#All the other dwarves that are also right there: Really? Right in front of my green food? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bonefall · 5 months

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post/734733274896809984/do-you-ever-worry-your-own-writing-might-come-off that makes sense. i was asking because i'm afraid of accidentally writing misogyny myself and i kind of admire what you do

Hmm... I wish I had better advice to give you on this front, but honestly, the only thing I can tell you is to consider the perspective of your female characters.

Women are people. They have thoughts and feelings of their own, so like... just let them have their own arcs. A lot of the worst misogyny in WC comes from the way that the writers just don't care about their girls (or, in the case of tall shadow, actually get undermined and forced to rewrite entire chapters), so they're not curious about their lives, or WHY they feel the way they do or what they want, or any direction for their character arcs.

Turtle Tail as an example. She'll often just end up feeling whatever Gray Wing's plot demands. She's gotta leave when Storm dumps him to make him feel lonely. She shows up again to love him in the next book. Lets her best friend Bumble get dragged back to Tom the Wifebeater, but is sad enough about her death to be "unreasonably angry" with Clear Sky, and then calms down and accept Gray Wing is right all along.

And then she dies, so he can have his very own fridge wife.

In this way, Turtle Tail's just being used to tell Gray Wing's story. They're not interested in why she would turn on Bumble, or god forbid any lingering negative feelings for how she didn't help her, or even resentment towards Clear Sky for killing her or Gray Wing for jumping to his defense. She isn't really going through her own character arc.

She does have personality traits of her own, don't misunderstand my criticism, but as a character she revolves around Gray Wing.

So, zoom out every now and then, and just ask yourself; "Whose story is being told by what I wrote? Do my female characters have goals, wants, and agency, or are they just supporting men? How do their choices impact the narrative?"

But that's already kinda assuming that you already have characters like Turtle Tail who DO have personalities and potential of their own. Here's some super simple and practical advice that helped me;

Tally the genders in your cast. How many are boys, how many are girls, how many are others?

And take stock of how many of those characters are just in the supporting cast, and compare that to the amount you have in the main cast.

If you have a significant imbalance, ESPECIALLY in the main cast, fire the Woman Beam.

It's a really simple trick to just write a male character, and then change its gender while keeping it the same. I promise women are really not fundamentally different from men lmao. You can consider how your in-universe gender roles affect them later, if you'd like, but when you're just starting to wean yourself off a "boy bias" this trick works like a charm.

Also you're not allowed to change the body type of any girl you Woman Beam because I said so. PLEASE allow your girls to have muscles, or be fat, or be old, or have lots of scars. Do NOT do what a cowardly Triple A studio does, where the women all have the same cute or sexy face and curvy body while they're standing next to dwarves, robots, and a gorilla.

Or this shit,

If you do this I will GET you. If you're ever possessed by the dark urge, you will see my face appear in the clouds like Mufasa himself to guide you away from the path of evil.

Anyway, you get better at just making characters girls to begin with as time goes on and you practice it. It's really not as big of a deal as your brain might think it is.

Take a legitimate interest in female characters and try not to disproportionately hit them with parental/romance plots as opposed to the male cast, and you'll be fine. Don't think of them as "SPECIAL WOMEN CHARACTERS" just make a character and then let her be a girl, occasionally checking your tally and doing some critical thinking about their use in the story.

(Also remember I'm not a professional or anything, I'm just trying to give advice)

#I wish I had more succinct and practical advice to give you besides the woman beam trick #Honestly I just kinda feel it out because I like telling stories about girls #I made it fun for myself by clapping and cheering and whooping and hollering whenever a girl does something #because it's not fun to write like a monk in a monastery #With the spectre of Brother Smockbimble looming over your shoulder telling you to Write Perfectly Every Time #Characters aren't real people. You can just fix it if you happen to fuck up or do better next time with what you learned.#Making mistakes is just part of acquiring skill #and writing is an art just like painting or drawing.#So don't make a fun OC project into homework! You should be enjoying making your own art! Express yourself!#Please understand that when I'm ripping into the series I'm being so harsh because it's bestselling corporate media #Read by HUNDREDS of thousands of kids worldwide #Raking in millions of dollars a year. Written by a TEAM of professionals.#So I have higher expectations of it than of a fandom rando on the internet. Or even a self-published author who's just One Guy.#Hence why I'm infinitely more charitable to Ratha than I am to Battle Cats #bones gives advice

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kierancaz · 9 months

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Soo I saw that you were looking for some writing inspiration/requests and I was wondering if you would be interested in writing a Thorin x Reader fic where Reader is part of the company and both of them really admire each other but are too afraid to admit it at first and before they confess their feelings there's some sort of miscommunication?

This just came to my mind and I hope it could inspire you a little :)

hey !! thanks so much for requesting something !! I tired my best but I have not written for Thorin before so sorry if he's a little ooc haha. Also sorry this took so damn long I kept starting and stopping and also screwed up my sleep schedule and then 3 days in a row kept getting stomach aches and just couldn’t write more than three lines T_T. If it feels inconsistent or confusing I’m sorry I got lost in the sauce and COULDN’T FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS DOING but I hope you enjoy anyway :)

warnings : none details : reader is human, marriage plot that isn’t super important besides like ^^ the request

pre-post edit: I just went back and read the request again and this might not actually be what you asked for so uh, I’m sorry, but I’m gonna post this anyway bc well it’s written but if you don’t like it lmk and I will try again :)

𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

It was safe to stay that Thorin was not the happiest camper when you joined the company, but he couldn't deny that you intrigued him a bit. Only a little though, you must understand.

You had joined the company a fair bit later, when they were stopped by the tolls. You had arrived just before Gandalf and saw the group tied up. You were going to ignore them and just carry on your way, after all it wasn't any of your business. But watching the little hobbit try and stall for time while none of the dwarves caught on was amusing enough for you to lend your aid. You had a talent for sneaking around, you made no noise when you walked, had no scent you left behind, and with little effort could blend into any environment.

You crept up onto the rock behind where the group of dwarves was tied and dug around in your bag until you pulled out a mirror. The sun was coming up and just peaking over the rock that the trolls had been staying behind. Laying down flat you brought the mirror in front of yourself and moved it until it caught the sunlight and began to reflect it. You bounce it around for a moment, attempting to get a good angle. Finally, you hit the troll standing farthest away right in the face, there was a small noise it made but it was cut off by it's mouth turning to stone. Quickly its head and shoulders and chest also turned to stone.

"Huh, you say something?" The one troll that had been talking to the hobbit said as he turned around along with the other one that was standing over by the fire. They both gasped and the one that had been talking to the hobbit rounded on the little guy again, "what did you little ferret do?!"

"Ferret?" The hobbit stuttered for a moment, doing his best to hop away but fell on his butt. "N-Nothing, I- we didn't do anything."

"Why you little-" The troll made to grab the hobbit but you quickly adjusted your mirror and light been to hit the troll on the side of the head. It started to turn to stone and in an attempt to stop it the troll reached up to block the light but only managed to turn his hand to stone. The other troll shrieked in terror.

"The dawn will take you all!" Cried someone from atop the bolder with a booming voice. A second later he slammed his staff down and the bolder cracked in two, letting the sunlight pour through. All the trolls turned quickly to stone and the dwarves set quickly to setting themselves free. You slid back down the bolder and pocketed your mirror. For some reason, you didn't immediately leave.

"I think we owe someone our thanks." Said a older white haired dwarf as he walked up to you. Gandalf followed him.

"Y/n, fancy running into you here, though I can't say I'm upset." The old wizard smiled at you. You smiled back at him.

"Good to see you too, Gandalf." You turned and offered a bow to the old dwarf and "the name's Y/n, at your service."

The old dwarf smiled, he seemed very pleased with your politeness, and bowed back, "Balin, at yours."

"Is this the company you mentioned Gandalf?" You asked turning back to your old friend.

"What do you know of this company?" Came a rumbling deep voice from your left. You hadn't realized that someone else had joined you. His arms were crossed and judging by the slight crease in his brows he was not very happy.

"Ah- well," you cleared your throat and looked to Gandalf for help but he offered none. "You must be Thorin," you bowed the same as you did for Balin. "I know of your journey, Gandalf told me." Yes, blame the old wizard, that's fine.

Thorin turned to Gandalf with a glare, silently demanding an explanation from him. Gandalf cleared his throat and shifted his weight on his feet slightly, "I first asked Y/n to be our burglar, however she refused me."

"I had family business to attend to at the time." You said and Thorin turned his glare onto you, you stiffened slightly and suddenly wished you didn't say anything at all.

"What are you doing here now?" Thorin asked.

"Well... I was looking for you guys. I figured if I followed your road I'd come across you eventually."

"Why?" Thorin was not looking very pleased. You felt small under his stare and began to fiddle with your hands.

"I was hoping that, well, you may have room for another walker in your company?" Your expression changed into something unsure as you shrugged your shoulders. All Thorin did was stare and you glanced at Gandalf for help.

"She can be of use Thorin, she's very quiet this one, great for sneaking around." Gandalf nodded his staff towards you.

"She also did just save our skins." Added Balin and you were very grateful he had not walked off.

Thorin thought for a moment, but it felt like en eternity. He eyed you up and down before turning away and beginning to walk off. "Fine. But don't slow us down. If you do you'll get left behind."

You've been traveling with the company since then. So far you've made very good friends with everyone but particularly Fili, Kili, Balin and Bilbo. Over time you've also begun to greatly admire the leader of this company, Thorin.

You couldn't deny that you thought he was attractive, you had thought that from the moment you met him. But it was more than just looks you liked about him, you admired how much he cared for his people, his sense of duty to bring them back to their home in Erebor. He carries such a huge burden all on his own and is able to do it with grace and dignity, you understood a little of what that meant, though on a much smaller scale. He was brave and even though he was a king he was always first to throw himself into a fight to protect those around him. And even though he seemed cold on the surface it's very obvious that he cares for all his companions and would do whatever it took to make sure they were safe.

"Watcha lookin' at?" You jumped, Kili had his face right next to yours leaning over your shoulder. He laughed and sat on the rock next to you with his back facing the fire, you smack his arm.

"How long were you there?" You grumbled.

"Oh I don't know, long enough to notice you staring dreamily off at my uncle." He clasped his hands together out in front of him and bat his eyelashes at you in a teasing manner before bursting out laughing like someone told the most hysterical joke known to man.

"I was not! I was just thinking and I zoned out..."

"Sure, sure, whatever you say." Kili said once he stopped laughing. "You know you're so obvious right? Everyone sees it."

"Sees what?" You asked with a raised eyebrow and Kili rolled his eyes.

"That you're in love with him!" Kili hit you on the shoulder. "I think it's a good thing personally, Thorin needs someone like you. Someone fun who can lighten his mood, he's always so stoic these days, believe it or not he used to be fun."

"I'm not in love with him." You said and put your chin in your hands, your mood had soured and Kili didn't understand why. "I'm due to be married."

Oh. Oh. Thorin stopped listening.

He had realized you're staring a while ago. He thought, or maybe hoped, that you where staring at him, but it seems you really where just zoned out and didn't realize you where looking in his direction. He started paying attention more when Kili wandered over and tuned in when the two of you started talking. But now he didn't want to listen, you were probably going to go on talking about whoever it is that you're going to be married to and he didn't want to hear it.

"You ok there laddie?" Balin asked appear at his side.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" And it came out a little more snappy than he would've liked.

"No particular reason, just looked like you were staring off into space. But by your tone it sounds like something is on your mind?" Thorin thought for a moment before deciding he shook his head.

"I'm going for a walk." Was what he settled on and he got up and left.

"You what?!" Kili said in shock. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said. Once I go back home I am to be wed."

"You don't sound very happy about it..."

"I'm not." You said. "I don't want to marry him."

"Then why are you?" Kili sounded almost mad. You furrowed your eyebrows at him.

