs louder, but gets the glasses - the fancy ones she brought with her from Piltover. You sit in their living room and the down the first glass right away, while Cait just watches you.
"Is it worse than it was with Sevika?"
"Please, Sevika was an asshole and I was no better." You snort. "No, Abby is sweet."
Caitlyn laughs at you again, but you're not offended, you know you're a lost cause.
"She helps around the hut, she carries me home, she cooks. And she can smell how much I wanna fuck her and she doesn't say anything! Like it's okay! And- and yesterday, I drank the potion to hide my scent and she begged me to never do it again because 'it's like you don't exist anymore' and then! And then!!! This morning she just pinned to the counter and sniffed the fuck out of my neck. How the hell should I even-!"
Caitlyn listens to you closely, amused and fond of you. She drinks her glass in solidarity.
"You're fucked."
Four hours later you both are wasted. You're lying on the floor, not waxing poetry anymore, but instead complaining about Savika's damn ultimatum. Caitlyn is lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
"But you need to tell her."
"But I don't want to."
"What it if she was there?"
"You have a point."
"I always do. Better now than when you two will in-inevitably fall in one bed."
You roll your eyes.
"As if."
Vi closes the door to the smithy and shivers. Abby watches her and she is ready to say goodbye before she catches the whiff of your scent. Vi notices.
"Oh yeah, she is with Cait. I saw her. Want to pick her up?"
"If she wants me to."
Vi stares at Abby, confused and half-offended by Abby's words, as if you don't deserve to be treated like this.
"Seriously? She is not some damn princess, you know." Vi snorts and motions Abby to follow her.
What both of them don't expect to see when they come to Vi's home is you and Caitlyn being drunk out of your minds. You're being silent and honestly Abby thinks you two just fell asleep, but Cait's eyes are open.
"What the fuck." Vi asks as she walks over to Caitlyn. "Cait, are you-"
"I'm drunk as fuck." Caitlyn giggles and Vi can't help her smile. "What time is it?"
"It's eight."
"I'm drunk as fuck at eight o'clock." Caitlyn laughs more and Vi helps her sit up. "The world is spinning."
"It sure is." Vi murmurs. "Hey, wolf. Take your girl home."
Abby blushes against her will and squats next to you. She gently shakes your shoulder and you open your eyes wide, like you have to make everyone think you were not sleeping at all. Your eyes focus on Abby and you grin, making Abby's heart jump.
"Hi, Abby. I need to tell you a secret."
"When you're sober." Caitlyn hiccups.
"When I'm sober." You nod solemnly.
"Let me take you home." Abby offers.
You reach to her with your arm and Abby easily puts you on your feet, lifting you as if you weight nothing. Abby steadies you while Vi brings Caitlyn some water. You're completely out of it. You keep silent as Abby helps you get dressed, but you're in no shape for walking.
"How much did you drink?"
"I dunno. Brought 5 bottles." You mumble and rest your head on Abby's shoulder as she keeps you upright.
Abby looks at Vi and she checks the empty bottles on the floor.
"Six. You drank ours too. Asshole." Vi calls back. "And without us."
"It was a private drinking." Caitlyn explains after finishing her water.
"Private my ass." VI grumbles, but then turns her attention to Abby and you. "Maybe she should stay, sleep it off?"
"It's fine. I'll carry her."
"You're fucked in the head, you know that?"
Abby shrugs and lifts you up like a bride. You smell of booze and yourself, but you also smell safe and happy, which gives Abby a huge energy boost.
"Good night."
"Don't die on your way home."
Abby carries you like this until you're out of the village: she thinks you're sleeping, but two minutes into her walk you start talking.
"I didn't even like Sevika that much." You snort. Abby gets tense when you mention the bear. She doesn't like her at all. "I mean, she is hot, no doubt." Seriously. This is what you want to talk about when you're drunk. "And she took care of me in her own way." Abby can't wait for the but in this speech. "But I like you."
