#<- i intended this to be omega but then i realized i like the idea of it being whatever ghoul you like so. feel free my multishippers

[lightanddarknessdragonlord]

when he lied it meant he loved me, and when he lied it meant he cared

I FUCKING LOVE JOJ GRAHHH. anyways i meant for this to be a doodle and then it kind of ran away from me and now i have experience in rendering ghoul masks

[satorusugurugurl]

Heat

Summary: Your heat hits you at the club, but luckily your boyfriend is there to take care of you.

Characters: WolfHybrid!Geto Suguru x CatHybrid!AFAB!Reader

Warnings: abo themes, hybrids (like wolf ears and tails), abo universe. Heat/rut, usage of the terms Alpha/Omega, breeding, sex, unprotected sex, cream pie, knots

Word Count: 2.6K

A/N: Kinktober Day 17 ABO WolfHybrid Suguru! look I’m a slut for ABO okay!

You had planned out your evening perfectly. From the shoes for the best comfort to the clubs you would hit up with your friends. Everything was planned to the tea. The one thing you hadn’t planned was for your heat to come early.

You should have known it was coming when you got to the club. You felt warm, but you thought maybe it had been due to the pregaming you had done at Shoko’s appointment or the cramped car ride in the back of Nanami’s car. You finally realized what was going on when your gaze focused solely on your wolf-hybrid boyfriend, Geto Suguru.

he looked so good. His long raven hair was in his signature half up half down style. The bun was tied neatly and secured with a band. His matching black wolf ears twitched with amusement as he chatted with your friends, his tail swishing back and forth quickly. The hoodie he was wearing reeked of his pheromones. That earthy, musky scent was your utter downfall.

Your cat ears twitched as you hurried through the crowd, your tail smacking anyone who got in your way. Your heat fueled your momentum until you finally met your boyfriend. His ears twitched as he turned to look down at you, head tilting to the side as you grabbed his arm, holding onto it to study yourself as you heavily panted.

“Princess?” His concern made the heat that was growing between your legs worse. “Are you okay?”

You didn't trust your voice enough to speak. Instead, you pulled on his arm, leading him towards the exit. But Suguru had misconstrued what you wanted as you began heading through the crowded dance floor. So, of course, without you saying outwardly what you wanted, Suguru had created a scenario for himself. So as much as you wanted to keep moving, Subaru stopped his hands, grabbing your hips, pulling you flush against his crotch as he began dancing against the curve of your ass that he loved.

The sudden contact in stimulation had you biting down roughly on your bottom lip as you fought back a needy moan. “S-Sugu,” you whispered, gasping softly, eyes going wide as he grounded his hips innocently against yours. He didn’t intend to draw out the moans from you; your boyfriend was just trying to be as close to you as he could. Which probably wasn’t the best idea, seeing that you were feeling absolutely feral and that you were close to losing your mind.

“You wanted to dance, right?” Suguru whispered, making your ears twitch with pure anticipation.

“N-No.” Even though your body betrays you as your hips seamlessly grind back against him.

“No?” Sharp teeth snap at your earlobe, gently tugging on it. “Yet you’re grinding against me like you do.”

What were you supposed to do when your heat was about to hit you like a freight train in a crowded club? And while you want to let your heat take control and have your Alpha fuck you into next week in the middle of the club, he just thinks you wanna dance. In reality, that’s a terrible idea. But this position, along with the grinding and smell of him as he rubs his hands all over your body, enhances the pleasure that’s already coursing through you and clouding your judgment when you should be thinking logically.

Yet you still rock back against him, faster, grinning as your alpha growls in your ear. “I really didn’t want to dance,” you confess, speaking the god's honest truth.

“Really?” fingers dig into your hips, squeezing them as Suguru rocks against you harder. “You could’ve easily fooled me, Princess.”

Your body heats up more as your slick coach your inner thighs. “I-I’m being serious,” you whisper, biting down your bottom lip as you fight back against the pure horny fumes building up inside of you. Telling you to throw caution into the wind and just fuck your boyfriend right there. “I-I’m going in—” you bite back a whimper, not even needing to finish your sentence.

Because Suguru can smell you, that sweet, sugary scent that wafts off, you combined with vanilla, has his ears perking up. His hips are still, but his cock throbs at the attention as the reality of the situation wash over him like a tremendous rainstorm. That momentary shock, the surprise, turns into a need that wraps around him like sticky tape that just wants to be stuck to you in every way he can.

He needed to get you home before you triggered his rut.

“Omega.” he grows in your ears, sending a shiver of pure horny desire down both of your spines. “Are you in heat?”

There’s a sense of relief that comes with his question as Suguru grinds his hardening erection against your ass. “Yeah.” but there’s also a twinge of hesitation that accompanies that relief.

This heat had come unexpectedly. Something neither of you had been planning for. This wasn’t the first heat you and Suguru had gone through together. All the other ones Suguru had been with you for had been planned out meticulously. Not only was this the first one that had unexpectedly shown up, but it also hit you in public, and you didn’t have a scent patch. You weren’t sure how an alpha male would handle this situation.

Would he take you right there on the dance floor? Make sure everyone in the club knows who you belong to. Or would he sneak off to a dark corner and fuck you in the crowded club?

Your answer came as soon as it crossed your mind. Suguru grabbed you by the wrist, pulling you out of the club and down to the street, where he called for a card to pick you up. He didn’t say much, keeping his mouth closed until the key unlocked the door to his apartment. You stepped inside, and all hell broke loose. He snarled as his tail and ears perked up before he grabbed you, slamming you as hard as he could against the back of his door. His eyes shut as he began licking your scent glands as he ground his hips, rocking them against yours.

“S-Sugu!”

His claws came out of his fingers, and he shredded the tiny dress you were wearing into pieces. “Omega.” He growled a quick work of his clothing, dropping it to the ground.

Seeing your mate, bare and naked in front, the last of your restraints shattering to the ground like glass. Your body was on fire internally, leaving you in almost agonizing pain. You howled, your back arching off the door. "A-Ahh!! A-Alpha-!" You whined whimpering and pure, unfiltered need.

Suguru growled, following your every movement, looking at you with hunger. "Omega, tell me what you want." He asked, kissing your neck as he trailed his long fingers down your body, caressing your slick sex.

“Need you! I need your fingers!” Suguru growled as he began plunging his thick fingers inside of you and curling them to stimulate that spongy spot that you loved. The one that left you seeing stars every time he touched it fucked against it. That immediately pacified you, leaving you whimpering but not crying. "'S g-good S-Sugu!" you cried out softly, leg shaking as you tried to keep yourself standing.

"Yeah?" Suguru questioned his tail, slightly wagging at the praise you gave him. He growled, continuing to suck and nip at your sink glands while his fingers kept pumping in and out of your tight wet cunt with a purpose. "That feels good, Princess?” He kissed and sucked on your neck.

"Y-Yeah!" You whimpered, your tail swaying as you rocked against his hand. Your body was still hot, burning bright. "But I-I need your knot, Alpha. Pleeease!" You whined quietly, and there was no possible way Suguru nodded, lifting you and carrying you to the bedroom.

“Of course, little omega, I got you.” He dropped you on the bed, forcing you onto your side. “I'll make the pain go away.” His lips trailed over your scent gland, groaning as you whimpered, lifting your leg to drape over his hip.

As he gently peppered your neck with kisses as he rocked against you, his cock throbbing, another wave of heat overcame you. Leaving you feeling like jelly in his arms. “S-Sugu—nngh.” You whispered something he couldn't hear at first. His wolf ears twitched as he focused in on your voice. As Suguru shut his eyes, he finally could make out the soft, desperate plea. "K-K-Knot—” You whined, gripping the sheets as he rocked his length harder against your folds. “Please, Alpha, I-I need your knot!”

Suguru growled, not hesitating at your request. Instead, he grabbed you by the chin, forcing you to look at him before he slammed his lips on yours. "Princess." He faster ground against you, his hardening erection rubbing directly over your clit. "You smell so good, fuck god, I want you." you whimpered in approval, and Suguru snapped.

Hearing what his omega, this needy had his rut grabbing him by the balls, telling him to fuvk every ounce of cum into you. So Suguru grabbed himself by the base of his cock, spitting into his free hand to lube himself up before he was pressing against your entrance. As the head of his thick fat cock pressed into you, he could smell your sweet slick taking a moment to smell you before he slammed into you with a howl.

You gasped out loud, one of your hands reaching around, grabbing the back of his head, forcing his face into the crook of your neck as he fucked you roughly. "A-Alpha!!" You couldn't hold back your adorable, soft voice. Instead, your feral actions left you screaming in need as Suguru’s cock railed into you, relieving all tension that had been building up all evening lessened as the pain alleviated. Leaving the following words to come out of your mouth, yours and yours alone. "B-Breed me."

"Ah, fuck!!" Suguru snarled, licking your scent glands again as he fucked into you. The metal bedframe creaked; god was so hot it was fucking ridiculous. "Omega~ I wanna breed you!" He barked out with a howl as he slammed into you faster.

“M-Me too!” You cried out, your eyes rolling back into your head as you desperately ground down against him. "A-Alpha!!"

"O-Omega!!" Suguru felt as though there was a fire in his chest as he cried out your name, thrusting deeper inside of your wet heat. He Clance down, watching as you ground your hips back against him, forcing his cock deeper inside of you. "Y-Yes, just like that." He praised as he nipped at your bottom lip before kissing you desperately. "Fuck I love you."

You giggled blissfully as your boyfriend turned you, allowing you to wrap your legs around his waist as you both remained on your sides. This gave you the perfect opportunity to kiss him deeper while digging your nails into his shoulders. You needed all of him. So you did the only logical thing, and Omega, such as yourself, would do it. You forced his knot into you with a cry as he stuttered, hips seizing up as you cried out. "F-Fuck!! I love you too!!"

Suguru’s mouth fell into a silent moan as he felt your walls clamping around him, trying to milk him for everything he was worth. “Fuck! Princess!” His eyebrows pinched together as he continued fucking you, scenting you as his mate. "I love you, omega~ I love you!" His knot twitched and swelled more inside of your already tight pussy as he fucked you ruthlessly, his teeth gazing over your scent glands, and you couldn’t take it anymore.

You wanted him; you needed to be his in every way you could. You could barely think, but somehow, you managed to form two coherent words as you tilted your head to the side. "A-Alpha! Bite!!"

Tai docked down at you for a second. Your words hit him like ice water before that heat returned; he had never been more sure of anything in his entire life. From the moment he met you, he knew you were his omega. His alpha called for you. So there was no hesitation as he snarled out of a growl before biting down on your neck, marking you as his mate. He rutted inside you like a rabid feral beast, trying to get you to cum, wanting to help you find that release that you so desperately needed.

You became nothing but jelly in his arms after that. Feeling complete as your pussy gushed around him while you were left begging him for his cum, for his pups. “Breed me!! Breed me!!” you cried out as Suguru’s knot swelled inside of you, spurting out thick ropes of cum painting your walls with his seed. "M-Mmmmhm!" he huffed out as he locked the two of you in place as he continued to fill your pussy, with his cum. He said as he kissed you deeply.

“Sugu~” you purred as toy kissed back as much as your wrecked exhausted body would allow. After that first orgasm, you were nothing but putty in his arms. "Alpha fuck.”

Suguru swallowed hard. Finally releasing his bite. His teeth were stained with crimson. But he so carefully lapped at your wound, healing it with a satisfied growl. You pulled away, offering Suguru the other side as you floated through your afterglow. It was the first time your omega had been truly satisfied. While your boyfriend blushed and nodded before biting down on the other side of your neck. Marking you as his mate.

"Wow." He said with a smile. “I always imagined how pretty You'd look with my mark, but seeing it in person is much better than any other daydream.”

“Me too, " you hummed as you cuddled close to him, purring happily as your bodies connected. I love you, Suguru."

A flood of emotions coursing through every part of Suguru's soul. He pulls away from your neck, staring at you before he grins. "I love you too, " your boyfriend whispers with a happy hum. I love you so much." He turns, offering you his neck, his unmarked sent glands almost illuminated in the low lighting of the bedroom. "I want you forever."

His actions leave you too stunned to speak. Marking each other like this, you would be with each other, mate, forever. Mates for life. So, of course, you gasped softly, your brain going fuzzy as you stared at his unclaimed neck. For once in your life, you had never been more sure of anything. There was no hesitation in your movements as you leaned in, your fangs puncturing the skin, making you purr as you lapped at the mark before moving onto his other side.

Once you marked him on the other side, you both lay there in the bed by his knot, your tails, kissing against each other as you whispered declarations of love in between quiet huma and purrs. Suguru chuffed low in his chest as he wrapped you up, tightening his body around you. This night might not have gone as planned, but it turned out to be the best fucking night of your life. The night you found your mate with whom you would spend the rest of your life.

Forever Tag List:

@darkstarlight82 @pandoness @nealeart @simp-plague @sugurubabe @chilichopsticks @reap3erslov3 @wil10wthetree @msniks @lana18918

Kinktober Tag List:

@candy-s72

[phoenixblaze1412]

Hi :3 i was the one who requested the scara idea and I really loved it! I wanted to request dottore and segments reaction to teen reader (preferably fem) growing up to have a personality like pantalone :D that'd be funny

Dottore had seen many strange things in his time—failed experiments, twisted mutations, the very limits of human suffering—but nothing quite prepared him for this.

His daughter, you, his own flesh and blood, were standing before a group of researchers, your voice smooth as silk, your expression poised and confident. With each word you said, you wove a web so intricate, so compelling, that even the most stone-faced, logic-driven agents looked ready to hand over everything they owned. And worse?

