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#move out low-to-no contact with parents BOOM. i thrive
gardenia777 · 9 months
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home situation so bad it’s got me googling cheap accommodation in belfast 😭
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fiction-in-my-blood · 4 years
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Unexpected, To Say The Least (ObeyMe Fic)
Okaaayyyy so... this turned out differently than I wanted it to, but these types of things happen when you leave a wip in your drafts for months (╬▔皿▔)╯ but it’s still good. This is a part 1, so stay tuned.... depending on how long it takes me haha.. ha. 
~~~~~~
Scribbling in a notebook, a red night light from the window right next her defining the flyaway strands of hair on the top of her head, Aviyah was blissfully unaware of the stares from her classmates. Resting her chin on her closed fist, one leg crossed over the other, black boots bobbing up and down to the tune she had stuck in her head. She was so calm, so much calmer than she had been in weeks.
Aviyah, a human in a world of demons and angels, had arrived in Devildom two months ago. At first, she was unnerved by the close attention she gained from all the demons, angels and the other human she met. Lord Diavolo, who had also taken a liking to her, ensured that it was just because she was a different species to them. She was weak, a helpless being compared to the Avatars of sin she was living with and angels of heaven she had some classes with. Demons fed off souls, and it was an angel’s job to protect those bright balls of light in each human, so it was only right that they kept a close eye on her. Especially when the future king himself had ordered the seven strongest brothers in all of Devildom to keep her safe for the duration of the exchange programme.
But it wasn’t that. Aviyah was sure of it. She had gained unworldly attention for her entire life. Boys seemed to bow at her feet, begging her to let them serve her each and every whim. Girls clung to her, wanting to be friends with such a kind-hearted, beautiful, smart person- and also wanting to meet her every demand. Aviyah, having been raised by good-willed parents, didn’t take advantage of this strange power she seemed to hold over everyone she met, although she did accept the odd gift from colleagues and classmates on that one special day a year, mainly because she didn’t want to be rude. She hardly asked for anything in public because it would cause quite a stir, everyone in the room darting around to take care of the task she had so graciously offered them. All she wanted was an item from the top shelf, but now she had twenty boxes of cereal that she really didn’t need. 
She expected, being in a world of magic, spells, and potions that could kill or force someone to love you, that she would be safe from all the unneeded, and frankly unwanted, attention. Yet, lo and behold, the first day she arrived here, in a much colder climate than she was used to, both the Avatar of Greed and the Avatar of Envy threw their coats at her, only for her to get consumed by the jacket of the largest man she had ever seen, the Avatar of Gluttony. And she hadn’t even made a pact with them yet!
“I’m telling you, there’s something up with her.” A muttering came from the other side of the otherwise bustling classroom. It was just before their lesson would start, everyone was getting themselves ready to learn about different species of man, except for one group of, shockingly, demons and angels.
“Mammon, won’t you admit your true feelings?” The dark-toned angel smiled softly at the second-born brother. Truly, he felt an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of his stomach too, something he couldn’t even begin to describe, but would never admit it himself. He was sure it was something sinful, something against his very being, and would only confess when the time came. 
“What feelings! I-I ain’t got no feelings.” A horrendously red blush appeared immediately on Mammon’s entire face, noticed by all those involved in this small huddle over a desk.
“You don’t even deserve her. You already get to spend so much time with her! It’s so unfair!” The purple-haired otaku tried to bite his lip, he really did, but the jealousy for his brother grew too high, bubbling over into the trait he most represented. Envy.
“That was only because Lucifer made me! I didn’t even wanna babysit that human!” Mammon barked back, not meaning the words but needing a distracted from the embarrassment he could still feel colouring his cheeks. The two butted heads often, but this time it was literal, immediately starting to throw punches to defend the one they held so dear. Several people tried to get between them, the male human even getting his own strike to the jaw, and all hell brought loose in- well- hell.
“Guys! Stop!” A higher-toned, feminine cry, although thick with command and low with anger, echoed over the room, every single one of the occupants freezing in an instance, even those that weren’t involved in this little scuffle- or under the young girl’s pact.
Crouching beside her male counterpart, who had been thrown to the ground by the force of being hit, was Aviyah, the one they had been fighting over. With one hand on Solomon’s back and the other holding his hand to keep him upright, she glared at the two that had been previously brawling in what was meant to be a safe place. 
Aviyah rarely used her unknown power to command people. Or was it the pact? She couldn’t tell any more, but at least it worked. 
“Are you alright, Solomon?” Disappointment turning to anxiousness etched in her expression, Aviyah let go of the sorcerer’s hand and back- once she could tell he could hold himself up-, only to move her’s close to his face, cocking her head to get a better look at the cut bleeding through his white-haired fringe. Being in such close proximity to the woman, and earning so much of her undivided attention, brought many hateful gazes to the man, but he didn’t care. He was thriving off it, in fact. 
“What? Are you worried about me?” No better was the time to tease her, to see that eye roll she did so well and hear that exasperated sigh as she dropped her hands, all previous nurturing gone from her posture as she stood up. 
“You just got punched in the face by a demon and still have the wherewithal to joke?” She muttered, wondering to herself if he was the one with supernatural abilities. Well, he did, he could use magic, but she wondered if he had his own special ability since birth. Could that have been the reason they were the two, out of the entire human race, to be chosen for this life-altering program?
Once she got to her feet, she turned to see Mammon and Leviathan, both with their heads lowered in shame. They had angered their... Goddess? Master? Friend? They didn’t know what to call her, having been the first two to make pacts with her, but there was this force, this unspoken voice that drew them to her and made them bow at her feet. Or want to, anyway.
Before Aviyah could even start to berate them for losing control like that, they had even transformed into the demon-forms, a stern voice cut through the entire scene. Students pinned themselves to the wall, trying to get as far from the fighting as possible, so they seemed to surround them like hawks, eagerly watching, waiting for the two to be punished by such a soft-spoken, angelic figure. 
Now in the doorway, however, was a man. With black hair as dark as the most inner depths of Devildom, red eyes as angry as the fire that sprouted from them, and an expression that has killed in the past, the man glared at the two, not even wanting to look in the direction of the girl in case she too saw his wrath.
“You two. With me. Now.” The words were curt and entirely ineloquent, nothing like that eldest would usually speak, showing how deeply enraged he was. The two quickly scurried after him, for once keeping their mouths shut.
~~~~~~
Biting her lip, Aviyah couldn’t take her eyes off that door, now empty after Lucifer had guided his younger brothers away. 
“It was me, wasn’t it?” She spoke loud enough for the people closest to her to hear, but a whisper full of regret did not go unnoticed. 
“What do you mean, Avi?” Simeon stepped up to try and ease the look of worry that they all saw on her face, but she stepped away, afraid for anyone to even touch her. What if he, Simeon, the nicest, most modest person she had ever met, went into a jealous rage too?
“They were fighting over me, weren’t they?”  Aviyah’s voice cracked as she clutched her fists at her sides, avoiding looking at anyone directly, scared it’ll put them under the curse she seemed to have. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to pull families apart. She just wanted to have no one know who she was. 
“Avi,” Simeon uttered again, but it was too late. Aviyah had already made up her mind, collecting all her resolve in one solid sniff and running out of the room, hoping she could catch the brothers before something too bad happened. 
~~~~~~
“What do you think you’re doing, having a fight like that in the middle of class? Do you think it will make you seem strong? Seem manly? Because it won’t! It only makes you seem needy.” Lucifer’s booming voice shook the paintings on the walls, giving Aviyah some clue as to where he had taken the two. She followed the shouts of pain and anger, running as more and more tears grew in her eyes. She didn’t want to do what she was about to do, but she needed to. She didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. To get jealous. Not when it was all the people she actually cared about.
Finally, in an empty classroom where the shouts seemed the loudest, Aviyah found the door still open ajar, standing just out of sight so she could listen in, waiting for the right moment before anything too serious happened. If that hadn’t happened already, that is. 
“You made a fool out of me! The student council! Not only that, but you made Aviyah look so defeated! I won’t let you argue like this anymore!” Lucifer raged on with a temper that rivalled Satan’s. “I may just have to claim her myself.” 
The comment, although almost a whisper, shot everyone in hearing distance into full-blown madness, both Levi and Mammon charging at him, demanding how he thought he had the right to even suggest the idea. Before they could make contact with each other, Aviyah cried out, desperately begging them to just wait.
All attention on her now, as usual, the men’s eyes went wide. She was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks at the sight of the brothers, who were always so comfortable with each other, usually so familiar, fighting like this? Over her? It broke her like it broke their relationship. 
“I can’t do this anymore. I want to go home! I’m not happy and I never was! Please! Let me go home!” She lied, straight through her teeth. She had never been happier than living here, in Devildom, with all their brothers. She enjoyed her time listening to them bicker playfully, not like they were now. She enjoyed watching Levi play his games. She enjoyed eating with Beelzebub. She enjoyed reading books with Satan. Being dressed up by Asmo. Listening to Mammon’s wild get-rich-quick-schemes. Napping with Belphie. Even with Simeon and Solomon, who she didn’t get to see as often as the others. Luke was fun to cook with- even though he seemed a little apprehensive of her. She enjoyed all her time here but right now, in times like these, when it felt like everything was her fault.
“Avi, what’re you saying?” Mammon’s voice broke, between all the yelling and the way his heart broke at her tone and words, and his brows knitted together tightly. Levi froze up, not knowing what to say in response to her sudden outcry, and Lucifer felt like he could steal her away right here and now. Never before had he felt so out of control.
“I’m sorry, It’s all my fault. I need to leave, go home. I need to get out of your lives because- because I’ll ruin them.” She hiccupped, choking on the tears that clogged her throat, and she tried to hide how sad she was by holding her face in her hands. Her knees shook, her body- just as frail as they had always suspected. It took so much energy for her to say these words and not completely breakdown.
“N-No, it’s not your fault. W-We shouldn’t have be-been fighting.” Levi made a move to step closer, to wrap his arm around her, to help her feel better, but both Mammon and Lucifer shot him a glare so deadly it made the room cold. 
“This is exactly what I’m talking about.” Aviyah continued to stutter through her words, her tears interrupting her usually melodic, smooth voice, as she felt the indignation in their eyes. 
“This always happens. It was a mistake to choose me. I... I’m going to go to Diavolo now and tell him this was wrong.” She tried to steel herself, to seem strong enough to walk through these halls alone and leave Devildom for good, but it was no use. They could all see how distraught she was.
“Always happens?” Lucifer muttered, confusion written all over his features. 
“There’s something inside me, there always has been. It makes people so hateful for one another and I can’t do that to you all. You’re a family, I won’t tear it apart. I-I need to...” Aviyah led off, not knowing what else to say. Memories of her past, all the friendships she had unknowingly, unwittingly, torn apart because of what? Because she was desirable? Because she was pretty and smart and kind? No amount of adoration was worth this. None of it.