Abby halts for just a second.
"You're so sweet, carrying me home and making me food. Will you stop once I tell you all the horrible things I've done?"
"You've done horrible things?"
"Yeah. I'm a witch, remember?"
"You don't do it now, right?"
"I try not to."
Abby puts you down carefully.
"Come on, our usual routine. I turn, you stick to me."
You nod and breathe deeply, trying to stay upright while Abby turns. You drunkenly cast your spells, messing something up in the process: usually your bags stick to Abby as well, but right now they're just floating behind her. Probably not everything will survive the trip home.
It takes you three tries before you climb Abby, and then you mumble the spell into her fur and you're knocked out cold. Abby carries you home carefully, not sure if your sticking spell actually worked. You sleep the whole way home.
Abby gently shakes herself to wake you up, but it's to no avail: you don't even breathe differently, and your heart is slow. Abby tries jumping, but it also doesn't work.
Abby barks. No reaction. Abby barks louder. No.
She doesn't know what to do and decides on the only one thing she can do: she turns back into her human form, hoping the change in size will somehow make your spell break.
Instead, the moment she changes back, you just roll around her neck and torso and end up hanging off her front like a child.
What a sticky situation Abby found herself in.
Abby puts her hands under your thighs and lifts you up, and your cold nose ends up in her scent glands. Abby internally screams and moves you a bit so you won't tease her like this. She tries shaking you up again, tries pinching you, but you're completely dead to the world.
Abby carries you inside in complete darkness, but a few candles light up right away, enchanted by one of your household spells. Somehow Abby gets one of your hands to unstick from her, but the other one doesn't move. Abby puts your left hand back and tries to take the right hand - and it works. It's not a lot to work with, but at least she can take off your coat.
"Wake up. You got us stuck." Abby tells you, but you just hum in return.
Abby sighs. She gives up. There is no way to actually wake you up and Abby won't test the freezing water in the steam bath since she will be the one to be awake, cold and wet if it doesn't work.
So Abby carries you to your bedroom, crossing the threshold for the first time. Your bedroom is small, but it's cosy: pillows and blankets on your bed, a small bookshelf and a softest rug Abby has ever seen. Your scent here is condensed and Abby's head gets a little fuzzy from it.
Abby tries to get you off of her for the last time, but it still doesn't work. This is it, then. Abby will have to sleep in your bed, with you. It's not that she is opposed to the idea - quite the opposite - but you don't have a say in it and it bothers Abby. You've been anxious about Abby smelling you, how would you feel in the morning when you find her in your bed?
Abby genuinely tries to place you on your bed so you won't be too close, but with your spell all wrong there is only one option: you have to lie on top of her. Abby swallows, feeling tortured by how close you are: all your weight and warmth, your tattoos softly gleaming in the dark, your deep breaths on her skin that absolutely stink. You're vulnerable, which in Abby's language is: you trust her to protect you, to take care of you, to make you happy.
Boyfriend: wait but I thought you could change from alpha to omega? Like you get hit with a pheromone and bam become that and you fuck, but the rest of the time you’re androgynous
Me: … I think you have confused omegaverse with the seminal piece of science fiction literature The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
I very genuinely need tumblr to understand that museums are as diverse as historians, egyptologists, archaeologists, and what have you in general. Like from the way people are talking you'd think that only straight white Western men are ever involved in these concepts, because the internet at large just loves to be able to get on their little high horsie about how they are sooo much more morally correcter than the Evil Other
Which is absolutely not a concerning attitude to have, not at all no sir
Summary: Abby runs away from her (former) pack and into your forest. You're not happy with your new (woods?)mate.
Tags: fantasy au, sloppy worldbuilding, fem!reader, alpha!abby, witch!reader (so not an omega), sentient forest, stubborn idiots in love who annoy each other.
Notes: You and Abby finally start bonding. Also: you help Abby get her shit together while having a terrible fucking day.
