Moon peppers (9)
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were!Abby x witch!reader
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.
Oh, Abby is so fucked.