The room was silent, deathly so, no one knew what to say. Have Levi and Mammon just ruined their chances to know such a wonderful person? And not just a person, but a human. Someone they were never meant to befriend. Someone that should fear them and hate them for who they were, for what they represented. But no, she showed them care and love and compassion, what they believed only a human could give. 
So, with no one left to tell her no, to not go and stay with them because they needed her so badly it hurt, she started to turn back to the door.
“Wait, Aviyah. Just... Just wait.” Shockingly at a lost for words, Lucifer turned to his desk, where his D.D.D laid, and picked it up. Aviyah started to refuse him, to say this was the right thing to do, this was the only way they could live calm, happy lives, but he continued to use the communication device, calling together a meeting that would change everything.
~~~~~~
“Tell them what you told me,” Lucifer instructed in Lord Diavolo’s conference room, having called a meeting of the student council together. Everyone looked at him with suspicious gazes, having no real information on why they were here, Levi and Mammon stressing out like they were about to take the most important, most difficult tests in their lives.
“Lucifer, this isn’t going to cha-.”
“Just say it.” The words were demanding, but the tone was soft, very shocking for Lucifer- until it was for Aviyah. He always seemed to have a soft spot for her. Like Mammon. Although for different reasons. 
Aviyah lowered her head, eyes still damp from her earlier confession, thinking about what she was about to say. After a brief but deep sigh, she lifted her gaze again, but only as far as the edge of the table she sat at.
“Since before I can remember, everyone I’ve met has... wanted me.” She bit her lip, not knowing how else to say it. It always felt like someone was trying to win her over, to win her as a price to show everyone else that they were the one she chose.
“No matter who it is, they say they love me or they’d do anything for me. And no matter how much I tell them to stop, they just get more outrageous. They give me elaborate gifts or take me places I wouldn’t normally go. They shower me in a love that I never asked for until they can’t anymore.” Aviyah’s voice cracked again, tears rolling down her cheeks again as she remembered the people that bankrupted themselves to win her over and the others that have lost their health, their friends, the ones who loved them, all to impress her in one way or another. 
“No matter how many times I say I don’t need it, they’ll keep doing it. It’s not until I say I don’t want them or the things they give me that they stop. I thought it’d be different when I came here, but when you guys started fighting...” Aviyah finally worked up the courage to look up, gesturing in the direction of Levi and Mammon, who blushed when she made eye contact with the both of them. 
“This is why we’re here? Because those two were acting childishly again?” Satan sighed to himself, upset that his reading time had been cut short. He wouldn’t even address the panicked feeling that arose in him when he heard the solemness of Aviyah’s tone.
“You’re almost as seductive as me, Avi! Aren’t you lucky to have so much in common with me? Someday you too might be able to bring down a country with your looks.” Asmo leaned into her, ignoring how saddened she seemed by the statment. The next move she made shocked everyone.
“I don’t want to do that! I want it to stop! I hate it and I hate myself for it!” She yelled after pushing Asmodeus so strongly off her he fell right out of his seat. Every time she brushed him off she had never actually been physical. Who was she, a human, to push off a demon? Better yet, how did she have the strength?
“Hey, did you see that?” A whispering demon mentioned to his brother, noticing the flicker of light that sparked in her eyes in her yelling. Even though her words broke their hearts, it was hard not to bring it up.
The outcry caused the prince, stern-faced compared to his usual jovial smirk, to peer at her closer. “I see. Lucifer, do you think she’s..?”
“Yes, I do. It would explain everyone’s... erratic behaviours around her.” Lucifer, not wanting the entire picture drawn out for her and his brothers, interrupted the prince. The information would be hard to hear, for Aviyah most of all, and an off-handed comment was not how he wanted to break the news to her.
“But where are her features? She’s an open-book, we would have seen something by now.” Satan, catching on, eyed her as suspiciously as he had Lucifer in the past, watching the tears roll down her cheeks as she tries to calm herself down. She never yelled like that and felt awful for what she did, but was too scared to even speak to anyone else, let alone touch or apologise to Asmo for her supposed violence. 
“Would someone tell us what’s going on? I-I mean, Levi might be confused, is all.” Not wanting to seem idiotic for asking, Mammon jumped up before shying away again, not being able to cope with the girl’s silent crying.
“Avi, it’s okay. You didn’t hurt me.” Asmo, along with Beel, tried to be some sort of caring figure in the room of inquisitive stares. 
When Beel tried to put a hand on her shoulder, she jumped away. “P-Please! Do-Don’t. I... I don’t want to hurt you.” 
“It’s possible she hasn’t been... awoken yet.” Diavolo couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea. It would be just like the innocent human, if that’s what she truly was, to not have the necessary experiences she needed in life to prove their theory correct. Lucifer couldn’t help but blush.
“Awoken?” Aviyah’s voice, now somewhat tamed but hoarse from her crying, looked up at the prince. Had he an idea? Could he cure her? Could he take away this curse, gift, whatever it was? Could he end all this?
“Well, depending on your immediate ancestry, it’s possible your power needs to be... unlocked, in a way. It’s clear you’re no mere human. You even seduced dear Barbatos, and he never even blushes at my comments.” Diavolo laughed again, gesturing with his gaze to the corner of the room where his butler was clearly fitting the urge to comfort the girl. She quickly looked right back at the prince the moment she noticed this. 
“If I’m not human, then what am I?” 
“Well, my best guess would be a succubus, but seeing as you have more human features, you could be a cambion, a hybrid. We’d have to ask your mother.” Diavolo, as usual, was much too nonchalant with the subject of Aviyah’s supposed species, a topic that would and will change her life forever.
Silence filled the air for one.
Two.
Three.
“WHAT?” Four. They made it to four seconds of silence before Mammon stood up again, shrieking, along with the female in question. Succubi and the topic of hybrids had yet to be discussed in her classes, ironically that was today’s class, but she had a clue what they were from just hearsay.
“You think I’m a demon? But I grew up in the human world! I have human par- well the people that raised me were human... But I never felt the urge to have anything in excess or trick anyone into stealing their money- sorry Mammon- but how could I be a demon?” The tears were gone, replaced with a look of pure confusion that turned to utter disbelief with a hint of ‘what if’. What if he was right?
“The people that raised you? Don’t tell me you were...”
“Adopted. I have two dads who found me on their doorstep. I have no clue who my biological parents are.” The uneasy feeling that meant Diavolo could be right started to rise as Aviyah admitted a part of her past she had never told anyone. It seemed like everything was out in the air now.
“Perfect.”
“This is a problem. Succubi and Incubi have a duty to bring all demons back to Devildom in case they go rogue in the human world. This parent of yours will have some answering to do.” Lucifer, recovered from his bashfulness in an effort to act like the vice-president he was, got furious about someone disrespecting the laws Diavolo had put in place to protect the humans he seemed to so dearly care for. “Dumping you on some couples doorstep will require some serious consequences.”
The whole room shuddered at the idea of what punishments Lucifer was thinking up at this moment, but luckily someone thought to turn the conversation away from that.
“You say she needs to be awoken? I know one way of doing that, but I don’t know… prepared for that she will be.” Satan smirked a side-eyed look Aviyah’s way as she tried to process all this information. She was a demon, or half of one anyway. To think, all those crazy white mom’s at her elementary school were right. 
“I’d be more than happy to volunteer in any way I can.” Asmo started to cosy up to Aviyah once again, making it very clear what the one way of awakening a demon seemed to be.
“No! No, that’s fine, Asmo! B-Besides, I’m not a virgin, so we’ll have to find some other way to awaken this power if you think that’s what I have.” Beetred and edging off her chair to make some distance between the flirt and herself, she almost didn’t hear the snickering from some of the other demons in the room. 
“Oh, deary me.” Asmo tittered to himself, Satan covering his mouth to try and suppress the chuckle that threatened to leave his lips. He didn’t want to make the girl more embarrassed. Mammon joined in, although much louder, just to not feel left out, and Levi blushed furiously, but he knew exactly what everyone else seemed so excited about. As usual, Beel was too distracted by the food laid out by Barbatos to care what was going on now that Aviyah was no longer crying. 
“Aviyah, I’m afraid to say it’s not the act of sex that awakens a demon… It’s the, uh.” Lucifer tried to inform her, he really did, but the stutter that threatened his usually composed manner halted him from doing so. 
“You didn’t cum, did you, Avi?” Diavolo’s brows frowned sincerely, but the wavering of his lips told her he too was trying not to laugh. Aviyah’s cheeks blossomed darker, the embarrassment from her first time flashing through her mind once again and her face screwed up in embarrassment. For her, this situation couldn’t possibly get any worse. 
“Your Highness, if you wouldn’t tease her so much, there is another way to awaken her demon form.” Barbatos, unexpectedly, intervened, shocking everyone in the room but Aviyah. He had always had a sweet spot for the huma- well, hybrid. 
“Yes, yes, Barbatos, you are right. My most sincere apologies, Avi. Lucifer, we’ll come to the House of Lamentation tonight. Prepare the Grimoire.” And with that, Diavolo stood to leave.
“And why not now? Wouldn’t it be best to do this sooner than later so she can learn to control it better?” Satan scowled, earning his own from Lucifer for being so upfront. The prince only chuckled.
“I need to do some… investigating first. You, Satan, of all people, should know what is needed for the ritual.” Satan’s brows frowned suspiciously at the prince as he made his final departure. 
“What does he mean, Satan?” Aviyah leaned into the demon’s side in order to get a clear answer for the first time today and Satan’s gaze finally left the door. 
“He needs your progenitor. He’s going to find your mother or father.”
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marvelhead17 · 3 years
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The Tale of Eossimar (Original Female Character x Bofur Fic)
Chapter 9
Word Count: 7.8k
Warnings to cover the whole fic: Fake relationships, half-blood children, mild violence, fight scenes, male/male relationships, Dwarf gender concepts, battle of five armies fix-it, pre-battle of five armies, near death incidents, talking to dead people, mentions of paradise/heaven.
As the sun rose that morning, Bofur and the others began to gear up without argument in the dimly lit rooms deep inside Erebor, fixing their braiding to ensure it was tight for the battle to come and securing their armour properly.
Out of habit Bofur scanned over his shoulder for Bilbo, for a moment he had worried but he relaxed when he found him standing with Thorin, he was being handed chain armour. Bofur swallowed as he understood that Thorin was meaning that the poor hobbit was to fight alongside them, even though he had no personal ties to Erebor.
They approached the rampart only to discover that they were faced with hundreds upon hundreds of Elves at their gate, King Thranduil rode confidently on his stag followed closely by Bard on his horse, and they easily passed in the middle of them.