Taglist: yikez-on-bikez beanbagbitch lia-winther (if you want me to tag/untag you for the whole series dm me please)
Also I really appreciate your comments if you have any! ✨
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You wake up trapped between the wall and Sevika's hot body - and not in an attractive "hot", but in "I bathed yesterday and now I need another bath because I'm sweating from being close to you" hot. Sevika's a heavy sleeper, and now, with her hibernation around the corner, she sleeps like the dead. You don't even think of waking her - it's enough that she is poking your stomach with one of her bony fingers to just annoy you.
You snake out of bed, marvelling at your own flexibility, and go to the living room, to face Abby.
Sevika has been an ass, and you don't need to be a were to know that it pissed Abby off. For once, the bear had zero idea how to hide her feelings, and also it pissed you off. Usually Sevika is chill - she mostly sleeps, hunts and complains, but you can rely on her to have your back even when you two fight or just being petty. Abby brought something in Sevika that turned her into a teenager, and it was so irritating it was a miracle you haven't kicked Sevika yourself.
You counted on having a good company for the winter and not for the childish dick measuring that has been taking place in your home. You promised Abby a place to stay - or, more like decided for her that she will stay with you - and adding Sevika to the list of guests is not part of your plan. Graces know you've tried cohabiting a few years ago and it did not work out. At all. (Another reason why you know Sevika is just messing with Abby - she wouldn't have stayed here for the life of her if it was just you).
When you walk to the living room, Abby is still asleep: she looks peaceful like this, almost innocent. As if she is not a dangerous werewolf who could kill you, but a young girl whose hair is stuck to her mouth. You press down an impulse to fix her hair and quietly go to the bathroom to wash your face.
The annoyance still prickles your skin, but you take it under control with a few splashes of water. You'll clean Sevika's den and she will fuck off, and you all will have to worry about is living with Abby and her annoying nose.
That is, if she stays.
You want her to have a place to live in instead of whatever Abby's been doing all this time, but you get her desire to just be alone for some time. She told you some of her story, and you might not get the need for a pack, but you grew up in a nomadic coven, you understand the need to belong and be safe when you're against the world. Maybe you understand it too well, actually: witches don't have the luxury of the benefit of the doubt that other inhumans do. Even damn vampires found a way to be tolerated by humans - apparently, compared to witches who use blood to control people and take their souls away, vampires are just hungry and mean no harm. You won't blame a wolf (ha-ha) for eating a rabbit and all of that.
You return to the kitchen and hold your palm on the kettle until the water inside boils. You need your tea to function through this day, and it won't be an easy one.
Abby rustles on the sofa and you hear a tiny groggy growl coming from her throat - it's fucking adorable. She sounds like a confused cat who was woken up. Abby sits down and looks over to you, her eyes still half closed. You wave at her.
"Morning." You tell her quietly over the rim of your mug. "I hope my sofa is better than the bare ground."
"It is." Abby says like it surprised her. You take a slight offense to this.
"When I finish my tea, I'll pack some things and go clean Sevika's den. Want to come with me?"
"Won't I leave my scent there?"
"Let me rephrase this: do you want to come with me or do you want to stay here with Sevika?"
"I'm coming with you." Abby says too quickly and you laugh.
"She is not usually this much of an asshole, you know. She is actually one of my closest friends."
"Didn't seem like you are just friends, though." Abby murmurs. There's a few red sparkles in Abby's eyes, but they're gone right away. You've probably imagined it.
"We have our history."
You don't go over the whole I cut her arm off, begged Vi to build her a new one with what was left of my magic, had so much sexual tension with her it was impossible to be in the same room, spend her ruts with her for a few years and then we became an old married couple of friends. It's just too long.
"Right now though- we're friends. I promise."
You don't know why you suddenly have to reassure Abby about you and Sevika, but somehow you know the guilt will eat you alive if you don't tell her this.
