leonidas-writes

[leonidas-writes]

desire & fear for. Jack i say 💖

Desire: Jackson's greatest desire is to feel loved, by someone outside of his family, for more than his body. He plays up being a slut, but. He's very insecure about actually being loved. He would of course never admit this, the insecurities or the desire. He doesn't like talking about his feelings, he'd rather make sex jokes.

Fear: Ties into his desire. He's afraid that no one will ever love him. That he's been too much, that he'll scare everyone off, that one day even his family is going to stop laughing at his stories. That he's pushing them all away. But he can't express that, so he's more, and he says I'm yours over and over, and it is a plea and a beg and he needs to be told yes, you're mine.

#Jackson Alonso

[leonidas-writes]

oc asks: not-so-nice edition

alone: How does your OC deal with loneliness? Have they ever been completely alone before? How do they act when there's no one around to see them?

betrayal: Has your OC ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust? Has your OC ever betrayed someone who trusted them?

bound: Has your OC ever been imprisoned or captured? What happened? How did they get out? Did the experience leave any scars?

break: What would cause your OC to break down completely? What do they look like when that happens? Has anyone ever seen them at their lowest?

desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

failure: What's your OC's greatest failure? Have they been able to move past it? Does anyone else know about it?

fear: What is your OC's greatest fear? What do they do when confronted with it? Are they open with their fear, or do they hide it away?

future: What's the worst possible future for your OC? Are they taking steps to avoid that outcome? Are they even aware it's a possibility?

ghost: Who or what haunts your OC? What happened? How do they live with their ghosts?

guilt: What is your OC guilty about? How do they handle their guilt? Do they try to avoid guilt, or do they accept it?

hate: What does your OC hate? Why? How do they act towards the object of their hatred?

heartbreak: Have they ever had a relationship that ended badly? Experienced some other kind of heartbreak? What happened?

hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it?

hunt: Who or what is your OC hunted by? A person, a feeling, a past mistake? Is your OC able to let their guard down, or are they constantly alert?

mask: Does your OC wear a mask, literally or figuratively? What goes on beneath it? Is there anyone in their life who gets to see who they are under the mask?

midnight: What keeps your OC up at night? Do they have nightmares? Fears? Anxieties? What do they do in the small hours of the morning when they should be sleeping?

mistake: What's the worst mistake your OC ever made? What led to them making it? Have they been able to fix it? How have they moved on?

monster: Is your OC monstrous in any way? Is there something that makes them monstrous? Are they aware of their own monstrosity? Do they accept it or reject it?

nightmare: What does your OC have nightmares about? How do they deal with their nightmares? Do they tell people, or keep it to themself?

pain: What's the worst pain your OC has ever felt? Do they have a high pain tolerance?

secret: What's one secret your OC never wants anyone to know about them?

skin: How comfortable is your OC in their skin? Do they grapple with anything that lives inside them—a beast, a curse, a failure, a monster? How do they face the smallest, weakest, most horrible version of themself? Are they able to acknowledge it at all?

torture: Has your OC ever been tortured? Would your OC ever torture someone else?

wound: How does your OC handle being wounded? Are their wounds mostly physical? Mental? Emotional? What's the worst wound your OC has ever experienced?

#request meme

[leonidas-writes]

writing prompt askbox activities

(my inbox is closed, don’t send these to me, I just like coming up with them)

1. make up the title of a parable or fairy tale from a fictional world (kastor and the three red horses, how the bilburd got its engines, the bastard’s socks), send it to me, and I will write the parable/fairy tale

2. send me three emojis, and I will come up with a premise based on them

3. make up and describe a location, and I’ll make up/describe two to five characters you might meet there.

4. send me a Want and a Need (this character wants: a burrito/a scholarship/revenge for their mother’s death - this character needs: a hug/self-actualization through dance/to give away their mother’s only heirloom) and I’ll write a short scene basing each main character on one ask

5. send me a relationship trope from a made-up world (bull-tamer/bull-speaker, false gods to lovers, and there was only one brain) and I’ll write a snippet using what I imagine that trope to be

6. send me a Hard Opinion about a fandom/property that doesn’t exist and I will reply in kind

7. send me the first line of a short story or poem, and I will write the rest of it

8. make up a crime from a fictional world (star perjury, grand theft buffalo, money sundering) and I will write about a character committing that crime or being put on trial for it.

9. send me a weird high concept (die hard meets my little pony, the fast and the furious meets romeo and juliet, lord of the rings meets house m.d.) and I will attempt to make a compelling premise out of it

10. vague and dubiously workable bonus prompt: in the voice of a character you have made up, send me a letter.  I will attempt to respond with my own letter in a way that changes the meaning of the letter you sent.

#request meme

[leonidas-writes]

Touches Ask Game

Prompts for writing human connection, intimacy, belonging.

Hand-holding

The purest form of human connection.

tiny hands in big hands

calloused hands in soft hands

cold hands in warm hands

hands with the perfect ratio to each other for hand-holding

platonic hand-holding

running their thumb over the other’s hand

dancing with their hands holding onto each other

squeezing hand for comfort and encouragement

holding hands across the table

happily doing everything with just one hand, if it means they don’t have to let go

not wanting to lose each other in a big crowd

possessive hand-holding

linking hands together during sex

grabbing hand to show them something

loosely holding onto each other’s hands, laying in one’s lap

only linking the pinkies together, not ready to let go completely

holding hands while skating

excitedly grabbing each other’s hands during a concert, jumping up and down together

playing with each other’s fingers

pressing the other’s hand against their cheek

holding hands while one is balancing on a small wall

grabbing the other’s hand to pull them back from something

holding hands under the table

only realizing it when they have to let go

standing in front of each other, holding both their hands

holding their hands above their head, fingers linked together

passionate hand-holding

grabbing the other’s hand so they don’t fall

holding hands while running through the rain

brushing against each other, linking fingers together for a second

grabbing their hand to grab their attention

not really paying attention, both doing something else, but still holding hands

bandaging the other’s hand and not quite letting go

holding hands while driving

grabbing the other’s hand to pull them back to them

unconsciously searching out each other’s hand while sleeping

not realizing they’re holding hands till someone points it out

swinging hands back and forth, skipping like children

holding hands in a museum to pull them to the next exhibition

letting go when there is an obstacle in their way and immediately grabbing each other’s hand again when they pass it

loosely holding onto each other’s hand

dragging the other with them, holding their hand

raising the other’s hand to their lips to kiss it softly

holding hands while jumping down from somewhere together

comparing hand sizes, then linking fingers together

Hugs

A warm embrace.