Bofur was amazed by how uniform the soldiers were, as they stepped aside to let their King pass through without even turning their heads, before they fell back into place once again. As the two stopped in front of their armies Thorin raised his bow and arrow in hand, firing a quick warning shot at the feet of Thranduil’s stag.
“I will put the next one between your eyes,” he warned and the company laughed confidently, even Bofur found himself laughing at the sudden surprise in the Elf King’s eyes.
He felt his laughter die as soon as he recalled Nari saying the same threat to Prince Legolas not so long ago and his amusement quickly became dampened.
King Thranduil barely bobbed his head when his troops moved in synchronisation, and all readied their arrows at the dwarves, the company ducked down behind the ridges of the wall in panic, while their leader remained standing as he stared at Thranduil. The dwarves remained silent as they held their breaths, Thranduil raised his hand in the air and his men lowered their weapons.
“We have come to tell you, payment of your debt has been offered, and accepted.” Thranduil informed him, and the members slowly raised their heads over the wall in confusion.
“What payment? I gave you nothing, you have nothing.” He still held his next arrow at the ready.
Thranduil’s brows pricked up and he swept his gaze to Bard on his left briefly, the man dug into his inner coat and pulled out something that glistened in the sunlight, before raising it in the air for them to see it clearly.
“We have this,” Bard said, Thorin’s eyes widened and he lowered his weapon.
“They have the Arkenstone, thieves!” Kíli shouted, “How came you by the heirloom of our house? That belongs to the King!”
“And the King may have it,” he tossed the precious stone in the air playfully as it had no value to him, “With our good will,” and then tucked it back safely in his pocket. “But first, he must honour his word.”
Thorin shook his head as he whispered, “They are taking us for fools. This is a ruse, a filthy lie,” he spoke louder in spite of the dwarves’ disbelief, “The Arkenstone is in this Mountain! It is a trick!”
“It’s no trick, the stone is real, I gave it to them,” Bilbo informed him; the King froze for a moment and then faced the hobbit with a mad look in his eyes.
“You?” he questioned in disbelief.
“I took it as my fourteenth share,” Bilbo blinked several times as he tried to maintain his eye contact.
“You would steal from me?” His voice was harsh as he spoke.
“Steal from you? No, no,” he shook his head, “I may be a burglar, but I like to think I’m an honest one.” He stifled a little laugh through his nose, rocking nervously on the balls of his feet. “I’m willing to let it stand against my claim,”
“Against your claim? Your claim.” He gave Bilbo a mocking smile, “You have no claim over me, you miserable rat!” he threw down the bow and arrow, stepping closer to Bilbo as he did.
“I was going to tell you. Many times I wanted to, but-”
“But what, thief?” he growled.
“You are changed,Thorin.” He spoke sternly, “The dwarf I met in Bag-End would never have gone back on his word, would never have doubted the loyalty of his kin!”
“Do not speak to me of loyalty,” Thorin’s eyes began to well up, and he edged even closer to Bilbo, making Bofur’s heart pound relentlessly. “Throw him from the rampart!” he pointed at him, his eyes roamed over the rest of the group as nobody made to move to the fearful hobbit.
Thorin frowned back at them, grabbing Fíli by his chest plate, “Did you not hear me?!” he yelled and was taken aback when Fíli fought against him and pushed away, stepping back next to Balin. He looked around desperately, and then turned to face Bilbo, “I will do it myself. Curse you!” he seized him and forced him towards the edge of the wall.
Fíli, Bifur and Bofur all reached out in an attempt to rescue the hobbit as he struggled against the King’s grasp. “Cursed be the Wizard that forced you on this company!” he shoved Bilbo against the wall and the hobbit let out a scream.
“If you don’t like my burglar then please, don’t damage him.” Gandalf’s voice boomed over the panic and they all looked down, “Return him to me,” Thorin only stared blankly at the wizard who settled next to Bard and Thranduil, while Bilbo panted anxiously away. “You’re not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain are you, Thorin, son of Thráin?”
Thorin released the hobbit from his grasp and he nearly dropped face first into the ground, had it not been for Fíli and Bofur helping him, Bofur took him by the arm and guided him away while the King was distracted.
“Never again will I have dealings with Wizards!”
“Go,” Bofur whispered, encouraging Bilbo to leave with a gentle nudge.
“Or Shire rats!”
Bilbo tossed the rope that was attached to the wall over the edge, hastily climbing over and making a quick escape down the rope.
“Are we resolved, the return of the Arkenstone, for what was promised?” Bard asked, Thorin took uneven breaths as he stared out to the hills on the left, which were empty as far as Bofur could tell. “Give us your answer, will you have peace, or war?”
A raven landed in front of Thorin, cawing away as it eyed him, he faced them and without hesitation said, “I will have war.”
The guard had already bid their families goodbye as the sun shone over the mountain and cast a glow down on them, Callon led them through the tunnel that had once been abandoned and Nari watched as they walked on, she nodded at the more familiar faces that passed her way.
As the last of them went through Nari looked behind to ensure that no villager strayed their way, and she placed the warning sign back down where it had been for many years before, and then followed behind them. She raised her hand to cover her eyes as the sun was much brighter once they reached the opening of the tunnel. They gathered formally and she walked around to stand in front of them, a little surprised by the sheer number that were among them for a small village.
She was about to address them when a shadow flew over her head, she squinted up and raised her arm to let the owl land. She nipped at her owner’s ear and chirped; Nari listened carefully and smiled at Screech, raising her arm to let the owl roam free, and then facing her people once more.
“It’s good to see so many of us are here this morning, in actual fact I’m quite surprised by the number of ye,” some let out a little chuckle, “Those of ye who know of my little pet will know that she often brings me news from the outside, and I’ve just learned that the people of Lake-Town have made settlement within the old City of Dale,” a few people now muttered and she cleared her throat.
“And for many of ye, it was once the home to previous generations of yer families, and for others it was where yer parents were able to make a living from their craft.” They nodded their agreements, “Since there are so many of us, I’d like at least half of ye to go to Dale, the people there have suffered enough grievances these past days and they are essentially defenceless.”
Callon walked up next to his sister, “Now we have no idea what we may be facing out there today, it could be the usual orc scum or something much worse. What we do know is, we must protect the line of Durin so that the Kingdom may be opened and thrive once again. Now who’s with me?” he raised his fist in the air and they cheered enthusiastically.
Nari couldn’t help the grin that grew on her face as she looked to the Eossimarians, she walked down to a familiar face and placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder, and she turned around in surprise, smiling at Nari when she caught sight of her.
“Elanor, I’d like ye to lead the troop to Dale, if ye don’t mind,”
Her mouth fell open slightly, “Are you certain Nari?”
“Very, ye’re our best archer, and a good leader, take the archers and others to Dale,” she nodded, “I know they’ll be safe in yer hands,” she patted her on the arm lightly and smiled, and Elanor returned the gesture, Nari looked around, “I want the archers to follow Elanor, and I’ll need a few who can fight on the ground to go with her as well,” she instructed.
After a few moments of indecision they split into two groups, with Elanor waving her half on to head towards Dale, she gave a final nod to Nari before they vanished into the trees.
“What about the rest of us?”
“We are going to defend Erebor,” Nari moved to brush some low-hanging branches out of the way, “Callon, lead on,” they followed immediately after him as he moved hurriedly, and Nari made sure the last people were through before she ran around to catch up with her brother.
She turned to face the guard while walking backward continuously, “I want ye to be on high alert, look out for each other, ye all have families that want yer safe return. Are we understood?”
“Aye!” they chanted and marched forward steadily upon catching the Mountain in their line of sight.
There was clanking and stomping resonating suddenly on the hills to the left as a new army made an approach to the scene, Dwalin noticed Bofur’s puzzlement and he leaned over, speaking quietly, “Dáin, of the Iron Hills, Thorin’s cousin,” the dwarf nodded in understanding and stared at the army, his cousin Bifur roared triumphantly just behind him with a few other members.
The Elves immediately turned their stance away from Erebor, and marched right on to meet the Dwarven army, before bringing themselves to a standstill as the Dwarves also made their stop behind their leader.
“Good morning, how are we all?” A fiery red headed dwarf, Dáin, Bofur assumed addressed the masses rather sarcastically. “I have a wee proposition, if ye wouldn’t mind giving me a few moments of yer time.” He leaned forward on his war pig, “Would ye consider, just… sodding off?!” he yelled the last words out, unsettling the Men so much that they stepped back in fear.
“All of ye! Right now!” he barked.
“Stand fast!” Bard ordered his men.
“Come now, Lord Dáin,” Gandalf approached the Dwarves through the crowds.
“Gandalf the Grey,” Dáin greeted coldly, “Tell this rabble to leave, or I’ll water the ground with their blood!”
“There is no need for war between Dwarves, Men and Elves,” Gandalf insisted as he moved closer, in hopes of reasoning with the dwarf, “A legion of Orcs march on the Mountain. Stand your army down.”
“I will not stand down before any Elf, not least this faithless Woodland sprite,” he glared as he pointed to the King Thranduil with his large hammer, “He wishes nothing but ill upon my people, if he chooses to stand between me and my kin… I’ll split his pretty head open! See if he’s still smirking then!”
Bofur looked over and confirmed that Thranduil was indeed smirking at the dwarf Lord, the other members cheered on their kin defending them, and Bofur looked to his brother and saw that he too looked uneasy about it all.
“He’s clearly mad, like his cousin,” the elf king responded coolly.
“Ye hear that, lads? We’re on!” Dáin turned around on his pig to face his army, waving his hammer as he moved along, “Let’s give these bastards a good hammering!” His commander gave orders in Khuzdul and the army yelled out their response, raising their weapons to prepare themselves.
A rumbling echoed from underground near another mountain range, the cracking of breaking earth sounded thunderous as the ground burst open, enormous Earth-eaters roared as they crushed the chunks of land in their mouths.
“Oh, come on!” Dáin yelled.
Bofur couldn’t believe his eyes as the worms receded into the ground from whence they came, a horn drew his attention away as his eyes fell upon Azog on top of an abandoned watch tower; his arms were raised as he yelled out his commands and his armies marched forward.
“The hordes of Hell are upon us. To battle! To battle, sons of Durin!” Dáin yelled as he led his army forward to the swells of orcs.
“I’m going over the wall, who’s coming with me?” Fíli asked as he raised his sword in the air.
“Aye!”
“Yes!”
“Come on, let’s go!” Dwalin yelled eagerly.
“Stand down.” Thorin ordered.
“What? Are we to do nothing?” Fíli questioned his Uncle.
“I said, stand down!” he yelled at his nephew, and then he moved down the stairs without looking back at them, Fíli looked over to Balin whose gaze grew anxious as he looked at the dwarves charging forward. “I want all of you inside, now!”