"Okay." Abby says, looking at you with unreadable intensity. You hold her gaze, but your heart jumps a little. "Do you have real food or are you eating your usual garbage?"
"You know where to look. I'll be in the still room if you need me." You smile at Abby and she grins back.
You stand like this a little too long, smiling at each other like two idiots, but then you snap out of it and quickly leave before the embarrassment catches up to you. You feel like a damn teenager.
Abby chuckles to herself, clearly smelling your cinnamon scent of delight - she doesn't get why you're so weird about scents and nudity, like it something worth hiding, but she doesn't push it. Abby rubs her eyes and walks to the bathroom. She is still sleepy, and the familiar scent of your hut doesn't help: she wants to bury her nose in the pillow and sleep for the next ten days, knowing she is not alone. Turns out being a lone wolf was definitely a bad idea.
You two are not even this close for Abby to be comforted by your scent, but you're the only person she's known after leaving Isaac. You've been kind and helpful to her, and honestly? Not a lot of people could have helped a total stranger; especially not a witch. Now, Abby is thankful - being on her own really brought her some perspective.
You don't have any cooked food, but there's some bread and dried meat that Abby eats with her tea. She can hear you in the still room, and she can hear the bear snoring in your bedroom.
Yeah-yeah. You're just friends. Sure. Because friends make sex jokes and then sleep in one bed. Best of buds. Gal pals. She is like a sister to you, right?
Abby growls under her breath, annoyed again. She's never had a problem dealing with other alphas, but holy shit she wanted to beat Sevika's ass. She knows it's because they're both territorial and Abby's crossed a lot of lines, but Sevika was not there to protect these lines. Not her den, not you.
It takes you around ten minutes before you emerge from the still room with a basket full of dried weeds and some jars. Abby doesn't bother to ask: you're a witch and this is your turf, no matter how weird you look.
"Let's go before she wakes up." You tell her and Abby follows you out of the hut.
The snow is not deep yet, but it's cold: the wind bites Abby's face like it never does when she is transformed, and her cheeks become red fast. You are wearing some kind of fur coat and boots that are just as furry and you look funny, but Abby doesn't say a word. (Even though you look like an oversized chick)
"How is the forest?" Abby asks, partly because she is trying to start a light conversation, partly because she is curious.
"It's already hibernating." You say calmly, but you smell of such intense longing Abby has to breathe through her mouth for a second.
"Is it- is it tough? I mean, for you and your bond."
"I live in the woods, Abby." You chuckle. "I only have someone to talk to if I go to the village, and usually the forest is the one I talk to, or, well. Communicate with. With them asleep like this... I'm lonely, and believe me, it's not something I like. There is solitude and there is bone deep loneliness. So during the winter I'm mostly at the village. You know, so I won't go insane." You chuckle again to lighten up the conversation, but Abby feels for you. She knows what you're going through.
"I get you." Abby says and looks into your eyes, trying to pour her sympathy into you. "I used to have a pack, a group of people to take care of and to rely on, and I've never been on my own like this. It's exhausting, being alone."
Your eyes are shiny, like you're about to cry, but you smile instead, letting out a wet snort.
"You just put it into the right words." You take a pause, as if you're stalling, but then you ask. "Why are you still here? Why didn't you go after your pack mates?"
"I don't know." Abby shrugs and lets you go first on the particularly narrow path between the trees. "There's no reason for me to come back to them. They're genuinely better off without me."
"Don't be a coward, come on."
"Thanks for the pep talk." Abby deadpans, but then she smiles just a little. "I'm not trying to be all woe is me, I just- You know when you know someone very well, and then you just fall out? That's what happened. I'll let them know I'm alive, but this is all I wantto do."
"You can't go back, and have nowhere to leave to. Sucks to be you."
"You live in the woods." Abby shoots back and you laugh. Your laugh is funny, Abby likes it.
"So do you! Listen, you can get a job in the village, people need someone like you there. You can settle down or save until you figure out what to do next- Just. You don't have to do this bullshit where you live like a wolf in the forest for who knows how long and steal dens."