friendly hugs

hug around the waist

hugging while twirling around

comforting hugs

side hugs

hugging and gently holding the other’s head

pulling someone into a hug

hugging while walking

eye-to-eye hugs

hiding their face in the other’s neck

clinging to each other

hugging while lying down together

group hugs

hugging with head on shoulder

tender embrace

‘not wanting to let go’ hugs

hugging from behind

bear hugs

hugging with hands in each other’s pockets

cuddling

hugs and kisses

hugging and jumping up and down together

familiar hugs

hugging with height-difference

gentle hugs

hugging with patting on back

piggy back hugs

quick hugs

hugging while slow dancing

one-sided hugs

hugging while straddling the partner

long-lasting hugs

‘picking them up’ hugs

hugging while grabbing butt

cuddle pile

Kisses

Showing affections.

goodnight kisses

hand kisses

smiling while kissing

lips barely touching

morning kisses

slow kisses

passionate kisses

kisses on the cheek

first kisses

goodbye kisses

welcome home kisses

kisses on the corner of their mouth

frustrated kisses

kissing each other breathless

soothing kisses

nose kisses

kisses as a promise

short pecks

forehead kisses

kisses on head

“we’ll face this together” kisses

kisses in the rain

life-or-death kisses

kisses for a cover

hard kisses

giggling while kissing

desperate kisses

neck kisses

hushed conversation in-between kisses

eyelid kisses

gentle stroking of cheeks

small kisses

kissing it better

jaw kisses

wake-up kisses

kissing away tears

public kisses

relieved kisses

kisses for comfort

tummy kisses

kisses to shut them up

slowly kissing down the body

“we’ll see each other again” kisses

kissing each finger

sleepy kisses

angry kisses

feather-light kisses

kisses with trembling lips

secret kisses

kisses with their last dying breath

Touching

Feeling another human’s touch.

touching foreheads

running fingers through hair

hiding face in neck

caressing the other’s hand

feeling their pulse

patting the other’s head

holding hands

shielding the other one with their body

listening to the other’s heartbeat

spooning at night

laying their hand on the other’s neck

pushing a strand of hair behind their ear

nudging the other one

putting an arm around the other’s waist

hugging each other

massaging them

holding the other’s chin up

squishing the other’s cheek

high fiving

bandaging/stitching up an injury

kissing the other’s brow

falling asleep on the other’s shoulder

carrying the other one in their arms

whispering in their ear, lips touching the skin

stroking the other’s arm soothingly

kissing the top of their head

pulling the other one towards them

feeling for each other in the dark

tickling the other one

grabbing onto their arm

doing a pinky swear

caressing the other’s back

tasting their smile

washing the other’s body

kissing their bruises and scars

lifting the other one up

putting their head on the other’s chest

stroking their leg

leaning into the other’s side

patting them on the back

sitting close and knees touching

braiding the other’s hair

giving them a piggy-back ride

sitting on the other’s lap

feeling their temperature

linking arms with each other

touching their elbow to get their attention

dancing with each other

holding onto the other’s shoulders for support

putting a hand over the other’s mouth to shut them up

Hand-holding|Hugs|Kisses|Touching

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

#request meme

[leonidas-writes]

askbchfl Your writing is very good and I was reading through & I. Saw the 200 prompts post PFFT. Whenever you get to them, I know motivation is hard. 💖 90. & 111. Your choice whoever it is!

90. Will couldn't help being insecure. He hadn't grown up with compliments from every side like Jackson had. Everyone wanted Jack, but... No one seemed to want him. Watching Anna, his love, study him with a gentle blush, it made him worry. He leaned toward her, deflecting with humor.

"You know if you look at the sun too long you'll go blind, yeah?" She looked at him, smiling a bit but... Confused, too.

"What? Will, he's not the sun." He faltered a bit.

"I know, I was just making a joke."

"But he's not the sun. He's very dreamy, but he's not the sun. You are." He felt his cheeks flame, and ducked his head, his girlfriends soft laugh making him smile.

"And here I thought I was supposed to be the smooth one." She kissed his cheek.

"Too bad. Title stolen." He grinned at her, his worries mostly forgotten.

111. John wasn't the most quiet person, but he was far from the most talkative. He tended more to leaving notes for his loves than telling them things in person, because he knew he'd stumble over his words if he tried to say them himself. But Josh was dyslexic. It'd be rude to leave him a note instead of just saying it to him. So he'd practice, and braced himself, and now he was in front of Josh, who was looking at him curiously, openly.

"...I love you, Josh. With every fiber of my being. You're gentle and caring when I need you to be, defensive of me to a fault, so willing to do whatever it takes to keep me safe. I adore you, even if you make it hard to think. You've bewitched me, body and soul. My sweet love..." He trailed off as Josh stepped closer.

"You could've stopped at 'I love you', but thank you for saying all that." Josh kissed him, gentle and warm, and John melted against him. When they pulled apart, John poked his nose.

"You just don't like when I get all frilly with my words."

"Untrue. I'd have just been content with 'I love you', and the rest was an added bonus." John chuckled, kissing him again.

[leonidas-writes]

10. psithurism, 15. balter, 20. sweven and 24. meriggiare with anyone!! 🥰💖

psithurism - the sound of wind rustling leaves

The lake was always beautifully clear, the little waterfall at the back providing wonderful white noise. Her head was pillowed on Will's chest, and his heartbeat was steady and slow beneath her as he slept. There was a breeze, keeping the summer heat away, and moving the trees, the leaves, making the perfect mixture of cacophony and symphony. Her eyes slid closed, and she joined Will in slumber.

balter - to dance gracelessly, but with enjoyment

It was celebration that they'd drunk in, and now they were well and truly sloshed. Josh was holding her, silent and far away, chin on her shoulder, and she'd marvel later at how distant he stayed despite her constantly shaking with laughter. Will was laughing too, upside down on the couch and having had the genius idea of sticking a straw in his drink so he could still drink without sitting up. John and Jackson were absent, but Anna didn't care too much right then. Jackson had gotten pushy and John had gone to putty and so they'd left the room to have their fun. Anna perked up a bit, throwing her arms up.

