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xthescarletbitch · 2 months

Note

I've never requested writing before so idk if this is how it works (lol) but I saw your requests were open for Horizon and I'd love to see something along the lines of Aloy and her s/o are out hunting machines and her s/o gets injured (nothing like life ending, just enough to be concerning. I'm a whore for the hurt/comfort trope🫡)

If it's not something you're interested in writing, that's okay! Love your account regardless 🤭😆 No rush if you do write it, take your time 🫶 It can be in headcanon format or whatever you wanna do 😋

(Also I saw on your request page that Jinx from arcane was one of your fav characters- I. FREAKING. LOVE HER.)

thank you so much. <3 and jinx is amazing! i hope to write for her again soon as well.

hurt (aloy x reader)

sfw, but i still prefer no minors

cw: shitty title, mentions of injury and bleeding

word count: 1600+

author’s note: this is my first ever hurt/comfort, so i hope you like it! i feel like it was rushed through, but i also had no idea how to do it, i'm sorry. hopefully i'll get better with time. :)

“okay,” aloy begins, pointing toward a lone machine up ahead. “that one’s a sawtooth. it’s a combat machine weak to fire.”

you nod your head and scribble the notes down in your journal, even attempting to make a little doodle of the machine itself. “weak to fire. got it.”

aloy waits patiently as you document a few more things about the machine. she ensures that all bases are covered so that you can do so in peace.

you had asked her to take you machine-hunting to gain some more knowledge about the machines you tinker with. aloy has always done an amazing job bringing you what you needed, but you aspired to know more, to see more. at first, she was hesitant about bringing you along, assuring you that she could tell you all you needed to know. after some convincing and a promise that you wouldn’t get hurt, she caved. and now, here you are.

you tuck your journal back into your sack and look up at your eager girlfriend. she has that sweet smile across her face as she anticipates the hunt about to begin.

“wait! i have something for you,” aloy exclaims, reaching into her own sack. she pulls out a bow and a few arrows, extending them out to you. “i had varga tweak it a bit.”

you grab the items from your girlfriend’s hand. you look over the bow, dragging your fingertips along the wood. it is smooth–very clearly in pristine condition. you notice the wood dyed in a shade of your favourite colour with your and aloy’s initials etched on it, a feature that only widens the smile you already have.

“aloy,” you finally say, urging a sigh of relief from your partner, who was worried that you didn’t like it. “it’s beautiful. thank you.”

she smiles and admires you as you look over it some more. “i figured that you’d need one if we made this a regular thing.”

“oh, we will,” you assure, playing around with the string of the bow and aiming it out toward the sawtooth ahead, which is still unaware of your presence. “this will be a memorable hunt to kick off future ones.”

aloy shows you a few techniques with your newly acquired bow. you’re still at a distance away from the sawtooth, so you can do so safely. she stands behind you, her arms on top of your own, moving your body into place. of course, she will be there the entire time, but she still wants you to know how to protect yourself. “you can never be too careful,” she always says.

after you get the hang of it, aloy moves on to the focus on both of your temples. “do you remember what i taught you?”

“yes,” you nod. “i just tap on it, and it’ll give me some more information about the machines i see. i should also be careful to not get too distracted by it while the machine still roams.”

“very good,” she smiles and crosses her arms. “i think you’re ready.”

“really?” you excitedly ask, wanting to get into the action already.

she nods her head and takes a deep breath. “follow my lead, okay?”

“okay.”

aloy moves to a crouching position and gets back behind the rock that you both conversed behind before. you watch as she peeks above the rock and studies the sawtooth with her focus, seemingly opting to track the machine’s path. as she asked, you follow her lead and do the same. you can now see the path that the machine will take if left undisturbed–which won’t be for long. she crouches back down and looks at you, giving you a look to let you know that it is time to press on.

she moves to a patch of grass right next to the machine’s track. you follow along, quiet and prepared, with your bow in hand and an arrow at the ready. aloy taps her focus once more and assesses the machine. you assume that she is highlighting vulnerable parts of the sawtooth–an act that you do as well. you note that you probably shouldn’t use fire arrows at this distance on its blaze canister. thankfully, you only have standard arrows. shooting the body will be your best bet with this machine.

with her bow and arrow in hand, aloy begins to aim at the sawtooth. its back is now facing the two of you, so it is a better time than any to attack. you ready your own weapon, aiming for its legs. you think you could slow it down if you get the right shot in.

aloy turns to you once more, mouthing the words, “ready?”

you nod in response, which aloy follows up with shooting her first shot at the sawtooth. the machine turns around with a quickness, looking directly at the two of you. your cover is now blown, so you must be on guard and ready to dodge. the predestined path no longer matters.

the machine lets out a deep growl before sprinting towards you. aloy rolls to the left while you roll to the right. the sawtooth follows aloy, who manages to evade its melee attacks each time. she swings her spear here and there but ultimately moves to get some distance between the two so that she can use her bow. you follow behind the machine, shooting arrows into its back. you wager that the machine only has a quarter health left, but is definitely putting up a fight.

aloy shoots her own arrows into the machine while in a state of constant movement. you admire that she can be so steady with a bow despite being in motion. you note this to document later in case you ever encounter a sawtooth again. she’d have to teach you how she does it, but it was no doubt contributed to by rost’s training.

you shoot the final arrow into the beast, causing it to fall in defeat. it causes you to get all giddy because it is your first machine kill. aloy runs to you, smiling. she pulls you into a hug and kisses your forehead.

“you did great,” she tells you once she pulls away. “i’m very proud of you.”

“thank you,” you smile. “i have to go grab my journal! i’ll be right back.”

with that, you leave aloy’s embrace to go to your sack behind the original rock as she goes to the machine to start scraping it for parts for both of you. you reach the rock and kneel, picking up your bag to rummage through. as your hand searches for the journal, you sense that you’re not alone.

you turn behind you to hear a loud noise and witness a blinding flash. you quickly stand up and reach your arms out in front of you, trying to gain your sight back. you hear your name being called but still cannot see a thing. you walk forward a bit, only to be thrown back as the machine strikes you. you feel your body hit the rock hard as your sight somewhat comes back in time to see an arrow pierce the machine’s big eye. aloy follows soon after.