"Because I have to Kili. I'm the oldest in my family and with our dad dead I have to be the one to bring in money somehow. There aren't many jobs for women where I am and this guy has enough money to keep my family off the streets and well fed. The reason I decided to seek out this company and join the adventure is because this is the last one I'll be able to go on..." Kili was silent.

Suddenly he shot up on his feet and rounded the rock to stand in front of you. "Thorin is a king. We are going to reclaim our home that is filled with mountains of gold. Tell Thorin you love him and then you can be happy and save your family! It's as simple as that!"

"Thorin is a king. It's not as simple as that."

Kili was making that face he does when he's confused and upset. Eyebrows creased together, pouting, and over all looking like a sad puppy dog. "Get up," he said and tugged roughly on your arm to pull you to your feet.

"What are you doing?!" You half shouted at him as you tried to pry yourself free. "Let me go you lunatic!"

"I'm looking for my uncle." He said and you froze for a second before beginning to fight him again. "He deserves to be happy and so do you, all it takes is for you to admit your feelings to him."

"How do you know that's all it takes?" You snapped and stopped struggling for a moment. "How do you know he thinks of me in the same way I think of him?"

You were every serious, Kili however was not and was looking at you like you had just said the stupidest thing he had ever heard. He sighed exasperatedly, your face crumpled in confusion. "Where is he? Do you see, Thorin?"

You took a look around the fire, "um, no, I don't."

Thorin was walking through the woods, he could still see the campfire and hear the voices of everyone so he wasn't far if anything went wrong, but he was far enough that he couldn't properly see any of the individual figures. You had a fiancé? You were going to be married. Thorin didn't know how to describe how he was feeling in this moment. Upset? Mad? Disappointed? Perhaps blindsided was the word, but how could just being blindsided by this information be enough to make him feel this bad. Why did he even care so much?

Well actually he knew why he cared so much. It probably had something to do with that intense warmth that spread throughout him whenever he looked at you. That tightening in his chest whenever you smiled, even if it wasn't at him.

He had noticed a while back the way he was beginning to think of you, but he shoved it down. Hid it away in fear that it would start to interfere with this quest. He needed to make a conscious effort to treat you the same as everyone else. But he still always caught himself wondering if you were tired and needed to rest, if you were warm at night, if you had enough to eat or drink. After a battle or after running away from orcs he always made it a point to check on you personally and he couldn't relax until he did so.

When you first met he thought you were attractive. Just a passing acknowledgement that, for a human, you were nice to look at. But over time, after seeing the way you would blend with the others in conversation, how even though you were the best fighter you still valued the others safety and were willing to put yourself at risk, how much Fili and Kili liked you. You were so kind and unassuming and you always offered to help.

One thing that stood out to Thorin, and that he especially admired about you, was that you stood up to him. It might sound weird, but he liked that you questioned him, and when you thought he was wrong you pointed it out. It didn't happen often, but when you did say he was wrong about something you were usually right. You argued with him when no one else did and somehow he thought that was very attractive of you.

He let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples, all of this thinking was useless. And also making him feel worse, like the hole in his chest was growing. The laughing from around the fire tuned him fully back into his surroundings and with one last look around (so he could at least say he was checking the parameter) he started to head back to camp. As he exited the trees and came back into the little clearing he heard the sound of his nephew.

"Aha! There he is!" Looking to his left Thorin saw Kili and he was pulling you with him. Well, not so much pulling as he was dragging, you were tripping over your own feet with every step and looked about ready to fall.

Kili then yanked you forward, practically throwing you into Thorin with a grin on his face that Thorin just knew meant that Kili knew something he didn't. Thorin reached out and caught you before you could face plant. "Kili, what's going on?" You scoffed as you stood up straighter and brushed yourself off, you had a very sour look on your face that just made Thorin more confused and slightly concerned.

"Y/n has something to talk to you about." He said and winked before running off to go whisper about something with his brother. There was a long stretch of silence and it was very quickly becoming awkward.

Thorin cleared his throat, "there's something you wanted to talk to me about?"

You jumped slightly, Thorin was standing there, hands clasped behind his back and face as un-telling as ever. You chuckled, "oh, uh, it's nothing really. Not that important or anything, you know Kili this is just one of his- uh- things..."

Thorin just grunted in response and turned away. You probably could've used this opportunity to run away but for some reason you didn't. There was another long silence, the two of you just standing next to each other and looking at the rest of the company sitting around the fire. At some point you saw Gandalf look over at you two and when he looked away you could've sworn there was a knowing smile on his face.

"I hear you're getting married once you return home after the journey." Thorin said suddenly.

"What?" You said whirling to face him, "how do you know about that?"

"I over heard you and Kili talking about it." He answered simply and without looking at you. You creased your brows before turning back to look at the company and the fire. Thorin glanced at you, "whoever he is, he's a lucky man."

"And I an unlucky woman." You said with a huff. "I don't want to marry him."

"Oh? Why not?" Thorin asked and turned to you.

"Why? Well for one he is the most arrogant self righteous man I have ever met. He thinks he's the gods gift to man and that everyone he interacts with owes him something. The only reason I even agreed to this arrangement with him is because if I don't my family will lose everything. I much rather marry-- someone else."

After your rant Thorin was feeling significantly lighter. He caught your stutter at the end and the side of his mouth corked up. "Y/n, what was it Kili wanted you to tell me?"

You turned to look at him, eyes wide, but were comforted by the smile on his face. "Well," you said looking up and away to avoid eye contact and clasping your hands in front of you. "Kili wants me to tell you that I'm in love with you. And I am, in love with you I mean."

Thorin chuckled and you peaked back at him, he had a soft smile on his face. "Maybe you're not as unlucky as you thought armâlimê.”

You opened your mouth like you were going to say something, but then what he said seemed to register. You paused and then looked over at him, “what did you just call me?”

He smiled at you softly and took your hand and looked down at it as he spoke, “we can figure out what to do about your family’s situation after the quest, I trust it won’t be to hard to find a solution then.”

Silently your hand tightened around his, touched by what he had said. “And just for the record,” he added looking up into your eyes, “I love you too.”

From a little ways away, over by the fire, you could hear whispered cheers and groans, and the clink of coins being exchanged. You looked over and Kili grinned back, shooting you a thumbs up and you couldn’t help but laugh feelings as light as air and happier than you ever have before.

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ragingbookdragon · 11 months

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Bilbo hadn’t really understood why the dwarves had hated the elf so much, but of course, Bofur had quietly told him of why they were so distrustful of her, but it wasn’t entirely personal, they’d distrusted all elves, even the ones in Rivendell. He’d become rather fond of her, but only because she was much more mannered and polite. She favored two daggers over the typical elven choice of a sword and bow, which Bilbo found odd, as he’d always heard stories about elves and their almost perfect skill with bows and swords. Even Lord Elrond of Rivendell carried a sword, which he had no doubt that the elven lord was lethal with it.

But while Bilbo had come to recognize that the dwarves were offensive fighters, she was defensive, and it’d taken quite a while for him to understand that any time there was danger, she was always next to him, keeping close so that nothing could hurt him. But he’d also seen her when she was sneaking behind enemies, watching as she’d taken down more than the dwarves who were in the thick of it.

The night had called, and Bilbo found himself unable to sleep, tossing and turning over the hard ground while the others snored around him. He lie there for as long as he could before he sat up with a quiet sigh, discontent flooding him as he threw the blanket off before rising from the bedroll. He assumed a short stroll might tire him out, not too far of course—the last thing he wanted was to end up like he’d been with the trolls.

As he neared the edge of the camp, his keen eyes saw a flash of silver in the low branches of a tree and he blinked, squinting at the figure sitting up there. It was their resident elf, still as the dead, watching over the camp and around them. It was a rather flustering amount of time before Bilbo realized she was staring right at him, and he felt his cheeks redden as embarrassment flooded his body. Still though, he walked over to stand somewhat beneath her, enough that he could crane his neck and look up at her.

“What are you doing up there?” he asked quietly, though he’d already known the answer.

“The better question is what are you doing awake?” she countered, and he shifted on his feet.

“I couldn’t sleep. I miss my bed,” he added, unable to hide his homesickness.

She nodded, turning to look out towards the land shadowed by the night. “Understandable. The ground is rather hard. Good for your back though, believe it or not.”

“I think I shall agree to disagree. I like my soft bed and fluffy pillows.”

She chuckled lowly and with a bit of grace, shifted and rolled off the branch, landing in front of him without so much as a noise. “You should try to sleep though, Bilbo. Our journey will only become much more difficult if you are exhausted.”

He felt shame creep up his neck, and he looked at his feet. “I…I’m sorry I’m not much help.” He was in fact not a help at all, always getting in the way, not even able to fight, not able to—

“Bilbo,” she calmed, kneeling down, and placing a hand on his shoulder; she looked at him with kind eyes. “I didn’t mean you would make the entire journey difficult. I meant your own experience would be uncomfortable because of your exhaustion.”

“Oh…” he said, feeling a bit foolish.

“While some of the others might think you a burden, rest assured that I do not, Bilbo, and I think you are wonderful company on this adventure.” She gestured for them to sit down against a rock, far enough from the dwarves that their talking wouldn’t disturb them, but close enough that she could see over them.

“Bilbo,” she started, gently wrapping an arm around him, pulling him close. “No one is expecting you to become some great warrior.”

He shifted around in her grip until he was as comfortable as he could be. “I know, but sometimes I feel like I am weighing us all down.”

“As you will, you’ve no prior experience in battle or on any type of business where it is this dangerous. But you’re learning, and that’s the most important thing. If you weren’t, then we would be considering shoving you in a barrel and floating you back up a stream to the Shire.”

He blinked, a smile on his lips as he laid his head against her side. “Where do you come from?”

She fell silent for a long while before she murmured, “I originally hail from Mirkwood.”

“The kingdom that Thorin’s family dealt with?”

“That would be the kingdom.”

“How did you end up here?” he asked, and she let out a long breath. The question was more than obvious. How did one of Erebor’s greatest enemies end up on the adventure to take back Erebor?

“I’m old, Bilbo. Very old. I’ve been on this earth longer than many of the elves around, save Elrond and Lady Galadriel.” She turned into him closer. “I was King Thranduil’s guard captain when Erebor was at its height of power. When Erebor fell to Smaug, we had marched to the carnage. Thranduil refused to help the dwarves.” She frowned. “Even in his grief, anger, and greed, we are still called to watch over Middle Earth. His refusal to assist innocents in their greatest peril went against my very purpose. I wasn’t going to stand for it.”

Bilbo listened to her, and asked softly, “What happened?”

“I abandoned my post. I refused to follow a king who wouldn’t put aside his pride in favor of helping a group of refuges who’d just lost literally everything they had. There is no honor in letting people die. Especially the innocent dwarves who had nothing to do with the issue between Thranduil and Thorin’s grandfather.”

“I can’t assume you left without a fight?”

“Oh, I didn’t,” she deadpanned. “For an entire week, I fled through the land from Erebor, chased by the very guards I trained. At every turn, I engaged in battle with my men and women. I was wounded beyond belief.”

He looked up at her. “Obviously you survived, but how? If you were so injured…?”

“I made it to Rivendell.” She met his gaze with a grin. “I am not even kidding, I was on the bridge at Rivendell, fighting for my life.”

“And?” Bilbo was practically on the edge of his seat.

“I made the mistake of going high when my enemy went low. The blow knocked me back into the staircase where I lay, ready to be beheaded, when Rivendell guards swarmed around me, raising weapons against the elves of Mirkwood.”

“Really?” he asked in disbelief.

“Really. Lord Elrond appeared, a sword in his own hand and commanded they leave at once, or any further aggression would be considered an attack on Rivendell and his guards would respond with force.” She smiled. “I passed out, but when I came to, I was in a bed in Rivendell, Lord Elrond watching over me.”

“He seems a very wise elf.”

