archived

WHO:

18+ users only (this is for safety reasons)

open to any and all fandoms

character x reader, character x oc, character x character, independent character study

repeat characters are absolutely allowed

WHAT:

sfw, nsfw, dark content* all allowed

all formats are welcome—blurb, one-shot, multi-chap, head-canons, poems

no limit on how many pieces you can submit

no minimum/maximum word count

examples of what someone might write about:

loss, getting older (it’s tough), wanting/not wanting kids, chronic illness, celebrations, moving on, therapy sessions/doctors appointments, abuse, trying new things or being afraid to, exploring sexuality and kinks, reclaiming trauma, the list goes on

* please be aware that your pieces may be shown on the masterlist as dark content if I feel it’s necessary. For example, even if your piece doesn’t have any explicit sex included but it does go in depth about an abusive relationship, I will have it displayed on the masterlist as sfw/dc

HOW:

Send me an ask or DM! I’ll add your username to this masterlist, but I will not add character names or a title until the piece itself has been linked to me which you can again do through DMs.

Make sure to tell me if it’s sfw or nsfw and if it’s light or dark content! Also, it would be really helpful if you could give a short description about what your piece is about as I’d like to have the masterlist broken up into categories like ‘loss, illness, weddings, parenthood’ etc.

YOU MUST HAVE ANY NECESSARY TRIGGER WARNINGS ON CLEAR DISPLAY AT THE TOP OF YOUR PIECE

It is entirely up to you if you want to link this project in your notes. The tag will be #thesafespacewriting

WHEN:

This is an open-ended project in more ways than one. There is no deadline, no start date, no end date, no nothing. If you write something that you think will fit into this project, just make sure you meet the age requirement, tag appropriately, and send it in!

This is supposed to be cathartic. An outlet.

Make this piece completely about you or as far removed as possible. Make it about love—good love and bad love and wrong love and right love. The one that got away and the one that came back.

Make it about who you are or who you aren’t or who you wish you were. Make it about a time in your life that you miss or a time you’d like to get to. And, use your favorite characters as a tool help you be whoever you want to be, whenever you want to be, however you want to be, in this safe space.

PARTICIPANTS & MASTERLIST

[ 💜 - sfw || ❤️‍🔥- nsfw || 🖤 - dark content ]

* please note that you may see a combination like 💜🖤. that could mean something like “no sex, s*icidal ideation” or something along those lines

At first they’re quiet, focused on all the tree roots and low branches as they try not to trip over them. Their footsteps seem to echo beneath the canopy of trees, and every twig that snaps under Reiner’s boots sends a jolt of panic through him.

Curious. He can’t tell if his fear is due to venturing into the unfamiliar or if it’s part of the magic that’s rumored to have been placed over the forest. Reiner wishes he didn’t believe in the legends, but it’s hard not to when they’re something he’s been taught over the span of his entire life.

Beware the forest, the wolf, and most of all, the witch. She’s said to live deep in the woods, using the trees to hide herself until she needs a child to sacrifice. Then, she’ll leave her safety to search for another innocent soul.

“Are you okay?” Bertholdt whispers. It’s instinctive, the desire to stay quiet, to not draw the attention of whoever or whatever might be watching.

Reiner nods, but when he stumbles over a vine, Bertholdt catches him by the wrist then slides sweaty fingers between Reiner’s. He has no intentions of letting go unless he has to, squeezing Bertholdt’s hand so tightly that it probably hurts.

They walk further and further and despite the fact that the sun is rising above them, it only gets darker around them.

Every sound feels magnified—the rustle of leaves, the creek of old bark straining against its own weight. It’s the pattering of animals that truly frighten Reiner, though, scuffling paws and fluttering wings. Any moment something could cross their path; something could step out of the shadows, ready to attack. The thought makes his sword shake in his hand, and no amount of adjusting his grip will steady it.

It’s hard to gauge how long they’ve been walking as the lack of light makes it difficult to tell what time it might be. Is the sun high in the sky now, or is it beginning to set? Reiner’s legs ache as if they’ve been out here for hours, but it could just all be in his head.