“my love!” she shouts, immediately crouching by your side. “i’m so sorry i wasn’t here.”

her hands roam across your apparent injuries. all you feel is pain in your head and abdomen. you look up at your girlfriend to see her face full of intense concern. you lift your hand to rub the sweat from your forehead so it doesn’t get in your eye, but upon glancing at said hand, you see bright red blood. within the next few moments, everything gets blurry, and your head feels light. aloy mutters a string of concerns as you fall back in her arms, barely able to keep your eyes open.

your eyes flutter open a few hours later, and your vision is clear again. your head is still pounding, but the spots you saw are no more. you sit yourself up on your elbows, looking around at your surroundings and being unable to tell where you are. you do spot a campfire and your flame-haired girlfriend stirring something over it.

“aloy?” you question, rubbing your eyes as you sit up even more.

she turns around quickly, the edges of her mouth turning up at the sound of your voice. “my love, how are you feeling?”

“my head is killing me.”

“it will. you hit it pretty hard,” she gets up from her spot and comes to kneel by your side. “i’m so sorry again. i should’ve protected you.”

you place a kiss on her forehead. it wasn’t her fault, and you assure her of that. you glance down at your abdomen, where a sharp pain lingers. you notice some stitching.

“i had to stitch you up. you were bleeding pretty badly. your forehead, too.”

“oh, aloy,” you say, a note of concern in your own voice. “i’m the one who should be sorry. i didn’t mean to put you through that.”

she takes your hand in her own and kisses it, shaking her head. she is just relieved that you’re awake and able to talk to her. it was a very lonely few hours.

“get some rest, please? i won’t let anything more happen to you.” she kisses your forehead this time and then your cheeks. “i am so glad you’re okay.”

“i don’t suppose you’d let me join you hunting again, huh?” you joke.

her hand squeezes yours tighter. “we’ll see.”

you lay back on the makeshift bed she created for you and let your eyes close for a few more minutes. the smell of whatever aloy is cooking is in the air. not only could you not wait to eat something, but you also couldn’t wait to be back home in your comfy bed, wrapped in the arms of your lover. you open your eyes once more to admire her. you feel very lucky to have her.

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fantasy-girl974 · 4 months

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~ Feel The Night ~ [Link] || Fanfic by @grexigone / Co-Creator: me

✨ Happy New Year once again everyone ✨

Here's a gift from me and Grexi to start the year : a new collab and a soft / spicy story of our blorbos Kotaloy 😌💖

I hope you will all enjoy it! 💕

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meep-m33p · 6 months

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Here's a sketch of what I imagine Aloy would look like in her early 50s! This concept for older Aloy is for a time travel themed Horizon fic I'm writing called Wrong Place, Wrong Time on AO3. And for the sake of clearing confusion with her talking to her younger self, she uses the nickname "Red" given to her by the Oseram :)

#hfw #hzd #aloy #horizon forbidden west #horizon zero dawn #hfw fanfic #hfw fanart #horizon au

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chloefraazers · 7 months

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Horizon Smutober, anyone?

A while back I made a prompt table for the month of October full of smutty prompts. Sharing it in case anyone is interested, for any ship! If you make something, please tag #horizon smutober so we can all find it!

Already made something that fits a prompt? Feel free to share it again!

Tender

Fantasy

Spank

Masturbate (Mutual)

Wet

Outdoors

Dirty Talk

Lesson

Bite

All the Senses

Anticipation

Praise Kink

Toy(s)

Sex Pollen (consensual) or Safe Word

Free Space

Comfort

Shibari

Focus

Edge

Masturbate (Solo)

Just a Kiss

Risky

Taste

Morning

Lovemaking

Knees

Urgent

Multiple

Overstimulation

Aftercare

Spooky/Costume

Go forth and create!

#horizon forbidden west #hfw fanfic #hfw fanart #writing prompts #horizon smutober #if this garners enough attention maaaaybe i’ll make a sideblog for it #if anyone wants to help mod it? would just be reblogging with an organized tag system #aloy x nil #aloy x talanah #aloy x erend #aloy x kotallo #aloy x petra #aloy x drakka #aloy x seyka #aloy x alva #and any other horizon ships or rarepairs

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niloycentral · 6 months

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Welcome to Niloy November 2023!

We’re glad you want to join the fun in our inaugural year! This is something I hope to generate every November for fans of Aloy x Nil, new and old.

What is it?

Above, you’ll find a table of one prompt per day of November, most of which contain special significance to the relationship between Aloy and Nil. For those participating, simply take the prompt and create something around it for that day.

What can I make?

Whatever you feel most comfortable creating!

If you’re a writer: a drabble, ficlet, even a poem! No word count minimum or maximum, but in the spirit of the event, I recommend no greater than 2500 words.

Artists can do sketches, doodles, fully rendered pieces, comic pages, whatever they are inspired (and have the time) to create.

Gif-makers, virtual photographers, and other types of visual media are also more than welcome to participate and we encourage it!

For prompts that limit gifs and virtual photography, alternates have been provided – though you are welcome to use the alternates for art and/or fic for the given dates, if they inspire you more.

In addition, you are not limited to one form of creation. If one prompt inspires art, another inspires writing, another has the perfect shot from in-game photography, feel free to mix it up!

The only ask is that whatever you create be new for the prompt. However the prompt inspires you, run with it! Some may feel “on the nose,” but those can be fun to explore metaphorically too!

What are the restrictions?

For fic submissions, please use the appropriate submission tags below the text box. All ratings are welcome provided they are properly labelled.

As per Tumblr guidelines, we cannot show any NSFW art or photomodes. If your submission contains NSFW material, please submit a suitable crop preview or censored version that can safely be displayed on Tumblr. The post will also, if possible, have a Mature community content label. This also applies for other types of Mature content.