"We should dance!" Will grinned, pushing himself up. He stood and grabbed her hands and Josh made a noise of dissent as she pulled away, but he watched them quietly. And their dancing was sloppy and so clearly drunken but they didn't care. They laughed and held each other and when they fell, Anna landing on top of him, they simply howled with laughter. It was worth the headache in the morning.

sweven - a dream

There was a king in front of her, his black crown crooked upon his head, and he was smiling, hand held out to her. And they were in her palace, and she took his hand, and they started dancing. He passed her off after a moment to a knight in white armor, her knight, she knew. And they danced, and then she was spun into the arms of the king's knight, and she leaned into him a bit. But even as she danced with her king and their knights, she knew something was wrong. When she saw the man standing at the side of the room, the scene changed, violently and apruptly. They were at a bar, and he was serving her, and she knew him, she knew him, she knew him. And he spoke but there was no sound, but she could picture his voice so clearly. And he turned and started walking away from her and desperate, searing panic bubbled up in her throat as she reached for him. He fell.

She snapped awake, breathing heavy, tears in her eyes and not sure why.

meriggiare - to rest at noon, more likely in a shady spot outdoors

Josh had brought her to the meadow, had curled up with her under one of the trees. And she was still shaky, still in pain, but he was here and the painkillers would kick in soon and she would be fine, she had him so she'd be fine. She closed her eyes, trying to enjoy the cool of the shade and the warmth of his body. She'd be fine.

#my characters #friends characters #Anna #Will #Josh #Jackson #John

[leonidas-writes]

okay, 8. w/ Will, 16. w/ anyone but i thought it'd be really cute if this one was with one of the kids included, 22. with all of our idiots annnnnd 30. w/ god of the stars jackson!! or your choice, i'll love them all no matter what!! 🥰💖

Apricity - the warmth of the sun in the winter

Will was a ray of sunshine on a rainy day, always bright and warm when someone needed him to be. A gentle hug and a quiet joke, or screaming songs at the top of his lungs, whatever they needed. And if what they needed was held, he was wonderful at it. Warm arms and a frame large enough to engulf most people. It was one of the things his lovers enjoyed so much about him.

Verklempt - completely and utterly overcome with emotion

"She's so tiny." Josh was sitting next to her and studying Fia, holding one of her hands as she ate. Anna was holding her, staring down at her, and nodded a bit.

"She'll get bigger." Jackson was standing at Josh's side, arm wrapped around him, smiling. Will was against her other side, just staring at her, while John sat at the edge of the bed, writing eagerly. And she couldn't help it, looking at all her boys, holding their daughter, tears started falling. And Josh wiped at them, frowning a bit, but she just grinned, leaning into his hand.

"Isn't she perfect?" Will kissed her cheek as Josh grinned, and Jackson leaned over him to kiss the top of her head. John just nodded, smiling.

Basorexia - the overwhelming desire to kiss

Will was confessing. To him. Josh just stared at him. And he spoke such sweet things, about him. When he was done talking, he didn't look at him, just continued staring at their hands. And oh, was this what desire felt like? He moved his hand under Will's chin and pushed it up, pressing their mouths together. And Will seemed surprised, for a second. And then he was kissing back, gripping his shirt, and Josh decided that yes, this was exactly what desire felt like. It was heat in his veins and Will's shirt in his hands and his lips against his and not drawing back until they had to breathe. And Will was trying to talk, but he couldn't help himself. Just a few more kisses. Then he'll be done... Probably.

Astral - of or relating to the stars­

Anna stared, quietly, at the god before her. Dressed in a vest and loose pants, he looked so much like the murals. But they never depicted his star-bright eyes, or his brilliant grin, or the way he practically shone against the black of night. And he held his hand out to her, and she took it. They danced, and she wondered, idly, if this was what the stars did all night. Dance together. If they taught him, the way they taught him stories. When his chin rested atop her head, when her cheek was to his collarbone, she marveled at how warm he was. Were the stars warm too?

#my characters #friends characters #Josh #John #Jackson #Will #Anna #Fia #I MISREAD WHICH ONE WANTED ALL THE IDIOTS OH GOD OH FUCK #I'M SORRY

[leonidas-writes]

okay, so: 2. aspectabund and 9. messaline with Anna, maybe a boy?? 9. w/ a boy(s) talking about Anna is GOOD SHIT but your choice!! 13. w/ all of our idiots and 17. cruore w/ Josh 😊💖

Aspectabund - letting emotion show easily through the face or eyes

Anna knew she could lie well, could hide anything she didn't want known. But, with Will and his friends it was... Harder. For some things, at least. Joy and delight she was used to letting show, or at least, used to faking. But she knew the tilt of her head as she smiled fondly at Josh's idiocy by heart now, knew the exact way her mouth curled at Jackson's horrible jokes, even as she protested them. She was also becoming increasingly aware of how much she failed to hide the more comfortable she got with them. A too-forced laugh, and John's hand was in hers. Letting herself slump against him too much, and Will's arm was around her, thumb rubbing up and down on her shoulder as she found her fight against sleep suddenly much harder. She didn't know when it got so easy to let them see. She wasn't sure if it was a bad thing.

Messaline - soft lightweight silk with a satin weave

Anna curled into a ball, blankets pulled tight around herself, tears in her eyes. Today had gone to shit. Her father was furious and so she'd shown up to Will's limping, and she hated the pity, the worry, she just wanted to hang out and not think of any of that. And then she broke down crying in front of them all. At least Josh had steered her into another room, talked her through the tears. But she burned the sauce she'd been helping make and so they'd changed the entire dinner plan because they'd only had enough for one batch of sauce. As she shifted though, there was something stunningly soft against her face. And then she remembered the pillow case that John had gotten her. Messaline, he called it. She called it soft. She buried her face in it, enjoying the texture, the silent reminder that they cared, that they wanted her safe and happy. She managed to fall asleep not too long after.

cafune - the act of running your fingers through the hair of someone you love

Josh's head was in her lap as she played with his hair. Will's fingers were in hers, braiding it carefully and neatly, humming to himself. John was curled up with Jackson, sleeping soundly, and Jackson was smiling fondly as he played with John's hair. The house was warm and there were cooling cookies and she'd probably be asleep before they were done. Josh certainly would be. She'd have to ask Will to wake her up.

cruore - it literally means “flowing blood”

Josh had never had an issue with blood. Not his own, not others. But answering Anna's panicked texts and climbing through her window, he felt sick as he saw the slick red on her hands. He shot to her, checking the wound, the disgustingly red wound, figuring out what he needed to do before he ran and got the first aid kit and sewed her up and bandaged her and he'd never been relieved to not see blood before, to not see red spilling from someone. He was used to indifference, not this.