“Oh, he is. Very esteemed by us all, respected among everyone, even men, dwarf, and hobbit alike.” She breathed deeply. “He allowed me to recuperate and stay for some time before I left.”

“How long did you stay?”

“Fifty years.” She answered. “I fell into quite a depression over my lack of helping during Erebor’s fall. I felt at fault for not even trying to assist the dwarves.”

Bilbo started to blink slowly, eyelids beginning to droop. “Where did you go after?”

“Anywhere and everywhere away from Mirkwood. I became a bounty hunter. Honed my techniques and abilities.”

“Hmm…does…” he breathed deeply, trying to stay awake. “Does Thorin know?”

She looked down in shock. “What?”

“Thorin…does he know?”

“No, I do not believe so.”

Bilbo hummed again, curling up into her side. “Should tell him…may…forgive you.”

She simply watched as he fell asleep before picking him up, carrying him back towards his bedroll; as she put him down, she pulled his blanket up just under his chin and smiled sadly down at him—if only it was that simple.

As she carefully stepped between the sleeping dwarves, heading back towards the tree she’d been in, she couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched. She paused, looking around at their sleeping faces, and when she shrugged, going back towards the tree, Thorin opened his eyes once more, gazing at her back as she did, imagining the weight of the world upon her shoulders just as his was then all those years ago, and now.

#thorin oakenshield x reader #thorin oakenshield x reader imagine #thorin oakenshield x reader imagines #thorin oakenshield imagines #thorin oakenshield imagine #thorin x reader #thorin x reader imagine #thorin x reader imagines #thorin imagines #thorin imagine #thorin #thorin oakenshield #bilbo #bilbo baggins #the hobbit #hobbit #king thranduil #thranduil

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asgardianhobbit98 · 3 months

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Four for Valentine: Week 2 "The Letter"

Fandom: The Hobbit

Pairing: Thorin Oakenshield / Reader

Characters: Dwalin, Thorin, Gender Neutral Reader

Important Tags: written from Dwalin's POV, romance, angst, death, alcohol consumption, grief, love, redemption, healing

Words: 1146

Summary: When Dwalin attempts to heal his grief after the Battle of Five Armies, his finds himself not just grieving Thorin but also his sibling. But in the depth of night, ghosts come to life, and Dwalin finds that the letters are more healing than he originally thought. (I really meant for this to be fluffy but then my brain made it bittersweet instead because apparently angst is all I can manage today)

Written for my "Four for Valentine" event 🩷

My dearest y/n.

They are calling it the Battle of Five Armies: a Historic event, it seems. I certainly won’t be forgetting it. And I will make damned sure no Dwarf ever forgets it either. Just like I am making sure that no Dwarf ever forgets Smaug’s taking of the Lonely Mountain. Two points of important Dwarven history… and two moments in my life I would rather forget than remember. But it is crucial I don’t forget. If people remember it feels like people also remember you. Both of you.

My brother said writing down feelings is better than cutting down Orc filth. I still disagree. But I can’t deny that it helped me greatly when I lost you. It will certainly help me greatly now that I have lost him.

I loved you. You were my sibling, how could I not? But even if you had not been my family, I think the two of us would have gotten along well. You were funny in a way I didn’t really get, but which others seemed to find endearing. Thorin certainly found it endearing. More than he dared admit.

You see, I found a letter of his in his belongings. I didn’t mean to rummage through his things. It fell out when I was moving it. So don’t come yelling at me from the rocks now! And I only read it because it was addressed to you.

I hadn’t read your name in so very long. Maybe it was the already present grief, but I suddenly grieved you once more. I had to. Because when I read his letter to you, I saw the life you could have had if I had just been quicker in getting to you. That damned dragon!

He is dead now. Smaug. Revenge didn’t taste as sweet as I thought.

You would have had a life with Thorin. I know it. Because he wrote so. He loved you. Dwarves only love once. He was more devastated than he admitted to any of us. I knew he slipped away from us for a long time after the fall of Erebor. I knew he grew quiet. Distant. I never in a million years thought it was because of you too. I thought his family, his people… And here I was grieving you in front of him, burdening him with my own shite.

Yet, he never once said a word. He simply supported me.

He loved you.

You could have been his. He could have been yours.

Maybe this is for the better after all. If you had been here, you would have had to grieve him. The loss of Thorin is one I do not know how to handle.

I wish you were here to help me.

Perhaps the two of you are there in the afterlife, living among the rocks of Erebor, reunited at last.

Stupid.

Dwalin put the pen down and crumpled the letter in his hands with a little more force than necessary. He threw it aside where he watched it land among all the other attempts. Alone in a room in Erebor, finally home, Dwalin thought he might find some solace in a successful quest. But everything felt wrong.

With a sigh, he moved over to his bed and simply… drank himself to sleep, like he usually did. It helped with the nightmares, it helped with the grief, and it put him right to sleep. It was a win win, really.

Balin hated watching him do it, but Balin wasn’t around at the moment. He was on his way to Moria to continue furthering their people’s wealth; to try and retake the mountain. Meanwhile, Dwalin was still stuck in the past, in his grief… doing nothing with his life… or so he thought, at least.

…

As the darkness engulfed him, a restless sleep devouring Dwalin, he found that the alcohol actually did very little to help him. Rather than steering him onto a path of just dark, dreamless sleep, Dwalin found himself suddenly standing in his room.

Actually, that wasn’t the best description on where Dwalin found himself. He was in his room, yes, but he was sort of… standing by his bed, watching himself sleep.

It was a weird position to be in, and for a long time, Dwalin did nothing but stare at himself.

Had he died?

Was this the afterlife?

But no, he was breathing… Snoring, actually. It was a rather pitiful sight.

There was a strange humming in the background. As if someone was singing, but it wasn’t one person. It was a vibration so loud it sounded like a thousand people humming. It was peaceful, almost recognizable. As if Dwalin had always heard it in the background whilst walking in the mountain, or out and about.

But he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

The humming was interrupted by a little shuffle in the room behind him. He turned, finding it rather difficult and slow to do so, and watched…

You.

And Thorin.

Both of you looked ten times better than you’d ever done alive, warm peaceful looks on your faces at all times. The two of you were picking up Dwalin’s attempts at writing a letter to you, reading them with your heads held together, arms locked in a loving touch…

“Y/N?” Dwalin asked, staring at his sibling with pure… shock. And Thorin, his king… “Thorin?”

Both of you looked up at him. But it was you who answered Dwalin: “I like your letters. They make me happy.”

Dwalin must have looked quite dumb as he simply stared in shock, because suddenly you began to chuckle. That chuckle… He’d missed it.

“My dear Dwalin,” Thorin said, “you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Both of you chuckled a bit at this.

“You both are…”

“Dead,” you finished for him. “Yes, quite. But that doesn’t mean we’ve left you.”

Thorin nodded along. “We’re always with you. In the rocks that make up your home. In your memories. And we’ll be waiting. Until you’re ready.”

You smiled. Thorin smiled.

…

And far too soon did that ‘dream’ end because suddenly Dwalin woke up with a start in his bed, looking around the room, searching…

He pushed away the bottle of alcohol. His heart lighter, and went back over to the crumpled up drafts of a letter.

Okay… he thought to himself… I’ll keep writing if it makes you two so damn happy.

Chuckling for the first time in a long, long time, he wrote at least twenty long letters in the candlelight, telling the both of you everything that he wanted to. Because he missed you both, and he loved you. And if you two really did read his letters, then he was going to keep at it until he was sure you both knew just how much you meant to him.

tag list: @fizzyxcustard @middleearthpixie @glassgulls @evenstaredits @knittastically @heilith @lathalea @way-too-addicted-to-fandoms @nowandthane if you'd like to be added or removed from my tag list, please let me know!

reblog and comment = love and support 🥰

#the hobbit #dwalin #thorin oakenshield #thorin x reader #gender neutral reader #richard armitage #four for valentine #my writing #my tolkien writing #angst #grief #alcohol consumption #healing #love

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ceescedasticity · 2 months

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Unforsaken, 11d

(All sections on tumblr)

(AO3, lagging behind but more polished)

While Glorfindel talks further to Eluréd-and-Elurín/Alphsîr-and-Alphlîn and Celeborn hovers awkwardly to the side, everyone else finishes setting up camp and tries not to gossip too obviously.

A top matter of discussion is why Eluréd and Elurín are using different names.

Risyind figures they wanted to use different names to suit the different lives they were taking.

Khitwê suggests they might have thought someone would react to the "Elu" negatively, as he gathers their namesake is somewhat… contentious?

Legolas says Thingol isn't that contentious… but if they didn't want history and politics following them everywhere, well…

Zuste says she was just assuming they couldn't remember their original names.

Oh right peredhil may not experience elvish clarity of childhood memory.

Elladan and Elrohir (and Arwen) actually have very elf-typical early childhood memories, or at least feel like they do. How much that's organic and how much that was helped along by family and community patching up any holes is impossible to say at this point.

Which is to say, both Celeborn and Glorfindel know about the peredhil childhood memory thing, but they don't know know about it. It may not have occurred to them. Elladan figures someone should probably remind them later.

(Sharlinnu thinks automatically forgetting infancy sounds like a pretty good deal at this point but elects not to bring it up and inevitably derail the conversation.)

Gimli as well as the Hirnedhrim had no idea that elves did remember their infancies. Gimli and Zena would like to be able to remember; Zuste and Dyn would not.

"—And I'm surprised you do, Zena. What are you expecting to remember that you would want to?"

"Maybe I want to know if Dielina is telling the truth about baby you biting everyone you met."

(Dielina is five years older than Zena, who is three years older than Zuste. The goblin-men of Dunland mostly came in runs like that — three to eight inside a decade or two, then longer gaps. …While the Fair Orc was busy being dead, apparently.) (There were, of course, a number of older yet siblings around to raise them, at the time. They're just all dead now.)

Elladan steers the conversation onto safer (if irrelevant) ground by starting to recount all the biting Dúnedain children he had Elrohir have met over the centuries.

(The Sons of Fëanor do not say anything.)

(In addition to not wanting to attract attention, Celegorm really doesn't have anything to say.)

(Maglor knows knows about the peredhil childhood memory thing, having been witness to Elrond and Elros realizing they had lost things. They tried not to make a big deal out of it, especially in front of him, but. He knows knows.)

(He also knows that two small children focused on each other will not, necessarily, use each other's names enough to be well reminded of them.)

(Maglor is quite sure they don't remember whose name was whose.)

(He is saying nothing.)

*****

Elladan and Elrohir make the nightly palantír-call to Arwen as quietly and unobtrusively as they can, and report the confirmed arrival of their great-uncles. Swan-uncles.

"They don't seem to want to talk to anyone right now," Elrohir says.

"They don't seem to particularly want to be here," Elladan adds. "I don't think they would have come if Caraxitári — the Queen of the Geese — hadn't pushed them to."

"I think she's hoping they'll… re-acclimate?" Arwen offers.

(Re-imprint. The Queen of the Geese is hoping they'll re-imprint on the correct species.)

"I'm not sure whether there's any chance of that if they don't want to…"

When the conversation dies down, Gimli comes over to see if he can talk to Aragorn for a few minutes. He needs to share Celeborn not only calling Gimli a 'hero of the last war' but calling Gimli's people 'staunch allies'.

"Did he mean my people at Aglon? Erebor? The Line of Durin? Longbeards? He can't have meant all dwarves—"

"Honestly I think he was probably just trying to emphasize that they could trust you specifically…"

Meanwhile Zena is, by popular Zuste and Dyn's request, retelling the story of That Time Four Of Our Siblings Went Up To Those Marshes Where The Border-River Meets The Greyflood And Had A Survival Horror Experience Involving The Local Swans.

****

Glorfindel gets as far as showing Alphsîr and Alphlîn what it looks like when he gathers his power in order to apply it. He's starting to talk them through the process when one of the Geese circles overhead.