Can I team up with someone for art or writing for a prompt?

Yes! Fics and art are welcome to inspire each other.

Where do I post?

Wherever you feel comfortable sharing. Fics should be posted on AO3 and you are welcome to share the link on your own social media or in a server. Mostly, I encourage you to submit it directly to the niloycentral tumblr.

If you have a Tumblr: You can submit it directly to niloycentral, or tag your post with either #niloynovember or #niloynovember23 – both will be tracked! You can also @niloycentral.

If you don’t have a Tumblr: You can submit the art or photomode itself directly, or link to your creation on other social media (Twitter, Instagram, AO3, wherever it is hosted) through our niloycentral submissions page using the following format:

Creator: your @(social media) or your alias

Prompt: what day/prompt you have submitted

Plus any applicable tags as per checkboxes below the submission area.

#niloynovember and #niloynovember23 will also be tracked on Twitter, but to make sure we see and catch everything, I encourage submissions to niloycentral Tumblr!

Do I have to do every prompt?

We don’t want anyone to get burnt out or frustrated. Some prompts will inspire more than others and we all have days where we just can’t. You definitely don’t have to do every prompt to be included! Your creation will be featured whether you do all 30, or 19, or 12, or if you even only do 1. You’re more than welcome to continue working on the prompts after November as well.

Do I have to do them in order?

No… but if you do submit to the blog for a prompt from later in the month, we will schedule your submission to post on the proper day (based on EST). Any submissions from previous-day prompts will be posted as usual.

Prompts are being released now, but we ask that you do not post until November 1.

Happy creating!

Prompt list below:

Light

Rain

Fire

OT3 (Alternate: Sharp)

Triumph

Honour

Sun

AU - Historical [pre-2000s] (Alternate: Fly)

Wink

Remorse

Throwback

Cleanse

Partner

AU - Genre [sci-fi, horror, etc.] (Alternate: Mask)

Free space/Your choice

Shadow

Hands

Release

Moon

Coping

Reputation

Joke

Hope

Loss

Steel

Innocence

AU - Modern (Alternate: Mask)

Soft

Ride

Meme

#niloy november #niloynovember #niloynovember23 #hfw #hzd #aloy #nil #niloy #aloy/nil #aloy x nil #hfw fanart #hfw photomode #hfw fanfic #horizon forbidden west #horizon zero dawn

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cha-mij · 17 days

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*cracks fingers and approaches keyboard and fic notes*.

LET'S DO THIS

with music. I need music.

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taiyourae-art · 1 year

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“Kotallo!” Aloy snaps, again, and this time she gets a reaction, though not the one she was looking for.

She wants him to put her down, to leave her to her moping and go back to whatever it was he was doing before he came in to annoy her, but instead of that, he hoists her higher on his shoulder, tightening his hold around her thighs.

“If you refuse to relax, I will make you relax,” he says, and it's the fact that it sounds more like a threat than anything else he has ever said to her that has Aloy going limp in his hold.

Its shock, she tells herself, and definitely not because the timber of his voice just rumbled right through her to settle between her legs.

Fuck.

or the one where Aloy doesn't know how to relax but Kotallo is more than willing to teach her- with his mouth Fic can be found here!

Uncensored art can be found here!

#horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #aloy/kotallo #hfw fanart #hfw fanfic #aloy x kotallo #taiyouraeart

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antivanruffles · 1 year

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"did you just kiss me?" with kotaloy? or "with your mouth on mine, there’s less bullshit coming out of it." with cassarric?

This has been in my askbox for ages, apologies dear anon! But please have some soft Kotaloy smooches.

_______________

Overall the journey had been relatively uneventful. Kotallo had wanted to make the trip by foot, which Aloy had no problem with. There were still times when he was a little... reserved around machines. Not that she really blamed him. Even if she did miss soaring over the land.

Going on foot added several days to their trip, and several more were tacked on by the snow flurries that plagued them up the mountain. Aloy was not made for the cold like Kotallo was, despite growing up in Nora territory. She would never understand how the Sky Clan, or the Nora, or the Banuk did it. She couldn't wait until they were safely arrived at The Bulwark, where there were constant fires burning and plenty of thick furs to go around.

For now she would have to settle for measly campfires hastily started at the side of the road, while praying for the security of the sparse encampments that peppered the mountain.

She was lucky when her prayers were answered the night before. They had found one of the shelters just around the time they were close to stopping for their evening meal. That night she had gone to sleep relatively warm in the safety of the lean-to, ensconced in furs maintained by the Sky Clan and hunters, with a fire burning merrily at her back. It was the warmest she had been since they had left The Grove.

However, when morning arrived she found their fire was little more than glowing embers, and there were several more inches of newly fallen snow. Her only hope at this point was that Kotallo would actually let her punch Tekotteh this time. At least that might make this whole endeavor worthwhile.

Aloy reluctantly opened her eyes and found Kotallo's face inches from hers. Apparently at some point in the night she had scooted herself as close as she could to her only source of warmth.

He was still sound asleep, the world currently quiet and muffled by the snow. It was rather peaceful, she had to admit. So Aloy let herself remain where she was instead of getting up to tend to the fire, or anything else she might do to ready their things for the rest of their journey. She let her eyes travel over Kotallo's face, taking in the details: how thick his lashes were, the curve of his nose, the slope of his chin. The very slight downturn of his mouth as he slept, perhaps dreaming of something unpleasant.

Aloy frowned at the thought. It seemed unfair he should be troubled in his sleep. Although she wasn't certain how to fix that without waking him up.

Kotallo shifted in his sleep, burrowing deeper into the furs and made a huffing sound. The frown deepened slightly, his brows knitting together. Without thinking Aloy reached up to soothe his brow gently with her fingertips. The gesture had the desired effect as he made another huffing sound, and seemed to relax marginally.

She continued to watch him for a while, eyes slowly trailing over his face, cataloging all the scars she could see through his paint and tattoos. Notably the scar on his lip. It was older, and continued down to his chin. She wondered how he might have gotten it. What heroically stupid thing he had done to earn it.