#my characters #friends characters #Josh #Jackson #Will #John #Anna

[leonidas-writes]

Writing Challenge Prompt List

scrosciare - the action of rain pouring down or of waves hitting rocks and cliffs

aspectabund - letting emotion show easily through the face or eyes

pyrrhic - won at too great a cost

rubatosis - the unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat

trepverter - a witty response or comeback you think of only after it’s too late to use

hiraeth - a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past

resfeber - thrill felt before an adventure

apricity - the warmth of the sun in the winter

messaline - soft lightweight silk with a satin weave

psithurism - the sound of wind rustling leaves

lapidoso - full of stones, said of roads or of the bottom of a river

liberosis - the desire to care less about things

cafune - the act of running your fingers through the hair of someone you love

ignipotent - presiding over fire

balter - to dance gracelessly, but with enjoyment

verklempt - completely and utterly overcome with emotion -

cruore - it literally means “flowing blood”

marcid - incredibly exhausted

temerate - to break a bond or promise

sweven - a dream

petrichor - the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a long period of dry weather

basorexia - the overwhelming desire to kiss

whelve - to bury something deep, to hide

meriggiare - to rest at noon, more likely in a shady spot outdoors

ansare - to hardly breathe, to be out of breath

arcuate - arched; bow-shaped

morituro - of someone who is next or destined to die

noceur - one who stays up late

selcouth - unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet wonderful

astral - of or relating to the stars­

#request meme

[leonidas-writes]

A thing inspired by the discord! Aloy, if raised by HEPHAESTUS.

Rost was hunting, not expecting anything other than machines and animals to cross his path. A young girl was a shock, especially when she raised a well crafted metal spear toward him.

"Stay back, human!" He paused, tilting his head.

"Human?" Her brows furrowed.

"Yes. You're a human."

"Are you not?" She looked at him like he was crazy, equal parts offended and confused.

"No! I'm a machine, dummy. Can't you tell?" Ah, she was playing pretend. He smiled a bit.

"Ah, yes. Now I see it. My apologies, little machine. Do you have a name?" She nodded a bit.

"Aloy. HEPHAESTUS says 'alloy', but I like it better as Aloy." He hummed in agreement.

"Yes, I agree. Aloy sounds much better. Do you have a bedtime, Aloy?" She shook her head. "Okay. Is there a time... HEPHAESTUS wants you home by?"

"Before I fall asleep." He frowned a bit.

"I see. Well, if you're going to be out here a bit, would you like to watch me hunt?" And suddenly the fire was back in her eyes, and the tip of the spear pointed at his throat.

"You won't hurt any machines."

"I promise." That seemed to throw her off. "I will not hurt any machines today. Not unless they try and hurt me first." She studied his face, and then her stance dropped.

"They won't! What are you hunting if not machines?"

"Foxes. Boars, if I see any. Geese." She moved to his side as he started walking.

"Are you gonna eat them?" He nodded. "Can I try some of what you make? Since I'll be making sure none of the other machines hurt you." He chuckled, nodding.

"Of course. Now, you must be quiet when I tell you to be, alright?" She nodded, and he turned his attention to the woods, answering questions when asked.

***

Aloy was wrapped up in a blanket, watching as he cooked. She was a curious child, asking about everything. When he added an herb she'd ask what it was, and what it did, and why he used it over something else. And he would explain, the best he could. She was quieted by a warm bowl in her hands.

"It's rough, but smooth at the same time. And it's not super hot, despite having hot stuff in it!" She grinned at him, taking the offered spoon. "Why doesn't it heat up?"

"Because wood does not heat the same way that metal does." She had explained to him that her world was metal, like that of the Old Ones. That the person who raised her made machines, that she could command them. It was much to take in, and explained why she called herself a machine. "Eat, please." She took a bite of the stew, and her eyes widened.

"This is so good!" She started eating with gusto, and he chuckled, starting to eat his own stew. At least he'd shown her humanity had some good qualities.

***

She was gone when he woke, and there was a pile of materials near the entrance to his clearing. Atop them were Carja runes, carved precisely into the metal, that read 'THANK YOU - HEPHAESTUS.' He snorted softly as he read them and looked over the parts. It seemed he wouldn't need to go hunting for anything other than game for a while.

#Machine Child AU #Rost #Aloy #horizon zero dawn #hephaestus

[leonidas-writes]

A monumental shift of her entire world, and Alana still supports her sister. Alana said 'she's mine and nothing else matters, not where she came from, not how she came to be, she's mine.'

The Embrace was in ruins. The corrupted machines had torn through it, but at least the Nora were safe. Alana walked at her sister's side as she went to speak to All-Mother. She hung back as Aloy stepped onto the platform, and her eyes widened when All-Mother spoke. She dropped to her knees, staring as the Womb Of The Mountain opened, and it was only when Aloy speak that she moved her gaze.

"Alana." She looked at her sister, and there was something pleading in her eyes, and she knew the truth about All-Mother, about GAIA, but that didn't make this less religious for her. But her sister needed her, so she stood, to continue to be an instrument of All-Mother's will. They walked into the Womb, and the door sealed behind them.

She studied the drawings on the walls, the dead robots, watched the ghosts of her ancestors as they complained about being trapped, as they were told to leave, as they attempted to enter a sealed door. And when the door opened, she smiled at the hologram of Samina. Until it froze, and there was an error, and something was very, very wrong. She and Aloy glanced at each other, moving past the hologram, ignoring the other twenty images of the dead woman, all saying the same thing, always stopping at the same spot, always with the same error. She watched GAIA's message with awe and growing dread. Aloy was silent. When it was over, she turned to her sister.

"Aloy, this changes nothing. You know that."