"That's Caraxitári," Alphsîr says. "She means it's time for us to sleep."

He still sounds very stiff and awkward but that is definitely disgruntlement.

"If you're living like swans that does make sense?" Celeborn offers. "Would you like to overnight here, or return to the Geese?"

"…We'll stay," Alphsîr says finally.

They turn back into swans, and settle themselves in the grass.

After a while they fall asleep.

Celeborn sits down right where he was standing. "What's the strongest thing we have to drink?"

Glorfindel: "…Sorry, but we didn't think this was the sort of journey that would allow for alcoholic indulgences."

Glorfindel is not saying: Also you and Maglor between you have polished off at least half of Imladris's remaining liquor stores since this whole thing started and I might want some of that at some point, did you ever think about that!

Celeborn: "Legolas Thranduilion. Do you or do you not have a few skins of Mirkwood moonshine somewhere in your baggage."

Legolas: had not realized Celeborn knows about that

Glorfindel: "If you're hung over tomorrow I'm not explaining it to the twins. Either twins."

#a tolkien tag #orc bank #orc bank unforsaken

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laora-ryn · 11 months

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Omg y'all, my husband's family had a tradition growing up that when any of them were sick (which was pretty often, since he's one of seven kids), they would watch the 1977 Rankin/Bass Hobbit movie. Their dad really loves Tolkien but was generally not a fan of letting the kids use The Tech (tm), so I think this is the compromise the older kids wrangled from him

I have heard about this movie from him and his siblings, but didn't really know anything about it myself since my parents weren't super into Tolkien, so I got into it with the PJ LOTR movies

ANYWAY so we've been sick all week and James found out that movie's on HBO, so he sat me down and made me watch it as a Time Honored Tradition

And I.

Bilbo has approximated Leia buns??? I spent an hour and seventeen minutes looking at him, but still have not figured out what is going on with this guy's hair

They really leaned hard into "there's thorin and uhhhhhhhhhh twelve other dwarves idk their names don't matter." The only ones I could keep straight were fili and kili, since they were blond, and balin and dwalin, because they have like, six-heads and brain wrinkles on their head lol

James always described Gollum in this movie as a booger, and now I understand why. They also made him blind, which doesn't make a ton of sense in the context of Bilbo using the ring to escape, but imo it's a neat design choice nonetheless

They really did THIS to thranduil oropherion I am still laughing my ASS off at this. He also spoke with a really shitty, half assed French accent for no discernable reason

And then there was? Smaug??? Who has laser beams for eyes?? And fur on his back?? And a tiger's face???? And pecs????????

I was too flabbergasted to remember to take more pictures but the conversation right before the battle went like this:

Thorin, Bard, and Thranduil: let's fuck these guys up!!

Gandalf: STOP you fools!!! As we speak there is a FOURTH army of goblins on its way here!!!

Thorin, Bard, and Thranduil:

Thorin: King Thranduil, my dearest friend and greatest ally, I would be honored to join forces with you to defeat this evil

Thranduil: oh mighty king thorin, it would be an honor [I wish I was making this up, if it weren't made in the 70s I would've thought it was a meme]

Also, at the end, bombur shows up in front of Bilbo only to keel over and die, before we cut to Bilbo's conversation with gandalf:

Bilbo: how many of our original thirteen remain??

Gandalf: seven :(

Bilbo: and thorin??

Gandalf: soon, it will be six :((((

No explanation for this or like, explanation of who else they arbitrarily killed off or anything

So anyway, this movie was An Experience (tm) and I wanted to share and also, y'all should watch it if you get the chance bc lol

#mine #the hobbit #lotr #i think thranduil takes the cake for me #but smaug is such a 'wtf???' that he gets an honorable mention too #sry for long post lol

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reds-skull · 5 months

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Not Alive, Nor Dead

[PREV PART] [AO3]

This is (probably) the shortest chapter I've ever posted. Just didn't feel right to start another day.

Also my brain is actually melting from uni work please save me

Someone is screaming his name. A voice, loud and muted, clear and rough.

Ghost groans. Colors burst behind his eyelids.

“SIMON RILEY”

He opens his eyes. The world is a mess of fog and stardust. Ladder-like patterns swirl around him.

“Reaper…” he whispers.

“GET UP”

Ghost tries to take control over his shaking limbs. Pain flashes like lightning down his arms, as he slowly pushes himself off the ground.

He looks up at his Reaper, frowning. The realm… it’s… different.

Little moths inhabit the Reaper’s domain, flying around the patterns it creates, landing on its shoulders.

“What happened?” Ghost’s voice quivers.

His Reaper lowers its head to watch him closely, “I WARNED YOU OF THIS. YOU REFUSED TO LISTEN. BARE WITNESS TO THE RAMIFICATIONS OF YOUR ACTIONS.”

Moths startle as his Reaper gestures around them.

“YOU LET THE REVENANT OF DESTRUCTION JOIN YOUR VOID, SIMON RILEY.”

Ghost’s head is thumping a rapid rhythm, and he struggles to comprehend, “what does that mean?”

The Reaper’s eyes glow red, the air around him chills.

“IT MEANS HE HAS REIGN OVER YOUR LIMBO. HE, AND ONLY HE, IS ABLE TO SLAUGHTER YOU THERE.”

The moths swarm around the raging being, their fire casting terrifying shadows over bioluminescent skin.

“FEAR NOT, SIMON RILEY. YOU HAVE STOLEN SOMETHING FROM THE REAPER OF DESTRUCTION AS WELL.”

The world around them starts collapsing, Ghost hypnotized by the Reaper’s eyes, 6 red dwarves exploding in the never-ending universe.

“YOU STOLE LIGHT.

A SWORD AND A SHIELD.

I WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE

FOR NOW

DO NOT FAIL ME, REVENANT.”

Someone is calling his name. A voice, warm and soft, desperate and calming.

“-Simon!”

He hums. Something is feeling his shoulders, neck, lips… the touch is warm, it pulls him back to sleep.

“-Please, please… wake up…”

It sounds so achingly like home. Flames ignite in his chest, and Simon smiles, “Johnny…”

“-Oh Reapers above, thank god!-”

Simon drifts away again, following a lilting voice to a dreamless sleep.

Ghost feels weightless. Almost like he’s still sleeping.

“How far until the safe house?”

Someone sighs, “3 clicks.”

There’s a hand on his left arm, he notes.

“Bloody hell… we’re too exposed with 2 fuckin’ corpses floating around us.”

“Don’t call them that, hermano… what if they’re really-”

“They’re not dead.” the other person grounds, “Soap wouldn’t be able to drag himself that far otherwise-”

Soap. Johnny. JOHNNY.

Ghost snaps his eyes open, taking the (moving?) night sky for half a second, before snarling and thrashing around.

“Bloody-!” The hand on him retreats, and Ghost drops to the ground with a gasp.

The pain that shoots through his entire body momentarily blinds him. “Fuckin’ hell…” he mutters through clenched teeth.

“Ghost?! Shit, are you okay?” his eyes finally focus on the figures in front of him.

Gaz is crouching, one hand hesitantly reaching for him, the other on a prone person, floating midair just like Ghost was up until a few seconds ago.

Rudy pops up behind him, relief obvious on his features, “are you injured, Fantasma?”

“Where’s-” Ghost hissed as he lifts from the ground, Rudy rushing to support his back, “where’s Johnny?”

Gaz steps to the side, bringing the floating man closer.

“He… hasn’t woken up since we found him.” Garrick gently moves Soap down to the dirt, “only injury I could find on him is this…”

Gaz lifts Soap’s left arm, streaks of black covering his entire forearm, as if someone clawed at it.

Ghost lowers his head, breathing heavily. Limbo, Johnny, his victims scrambling to take his fire-

“YOU STOLE LIGHT.”

“It’s my fault.” Ghost covers his eyes with a trembling hand, “I sent him to Limbo… he was too far to reach… I-” his breaths come out quicker and quicker, “he’s not gonna-”

“He will be alright, Ghost.” Gaz firmly says, “when we found you, you were together. Soap got all the way from the compound to you before passing out.” he sounds so sure, Ghost can’t tell if he’s trying to convince himself as well.

Ghost removes his hand to look at Garrick, who offers him a hand, “c’mon. Rudy knows a safe house not too far from here, maybe the others made it out as well.”

He takes the hand, lifting easily off the dry earth. Rudy supports him when Ghost almost falls back down, his touch cool compared to Las Almas’ air.

Ghost bares his teeth, muttering, “what happened?”

“After you and Soap destroyed the entire compound?” Rudy takes some of his weight as they start walking, “Graves and his Shadows appeared behind us. They tried to capture us.”

“Rounding us up like fuckin’ cattle” Gaz growls.

Ghost groans as his leg gives out, Garrick instantly reaching to help him up, “how did you escape?”

Guilt paints Gaz’s face, “Price ordered me to get you two. I tried to take him with me, but… he refused.” Gaz tilts his head down, hiding his eyes under his baseball cap, “I found Alejandro and Rudy on the way. I was too late.”

Rudy clicks his tongue, “you did what you could, hermano. Ale was pushing me away. Pandejo always tries to save me first…”

A heavy weight in his chest pulls at his insides. “Any… casualties?”

The two men supporting him are silent for a few seconds, “we don’t know.”

They remain quiet as they continue to make their way to Alejandro’s safe house. Ghost’s mind is a cacophony of screams, each thought competing for attention.

Could Graves really kill several dozen of trained revenant operators? How could Ghost not see it, why didn’t he follow his gut for once, and cut off the snake’s head before it could bite?

A voice shouts louder than the rest, mourning his teammates, his friends. Johnny.

He grits his teeth and pushes on.

Ghost has almost forgotten true despair. How lucky he is, life has a way to always remind him.

The safe house’s windows are dark when their little group reaches it. Gaz and Ghost look at Rudy, whose face sours the closer they get to the small building.

Ghost can’t see any tire tracks, footprints, anything to suggest any human has been present in the last couple of days.

“Ale set up some pressure plates at the front doors”, Rudy murmurs, voice lifeless as their surroundings, “I’ll… go take care of that.”

The Vaquero walks ahead, steps more assured than his spirit. Ghost takes the moment to glance at Johnny. He hasn’t moved an inch since Ghost woke up. According to Gaz, he found them over 3 hours ago.

Ghost shoves away the thoughts, that yell that he will never wake up. That it’s all his fault.

The latter are not wrong. He just can’t think about that right now, not without losing what little composure he gained.

Gaz tries to give him a reassuring smile, and Ghost sharply nods in return. He doesn’t know what he would’ve done if they didn’t find them, if Ghost woke up and all he had was an unconscious Johnny by his side, baring the mark of his violence.

Rudy waves at them, signaling the way in is safe. Ghost collects his thoughts and drowns them under the physical pain of walking. At least it makes for a great distraction.

“Nobody was here, Rudy.”

Gaz left Johnny on a moth-eaten couch, now standing in the eerily quiet hallway, watching Rudy rush from room to room, attempting to find any signs of life.

Ghost let himself down next to his Sergeant, when his legs started shaking so much he couldn’t stand anymore. Pain still pulses down his limbs with every heartbeat, and Ghost tries to focus on that instead of Johnny’s weak exhales.

Rudy eventually stops, returning to the room they’re all in, eyes tired beyond his years, breath fogging the air more than usual. He looks like he’s barely hanging on at this point. Ghost is sure they all do.

Ghost takes stock of their situation - all Los Vaqueros missing, the Captain, Commander Karim and Keller, status unknown. Location, unknown. Laswell, possibly collaborating on the betrayal. Shepherd, highly likely, not confirmed.

Graves, turned hostile.

Gaz is tired, he’s been using his powers for hours now. Even if it’s a small task, arms start hurting after you just hold a glass of water after several hours.

Rodolfo… he’s not in any state to fight, exhausted and shaken from the whole affair.