He shifted again, rolling slightly toward Aloy and sighing.

A thought struck her, and before her sleep-addled brain could think better of it, she acted on the thought. There was scarcely any space between them, so all it took was a subtle movement and a slight arch of her neck, and then she very gently placed her lips against Kotallo's.

As soon as their lips touched -- his pleasantly warm and surprisingly soft and the slightest bit sweet from the paints he wore -- she realized what exactly she had done and immediately jerked back. She pressed her lips together, savoring the lingering warmth, and held her breath. Hoping Kotallo wouldn't wake up.

There was a long moment of heavy silence, where everything seemed to weigh down on Aloy, and all she could hear was the thundering of her heart inside her chest and the blood rushing in her ears.

A deep intake of breath, and Kotallo pressed his face a little deeper into the furs.

"Did you just kiss me?" he mumbled, voice thick with sleep and rumbling deep in his chest.

"I don't-I didn't--" She stopped when one rich brown eye blinked open to look at her, effectively pinning her in place. There was amusement evident when his full gaze met hers, also curiosity. And perhaps something akin to hope.

"Did you kiss me, Aloy?" he asked again, a little more lucid.

There was no denying it, not when she knew her cheeks were flaming hot and likely as red as her hair; not when her hand had involuntarily gone to her mouth, fingers pressing against her still tingling lips. And certainly not when her gaze dropped to his mouth, not once. Not twice. But three times in as many seconds.

"I guess I did," she said, voice surprisingly even.

Kotallo looked at her closely for a moment, obviously surveying her and taking her in like the trained warrior he was. She couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Should she prepare for battle?

"Why?" Was all he asked, voice low and thoughtful. Almost shy. Or maybe reserved was the better word.

"I don't know. I wanted to?" Her voice lilted at the end, turning it into a question. She hated when she did that. It made her sound so uncertain, so unsure of herself.

"Is that right?" He quirked an eyebrow at her, almost a challenge.

"I did. I wanted to," she said more firmly this time. It shocked her how easily the declaration came, but it was the truth. She had wanted to kiss Kotallo, and had for quite some time. Aloy couldn't say when the desire had arisen, or what exactly had caused it, only that it was true.

She returned his steady gaze as he took in her features, likely gauging her sincerity. All she could do was look back at him, and hope that her face told him all he wanted to know.

It must have, because after a drawn out moment where she barely dared breathe, Kotallo leaned forward and kissed Aloy.

This time the kiss was more of a kiss, at least as Aloy understood it. Not just a press of their lips, but a slow caress of his lips against hers. After a moment he tilted his head, slated his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. His hand came up to gently cup her face, thumb brushing against the apple of her cheek.

Aloy had no idea what she was doing, and could only follow his lead. She just hoped it wasn't terribly obvious. Or terrible period. Aloy rested her hands against his chest, pressing herself closer to him until they were flush against each other from chest to toe. He was warm and sure and infinitely comforting as she huddled against his warmth.

Kotallo seemed content to take his time kissing her, thorough and unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world to be doing this. As if his only focus was her. That thought was a little exhilarating, if she were honest. There was something intoxicating about the idea of being the only thing on Kotallo's mind. At least for a little while.

Eventually he started to slowly pull back, stealing small kisses as he went. Aloy hummed contentedly as he pressed gentle kisses against her chin, jaw, and cheek.

"Next time," he said in a hushed tone, eyes warm and soft when they met hers again. "You can simply ask."

He laughed at the indignant noise she made and held her close. There would have to be a discussion about this later, Aloy knew. Because this was more than a simple kiss. Or a stolen moment. And she was certain Kotallo knew that too. For the time being though it seemed unfortunate to waste the quiet morning and this heady feeling now lingering between them.

"Kotallo?"

"Hmm?" he hummed absently, too focused on his thumb as it traced over the freckles on her cheek.

"Will you kiss me again?"

His gaze snapped up to hers, sharp and intent and wanting; the answer was clearly written on his face even as he spoke, "Gladly."

When he kissed her again Aloy realized she barely felt the cold anymore.

#horizon forbidden west #kotaloy #kotallo #aloy #aloy x kotallo #prompt fills #hfw fanfic

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cmishwrites · 2 months

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Still alive

I’ve been sick, stressed, dealing with family emergencies and to top it all off, I seriously fucked up my knee. Haven’t touched the fanfics in over a week, feeling guilty about it, but sometimes I have to focus on rl instead of fiction. Oddly enough I started rereading my heart projects. It’s like a comfort thing.

I forgot how much I love those stories, those characters. It’s like coming home to old friends. I’ll try to get back to the fanfics here soon. I haven’t forgotten Cal or Rowan, their stories are still living in my head.

#writing #fo4 fanfic #hfw fanfic #zandercrack

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thefandomwritersblog · 24 days

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Ghost of the Ten Horizon: Forbidden West Hekarro x Fem!OldOne OC Action/Adventure/Romance/Hurt/Comfort Chapter 18

Part 3: Ghost of the Ten

"It’s like he’s picking up parts of the world and showing them to me, saying, 'See? It’s beautiful.'." - Cath Crowley, Words in Deep Blue.

Victoria found herself missing coffee.

Like a lot.

It sat like an ache in her bones and left her craving the familiar ritual and comfort it provided. Memories flooded her mind of Saturday mornings at the ranch, where Mama Maria would wake before sunrise to prepare the first pot of the day. The aroma would drift up to Victoria's bedroom and rouse her from sleep, so she could stumble down to the kitchen with her cousins and savor a cup before starting the day's work. She also missed that first cup after returning from a deployment, waking up in her own bed to the automatic brew set for 6:30 AM—a habit ingrained in her blood now.

A habit she was paying for as the sun began to break through the broken ceiling of her bedroom, shafts of light streaming across the walls and floor. Victoria couldn't help but lament the loss of that morning ritual. The loss of that familiar comfort even as birds sang their cheerful morning songs and the soft murmur of conversation began to echo through the halls of the museum—or The Grove, as the Tenakth liked to call it.