"I don't have a mother, Alana. It changes everything." She surged forward, grabbing her wrists, making her look at her.

"You do. You have our mother, and our father, and you have me. You have a family, and nothing will change that. Being born for a purpose does not change anything, and this does not mean you suddenly have to go it alone."

"Besides," Alana bristled as Sylens cut in. "Elisabet gave genetic material necessary to create you, and GAIA made you herself. They're your mothers as much as the woman that raised you." Aloy's eyes hardened a bit, and she nodded.

"Right. I need to find GAIA Prime."

"And I can help with that. I'm sending the location to your focuses." Alana nodded.

"Thank you, Sylens. As always, we'll involuntarily keep you updated on whatever we find." Aloy gave a small laugh, and that was enough. When they exited the door, they were hailed as Annointed. Aloy bristled beside her, and Alana spoke above the noise of those hailing them. "Be silent! We are not Annointed! We are instruments of All-Mother's will, creations of hers as the rest of you! All-Mother has called on us to heal her, after being injured fighting a facet of the Metal Devil." The sisters glanced at each other, and Aloy took a deep breath.

"But the demon is still loose. She managed to stall it, but it has found another way to destroy what All-Mother built. The battle against it will happen at Meridian." There was muttering, and she raised her voice a bit. "The world outside our lands may not be sacred, but it was still crafted by All-Mother. The Spire, the thing that the Metal Devil seeks, is a creation of All-Mother, one meant to stop the follies of the Old Ones. If it is claimed by the Metal Devil, it will use it to destroy the world." Teersa rose, the other matriarchs following.

"If All-Mother's world is to be destroyed, then it is our duty as her people to prevent it." She looked at Jezza, who nodded, though Teersa was too busy staring at the girls in front of the door. "Hear me, Braves! Any who wish to join the fight at Meridian shall be made Seekers!" The sisters smiled as Varl, Vala, and Sona all stepped forward. The family resemblance was unmistakable, in the form of their faces as well as the expression they all bore. They nodded to each other, and moved toward their parents as more Braves began to step forward. Rost met them on the way, hugging them both tightly.

"I am so proud of you both. We must get ready to join the War Party."

"Give them time to rest, my love. I'm sure they're exhausted." Aloy glanced at Alana before speaking.

"There's actually one last thing we need to do." Nadia raised an eyebrow. "A weapon, meant just for creatures like the Metal Devil. We need it to prevent it from ever hurting anyone else." Their parents glanced at each other before nodding.

"Be safe, my daughters. And do not forget what we taught you." They both nodded, and the two of them ran, calling their striders. In the mountain, the Nora prepared to leave the Sacred Lands, marching to defend the capitol of those that had hurt them so severely.

#horizon zero dawn #Aloy #Alana #Sylens #Vala #Varl #Sona #Teersa #Rost #A Seeker Claimed

[leonidas-writes]

More of A Seeker Claimed, because it's stuck. Yay.

Alana was waiting when Aloy and Teersa emerged. She scrambled to her feet, bowing her head to the high matriarch, and then beginning to quickly check her sister's throat.

"If you ever scare me like that again I'll throw you off a cliff." Aloy laughed softly, taking her hand.

"I'm okay, Lana. Promise." She frowned a bit. "But I have to go to Meridian. Someone working with them was from the entourage, an Oseram named Olin." Alana frowned and then turned to the three high matriarchs

"We will need to be Seekers to pursue them."

"We?" Alana nodded.

"Yes, High Matriarch Jezza. My little sister nearly died. I'm not letting her leave the Sacred Lands without me." Lansra moved to argue, and Alana spoke again. "We will go, no matter what. Those who nearly killed my sister, and who we'll be tracking, they meant to disrupt the Proving, to destroy the next generation of Braves. They need to be punished for it." Teersa stepped forward.

"You are correct, and I, at the least, believe you should both be granted this right." She turned. "What say you, sisters?" There was a bit of grumbling from Lansra, but they were both made Seekers. They were walking away when Aloy froze. "You good, kid?"

"We have to tell mom and dad." Alana froze as well.

"...We could just go. We don't have to tell them."

"They'd skin us." Alana groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"They'll understand. They will, they have to. They nearly killed you, nearly disrupted the Proving, they'll understand."

"Understand what?" The girls both jumped at the sound of their mother's voice.

"Aloy has something to tell you."

"Traitor!" Aloy smacked her sister's arm, and their mother smiled slightly.

"I'm listening." Aloy took a deep breath.

"We're Seekers and we're going to Meridian to find the people that attacked the Proving love you bye!" The two girls took off running, their mother whipping around to stare after them. Oh they were never going to hear the end of this when they came back. At least they'd live long enough to find the killers.

#horizon zero dawn #Aloy #Alana #Teersa #Lansra #Jezza #A Seeker Claimed

[leonidas-writes]

37, 67, and 103, please!! you're so good at these 🥰💖

37. "Anna." She was in pain and exhausted an apparently hallucinating, becuase that sounded so much like Jackson, but he couldn't be here. Couldn't know where she was, couldn't have put himself in harm's way for her. "Anna, hey, look at me." Her eyes fluttered open, and she stared, because... That was him. Her Jackson, his green eyes and black hair and gentle smile. Her vision started to blur with tears.

"Jack..." He gently took her hand.

"I'm right here. Can you walk?"

"Yes."

"Let's get you on your feet." He helped her up, and she leaned into him, weak and weary and so trying not to cry, not to make more noise. "Follow me." Her eyes widened, she must've shown something of how scared she was. "It's okay, just hold my hand." She took his hand, squeezed it tight. He squeezed back, and led her out. She broke down when they got home, when she was curled up in his arms, clutching his shirt. But they were safe.

67. John walked over to Josh, sitting next to him.

"Staring isn't gonna make her yours, Josh." He jumped, turning red.

"E-Excuse me?! I wasn't staring and I-I don't want her to be mine, that's... That's ridiculous." John gave him a flat look, and a raised eyebrow.

"You can't lie to me about this, Josh. You can't have her, and it's killing you inside. You wanna know how I know?" Josh huffed.

"Yeah, tell me how you came to that conclusion."

"Because she's gorgeous and kind and caring and has a wonderful sense of humor and she's an angel given human form." John smiled ruefully. "And it's killing me too." Josh's eyes widened. "Your secret's safe with me, but if you want her, tell me and I'll hang back."