Abby looks at you far longer than necessary, puzzled. She doesn't understand why are you saying this, why are you trying to help and be so damn supportive.
"Why do you care?"
For a second you look offended by Abby's question, but then your face relaxes: you probably noticed that Abby wasn't asking this to be rude, but rather because she felt vulnerable.
"I guess bringing you back to life really sped up our friendship. I don't know, I just- I'm responsible for your second chance at life and I don't want you to blow it. No offense."
Abby chuckles. You're right. You gave her a second chance at all of this, she should be more responsible. She should act, for graces' sake.
"What kind of job can I get at the village?"
You spend the rest of the way explaining several options that Abby's got. All of them include physical strength, and it's fine, it's something Abby is very good at given her abilities, but she wants something where she will learn some skills, beyond putting heavy things on the ground and off the ground. The choice narrows down to two options: helping a dwarf in her smithy and helping Coen with all his shoe making. It doesn't take long to Abby to choose: she liked Coen, but shoe making is delicate work - work of an artist - and Abby isn't cut out for it, so she chooses the dwarf.
You don't need a super nose to smell the damn den - it stinks of wet fur, and boy do the wolves stink. No wonder Sevika flipped out - you'd flip too. Abby waits quietly as you place your dried herbs inside the den and then set them on fire. As they burn, you sprits out one of your bottles with vinegar to really get rid of whatever scent Abby has left there, while your magic catches the smoke and kills it, just to be sure.
Abby sniffs around and coughs, making you laugh.
"Bad idea. This is vinegar vapour."
"Yeah, I can tell." Abby coughs and you laugh more. "Are you going to-" Abby coughs again. "Fuck. Are you going to clean the area too?"
"She can pee on the trees all by herself, mark her territory or whatever. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have done this either."
"So she would spend the winter in your bed if it wasn't for me?"
You sigh, irritated. You're not sure what Abby is doing with all these comments - you're not sure why you're reacting to them - but if she only asks because it's just the alpha pissing contest, you will be pretty mad.
"If it wasn't for you she wouldn't even be in my house." You grumble. "I'm almost done."
Abby stands back and lets you finish, clearly aware of your mood, and she is right for it: you're pissed off over nothing. Well, no. That's a big fucking lie. You're pissed off because you feel something and Abby doesn't, but she acts like she does. Like she is jealous because she feels something too, and not because she needs to one up Sevika.
(You avoid thinking about how fast everything is going, and that it took one look at Abby after these months for you to feel like this - you're all kinds of crazy on a normal day, you don't want to add this to the pile of your twisted inner working.)
The air clears out with the last motion of your arm and you look at Abby expectantly.
"Does it still smell like you?"
"It smells like nothing." Abby crunches her face in distaste. "How is it possible? I can't even smell the trees."
"That's what I do, create voids where something was. In the job description." Yes, you're still salty and you don't have in you to act friendly.
So you simmer in your own frustrations all the way back home. By the time you arrive, Sevika is already up, all grumpy and growling at both of you. Abby of course growls back, but you are even more impatient right now. Sevika dragged you into this mess with that dick measuring and getting Abby jealous and making you think there was something for a moment before you came to your senses.
"I've cleaned your den."
"Good. I don't have to spend more time here." Sevika grumbles.
"Asshole." You murmur. "Have a nice hibernation and get the fuck out."
Sevika hums, but listens. Only she can't leave without stirring more shit:
"I need to talk to you."
You roll your eyes, but follow Sevika outside - probably not out of Abby's hearing range, but still better. You're so convinced this is another way to get Abby mad, that you don't even consider Sevika will attack you instead.
"Are you going to tell her about the Salt Lake?" Sevika lowers her voice, not letting Abby eavesdrop like this.
Your blood runs cold. You manage your breathing and school your face, but just the mention of that city paralises you. Sevika knows the story, and she knows what this story can do to you.