Victoria threw back the thin blanket with a grumble and ran a hand through the tangled mess of her hair as she sat up. The sun was barely up, and it was beyond humid as hell—a heat that clung to her skin and left her covered in sticky sweat. No matter where she went, it seemed to follow her, and more than once now she lamented the loss of precious, precious air conditioning. With another heavy sigh, she stood, her eyes flickering to the door just as the soft scuffle of footsteps stopped in front of her curtain.

Right on time. As usual.

“Victoria, can I come in?”

She huffed, annoyed but impressed that Beta seemed to have memorized when Victoria woke up now. “Yeah.” She grumbled back, standing to stretch, “Whatever.”

Beta entered the room with a warm smile and handed Victoria a tray of food—the same seared meat and broth that she had been eating every morning for weeks now. Victoria blinked at the thought, trying to remember exactly how long it had been since she woke up. She frowned when she was unable to count the exact days, like her memory was fogged with nothing but flashes of grief cutting through it. The same ache that still sat in her heart even now.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she reached for the tray and settled back on the bed to eat. Beta plopped down next to her, placing something heavy between them. Victoria looked curiously at the leather-bound journal and took a bite of her food before picking it up to examine it. The craftsmanship was impressive, with a strong and sturdy leather cover and clean parchment pages inside. The front cover even had intricate geometric designs etched into it.

"It's a journal!" Beta exclaimed happily at Victoria's curious expression, and Victoria had to bite her tongue to keep from making a sarcastic remark. "I asked Petra if she could make something similar to her big book she always carries around."

Victoria took another bite of her food before flipping through the pages of the journal “So, what? I’m just supposed to write in it now, like some kind of ‘Dear Diary’ bullshit?”

Beta nodded, “Exactly!” She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she looked to the closed curtain across the room. “I was just thinking that maybe having something to write down and organize your thoughts with might be helpful.”

Victoria bit down on her tongue again, holding back the bitterness that lingered there. Tried to remind herself that Beta was a fucking kid who just wanted to help. It didn’t ease the anger and hurt, however. So she just set aside the journal and finished her food. She offered Beta quick glance as they sat side by side in silence until Victoria couldn’t take it anymore and shattered it.

“We never finished our talk last time.”

Beta looked thoughtful for a moment before she nodded, “I didn't want to push you too much, especially since you were upset. I figured if you wanted to know more, you’d bring it up again.”

"I'm feeling talkative today," Victoria grumbled as she finished her food and placed the empty tray aside. “So… Zero Dawn isn’t a superweapon, it’s a terraforming system?”

“Yup. Controlled by a fully functioning AI called GAIA. She was built by Elisabet Sobek and team of the worlds leading scientists at the time. Each scientist had responsibility for one aspect of GAIA's functions to keep the system running after…after everyone else was gone."

“And it took a thousand years for us to get to this point?” Victoria gestured to the ruins around them.

"More or less," Beta replied. "After Zero Day, when GAIA Prime's facility was sealed off, it took almost sixty years to completely shut down the swarm. It took another forty or so to successfully start a functioning biosphere. And it wasn't until almost a hundred and fifty years later that humans were reintroduced back to earth."

Victoria let out a sharp breath, tears welling up in her eyes once again. She didn't understand why she kept torturing herself like this. Listening to the demise of everything she loved, as if reliving it would somehow free her from the nightmare. By the time the Swarm had reached the US, most of humanity had already been wiped out. She remembered the suffocating feeling of being trapped in a protective suit just to step outside. It was foolish and futile to think that mankind could have survived. They hadn't even lasted two years, let alone sixty needed to even start.

And that knowledge, that painful truth, was enough to break Victoria in all new ways.

She eventually raised a brow and gestured towards Beta, "What about you? Don’t get me wrong, the grungy scrubs are a vibe but they don't exactly fit the tribal aesthetic."

“Do you remember the Odyssey?”

"The luxury colony ship that exploded while leaving Earth's orbit?" Beta looked away anxiously, and Victoria felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Oh, you can't be serious."

"Surprise…" Beta tried to joke weakly.

Victoria jumped to her feet and paced back and forth in anger, running a hand through her hair as hysterical laughter escaped her lips. "This is like something out of a science fiction nightmare!" She turned to face Beta, "So you grew up in the Sirius System?"

“I was technically cloned on a ship that returned to Earth from the Sirius System.”

There was a long, awkward silence, then —“What?”

Beta cleared her throat, but still nodded “I’m a clone. Of Doctor Elisabet Sobek. I was created During the return voyage from Sirius.”

Victoria didn’t have any real answer for that except another —”What?!”

“Look, it’s a long story, and I don’t think we need to really overwhelm you with all the details yet—”

“Victoria?” Beta paused and both of them turned to the curtained doorway, “May I come in?”

Hekarro's impeccable timing saved Beta from having to continue the conversation. She looked visibly relieved as Victoria scowled at her and muttered under her breath, "We are not finished talking about this." With a scowl, she replied loudly, "Yeah, whatever!"

Hekarro ducked into the room right as a mischievous glint crossed Beta's face. She jumped off the bed, holding out the empty journal for Victoria with a grin. "Tell you what: start writing in this and I'll tell you more! Bye, Victoria!

As Beta dashed out of the room, Hekarro couldn't help but smile while Victoria just scowled after her.

With a tired sigh, Victoria plopped back down on the bed and gave Hekarro a cold stare. "Chief," she greeted stiffly, to which he responded with a slight dip of his head and hand over his heart. "What do you want?"

He hesitated briefly, a movement too quick for her to catch if she hadn’t already been paying close attention. "Several squads are out patrolling today, so the Grove will be less crowded than usual. I wanted to know if you would like to accompany me on my rounds. Explore more of the Grove. That is, of course, if you feel up to it."