Johnny’s broken. To what extent, only time will tell.

“We can’t make any moves at our current state”, Ghost tries to sound as commanding as he usually does, “we need to rest and recharge. Take turns on lookout, in case anyone tailed us, hostile or not.”

Garrick nods, returning a “yes sir”, but Rudy stares at him for a few moments, conflicted. Eventually he sighs, looking away and heading towards what seems like a storage room.

He comes back out with a pile of blankets and pillows, calling Gaz over to take a pair, and giving Ghost two.

“For Jabón.” he explains as he walks to one of the windows, dragging a chair behind him, “I’ll take first watch. Rest easy, hermanos.”

Ghost feels the blankets for a moment, finding the softer one and wrapping it around Johnny’s still form, with gentleness that is outside his nature. He lifts Soap’s head to slide a pillow underneath, and pauses.

Johnny’s face is lax, unmoving and emotionless, in a way that is so unnatural, Ghost keeps waiting for the moment he opens his eyes, announcing the whole thing as the world’s worst prank.

He takes Johnny’s left arm in his, examining what Limbo left for him as a memory. Fingerprints wrap around his skin, cool to the touch when Ghost brushes over it.

Ghost then remembers Graves’ daft monologue, when shock and rage prevented him from truly processing what he heard.

“I’ve always wondered just how strong Soap is… after the carnage he left in Verdansk”

He caresses charred hands, their flame extinguished. Like water trickling down his spine, the pieces that make up Soap’s Reaping fall together.

There was never an explosion in a factory, was there, he wants to ask Johnny.

Soap killed Konchar, he got his revenge. The cost, the citizens of Verdansk.

Johnny is more destructive than any of them could imagine. Ghost looks back at every time he watched his Sergeant using his powers, how hesitant he was of them, almost scared.

He wasn’t afraid to be too weak. He feared he was too strong, terrified of hurting, of hands made for senseless violence.

Hands akin to his own.

Ghost doesn’t sleep. His heart does not calm, his mind doesn’t quiet down. He watches the sun rise, grey skies casting soft light over the barren rooms of the safe house, Rudy long fallen asleep in his watch.

A new day greets Ghost, alone.

The hurt gotta hurt for the comfort to be good.

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alistairssock · 5 months

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Every day I grow increasingly disappointed and mad that the body options in BG3 are so limited when it comes to their bodies

I complain a lot about all the male companions having rippling abs (first off: why??? second off: the hell¿¿¿). While most the female companions have hourglass shaped bodies with uber perky tits facing the sky. Except Lae'zel and Karlach. Lae'zel being weird and lanky yet strong, gitting her being githyanki and a warrior. Check. It's good, I really like that about her, it makes her interesting and unique. Her tits are even slightly diffrent than the others. Karlach? I could never slander Karlach. She's perfect. Hope she can continue to piss off whiny gamer boys who are afraid of muscular women taller than them. Or awaken something in them. Either option is fine.

But the main thing that bothers me is that we're living up to this insane beauty standard that is so implimented into our society that it's so to speak impossible to un-stick from video games. It's a sick and twisted cishet gamerbro fantasy, rubbed into our faces. It's lazy and boring, and lacking of flavor and I'm so so tired of it. And don't get me started how unrealistic most their bodies are compared to what they do and how they've lived and who they are. That could easily be a whole other wall of a text post.

Thing is, I wouldn't mind this as much if the 'standard' bodies were just one of many options. If these body types were just one of many and not the default on every single character model. There could be a custom option/sliders to adjust the character's bodies to your own vision and preference. Though, I do wish it would come with a lot more diverse bodies to begin with (baseline for npcs, and that isn't much to ask for, they clearly have the power, but are not willing to wield it). Hell, even a height slider would be good. Not all player/non-playable characters abide to the standard set body options; that is simply ridiculous when you think about it.

It does however bother me extra much because it's such a cowardly trap both Dragon Age - and probably also other fantasy games (and let's be real, most video games in general) - and now Baldur's Gate fall into. Men are square and burly, and women are hourglass shaped and dainty in comparison, no matter the race option (cough, cough I'm looking at the dwarves mainly). Dare i say The Ideal Male Body and Sexulised Version Of What Most Women Look Like. The only two genders. They do have given us muscled options, for which I'm grateful. But they are mostly just "would you like to be bigger and taller?", and that's it. Essentially same body, just streched out and slap some muscle in it, no problem. But seeing as it's in a fantasy world very much like our world (as in...people are people, living their people person lives), there should be a lot more bodily diversity. Fat people should exist, and they shouldn't be limited to antagonistic characters. We all see why that is wrong and fucked up, right?

It is progressive in it's ways, of course. The fact you can mix and match genitalia to body is a huge plus in my book. Pronouns are also super epic. Not much to complain about on that front, not many gives us these options. It's a small step for gaming, a huge step for humanity, or whatever.

It might be a lot to ask for to have options that include and embrace every aspect of the human experience. I do want more disabled characters in all shades and colours, I do want more fat characters in all shapes and sizes, I do want better and more hair for poc characters. The list goes on forever. So while I'm grateful for what we have and know and acknowledge and mourn it's not a perfect game by far (by wishes and just as a fact), I do appreciate what has been offered us so far. I just need to get this all off my chest, air out some thoughts

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #could probably added more but wanted to keep it fairly short and this is also what I've been thinking about the most #there are other things too that could be talked about but aren't up to me to address

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feathered-serpents · 1 year

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Also the wedding has great potential for some Atreus Sindri reconciliation, if they haven't made up already by this point 👀

Its been awhile since the Atreboda wedding discussions but that’s because of how long I spent answering this ask

It does!

I have a lot of ideas for how Atreus and Sindri reconcile, but the common denominator in them all is that Atreus has to instigate. I think Sindri becomes trapped in his grief, he can’t really break out on his own

I’m now imaging a very ridiculous quest or DLC that’s “Atreus tracks Sindri through realm after realm just to invite him to his wedding” and it’s just as perilous as any other quest in the game except the end goal is literally just to get an invitation to Sindri. The thing is Atreus is unhinged enough to do that.

Oh no I lost control of my body and accidentally wrote 1552 words about this. Whoops. Enjoy.

____

When Atreus first finds his new forge, he sees the rust. The scraps of blades and armor carelessly thrown about. The place is quiet and black. The only sign of life an echo of a hammer and a glow, far into the forge.

That’s where Atreus finds Sindri, over this “forge.” Facing away from him. Hammering something molten into a point. The blackness and the glow made him no more than a dark shape.

“What do you want?” Sindri spits with a voice made of venom and smoke.

Atreus did not answer right away. Instead, he became- distracted. By a forgotten fascination in watching the dwarves forge. He’d used to do it as a boy, while his father bickered with one, the other would work and Atreus got lost in the rhythm of it. The steady, sure swing of the hammer, the clang of it in the molten metal, the sparks that flew free. After one hammer swing, nothing about the molten blob below it would look different, but by the twelfth, there’d be the suggestion of a breastplate, by the hundredth it would be there truly, and already better than any human smith could hope for, and by the thousandth, it would be perfect. Beyond perfect. Dwarven perfect. It would all be done in a day.

At this moment, the thing Sindri hammered had no true shape, and there is enough of a glint off the hammer that he can see the head had been rounded and worn to the handle.

“Here to waste space?” Sindri picks up the half-pointed molten thing with his bare and blistering hands, dunking it into a basin of water Atreus hadn’t noticed until now. The chamber fills with boiling steam and his eyes water.

Atreus had wanted to say something else before this remark. Greet Sindri. Tell him he'd missed him. Tell him he was sorry, but he didn't. He just blurted out his reason for being there, when he couldn't think of a way to say anything else:

“I’m getting married.”

The hammer stopped.

Sindri froze. The way people do when they've just been told something confidently when the thing itself makes no sense at all.

“Married…?”

He turned around then, quickly, and Atreus finally saw his face. Patched red, skin flaking from the heat of a constant forge. Soot had sunk into every line of his face, like ink, giving him a look like a living etching, Line and color brought together to suggest a man where there was none.

But his eyes were there.

They had landed in the perfect center of Atreus’ chest. and they’d landed there with intent. Once they’d settled they filled with shock. Then confusion. Sindri’s eyes flicked frantically around in the dark. Lost. A panic in them Atreus didn’t know the name for. Finally, Sindri looked up, and he found his face.

For the first time in ten years, Atreus looked Sindri in the eye, and he saw his friend. There and pure and alive in front of him.

His friend saw him for just a moment before he flickered away and a dark, hardened thing took his place.

"No," said Sindri.

"Sindri-"

"Whatever you want-" Something caught in his throat. He coughed. Then rasped out the rest. "It's gone. I lost it."

I lost it. Atreus thought of the thing on the anvil. Of the things scattered around this half-tamed forge.

"I..." He tried to keep his eyes on Sindri but Sindri wouldn't hold his gaze. He'd stare off behind him, or at his feet, or over his head. Anywhere but his face. "I don't want anything."

"I don't believe you." Atreus felt the venom in Sindri's voice in his veins. "You think anything's changed? You think I've spent one moment missing you-" This time the cough choked him. Sindri cleared his throat violently, he spits something black and wet at Atreus' feet.

"Whatever you want, my answer is no."

The steam of the water no longer boiled the air, but Atreus' eyes still watered.

"I want-" He bit his tongue. "I'd like... you to be at my wedding."

Sindri met his eyes for another brief, rare moment. The shock was back but... not the same kind of shock as when he'd first looked at him. This shock was- softer. One blink away from pride. And like his eyes before it flickered away to be replaced by the hard thing.

“Why?”

Atreus only shrugged. “I just want you there.”

Sindri turned his back to him then. Turned to the thing on the anvil now too cooled to effectively forge any further. Perhaps that is why he did not pick up his stump of a hammer again. Perhaps that is why he did not do anything but stand and stare into the embers.

“What have they been calling you?” Sindri said. “Lord of Tricksters? God of Mischief? They don’t know you, Loki. You’re just fucking stupid.”

Atreus nodded in unseen agreement.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out something large and smooth. Anyone would've thought it a polished amber stone, but not Sindri. Atreus placed the seed on a low stone table, covered in tools just as worn as the hammer. It glowed there. Taking the burning light from the forge and turning it gentle. He'd hoped Sindri might turn around one more time when he heard the gentle knock of seed on stone, but he didn't. Sindri had faced him for as long as he could stand.

“You can use this to find us," Atreus said. He thought about saying what he'd wanted to at the start. The apologies. The declarations. He heard them in his head and felt them on his tongue.

He let the impulse pass. “Thanks for letting me see you, Sin," he said. And he left

And as Atreus walked back out into the open air, somewhere behind him a hammer started again.

____

Atreus did not see Sindri at the wedding.

He tried not to feel the grief that gave him, and if he were honest, it wasn't hard. Not today at least. Today was for him.

For him as much as it was for Ironwood. For his friends. His family. His father. It was a day for Giants as well as Gods. A day for a world without Odin and before it all, it was a day for Angrboda.

He would mourn what needed mourning tomorrow. Today was for her.

It was a long day, but they'd been warned it would be. Thus was the danger of a wedding where the guests only slept when they chose to.

"I saw a godly wedding last a month once," Mimir had told them. "With a little luck, I'd say we get yours done in three days."

They don't think it lasted three days, but by the time they managed to escape their wedding night had solidly transformed into a wedding dawn, and still, they languished on their way. They raced each other aimlessly through the Ironwood like the day they met.

Angrboda had learned to change her shape not long ago and she changed into a fox to match his wolf, hiding in the brush for him to sniff her out. When he found her she ran and made Atreus chase her through the fireflies and the ferns and the forest until she became a woman again and let him catch her.

When they did make it back, it was truly morning. The light clear and gold on the roof of their painted home.

They found it there.

They nearly didn't find it. It blended so well against the wood of the table Angrboda used to mix all her powders and paints together. The dark wooden box was placed perfectly between all her colors and they found it.