They were enjoying it.

“What,” Alpha muttered, adjusting his mask, “am I witnessing?”

Zeta squinted from behind his glasses. “It appears… she is convincing them to donate their research materials for a ‘noble cause’ that benefits her.”

Delta let out a low whistle. “She’s good.”

“She’s terrifying,” Theta corrected.

They watched in stunned silence as you continued your performance.

“I understand, truly, how valuable your time and resources are,” you purred, placing a hand over your heart with just the right amount of dramatic flair. “I would never wish to inconvenience you. However… consider the benefits. Imagine the impact of our work—our shared efforts. You wouldn’t just be contributing to a simple experiment; you would be pioneers, carving a path for innovation itself.”

One of the researchers, a normally skeptical man named Viktor, hesitated. “I mean… that does sound rather significant…”

“Of course it does,” you encouraged gently, tilting your head in a way that made you look both intelligent and utterly sincere. “And naturally, I would ensure that your contributions are recognized. Your names, forever attached to the findings. Doesn’t that sound… rewarding?”

The researchers nodded, murmuring among themselves. They had walked into this discussion fully intending to deny you, yet now, not only were they considering it—they were eager.

Dottore twitched.

“She is Pantalone reincarnated,” he declared, crossing his arms. “And I do not like it.”

“Hmm,” Beta hummed thoughtfully. “Pantalone might actually like it.”

“That is the problem,” Dottore snapped.

Meanwhile, Theta was rubbing his temples. “She didn’t even promise them anything real! Just vague words about recognition and ‘the future of innovation.’ How are they eating this up?”

“She knows how to play to their egos,” Omega noted. “It’s quite impressive, actually.”

Impressive. That was one way to put it.

A few feet away, you turned to another hesitant researcher, smiling warmly. “And I would never ask for too much. Just a small donation of resources—whatever you can spare, of course. I’d hate to take away anything critical from your work.”

The researcher, an older woman, sighed in defeat. “Well… if it’s just a little, I suppose—”

“Amazing!” you beamed, clasping your hands together. “I truly admire your generosity.”

The woman looked like she’d just won an award.

Dottore’s patience snapped.

“That’s enough,” he barked, striding forward. The researchers flinched as the Harbinger loomed over them, his mask intimidating them as he stood behind you. “Don’t you all have assignments to be working on?”

The room froze. The researchers, only now realizing they had been caught under his watchful eye, immediately scrambled to justify themselves.

“I—uh—of course, Lord Harbinger—”

“Right away, sir!”

They practically fled the scene, leaving behind only Dottore, his daughter, and the thoroughly exhausted segments.

You turned to your father, completely unbothered. “You didn’t have to scare them away, you know. I was handling it perfectly fine.”

“That was precisely the problem,” Dottore growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What kind of monster have I created?”

You laughed, light and melodic. “A charming one, obviously.”

Sigma sighed. “We are doomed.”

The segments muttered in agreement.

---------

“Father,” you called one day, your voice laced with the kind of practiced innocence that immediately set off alarm bells in Dottore’s mind.

He didn’t even look up from his work, already suspicious. “What do you want?”

“Nothing unreasonable,” you replied sweetly, stepping closer, hands clasped behind your back. You rocked slightly on your heels before standing on your tiptoes, reaching for his arm with delicate precision.

Before he could swat you away, you gently guided him toward a chair, pressing him down into it as though he were some frail old man in need of rest.

Theta, who had been lounging nearby, nearly choked on air. “Did she just—”

“She did,” Zeta confirmed, eyes wide in awe.

You patted Dottore’s shoulder like a doting daughter caring for her weary father. “You work so hard, Father. You really should take a break.”

Dottore scoffed, unimpressed by the act. “Spare me the pleasantries and get to the point.”

You smiled, leaning against the table with a calculated ease, your words dripping like honey. “I simply require your authorization for my latest project. Oh, and unrestricted funding.”

Gamma folded his arms, his expression skeptical. “That sounds suspiciously like manipulation.”

You gasped, placing a hand over your heart as if deeply wounded. “Uncle, I would never!”

Omega, who had been quietly observing the interaction, frowned. “We are not your uncles.”

You waved a hand dismissively. “Technicalities.”

The segments exchanged wary glances.

Dottore, meanwhile, pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “And what, pray tell, is this so-called ‘project’ of yours?”

Your lips curled into a winning smile. “A business venture that will make the Fatui a fortune, of course. It’s what you taught me—strategic planning, resource acquisition, persuasive communication. Just… put into practice.”

Sigma leaned forward. “What kind of business?”

You grinned. “One that maximizes profit and efficiency.”

“That is not an answer,” Delta pointed out.

You shrugged, completely unbothered. “Details.”

Dottore gave you a flat look. “What exactly are you planning?”

You tilted your head thoughtfully. “Well, I noticed that the Fatui’s supply chains are terribly mismanaged. We have so much potential revenue slipping through our fingers. So, I may have… persuaded a few merchants to change their trade routes, ensured some competitors had ‘unfortunate delays,’ and positioned certain investments in key markets.”

Beta frowned. “That sounds an awful lot like—”

“Business strategy,” you interrupted smoothly.

Gamma gave you a look. “Illegal business strategy.”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, please. ‘Illegal’ is such a subjective term.”

Dottore had to physically restrain himself from slamming his head against the table. He had spent years raising a child who could stand among the greatest minds, a true product of his genius. And what did you do? Become a smaller, more terrifying version of Pantalone.

He had raised a monster.

And the worst part? You were good at it.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or disappointed,” Dottore admitted.

You smiled, knowing full well that impressed was winning out. “I’ll settle for ‘proud.’”

Theta groaned, slumping against the table. “She’s going to take over the entire Fatui, isn’t she?”

Sigma adjusted his glasses. “Undoubtedly.”

Zeta sighed. “Pantalone is going to love her.”

Dottore clenched his fists. “That is exactly what I am trying to prevent.”

You simply laughed, utterly pleased with yourself at the whole situation.

------

Pantalone was, quite frankly, delighted.

“My dear, you truly are a vision of intellect and refinement,” he praised, his signature charming smile in place. “Such a sharp mind is wasted outside the economic sector. Have you ever considered taking up work in financial negotiations?”

You grinned, clearly enjoying the conversation. “Perhaps. The art of deals and diplomacy does seem rather enjoyable.”

Dottore, who had been quietly seething, suddenly moved, physically placing himself between them with the swiftness of a man fending off a predatory beast. His crimson gaze burned with unspoken warning. “Absolutely fucking not.”

Pantalone feigned disappointment, pressing a hand to his chest as if Dottore had just stabbed him in the heart. “Oh, come now, Doctor. Surely you see the brilliance in her potential.”

“I see the danger,” Dottore snapped. “And I refuse to allow my daughter to fall into your schemes.”

You smirked, arms crossed as you tilted your head. “Father, you wound me. As if I would ever be outwitted.”

Dottore turned to you, expression flat. “That is exactly what concerns me.”

Behind him, the segments were watching the exchange like spectators at an opera.

“This is a disaster,” Theta whispered, horrified.

“She’s growing too strong,” Omega muttered.

Zeta adjusted his glasses, looking deep in thought. “Perhaps… this is a natural evolution of intelligence? The next step in strategic thinking?”

Gamma looked at him like he’d grown two heads. “You’re encouraging this?”

“I mean, technically—”

“No.”

Meanwhile, Pantalone let out an amused chuckle. “Doctor, Doctor, Doctor… I would never dream of corrupting your daughter.”

Dottore scoffed. “Oh, spare me. You are corruption.”

You tapped a finger against your chin, pretending to contemplate something. “But, Father, Pantalone does have valuable resources. Perhaps a partnership could be beneficial?”

Pantalone beamed. “Now there’s an idea.”

Dottore turned to you, scandalized. “You are corrupt.”

You gave him an innocent look. “It’s called business, Father.”

Theta groaned. “We’ve lost her.”

Pantalone, sensing victory, offered his hand toward you “Come, dear. I believe we have much to discuss.”

Before you could even consider it, Dottore grabbed you by the collar and dragged you behind him like a wayward cat. “Absolutely fucking not. Conversation over.”

Pantalone sighed dramatically. “So possessive. Let her spread her wings, Doctor.”

Dottore didn’t even dignify that with a response as he hauled his daughter away, the segments trailing behind, whispering amongst themselves about the absolute chaos their family had become.

-------

The emergency meeting had quickly devolved into chaos. Every segment had sworn to stand firm, to prevent the teenager such as you from further manipulating everyone around you with your eerily natural charm and silver tongue. Yet, as soon as you walked into the room, their resolution began to crumble.

Theta had been the loudest in his protests, slamming the table and declaring that they needed to "put an end to this." But the moment you entered with that confident stride, he suddenly found himself lowering his gaze, pretending to be very interested in the table’s wood grain.

You smiled, eyes scanning the room. “You all seem troubled. Surely, you don’t think I’ve done something wrong?”

“No, of course not,” Beta immediately blurted, then cursed under his breath when he realized what he’d just done.

Zeta, the ever-logical one, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “We are simply... concerned about your growing influence. It has not gone unnoticed that many of our agents and researchers have begun prioritizing your requests over more critical assignments.”

You tilted your head, giving him an innocent look. “Oh? But I thought efficiency was important. I only help people find their true potential.”

Zeta opened his mouth, ready to counter, but the words died in his throat. Technically, you had a point. You never outright forced anyone; you merely spoke, nudging people in the right direction. It wasn’t your fault they followed you so willingly... right?

“That’s... not entirely incorrect,” Zeta admitted begrudgingly.

“She got him,” Sigma whispered. “One down.”

Epsilon, determined not to fall as his predecessors had, took a deep breath and stood. “That’s beside the point! You have an unnatural ability to get people to do exactly what you want. That is dangerous.”

You let out a small sigh, shaking your head. “Oh, Epsilon... It almost sounds like you don’t trust me.”

Epsilon visibly faltered. “I... That’s not what I meant—”

“You’ve always been so rational,” you continued, your voice taking on a slightly sad tone. “I’ve always admired that about you. But if even you doubt me, then perhaps I have misjudged our relationship.”

A heavy silence settled in the room.

Epsilon’s lips parted in shock. “N-No, that’s—” He groaned, rubbing his temples. “Dammit.”

Sigma patted his shoulder. “It was a valiant effort.”

“That’s three,” Theta whispered in horror.

Determined not to let this continue, Theta himself stepped up. “Alright, that’s enough. You may have fooled the others, but I won’t fall for—”

He paused as you turned to him, eyes filled with warmth and something almost teasing.

“You always try so hard, Theta,” you said, taking a slow step toward him. “The loudest in the room, the one who always takes charge. You must be tired.”

Theta blinked. “I—I am not.”

“It’s okay,” you said softly. “You can rest. You don’t have to be so strong all the time.”

Theta, the proud and stubborn segment, felt his mind blank for a moment. A foreign warmth spread in his chest as he struggled to form words. His defenses, which he had sworn to keep up, shattered in an instant.

“I... uh... Maybe I could take a small break...” he muttered in a daze.

Sigma grabbed his shoulder. “Theta, no! Stay with us!”

It was too late. Theta sat back down, dazed and silent.

Dottore, watching all of this unfold, pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “You’re all useless.”

You, now smug, turned to your father. “You seem frustrated, Father. Surely, you don’t think I would ever try to manipulate you?”

Dottore crossed his arms. “Of course you would. It’s in your nature.”

You giggled. “And yet, here you are, letting me do as I please.”

Dottore scowled, but he couldn’t argue. After all, despite his complaints, he had done nothing to stop you.

The segments looked at each other in silent understanding.

They had lost.

You had won.

Again.

One night, as you sat at your desk, reviewing documents suspiciously similar to Pantalone’s financial reports, Dottore entered the room with an air of exhaustion. He observed you for a moment—your sharp eyes scanning the figures, your pen tapping rhythmically against the desk, a smirk tugging at your lips whenever you found something particularly interesting.

With a long, dramatic sigh, he pulled out the chair beside you and slumped into it.

“I never imagined I would raise someone like you,” he admitted, rubbing his temples.

You glanced at him, amused. “Disappointed?”

He flicked your forehead lightly, earning an exaggerated gasp from you. “Frustrated.”

You grinned, completely unbothered. “You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He huffed, crossing his arms. “Perhaps not.”

There was a long pause before he let his head rest against the back of the chair, watching as you continued working. Despite everything—your infuriating ability to twist words, your undeniable skill in outmaneuvering nearly anyone, your terrifying resemblance to that man—you were still his daughter.

And despite his irritation, he found himself smirking.

“…You know, the segments have started keeping a tally.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Of what?”

“How many people you’ve managed to swindle with words alone.”

You let out a soft laugh. “And what’s my score?”

Dottore shot you a deadpanned look. “Too high for my comfort.”

At that moment, the door burst open. Theta stormed in, waving a piece of paper. “She did it again!”

Behind him, Zeta followed, looking equally exhausted. “She got one of the officers to personally finance one of her projects. Out of his own pocket.”

You smirked. “Persuasion is a valuable skill.”

Theta threw his hands up. “She’s worse than Pantalone!”

Gamma poked his head into the room. “Objectively, she’s better than Pantalone. He still has to negotiate. She just smiles and people give her things.”

Dottore let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You are all useless.”

You stretched, closing your documents. “Father, I’m merely expanding my skill set.”

Dottore leveled you with a look. “Your ‘skill set’ is giving me a headache.”

You stood up, stretching your arms before placing a hand on his shoulder with a knowing smile. “Then consider this a valuable lesson in counter-negotiation. Adapt, or be outplayed.”

The segments collectively winced.