"...Thanks for the offer, John. I might take you up on it."

103. "At this point, if a clown invited me into the woods, I would just go." They all paused to look at Will, staring forlornly at one of their new pieces of furniture, still in pieces.

"I think you'll survive, love." John was smiling fondly as he said it, and walked over to kiss Will's cheek. Will leaned against him, huffing.

"Why does it need to be this complicated?"

"So it doesn't fall apart in a stiff breeze." Josh finished screwing in one screw and moves to another.

"But it's haaaaaard..." Anna and John laughed at him, and Josh threw a screwdriver.

"Josh, no throwing."

"I didn't hit him." Jackson smacked his arm.

"I still said no throwing." Josh pouted at him, but went back to assembling the entertainment center. He yelped when a screwdriver smacked him in the back of the head.

"I'm so sorry!" Josh gave Will a flat look, and Anna spoke.

"Why don't you go start dinner, Will?" He nodded, quickly getting to his feet and walking to the kitchen. She quickly checked where the screwdriver had hit him, kissing him when she was sure it wouldn't do more than be sore. At least Will had gotten off furniture duty...

#my characters #friends characters #Josh #John #Jackson #Will #Anna

[leonidas-writes]

More of A Seeker Claimed! Aloy has a FAMILY and they LOVE HER and they SAY IT DAMMIT! I will post some thing later that is. Earlier in the time line. But, it's my AU, I write where I want to.

Alana had her arms crossed as they walked away from the massive building, and Aloy spoke after a minute.

"What's on your mind, Lana?" A deep breath, and a short pause as her sister collected her thoughts.

"She obviously can't be your mother, yet the resemblance is uncanny. Both in appearance, and determination. She didn't give him a choice, she knew his pride would keep him in line. She was clever and sharp and did what it took to get what she needed." Aloy snorted.

"I think I should take that as a compliment." Alana smiled at her. "Still, how do you think she might've stopped the robots?"

"I don't know. I'm in the dark as much as you are, but... I think it's why there's no Old Ones left alive. A massive loss of life, like the vanishing of the Old Ones, I think that could be why he was so angry." Aloy nodded a bit.

"A sacrifice so she could do what she needed to stop the robots. Makes sense." Alana wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, with you and I working together, we'll figure it out."

"I notice you didn't mention Sylens." Alana made a gagging motion, and Aloy laughed. Yeah, she was right. They'd figure it out.

#horizon zero dawn #Alana #Aloy #Aloy got her a Focus so that she could help out more and see what Aloy sees #This is just after Maker's End #Per request of the group chat #I just wanted to write more for this #A Seeker Claimed

[leonidas-writes]

28. 56. annnnnnd 63. pleaseeee!! you can choose whoever!! 💖

28. "Take one more step and I break her pretty little neck." Josh froze, staring at the man holding Anna, one of her father's employees. He could hear John's muffled crying behind him, knew that Will was holding him, resolutely looking anywhere else. Jackson was between them and the man, his own knife drawn. Josh huffed a bit, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure her father would love for her to be dead before he gets the chance to hurt her." The man huffed, adjusting his hold on Anna.

"The boss would believe me if I told him that it was all to get to you. He hates you, bud." Josh laughed, harsh and mean.

"Oh he can get in line! But I know he wants first pick of how she dies." He stepped forward, and the man tensed. But he didn't follow through on the threat. "And it looks like you know that too."

"Oh piss off! I'll shoot you before you get close enough to use that knife of yours." Josh snorted.

"I'm faster than you think." The man's eye twitched. Good, just keep him angry with you, get him to do something stupid...

"Faster than a bullet?"

"Depends. We talking pistol or rifle?"

"Doesn't matter! No one's faster than a bullet."

"You wanna bet?" The man growled, shoving Anna away and drawing.

"Try and d-" He cried out in pain as a knife sunk into his chest and Josh was on him in a second, pulling the knife free and slitting his throat, grabbing the gun and throwing it aside so he couldn't do anything last minute. And then he was in front of Anna, knife away and hands hastily cleaned on his pants, gently taking her face in his hands. John scrambled over as Josh was muttering reassurances under her sobs, and hugged her, tight and warm and desperate. The two of them cried as the other three stayed around them, though Will and Jackson looked shaken. Josh kept watch for them all, one hand held tightly in Anna's, the other on the knife now resting on his thigh. He would protect them, next time. This would not happen again.

56. Jackson was half asleep on Anna's bed, baffled by how he'd managed to find his childhood crush again. The sheets smelled like her. When she walked in, holding a music box, his eyes narrowed a bit. He was pretty sure he knew it, but he couldn't exactly remember why. She smiled at his expression.

"Do you remember this? It's the music box you got me when we were twelve." She walked over and sat next to him, wound it, and he sat up so she could lean against him.

"Surprised you've still got it. Didn't think you were a music box person." She chuckled.

"Are you crazy? I love music boxes. Especially when they come from people I care about." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her, listening to the old melody, and basking in the joy of having found her, having her there.

63. "Just tell me where she is!" Her father's goon spit at his feet.

"Not happening. Boss would have my head."

"I'll have it if you don't tell me!" His knife slammed into the arm of the chair, the man's arm left uninjured, the metal pressing against it. "Do I need to drag the answer out of you, or are you going to tell me?"

"I'd rather spit blood than tell you anything." He snarled.

"I can arrange that."

#my characters #friends characters #Anna #Josh #Jackson #murder// #blood//

[leonidas-writes]

The Brood part 2. The tenth arrives! Clearest backstory, also the one that they didn't fully intend to get.

Elisabet was working when she got a call, answering on instinct.

"Hey, Lis? This is Catherine, from Wakefield." She remembered her. Kind, had done a lot for them, matched them with four of their nine kids.

"Hey Cat. What can I do for you?" The other woman paused, and Elisabet did as well, dread pooling in her gut.

"I know you guys were gonna be done after Apollo, but I got a case and thought of you guys."

"Alright, lay it on me."

"Female, estimated two weeks." Elisabet froze. Estimated? "No name, not registered at any hospitals. Left on the damn doorstep. No record, no way to track any parents, was just left there."

"We'll take her."

"You don't need to talk to Gaia?" There was a note in her voice that said she knew exactly why she didn't.