The memory of their last walk flashed through her mind – lying in the meadow, watching the stars and just… talking to each other. In this new world, it the only moment of happiness she really had. And that terrified her, even if she couldn’t explain why. Victoria eventually shrugged and sighed, rubbing the tension from her neck.

"Why not," she muttered under her breath. "I could use a distraction."

A rush of warmth spread across her face at the pleased expression on his handsome features, and she couldn't help but fight back a smile that tugged at her own lips. In one graceful motion, she stood and made her way towards the door, Hekarro following closely behind. Instead of turning towards the main hall, he veered left this time, leading her towards the back of the museum. The morning sun had risen above the horizon, casting its harsh light over the bustling crater filled with workers scurrying about like busy ants. As they reached a wooden overlook, the pair stood in silence and watched the scene from a distance. It was a surreal sight. The last she’d seen of this exhibit had been during the height of Operation: Enduring Victory, and before that when the museum had been filled with tourists. Now it was almost a shell of its former self, repurposed to fit the needs of the Tenakth.

“An arena?” She asked, unprompted. Hekarro nodded,

“I needed a proving ground for Marshal’s of my own.”

"You really did just take everything you could and make it your own, didn't you?" The words came out sharper than Victoria intended, but Hekarro didn't seem bothered as she glanced at him. There was a contemplative look on his face as he observed the activity below before speaking,

"We must seem like children to you," He sounded almost amused, "We grasp at any remnant of our lost history and repurpose it to fit our present needs, even if it strays from its intended purpose." He gestured towards the crater-turned-arena and chuckled. Victoria shrugged

“I just find it funny is all.”

Hekarro backed away from the edge of the overlook and began a leisurely stroll along the wall of the arena while she easily matched his stride. They passed by banners hanging in the makeshift stands, bringing splashes of color and life to the desolate landscape that had been destroyed by the Swarm.

"Why do you find this idea amusing?"

Victoria hesitated before responding, trying to have a little tact despite usually hammer-fisting her way through every social interaction. "I guess it's just interesting how some things never change for humans. Your tribe finds significance in ruins from my time, much like my people found meaning in ruins that were already thousands of years old. It's almost like how a Marshal is to you like how Rome was to my people."

“Different, yet strangely familiar.” Hekarro observed, “It must be unsettling to witness your own past being utilized in such new and unfamiliar ways. And to see the impact it has had on the world around it.” He turned to face her with a concerned expression, “If it brings any comfort, our intentions were never to offend, but rather to pay homage. We simply didn't fully comprehend the truth before us.”

“Was it willful ignorance on your part?” He blinked at her question, furrowed his brow, and shook his head.

“No, the truth was kept from us, and… I grieve for the future that was denied to us because of it.”

Victoria shrugged once more as they arrived at the next doorway, both of them turning to a passageway that led further into the Tenakth's architectural blend of past ruins. She let out a small huff at the sight and Hekarro's sentiment. "It's not entirely your fault," she pointed out, taking the lead this time and strolling down the ramp away from the arena and into the heart of the intricately crafted wooden platforms and walkways. She observed everything the Tenakth had built in the ruins of the museum. A few Tenakth were scattered about, talking and laughing in sheltered shadows from the morning heat. They glanced curiously at her as she passed by, quickly averting their gazes when they noticed their chief close behind. Victoria paused in the shadows of a particularly tall walkway that opened up to a second level above, sighing softly. “The only thing that matters, I guess, is what you plan on doing with the truth now that you know it.”

“And therein lies the issue at hand.” Hekarro said as he joined her. He too gazed up at all that his people had built before he turned that piercing gazed of his to her. “You’ve changed everything by simply surviving the impossible. Are my people even ready for that truth? Will they ever be? If they refuse it, where does that leave you?”

“Ignorance is bliss, sometimes.” Victoria grunted, "I wouldn't blame them for choosing it."

God knows she had tried, but unlike the Tenakth, Victoria didn’t have a choice but to accept the truth for what it was. With them? Everything could be twisted and warped to make sense.

“And if they choose denial? They already worship Anne as a deity, finding strength and solace in her. If they were to view you in a similar light…"

“I was never much for godhood.” She shook her head, “I don’t have that much of an ego.”

“What of a guide then?” Hekarro asked. Victoria hesitated, furrowing her brow as she crossed her arms. He raised his hands in a calming gesture, remaining composed even as he sensed her irritation. "If not to my tribe, then at least to me. Teach me everything, so that I may guide them."

It was an odd proposition for Victoria, as she had woken up without any purpose or direction. Before, all she cared about was survival - her own and that of her family - even as the Swarm continued to consume everything around them. But now, being asked to guide others felt like a slap in the face. Why her? What wisdom did she have that could be beneficial to Hekarro and his people? She felt like a ghost haunting her past life, a useless relic that didn't belong in this new world. In her darkest moments, she contemplated ending it all by jumping from the roof of this ruined monument of death and war, just to escape the guilt eating away at her from within. Why was she chosen to live and guide when it could have been Anne?

Anne, the peacekeeper. Anne, the devoted colonel. Anne, who gave her all to the people but not to her own daughter.

Anne, who had condemned Victoria to this hell.

Anne, who would have been more suited for this role.

Victoria dismissed her spiraling thoughts and shook her head. "I'm not sure what I could possibly offer your tribe that would be of value," she said.

"Considering all that was stolen from us?" His gaze locked onto hers, piercing through to the very depths of her being. It stole her breath away, leaving her lost in the intense warmth of his honey-brown eyes. "Everything."

It was terrifying how she believed him. Even more scary as she wordlessly nodded her head and sighed, “Well, alright then.” She almost scoffed in amusement, “Lesson one, I guess.”

Victoria gestured to the ruins around her as she started to walk again, following the path outside the cramped ante-chamber before the arena and outside the museum proper to the road overlooking the jungle, “Do you know why this place was built.”

“From my limited understanding, this is a memorial to the Ten. A place where their deeds and stories are preserved.”

Hekarro matched her slow pace as they walked slowly down that path back towards the museum entrance. He kept his gaze level to the tree line, observant and stern. Victoria didn’t notice anything when she looked, but he was more suited to the environment that she was anyway. She gave him a curt nod at his answer.