It was heavy- not heavy- but heavier than Atreus expected for something that barely filled his palm. He had some trouble opening it as the lid had no hinge, it simply held on by how perfectly it fit the box. Atreus would find the brand on its underside in a day.

Inside were rings.

The rings were not extravagant. There were no heavy-colored stones, no engravings, no strange shapes. The rings were just two smooth nearly identical bands of amber.

When they looked more closely, they could see hints of shining color inside. One ring has thin veins of a bright blue inside, following the natural roads of the patterns in the stone. That ring fit Angrboda, more perfectly than any ring could.

The other carried flecks of gold inside. Dozens of them. Beautifully small. Suspended in the band like yellow leaves in the wind. That one fit him.

The bands held no great magic. They would not make more of themselves again and again and again or turn into some great killing weapon. The rings simply felt like home, and they had been made for them.

And Atreus finds nothing to mourn today.

#God of War #god of war: ragnarok #god of war ragnarok #atreboda #sorry this took so long i went insane

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justjbeboriginalo · 5 months

Text

Don't Die This Time

Kili Fanfic

Kili meets a girl who has to go along on their quest on Gandalf's request. The girl captures his attention from the first time they meet and they grow to love each other over the course of the quest.

Pairing: Kili x OC female who can control nature

Note 1: Kili stays alive in this fic, along with Fili and Thorin.

Note 2: English is not my first language, so excuse any mistakes

Chapter 2: Long travels

Warnings: none

Gaia follows the heavy footsteps of the company in front of her, sighs leaving them as they make their way to their next destination. They have been traveling for the past three days and they have barely stopped to rest or to eat. This has not really had an effect on Gaia since she is used to her long ventures through forests and woodlands, but the company has been struggling. They are more irritable than usual and they are constantly bickering over silly nonsense.

“How,” Kili heaves out next to her, “are you not tired? You have been more on the outlook than the rest of us, getting even less sleep than us, but you have still more energy than the whole company combined.” Kili almost slips while he talks to her, but she catches him. He mumbles a thank you before he turns his eyes to the ground in front of him.

“I suppose I have been doing this longer than you. I enjoy long walks,” Gaia says in a joking manner which causes Kili to let out a chuckle. He turns his head to look at Gaia and she gives him a small smile. He smiles back at her before he continues with his eyes to the front.

They are walking at the back of the company. Gaia is looking out for the group from behind and she also covers their backs.

Occasionally, she will guide the trees or leaves to cover them from the weather, providing some relief from the burning rays of the sun. It rained the previous night and she provided them with shelter by weaving together broad, large leaves and keeping the woven leaves above their beds.

Kili has also been her partner for conversation since they left her forest. She suspects that Thorin has ordered Kili to keep an eye on her so that she does not sabotage the quest. She cannot complain. He has been good company so far and they share the same sense of humor.

“Is that the one you said dwarves cannot eat?” Kili points to a nearby plant decorated with white flowers. Gaia squints her eyes at the plant. She gives a nod.

“Yes, well done, Kili. You are getting really good.” Kili has a proud smile and he straightens his shoulders. He strides further with confidence and Gaia giggles at his antics.

Kili had asked her to teach him the different types of plants for him to identify what he could eat and what he should stay clear of. This has been the topic of most of the conversations and she enjoys sharing her knowledge. Kili is also a quick learner, so he has made a lot of progress since she started her teachings.

“All right. I think we can make camp here for the night. Take a bath in pairs to look out for any trouble. Gaia and Kili, you are responsible for the food along with Bofur. The rest, get a fire going and get settled. We will not be stopping until we pass through the Misty Mountains,” Thorin commands and the company nearly falls down right where they are with a chorus of groans.

Gaia softly laughs at them as she places the bags from the company down. Kili plunges down next to her, letting out a loud yawn. His head leans back, his eyes closed.

“You can get some rest after we get the food. Come on, or else you are going to fall asleep.” Gaia taps his shoulder, but Kili groans in protest. She laughs lightly and taps him again.

Kili’s eyes remain closed and she shakes her head. He is also exhausted from the travels of the past few days. She does not blame him.

“I will go. You can take a bath in the river and get some rest,” Gaia says, turning on her heels. She needs to have a proper look at her surroundings. She does not know where they are and what food there might or might not be.

She hears a shuffle behind and turns her head slightly, noticing Kili standing up. Gaia comes to a stop and waits for him to catch up.

“I said that you can get some rest.”

“I cannot let you go on your own. Thorin would not be happy. And, he also instructed me to- “ Kili catches himself before he reveals what Gaia already knew, “He said that I was also on food duty. I need to fulfill my role.” He gives Gaia a wide grin and hurries out before Gaia.

She follows him with a smile and they walk to the nearby tree line. There is a small woodland near their camp. It is quite small, but there is bound to be some life in there somewhere.

Kili lifts his bow from his shoulder and gestures for Gaia to be quiet. She purses her lips to prevent a laugh from escaping. He keeps on forgetting she can feel the vibrations of the animals. Well, with these shoes it makes it impossible to feel the vibrations.

Thorin gave her shoes to wear and her clothing is made out of spare clothing that the rest of the company had. He thinks that she will attract too much attention if she wears her usual white dress with flowers and vines. Who is she to argue?

“Quickly,” Kili urges her on, hiding behind a bush. Gaia swiftly makes her way to the bush and stops next to Kili, ensuring she does not make a sound.

A few stray bucks are roaming around, unaware of their presence. Kili readies his bow, the arrow pointing to the largest buck when the wind turns. The herd catches their scent and scatters away, leaving Kili with a disappointed groan.

“I am too exhausted to track them. Is there enough plants here to get some fruits and other . . . stuff from,” Kili says with a defeated sigh. Gaia puts her hand on his arm, squeezing slightly.

“You give up too easily,” she says, winking at him. Kili raises a brow, confused at her. Gaia closes her eyes, focusing all her attention on the wind.

She has never truly mastered the air, but she knows she can bring the herd back here with their scent.

Gaia’s hands move slowly in the air, and Kili feels the wind becoming stronger. The wind suddenly changes direction and a few strands of his hair whips into his face.

The sound of the bucks returning causes Gaia to snap her eyes open. She cannot believe she did not mess it up. Usually, it would take her a few tries.

She turns her head to look at Kili, who is staring mesmerized at her.

Heat rushes to her cheeks and she laughs silently at his intense gaze. Her fingers reach out to the loose strands in his face. She removes his hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear. His eyes are glued to hers and she smiles slightly.

“You can take your shot,” Gaia whispers, barely audible. This snaps Kili from his trance and he gives a quick nod before he turns himself to face the herd.

Again, he readies his bow with the arrow to the largest of the herd. The arrow hits the buck and Gaia inhales sharply.

“Are you all right?” Kili asks, his hand on her shoulder. She nods quickly with a weak smile.

“I will get some herbs for the meat. Along with some other plants,” she says, standing up. Kili follows her and also stands up. “Get the buck and head on out. I will meet you at the tree line.” Kili gives a thumbs-up and heads to his prey.

Gaia hurries while searching for something to eat. She finds some herbs and a few fruits, but the company probably would not like that. It can be sour this time of the year. Perhaps some . . . Ah, yes. She bends down, picking a few berries from the small bush that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. These are always delicious.

With her hands and pockets full of plants, she walks back to the tree line where Kili is patiently waiting for her. She joins him and they head back to the company.

They dump the buck and plants at Bofur’s feet. Bofur rubs his hands together with a satisfied smile.

“We will be having a feast tonight,” he says to them and grabs a handful of the herbs. Kili gestures with his head for Gaia to follow him and they walk back to where they left their stuff. Fili has already set up their beds and is waiting for them, lying on the top of his bed.

“Ah, Ki. We have to take a bath before it gets dark. You done hunting?” Fili asks as he sits up. He stretches himself out, hiding a yawn.

“Yes. We found quite a big one tonight.” Fili gets up with a smile and turns to Gaia.

“Since you have joined our company, we have managed to get meat with every meal. Thank you,” Fili says with a sincere smile. Gaia bows slightly.

“Hey, I am still the one who hunts the deer,” Kili says, crossing his arms across his chest with an angry pout.

“You have been struggling to find any meat.” Fili nudges his brother with his elbow. “Thanks to her, you have been able to find the meat. You needed a spotter,” Fili says and claps Kili’s back. Kili snorts at Fili.

“You are more than welcome to join us. We will behave,” Fili says, looking at Gaia. She laughs softly. “Unless you would want to join Dwalin and Balin.” He gestures to the dwarves who are arguing about something before Thorin manages to break it up. Gaia snaps her eyes to Fili and Kili.

“I would love to join you guys.” Fili hums and goes to retrieve his stuff. Gaia gets her small bag from the pile of bags and follows Fili and Kili to the river. She listens to them talking about the journey and what might await them at the Misty Mountains.

They are interrupted by the loud roaring of the stream of water from the river. The river is quite deep compared to the streams in Gaia’s forest. It is not too strong, surprisingly, for its depth and the way it sounds.

Fili comes to a stop and puts his stuff on the bedrock before he turns to Gaia.

“You can bathe first. We will keep watch. You can keep watch when it is our turn.” Gaia gives a quick nod and the two dwarves turn their back on her, keeping their gaze on the surrounding area.

She slips out of the layers of clothing until she is free from the rags. She tiptoes to the water and feels the temperature of the water. It is not too cold. Quite refreshing, actually.

With a deep breath, she jumps into the water and the water enfolds her body. She surfaces with closed eyes, feeling the rushed vibrations of the river. Her body shivers at the feeling.

Water has always excited her, but she has never succeeded at working with water. It is extremely unpredictable, just like fire.

All she ever could work with were mostly plants, trees, and things like that. She has found a way to work with the air, but water has been largely unsuccessful. Rocks also has been giving her headaches. They never want to move.

“Are you still alive?” Kili shouts over his shoulder which brings Gaia back to the present.

“Yes, I am almost done,” she says, rubbing her skin under the water. She pulls her fingers through her hair, untangling it as she works through the knots.

On the bedrock, Kili and Fili have decided to rather sit down. They are still able to see their surroundings and this way they can rest their legs from the long walk. Kili’s eyes are zoned out, his hands playing with the runestone his mother gave him.

“Ki,” Fili calls him, but he does not hear him at first. When his brother calls again, louder this time, Kili jerks his head to his brother. “Are you all right? You have been acting strange.” Kili tries to force a smile, but he fails.

“Yes,” Kili lies, but his brother looks unamused.

“You can tell me.” Kili takes a deep breath, turning his eyes to the stone in his hand.

“I- I think . . . “ Kili trials off, not knowing how to put it. He has not really thought about saying it out loud, especially not now. Not this soon. What can he say?

“I think I might, uh, like Gaia,” he mumbles the last part, hoping Fili did not hear him. The chuckle that comes from Fili signifies that he did in fact hear Kili.

“Ah, so that is what is bothering you. I thought it was something serious,” Fili jokes. Kili glares at Fili which only causes Fili to laugh. “I am kidding. Are you sure?” Kili furrows his brows, unsure what Fili means by that.

“Am I sure that I like her?” he tries to clarify. Fili adjusts his sitting position, resting on his hands behind him.

“Yes. We have been busy with this quest for quite some time. We have not really had the chance to focus on anything other than the quest. Then the first lass comes along and you like her. I am asking whether you like her for her, or just because she is, you know, a woman. You flirted with the elven maid and then thought one of the male elves was attractive.” Kili hits his brother with the back of his hand, a huff leaving his lips. Fili laughs again. “Come on, Ki. You might just like her because she is the first lass you have spent time with in a long time. Granted, she is a lively character, much like you. But that does not mean you truly have the feelings you think you might have. It might just be a crush.”

Fili’s words crush Kili and he has to hide his disappointment. Everything registers and he realizes that Fili might be correct. He merely has a crush on Gaia. Or might it be more?