"This is not her business. This is in the past, burned and buried."
"It's your past. If you plan on fucking this wolf, I'd say be honest first. Otherwise I will."
And then Sevika just transforms and walks away, her paws leaving indents in the snow, while you stand there, having terror chills all over you. Sevika wouldn't have threatened you with this, not out of malice - but her stupid sense of right and wrong won't let you sleep at night.
And why did she suddenly decide you are going to- you're not going to fuck Abby. Even the thought of it is so insane you barely contain a crazy giggle. Abby is not Sevika number two, these situations are so completely different, and you barely know her to trust her with this secret. You take a few breaths, convince yourself you don't owe to Abby your life history (or to Sevika, who was pretty mad when she found out; she is looking out for Abby, you think), and you go back inside.
With Sevika out of your home - but not out of your fucking head, thank her very much - you finally breathe out. Abby is still grumpy, so you clean out your hut too, walking about with the burning herbs. It doesn't take long, and seeing Abby finally relax helps you too: you both sit on your sofa and just exist for a moment. You know you need to keep busy if you want to not think about Sevika's words, so you come up with a quick excuse to just get out of the woods for today.
"I am going to head out to the village today. I can introduce you to Vi, if you want."
*You don't waste time, huh." Abby chuckles quietly and you don't have the head space for your stupid heart right now.
"I see an opportunity, I take the opportunity." You grin and Abby rolls her eyes fondly. "You don't have to, of course. Rest, sleep, whatever you wanna do."
"No- no. I'll come with you. I've spent enough time sleeping and resting. Being here though - it makes my hands itch."
"I'm not sure if it's a compliment or an insult, but good for you."
Abby laughs and you smile: she has a nice laugh. It distracts you.
"Your house is pulled together by your magic and nothing else. There's a lot to fix."
"Well, then fix away if you want to. I'll grab my tinctures and we can go."
Abby nods and you go your still room. It's always pleasantly cold in there - some summer days you spend lying on the floor to escape the heat - and it's very quiet. You know Abby thinks this place is creepy, but it's your safe haven where you can rest or be productive as you mix your herbs and animal parts into your potions and tinctures. You bet Abby would like the still room more if she knew how many spices she can mix in there.
You lie down just for a moment to ground yourself, to do an old meditation that Caitlyn taught you when you just became completely unstable with your magic - it's a very quick one and it saved you from burning everything down on accident on multiple occasions. Your anxiety goes down, you feel more calm. You stand up and feel a little cheerful. Cait and her meditations, how would you survive without them?
You two leave the hut and go to the village. This time the way there is tough: last time Abby was with you, it was September and the paths were not covered by snow. Now, both of you struggle - you only know where to go because you have walked these paths long enough. Abby sniffs around as you go, memorising the path this way, but you're not sure how much she can catch.
This time, your visits to the villagers are stressful: Mari's got a nasty cough that makes you anxious, Leon's boy still has fever and it hasn't been down for two days, and Coen's niece is pregnant which makes her weaker to all the illnesses around her.
You use everything you can to help them, and your potion brings down Leon's boy's fever, but Mari's cough is still bad, wet and deep. She has some wheezing in her chest and you can't do more than hope she will make it. You leave every potion to her. How does this day get even worse?
Abby doesn't speak much, just watches you work with a confused face. You know what's coming, so you tell her outright, not waiting for her to ask you.
"My magic doesn't work on humans the same way it does on inhumans. Fuck, I've brought you back from the dead and I can't cure the damn cough!" You say, frustrated. "I don't know why, so-"
"I'm sorry." Abby says, her eyes understanding. It takes you aback for a moment.
"It's fine. Let's just go to the smithy, find something for you to do. And don't sniff me."
Abby doesn't say anything, letting you be as grumpy as you need, so you keep stewing yourself in frustration until you reach Vi's place. It's not close to her and Caitlyn's house, but there's still something so unique about Vi's smithy that you can't usually pinpoint: it's dwarven, but it also elven and human, a mix of things that don't go along well, but Vi makes it work.