"No. I don't, I know she'd wanna help this kid." Catherine's voice was fond.

"You're both good people. I'm glad she's gonna have you. When do you wanna pick her up?"

"Tomorrow. We'll have a name when we come to get her." A soft laugh came across the line, and she felt her cheeks flush despite herself.

"You're a good person, Lis. How's noon sound?"

"Sounds good. Thank you, Catherine. Now I've gotta call Gaia to tell her we're adopting a two week old daughter."

"I don't envy that conversation. Good luck." The call ended, and Elisabet took a minute to gather herself before she called her wife. She answered the call as promptly as ever.

"Hello, Elisabet."

"Hey Gaia. We adopted another kid."

"What?" There was shock and anger in her voice and fuck, she could've handled that better.

"Catherine called me about a two week old girl who got left on their doorstep, no records or anything."

"And you said yes." The tone was far more understanding now, and there was a pause. "We'll need a name."

"Yeah. I was thinking something metalurgic, to cheer Heph up after Apollo said his first words without him around."

"We can't make it too overt or Minerva would be angry." She smiled a bit.

"You're such a peace keeper love. How about solder?"

"You can't name a child solder! May as well name them wire." Elisabet chuckled.

"Sprocket?" Gaia was smiling, she could hear it in her voice.

"Mm, why not go all out? Argentum."

"Oh, I love when you speak latin to me." Gaia laughed at that. "What about alloy, huh?" And then she paused.

"I hope you made a note of that."

"I will now!"

~

They had a name when they showed up at the agency, and Aloy was brought home in Elisabet's arms. She was introduced to her siblings, and Hephaestus was the first one to hold her. And he smiled and spoke softly and they knew immediately that he was going to dote on her the exact same way he doted in Apollo. Hades was not allowed to hold her, as he wasn't allowed to hold Apollo, because neither of them knew how to keep him from acting the way he did, cruel and cold. Aloy was loved by her siblings, though, and that was all that mattered to her mothers.

~

Aloy was four, and running around the yard with Apollo and Vala, chasing them as she shrieked with laughter. Hades was ten, and had never outgrown his cruel anger. So when he walked past them all on his way out, knocking Aloy over, he didnt care about the startled shout and the upset look he was given. Aloy stood back up, Vala and Apollo there and checking on her, but it didn't help her mood much. They went inside, to Hephaestus, and Aloy curled up in his lap. Aloy wasn't sure why Hades had pushed her, wasn't sure it was on purpose. So she didn't say anything about it, just curled into her oldest brother.

~

Aloy was six and her brother came and sat next to her. Her right eye was swollen and her knuckles were red.

"I broke a kid's nose for not leaving Minerva alone, once." Her eyes widened and she looked at him.

"Really?!" He nodded.

"Really." He looked at her, took her hand, kissed the sore knuckles. "Which is why I'm sure your hand hurts." She blushed a bit, pulling her hand away, but he just chuckled. "Long as you were defending you or Apollo, they won't care too much." She cuddled into him.

"They were pushing him around, making fun of him." Like Hades did to her, she didn't say. "I told them to stop and one of them stepped forward and told me to make them. So I did." Hephaestus kissed the top of her head.

"You've got such a big heart, Aloy. Don't let anyone take that from you." She nodded, and he kissed her head again. She closed her eyes.

~

Aloy's eye hadn't even fully healed from her run in with the bullies when she snapped at her older brother.

"Stop it!" He paused, one eyebrow raised.

"Or what?" She huffed, hands curling into fists.

"Or I'm gonna punch you like I did the bullies that were hurting Apollo!" Hades chuckled, smirking a bit.

"You couldn't hurt me if you tried." He crouched, face to face with her. "You're a weak little brat, what could you-" Her fist met his jaw with a solid crack, and his eyes widened. His hand pressed to where she'd punched him, and he snarled. "You little-"

"You're such a bad brother! You always make fun of me and push me and I hate it! I hate you! You're a terrible brother and I'll punch you next time too!" And her chest was heaving and he was staring and then her eyes widened and she ran to the edge of the yard, to... To Hephaestus, who he'd looked up to the entire time he'd been here, who was picking Aloy up, who was looking at him with confusion and anger in his eyes and oh, it was directed at him. Why was he angry with him? He stood, and Hephaestus pulled Aloy closer to his chest before turning and leaving. Hades huffed. And then rubbed his jaw, thinking on her words. Was he a bad brother? He'd thought that was just what siblings did to each other.

~

When Aloy turned seven, Hades gave her a present for the first time. And she took it, wary of what it was, opening it when she shook it and nothing happened. And her eyes widened at the small, badly made, stuffed snake. She looked up, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I wanted to do something to apologize. I didn't... Realize how bad I was. So. Sorry." And she stared at him for a long moment, and then hugged him, snake held in her hand.

"Thank you. Sorry I punched you." Hades had frozen when she hugged him, but he ruffled her hair now.

"Mm, don't worry about it, kid. You got a mean hook." She smiled sheepishly, and Elisabet gave Hades a nod from the side. Looks like he didn't totally fuck up the apology.

~

Aloy was ten when she came home, flopped on the couch, and buried her face in her hands. Minerva and Eluthia were at college, but the rest of her siblings would want to make sure she was okay. Apollo, however, walked in behind her.

"Aloy's got a crush!" A pillow was launched at his head and he laughed, throwing it back.

"A crush?" Of course Demeter was the one that spoke up first. She was grinning. Aloy threw the pillow at her.

"Shut up!" Hephaestus walked over and picked her up, ignoring her indignant shriek, sitting where she'd been and holding her to his chest.

"On who?"

"I'm in biting range of you!"

"Talaaaanaaah." Artemis smirked.

"What was it? The beautifully tanned skin? The incredible archery skills?" Aether laughed.

"Was it the rich family?"

"I will make nine robots, one specifically tailored for each of you, to ruin your lives in the most annoying way possible." Her siblings burst into laughter, and Elisabet walked out of the kitchen, smiling a bit.

"Hey, she takes after me, leave her alone." She walked over, rescuing her youngest from her brother's arms. "To be fair, I am also curious about Talanah. Tell me about her." She was taken to her room as she started talking about her friend, who was only her friend, and she curled into her mother's side, content in the warmth of this situation. When her mother started laughing, she froze, and very quickly tried to remember what she had be just said.