They moved slowly down from the rampart, Bofur decidedly taking his time as best as he could, he stopped when he realised that the Elves had not moved from their position and watched Gandalf move to the Elf King.
“Thranduil, this is madness!” he insisted, as the Dwarves formed a barricade with their shields while the orcs stormed forward without fear.
Their commander announced that their duties were to Erebor and the King, and that they were to hold their positions, the soldiers reaffirmed their pledges with a cry. Bofur swore that he had barely blinked when he realised that the Elven army had used the Dwarves as a ramp to glide over them weightlessly, and even before they landed on the ground had begun slaying some of the orc army down.
The dwarves stood up soon after and the two races fought side by side against the orcs, the figures all swarmed together into one chaotic mess, had it not been for the golden coloured armour it would have been impossible to set the Elves apart from the Dwarves.
“Bofur,” a rough voice called and he cleared his head with a shake, rushing down the stairs quickly, he came to a standstill as he came face to face with Thorin; the King glared daggers at him. “You think I have not seen how distracted you’ve become? Your little friend Nari has left long ago, I would not expect her to be returning any time soon,” he growled.
“It would be best for you not to pursue whatever interests you think you have with her, if you wish to stay in these grounds, am I being clear?”
“A-Aye, Thorin, very,” he swallowed nervously, walking carefully around him to join the others as they gathered further away.
“What was that about?” Bombur asked, Bofur shook his head and avoided looking at him.
“It’s nothing; don’t worry yerself about it,”
Nari and the guard arrived in time to see the Elves and Dwarves merge together in battle, much to her surprise, and she faced her people as she raised her sword in the air. “[For Erebor!]”
“Erebor!” they yelled, and sprinted forward to the battle, they easily blended in amongst the chaos and began aiding in the killing of the orcs with the rest.
Nari and Callon fought side by side, watching each other’s backs and killing off orcs easily as a team, it seemed to be going well so far and yet, something was nagging her in the back of her mind.
Another section of Thranduil’s army moved into position and fired arrows at the orcs to the back on their King’s command; she briefly lost her focus when a horn sounded in the distance; she traced the noise to its origin and spotted Azog standing high above the battle almost cockily. A flag pole changed its signal, and the orc leader belted out his orders, the cries of another army sounded not too far away and they marched in the direction of Dale.
Her brother slayed an orc that had been approaching her from behind and moved to her line of vision, “Good thing ye sent half the guard to Dale,” he remarked and she nodded as she saw the people of Lake-Town back away from the battle slowly.
She hadn’t even realised that they were fighting between all the soldiers, “All of you, fall back to Dale. Now!” Bard ordered and she smiled to herself, knowing he was making good decisions for his people already; she killed a few more orcs and looked over her shoulder every so often to see what was happening near the ruined city.
Giant trolls with catapults strapped to their backsides raced towards Dale, stopping not too far off and launched boulders that crumbled the walls beneath them, and an even larger one with a stone tied down to his head ran straight into a solid wall and fell dead into the ground. The orcs charged into the city as the citizens screamed in terror, and Nari silently thanked Mahal that she had made the right decision by sending some of her people there.
“Ye buggers!” a dwarf cursed behind them as he leaped off of his war pig which had been stabbed, “I’ll show ye!” he used his head to knock down several orcs with ease, attacking with even more fury than he had before, “Where’s Thorin? We need him, where is he?”
She looked at her brother, “Seems the King has become cowardly in the face of war,”
“What do ye mean?” Callon asked as he took down another orc next to him.
“I think they’re all still pent up inside Erebor, I have yet to see any of the company out here,” she kicked down an orc that tried to approach and stabbed it in the back of its head.
“That’s a relief, they’ve not been found then,” he quickly sliced the throat of an orc that snuck up behind him.
“They’ll be trapped if they find a way in though,” Nari informed him.
“Should we go in then?”
“Aye,” she moved forward through the mess and took down a few more orcs as she went along, her brother following closely behind.
Dwalin approached Thorin angrily while he was brooding on his throne. “Since when do we forsake our own people? Thorin, they are dying out there.” But Thorin seemed distracted as his eyes wandered around the room.
“There are halls beneath halls within this Mountain. Places we can fortify… shore up make safe. Yes,” he stood from his throne and reached out to Dwalin as he walked forward a little unsteadily. “Yes, that is it. We must move the gold further underground to safety.”
He turned away to look down to where the gold was down below in the caverns, and Dwalin found that his eyes were tearing up as his anger only grew, he grabbed Thorin by the shoulder.
“Did ye not hear me? Dáin is surrounded. They’re being slaughtered, Thorin.” He stepped back as Thorin searched his face, as if almost looking at a stranger.
“Many die in war, life is cheap. But a treasure such as this, cannot be counted in lives lost,” he waved his friends' concerns away, “It is worth all the blood we can spend.”
Dwalin scoffed, “Ye sit here in these vast halls with a crown upon yer head, and yet ye are lesser now than ye have ever been.”
“Do not speak to me as if I were some lowly Dwarf Lord, as if,” his voice quivered as he spoke, “I were still, Thorin Oakenshield,” his voice cracked as he turned away and he bent over to the side, Dwalin remained at a distance and stepped back when Thorin swung out his sword haphazardly and missed his target. “I am your King!”
“Ye were always my King, ye used to know that once. Ye cannot see what ye have become. Nari was right, ye’re sick Thorin.”
“Go. Get out. Before I kill you.” His voice remained steady as he spoke this time; they locked eyes for a moment before Dwalin walked away in disappointment.
He reached the others and they looked up in hope but Dwalin’s face made it clear to them, “I fear that we’ve lost him for good, he threatened my life.”
“That is not the sign we needed,” Balin shook his head.
“Can’t we do something, anything, to make him see?” Fíli stood.
“No laddie, I’m afraid not,” Balin placed his hand on the young dwarf’s shoulder.
The group sat in silence, staring at the ground as the screams from the battle ensued; Bofur remained on the rampart as he tried to scan the scene to ease the twisting in his gut. He was soon joined by Dwalin and Balin who stood on either side of him, they all nodded at one another.
Kíli pricked his head as he noticed movement ahead of them, he recognised his Uncle’s form and stood up from his spot, the fury boiling in his blood encouraged him to approach Thorin fearlessly.
“I will not hide behind a wall of stone while others fight our battles for us!” he yelled, though Thorin moved forward wordlessly. “It is not in my blood, Thorin.”
“No. It is not,” Thorin agreed, stopping before his nephew, “We are sons of Durin, and Durin’s Folk do not flee from a fight.” He smiled slowly as he met Kíli’s gaze, his lip was twitching beyond his control.
They pressed their foreheads together before Thorin patted him on the shoulder and moved to stand in front of the others, and his nephew raised his fist in success behind his back.
“I have no right to ask this of any of you. But will you follow me, one last time?” he asked them, and they all smiled and raised their weapons wordlessly.
The Eossimarian guard fell in between Dain and his troops, for the Elves had left for Dale, and they now realised that they were severely outnumbered. Dain’s dwarves began chanting in unison and the guard joined in while the orc army began to line up in front of them, even larger orcs made their way to the frontlines with clubs in hand, unmistakably weaponised to clear buildings.
Just as Azog gave the order a trumpet sounded clearly above them, Nari glanced up and saw Bombur blowing into the instrument and felt a laugh bubble up inside with a mix of relief, a bell rang out and she frowned before the enormous object burst through the barricade and collapsed it.
The company emerged from wreckage crying out as they ran directly towards the orcs, and Dain’s army moved aside to let them pass through.
“To the King, to the King!” the dwarf they had seen earlier cried out, rallying his troops forward.
Nari and Callon looked at each other and smiled, before joining in the attack against the orcs and really giving their all as they swung their blades. She managed to get close enough to Thorin in time before they were surrounded.
“Thorin, it’s good to see ye!” she called out and he killed off an orc before turning around to speak with her.
“You came back, after everything I said to you?”
“Course I did, I was keeping my word,”
“Thank you.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, and the two of them bowed their heads briefly before returning to the fight. “Dáin!” Thorin yelled out.
“Thorin! Hold on, I’m coming!” He rode on the backside of an orc while killing others, they hugged for a moment and he frowned for a moment when his eyes landed on Nari, but he decided it wasn’t the time to question it. “Hey Cousin, what took ye so long?”
“Admittedly I was under duress,”
“No matter, there’s too many of these buggers, Thorin,” he gestured around them, “I hope ye’ve got a plan…”
Nari and Callon had drifted further down into the fight, working alongside members of the company as they struggled against what seemed to be an endless wave of the creatures.
“Aye, we’re going to take out their leader.” He stared up to where Azog stood proudly on the old tower.
“Azog?” Dáin’s jaw slackened as he stared wide-eyed at his cousin, who managed to get hold of a war ram and sat confidently.
“I’m going to kill that piece of filth,” he promised, and then rode towards the rocky hillside, taking off the heads of orcs along the path with him.
As if Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli had read their King’s mind, they followed him on their own rams. “Lead on!” Dwalin said as they raced on with speed.
“Callon, let’s go!” Nari called.
“Where?”
“That peak,” she pointed to where Azog stood, “Azog must have planned for every move we’ve made here so far, and I don’t like that they’ll be isolated up there.”
He agreed and they ran on, quickly passing behind Bofur and his brother, Nari took out an orc that had tried to attack Bofur from behind, and the dwarf turned just in time to see her vanish before he could thank or even question her. He grunted as he swung another deadly blow to an enemy.
They ran up the rocky hills as fast as they could on foot, Thorin and the others were already at the top for some time before them and she worried that they may be in danger.
“I’ll bet my life that he’s set something up there.”
“Ye’re probably right, but on a day like this, I would not be wagering my life about as if it were nothing sister,”
“Don’t fret brother, we both know I can take care of myself,” they reached the top and were assaulted by hordes of goblins, and had to fight their way through.
“We must hurry!”
“These goblins won’t kill themselves ye know!” she grunted as she killed off a few more of the creatures.
“Something is wrong, I feel it,” he helped to kill off more of them, and then grabbed her hand and pulled her along after him.
They reached a broken down tower that curved slightly over the frozen river, giving them quicker access across the way if they needed it, Callon climbed further up to get a better view as the area was covered.
“Damn this fog, I can’t see much of anything,”
“Do ye hear that?” she raised a hand to silence him, “Below somewhere… I think reinforcements are coming,”
Callon nodded, reaching behind his back and readying his bow and arrow, slowly raising it to the buildings across the way, “I see the others, but not the princes, and… Bilbo?”
“Bilbo?” She looked passed him curiously, and realised that they were staring across the frozen river to where Azog had stood not long ago.