Around them the forest seems to grow thicker, and for a little while Reiner thinks it’s simply his mind playing more tricks on him. But when his shoulders begin to brush against branches and leaves, he knows then that, yes, the trees are closing in around them.

This has to be the magic everyone warned him about, some kind of dark spell to trap victims. There’s no other explanation.

“R-Reiner—” Bertholdt says his name on a panicked exhale, and Reiner realizes that his friend is having to stoop lower and lower so as to not run into the branches that reach out for him.

“I know. I feel it.”

He can actually hear Bertholdt’s gulp, his clammy hand getting impossibly tighter around Reiner’s.

It happens quickly. Reiner’s boot catches something on the ground, a root most likely, and he falls forward, bringing Bertholdt down on top of him. Reiner grunts, feeling the dampness of the forest floor seeping through his tunic as Bertholdt ambles off of him.

An apology is on the tip of Reiner’s tongue, but when he straightens and looks forward, the words catch in his throat as he breaks into a cold sweat.

Standing a few meters away but directly in their path is what looks like a large dog–a very large dog. Reiner can only make out its silhouette and two bright yellow eyes staring at him through the darkness. Bertholdt’s breath becomes labored, and even though Reiner can’t see exactly where his friend is behind him, he knows that Bertl is standing completely still, just like Reiner is.

He doesn’t dare make a move. Those eyes are locked on him, waiting for him to turn, to run, and then he remembers–

“It’s just… What if it’s just the wolf?”

“The wolf?” Bertholdt whispers back harshly, “Like the one from the rhyme?”

“Maybe! Don’t you think it would’ve attacked when we were down? It could have been watching us this whole time.”

“If it’s that wolf, why wouldn’t it be leading us home already?”

Reiner thinks for a moment, still holding the creature’s gaze when he says, “Because we’re not lost.”

Though it’s quiet, Bertholdt’s chuckle sounds incredulous. “For God’s sake, Reiner, we’re in the Lonely Forest! You can feel the wrongness here just like I can! We’ve probably just been walking in circles–”

“It’s not just wrongness, Bertl, it’s magic! It’s that dark magic the rhyme talks about which means this could be–”

Bertholdt must be getting angry because his voice rises when he cuts Reiner off, “I don’t care what the stupid rhyme says! I care about being eaten!”

Reiner would laugh if he wasn’t so terrified. The wolf hasn’t moved an inch, simply staring and blinking, its mouth open just wide enough to see the glint of white fangs. However, it does tilt its head to the side as if it’s trying to understand what Bertl is saying. It actually seems more interested in their conversation than the meat on their bones.

“This isn’t happening, oh, this isn’t happening,” Bertholdt mutters, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, his other still grasping his sword. “We’re about to die in here. We are absolutely going to–”

“We’re not going to die,” Reiner tries to reassure, “If it wanted to eat us, it would have already.”

“How do you know? Do you know what it’s thinking?”

It isn’t often that Bertholdt gets frustrated enough to be prickly, but Reiner understands. They could potentially be staring death in the face, looking into the eyes of a predator that’s just biding its time and playing with them.

Yet, there’s a feeling deep in Reiner’s gut that tells him that isn’t what’s happening here. He knows he isn’t safe, but he doesn’t think that the wolf is the danger. The forest is.

If it had just been the deer from the rhyme instead, if they could follow it back home or, better yet, follow it to Gabi… That’s why they’re in the woods in the first place. They’re looking for her. They’re here to find her. Reiner can’t lose sight of that no matter how scared and confused he might be.

“I just… I just know, Bertl,” Reiner answers weakly. “It’s not here to hurt us.”

“You’re right,” a new voice chimes in–ethereal, enchanting, like a song on the breeze.

Reiner and Bertholdt both glance around frantically, unable to ascertain where it came from.

Footsteps, though. There are footsteps. Leaves are stepped on or brushed to the side, but whoever it is doesn’t sound to be getting closer.

The wolf suddenly sits, and Reiner is shocked to see its huge tail begin to wag even while its eyes remain fixed on them. Watching. Waiting.

Bertholdt calls out a tremulous, “Who’s there?” that goes unanswered.