"That's the general idea. These 'Ten' were actually members of Joint Task Force 10, a branch of the US Air Force that still utilized human pilots. Their presence in this museum is just one small part of a much larger history. Have you listened to many of the exhibits?"

Hekarro nodded as they climbed back up the stairs into the main part of the museum, passing by flickering holograms in the shadows. "Recently, yes. But until a few months ago, most of them were broken or damaged. That's why our understanding of what's preserved here is limited."

“Then you must have heard about “The Hot Zone Crisis” mentioned several times?” Again, Hekarro nodded as they made their way through the hallways and back into the main antechamber before Hekarro's throne. Victoria paused in front of Anne's exhibit, standing still and silent with a frown on her face. “Anne grew up during that time. Our family home isn't far from here, just a few days' walk at best. She met my father while she was serving in the military, and witnessed firsthand how terrible the crisis was. Climate change was spiraling out of control, with nearly all areas in this region becoming uninhabitable due to extreme heat and droughts that were unforgivable. In 2036, our federal government issued an extremely controversial executive order. On paper, it was an attempt to limit the impact of the Hot Zone. They wanted to use their power to force people off their land and into temporary housing until a better solution could be found.”

“Forced?” Hekarro asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

“The federal government had the right of Eminent Domain, which allowed them to take control of certain land under certain circumstances. But at the time, many people in the Hot Zone saw it as a way for the government to seize their land and resources while forcing them to live in fenced-in camps. People refused to leave, and who could blame them? This was their home, no matter how difficult it was to live there. And the loudest voice against Order 73-H was Roberto Medina. He defied the federal government and used all his wealth and profits to provide proper housing for those who chose to stay on their land.”

“I can’t imagine your government was pleased about that.”

“They weren’t” Victoria shook her head, “And in response, the federal government cut off the Hot Zone from all water sources.”

“They’d rather let their own people die from the heat than allow them to stay?!”

“To prove a point and force obedience? Absolutely. And it only gave credence to the claims that the government didn’t care about the people. They just wanted the land. And that really lit a fire under people, and Medina reached out to outside sources to secure water for the Hot Zone. He signed a huge multiyear deal with a water cartel and he asked the Colonel of JTF 10, Edward De La Hoya, to not only protect the mining claims but to protect the water resources. It turned into the first armed conflict on American Soil since the Civil War some 200 years before that. US Robot command sent out drones force Medina and his allies into submission, and when JTF 10 proved just as capable of keeping up with the worlds most sophisticated AI, it turned deadly.”

"I wish I could say I was surprised that it escalated so quickly." Hekarro muttered, his gaze shifting towards Anne's exhibit.

"Some tried to prevent it from getting this far," Victoria commented, gesturing towards the exhibit. "Anne was one of them, and so was my father. They didn't believe that fighting would solve anything. When their call for peaceful resolution went unheard they instead focused on helping refugees - relocating those who wanted to leave the conflict zone or providing aid for those staying behind."

“An honorable cause.”

"A cause that got my father killed," she muttered, her eyes cast down to the sand before she turned and walked up the nearby stairs towards Hekarro's throne. She passed through the holograms into the backrooms, with the sound of her boots echoing off the walls until she finally reached the wooden overlook above the arena. "At some point, US Robot Command decided to launch a strike against Medina and his allies at their headquarters in an attempt to end the conflict once and for all. No one knows exactly what happened, but it's theorized that a JTF-10 munition struck a powering casing of a General Synthetic drone and caused a fission explosion." She pointed down into the crater. "That is all that remains of the base, of Medina, De La Hoya and his unit, and the nine hundred innocent people sheltered at the nearby refugee camp. Nine hundred lives lost, including my father's."

There was a long silence as Hekarro stood by her side. She fought back tears and looked at him. He met her gaze with steady empathy. She wanted to hate him, but couldn't find it in her heart.

"Do you see why I despise this place?" she asked, shaking her head in frustration. "It took everything from me before I was even born. It killed a man I never had the chance to meet - only heard about in stories that my Anne refused to tell me. It changed the woman who gave birth to me, who pushed me away in favor of her duty and pursuit of peace because it's what my father stood for. And even worse, it continued to take until it became my prison for a thousand years. This is not just a place of honor, Hekarro, but a monument to death and loss. Because war does not leave a lasting record of whether it was fought for noble purpose or if it was justified. All that remains in history are the innocent lives taken by war."

Victoria could feel the weight of her anger hanging between them, thick and heavy. She noticed a distant and far-away look in his eyes, as if he was lost in a painful memory. But then his focus shifted back to her, meeting her intense gaze with a softness that caught her off guard. "Thank you," he said, dipping his head slightly and sending his long hair cascading over his shoulder. His hand rested over his heart as he spoke. "For sharing this with me. I understand that it cannot be easy to live here. Constantly reliving these painful memories each day. I am sorry if my desires have caused you more pain."

She couldn't stand how genuine he was being. She wiped at her tears furiously, "A trade then?” She said, almost chuckling as she asked of him the very same thing he’d asked of her not that long ago. A question for a question. Does that sound fair?”

Hekarro's chuckled at that, it’s warmth setting alit a nervous flutter in Victoria’s gut. She turned away from him, hoping to hide the tell-tale blush on her cheeks. "A fair trade," he chimed in, following her as she walked back to her quarters. They were down the hall when she saw Beta emerge from Victoria’s room, clutching a few tools to her chest while another woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Beta, followed shortly after. The pair of them froze when they noticed Victoria and Hekarro, but turned to exchange knowing smirks.

“It’s all set!” Called Beta.

She turned to Hekarro, confused and irritated, but found him gazing warmly at her, a wicked smirk on his face that quirked a corner of his mouth. With an elegant gesture, he held open the curtain to her door and motioned for her to enter first. As they stepped inside, Victoria's breath caught in wonder. Orchid vines cascaded from the ceiling, their delicate petals caressed by sun rays peeking through the damaged roof. The vibrant colors of orange, pink, red and purple danced in the light. Hekarro stood behind her, still smiling when she turned to face him.