There was a sudden thumping of drums and the fog dissipated to reveal Azog dragging Fíli by the scruff alongside himself, his feet dangling in the air as the orc leader was much larger than him; Callon stiffened as he raised the prince higher up.
“This one dies first, then the brother.” Azog smirked.
The others stepped forward to the rocky edges nervously as Fíli stared back at them in absolute fear, Callon aimed his arrow at the orc’s weaponised arm, and Nari observed her brother.
“Ye should aim for his head,” she suggested, but Callon disagreed.
“I want him to face a slow death,”
“Then you, Oakenshield… You will die last.” Azog grinned, raising his arm to strike.
“Go!” Fíli yelled to them but Thorin shook his head, “Run!”
“On my life,” Callon whispered as he released his arrow, it whizzed through the air quickly and struck the orc leader in his arm as he had intended.
The orc dropped Fíli with the unexpected attack, and the poor dwarf hit the ground at an awkward angle, causing him to roll towards the edge of the cliff they were on. As he reached the edge his body fell upright, and he managed to reach out and grab hold of the edge to keep himself from plummeting to his death.
Azog backed away, “Finish them,” he ordered, then disappeared from sight, not realising that the dwarf was still clinging on for his life.
The others assessed the area and were surprised to see the siblings already sprinting across the frozen water to the other side, and Thorin called out for his nephews as Kíli roared in outrage, not knowing his brother was still alive as he ran out from his hiding space and made after them. Thorin made no hesitation in chasing after him.
“Thorin,” Dwalin reached out, “Thorin, no!” he ran after his King, leaving Bilbo behind.
Nari worked at fighting off the goblin armies that had now circled the area to let her brother get to Fíli, he bent down on his knee and held his hand out for him.
“Take my hand,” the prince gladly took hold of it and was lifted to his feet, for a moment they seemed to forget the surroundings as their eyes met.
“Cal, a little assistance if ye would be so kind-” she called out and he jerked his head in surprise, before quickly taking out a dagger and handing it to Fíli, who took it with a smile; and they both moved out into the fight to aid Nari.
EEEEEEEEH!
They ducked down for a moment, covering their ears as they looked to the sky which was now filled with hefty bats flying overhead. They passed over the river and swooped over Dwalin and Bilbo who were being swarmed by another goblin army.
She stood up, “I’m going to help them,” she told Callon as she moved away, he gave a quick nod and worked side by side with Fíli at killing the goblins that still tried to attack them. As she darted across the ice she noticed Kíli not too far off, slaying a few orcs on his own but she realised that he would soon be overwhelmed, as the number of orcs never seemed to be wavering no matter how many kills they all made.
Nari jumped in and slayed an orc just as a larger one travelled passed Bilbo, knocking him down with the handle of his weapon, she stabbed another orc in the chest and watched the leading orc disappear, wondering if that was the infamous Bolg of the North, spawn of Azog.
She knelt over the hobbit in concern, and her shoulders slumped as she saw the rise and fall of his chest, “Thank Mahal, brave Master Baggins,” she breathed out.
“Kíli!”
Nari stood on her feet and frowned, somewhat recognising the voice that called his name.
“Kíli!”
It called again and she squinted to where she had last seen the prince.
“Tauriel!” he cried out, making Nari bolt to where their voices came from, only to find Bolg was attacking Tauriel and it seemed she was not winning.
She had no time to try and help the elf-maid as she became surrounded by more enemies herself, leaving her no choice but to defend herself against their constant attacks.
“Ah!” Tauriel grunted as Bolg raised her into the air by the throat, she kicked him swiftly in the gut and he dropped her immediately, only to return the gesture and force her against the wall with a thud.
Kíli leapt out from Nari’s right with his sword raised high into the air, landing promptly on the orc’s shoulders and sinking his weapon down, just missing his head by a whisker as the orc raised his own to block the attack. He launched Kíli over his head and into the nearby stone stairs, with a grunt the prince was on his feet again, and he charged at the orc; both went at each other relentlessly evading and striking where they could.
Nari finished off the hordes on her side and soared down, just at the orc held Kíli in place to strike him in the chest, with her dagger already drawn she came down on his exposed backside and Bolg dropped Kíli as he staggered sideways and distracting him from his kill; she buried it deep into his shoulder and neck as she was also thrown off her target.
Tauriel screamed as she grabbed the orc’s arm, making him lose grip of his sword, Nari hopped off and stood on the ground as Tauriel then rushed over to Kíli. Bolg reached down for his sword and faced Nari with a grunt; her breathing was heavy as she addressed the orc.
“I will see yer head mounted as a trophy before ye lay another hand on him,” the orc grinned, raising his sword and charging at her, she ducked as he narrowly missed her head. “Kíli, Tauriel, go!” she insisted, drawing her sword and facing the orc as the elf-maid struggled to help Kíli to his feet.
She managed to stab him in the leg and avoided another attack, moving further away from the two, “Are ye deaf?” she asked as she saw them watching her, “Run!” They seemed startled by her words and moved along as quickly as they could; it seemed that he had been disorientated from his fight against Bolg.
In her moment of distraction she had barely faced the orc when her head struck against something hard, causing her to gasp out and close her eyes for a second, when she opened them she froze in place, and Bolg’s sword impaled her torso firmly. She choked as she glanced down, the sword holding her in place against the stone; she looked over to the stairs and knew they were headed to safety.
Nari’s ears were ringing with the deafening scream that escaped her as the orc leaned over her and pressed the blade further in, but she fought against every nerve in her body telling her to give in, instead focusing on the heat that she felt coursing through her. Something in the back of her mind told her to grab Bolg by the wrists and she clasped them firmly, holding her gaze as he leaned back in surprise; the heat centred to her palms and a horrible odour wafted to her nose.
Bolg jerked back roaring in agony, taking his weapon with him and stepping backwards, and Nari gasped as she collapsed onto the ground, she closed her eyes for a moment as she pressed her burning hands into the bleeding wound, tears falling out her eyes as the skin seemed to bubble and scorch under the pressure. She opened her eyes glancing above her, and saw Kíli peering over the edge and then a hand swiftly pulling him away; she struggled to turn her attention back to Bolg.
Her vision started growing dark, but there was one last relief as she saw her brother approaching the orc, her breathing was shaky as Fíli leaned over her, and she watched as his mouth moved but she could not hear what he was saying.
His hands touched her shoulders to get her attention back on him as her head rolled back and her eyes seemed to glaze over steadily, he moved the lower edge of her tunic to examine her wound and frowned deeply as he saw the damage done by a sword, but also burned flesh that seemed to seal it somehow. Despite this, there was still a lot of blood slowly pooling underneath her, and he discovered the smaller opening on her backside.
“Nari, can you hear me?” he asked in concern, she met his eyes with a blank stare as her head rolled heavily.
She whispered hoarsely, “Keep my Callon safe for me,”
“Don’t you talk like that, you’ll be alright,” Fíli insisted, taking her hand and squeezing it hard, at least she assumed as she couldn’t feel her fingers; there was a grunt not far off as Bolg fell to his knees, and Callon removed the dagger from the orc’s head with satisfaction. “He’s right here Nari, right here,”
Her brother kneeled down next to Fíli, “Sister- what happened?” his eyes widened as he looked her over, her breathing was becoming even slower and her eyes barely remained open.
“Thorin… Kíli,” she mumbled out before her eyes shut, and she fell into the darkness; Fíli pressed his ear to her chest and heard her heart beat sluggishly.
“Nari?” Callon’s voice broke as he spoke her name.
“She is still with us,” Fíli assured him and Callon let out a shaky breath as a tear fell across his cheek, “I’ll stay with her, go find them,” he insisted, Callon nodded and took one last uncertain look at his sister as he left them.
He did not venture too far when he found Tauriel sitting with Kíli on a rock, “Thank Mahal, ye’re alive Kíli!”
“Is she alright?” Kíli spoke heavily, as if he had a lump in his throat.
“For now,” he bowed his head slightly, ignoring the burning of his eyes, “Where is Thorin?” he asked.
“Azog.” Kíli whispered and shot to his feet, he walked passed Callon who then followed him; they stood on another wall above the others and saw Dwalin down below battling some orcs.
They moved hurriedly when they saw more heading his way until they stumbled upon Bilbo laying between rubble, Kíli leaned over the hobbit immediately and gave him a once over, he moved back when Bilbo’s eyes suddenly flicked open and he stared at the skies above.
“The Eagles… they’ve come,” he said almost dreamily; Callon and Kíli both glanced up and realised that he wasn’t imagining things, the prince then helped Bilbo to his feet.
Callon ran over to aid Dwalin in his burst of hope, Kíli joined them and Bilbo did his best at fighting at a distance by throwing rocks at the assailants as they approached them, Dwalin moved further up the frozen river to kill off the smaller troop, and with the Eagles now helping their side the numbers seemed to begin to dwindle and as they killed the last of their enemies they could finally rest for a moment.
Callon breathed deeply, still feeling uncertain that all was right, and his eyes landed on Thorin who stood facing Azog on the ice just across from them.
The King picked up the stone that had slammed in front of him seconds ago, quickly tossing it over to Azog who caught it in his grasp, Thorin stepped back carefully as he kept his eyes on the orc, the cracked ice underneath Azog’s feet tilted into the air. He dropped the stone next to him and it slid into the water, it dragged the chain still attached and pulled the pale orc down with it despite his screams, and he slipped underneath the ice.
Silence.
“He’s done it,” Callon muttered, “He’s done it!” he cheered as he looked at the others; they smiled in relief before laughing.
He frowned when Thorin walked slowly along the ice, looking down with a wary gaze at something below, and his blade still firmly held in his hand. Callon started as the King cried out suddenly, the tip of a blade piercing through his foot from underneath, it vanished and Azog erupted out with a roar.
They all froze as he swung his sword at Thorin, knocking him down onto his backside, he was barely able to deflect the pale orc’s tireless blows against him; he stabbed his sword down and Thorin was lucky enough to raise his sword across his chest in time to protect himself.
Callon reached behind himself to retrieve his bow and arrow, aiming it at the Orc leader’s head, Kíli swallowed nervously and glanced down to Bilbo, only to find the hobbit had disappeared entirely.
The unique fork in Azog’s weapon was now the only thing keeping him from death, he grunted as the orc forced his sword further down upon him; it was a breath away from his heart now.
Callon shot his arrow and cursed as it moved off course with the breeze, hitting the orc in the shoulder and distracting him from his task at hand for a moment, he snorted at them and pushed his sword further down. It pricked Thorin’s chest and the dwarf King yelled out, Azog smirked with satisfaction and made to push further, when out of thin air Bilbo leapt down onto his backside; he plunged his little sword deep into the neck of the orc, Azog staggered to the side, giving Bilbo the opportunity to hop off.