Vi is working on something: you hear the sound of her gauntlets struggling to bend metal into a shape. You motion Abby to follow you as you make your way to Vi.
"Hello!" You yell so she hears you and puts down her work. Vi does exactly this and looks up.
"Hey-" She sounds almost cheerful, but then she notices Abby next to you. Vi frowns, looks between you and Abby, and snorts when she connects the dots.
"No, fuck off." She laughs, because your whole life is Vi's entertainment. "I can't fucking believe this." Vi is so full of shit on any given day, but right now? Now you just brace yourself for whatever is coming. "You brought another damn were to my shop?"
You hear Abby growl and wish to be anywhere but here.
"Cut this shit, this is my territory." Vi barks back: she is unusually aggressive, but given her history with weres, it makes sense. "Why are you here?"
"Not to amuse you, that's for sure. Listen, you need help around here, Abby needs a job. She is strong and polite enough to not drive you crazy."
Vi's gauntlets power down and she comes closer to you, playing a staring match with Abby. Abby keeps silent, but she doesn't bend under Vi's eyes. You roll your eyes, tired of everyone staring at each other to prove who is bigger and badder.
"Who told you I need help?"
It's your turn for a shit-eating grin, and you don't even regret it.
"Oh, I don't know, the love of your life that complains about you always being here and not with her? You know what, I think I'm gonna go to her right now, actually-"
"Shut up, witch, I get it." Vi winces, a little embarrassed. It's a good look on her. "Abby, is it?" Abby nods. She looks serious, but her eyes are laughing with amusement. "Do you know anything about metals?"
"No, not really."
"At least you can lift the real heavy stuff." Vi consoles herself. "Come here tomorrow by six. I'll show you around."
"Maybe you'll finally get around to make my daggers." You say under your nose and Vi rolls her eyes at you.
"Shut up, you'll get your daggers when you'll get them. Now get the fuck outta here."
You flip her as a goodbye and Abby follows you outside. You let out a long, tired sigh: it has been a long, long day. Abby watches you, her eyes calm and observing - and there's no judgment or fear, just understanding. It feels nice.
"She is not keen on weres." Abby remarks and you snort.
You start walking home, and while you make your way in the dark, passing the village and entering the forest, you tell Abby the story.
"Yeah, well. I tend to get into messes, and there's only two people who help me fix them, she and Caitlyn. Sevika told you, right? About how we met."
"That you cut her arm off, yes."
"Yeah. And I panicked, that day. I still had my old magic and it wasn't easy to make me care back then, but I panicked and took Sevika and her arm to Vi so we could figure out how to save it. She was the first person to make me care. And I didn't know Vi very well, or Caitlyn, so when I showed up and demanded she helped me, no one was happy. And when Sevika woke up, it just got so much worse - compared to this, when you woke up in my still room it was almost civil."
Abby listens and you notice that her eyes are also a little bit glowing in the dark, like cat's eyes. So she has a good night vision.
"She agreed, eventually, to what was the best solution at that moment, but she and Vi were at each other's throats the whole time. They still don't like each other. Now imagine when I came to their place and complained about another were terrorising me: Vi already knew I would drag her into another mess. So it's not that she doesn't like weres, she just doesn't like being in the middle of my problems."
"Am I your problem?" Abby chuckles, teasing you, and you can't help but playfully elbow her in her side.
"You're a pain in my ass." Abby laughs and you smile.
"Thank you. You know, for everything." Abby says with this little smile on her face and you feel warm all over.
It's good - knowing that Abby feels gratitude and not anger; that she accepted your help and saw more than just a spiteful dark creature in you.
"You're welcome."
You make your way home through the darkness, and when you both go to sleep, it's peaceful - just the two of you finally resting in the same space with only gratitude and excitement of what the next day will bring.