Dottore, after a long moment, let out a dry chuckle. “I should be furious, but somehow, I’m almost impressed.”

You gave him a smug look. “Almost?”

He flicked your forehead again, smirking. “Don’t push it.”

You pouted dramatically, rubbing the spot.

Dottore and his segments had been wildly unprepared for the force of nature their daughter had become, but they learned to adapt. Whether it was intercepting your ‘business ventures,’ preventing you from becoming too much like Pantalone, or simply keeping up with your schemes, they never stopped trying.

Because at the end of the day, you were theirs.

And no amount of manipulation, charm, or well-calculated financial takeovers could ever change that.

[starshideurfics]

A Mother’s Love - Part 3

part 1, part 2

omegaverse, pre-steddie, hints of WaynexBenny, steve with powers

Benny spends the next 37 hours in Wayne’s nest, holding his pup the whole time. It doesn’t make up for the nearly 14 years of holding Steve that he lost out on, but it’s a start.

In the wee hours of the morning, Steve is breathing deeply against Benny’s shoulder, sleeping hard.

Sure they can’t be overheard, Benny turns to Marsha and asks, “What do we tell him?”

“What do you want to tell him?” she returns, just as softly.

“That I did not want to give him up. That it wasn’t my choice.” He breathes deep, peaches and cream flood his senses, and Benny kisses his hair.

“Richard and I haven’t told him he’s adopted yet. But I don’t think he has any memories from before we moved to Hawkins.” She smiles over at Benny and her boy. “I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t want him to have to deal with… Any of it. Not knowing will keep him safer.”

“I agree on all that.”

Benny pets down Steve’s back, purrs to comfort him. “But what do we tell him?” His voice breaks as he asks again.

“He deserves to know as much of the truth as we can tell him. You were young, couldn’t keep him-”

“I wasn’t given a choice!”

“Shh, I know, honey. I know. You’d never choose it.”

She stands, pulls her chair closer so she can touch him, caresses Benny’s cheek. “But it’s also the truth. You didn’t want to give him up, you had to, you knew me from work, asked for help.” She pauses, hand moving to Steve’s hair. “I didn’t realize we’d moved to the same town. All true.”

“Yes.” His heart hurts, so much of his pain is being peeled back and discarded. The horrors of his life cast to the wayside.

“Steve’s always been a sensitive boy. I think he’ll *feel* the connection. I really do.”

“I know. I feel it, too. Could feel it the second I saw him.”

“Mama?” Steve mumbles in his sleep, fingers tightening their grip on Benny’s shirt.

“It’s okay, baby,” Benny murmurs, rubbing his back. “You’re okay.”

That’s all it takes. Steve settles, body going lax again as he nuzzles against Benny’s neck.

When his heat finally breaks, Steve is confused. Disoriented more than anything. But he listens as his mother speaks, still breathing the comforting apple scent on Benny’s shirt. Her words are easy to accept, burrowing deep inside him, finding a home in his heart.

Suddenly, Steve finds himself in possession of a Dad, Mom, and now a Mama.

❤️❤️❤️

Steve gets the weekend after his presentation heat to sleep off the remaining exhaustion and give himself time to absorb everything that’s changed about his life.

And it really does feel like everything has changed.

It’s confusing, but good. He just… He doesn’t want to be different.

Barely anyone brings it up, but Steve knows he doesn’t fit in with most of his classmates simply because his family isn’t from Hawkins. He’s known everyone since Kindergarten, but his mom hasn’t known their moms since 1st grade, so it’s different.

He doesn’t want to give anyone a reason to talk.

His mom and Benny think it’s a good idea to be quiet about it too. So, he decides he won’t tell anyone. There will be enough commotion with him presenting omega.

Tommy still hasn’t presented yet, but he’ll be gross about it. Ask Steve if he wants to play doctor like they’re four.

Steve has no intention of showing anyone else his pussy right now. Especially not Tommy Hagen. It was bad enough that his mom had to check it, and she’s a nurse! But she said it looked perfectly healthy, and Steve fully intends to ignore his new vulva for a while…

But Monday comes, and he can’t ignore school. He rides his bike, like he always does, wanting to feel normal, even if his bicycle seat feels weird now. Because, you know…

But he gets to school, says he doesn’t feel all that different anytime someone asks, but he feels things—stabs of jealousy, confusion, anger and desire wrapped up in one. It’s worst around Tommy, like a buzzing beneath his skin, and Steve is happy to retreat to first period, to sit quietly as Mr. Clarke takes roll.

But the buzzing gets worse, and his head starts to ache. 20 minutes in, it’s like pressure is building inside his skull, sharp pain with every movement, and dull pain if he holds still.

Steve nearly makes it to the end of the hour when the nausea strikes, and he makes it to the trash can by the door just in time to puke up his breakfast.

Mr. Clarke sends him to the nurse’s office. She has him lie down, puts a cold compress over his eyes. That helps, and the buzzing is gone.

Steve cries, a little from relief, but more from anguish. A grief that isn’t his. He looks at Nurse Baker, remembers his mom saying something about a drunk running a red light and hitting a pedestrian.

Sees the bags beneath her eyes, like she doesn’t sleep. “Are you okay?” he asks.

It’s like a switch flips on her face, but the sadness still radiates out from her chest. “I’m fine, Steven,” she says, smiling. “How are you feeling? I called your mother, but she can’t get away from work.” She strokes his hair, replaces the cold compress on Steve’s forehead. “She said your uncle will pick you up. Take you home.”

“Okay,” Steve whispers, confused and hurting.

Ten minutes later Benny arrives in the office, dropping into a crouch at Steve’s side. “Hey, Pup,” he says softly. “You think you can walk, or are you gonna hurl again?”

“I can walk,” Steve insists, sitting up. Benny rubs his back, helps him stand. They make it to the parking lot without issue, but alone, in Benny’s truck, Steve starts crying again. “I think something’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing’s wrong with you, Baby. You’re perfect. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” Benny holds him close, pushes out his scent.

Steve can smell his fear. His worry. He’s always been sensitive like that.

💔💔💔

Benny still has nightmares about the day he gave birth. About the day his baby was stolen away.

They gave him enough drugs that he doesn’t remember the pain so clearly, but he remembers hearing his pup cry. Remembers how desperate he was to hold him.

He never got the chance.

The nurses whisked him from the room, Brenner saying he needed tests and shots, that the hard part was over and Benny should rest.

He didn’t want to rest. He wanted his pup. Cried out for him. But the nurses didn’t bring him back. Said he went into respiratory arrest. That his heart stopped.

That’s when the pain started. Pain in his heart. Pain between his legs from being cut, from the stitches. Pain in his breasts as his milk comes in.

Marsha spent days with him after, holding his hand, helping him pump, then helping his milk dry up.

But in his dreams, he’s alone.

He can hear his pup crying, but he cannot move. His legs feel heavy, so heavy he can’t lift them. He hurts, and there’s blood everywhere. His nipples are leaking, and that’s blood too.

Everything is red.

The crying stops suddenly, and it’s too quiet. He screams himself hoarse. Begs for his pup. He wakes screaming.

The dreams are worse near the anniversary… His pup’s birthday.

Steve’s birthday.

He thinks that’s why they’ve hit him again, even now that he’s found his boy again.

It’s why he has bags under his eyes when he picks Steve up from the nurse’s office.

Steve turns 14 next week.

Nearly 14 years his baby was gone. And having him back isn’t enough to stop the dreams.

At least now he has a scent token in his nest that smells of sweet peaches that he can sniff to calm his fears.

Even better, he has Steve in his arms in the cab of his truck.

Steve whines against his shoulder, moaning, “But I feel broken. Like everyone is pushing into my head.”

“Everything?”

“*Everyone.* It hurts.”

Benny rubs his back, and feels just as helpless as his baby. “We’ll talk to Mom about it when she gets home. But you need to lay down, let’s get you home.”

“No.”

“Baby, it’ll be okay. We’ll get you in your nest-”

“No. Don’t leave me.” Steve grabs hard at his shoulder, fingers locked in place.

“I need to go to work.”

“I’ll come with you. Please.” His nose nuzzles forward, finds Benny’s neck. “Please, Mama.”

Benny feels tears against his skin. He can’t say no to that, not when his boy is hurting. When he needs him.

Benny drives back to his burger shop, still having about an hour before he opens for lunch. He brings Steve in, smiles to see him relax, and has him get settled at a booth in the corner.

“If you start feeling it again, the pushing into your head, let me know right away,” Benny orders gently. He forces a smile. “But if your stomach is settled, I’d guess you’re hungry. Think you could eat a couple eggs and some toast?” The eggs are tor the Sunrise Burger, the toast for the patty melt. There’s no breakfast on his menu, but it feels like the best option right now, quick and simple.

Steve nods, mumbles his thanks as he puts his head down on the table and closes his eyes.

“Okay, I’ll let your mom know you’re here, and I’ll be right back with those eggs. It’ll be okay, Baby.”

“It’ll be okay,” Benny repeats to himself as he heads in the back, to the phone. It has to be.

He just got his baby back.

❤️❤️❤️

“What’s that mean, ‘he’s empathic,’ like, I get that he’s gentle, sensitive, but what’s it mean?” Wayne asks when Benny comes over after closing.

Marsha picked Steve after work, just before the dinner rush, explained as best she could in whispers. Benny spent the rest of the evening turning it over in his head. He thinks he understands it now. “In the program… We were trying to tap into the deeper powers of the human mind. I… dabbled with LSD when I was younger, it’s how I found MKUltra. Brenner. His goal was telekinesis. Reading minds. Science fiction stuff.”

He pinches at the bridge of his nose. “Martha said most of the children showed signs of some power, but Steve struggled. He cried all the time, was inconsolable most days. She doesn’t think Brenner figured it out, that he was picking up on big feelings, anything harsh like fear or pain. She helped him build walls in his mind—when he started school—and I don’t fully understand it, but I guess presenting broke through them.”

“So he can feel what other people are feeling…”

“And teenagers feel things so strongly…”

Wayne reaches out, grabs Benny’s hand. “And it made him throw up?”

“How would you feel if a couple dozen horny, angry, moody teens’ emotions flooded your head?” Benny returns, still gentle, but Wayne knows him so well, can read the worry and anger in his scent.

“I’d probably puke, too,” Wayne answers, pumping out his own calming scent, sweet cinnamon fills the air and Benny breathes deeply. His shoulders unhunch a little.

“Marsha is gonna work with him in rebuilding the walls, but she’s worried he’s too comfortable with her, that he’s too attuned to her emotions already…”

“Does she think you can-”

“No, after his presentation… I guess I’m too safe.”

“Too safe?”

“Yeah… And she thinks it would help to have him working with someone closer to his age. With big, teenage emotions…”

Wayne shakes his head. “Ben, no. You can’t mean-”

“He didn’t say anything when he got Steve over here. I trust him, and Marsha doesn’t trust any of Steve’s friends.”

“Eddie’s got a big mouth, I love the boy, but what if he says anything to Al?”

“We’re not worried about Al. This is about keeping it from Brenner, in case he’s still keeping tabs on Marsha at all.”

“I’ll talk to him about needing help tomorrow,” Wayne agrees softly. He stands up. “How are you doing? This is a lot to deal with, even when your kid doesn’t have some kind of special powers.”

Benny covers his eyes, whines when Wayne touches his shoulder. “It’s my fault. This is what we were trying to do. And now my baby’s hurting.”

“You’re helping him feel better. And you didn’t know it would be like this. You didn’t.” Wayne rubs his back as Benny hides his face against the other omega’s shirt. “You love your boy so much, you’re being so strong for him.”

Benny lets himself cry in Wayne’s arms.

He loves his boy so much.

Part Four

[madwomansapologist]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻ KENTO NANAMI

FICS:

sfw ; you make loving fun ; after years of pain and grief, nanami found himself going home for a placed filled with love and care. he wasn't there at the start, but he will be there until the very end. it's a promise.

nsfw ; sweet dreams ; watching the man you love deny himself of his needs, you take matters into your own hands. or lips, to be more precise.

nsfw ; if you're sick light a candle (just don't ask me to leave) ; kento never intended to hate you. it wasn’t his fault. he won't steal from you the credit of being the most irritating omega alive, not when you work so hard to deserve the title. his only fault, and for that kento takes all the blame, is his inability to stay away from you. not that he wants to.

DRABBLES:

sfw ; marriage proposal ; falling in love ruins nanami's idea of a perfect proposal.

sfw ; family and jujutsu ; thinking about what makes kento not judge suguru.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻ RYOMEN SUKUNA

FICS:

nsfw ; you love blood too much (but not like i do) ; awakened in a new era, ryomen sukuna found endless opportunities to hurt and maim others. he also found you, a sorcerer with an ever-expading soul bonded to oaths of pacifism and self-control. allured by the strength you decided to hide, sukuna realized this era could be far more fascinating than he expected.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻ TOJI FUSHIGURO

FICS:

nsfw ; a hound left without a leash ; your love is constant, ever-present and ever-growing. toji finds it endearing. how you're not afraid of being soft around him. but he can’t be like that. his love isn't gentle and quiet like yours: it's remorseless, made of sharp fangs soaked in blood—five times toji felt loved by you, five times he loved you back.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻ GOJO SATORU

DRABBLES:

sfw ; honorable death ; satoru's impact on others.

sfw ; corpses ; they lived so differently, but their death was the same. a rant about satosugu.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ⸻ MULTIPLE CHARACTERS

DRABBLES:

sfw ; rizz? oh, you mean my autism? ; jujutsu boyfriends and how they approach an autistic lover.