"You planned this," she said, shocked. "You asked me to go for a walk just to get me out of my room."

"I admit my deceit," he said with a hint of mischief in his gaze. Victoria wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug grin off his handsome face. Instead, she scowled at him, hoping her face wasn't as red as it felt. "I wasn't sure if we could plant orchids in the trees above your room, but once Aloy and Beta assured me it was possible, I agreed to distract you so we could surprise you."

“Why?”

He bent down and picked up an orchid that had fallen to the floor. He held it out to her. "I gave them to you because I noticed how much you liked them," he explained, his voice gentle and sincere. "and because I wanted to give you something that brings joy instead of sorrow." She accepted the flower, it’s petals soft beneath her fingertips "There is still beauty in this world, Victoria, even amidst all the pain," he whispered, his hand tenderly resting on her wrist as he gazed at her with warmth in his eyes that took her breath away. "And I want to show you every bit of it."

With a final smile, Hekarro excused himself and left the room, leaving Victoria speechless and awestruck. She returned to her bed and laid down, looking up at the swaying orchids above her as she held onto the stray bud in wonder.

And in that moment, the world seemed a little more colorful than it did before.

#horizon forbidden west #hekarro #hfw #chief hekarro #ghost of the ten #hzd #horizon zero dawn #my writing #hfw fanfic #old one oc

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xthescarletbitch · 5 months

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Hello, hello! I'm here to ask a very important question:

What do you think Aloy would be like as a romantic partner? As a wife? My personal headcanons are that she'd be:

-super caring and kind

-would be genuinely curious about your interests and would love talking with you about any and everything

-shes pretty blunt and sarcastic but I feel like it'd be pretty endearing. Like she'd sass anyone who was giving you trouble or just being a nuisance to general

-compassionate and sympathetic. Would definitely hold you and listen intently if you had a bad day

That's all I got so far (I'm still gonna write that college au fic, so this was a great writing exercise, lol).

that is a very important question… one i’ve been thinking a lot about, actually. i love what you put, and i am in agreement! i’ll also be looking forward to that au. i need more aloy fics. 👀

here are just a few that i’ve thought up while playing. i hope you enjoy! 🥰

✦ aloy loves to give gifts: she knows it isn’t easy for you to sit idly by while she’s out there saving the world, so she wants you to know that you’re not out of her mind completely. she’ll stumble upon something beautiful enough that reminds her so much of you, to the point where she has to grab it and tuck it away to bring it to you later. occasionally, it’ll be an old-world item that she thinks you’ll get a kick out of. i also do not think she’s opposed to just gifting you old-world jewellery like an old-world custom. whatever it is, she finds joy in the smile that comes across your face each time she returns to you with her arms full (the joy also applies when she’s empty-handed, of course… you just missed her).

✦ aloy loves to plan dates: now, this was an idea i had after securing poseidon, but i think she would love to take you out on dates after she’s ensured the location was safe first. the date may be anything from watching the stars on a secluded mountaintop (around base, for example) to a romantic walk through a settlement to the spectacular light show in las vegas—it doesn’t matter. she just wants to be close to you and enjoy that quality time with you before she has to continue on her journey. since she sees so much more than you, i feel that her ability to plan dates is top-tier. she knows all the best sights (and how to secure them if needed).

✦ aloy is big on physical affection: poor baby is always out there risking her life for the world and craves the feeling of her love embracing her. whenever she is finally around you, she never wants to let go or be let go. she makes sure to plan her time around the many hours of cuddling she’ll need before returning to the wilds. it’s a time of catching up on all the physical affection she’s missed while she’s been gone that she knows you’ve been craving, too. she also loves to give and receive as many kisses as possible while there. the others may joke around, acting disgusted, but she doesn’t care. she’s earned it.

✦ aloy loves to give and receive praise: you’re absolutely the first person she’d call on the focus once she accomplishes something. she does it to keep you in the loop and to hear just how excited and happy you are for her. the way you praise her makes her feel so warm and loved. sure, appreciation from others is nice, but it’s so different coming from you. it feels so much more meaningful than you could ever imagine. something as simple as a “i knew you could do it” motivates her to keep going. it’s not an easy journey she’s on and your support is everything. on the other hand, she’ll also dish out the praise right back. if you’ve made moves at the base that has furthered progress, aloy will be so happy for you and ensure that you know just how proud she is of you. while it is a team effort, she is just highly supportive of you and all that you do!

✦ aloy would be protective over you: you’ve fared pretty well in the wilds and have proven that you can defend yourself, but aloy would prefer that you stay safely at the base. she knows that the west is a whole new world with even tougher machines and would sleep much better on her travels knowing that you were somewhere secure (like the base). she also likes knowing she can “go home” to you whenever she wants. sometimes, she’ll walk or ride the extra mile just to be with you for the night. she’s also protective in the sense that if anybody messes with you, she will say something. this is where i’d agree with your sass because those hands are absolutely going on her hips as she handles the situation for you. that’s not to say that she thinks you can’t handle yourself, but nobody messes with her love. even if it’s somebody else close to her, like erend or varl, she’s taking your side 100%. after the conversation, she’ll pull you close and kiss your forehead to ensure you’re okay before continuing with other matters.

✦ aloy would call you every night: this girl cannot fall asleep without talking to you. if there are times when she can’t get back to the base and has to shelter elsewhere, she has to call you to make sure you and everything else is okay. not only that, but it’s an excuse to hear your voice again. it brings her a lot of comfort to get even a little interaction with you. it would become a sort of ritual where you both would talk every night before sleep, telling each other about your day until you fall asleep (still on the call). it makes her feel closer to you, even miles away. it also makes the whole distance thing feel more manageable to deal with. there are nights where you just stay up talking to each other about random things and pretending you are right there next to each other, but you both know you’ll see each other in person again soon… it just can’t come fast enough.

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