The sword remained in his neck as he collapsed onto the ice with a final grunt, and Thorin, having gotten to his feet in seconds, grabbed the hobbit by the shoulders, moving them both away in fear. Callon lowered his bow and nodded at Bilbo, though he seemed too shaken to respond in the moment.
Kíli heard Dwalin shouting incoherently about an orc as he approached them at speed, he frowned and tried to ask him to be clear when there was a loud thud next to him, he turned to see Callon laying on the icy ground unconscious, a small boulder planted next to him that had not been there earlier and he quickly grabbed the bow and an arrow from the dwarf.
He scanned the area just behind them and spotted his target, one orc that was preparing to throw another stone, he swiftly shot him dead and kept his eyes peeled for any more signs of movement; he threw down the weapon and kneeled down to examine the injury to Callon’s head. He was bleeding a bit from the roughness of the stone, but seemed otherwise unharmed, Kíli moved his hand in front of Callon’s face and felt the warm breath against it.
He looked across the river and saw that Azog’s body lay still, his black blood seeping into the icy water, Thorin was leaning over him and then he walked away, Bilbo took to his side; he put an arm over the hobbit’s shoulder and held him tightly, Bilbo chuckled a little nervously until he saw the others.
They approached worriedly and Kíli spoke to his uncle, “He’s still breathing, only just, I think,”
Dwalin was panting loudly as he finally reached them, his exhaustion was evident as he approached tiredly, and his eyes welled up as he inspected Callon.
“Is he-?”
“What’s happened here?” Fíli’s voice spoke softer than usual and they diverted their attention to him, he carried Nari in his arms and she hung limply, still unconscious.
“He’s alive,” Kíli assured him.
“Mahal,” Dwalin whispered when his eyes fell onto Nari and darted back to Callon.
“She’s worse for wear I admit, but she’s fighting,” Fíli promised him.
“We must get them to the healers, quickly,” Thorin ordered, the princes agreed and Kíli moved to lift Callon from the ground but Dwalin raised a hand to stop him, picking his nephew up into his arms instead.
Once they were ready they moved down along the old paths as fast as they could, at some point along the way Kíli had taken Nari from his brother as his arms grew tired, and they continued without much fuss. Tauriel fell in step behind them, not wanting to invade in what felt like a very personal matter to the dwarves. A sense of guilt overwhelmed her as she registered that Nari had saved Kíli, and she swallowed the lump in her throat down at the concept of a life without him.
Thorin was the first to break the long silence they had fallen into, “Azog is finally dead, had it not been for these two… it could’ve been all of us,” his nephews only looked at him, “I was foolish for sending you there alone, it was clearly a trap, I hope you can forgive me, my nephews,”
“Of course Uncle,” they said together.
“You couldn’t have known Thorin, you know that.” Bilbo placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“Aye,” Dwalin agreed, “We were ambushed and outnumbered by the bastards,” he gritted his teeth angrily.
To their relief the battle seemed to have ended, the Eagles flew away as the sun started to dip into the horizon, and they arrived at a gathering of those who had survived. Dwarves from the Iron Hills and the company, among the guards of Eossimar, were all mixed together; some were already tending to the injuries of their comrades, while others sat in silence as they mourned their losses.
From the left they saw more of the guard come out from the direction of Dale, with a large man walking somewhat alongside them, when Thorin met his gaze he bowed his head as a gesture of thanks, and Beorn returned it.
Bofur had just finished covering his brother’s leg wound when he looked around and saw Thorin and the others making their return, at first he was relieved as he stood up and made his way to them, but his smile faded as he saw how sombre they were. His eyes hovered over them and his heart pounded heavily in his chest as he saw Nari being carried in Kíli’s arms, he felt the air in his chest leave and he couldn’t breathe as they stilled in front of them.
Thorin waved Óin over to them and he examined them immediately, Bofur’s knees felt as though they were about to crumple under the sudden weight he felt as watched the healer look them over, a hand clapping down on his shoulder startled him and he turned to see Bombur trying to comfort him.
____________________________________________________________
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aleksandurkrum · 4 years
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look who just moved into 3E! is that TOMMY MARTINEZ? no, that’s definitely ALEKSANDUR KRUM! rumour has it the TWENTY FIVE year old is a HALFBLOOD and used to be a DURMSTRANG student but now HE spends their time as a CIRCUS PERFORMER. i’m sure they’ll be a great addition to the apartments since they’re CHARMING and WITTY, despite being DESTRUCTIVE and CONCEITED. take some time to settle in. just remember rent is due on the first! 
ABOUT THE MUN.  i’ve got one foot in the darkness, and the other foot in a hello kitty rollerskate.
once again it’s me. your girl pepper dkjsdjk uh a bit about me i guess, i don’t drink coffee or alcohol but i do drink a lot of sparkling water. i’ve been obsessed with this reality show the circle on netflix lately but i am just a slut for reality tv in general (come to me if you want to mourn the loss of pilot pete’s last braincell or omg discuss love island because i just started that too). i’m the girl who says SAVE THE BEES but runs full speed at the sight of one. i watched midsommar on valentines day and it was very romantic. i have the memory of a goldfish, like anything anyone tells me? gone in an instant sdksdj so be warned!
AESTHETIC.
the curl of smoke, the flickering of a single streetlight, charming your way out of trouble with a smile and a look, raising your fist in victory, the sharp smell of gasoline, booming laughter, an unapologetic flashing of the middle finger, thriving in chaos, the intimidating purr of a large cat.
HEADCANNONS. 
Leks was raised by two kind, loving parents in a wealthy home in Bulgaria. So it really does make one wonder how he turned out like this. Because the thing was, while Viktor Krum was successful and talented and praised for all of that and still managed to be humble and kind, that gene absolutely skipped Leks over. Leks is an asshole, to put it bluntly. Has been pretty much since birth. He came out of the womb screaming bloody murder and shaking his little fists, and as he aged it only got worse. Because much like his father Leks was special. He had a talent for almost everything he tried his hand at, and that of thing goes to your head you know, especially as a child. It skews the way you see yourself. Leks saw himself, and still sees himself, as superior to almost everyone around him. And that cockiness has never been checked, because the worst part is all his life Leks had been surrounded by people who agreed. Yes, Leks, you really are the best. No one can beat you. No one is better than you.
So for all the years of his schooling, Leks royally disappointed his father by simply being a dick. He was the king of the school pretty much the moment he got in, and he caused trouble from the day he stepped foot in the place to the day he left. Playing pranks that weren't always kind, sleeping his way through the institution (girls, boys, and, in his later years, even young professors alike) and he got into the bad habit of charming his way out of trouble. Every time Leks was caught he'd simply smile, and kiss up, and lay it on thick. And for the most part, it unfortunately worked. Not always of course, after all, Durmstrang professors were known for being strict. But it definitely worked often enough for Leks to know it worked. All through his schooling most of the adults simply saw Leks as charismatic and funny, and never what he truly was: out of control. Only parents knew. And his father wasn't happy about it.
Leks was his father’s youngest child, and apparently biggest disappointment. His eldest sister was sweet, a healer and a bookworm. Painfully kind and warm almost to a fault. And one of his brothers was a Quidditch player, also with a heart of gold. He was brave, and good, and Leks was apparently none of those things. At least not to the extent of his siblings. You see, Leks was the black sheep simply because he was a bad egg in a household of good ones. But Leks couldn't understand why his father saw him that way. I mean, was he really that bad? He couldn't be right? He wasn't. 
Leks always got along a bit better with his mother, who was always more lenient with him. She wasn't blind to Leks' bad behavior, but she accepted him and loved him despite it (not that Viktor didn't, he simply leaned more towards tough love). Leks' mother spoiled him, and honestly he adores her. Leks truly is a huge ass mama’s boy on the low, and he has no shame in admitting it.
I headcannon that Leks pulled some major nonsense, like he did something that went too far, and therefore got kicked off the Bulgarian quidditch team (I headcannon that he used to play beater and he was good, like he had a real talent and he was going to bring Bulgaria to their second world cup until he messed that all up dskjsdk) and cut off from Viktor money wise which is why he had to move to Phoenix Circus. I feel like this thing was very public, like in the Daily Prophet, and everyone knows about it. It might be drug related or something like that? Or just a stupid thing he did and I'm not sure exactly what he did for now but it was stupid enough that his dad doesn't even want him to come back home until he’s learned his lesson, and he doesn't really spend a lot of time in the wizarding world too much anymore because of all the negative attention. At least the muggles don’t know what Leks did, and therefore don’t judge him. I headcannon Leks to be a fire eater and occasional backup lion tamer in a local circus. I don’t know why I like the idea of a traveling circus filled with squibs and ex cons that Leks has just found himself fitting in with, but that’s the concept I’m going with. They don’t do any real magic in their show since they perform for muggles, which is really half the fun of it for them. But every once and a while they go all out and do a performance for witches and wizards, and those are always wild too. Anyways, we’re going to continue to develop along the way. 
SMALL HEADCANNONS.
A big player honestly, like promiscuous, tends to have people coming in and out of his flat at odd hours all the time. Probably more than a bit of a fuckboi. 
Is lowkey really beating himself over this whole thing with his father though, like over embarrassing his family the way he did and he deals with that by drinking and partying and sleeping around. Lather, rinse, repeat. 
The only person from his family that he has like regular contact with is his mom, and other than that even his sweet elder sister won't talk to him she's so ashamed sdkjdskj. 
Also, I feel like the Krum family is big, like I’m imagining Leks has like five siblings or something? And he’s the baby of the family, and also the scew up.
Speaks English and Bulgarian, but is more fluent in Bulgarian. Still occasionally has to think about how to say some words in English.
Can cook, and will brag about it. His food is good but he's so cocky about it that you won't want to admit that to him sdkds.
I feel like he got a modelling deal while he was still in Hogwarts or something, and it just went to his head. I feel like he modelled on and off while he was still on the Bulgaria team, and he might be instagram modelling a bit now? A concept. 
a bi king! 
WANTED CONNECTIONS.
wanted connections: exes, big quidditch fans who love his father, fwbs, ewbs, people who HATE HIM because he's a jerk, people who think he’s an annoying neighbour because he is, someone who has a crush on him, someone who he’s chasing after, friends he parties with, a drinking buddy, and absolutely anything else! 
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missmaianovak · 7 years
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Deep Under the Streets
Sam Winchester x Gabriel
Words: 2000 exactly. haha.
Warnings: language, alcohol, mention of low self-esteem, heavy flirting, sexual touching, dirty dancing/dry humping (haha), implied smut?