SMAUS:

sfw ; family is everything

sfw ; you're not fine. i can see it

sfw ; where are my messages???

sfw ; flowers? from me? flowers?

sfw ; she just left. wink wink

sfw ; empty bed

sfw ; so you have a date

sfw ; of couse i've sent the wrong photo

© all rights reserved to MADWOMANSAPOLOGIST

[generic-sonic-fan]

Omega's Observations: Inside/Wired

Summary: Tails tells Omega about Shadow’s recent visit to his workshop.

For @teamdarkweek. 2047 words.

Omega observes that Tails is quieter than usual today. This would be irrelevant, if not for the fact that the fox is currently elbow-deep in his chest cavity.

He waits until Tails withdraws to grab another tool from the workbench to speak. “YOU ARE HIDING SOMETHING.” 

“Huh?” Tails turns around. “No, no, it’s nothing.” 

“YOU ARE A TERRIBLE LIAR.” Omega gambles.

Sure enough, the fox’s face falls. “You got me there. But I’m serious. It’s not a big deal, just something about Shadow.” 

“INFORM ME OF YOUR HESITATION ABOUT SHADOW.”

“Nothing to hesitate about- just something he brought up the last time he visited me.”

“ELABORATE.”

Tails folds his hands together. “It started something like. . .”

—

“Teach me how to solder.”

“Hmm?” 

Tails lifted his welding helmet, only to find Shadow standing in the door of his workshop, his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently. 

“Oh! Shadow! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you come in.” Tails put down his welding torch. 

“Teach me. How to solder.” Shadow wasn’t asking.

“Well, sure? Is everything alright?”

“Yes.” 

“So, no particular urgency? The thought just struck you?”

“Please.” Shadow finally said. 

“That’s better.” Tails said, before feeling a little bad about it. “Follow me. I’ll get a soldering kit out.” 

He had to search only a little bit to find his old soldering iron- he hadn’t used it in a while, not since Sonic had gotten him a new one with all the bells and whistles on it. But it would be better to start Shadow off on a simpler one. Tails then grabbed a coil of solder and a little bottle of flux. 

He brought them all over to his workbench.

“Pull up that stool?” Tails gestured to an extra rolling stool in the corner as he grabbed his own. 

Shadow did as asked, but he didn’t sit in it like Tails had intended. Instead he stayed standing, studying intently as Tails moved to plug the soldering iron in. 

“Alright!” Tails set the soldering iron down and clapped his hands together. “Let’s start with this: what do you already know about soldering?”

“It is a technique that can repair wires.” Shadow replied. Tails waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t.

“That’s okay. I’ll start by going over the components and what they do.” He picked up the soldering iron again. “This is the iron, and it is used to melt the-” with his other hand, he picked up the coil of solder “-solder, which is a filler metal used to help rejoin the two halves of the wire.”

Shadow nodded.

“But, before you do so, you want to clean the site of joining with the flux.” Tails set the solder down and picked up the bottle of flux. “Well, it’s not just cleaning, it also helps the solder actually stick, but you get the idea.” 

Tails set down the flux and then grabbed the iron. He turned it on and set it to the correct temperature. In only a few seconds, a wisp of smoke trailed off the end. He then unwrapped a bit of the solder and held it to the end of the iron, causing it to melt and coat the tip. 

“Now you’ll just want to-” Tails looked down at his bench and realized he didn’t get out anything to actually use as an example. “Can you grab some spare wires for me to show you with?”

“Where would those be?” Shadow asked.

“Oh, in the back somewhere. Anything on my shelves will do as long as it isn’t attached to anything.”

Shadow disappeared. He did not return. For about a minute, Tails was worried he’d gotten lost back there before he showed up again with a handful of small wires. The way he carried them was strange; gently, as if he was holding a baby bird. 

“Great! Hand me two with stripped edges, please.”

“Stripped?”

“The bare metal, instead of being covered by the insulation.”

Shadow handed him two bits that had their bare copper showing.

“Now we’ll want to twist them together,” Tails mimed the motion.

Shadow copied with the actual wires, before handing them over. Tails placed them against the workbench and tipped the bottle of flux, splashing them with the clear liquid. 

“Most solder that you buy from stores already has a little flux in it, to make sure the solder sticks, but I like to apply extra anyway since I’ve got it.” Tails explained. 

“I see.” Shadow replied.

“Now that that’s done, you can melt the solder onto the wires. You don’t need to put a lot- just enough so that the twisted portion is coated.” 

Tails touched the soldering iron to the wires, transferring the bit of solder he’d already put on the tip to the wires. 

He then handed the iron to Shadow. “You try!” 

Shadow looked at the iron, then the bundle of wires. He gently tapped the tip of the iron against the wires, not long enough for any of the solder to transfer.

“You can do it with a bit more authority, you know.” Tails suggested. 

Shadow’s eyes narrowed. He pressed the tip of the iron against the part of the wires that was still bare, this time adding enough solder for it to drip down and onto the plastic insulation. 

“Too much! That’s okay. All it does is stink up the place.” Tails waved his hand over the bit of melted plastic to fan away the fumes. “The solder will still hold. That’s what’s important.” 

“What now?” Shadow asked.

“That’s it!” Tails replied. “We just wait for it to cool. It cools pretty fast.”

“It’s. . .” Shadow stared at the two joined wires, now tinged a silvery color from the solder. “Vulnerable.”

“It is exposed,” Tails agreed. “We can add a heat-shrink tubing to insulate it again.”

He stood from his stool and started digging on his shelves for those little heat-shrinks. He found one shoved beneath an old circuit board; it would do for this little practice session. 

He returned with the little black tube between his fingers. Shadow was still staring at the wires.

“Usually, you want to slide one of these on before you join the wires if the wires are already part of a system,” Tails explained as he gently pushed Shadow’s hand out of the way and threaded the tube onto the now joined wire, “but for our purposes let’s pretend we remembered to do that.” 

“What now?”

“If you have a wire cutter, you can trim the joining, but otherwise you can just fold it in parallel before sliding the heat-shrink over it.” 

He let Shadow practice the motion and thread the tube over the exposed junction.

“Then you’ll use either a torch, if you have one, or the soldering iron itself to heat it. It’ll shrink tight against the insulation already existing on the wire. Think of it like a patch on a tire.”

Tails took the wire back and used the upper portion of the soldering iron tip to heat the tube. Sure enough, it shrunk tight around the new joining, leaving only a little lump in the plastic as evidence of the break in the first place. 

“And that’s it. Pretty easy once you get the hang of it.” Tails smiled. 

“I need to practice more.” 

“Yeah, it gets easier with practice for sure.” 

Shadow grabbed two more wires from the bundle he’d set on the workbench and twisted them together. Wordlessly, he grabbed the iron from Tails’ hands and pressed it against the junction. 

“. . . sure, you can practice some more here!” Tails gave an awkward smile. 

Shadow poured excess solder all over the wires, resulting in gobs of the metal ringing the plastic insulation. He threw this attempt away and started his next. Twisted the wires together, pressed just the very tip of the iron against the wires. 

“Oops, that’s too little.” Tails said. “You’ll want to add more or-”

Shadow pulled on the connection and it unravelled. 

“-it won’t hold.” 

With a sharp sigh, Shadow twisted them together again. 

“Want to use the flux? It might help.” 

Shadow ignored him. 

He twiddled his thumbs together, before running back into the shelves and retrieving a little desk fan Amy had gotten for him a while back. He set it up on the workbench, pointing away from Shadow’s face, and turned it on.

“There. Now you won’t have to breathe in the fumes.” Tails said. “Ultimate Lifeform or not, I can’t imagine it’s very good for you. Not that they’re making solder with lead anymore- thank goodness!”

Shadow did not reply as he carefully painted the joining of the wires with silver. The only sounds were the hiss of the iron and the whirring of the fan. Tails couldn’t even hear him breathe. 

“Is everything alright?” Tails asked. 

Shadow grunted something vaguely affirmative.

“Is it Omega?” 

Shadow paused. 

“If he’s hurt,” Tails said tentatively, “he knows he can come to me any time, right?” 

“And when you’re not here?” 

“You can call me! I’ll race right on back.”

“Tch.” 

Indignation flared in his chest. “Hey! He’s not complaining about me, is he?” 

“You don’t get it.”

“What do I not get? I think I’m doing a pretty good job with him, thank you very much, and if he doesn’t like it-”

“You,” Shadow said, “Won’t. Always. Be. Here.” 

“Even if I can’t make it back here, that doesn’t mean I can’t phone in and help guide. . .” 

Tails noticed brushes of melted solder against Shadow’s gloves as his hands shook. 

“Careful, it’s hot.” Tails said quietly, and reached for the iron in Shadow’s hands. “You could burn yourself.” 

Shadow didn’t fight him as he took it and turned it off. 

“If it would help you feel better, I could start teaching you?” Tails offered.

“I can’t just use chaos energy to heal him like with Rouge.”

“Kind of a bummer, huh?” 

Shadow looked at him. 

“You know what I mean.” 

Shadow sighed. “I do.” 

“You don’t need to worry about it for a long time, though.” He put his hand on Shadow’s shoulder. “You’ve got, what, a hundred years or so before I kick the bucket? You plan too far ahead.” 

Shadow didn’t reply. 

“I’ll teach, and you’ll learn. I’ve always wanted a protege!” Tails joked.

“I already know how to repair some mechanical systems. It’s the electronics I’m not familiar with.”

“Right, your motorcycle is in pristine condition! Omega’s going to be lucky to have you.” 

“I. . . thanks.” Shadow muttered at his hands. 

“You’re welcome, Shadow. Any time.”

Shadow stared at the tangle of newly-joined wires on the workbench for a while, before placing his hand over Tails’ on his shoulder. 

“Want to watch a movie, perhaps?” Shadow asked. 

“Sure! There’s this new one Sonic got me and he says he doesn’t want to watch it again but I really really want to see it again. It’s about giant alien robots and they’re fighting, and two of them are friends but things happen and- you’ll have to see!”

Tails grabbed Shadow’s hands and led him away from the workbench and to the couch.

—

“. . . it was a good movie. I think he liked it.” Tails concludes. 

Omega finishes sorting this new bit of information in his memory banks.

“Well?” 

“HE SEES ME AS FRAGILE.” 

“I don’t think so. I think he’s just concerned.”

“HE SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED!” 

“He’s your friend.” Tails replies. “Of course he’s concerned.” 

“HE OVERANALYZES EVENTUAL POSSIBILITIES, OVERLOADING HIS BIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE IN THE PRESENT DATE.” 

“Yeah, but-”

“IT WOULD BE A GREATER FAVOR FOR HIM TO CEASE HIS NEEDLESS ANXIETY.”

“Learning how to do first aid for your friends isn’t a bad thing.” Tails crosses his arms. 

Omega cannot generate a suitable rebuttal to that.

“Given the rate at which you turn back up at my place damaged, it’s good for one of your team to know how to solder.”

“ROUGE ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO SOLDER.”

Tails opens his mouth, then closes it. He turns back to his workbench to finally retrieve the tool necessary to finish the current repair. He sticks the wrench inside Omega’s chest compartment. Tightens a few bolts. Withdraws again. 

“It’s just the way Shadow is wired, I guess.” 

“I KNOW.” Omega mutters before he can stop himself. 

[heyclickadee]

So, here’s the thing. The finale is weird. Yes, I’m hurt by the fact that Tech didn’t come back and that a character that’s very near and dear to my heart was badly handled, and that will never sit right with me. But even apart from that, the finale fundamentally does not function as a piece of storytelling or as the end to this story. I’m glad that people are enjoying it, and I will never tell anyone not to. But I don’t think it works. (I get very negative about the TBB finale under the cut.)

It’s not just the Tech stuff or the CX-2 stuff (which may very well have been the same stuff) that got dropped. It’s *everything*. Every theme, Every narrative thread besides retrieving Omega, every character arc except marginally Omega’s, Echo’s (also marginal), and Emerie’s, which was the shortest and gets wrapped up by her deciding to help Echo rescue the kids. It all stops. It makes everything that came before seem cheap and pointless if you take it into account. And this is so, so frustrating for me, because the entire show was driving towards this incredibly rich payoff, it could have been immaculate, and then it whiffed the ball so bad in the last episode that it didn’t just miss, it managed to knock over the bleachers and set the entire court on fire.

Some examples:

1. This season had a really interesting exploration of Crosshair’s PTSD via his hand tremor and how it was something he can learn to manage, but not something that would ever fully go away. Aaaaand then his hand gets chopped off. One, that was stupid. I’ve seen some excellent posts (here’s one by @the-bi-space-ace) detailing why that was a terrible way to handle Crosshair’s lingering trauma, and others talking about how the idea there was that Crosshair needed to move on and it was severing his last ties with the empire. The former, I agree with; the latter, I don’t, because not only—not only!—does this episode stop dealing with Crosshair’s trauma, it doesn’t even deal with having cut off his hand! It just sort of occurs. No one reacts to it, no one says anything about it, there’s no follow up or commentary, nothing happens as a result—it’s an event which occurs with no results coming after it. It may as well be an animation error. You can say it was about Crosshair needing to let go and move on, but that’s something you have to project on to the text, not something that’s actually offered by it. It’s empty.

2. Crosshair again: We also have the lingering issue of Crosshair’s guilt and the fact that he never seems to get to a point where it’s resolved. There’s set up for a resolution. We have that, “Sure you have,” like about Crosshair from Rampart. We also have Crosshair saying he deserves whatever happens to him in Tantiss. And then…no pushback. No resolution. No moment of Crosshair realizing that he doesn’t need to carry that burden. Nothing that says he didn’t deserve what happened to him. He had all this character development this season, but he needed - last little push to forgive himself—and we never get any indication that he does. It, like his trauma, gets dropped like a rock.

