Haley Thistle
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Rashi the Troll-Orc (special preview)
🕑 Added 2021-12-04 22:00:02 +0000 UTCA while back, you had discovered a community online that piqued your interests. It started when you began using ASMR videos to help you get to sleep at night. From there it took you into voice acting. It was amazing to you how many were out there, and not just the ones who did cartoons. There was so much more than you expected, and it drew you in rapidly.
One of your favorites was a voice actor who simply went by Malachite. You discovered him through his ASMR videos where he would read poetry, love letters, and romantic things like that. He also had a podcast with a few other voice actors, as well as trying to get gigs in a professional sense. His voice was exactly your cup of tea. It was strong, warm, and deep, rumbling deep into your ears then down into your chest to make your heart flutter.
Nervously, you decided to message him one day. He’d made a post saying he’d been having a hard week, so you thought you’d send something nice to lift his spirits. You didn’t so much slide into his DMs as you did tiptoe anxiously.
“I know you’re having a bad day, but listening to you makes me so happy. You’re so talented, and I’m rooting for you every step of the way.” You thought that would be the end of it. He would see it, maybe smile, and move on. Little did you expected a reply to pop up as soon as you left the message.
“Thank you, that’s very sweet.”
Mild panic set in. Fight of flight was battling for how you should react. You could answer him back. But that left you open to embarrassing yourself in front of one of your most favorite creators in the world. You could also ignore and save face. But that would make you an asshole after sending him that message! You then got an alert he followed you back! What was happening?
“It’s nothing.” You replied back.
“Not nothing. It helped me.”
What was going on? Were you actually talking to Malachite? “Then I’m glad it helped. Could I send you pictures of my cat? Maybe that would help?” You looked at your cat who was cleaning himself. Even he looked at you like you were crazy. But that was normal.
“I love cats!” Malachite replied with a heart emoji. “I can trade you cat pics.”
Your heart skipped several beats. “My cats’ name is Edgar. But I call him Pudding Butt.” You sent a picture of Edgar, your orange tabby who became fluffier along his back end.
“He’s so cute,” Malachite answered and sent a picture of his black cat Marley wearing a baseball cap. The only pictures Malachite ever posted were of his cats Marley and Scrooge. He never posted pictures of himself, stating he was shy and had been dealing with dysmorphia since he was a kid.
“I see you’re an artist,” he said as you were trying to take another picture of Edgar. You came to a complete stand still.
“Trying to be. Maybe. I’m not that great.”
“Are you kidding? Your work is awesome.”
This was really too much, you must be dreaming.
“Do you take commissions.”
Not today, satan, you thought to yourself as you stared into that message to try and break apart the true meaning within it.
“I’ve one a few here and there.” You answer him back with sweaty palms. “I don’t really have a price sheet made up yet.”
“I’ve been wanting a new icon, maybe a new banner. I think your artwork really suits. If you have time to take on that project, that is.”
Your chest squeezed so tight until your heart popped up into your throat. “Really? Me?”
“Yeah, I’m looking through your stuff and I think it’s awesome. Name your price.”
Easier said than done, you thought mockingly to yourself. “I’ll try to stay reasonable for you.”
“No. Don’t Give me your price, it’s worth it.”
He’s so nice! There must be a flaw in him somewhere. That voice plus being sweet? He’s too good. “Okay. Think about what you want and I’ll figure out a price for you.”
“Thanks! I’m excited now.”
You smiled to yourself, selfishly hoping this wouldn’t be a once in a lifetime conversation.
You figured out prices for your commissions and shared them to Malachite once you were settled on them. Malachite’s started off with what you talked about before, and from there, he started commissioning your work more and more. He used them for his videos, to show off the characters he played, and more. You started getting commissions from other voice actors that ran in his cricle.
After a while, you and Malachite were talking daily. You traded cat pictures, shared each other’s days, even beyond the working relationship you had built.
“Call me Rashi, by the way,” he told you one day. “That’s my real name.”