Fili has always known Kili almost better than Kili knows himself.

Kili sighs softly as he glances over his shoulder at Gaia. Her long black hair clings to her pale back, her slender fingers working through the locks.

Fili notices the inner turmoil that Kili experiences and he places his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Kili looks at his brother.

“Just give it some time. See what happens. But do not look for something that might be a mere illusion. We still do not know the true intentions of her presence in this quest. Do not get too involved,” Fili says with a sympathetic smile. Kili nods hesitantly.

Do not look for something that might be a mere illusion.

He swallows another sigh that wants to escape him. Fili might be right. He also liked the elven maid from Rivendell. Gaia has the complexion of an Elf, but there is something else. A light that emanates from her whenever she smiles or speaks, unlike that elven maid. Almost more alluring than the Elves.

“I am done,” Gaia’s voice rips him from his thoughts. He hides the blush that covers his face and quickly stands up. He makes his way to the river while he ignores Gaia’s eyes, hoping for some relief from the cold water.

Fili hands Gaia his sword and she takes it, the sword heavy in her hands. He hurries after Kili to the river and they hurry to get in.

Gaia mimics the way they waited for her and sits down with her back to them, the sword next to them. Her hair is still wet from the wash and she tries to maneuver the water out of her hair, but to no avail. Wind is the next best option.

With a determined huff, she focuses on the air that surrounds her and her hands move to create a small breeze. Her hair moves along in the slight wind and she cannot stop a smile from forming. She is starting to get the hang of the wind.

She takes strands of her hair and decides to loosely braid them, just to keep them from flying astray in the breeze.

A loud laughter comes from above the roaring of the river and she glances over her shoulder at the brothers. Fili is dodging water attacks from Kili, who is soaking from the water. They laugh as they splatter water in each other’s direction.

Gaia smiles at their ability to still find something fun to do while they are on such a serious quest.

Strands of Kili’s hair cling to his face and neck, his broad shoulders sparkling in the setting sun. Gaia’s eyes travel from his broad shoulders down his well-toned chest. The thin brown hairs cover his chest and travel down his stomach.

Gaia snaps her head to the front, forcing herself to give him the privacy he gave her. She does not want to invade his privacy.

Her hands cover her face, the heat warm against her cold hands. She cannot believe she stared at a dwarf. An attractive one, but nonetheless. Oh, what has she gotten herself into?

She moves her hands from her face down to her neck, letting her head fall back. She shakes her head slightly, trying to rid them of the images of Kili.

Unfortunately, the images are engrained into her memory.

“You are supposed to be looking out for any danger. What if something attacked us while you were sleeping?” Fili asks when he stops next to her. This startles Gaia and she snaps her eyes to look at Fili.

“You guys are done?” She stands up and hands the sword to Fili before she wipes her hands against her pants. “Good. You were taking forever,” she says, jokingly. Fili smiles at her and sheathes his sword.

Gaia’s eyes turn to Kili, but he is looking at the ground while he squeezes water from his brown locks.

“It is getting darker. We should head back. Uncle might worry about us,” Fili says, breaking the silence. Gaia nods and follows them back to the camp.

At the camp, Bofur is singing again while the rest of the dwarves are also singing and eating. They started without them.

Kili and Fili hurry to join the company, leaving Gaia behind. She watches them with a smile, heading to get something to eat. She is starved.

The company’s spirits seem to be better after a good meal and some singing. They all sit around the fire, listening to Balin recalling the glory days of Erebor. Thorin adds in whenever he remembers something of importance. Kili and Fili seem to be hanging on Balin’s lips along with Ori.

Gaia takes small bites from a yellow fruit, listening to them reminiscing about the good old days. She remembers the short period she spent at Erebor with Gandalf.

They were called for advice and Gandalf wanted someone to accompany him to the King under the mountain - Thror. They left shortly before he got Dragon sickness. They might have been able to prevent him from obtaining all that gold.

Gaia lets out a silent sigh. There is no cure for Dragon sickness, but they could have tried. Surely, between all the wizards and her knowledge of plants, they could have come up with something.

“Gaia, have you ever visited Erebor?” Bilbo asks, trying to bring her into the conversation. She looks at the hobbit with a sad smile. The dwarves wait for her to answer and she gives a quick nod.

“Once. I met Thror. He was a kind host,” she says, inclining her head slightly at Thorin. He also has a sad look in his eyes as he seems to remember his grandfather.

“Have you been there since the dragon . . . “ Oin trails off, not sure how to describe what happened to Erebor. Gaia shakes her head.

“No, this will be my first time.” The company hums in agreement, all seemingly lost in their own thoughts at what Erebor might be like. Gaia plays with a loose strand of hair, thinking about how things might have been different for the dwarves if she went to assist them when Smaug attacked. She has never fought a dragon before, but she has the confidence that she could have prevented thousands, perhaps even more, from dying. But she was too fragile. The possibility of her turning was still high back then.

Gaia stands up and heads to her small bag. She cannot dwell in the past. She supposes she will take the first watch tonight. Or even all the watches. The rest are too tired and she fears they might fall asleep.

She searches through her bag and finally retrieves a few leaves to weave during her watch tonight.

“Who will take the first watch tonight?” Dwalin asks and the dwarves groan in unison. Thorin steps toward the end large rock under which they have made their camp.

“I will take the first watch. Fili will follow me, with Gloin next and lastly Dori.” Thorin walks out from the shelter of the large rocks to take his place for the first watch. The rest of the company silently settles in for the night.

Gaia watches Kili make his way over to her, where his bed is located next to Fili’s. Kili mumbles a good night to her when he passes her and she frowns at him.

Why is he acting all strange suddenly? Perhaps he is just exhausted from the journey, but something else seems off. She wonders what it could be.

“Kili,” Gaia calls softly. He turns his head to her, readying his bed for himself. Gaia shuffles closer to him and places her hand on his arm. Kili averts his gaze to his bed but Gaia turns him to her.

“Kili, what is the matter?” she asks with a whisper. Kili quickly looks at her, giving her a smile.

“Nothing. I am just tired, that is all,” he says before he returns his attention to his bed. Gaia keeps her hand on his arm, forcing him back to her.

“You know you can talk to me. About anything.” Kili flashes her a smile accompanied by a nod. Gaia notices that his smile does not reach his eyes. Perhaps he needs some space. And a good night’s rest.

“All right,” she says, “good night then.” Kili bows his head and she hears a good night from Fili.

With the leaves in her hands, she heads to Thorin. She does not want to pry, but Kili has been acting strange since they came back from the river. What could have happened?

Gaia sees Thorin leaning against another large stone and she softly makes her way to him. He seems deep in thought and does not notice her presence next to him.

Gaia looks at the large mountains that lay before them. The Misty Mountains.

“Oh, I did not hear your arrival. Do you need anything?” Thorin asks with a tired voice. Gaia looks at him and notices the dark circles under his eyes. The quest has also taken a toll on Thorin, even if he tries to hide it.

“I can keep watch. I’m not tired,” Gaia says with a small smile. Thorin furrows his brows together.

“You have been keeping watch each time we have stopped for rest. You cannot continue- “

“I do not need a lot of sleep,” she interrupts him. “Go, get some rest.” Thorin lets out a defeated sigh.

“Wake Fili for the next watch,” Thorin states over his shoulder as he heads back to the camp for rest. He comes to a halt before turning back to Gaia.

“I do not remember ever seeing you at Erebor. When did you visit my grandfather?”

Gaia has a small smile on her face as she looks at Thorin.

“I visited your grandfather before you were born,” she says, turning to face the mountains. Thorin hesitates, trying to piece together the information.

“But that would make you- “ Thorin stops as he comes to the realization. “How old are you?”

Gaia chuckles and shakes her head. She waves her hand dismissively over her shoulder at Thorin. She does not know.

“I have stopped counting ages ago,” she states before she gives Thorin, who is dumbfounded, a warm smile. “Good night.” She returns her gaze to the mountains and starts weaving the old leaves and vines. She hears Thorin walking back to the camp.

She will take the shift for the night. The others seemed too eager for a proper full night of rest. They will need it if they want to get through those mountains in one piece

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toon4thought · 5 months

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Got to see "Wish" yesterday.

I had no real strong feelings going into this celebration of a film going in. I just knew that it all was a culmination of Disney's history with fairy tales. And watching it... admittedly gave me more mixed emotions than I hoped.

Starting on a positive note: the visual presentation. The psuedo-watercolor look to the backgrounds really makes them pop with pretty detail, and while it would've been preferable to also have the characters hand-drawn, the cinematic screen really shows how many 2D sensibilities are actually in their linework and movements. Color work can really stand out in places too. It's not the most storybook-like animation nor most effective blend I've seen, but it feels about right for how I'd expect Disney to handle that.

The plot is, by design, very tropey - pretty much going off the checklist of what is expected from Disney fairy tales - and while it wasn't the most interesting thing in the world, I could certainly wrap my head around the thought process. However, I do have to criticize parts of the writing, in that it often felt like the dialogue was just over-explaining the plot details to the audience. It felt like there was little room for subtle depth when there easily could've been.

Similarly, characters are standard but likable. Asha - while not a new character type for WDAS - is charming and rootable. Her Seven Dwarves-referenced friends do a good job at getting involved in the action and all have their moments to shine. Star is cute, Valentino... eh, I can give or take. And King Magnifico is, of course, a villain you love to hate - starting out with the illusion of generosity, only for his true colors to become more exposed over time. He's not going to make many top 10 lists, but his animation and Chris Pine hamming it up pays off.

The songs - not the best, to be honest. They're catchy enough, are generally brought to life well, and many may well find a standout (my fave was "This is The Thanks I Get"). But you're not going to find a new "We Don't Talk About Bruno" here. I think part of the issue is that the approach to them felt fairly modern-leaning, which I think was a mistake when this is meant to be presented as a classical fairy tale. Though I will say, the actual orchestral score fares notably better on this front.

I think the big saving grace of the film, besides the presentation, is how thematically tied it is to it being Disney's centennial. Not just in how many easter eggs get littered in, but also how the whole heart of the picture is about following your dreams and to not let a higher authority take them away from you. Sounds simplistic, but they litter in enough nuance for it to feel relatable. And apart from it being something people really need to hear sometimes, especially in our late-stage capitalism world; recall too how Walt Disney himself first built this empire by taking chances on utilizing animation that no one else in Hollywood would. There's even precedent to this with a few bits seen in the film, but I'm not going to give that away here. It hits pretty hard, and serves well as a metaphor on its own merits.

I'd say if you weren't intrigued by the trailers, you're not going to be swayed by the film. But the kids and others wanting something to lift their spirits are unquestionably going to eat this up, as it really is the exact kind of tale that made Disney the titan we both love and hate today.

#disney animation #disney wish #wish movie #walt disney animation studios #wish

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imakemywings · 2 years

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In the Third Age, what kind of relationship did Thranduil have with the remaining great Elves (Galadriel, Elrond, Círdan, Glorfindel and Celeborn) who were still in Middle Earth? How do you think they felt about him and vice versa? Also, what kind of presence would Thranduil have at council (such as a meeting of the White Council or the Council of Elrond), in your opinion?

ANON. I am now ready to answer this. Apologies for the delay, this week has been a doozy (#｀-_ゝ-)

Basically everything I'm about to say is based on my own headcanons, because we really don't get any information about how Thranduil relates to the rest of Middle-earth. The only one of Tolkien's writings he features prominently in (The Hobbit) doesn't even address him by name (he's just "the Elvenking").