3. Hey! More Crosshair! A good chunk of Crosshair’s arc this season was about learning that anyone can change, first, and that no one is beyond saving. Eeexcept that goes no where.

4. Which brings me to my next point: There is set up for the CXs to be saved. Even if we’re laboring under the conclusion that CX-2 was never intended to be Tech at any point in the writing process (I have. Doubts. Yes, I’m calling the creative team liars, here, but with the understanding that they have contracts that may require them to lie), we do have the set up where we learn the electrocyanide zappers can be removed, and with Rex offering forgiveness to CX-1. “Whatever they did to you, whatever you’ve done, you’re still one of us.” CX-Tech or no, Crosshair’s arc was tied up with the CX plot, and because he’s the one the CXs tend to react to—or, at least, understands what was done to them—the set up was there for him to help save and maybe rehab the CXs. At the least, there was an indication that they could be saved. Eeexcept nope! That gets dropped like a rock, too, and they’re not going to deal with it. Time for maximum carnage.

5. Hunter’s arc actually takes a step backwards. Sure, he gets a technically happy ending, but because the squad is basically in the same place they were in “Pabu” back in season two (down a member but successfully hiding from the Empire in a safe place), it negates Hunter’s development towards actually taking action—and actually hurts Echo’s arc, too.

There’s been this tension all through the show between just sitting things out on the one hand (Hunter’s way) and taking direct action despite the futility on the other (Echo’s way), but instead of finding some kind of middle ground or third road, it sort of comes back around to saying that, actually, Hunter was right, they should have just gone to Idaflor back in episode three and never left even though the Pabu invasion said that no, you can’t just hide, and even Hunter’s development was moving in the opposite direction. And this also means that Echo never reaches a point where he feels like he can walk away and that he doesn’t have to get himself killed doing this. Despite development otherwise they both end up back at that conversation in “Tipping Point” without any move in either direction or resolution of that tension.

6. Omega. Okay, Omega probably comes out the best after the finale, and, conceptually, I actually love the idea of Omega becoming a pilot even if the epilogue falls a little flat for me. But stuff with Omega still got dropped, including:

- The force stuff. We have two episodes dealing with m-count (after learning in episode three what Omega was created to do). We also have Ventress telling Omega that she doesn’t have a high m-count as far as she can see, Crosshair immediately calling Ventress out for lying, and then Ventress basically saying, “Yeah, no shit, but if she has force potential she’d have to leave you behind, and it doesn’t matter what your opinion on that is, so I’m not dealing with that.” Aaaand then,m. That. Goes nowhere. Despite a bit of set up for Omega connecting to the force as early as episode one, and some more set up in Tribe, and that whole subplot of her learning how to meditate, and so on.

Now, I don’t think that it was ever going to turn out that Omega did actually have a high m-count or that she had a particularly powerful natural connection to the force. I think she’s probably got a low or baseline m-count. What I do think, however, is that we were going to see Omega connect anyway as a refutation of Palpatine’s and Hemlock’s entire scheme. Their goal (based off of the ST) was to create extremely force sensitive clones as a way for Palpatine to jump bodies without having to waste time re-learning how to connect to the force. You know—dark side, quick and easy path, focus on eugenics and raw power, etc. Had Omega connected anyway because of her big heart and desire to protect, it would have not only paid off that set up, it would have also refuted Palpatine’s and Hemlock’s entire goal. It would have worked so well thematically and the set up was THERE.

- branching off of that, I think the Omega force stuff was probably tied to the Zillo beast. We also had a through-line of Omega being good with animals and taking the time to calm them instead of responding with violence. The first time we see this is in “Replacements,” where she realizes that the ordo moon dragon (also an electrophage—I don’t know what to call these things—like the zillo beast) is just scared and hungry. This is all conjectural, but it still fits with what was set up.

- Moving on from the force stuff, we also had a through-line that started way back in episode two of the series, but which was really emphasized this season, about Omega feeling like she’s the cause of the bad things that happen to the people she loves. This is why she gives herself up during the Pabu invasion in the first place. This is never resolved! We get Omega’s confidence boost when she realizes she has the force kids to take care of, but we never get a moment where Omega realizes that she has no reason to feel guilty. She’s the glue that holds the family together! But nope! Also dropped!

- But wait! There’s more! The first two season finales have Omega watching someone she loves fall away while she’s helpless to do anything to save them. That’s perfect set up to put Omega in the same situation, but be able to save them, because she’s finally come into her own. Instead we just end up with her needing to be rescued again.

- Omega has this big speech in Shadows of Tantiss about spending her life stuck in one place or another against her will, and how she refuses to be confined like that. I don’t think Omega would have been happy just staying on Pabu for the entire rest of her childhood and young adult life, even if I think she’d want to use it on a home base. But! Dropped!

7. I still can’t get over the fact that the zillo beast is on screen for about two minutes and then just. Walks away. It’s a large beastie that’s been locked in confinement for a while and is probably hungry. And somehow it didn’t go straight to the reactors for some delicious energy smoothies. Like. It. Did. The. Last. Time. Someone. Let. It. Out. But no, that would have required it sticking around for something that was probably dropped sooooo ZILLO BEAST EXIT STAGE RIGHT I GUESS. (Edit: I have been reminded that Hemlock does say to turn off the generators once the zillo beast is out, so that at least makes sense. I still think the zillo beast should have stuck around to do something.)

8. You notice how there are a ton of commandos around Tantiss, even up through “Flash Strike?” And how they kind of largely cease to exist? And how Echo says that there are far more clones imprisoned in Tantiss than anyone thought? And then how they rescue, like, a dozen guys? Because we never find our way back to those cells Crosshair was held in during season two? And how Tarkin does mention not wanting to allow clone dissidence to turn into an uprising back in “The Summit?” Because I did. This show was never going to be about a clone rebellion, that wasn’t the point, buuut I do think the set up was there for an uprising at Tantiss itself. Begin the series with clones losing their agency en masse, end the series with some of the most subdued clones taking it back. Except nope, dropped, soooo we gotta pretend the commandos don’t exist and murder the hell out of poor Scorch.

9. SPEAKING OF. The batch does kill clones sometimes, that does happen, but they do at least usually make some kind of effort to be non-lethal even when they’re not using stun, and times when they do resort to lethal tactics are usually born out of extreme circumstances. Not here, though!! NO HESITATION MAXIMUM CARNAGE. For. Reasons I guess.

10. There’s one point IN THE FINALE where Echo mentions signaling for Rex. This never comes up again. Rex does not show up. In fact, despite being called, “The Cavalry Has Arrived,” the cavalry does not in fact arrive. There is no cavalry. Yes, I know it’s a reference to Wrecker’s first line. But I’m sorry if you call an episode that YOU HAD BETTER HAVE A CAVALRY SHOW UP. Especially when you have a one about calling them in! But that also!! Got dropped like a rock!!

11. One positive: the moment Crosshair and Hunter leaning on each other to make that shot was nice.

12. Sorry, but Hemlock’s death was deeply unsatisfying. Let’s do something more than just shoot him multiple times, okay?

13. Rampart’s death, on the other hand, was incredibly satisfying. That said, the conversation about project necromancer? I’m dying. It’s actually hilarious, because it basically goes like:

“Tell me about project necromancer.”

“Wow! How interesting!”

I’m.

Are you serious?

I’m going to become the Joker.

Yes, I know we know what project necromancer is because of a different show. That’s not the point, the POINT. Is that any pay off for project necromancer in this show got dropped. And that’s deeply frustrating from a narrative perspective.

14. Speaking of, we never find out anything more regarding that partially successful m-count transfer from episode three.

15. We also never do anything with those medical records!

16. And Omega has a whole crossbow she never actually shoots despite the fact that her role on the team was as a sharpshooter after Crosshair left, and despite her getting advice from Crosshair on how to be a sniper. The literal chekov’s gun never goes off. I’m going to go eat gravel.

17. AZI, likewise, got toted around for three seasons for no reason. Probably could have helped with the medical records. Given that he was a Kaminoan medical droid. Oh, and that Omega was Nala Se’s medical assistant. So. Hmm.

18. You can cut everything in the season past episode five and skip straight to the epilogue and end up in the same place. This is not because the other episodes are filler. Far from it! The other episodes are great and deliver some amazing set up. But, because the finale does nothing with that set up, it doesn’t go anywhere.

19. And you know what else? From a narrative perspective, there’s no reason for Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair to be in these episodes at all. They don’t accomplish anything and make everyone else’s job harder. Omega was doing fine, she would have gotten out with the kids with just Echo and Emerie, and Tarkin was coming to cut off Hemlock’s funding and shut everything down once Hemlock lost control of the facility anyway. I can only suppose that the whole reason they were in this episode ended up getting dropped, too.

20. CX-2. Listen, the answer we get about CX-2 isn’t that he’s not Tech. It’s, “Maybe, maybe not—you don’t get to know.” Because. He’s the only CX whose mask never comes off. After a season and a half worth of buildup of unmasking CXs and people pressing them to learn their names. It’s not a no, it’s a non-answer, which is far less satisfying.

And finally:

21: CX-Tech. I’ve seen some people speculating that there was a planned CX-Tech reveal that got scrapped at the last minute—dropped, along with the other points I’ve already laid out. And, honestly? I have to agree. Despite what the creative team says, because even their denials kind of come out weird (like the Kiners saying that the large brass chord in “Battle of the Snipers” was just a nice sounding brass chord and not a reference to “Plan 99.” They also basically say that the sacrifice theme from “Plan 99” is Tech’s leitmotif. Which. Is all over “Battle of the Snipers.” That theme. Not Crosshair’s. In a scene. Where he’s supposed to be fighting a shadow of himself who Totally Isn’t Tech but we put Tech’s leitmotif here and layered it in Techno music but nooo that was never supposed to be him. Nope. I mean, come on. I’m not stupid).This post is already long enough, so here are some posts by @apocalyp-tech-a pointing out the reasons why I think this was the case, and one by @eriexplosion pointing out why CX-2 as Crosshair’s shadow and only that doesn’t quite work. I don’t need to go over the trail that was laid out again. Up to the finale this was a character that had more screen time—and far more solo screen time—than Echo. Some people will not stop yelling that there was no evidence, and. No. I’m sorry, there was. I can’t agree.

And some people might say, well, okay, the show misdirected you guys and pulled off a twist by having CX-2 be no one, and well, I can’t agree with that either. Twists only function if the twist is more satisfying than the conclusion to which the story seems to be leading. And I’m sorry, you can’t tell me that a season and a half of CX building and three seasons (because I can find set up all the way back in episode one of the show) for Tech survival culminating in what amounts to a boss fight is more satisfying than getting to see Omega have her big brother back. You can’t.

The reason I bring this up last is because, yes, I think CX-Tech was a plot dropped at the last minute, but because I also think that it’s the dropped plot that ripped everything else apart. CX-Tech was an incredibly efficient way to tie up most of the lingering plot threads and dropped character development.

-Crosshair’s guilt? Okay, he faces down the end result of his decision to stay with the empire and possibly something he knew about (Tech would be in this situation because of Crosshair, and were given hints that Crosshair knew) and is finally able to forgive himself because they’re able to save him.

- Hunter’s decision to finally take action and be proactive rather than reactive is validated, because it’s the thing that finally gets him his entire family back.

- Echo saves someone the same way he was saved, and maybe he realizes that it is enough and that he doesn’t have to be a soldier forever.

- Wrecker’s efforts to keep the family together and keep Hunter sane finally pay off.

- Omega is able to protect the people she charges about and finally, finally has all of her brothers.

- Thematically, it rounds off each member of the batch (Omega included) traumatically losing and then taking back their agency in a way that correlates directly to who and how they are as people.

- It also rounds out the OG batchers each being haunted by a failure that has to do with the thing that makes them special.

- You get pushback against “Clone Force 99 died with Tech! We’re not that squad anymore!” because no, it didn’t, and they’re more than a squad, they’re a family.

- It comes around and closes the wound opened in Aftermath and ripped back open by Return to Kamino: they go in for Omega and lose someone, but here, they go in for Omega and get someone back.

- Would allow Tech to close off his lingering threads and finish his character development BECAUSE THOSE REMAINED UNFINISHED.

- Completely subverts the “bury your disabled” trope by making sure we know the character whose disability was explored the most’s life is more important than his death. Seems like an important thing to do in a show that is kind of about disability. Just saying.

- Makes the lack of closure and little mentions of Tech make sense from a storytelling POV because the necessarily catharsis would come from his return.

- And it would actually add some triumph to the ending. Yes, this little family survived. They outlived the war. They’re together, despite every effort to rip them apart. They made it, despite the dark times, despite the Empire, despite what they were made to do and be. They defied all of that. That would have been so, so satisfying.

As is, without Tech, without that CX-Tech reveal, we sort of end up in this weird place where all the themes are half-baked. They are more than soldiers…except Tech, who had to fall out of the story as a soldier (despite us getting the clearest glimpse of what his life outside of soldiering could have been). They get to live how they want…except Tech. They don’t leave their own behind, except Tech that one time. They should value their own lives a little…except Tech. They’re more than a squad, they’re a family…except Tech, the only one besides Omega to say that’s what they are, doesn’t get to see it, and they don’t get to have him around. We begin the series with a broken family and end it with a family broken differently. That’s not dynamic.

So there’s no really punch to the ending. It’s sort of…well, okay, we tortured a family for three seasons I guess. Relieved that the survivors are doing okay, but that’s kind of it.

