17 Works by OutOfRetirement
Listing Works
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The arrivals of Alva and Talanah at the Base make quite stir among the GAIA Gang.
When Erend recruits Varl to grill Kotallo over the Tenakth's sudden interest in a certain Sunhawk, he doesn't expect the tables to be turned on him.
(Or: An excuse to write a bunch of dialogue among the GAIA Gang.)
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Despite Reth's increased flirting, Star still can't seem to figure out how Kilima Village's best cook feels about her.
When he turns up at her house anxious about another close call with Ashura, she takes the opportunity to give him some desperately-needed support and squeeze in that first date they never quite managed to have.
Their relationship flourishes despite close calls, Reth’s chronic self-doubt, and Star’s ignorance of Palian culture.
Even if Star didn’t have a choice in arriving in Kilima, and Reth didn’t see a future for himself past helping Tish, maybe they’re exactly what each other needs to finally feel at home.
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Five years ago, Aloy Seeker's life fell apart. She's stuck in her closed-off small town with a dead-end job and just a handful of friends. She knows that something needs to change, but she doesn't know what that is.
Until Aloy gets the news that she has a sister she didn't know about, which sends her on a road trip that will completely change her life. Will she find family, purpose, friends, and love all by the holidays?
(Or: the Hallmark Christmas movie AU that nobody asked for. Now featuring incredible movie poster art commissioned from godliath!)
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While visiting Hidden Ember, Aloy is shocked when Abadund calls her Erend's forgeheart. As Aloy does, she decides to gather evidence to determine if that's true.
Very loosely written for Ereloy Week 2023 Day 2: They Were Roommates (with a hint of Day 4: Friends to Lovers)
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His face falls and he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why is this never over?” He takes a long, deep breath before finally meeting her eyes again. “How is it that no matter how many rebel camps you take out, or how many megalomaniacs we stop, there are always more?”
(Or: With the discovery of another threat to the Sundom, and the Carja army spread thin from the Battle of Meridian, supreme battle couple Aloy and Erend agree to investigate. Sequel to Hammer and Bow. Now with accompanying art by @missmrah,)
Series
- Part 3 of Hammer and Bow
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While in Meridian rallying her Carja allies, Aloy hears of a dangerous new hunter-killer in the Cut. She, along with her support team of Erend, Talanah, and Kotallo, head into Banuk territory to take it down. Along the way, Aloy and Erend struggle with their strained relationship, Talanah learns how it feels to be decidedly someone’s first choice, and they team up with some familiar friends to kill a machine that acts like no machine has before.
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"Hey, listen—I know you had planned to head out to the Cut, but I think we might need you here. Gildun brought me out to a delve they’ve been trying to get into for a while, and Aloy—it has one of those big triangular doors. The kind that needs your genes to open."
(Or: After a charged goodbye, Aloy and Erend find themselves reunited in The Claim to discover the secrets hidden within the delve of the century.)
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She takes a deep breath, blinking out some of the confusion, before asking the man in her room with her, “Could you say that again?”
“I said you’re the furnace of my heart, Aloy,” Erend replies without hesitation.
(Or: Erend courts Aloy.)
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He glances out into the common area before coming the rest of the way into her room. Once the doors shut, he says, “I wanted to get Zo some flowers.”
Aloy blinks, knowing that there are pots and pots of plants right outside her own door. “You what?”
“I thought they might cheer her up!” he says, crossing his arms defensively.
She tilts her head in question. “You’ve seen the number of plants around here, right?”
(Or: Erend wants to bring Zo some flowers and Aloy knows just the type. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: flowers / “There’s no way I’m letting you go alone.”)
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“It’s not too deep. I don’t think it will scar if we put some of Zo’s herbal medicine on it,” he continues. You’ll only have the one. How’d you get that, anyway?”
The moment flashes through her memories: a young Bast throwing a rock at her. “I got it when I was a kid.” She sighs, the memory stinging but no longer haunting the way it used to. “But I’m sure you’ve seen that.”
Erend frowns at her as he wipes along her cut. “What do you mean?”
(Or: Erend tending to a small injury of Aloy’s gives her the opportunity to share a bit of herself with him. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: sunlight / “Are you sure about this?”)
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“So when Zo said that everyone told you not to throw me a party…”
“I decided to go ahead and do it? Yeah. I just kept it small. That’s why it’s just me and Beta.”
(Or: Erend and Beta throw Aloy a surprise birthday party. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: hands / “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”)
Series
- Part 2 of Hammer and Bow
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Things with Aloy are… uncertain.
Before he left for Hidden Ember, she coaxed him out of bed in the middle of the night, took him to the western entrance, and kissed him for the first time. Assuming he’d never get another chance, Erend pressed her up against the mountainside and they made out for over an hour.
When he left the next morning, his scarf carefully arranged to hide the numerous marks she left on his neck, Aloy only gave him a wave as he rode off.
(Or: You see the rating. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: stolen / “Will you stop laughing and help me?”)
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Aloy shifts away from the side, moving closer to Erend and trying to calm the anxiety in her stomach. “You have a nice singing voice. The song was…surprising, but I liked it.”
Erend freezes before very carefully saying, “You liked the song?”
“Yeah. And I liked you singing it.”
(Or: Aloy just wanted a relaxing night at Hidden Ember. But when does anything ever go to plan? Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: firsts / “Don’t look at me like that.”)
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He beams as he jogs over to meet her where she’s already stripping the Bellowback for parts. “How many times is it that you’ve saved my ass now?”
Aloy grins when she looks up at him. “I lost count about a dozen or so back.”
Erend laughs at the jab; she’s not entirely wrong.
(Or: Angry machines continue to reunite Aloy and Erend and remind them how well they work together. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: reunited / “We really have to stop meeting like this.”)
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It all happens so quickly. One moment Aloy and Erend are fighting a Shellsnapper near the Base; the next, Erend is slumped, unmoving and bloody, on the ground.
Aloy’s first instinct is to run to him, which surprises her when she spends hours thinking about this moment later.
(Or: Erend suffers an intense injury which unlocks feelings that Aloy didn’t realize she had. Written for the Ereloy Week prompt: injury / “I thought I’d lost you.”)
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Five Times the Base Thought that Aloy and Erend Were Doing It (and the One Time They Actually Were) by OutOfRetirement
Fandoms: Horizon (Video Games)
19 Mar 2022
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Erend clears his throat. “You’re sure you can take it? It’s heavier than it looks.”
An exasperated sigh from Aloy. “I am sure. Let me have it.”
(Title says it all. My contribution to the resurgence of the 5+1 fic.)
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“And thank you,” she finishes. “For telling me. I know that probably wasn’t easy. I don’t always make it easy.”
Erend hums in agreement. “Things might be easier for me if I wasn’t crazy about you. But my life would not be better, Aloy.”
(Or: I took the Ereloy shipping scraps from Forbidden West and tried to make a meal out of it. Serious spoilers for the entirety of Horizon: Forbidden West.)
Series
- Part 1 of Hammer and Bow