Author’s Note: This fic is inspired by the song “Shady” by Adam Lambert. It’s set in a general, every day AU. This is my very first Sabriel fic, so sorry if it’s kinda sucky. Practice makes perfect, right? There may be a part two, if enough people like this one. :)
Also on Ao3
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The music boomed in Sam’s ears as he peered around the overflowing, cavern-like club, oddly named Archangel. Places like this always had some sort of trendy, nonsensical name. Hundreds of mid-twenty somethings flailed and swayed to the pumping beats, some bodies entangled, some solo. The waving sea was littered with glow sticks and necklaces, creating a swirling rainbow of light. They were deep under the city, invisible to most of the mindless souls above out for their late- night stroll. Hell, Sam had only found out about this place a few weeks back, and until now, was too chicken to check it out.
Sam wasn’t the most outgoing creature on the planet, almost the opposite of his “ladies man”, charismatic brother. Dean thrived in almost any social situation, flirting and chatting up practically anything that moved. But Sam, Sam was quiet. Sure, he could strike up a conversation with someone, if they initiated the contact. But Sam was more of a looker, someone who studied his person of interest before trying to reel them in. If you could even call it reeling.
But, deep down, Sam loved crowded settings like this. He loved flashing lights and being surrounded by thousands of nobodies. That way, there was barely any attention on him, allowing him to move about and talk as he pleased.
Sam scoped out the enormous room. In the very center was the massive dance floor. There were at least five hundred people floating around to the beat of the music. On the back wall stood the DJ, surrounded by several large speakers. To the younger Winchester’s left was a sizable bar, with at least a half a dozen bartenders rushing back and forth, all dressed in something loud and whimsical. He half expected them to be wearing angel wings, given the same of the place. Also, just beside the bar, there was an overcrowded seating area, complete with thirty or so red velvet cushioned chairs seated around small black tables.
Sam bit his lip as his heart raced. Chill out, Sammy. No one knows you here. His hazel eyes scanned the crowd, taking in everyone’s various state of dress. Sam felt comfortable in his black tank top, army green skinny jeans, and black Van’s. He let his hair do its own thing today. His whiskey brown locks fell just below his ears, a few rogue strands tickling his face. He lifted his hand to brush them out of his eyes when something grabbed his wrist, spinning him around.
His gaze met a smaller man, clad in a tight grey t-shirt and dark wash jeans that formed around him perfectly. The man smiled as he sucked on a green lollipop. “Heya, handsome. I haven’t seen you down here before.” He scanned up and down Sam’s form as he smirked. “Trust me, I would have noticed something as delicious as you in my home.”
Sam tilted his head, blushing lightly. “Home?”
The smaller gentleman let go of Sam’s wrist and nodded. “I own this joint, sweetness.” He extended a hand. “Gabriel, but call me Gabe.”
Sam shook the man’s hand and smiled. “Sam.” He could feel his cheeks heating up as he stared into Gabe’s stunning amber eyes. Sam’s tongue flicked over his lips as he tried to keep his heart from jumping out of his chest. He had to admit, the man was gorgeous. And not in the supermodel way. No, he was cute, charismatic, charming.
“So, Sammy boy, what brings you down to my little shindig? Looking for someone?” Gabe’s eyes saddened slightly at the thought of Sam meeting someone, and Sam noticed immediately.
“Nope, just exploring. My brother ditched me about an hour ago at a bar down the street. He found a waitress at the end of her shift.” Sam chuckled. It was odd. Something about Gabriel put him immediately at ease. Talking to the man felt like it was something he was made to do.
Gabriel huffed a laugh, taking a step closer to Sam. “Well, that’s rude. Lucky for me, though. Ha. I’m guessing he was your ride?”
Sam nodded. “It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. I’ll just call a cab. But, it’s early. I might as well have some fun.” Sam lowered his voice in an attempt to sound flirtatious. By the way Gabe’s eyes lit up, it seemed to work.
“Well, Sam, how about I buy you a drink?” Gabe winked up at Sam, making his heart jump.
Sam chuckled as he nodded. “Sure. But are you really buying me a drink if you own the place?”
The statement made Gabe laugh as he walked closely to Sam, his arm brushing against the taller man’s ever few steps. “I guess not. But, you’re going to take it anyway, huh?” Gabe winked. Damn, he needed to stop doing that. Sam let out a sigh. Or not.
When the duo reached the bar, Gabe walked up to the bartender and mumbled something inaudible. The bartender nodded. The bartender was an interesting creature, dressed in a fully sequined outfit, each article a completely different color. But, he totally rocked it, which made Sam smile. If only he could be that confident.
After a minute, the sequined bartender slid two matching drinks to Gabe, which Gabe gladly snatched before headed back to Sam.
“It’s a bit on the sweet and sour side, I hope that’s okay. It’s my favorite. It’s some supped up tequila and sprite concoction. We call it ‘The Devil’s Temptation’.” Gabe smiled widely as he took a sip, his eyes fixed on Sam’s.
Sam smiled as he accepted the drink. “I’m not picky.” And that was true. Sam would drink almost anything if the buzz was good.
Without a word, Gabe grabbed Sam’s wrist against and led him over to the seating area, like a toddler leading their parent to the toy aisle. The two of them reached a small, half-moon shaped booth that was behind a rope. It must have been Gabe’s reserved spot. Sam chuckled to himself as he watched Gabe barely make it over the thick, red rope. Sam followed, stepping over the low obstacle with ease.
Gabe slid over the soft, warm material, then reached out for Sam to join him. “C’mon, handsome. I won’t bite unless you ask nicely.” And there he went with that wink again, making Sam’s whole body tingle.
Sam slid in beside Gabe as the man pulled him close. Gabe leaned his head on Sam’s shoulder as he sipped his drink. Sam took a sip from the neon green straw, needing a little bit of liquid courage if he wasn’t going to make himself look like a complete idiot in front of the gorgeous man beside him.
Gabe lifted his head to meet Sam’s gaze. “So, Sam, what do you do with your life? Modeling? Exotic dancing?” Gabe’s words were half sarcastic, making Sam huff out a laugh as he turned his body towards Gabriel.
“Ha, no. I’m finishing law school, actually. I went to Stanford for my undergrad, and now I’m finishing up my last semester of law school online, so I can travel with my brother before I need to sit in one spot for fifty years.” Sam grinned as he sipped his drink.
Gabe raised an eyebrow. “Huh, smart and sexy. Shit, I may have just hit the jackpot tonight.” He bit his lip as he scanned over Sam again. “You live around San Francisco?” There was a hint of hope in Gabe’s eyes as he waited for Sam’s answer.
“Yeah, kinda. Redwood City. My brother and I rent an apartment there. He works as a PI in South City and I can commute to school when I need to be on campus.” Sam couldn’t help but smile as he watched Gabe’s eye light up.
They talked for a while, chatting about the club and Gabe’s idea behind it all. Sam touched on his life and job as a paralegal. Every word was laced with flirtation as Gabe shifted closer and closer to Sam, eyeing the bartender to bring refills when their drinks got low. It felt like hours as they sat there, talking as if was what they were made to do.
Gabe jumped up, standing on the booth as a new song blasted through the club. “Oooh I love this song, Sammy! C’mon” Gabe leapt off the seat, reaching for the taller man’s hand as Sam slid towards the edge. Sam blushed as he took Gabriel’s hand, slowly following him to the dance floor.
The beat was fast and loud, the heavy bass pounding though the wooden floor and up into Sam’s body. He watched as his new interest began to sway, facing away from him. His well fitted pants were flattering in parts Sam was unable to appreciate until now, tightening as Gabe swayed his hips to the beat. Gabe’s hand brushed through his honey brown hair, his other hand swaying in the air. His movements made Sam’s fingers tingle as his mind begged his body to touch the decadent club owner.
Sam took a deep breath as he approached Gabriel, his own body moving to the music. His hands landed lightly on Gabe’s hips before he gently pulled the man towards him. Gabe didn’t protest for a second, leaning into Sam’s chest as be continued to sway. Sam’s half-hard cock brushed against Gabe’s ass as they closed the gap between them. Gabe groaned at the contact, leaning his head back just below Sam’s shoulder. Sam had no idea where his confidence was coming from, but he wasn’t complaining. He leaned down, grazing his lips against Gabriel’s exposed neck before nipping at the sensitive flesh.
“Sam,” Gabriel breathed as he closed his eyes. The simple sound of his name rolling off the man’s lips made his cock twitch. Sam pulled Gabriel against his body roughly, biting harder on soft spot in the curve of his neck.
“Oh, you like that?” Sam growled into Gabe’s ear. Gabe just nodded as he breathed heavily, staring up at the ceiling. “I want my lips on more than just your neck.” Sam surprised himself with his boldness, but it was the truth. Everything about Gabriel made his body hum with need.
Gabe turned his head, his lips just inches from Sam’s as he stared into the taller man’s hazel eyes. Then, their lips collided in a heated, passionate kiss. Gabe’s tongue forced its way into Sam’s mouth fighting for dominance with his own tongue as their bodies danced in unison. Sam’s fingers toyed with the hem of Gabe’s shirt, occasionally gliding over the skin just above the waistline of his pants. His skin was smooth, flawless under Sam’s touch, making Sam’s cock throb. Sam gasped against Gabe’s lips as the club owner smoothed his hand over Sam’s, leading it further down below the fabric of his jeans. Gabe undid the button and zipper of his pants, giving Sam’s massive hand more room as it smoothed over Gabe rock hard erection. Damn, he’s big.
Sam groaned hungrily into Gabe’s mouth as his fingers stroked the massive cock hidden under those sinful jeans. Sam had never been so forward with someone publicly, but something about it fueled him to go farther. He would have feared getting thrown out, if it wasn’t the owner’s cock he was stroking.
Gabe released Sam’s mouth, leaning his head back onto Sam’s shoulder. He let out a full moan as he gripped Sam’s wrist, guiding the younger Winchester’s hand, moving it faster. He pressed himself against Sam’s cock, grinding against him as Sam steered their rhythm.
Enough was enough. Sam needed to feel how Gabe felt around him, how he tasted, how he twitched and writhed under his touch. “Can we get out of here?”
Gabe smirked as he opened his eyes. Lifting Sam’s hand out of his pants, he turned around to face the handsome man. “Oh, sweetness, I thought you would never ask.”
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midwestregister · 4 years
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Building Resiliency in Teens: Why Learning How to Cope with Adversity Can Boost Emotional Readiness for College (and Life)
Originally posted on Caron
If you or someone you know is suffering from or at risk of an alcohol addiction, take the next step and reach out to a Caron specialist at 877-920-4849 or contact us online. 
The college years can be an emotionally and physically demanding time. Three out of four college students say they’re stressed, according to a recent study of 67,000 college students. Worse, one in five of these students reported thoughts of suicide, while one in 10 had attempted it. This is twice the national average for adults!
Coupled with this is the dropout rate. Less than 40% of first-time students entering a four-year college graduate after four years with a degree. After six years, only 52% will have earned a degree. Success at college is not guaranteed.