22. The finale in general is just sort of a bunch of events which happen, but which don’t lead into one other. It’s weird. It’s not that too much happens, it’s that almost nothing happens. Nothing of substance, in a way. The finale is, in a word, the only true filler episode in the entire show.

TL;DR: I think a lot of stuff got dropped from the finale. I don’t know why. I suspect that it might have to do with the strikes—basically, the script was done, most everything was recorded and boarded, and then when the finale was in production they got sudden drastic budget cuts (this was during a time when the studios were disappearing entire completed shows and movies as tax write-offs), had to gut what they had planned, and couldn’t bring the writers or even showrunners in to smooth over what was gutted or to even pick what got taken out. They wouldn’t have gotten to choose or compress things. They were on strike (because the studios wouldn’t negotiate), and whoever did choose ended up just ripping out the stuff that would actually take any time or budget to deal with (so, basically everything I laid out), killing it (literally), and using the remains of what they already had recorded. And who knows how they had to fill in gaps.

But I don’t know for sure. Maybe it was that. Maybe it was a last minute decision to take certain plot points and put them in a different show. Maybe it was executive mandate. Maybe the creative team just sucked the whole time (that’s one I have a hard time buying—we have four other shows and most of this one that tell me that they’re better at their jobs than this). Maybe everyone said screw it, who even cares anymore at the same time.

Maybe nothing happened. Who knows? I strongly suspect something bad did happen behind the scenes that was out of the creative team’s hands—I really do, because that’s the only way I can make sense of this—but until we can get someone talking without six layers of PR and NDAs, we won’t know for sure. All I know is that The Bad Batch is an amazing show with 46 episodes that range from “fine-but-clunky” to “IMMACULATE,” with more leaning towards immaculate than not, and some incredible set up, and one episode so nonsensically bad it makes me want to eat drywall.

It’s just that the one terrible episode comes right at the end.

I love The Bad Batch. I love every single episode and all the things that were set up, but…eh, I think I’ll be ignoring the finale until further notice.

[festiveferret]

Wipdate!

Well. It's been like three years since I've done one of these, hahaha, but I've been missing fandom life so I thought it'd be fun to share an update of where I'm sitting. Toddlers manage to take like 140% of your time and energy, even though they sleep a lot, so I've mostly just been parenting, but I've been getting the writing bug lately, so there's very slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

Basically, I have a list of fics I want to make sure I finish. They're the ones it would break my heart to look back on twenty years from now and realize I put all that time and those words into something that never got shared. I haven't been having new ideas very much, so I'm putting all my creative energy into things I've either promised to other people or to myself.

I'm not going to list everything I've posted since my last wipdate, since that was a looong time ago and you can always sort my works page chronologically! But here's the latest ones...

Posted:

Do Not Reply  - Tony replies to a Do Not Reply email address thinking he's shouting into the void. Spoiler alert: he's not. Runaway Train - Preserum Steve and Prince Tony meet cute. Entwined - The aftermath of Ults Stony being magically soulbound and then separated. Lost and Found - Winteriron - Bucky finds a lost dog. Vacation Days - SHIELD needs Steve to take his PTO Sanguinary Revelations - Tony and Steve go on a date with a twist Kindly Calm Me Down - Ults Steve knows how to calm his Tony down after a mission First Christmas - Stony's first xmas as parents Even of My Secret Soul - Secret soulmates

Updating:

Second Chance Summer - Stony with a 20yr age gap. Pre-written and posting on Saturdays. Up to chapter eight. A Good Thing - Comic collab with Askafroa - Alpha!Tony and Omega!Therapist!Steve - almost done! Yet I Will Try the Last - Truck Stop Hooker AU with hooker!Steve and flashy billionaire, Tony Stark. Up to chapter four! (I swear I haven't given up on this) Held Remix - A rewrite of Held with Tony as the sub and Steve as the Dom. Up to chapter twenty-nine. Ashy and I are making a point of getting our chaptered version of Held edited and posted, and then we're cracking on with Remix. We may or may not do both seasons, but we're at least going to finish out S1.

Beta Queue:

Bro Code -  This is one of my 2023 MTH fics Rented Family - I started this one in like 2019 and finally finished it. It's a no-powers Ults AU where Tony is dying of his (canon!) brain cancer and Steve is a security specialist/bodyguard who Tony hires to be around while he dies. Yay for finishing old wips!

Wips:

This wiplist is basically just going to be my list of "I'll be sad if I never finish them" fics I mentioned above. I have no plans to stop writing fic entirely, but I'm definitely slowing down, and I want to focus on the stuff that will feel really good to have done so I don't ever leave myself or you guys hanging!

1) Held edit (the chaptered repost) and Held Remix (at least S1). @ashes0909 and I are picking away at it, but between three kids, two jobs, and two timezones, it's slow af. But we'll get there.

2) My other 2023 MTH fic, older professor Tony and young flirty student Steve for @sabrecmc pod bid. It's maybe a third done.

3) My contribution to the Stony Dating Sim game from MTH 2024 (I'm doing Ults Tony as a love interest. If you want to know more, check out @stevetonydatingsim).

4) My Stony Twilight AU. I posted a snippet of it here a long time ago and I've been picking at it ever since. It's at 33k and probably about halfway done.

5) Fangbait 3. My Fangbait series was always intended to have three parts. Two are up already. The third was on hiatus for a long time, but I just abruptly wrote 80% of it last night, so once I get the sex scenes (and a title oh no) done, she'll be good to go!

6) Yet I Will Try the Last has been waiting for waaay too long for an update and I feel really bad about it. It was the one time I experimented with posting an unfinished WIP (mostly because it started as a oneshot and then I started adding to it) and I regretti spaghetti every day that I did that lol. I. Have. Not. Given. Up. I have the outline for the rest, I know what I want to do, I just need to do it.

7) Brooklyn is a canon divergence from right after Avengers 2012 where Stony travels on a modified quinjet together, cleaning up the chitauri weapon's market. It's maybe a third to a half done? Another one I started a loooong time ago and never got my steam back with, but I would really like to. I really like that one.

8) A Venom/Eddie fic from right after the first movie. It's not too long and it's probably also about halfway done, so I believe in myself. It's called Parasite.

9) A collab started a few years ago that I'm not going to out here in case my collab partner doesn't want to do it anymore, but we did a fair bit of it so I'd love to get it done.

Writing comes in little spurts, but I have to pick and choose between my hobbies now, so I just have less time and energy to spend on one thing. I've been trying to read more to fuel the words! I also have OG stuff I'm working on, but that's just as slow as the other stuff lol. I miss you guys! Hope y'all are doing well. (Happy Easter if you celebrate!)

Thanks as always for reading! <3

[space-mermaid-writing]

Rodeo

Here is the second part of the IronStrange ranch doctor. Nobody asked for it but I wrote it anyway. No beta just words.

Ko-fi | Masterlist | Word count: 0.6k | Previous | Next

Stephen watched the rodeo. Everyone had been excited for the horse show day. There were even people from the neighboring town’s coming over for this. It was the most interesting thing that happened in months.

Stephen had some of his own horses in a few of the competitions in the evening. For now he was only here for entertainment – and in case someone needed a doctor.

Engrossed in the rodeo show, he noticed the change of scent only at the same time a voice spoke up right next to him.

“I give him eight more seconds before he hits the dirt.” Tony’s focus was trained on the cowboy wrestling with the bucking horse, but it shifted to the alpha when he noticed that he got his attention.

Their eyes met, and for a long moment the world around them melted away. Stephen felt like he forgot how to breathe, while at the same time he was inhaling the omega’s sweet scent.

Until a loud ‘thud’ and the cheering of the crowd snapped them back to reality, and the moment was gone.

Stephen’s eyes darted to the cowboy who was now scrambling back to his feet, greeted by enthusiastic cheers.

“Ten seconds. You lose,” he remarked playfully, directing his words at the omega.

“It was exactly eight seconds,” Tony countered.

“No way.” It had felt like an eternity. “Ten seconds, minimum.”

Tony crossed his arms. “You know, most alphas would just let me have this and agree with me.”

“Maybe you should go to them, if you prefer that.”

This was no way to talk to an omega, nor to the son of the mayor. Tony Stark was both, and being rude to him could get Stephen in all kinds of troubles.

The omega scoffed. But he didn’t leave.

Stephen discreetly scanned the area, aware that unmated omegas usually didn’t attend these kinds of events alone. It wasn’t appropriate, especially not for someone with Tony’s status.

The omega caught on quickly what he was doing, and asked “Looking for my chaperone?” revealing that he wasn’t just a handsome face but also had a sharp mind. “Don’t worry. I ditched them for now.”

And, oh, the implication that Tony sneaked away to strike up a conversation with him. Stephen had trouble to keep his fluttering heart at bay.

“I’ve got something of yours,” he admitted, and pulled the white handkerchief from inside his jacket. He had handled it with utmost care, but carrying around while working on the ranch had causing it to get dusted – even in his pocket. As he held it out to the omega, a few grains of sand trickled down. “I apologize about its condition.”

Tony’s eyes flickered to the little piece of fabric, and the absence of surprise on his face indicated that he had known that it was in the doctor’s possession. This realization sent Stephen’s mind spinning with possibilities, suggesting that Tony may have dropped it intentionally for him to find.

Tony didn’t make a move to take it. “You are giving it back?” he simply asked.

There was something about the way he said it that made Stephen counter with another question. “Don’t you want it back?”

Tony’s eyes darted up to the alpha’s, a subtle glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “I think it’s right where it’s intended to be.”

Stephen’s heart hammered in his chest, and his voice dropped when he spoke again. “Careful, Mr. Stark. Those kinds of words might give me ideas.”

He tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket. There was no way he would force it back on the omega. If he was actually allowed to keep hold onto it a little longer, he would happily do so.”

Tony’s lips curled into a small smile. “God forbid, an alpha with ideas. You might even start thinking soon.”

Stephen chuckled, and the way Tony’s face lit up hearing that sound, was everything to the alpha.

[goddessofroyalty]

Keep Coming Back To You

Fandom: Marvel (Xmen)

Pairing: Magneto/Professor X

Tags: omegaverse, mating bites/bonds, sexually explicient content

Summary:

Despite spending most of their time on opposing sides everyone knows Magneto and Professor X still somehow maintain their mate-bond.

This is how.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59648722https://archiveofourown.org/works/59648722

Authors Notes:

I had this idea that I shared on my tumblr about how Charles and Magneto spend most of their lives mated to each other despite mate-bonds fading if not maintained because every time they team up together no matter how short they rekindle their bond.

This idea should be done as a like 5 times fic from the POV of Xmen/Brotherhood. I however do not know enough about the Xmen characters to write that fic seeing I only watched the movies. If someone does know more about it and would like to write that fic you have my full support.

Instead I wrote two of the moments they rebounded from their POVs to show how it tends to go down.

Again my characterization is based on the movies. Because that’s the Xmen content I’ve consumed.

--------------------------

Magneto may only be intending to stay there until the attention on him dies down, but he still finds himself falling into his old habits while staying at the Xavier mansion.

Each morning he finds himself taking a run along the perimeter of the grounds, looking for any gaps or weakness in the defense as much as he is maintaining his fitness. He could try and tell himself he is cataloguing them for his own future uses but he’s already done what was needed to close the two of them he could and would accidently leave the notes he has made on the others behind when he leaves. If he truly needs access to the school and Charles not naively willing to just give it there are more direct routes he would take.

The days themselves are spent watching the various trainings and lessons that make up the curriculum of the school the place has become. He does abide by his agreement with Charles not to try and instruct any of the students or corrupt them to his cause. But the odd comment or suggestion said in passing could hardly be classed as instruction. And Charles has yet to claim he has overstepped any line.

At night, after dinner is had and the children retired to their rooms to sleep or study or play, he sits across from Charles in the study, chessboard between them.

There’s a part of him that doesn’t understand how Charles can live like this. Pretending that the facade of safety and normality the school represents is the whole reality of the situation. That it isn’t just a matter of time before the anger and violence that exists outside its walls finds its way in and that all their time hiding has just given their enemies time to better ready their arsenals.

There’s a part of him that understands it entirely. That cannot deny the reassuring reliability of the schedule built around safety. The prideful satisfaction of watching young mutants grow every day feeling supported and safe.

He knows how easily it could be snatched away. Will be snatched away one day if they do not go on the attack first. But the soft smile Charles gives him from across the chessboard makes him all the more determined to protect the refuge the omega carved out for their kind in the cruel world they live in.

“I was wondering,” Charles says as they finish up their game for the night, their glasses of scotch now nothing more than melted ice, “must you return to the guest room tonight?”

“I didn’t realize I had done anything to warrant me having to sleep in the barn,” Magneto says, because he knows it will make Charles blush and bite his lip.

When they were younger and less sure of themselves Charles would often bluster at any perceived refusals to his poorly-hidden advances, while now he only gains a soft flush to his cheeks. Not that Magneto is complaining that much – it is still an appealing look on the omega he had once had the privilege to truly call his.

“No, I would never do that to you,” Charles says as if it is not his favorite threat when the wounds between them are too fresh and the sanctuary given because of Charles’ personal creed and not any fondness for the alpha that had once been his closest ally with whom he had almost built a life with.

Charles laughs awkwardly as Magneto waits for him to find the words of the question they both knew was coming with Magneto staying under this roof. In doing so he bares his neck, revealing his scent gland and the pale scares of all the bites they had shared over the years already. Charles may not smell mated currently but surely those would be enough to deter any alpha from trying their luck.

“I was more thinking that, well, we are hardly strangers to each other and my bed is rather large,” Charles says as if his request is merely about the practicalities of it and not the inevitabilities between them. “Save the cleaners some work and all.”