~

College was hard, but at least she had Talanah. And she'd met Ikrie, too, and Ikrie was awesome. When they'd brought her home over holiday break, she'd known it was gonna be a shock for her, finding her massive amount of siblings. Still, she could see Ikrie was nervous when they pulled into the massive driveway and saw the other cars there.

"You gonna make it, snow ghost?" Ikrie snorted, smacking her arm as she parked and killed the engine.

"Just introduce me to your damn family." Aloy laughed, getting out of the car, and she was ready. She knew Minerva. Knew the snow on the ground meant war. So she was prepared to dodge the grab at her collar, dropping and flinging snow at her eldest sister, who laughed, tackling her down. Ikrie stared, at least until snow smacked her in the face.

"Perfect shot, Heph!"

"You expected anything less?" Ikrie made a snow ball and scanned the area, trying to find her attacker. And then someone came out of the trees to her right, she turned, and shrieked, falling into the snow. Aloy groaned.

"Hades, tell me your not covered in blood."

"I'm not covered in blood."

"Is it fake blood that you're covered in?" His silence told her all she needed to know. "What injury have you got?"

"Knife in my neck." Ikrie smashed snow into Aloy's face.

"Could've warned me your brother likes to do gore prosthetics!" She grinned at her.

"Mm, nah. Too much fun to see how you reacted." Minerva was pulled off her, and she could see her brother now, fake knife sticking from his throat, blood on the knife and trailing down his neck. "Isn't that uncomfortable?"

"Very." He helped her up, and she brushed herself off.

"ALOY!" She was knocked forward into the snow as Apollo tackled her, and she sighed.

"Hey Apollo." He moved off, grinning, and then turned to Ikrie.

"So. You're Ikrie, huh? Aloy talks about you a lot." His face was shoved in a snow bank.

"You're insufferable!" Hades smiled, and Minerva and Hephaestus both laughed loudly. Ikrie smiled, her face flushed slightly. She shoved Apollo further into the snow drift.

~

Hades had had an interview, one where he talked about why he was so passionate about his work. And so Eluthia had declared that they were gonna surprise him. Getting tackled in a parking lot probably wasn't how he'd wanted to end his day but, joining in on the dog pile her siblings had made, hearing Hades shriek indignantly, maybe it was a good way to end it.

#horizon zero dawn #Aloy #Elisabet Sobeck #GAIA #HEPHAESTUS #MINERVA #APOLLO #AETHER #ARTEMIS #HADES #Ikrie #The Brood #I intend to do chapters about all the other kids #But I knew yesterday that I wanted to do one about Aloy

[leonidas-writes]

Super inspired by group chat shenanigans. This is the story of nine members of the Sobeck brood, the tenth will be along in another chapter.

The fist kid they adopted was Minerva. Sweet and cunning and the kind of kid they knew could stand up well to the life they led. She was an orphan, but didn't talk about why. They never pressed. Instead, they taught her. Taught her how to tinker, and, when they realized what she was more interested in, how to negotiate. How to get what she wanted. It took them months to realize she was practicing her new skills on them. They praised her, but did warn her the consequences if she got caught doing it again would be grave. They meant it as a warning, at least. She took it as a challenge.

Eluthia was next, and she was shaken and quiet when they took her in. Minerva immediately took her under her wing, protective at every turn. Elementary school bullies would move in on the quiet, shy, weird girl, and her sister would swoop in, sharp words dismantling anyone who looked at her sister wrong. And slowly, Eluthia got better. Got more confident, didn't need as much saving. She leaned heavily into nurturing roles whenever she could, passing on the kindness her sister had shown her.

Hephaestus was an angry kid. Take from parents who were cruel and angry, it was no wonder why he acted the way he did. At first, he treated Eluthia much like the bullies had, only he didn't back down when Minerva stood up to him. He got worse. When his mothers stepped in, he would stalk off and slam the door. And then they were in school and someone wouldn't back off Minerva, and he threw them to the ground, was on top of them until his sisters pulled him off. His knuckles were bloody but the kids face was worse, and that was enough for him.

Artemis found solace in animals, in hiding from humans. They understood that, and let it happen. Minerva would bring her animals that she found that she could research how to take care of. Artemis would go to her siblings for help getting what she needed, and she learned to rely on people. Hers, at least.

Poesidon and Aether were siblings before they were adopted, one calm quiet and the other excited chatter, two halves of a whole, inseparable. When Minerva was perceived as trying to take Aether from him, Poesidon lashed out, wanted his sister to himself, afraid to lose her. Aether, for her part, took his hands, soothed him, said she wasn't leaving him, that she was his and he was hers and nothing was gonna separate them. He held her, and then, reluctantly, let her go so she could go spend time with their eldest sister. They both slowly relaxed about letting each other spend time with others, about knowing that they wouldn't leave each other, despite having others now.

Demeter was kind and caring but cared more for the quiet calm of gardening than tinker or taking care of people. She helped her mother garden, and they would joke and laugh, and she learned how to prepare various plants, what conditions they grew best in, how to extend their harvest. She learned very quick what Artemis's animals were not allowed near.

Hades came from a bad, bad home. And he was cruel and mean until you stood up to him, and he would sneer and back off and leave you alone. They couldn't seem to break through to him. (Nothing could snap him out of it until he was 13 with a furious younger sister who made him realize he wasn't being strong.)

Apollo was adopted months after he was born, saved from a car crash. He was small and perfect and Hades was not allowed near the tiny form. He was curious and grabbed everything he could reach, bright shrieking laughter when he was tickled. His favorite spot was Heph's arms, held close to a warm, broad chest. He always fell asleep there. Minerva always insisted he was cheating, only taking him when he was tired. Hephaestus would just laugh at her.

Elisabet and Gaia had decided they'd go to animals after Apollo. Nine kids was plenty. If only they knew the world wasn't ready for them to be done with children just yet.

#horizon zero dawn #elisabet sobeck #GAIA #MINERVA #ELUTHIA #HEPHAESTUS #ARTEMIS #POESIDON #AETHER #DEMETER #HADES #APOLLO #Aloy is next chapter. Aloy has the best fleshed out back story #Anyway #As stated at the top #This was Heavily inspired by talking in the group cha #And I hope everyone from there enjoys it! #The Brood