I work closely with students in high school and college who struggle with the transition to college. Always, parents are eager to know, “Is my child ready for college? How can I help prepare them?”
There is no easy answer to that question. Many students experience difficulties with this life change, but some are better able to handle that transition than others. I find that emotional readiness and resilience are the best predictors of success in college and in life. The reality is that life is bound to be stressful, and teens and young adults must have the skills necessary to thrive in the face of inevitable challenges.
The fear of failure prevents growth Parenting plays a significant role in a child’s development of emotional readiness and resiliency skills. Research shows that by the time a child reaches adolescence, his or her need to feel “secure and safe” transfers from the parental relationship to social peer relationships. There is also a shift during that time to more independence and reliance on themselves. The challenge is that it doesn’t always happen smoothly and can leave many young people with an emotional deficit.
In fact, the tried-and-true method for developing resiliency is surviving something difficult, growing from it and becoming stronger as a result. The impediment to emotional growth comes when a child is prevented from experiencing adversity, or if fear of “failure” prevents them from facing the challenge and learning from it.
Let me take a step back for a moment and talk about that dreaded concept – failure. It’s a scary word that evokes an immediate reaction for many. Failure doesn’t actually exist in the outside world. In fact, failure is a personal emotional response – a feeling you get when you don’t live up to your own expectations. Or when you feel like you’ve haven’t lived up to someone else’s expectations.
It’s helpful to think of success or failure within the framework of intrinsic goals versus extrinsic goals. Extrinsic goals are the ways we measure our success based on outcomes like admittance to a good college, having an impressive resume and getting good SAT scores. Intrinsic goals make us feel fulfilled and useful and inspire us. The more we focus on those extrinsic goals to the exclusion of the intrinsic goals, the more likely we are to feel emotional distress when the extrinsic goals don’t turn out exactly as we hoped.
The fear of failure presents most frequently as anxiety. It taps into our primitive flight-or-fight response. Our heart starts pounding, our adrenaline surges, and our mind starts racing. We’re prepared to run from the lion, but there is no lion.
Today’s overwhelming focus on the extrinsic goals is now leading to a rise of anxiety among adolescents. They feel more pressure to perform while, at the same time, they’ve had less experience at a young age taking risks, coping with disappointment and learning to solve problems on their own. There’s more dependence on family than there once was, whether that’s for economic reasons or just new approaches to parenting. Part of it is also likely due to social media, because it isolates people in a way that they don’t have to experience as much face-to-face discomfort.
The good news is that parents can help their children by letting them experience small difficulties in their lives without an immediate intervention and by teaching them healthy approaches to managing challenges from an early age, so they are equipped with resilience skills.
Anxiety during the college admissions process It’s important for parents to be aware that the process of college admissions and college transition is just as much an emotional process as it is an academic one. Just as parents hire college advisors and college counselors to help students improve their test scores, it may be worthwhile for parents to seek therapeutic support to help their child become emotionally ready.
The process of applying to college triggers a lot of anxiety for students. Parents should be alert for potential problem behaviors:
How does our child seem during this period?
Are we noticing changes in their behavior?
How are their sleeping habits?
What are their eating habits?
How are they interacting with their siblings or with us?
How are their relationships with their peers?
Warning signs of deeper trouble might include:
Substance use
Eating disorders
Withdrawal from friends or loved ones
Low energy and interest in favorite activities
Poor grades
Changing the narrative can boost emotional resilience Often, students get wrapped up in the beliefs they have about themselves. One student I was tutoring for the SAT approached the test thinking, “I’m so bad at tests. Ever since I was little, I’ve never been as smart as my classmates. Forget this. I’m just not even going to try.” I could sit with him and see he wasn’t even really reading the questions, because he already had this story in his mind. Before we could even address the geometry questions, we first had to challenge the beliefs he had about himself and develop new ones.
Even the appearance of success may not accurately reflect a young person’s emotional readiness. I recently had a client who was very high achieving – high IQ, highly motivated. That was where she found a lot of her self-worth. When she got into an Ivy League college, she was surrounded by people who were just as accomplished. She was no longer getting straight As, but Bs or even Cs. This caused so much distress that she came home after her first semester and took a semester off. If she wasn’t the smartest kid, then who was she? This was her moment of adversity, and it rocked her whole world. But out of this experience, she had an opportunity to learn what she was good at and what really excited her. Taking a step back and working on appreciating her authentic self gave her the emotional tools and perspective to move forward.
Ultimately, I encourage parents to strive for balance and help their children understand the difference between external rewards and internal fulfillment. You need both to succeed at college and at life. Accomplishing goals is important, but equally important is developing satisfaction from being present and feeling good enough about who you are right now, without expectations.
About Caron – Atlanta Outpatient Treatment Center
Atlanta is a cultural and business hub to some of the world’s biggest organizations. Coca-Cola, CNN and The Home Depot are just some of the multinational companies based here. Although Atlanta is booming, this city struggles with a drug epidemic, one that impacts hundreds of thousands of people every day. Its citizens rely on much-needed drug and alcohol rehab centers to provide the local population with recovery and support services.
Contact Caron – Atlanta Outpatient Treatment Center
1200 Ashwood Parkway Suite 125 Atlanta GA 30338 United States
678-543-5718
Website: https://www.caron.org/locations/caron-atlanta
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marriagelawrp · 6 years
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« THE WALLFLOWER »      ❝ THEY PUT YOU IN A BOX SO YOU CAN’T GET HEARD❞
Full Name: Merritt Camille Peyton
Age: Twenty- Four
Gender: Female
Occupation: Publishing Office Assistant
To Marry: The Boss
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Faceclaim: Caity Lotz
       ✕ BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN I WAS YOUNG ✕
Merritt was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia to James and Rebecca Peyton. She’d grown up a small town girl in the south, but making friends was easy in a place that so few called home. Her father, an entrepreneur, was known for his thriving businesses around the state. He had a brilliant mind and a propensity to dream up a successful idea in the blink of an eye, which allowed Merritt a pretty comfortable life growing up. However, her mother, whom was a real estate agent around the admired historical district was caught red-handed having an affair with a younger colleague. Merritt had always clicked better with her dad, but this was still her mom– she loved her. It was difficult to deal with growing up in a broken home, but she handled her parents’ divorce the best she could. Eventually she gave up contact with Rebecca; her mother didn’t seem remorseful and Merritt thought it better to cut ties completely. She still had her awesome dad. It did though make Merritt less trusting of others; slowly she built up a wall without even realizing it.
Her father was the exception. Getting by just the two of them (as she was an only child), strengthened their relationship. Merritt wasn’t excited about the prospect of moving to the city; especially one of the largest, busiest ones. No longer was James needed to stick around their home-state though; his companies were still booming, and it was time to take it to the next level. He also thought a change of pace might be nice; it was a way to give them a fresh start, and he had been growing concerned about Merritt’s meekness. Plus, The Big Apple lingered with business opportunities. Merritt didn’t seem to be the happy-go-lucky social butterfly she was at a younger age; he hoped a bustling city might bring her new adventures and expand her social life. Instead though, it just made Merritt cave in more.
Thrown out of her comfort-zone was something Merritt always hated. Anytime a major change happened, she crumbled. At first she struggled to make friends at school. It didn’t matter if she was pretty or athletic– or intelligent; she kept to herself. That turned people off. Little by little she made friends at school, particularly in track, where she became part of a team. Her high school career began taking off; if only it hadn’t been so close to graduation. Most kids didn’t know what they wanted to do after, or would enter college under general studies and go from there. Not Merritt though; her dad was her hero. All she wanted was to follow in his footsteps, and to live a full life. To be charismatic and carefree again, rather than coming off cold or snobbish. She wasn’t either, but understood why many might have that impression. It was so difficult for her thought to let her guard down again. With an academic scholarship, she attended business school at NYU, making her father insanely proud.
Merritt did come out of her shell a little more in college. She wasn’t wild by any means, but at least had a circle of friends that she hung out with and considered close. When she wasn’t studying or hanging out with them she always made time for her dad. Whether they went to baseball games, basketball games or out for a burger, she always had the best time. He was her rock. He had also promised to support her dreams to start up her own business someday, by assisting with starting funds and anything she needed. The catch though was that she first had to save up some of her own by getting a job after college and learning the responsibilities at hand. Somehow she ended up bottom tier at a publishing company. It’s a humble start, but the money isn’t anything to complain about; it helps take care of the bills now that she has her own place, with a little reserved for savings.
Grateful that both her and her father survived the virus outbreak years ago, Merritt has been trying to be more open about things– she tries to seize the day. She’s dated here and there, but nothing that ever lasted long; anytime it crossed into serious territory she pushed them away, afraid. Now that this Marriage Law has been forced upon her, she’s been panicking. The thought of sharing her life with a stranger isn’t her ideal of a rich life, especially when she found out he’s one of the most eligible bachelors in New York. And her boss, technically. They’ve yet to meet, but judging by the rumblings of her friends and magazines, he’s way out of her league.
✕ THE STORY ABOUT MY LIFE IN THE PRESENT ✕
✕ WHERE THEY LIVE ✕ You moved to New York with your father just before starting high school. He wanted to start up a new business in New York. So, you moved away from your friends and had a fresh start. It took a while to adjust, but now you live the city.
✕ THE JOB THEY HAVE ✕ You went to college and studied business. It’s always been something you were interested in, your father ran his own company and was a great manager. It’s hard to start up on your own, so for the last few years, you’ve been working at a well know publishing house. It’s a decent wage, despite your low-level job.
✕ THE MARRIAGE LAW ✕ With nearly eighty percent of the population dead because of a virus outbreak, the world is in dire need of repopulation. The government stepped in and created a marriage law, giving people eight weeks to marry a stranger chosen to them by the Government. Your letter came this week, and you have eight weeks to marry The Boss.
        ✕ THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE  ✕
THE BOSS - You received your letter last week stating they were the stranger you had to spend the rest of your life with. You recognized his name straight away, but couldn’t work out where from. Your friends knew him straight away, the most eligible bachelors according to the New York times and he’s also your boss. You’ve never met him because he’s so much higher up in the company than you. Now, you have to meet him, knowing you’re both getting married in two months time.
THE BOOKWORM -  The two of you met in college taking a couple of the same classes and ending up in study groups together. Following graduation, you loosely kept in touch with each other but the formation of the law and you both ending up in the same law group has made you two better friends than before.
THE GAMER - You both went to the same high school, but never made friends until after graduation. You both got a part-time job at a cafe during college and became closer, developing a friendship. You aren’t the best of friends, but you’re still close
                         THIS CHARACTER HAS A FLEXIBLE FACECLAIM                                 & IS CLOSED FOR AUDITION
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