“They would already have to clean the sheets seeing as I already slept on them.”

“Ah, quite right.” Charles doesn’t look the slightest bit ashamed about his ruse being seen through because really it is tokenistic at this point. “Still though.”

He lets the words hang and the silence surround them. Sitting there content to wait for an answer.

“I suppose it would be the most strategically sound place should anyone try and attack in the night,” Magneto says more to get a rise out of Charles than being serious. He isn’t entirely lying though – he will sleep better knowing that should any humans try and attack he will be there to protect what is most important to him.

 The fact Charles doesn’t rise to the bait despite the twitch of his lips that tells Magneto he has something he wants to say to it betrays how badly he wants the night to end in the way he has planned.

Magneto would be lying if he said he didn’t want it as well now that the offer and possibility are on the table.

“Shall we retire for the night then?” Charles says. His smile the one he gets after he’s placed a suggesting into someone’s mind – proud and satisfied with the cheeky edge of having done something he feels he shouldn’t.

There’s no telepathy involved here. And the suggestion not something Magneto would not otherwise want to do. They may not agree on the best way to ensure the safety of their people but the affection once shared between them a flame that has yet to fully extinguish no matter how far they find themselves from each other.

“If you are ready to.”

Magneto let’s Charles lead the way despite it hardly being an unfamiliar route to him.

Charles starts his usual routine when they get there. Not even asking for help getting into bed as he sometimes does as an excuse for Magneto to hold and carry him.

Magneto follows the cue and ready’s himself for bed as well. Sliding under the covers on the opposite side to where Charles settles in for the night. Perhaps this is all the omega wants – company in the huge bed in his ivory tower.

“I know I said my bed was large but I did not mean for you to put all of its space between us.”

Or perhaps it is something more that Charles wants this night.

Magneto slides across the bed and Charles settles against him. The all-too familiar weight pressed against Magneto’s chest and all-too familiar scent filling his nose.

It’s a nice scent. Charles always believed himself bland for an omega but it’s one of the nicest Magneto has found in his life. One that reminded him of simpler times and makes him wish theirs was a world where settling down was an option he could take without condemning them all to the human’s want to exterminate them.

Charles shuffles to press them closer again. A move that might be able to be passed off as innocent if the scent of satisfaction wasn’t right beneath Magneto’s nose.

Magneto responds with an action that may be a nuzzle against Charles’ neck or may just be him settling in for the night.

Charles lets out a breath that might be a huff of annoyance or just him relaxing for the night.

He stills when Magneto lets out a soft growl. But it isn’t fear that shoots through his scent.

“Oh Charles, have you spent so much of your time manipulating others to your will you have forgotten to be direct even in matters like this?” Magneto wraps an arm around Charles’ hips and waist so his hand can rest against the soft skin of the omega’s belly.

“Only you would think my behavior thus far has been anything but direct,” Charles says with a laugh, shifting his head around to look Magneto directly in the eyes. A playful mirth in them that is rare to find these days now he seems to live and breathe his role as the stalwart professor of all those within his walls.

“That is another matter I believe we must agree to disagree on,” Magneto says as he leans in to capture Charles’ lips. On this one matter he may admit that secretly he agrees with what Charles has said.  

“I suppose it is,” Charles says accepting the kiss easily.

It is, as far as kisses go, a rather lazy one. There is no need to rush in this moment – the night is still young and there is nothing in the morning past a return to the routine that has temporarily become their lives.

“I hope that is not all that is in store this evening,” Charles says when they break apart.

“What more would you have?” It is perhaps a dangerous question when he knows what Charles wants of him extends far past bedroom activities.

“All that you are willing to give.”

In a way those words are a mercy. There is so much Magneto is not willing to give despite his softness for the omega pressed against him. And while he knows Charles would be ecstatic if he was to relent on his position about how they should best respond to the threats against their people, the other has long accepted that it will never happen.

But right now he can give Charles this. Can recapture his lips in a more dominating kiss and run his hands over the well-learned parts of Charles body that makes the omega shudder and moan. Can kiss and kiss and kiss until Charles calls him a bloody tease and then sink his teeth into the familiar neck adding another future-scar to the collection so that even when they part again people will still know Charles’ is his and he is Charles’.

Right now they can lie there in the afterglow together. Charles’ scent sweet and satisfied and sex-heavy as he takes lungfuls of Magneto’s own. Both pretending for the moment that this could be their forever.

“Top marks as always,” Charles says once he’s come down from the high of orgasm and bond. Patting against Magneto’s chest the way one does a car they are particularly proud of.

“Did you just grade me at sex?” Magneto doesn’t know how, despite all the youthful playfulness and recklessness faded with age and wards, Charles’ horrid sense of humor managed to survive. 

“Perhaps I did, what are you going to do about- Hey! Don’t you go anywhere! Not after what we’ve just done.” Charles grip on Magneto tightens when the other moves with a threat to get up.

“I didn’t do anything you didn’t ask for,” Magneto reminds as he settles back into the bed he never truly intended to leave. Not with how rarely he gets nights like this – the threats of the world momentarily forgotten about in favor of enjoying the company of an omega as exceptional as Charles’ is.

“And I stopped asking for my bed-partner to be gone by the morning when I was in colleague,” Charles says. A tactic of his to get under Magneto’s skin, that somehow is still as effective as it was when he first discovered it.

“I suppose I can stay until then,” Magneto says, with another lazy kiss between them.

He will have to leave eventually. He cannot protect Charles and all he has built by staying in the peaceful illusion of the school. He must return to his cause to ensure the safety of all of their kind from those who wish to see them destroyed.

For now though he can cuddle with his omega in the warm bed at the heart of their community.

-----------------

Charles hates when it comes to this. When the humans decide to rain hellfire down on them, bringing his school and their home once more to borderline rubble while they huddle in the basement licking their wounds and planning how to rebuild. Planning how to retaliate.

He hates how he can read some of his students wonder if maybe Magneto is right. Especially with how this time Magneto had come to warn them. Come to save them.

Hates the part of himself that wants to let the man he still thinks of as his alpha crush the threat to them under the weight of his powers. That stupid biological hindbrain that just knows how fantastic Magneto is at protecting their den and pups.

They are meant to be the next stage of evolution from humanity. And yet they still are cursed with instincts best suited from when they were cavemen.

“Fuck- Charles.” Magneto’s already bruising grip tightens on him. Crowds in closer in the tiny private room that on the blueprints is labeled an office, designed for where private discussions and planning can take place in the event they need to bunker in the basement. But they all damn well know its real purpose is to be a den and a nest when things go to shit like this. Somewhere that can be used for privacy for those of them who need to touch and feel their beloved in a way not suitable for the children to see in order to reassure themselves that in that moment they are both alive.

He knows of at least five students who mentally call it the fuck room, and can’t even bring himself to chastise them because it wouldn’t be an entirely incorrect description.

“Charles please,” Magneto says, his tone getting heavy with need and desperation. His hands moving from Charles’ arms to his legs and Charles’ doesn’t need feeling in them to know the grip is just as tight.

Charles sometimes wonders what their enemies would think if they saw them in these moments. The terrifying mutant terrorist Magneto kneeling before his omega and nuzzling against his chest in a desperate need to remind himself that the one he loves is okay. And he is truly desperate, it coming off him in waves that Charles does not need to read his mind to feel it as well.

Would that be enough to make them realize that really they are not all that different from one another?

“Charles I need-“ Magneto says, his fingertips grazing against Charles’ stomach as he tugs the shirt up just enough to find the gap between fabric where he can touch Charles’ skin. “Whatever happens next I need you to be mine again.”

Charles knows what happens next. They both do. It has happened so many times now it feels more like Déjà vu then reality – they will make it through, together, rebuild what has been lost and then when things are looking perfect Magneto will leave to return to his bloody crusade leaving their bond, both biological and emotional, to fade once more. And Charles, like a scorned housewife, left holding the children.

It is foolish to give in to their biology and instincts right now just because the threat feels so heavy bearing down on them. It is foolish when Charles knows Magneto will not stay this time just as he hasn’t any other. The momentary rush of confort and relief not worth the inevitable betray.

“Magneto-“ Charles fully intends to tell him no. To push him away and return back to what they had claimed to be the reason of going into the room together in the first place – plan how best to pool their resources and tactics to get them all out of it alive and in one piece.

Magneto looks up at him with a heavy needing gaze and the refusal dies on Charles’ tongue.

He knows how it will end. Knows it all too well. But he survived all those times and he cannot deny the part of him that needs this now as well. That primitive instinctual part that wants to reward the alpha for coming to protect them and try with the only thing he has to offer to keep him with them for when the threat returns.

Charles’ reaches out to touch Magneto’s cheek. The alpha following as he draws it back like it is attached with cement. One of Magneto’s knees coming to rest on Charles’ lap, hands holding on Charles’ waist as if to steady himself, as his head follows where it is led to the crook of Charles’ neck. A shiver going through Charles’ spine as breathe tickles against the gland there.

“Charles?” Magnet asks as if this isn’t exactly what he’s been begging for.

“Now is not the time for second guessing,” Charles tells him and the hands on his waist tighten.

“Of course,” Magneto says and Charles can’t help but wonder what atrocity he has also given permission for when they do leave the room to face the reality of the situation.

That is a problem for later. Right now his alpha is kissing along his neck and jaw. Purposely avoiding the gland Charles had given access and permission to as he had so many times before. Drawing it out because Magneto also knows that once his moment is over the clock will start to tick for them to return to being on opposite sides.

“Stunning,” Magneto calls him when his clever hands find the spots on Charles’ skin that makes him gasp and shudder. A deep rumble echoing through the small room as he nuzzles against the delicate, sensitive skin on Charles’ neck. “Always so magnificent.”

It’s silly how so few words can send a wash of pride through Charles’ body. Can strip away the years of exhaustion and wear and leave him feeling like when he was young and so terribly, dangerously, in love.

“Please.” It is Charles who is begging now. Desperate for the feeling of love and safety that only Magneto could give him. Not needing to be the one in control, the one who has his shit together, even if only for this stolen moment.

Magneto grants him the mercy of silencing him with a kiss.

The desperation in it has Charles wrapping his arms around Magneto. Whatever happens next is not for them to think about. Nor are the burdens they carry. For now they are both alive and with each other. Right now they are simply alpha and omega.

It is only after they break apart and Magneto returns his mouth’s attention to Charles’ neck does he feel comfortable loosening his grip. A hand slipping into Magneto’s pants. First for a cheeky grope at the frankly unfairly still well-toned arse before taking hold of a well-familiar cock.

The sound he’s rewarded with is deep and primal and nostalgic. Taking Charles back to a time before all the betrayals and hurts when it was the two of them working together to better the lives of all mutants.

For the moment he gives himself into it. Revels in how his alpha ruts up against him as his mouth makes its way over all the exposed flesh of Charles’ neck and jaw until finally, finally, he returns to where Charles had initially directed him. The initial pain of the bite gives way almost instantly to the pleasurable satisfaction of the claim.

Clarity comes while they are still panting.

They will need to change before they leave the room. While it will no doubt be obvious to all who have matured noses what has transpired they do not need to see the evidence of it on their clothes. The wipes on the desk should be sufficient to get the sticky spit from Charles’ skin until the threat hanging over them is gone and he can afford to take a shower.

He meets Magneto’s gaze where the other is staring at him not finding any of the now familiar distain or disappointment in them. Only possessive pride.

“I will never regret this,” Magnet tells him after they share one, final kiss. The alpha’s voice rough and heavy.

“Neither will I,” Charles says. But it will never change what they have become and the decisions they will always make.

Magneto rests his weight against Charles for another moment before drawing back and cleaning himself. Charles watching as the man gives way to the persona.

He can hardly judge seeing how he is doing the same thing.

They have borrowed as much time as they could to drop their persona and allow their instincts and needs rule them. Now they must be who the others need – the leaders and pillars of their community who are turned to for safety and guidance.

Charles wonders how long the truce will last this time.