Something moves in the shadows, the darkness morphing around it, and Reiner squints as a figure becomes more solid, more human, more…

“What in God’s bones…”

There are antlers but no deer, just a woman slowly pacing to stand next to the wolf. In the barest sliver of light, Reiner can see that her eyes–your eyes–are completely black.

A new sheen of sweat breaks out on the back of his neck, hand aching terribly from how tight it’s wrapped around the grip of his sword.

“What are you?” Reiner exhales between his teeth while Bertholdt breathes heavily just behind him.

You take another step forward, showing more of yourself. Dark dress, tattered cloak, no shoes. The antlers, light in color from what Reiner can see, protrude from your head just as they would an animal, and those eyes. They’re just as disturbing as they are captivating. Bewitching, even.

“You’re her,” he speaks, the weight of the epiphany tumbling down on Reiner like heavy stone.

“I’m who?” you question, but a smile is playing on your lips. Kneeling down, you place a hand on the wolf’s head and pet between its ears. “The evil witch? The curse of the woods?”

Reiner swallows. “Y-yeah.”

Bertholdt finally moves to stand beside him, body still rigid, but he’s no longer brandishing his sword, the weapon now at his side.

You hum just loud enough for Reiner to hear, your attention on the beast next to you. “Just as the stories go.”

“Have you seen a little girl?” Bertl blurts, and Reiner is actually surprised to hear that his voice is clear. Still laced with uncertainty, but clear.

For a moment, you’re quiet, like you’re deep in thought. Then, “You shouldn’t have come here.”

“Well, we are here, so…”

You stand once again, the subtle amusement from before completely wiped from your face.

“Just tell us,” Reiner implores, “Have you seen a little girl. Four-years-old, brown hair, about this hi–”

“Yes,” you snap, “Yes, I’ve seen her.”

Without thinking, Reiner begins walking toward you, eyes wide, heart thumping fast and hard. Gabi’s been missing for days, and no one has wanted to think the worst, but he knew. Reiner knew where he would find her, knew the mischievous little girl would have wandered straight into danger.

“Stop!”

Reiner can’t even process the word before he’s being thrown backward, landing right at Bertholdt’s feet.

“What—” he coughs, the air pushed harshly from his lung.

He looks up at you, jaw dropping when his eyes instead land on a wall of bright green fog. It separates them from you, on purpose judging by the way your hand is stretched out and shaking.

“You can’t cross this,” you tell him sternly.

There is a clear line where the green meets the ground in an obvious barrier, but Reiner doesn’t know, “why? I need to get to my cousin!”

“You can’t,” you repeat, sincere when you add, “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you.”

Bertholdt growls in a way Reiner would have expected from the wolf which is still sitting dutifully next to you.

“We didn’t fight our way through this forest just to give up. Now, tell us where she is, witch!”

Even from this far, Reiner can see the frown etched into your face, eyebrows low, mouth turned down at the corners.

“You really want to know?” As if you’re clueless. As if they haven’t made their goal abundantly clear. “I could bring you to her.”

“Then, do it!” Bertholdt demands, holding his sword out at you.

You blink at him a few times then lower your hand as well as the wall.

“I can, but…”

Reiner is staring at you with wide eyes, shaking with anticipation. He’s got her. After so much panic in the village, he’ll be able to bring her back.

But what if she’s hurt? What if she’s dead and you’re just leading them to her body?

“But what?” Bertholdt spits.

Reiner is glad his friend has found the courage to speak because apparently he can’t find the right words by himself. All he can do is feel the trembling of his body and his racing heart.

“I can bring you to her, but you won’t be able to leave.”

“W-what do you mean?” Reiner manages to force out. “What do you mean we can’t leave?”

“Exactly what I just said.” You clear your throat, and by god, you actually sound troubled. The wolf rubs its head against your thigh as if to comfort you, and you place a hand back on the top of its head.

“If you come any further” —you wiggle your fingers, making the green mist return and rise from the ground just enough to emphasize the bright line from before— “you’ll never be able to leave the forest.”

“Never again?” Reiner breathes out.

You shake your head grimly.

“Never again.”