Luckily for YOU anon, I spend a stupid amount of time thinking about this guy so I am happy to fill in the gaps lol

My view of Thranduil's relationship with the other Elves is based on a couple of things, which are hinted at by various pieces of canon but which are in no way confirmed canon:

Thranduil was Doriathrim

Thranduil was present at both the later Kinslayings

Thranduil chose to stay in Middle-earth and help his father rebuild a home for the remnants of their people rather than take the chance to sail West

And some things which are canon:

Oropher chose to march his armies separately to Mordor rather than join under the banner of Gil-galad during the War of the Last Alliance

Oropher purposefully moved the capitol of Greenwood the Great further north to get away from the influence of Galadriel and Celeborn in Lorien

Mirkwood was left to manage the damage of the Necromancer on its own for hundreds, possibly a couple thousand years.

So you can see why Thranduil, in my view, begins from a place of deep distrust of the Noldor and a desire or a feeling that Greenwood/Mirkwood is separate and apart from the other Elven realms.

Thingol, king and founder of Doriath, and Oropher are both shown to be relatively cautious in politics. They tend to prefer keeping to their own and letting the events of other realms play out as they will. That is not to say they are completely isolationist, but that they tend to be deliberate when engaging with others.

There are hints in canon, I believe--such as Thranduil's creating his own palace in memory of Menegroth--that Thranduil takes his lead from Thingol and Oropher, which would suggest he also takes a cautious approach to politics. In The Hobbit we see that he is very wary of what the Dwarves are up to, unwilling to let them pass until he knows their intentions, and Mirkwood is generally described as a somewhat reclusive place, despite the trade it keeps up with Laketown.

All of this to say that I think Thranduil, at his best, would be cautious in dealing with the other Elven realms. Then we add to this that he has dislike and distrust for the Noldor, and I find it hard to imagine he's particularly buddy-buddy with any of them.

With that set-up, I'm going to put the rest of this under a cut.

There are also plenty of elements here of things I just find entertaining, aside from my little justifications up there so I'm just admitting that up front.

Galadriel - Absolutely not. She is not only a Noldo, she's a Finwean. We know the Arafinweans in general tended to believe they were not as guilty as the Feanorians in Alqualonde (whether that's true or not is certainly up for debate) so I can't imagine she considered herself in any way connected to the later Kinslayings. Thranduil, right or wrong, feels Galadriel is obliged to apologize for the actions of her family and officially, publicly distance herself. Galadriel feels this is unfair and unnecessary, because she didn't kill anyone, and why should she apologize for her stupid, warmongering cousins? Thranduil would suggest her refusal to apologize means she doesn't think what happened was that serious. And so on and so forth. They do not get along, although it is, I believe, considerably more personal on Thranduil's end. Galadriel is mostly just vaguely annoyed.

Celeborn - No. Celeborn is not only a Sindar, but a Doriathrim, and he chose to run off and marry a Noldo? A Finwean? Thranduil has absolutely zero respect for Celeborn and considers it his solemn duty to beat him at anything he can at any chance he gets. Celeborn does not want to be a part of this. Celeborn wants Galadriel to intervene. Galadriel thinks Celeborn shouldn't take it so personally. Thranduil otherwise will ignore Celeborn as much as possible.

Círdan - I don't really see these two having much of a relationship. Thranduil respects Cirdan for his age and what he's done for the rest of the Elves. I suppose "venerated elder" is about how Thranduil sees him. I'm not sure they'd have had cause to meet before the last of the Elves sail West.

Glorfindel - I think they don't interact much to have opinions. Thranduil has respect for Glorfindel's actions in during the collapse of Gondolin, and he's apt to think less harshly of the Gondolindrim than other Noldor-adjacent types because of how the Gondolindrim and Doriathrim lived together at the Havens before the Third Kinslaying. So he's probably rather neutral about Glorfindel, but Elrond's opinion of Glorfindel gives him some extra points.

Elrond - I could probably write a small essay about this. Elrond is the last living member of Doriath's royal family. In Thranduil's mind, this means he automatically owes Elrond his loyalty. Furthermore, the fate Elrond suffered as a child makes Thranduil feel as though he owes him for not being able to save him from the Feanorians, nor Elwing either. I do think also, especially in the beginning, Thranduil was suspicious of Elrond’s Feanorian upbringing. (They generally do not discuss Maedhros and Maglor--it never goes anywhere productive.) All of this was rather a lot for them to get past, but I think they did get around, so that these things are rather minor in Thranduil's mind now (though still present). Generally, I think they're friends. Elrond is very hard to dislike for one, and I think it would mean something to him to hear from someone who had known his mother's people, and been a part of his grandfather and great-grandmother's kingdom. Thranduil can tell Elrond things about his Sindar heritage Maglor and Maedhros would have just had no reason to know. I like to think their families became somewhat close. Legolas, when I write him, will call Elrond's children his "cousins" even though they have no blood relation. I think Thranduil remains some measure of protectiveness over Elrond, in that if he were in a position to do something to alleviate stress or danger on Elrond's behalf, he would, but I think he also has great respect for Elrond's wisdom and diplomatic skill. He considers it testament to Elwing that her child turned out so well even given his circumstances.

Also, I have this fic that features some Elrond-Thranduil friendship.

As to councils -

As noted, Thranduil is somewhat reclusive. My own personal "just for fun" headcanon is that the longer he sits the throne, the more reluctant he becomes to leave the forest due to a symbiotic relationship between the king of the Wood-elves and the forest. But even setting that aside, we're not given any indication in canon that he's particularly active or even welcome in these councils.

He is important, as the last Elvenking east of the sea, but Mirkwood, by midway through the Third Age, also has its hands full with the situation in the forest, and I think that takes up the better part of Thranduil's energy and attention. Furthermore, we know Mirkwood's forces never really recover from the losses inflicted on them during the War of the Last Alliance, so whatever military support Thranduil can offer the others is greatly reduced from what Oropher had been able to contribute.

I also tend to think Elrond gets stuck playing peacemaker between Thranduil and Galadriel (and Celeborn).

In terms of general presence, Thranduil I believe can come off as rather aloof and cold, although we know he is sympathetic and vastly prefers peace to war. I think he tends to speak more harshly than he really feels, which affects how others see him, of course. It's easier to take his words at face value if you don't know him much.

The more serious Mirkwood's problems become, though, I think the more resentful he becomes that they're having to deal with the Necromancer alone and that no one seems to believe he's being realistic when he says Sauron might not be gone. However, I think he does still recognize the importance of all of the Elven realms remaining, so I think he is still somewhat sympathetic to Elrond and Galadriel needing to protect their own spaces. That said, they do both have rings of p*ower, while he does not (which, of course, contributes to why Imladris and Lothlorien are in so much better shape than Mirkwood...)

So there it is! I'm attached to Thranduil's somewhat petty rivalry with Galadriel and Celeborn and committed to his being friends or at least friendly neighbors with Elrond.

#thranduil #the hobbit #lotr #tolkien tag #meta #mine

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bisexualbumblebee-writes · 1 year

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Fluffuary 2023 Day 19: First Sight- Haldir x OC

Haldir x Mirabella

Description: When Celeborn falls ill after an attack it's up to Mirabella to save him. Thankfully she'll have an escort in the Marchwarden of Lothlorien.

Word Count: 1.1k

Challenge made by the lovely @darthglitterfanfictionnfiction

It was well known that the great Elf Araluen was the most powerful healer in Middle Earth. Her powers were revered amongst Elves, Dwarves and Men alike because she had learned how to take magic and use it for healing. She could take someone on the verge of death and give them renewed life with the right spell, which was what got her fame in the first place.

What was also well known was that her power had been passed down to her only daughter, Mirabella. Her powers were almost as infamous as her mother’s, though she often said that she could never surpass her mother’s talents. Her humbleness only earned her more respect amongst people, and was the exact reason that Lady Galadriel had sought her out.

Word had spread fast about Lord Celeborn of Lothlorien’s attack. He had been traveling out of his kingdom for reasons no one really knew when he, like his daughter had been before, was ambushed. He’d been attacked and stabbed with a poisoned blade, and the poison was spreading quickly. Well, it hadn’t traveled to Rivendell fast enough because Mirabella hadn’t even discovered it until she had been called to Lord Elrond’s home by the Elf himself, claiming that he was in desperate need of her healing skills.

She was confused as to why he hadn’t called on her mother, though she supposed he had his reasons which he did not wish to state. So, after making sure she was presentable enough in her hurry (as she took his message as urgent) she all but ran to the Last Homely House. Lindir greeted her and led her to Elrond’s office. She thanked the herald then took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Tolo mi (Come in),” she faintly heard Elrond call. She did as he said and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Inside, she wasn’t surprised to see the Elf Lord standing in front of his desk, but she was when she realized that there was someone she didn’t recognize standing with him.

He wore gray and brown traveling clothes and had long golden hair, half of which had been pulled back in a braid. From what Mirabella could see (given that his back was to her), he wasn’t quite as tall and slender as any other Elf. Instead, he had broad shoulders and was well built. He turned around upon hearing her walk in, she found herself in awe of his striking blue eyes. They were like the winter sea that was being shined down upon by the sun. He was beautiful, she realized.

“Ah, Lady Mirabella. I was wondering when we would see you,” Elrond greeted, snapping her out of her trance.

“Apologies, My Lord. I had to make sure I was presentable, for I’m sure you didn’t wish to see me in my nightgown,” she half joked, earning an amused smile from the Elf Lord.

“Well, it is a good thing you were quick about it, because I have called you here for a serious matter. Allow me to introduce you to Haldir, Marchwaden of Lothlorien. Haldir, this is the one I was telling you about.” Mirabella, although confused that she was being introduced to this person, bowed respectfully to him.

The Marchwarden didn’t react at first. Now that her own examination of him had concluded, she found herself looking at his face and trying to gauge his reaction to her. By this point she was used to the looks of awe she received from people when they learned who she was, but for some reason Haldir’s gaze felt different to her. She couldn’t explain why, but there was just something intense about his gaze on her.

It looked like he was trying to figure out whether he…approved of her? That was the best way she could describe it. For the first time in her life she felt awkward under someone’s gaze. She hated it, almost not wishing to know what he was thinking. Either way it was hard to tell as he kept his face totally neutral, which did not help in the slightest.

Just when she reached the point where she couldn’t take it anymore, he finally seemed to snap out of whatever thought process he had. Once again their eyes met, though instead of having an impartial gaze, his eyes now had a hint of respectful mirth in them. They matched the minuscule smile that formed on his face as he bowed to her.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Mirabella.”

“Please, just Mirabella is okay,” she brushed off with a polite smile before facing Lord Elrond in question. He seemed to understand what she wanted because he delved into an explanation of what he wished to ask of her. Lord Celeborn was sick, and growing worse by the day. No healing has been able to help him, and Lady Galadriel was growing desperate. She fears that the only thing that could save him is the reversal of time, which is where Mirabella was supposed to come in.

“Haldir is here to escort you to Lothlorien should you say yes, but they will need an answer as soon as possible. We fear he will not last much longer. What say you, Mirabella?” Both Elrond and Haldir stared at her intently, awaiting her answer. Mirabella didn’t even have to think about it.

“Of course I’ll go.” Both Elves breathed a sigh of relief at her response, and Elrond offered her a small, grateful smile.

“You will need to leave as soon as possible so Lord Celeborn may have the best chance of survival.”

“I understand,” the girl nodded. “I will go pack now.”

“Allow me to escort you to your home,” Haldir cut in politely. “That way we may leave as soon as you are ready.”

“Very well.” Mirabella linked her arm in his when prompted, and she led him towards her home after they said their goodbyes to Lord Elrond.

As the two walked together, Mirabella couldn’t help but grow flustered upon being in the Marchwarden’s presence (though she thankfully hid it well). It wasn’t because of his title or anything like that, but there was something about him that made her feel like she was younger again. Like she was back in Arwen’s room when they were younger talking about the cute boys in the valley. Despite that, it was a rather pleasant feeling, and it took all she had not to continually steal glances at him. If only she knew how positively her decision to go with Haldir would impact both their lives.

#lord of the rings #lotr #lotr imagine #haldir #haldir imagine #haldir x oc

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