[aziraphales-library]

Lost Fic #200

1. Hi! Idk if you can help me but I trying to find this one specific fic. I think the plot was gabirel and sandalphon try to ruin aziraphale and crowley’s reputation by yelling that they’re gay in public but literally no one cares and they get chewed out for it by an elderly couple. I’m pretty sure that it’s either a one shot or like two/three chapters and that it’s pre season 2. Idk if this helps. Thanks! - anon

2. Lost a fic that I can't remember much about but it had multiple chapters, Aziraphale and Crowley through the years, and some female presenting. I remember there was a scene where they were on a boat and it flipped, due to Crowley leaning in for a kiss. There's also mentions of Aziraphale's diary and feelings for Crowley. Another scene was a picnic and almost kiss. Eventually they talked it out and realized they loved each other and Aziraphale asked Crowley if she intended for them to almost kiss on the boat. I think it's on Ao3? No idea. - @spaceypotato19

3. Hii, first of all thanks so much for all the work you do here!! I am looking for a fic and I can't find it in my bookmarks or using the tags of this blog. It was a cinderella au but with a a/b/o twist. Azi was the omega and to go to the dance anathema uses a potion or smth to make it look like hes an alpha and A and C meet and they fall in love and marry but eventualy C descovers the truth and there was a kidnapping or smth. I also remember C calling omegas in general very clingy and A taking offense and such. It was a long fic, probably 80k+ I belive Thanksss! - @just-here-doing-something

4. Hi! I'm hoping you can help me find a fic. It's a sequel (although i can't find part 1 either) where Crowley accidentally switches to female genitals. He freaks out because he didn't think Aziraphale will want him anymore, so he freezes time and runs away. The other moment I remember is that it turns out Crowley has not been killing plants. Rather he puts them on his balcony for "retirement." It has a happy ending. I how you can help, because it's driving me crazy! Thanks!! - anon

5. Hello :3 I am aware that you are all very busy but I thought I'd shoot my shot. A friend and I were talking about a specific plotline of a fic that we both remember, it being Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship with their own mothers being a representation of their relationship with God in the original work. We remember that Crowley was jealous of Aziraphale's unconditional and undying love for his mother even though he never knew her cause she died when he was really young and was raised by his grandfather, hence why he's so old fashioned, because his own mother was really crappy and threw him out of the house when he was young. This talk made me want to read it again, but neither of us can remember the title or the main plot apart from this one thing. If anyone has any idea what he could be, please let me know!! (And thank you in advance to anyone who can help) I feel like I should also mention, at some point Crowley goes into Aziraphale's room and sees pictures of him as a baby with his mother looking very happy on his bedside table and that's when he starts feeling jealous. There's also a bunch of other childhood pictures of Aziraphale on there but the most important one is the one with his mother. (also, it was a human au, if that helps) If you could help me find it, I would be ever so grateful. Thank you so much! - @sunlecitron

If you know any of these fics please include the number in your reply! Thank you :)

- Mod D

[kwills91]

Make Me Write

I am, once again, behind on everything (mainly because I have subjected myself to having so many WIPs on the go at once) and need your help. I have a week off work next week and intend to spend as much of it as possible writing, so please help a guy out and send me some emojis. Lots of emojis. In several asks if you want. As usual, pick one or more of the emojis below that is assigned to one of my WIPs and for each emoji I will write 3 sentences and send them out. There are a couple more WIPs on the list now (I don't know what's wrong with me) including some one shots this time, and, like I normally do, I will separate them into their different fandoms.

Jayvik

🎮 - Modern/College/You've Got Mail AU - Jayce and Viktor are both postgrad students who view each other as rivals thanks to the prejudices they hold, and find solace in friendships they have forged online that remain mostly anonymous. Jayce is the first to discover that his rival and his friend are one and the same, and he has no idea how to navigate it.

Current status: Working on first chapter

🔬 - Modern, older, second chance AU - inspired by @arctvros gorgeous artwork: 15 years following a lab accident that tore their partnership apart, Viktor returns to Piltover to ask the council for funding in his research toward treatment and preventative measures for the ways The Grey continues to affect Zaun. When the council votes against it, Jayce suggests that he use Hextech Industries resources since he is still a co-owner of the company and together they discover the ways in which they have changed in their time apart might be the very reason they are able to come back together to build something more than what they had before.

Current status: working on first chapter

Buddie

💔 - Stick Season Album fic - Forced to confront a part of his past he'd rather forget, Eddie decides to drive through the night to El Paso to be open with Christopher once and for all. However, halfway there he gets into an accident leaving him trapped and stranded and hidden from view of the road and Eddie must face all of his past demons and traumas to realise that there's a future waiting for him where he can finally be happy.

Current status: 3/21 chapters published, working on chapter 4

⭐ - I'm Terrified I Might Never Have Met Me - Following Christopher's departure to Texas Eddie realizes some things about his childhood that bring things into startling clarity but before he can act on his new self-discovery Eddie must go to Texas and finally have some honest and open conversations with his family which might just lead to repairing his relationship with his sisters.

Current status: 1/2 chapters published, 3-4 scenes left to write before chapter 2 is complete

💚 - Concerned/jealous Buck freak4freak fic - When Eddie comes out as gay and starts dating a man, Buck becomes concerned (and, yes, a little obsessive) about the fact Eddie keeps showing up with marks. The rest of the team attempt to put his mind at ease and Eddie's reasons seem plausible enough, but Buck can't shake the sick feeling he has in his stomach, much to his own boyfriend's annoyance. When Eddie shows up to Buck's apartment with bruises on his neck that look distinctly finger shaped, Buck has no choice but to confront him, but when Eddie explains that they are a matter of taste, Buck's concern quickly turns to jealousy and an eager to prove he can match Eddie's freak better than anybody

Current status: not started

🫄 - Buddie omegaverse bitching fic - During a call, Eddie discovers that the fantasy he's had of being the omega he'd always felt like rather than the alpha his family always seemed so proud for him to be, Eddie takes steps to make that happen. When he discovers that the only way to achieve the change is through being "bitched" by an Alpha, who else would he turn to than the only other Alpha Eddie knows he can trust completely to not mock him: Buck.

Current status: not started

Steddie

🚬 - One Foot In Your Bedroom - Steve and Eddie meet following the events of season 2 and their turbulent relationship forms and breaks and forms and breaks until the aftereffects of Vecna's assault on Hawkins forces them to figure their shit out and be open with each other once and for all. It won't be easy, but it might be worth it.

Current status: 6/20 chapters published, working on chapter 7

Some no pressure tags:

@mojowitchcraft @entanglednow @cal-daisies-and-briars @prettysophist @namesnamesandmorenames

@linus-lucy @livinginsunnyhell @missyousofar @nubianamy @fruitandbubbles

@serenelystrange @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @mangacat201 @trenchcoatsandtimetravel @beshrew-my-very-heart

@srue-on-fire @weewoodiaz @starshaker @thelikesofus @shelfthe-reader

@memequeme @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs

[electrikworm]

5 times Wrecker protected his siblings and 5 times they protected him: Chapter 8

When they're captured by bounty hunters, Omega tries everything she can to stop them from hurting Wrecker more than they already have.

--

Content warning: Blood and injury, Broken Bones

This chapter is such a mess, but I wanted to finally post it. Took me ages to even find an idea I liked, and then it ended up way longer than intended.

Anyway, hope you still enjoy it :)

Read on Ao3

The cuffs dig into Omega's wrists roughly as the bounty hunter drags her into a cell. She throws Omega to the ground, then locks the door on her with a heavy clang.

It's an old ship, that's all Omega could figure out as she was escorted on it. As far as she could tell, there are three bounty hunters, a Trandoshan, a Rodian and a Human. Worse odds than with Cad Bane, but Wrecker had called them unprofessional.

That was the other problem: Omega was with Wrecker when they were attacked, and the bounty hunters took him too. But, she hasn't seen him since being dragged away.

The ship takes off, outdated engine grinding and shuddering as it does. Omega still hasn't seen Wrecker, but doesn't have to wait long to hear him.

First, she can just make out his voice, muffled by the walls separating him from his vod. Omega moves closer to the door to hear it better. First, it continues to be talking, both Wrecker and the bounty hunters. Then, that stops, replaced by different sounds, barely recognizable over the rumble of the ship running.

Omega presses her ear to the door. With dread, she realizes that the bounty hunters are laughing and jeering, whilst all that comes from Wrecker is various noises of pain. Omega wants to move away from the door, wants to stop listening to them hurt her brother, but she can't get herself to do so.

She slams her fist against the door. She yells for them to stop. The only answer Omega gets is more of the same. She only gives up when her hand starts hurting, and her throat feels raw. She just hopes they won't kill Wrecker. Omega could do nothing to stop that from happening, she can't even stop them hurting him.

When she hears footsteps approach, Omega quickly backs away from the door. She moves to sit against the opposite wall. The floor feels dirty under her hands, the cell showing signs of rust damage on every surface, and very little evidence of being cleaned even semi-regularly.

The door swings open, and Omega has half a mind to try and dash out of it. But it would be pointless to do so, especially with two of the bounty hunters standing in the doorway. One of them steps aside, letting Omega finally see Wrecker.

He looks terrible. His eyes are unfocused, and blood covers his face. He's been stripped of his armor, blacks torn and stained with blood. When one of the bounty hunters, the Trandoshan, shoves him, Wrecker stumbles forward on unsteady legs. A kick to the back of the legs brings Wrecker down on his knees hard, bound hands only just stopping him from hitting his head on the ground.

The Trandoshan follows him into the cell, and Omega prepares herself to stand up. The bounty hunter has gray scales, and a leaner build than Cid. Her lips are pulled into a sharp toothed grin.

She brings her heavy boot up to connect with Wrecker's stomach, making him flinch, but not collapse. Not the desired effect apparently, as the Trandoshan kicks him again, this time in the arm.

Omega's up and at Wrecker's side just as his arms give out. She glares at the bounty hunter, extending her arms across Wrecker's chest in a futile attempt to block further attacks.

“Leave him alone!” Omega tries to sound threatening, tries to make it sound like an order, tries to make her voice imposing.

A bark of laughter leaves the Trandoshan's mouth as she stares down at Omega with her piercing eyes. “You're a funny one.”

The other bounty hunters join her laughter, their amusement still audible after they've slammed the door shut.

Groaning Wrecker pushes himself up enough to look at Omega. A violent tremor runs from his arms and spreads across his back. Blood flows across his face freely.

"You alright 'mega?" His voice sounds as bad as he looks. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm okay." She answers, repressing the urge to ask Wrecker why any minor harm the bounty hunters may have done her would matter now, with the state he's in. "You're not."

"I've had worse..." Wrecker mutters, spitting a mouthful of blood on the floor. Omega doesn't like how much he looks like he's about to collapse.

"That doesn't make it any better." Omega tries to get Wrecker to the wall furthest from the door, furthest from the bounty hunters. But he's barely able to stand, and Omega can't move him on her own. It takes a lot of stumbling and bit back noises of pain to get him situated near the wall.

Omega tries to get him to sit upright, but Wrecker keeps sliding onto his side on the dirty floor. Eventually, Omega has to give in. Wanting to do at least something for Wrecker, Omega starts wiping blood off his face with her sleeve. It doesn't work nearly as well as she'd hoped and Omega ends up just applying steady pressure to the large gash on Wrecker's head. Her brother occasionally cleans the blood running from his nose away, but their combined effort does very little to make him look any healthier.

Wrecker's skin is still smeared with blood, and there's nothing they can do for the bruising. He sucks in an ugly, wheezed breath as he shifts, clearly uncomfortable.

"Ori'vod..." Omega mutters sadly. Being kidnapped alone was scary, but this is so much worse. Omega knows she's needed alive to collect the bounty, but what happens to Wrecker when the bounty hunters decide they've had their fun?

"I'm fine Omega." Wrecker says, voice nasal.

"You're a terrible liar."

Wrecker laughs. It sounds painful. "I'm a soldier, I was trained for this kinda thing."

Omega knows that of course. Nala Se informed her well on the training of clone troopers, and endurance has always been a particular focus. But knowing he can take it hardly makes watching her brother suffer any easier.

Wrecker doesn't appear to have life threatening injuries, but Omega knows better than to underestimate a head wound. Aside from bruises and shallow cuts, broken ribs seems the worst he sustained. Still Omega doesn't like the way Wrecker sounds, not when he breathes, nor when he talks.

They see their captors three more times before the ship is set to its night-cycle and they're left in the dark.

Twice to individually escort either of them to the refresher. Omega uses here time out of the cell to look about, plan an escape. The refresher its self isn't very helpful, the room somehow smaller than the one on the Marauder. The walls are damaged by age too, but not nearly as bad as the cell. She does get a better idea of the ships lay out however. It's not as small as she initially thought, doors seeming to lead to more space to the sides. If she can somehow escape long enough to get to one of their comlinks, Omega could send a signal to the Marauder.

When Wrecker's brought back, his nosebleed is worse, and he's clutching his side. He doesn't need to tell Omega that the bounty hunters hurt him again. Wrecker didn't spot much more than Omega did when he was out of the cell, but he did have a good guess as to where their stuff was deposited.

The third time, the Trandoshan drops two ration bars and a canteen on the ground. Since they need Omega alive, she decides the food is probably safe to eat. She does however still give everything a cautious sniff first. Trying to get Wrecker to take half of her ration bar does nothing but waste time. Omega ends up eating the whole one, feeling equal parts bad for her brother and annoyed at his refusal of even such a small mercy.

Neither of them sleep, not really. Omega lays close to Wrecker, holding his hand but not leaning on him. She positioned herself between him and the door, watching it through half lidded eyes.

When the light comes on again hours later, Omega gets up and paces the cell. She has to at least try to find a way out of it. Wrecker doesn't respond to the light other than groan and curl up further.

A part of the floor grating is almost rusted through. It has sharp edges. If Omega could get a part of it out, she could use it as a blade. She doesn't get that far, the door swinging open as she's halfway done.

It's just the Human and the Rodian this time. They don't get a step into the cell before Omega's standing in front of Wrecker's curled up form. The Human is holding a knife, Wrecker's knife, in her hand. Omega isn't going to let them touch Wrecker again.

“Out of the way, we just want to borrow the big guy for a while.” The Human says as she twists the blade in her hand clumsily. Wrecker was right about them being unprofessional.

“No.” She says, widening her stance as she stares at the bounty hunters. “You can't have him.”

The Human laughs, not slowing her approach in the slightest. She waves the knife threateningly, but Omega isn't going to back down. They wouldn't risk killing her, so they won't hurt her nearly as badly as what they'll do to Wrecker.

“Just move, will you?”

Omega doesn't budge nor respond to the bounty hunter.

“Fine, do it your way!” The Human exclaims, hitting Omega with her free hand. Omega's ears ring and her eyes water as she falls to the ground, but she forces herself up again. She's not letting them take her ori'vod again.

Omega braces herself to be hit again, but the Rodian wraps his hand around the Human's arm and pulls her back.

“We need her alive.” He hisses. He sounds almost nervous. “Don't risk it.”

The Human lets out a frustrated yell, shoving the Rodian off, but she does back away. “Fine. I'm not done with you two.” She spits in the two clones direction as she leaves, slamming the door shut.

Omega goes back to trying to remove the sharp bit of floor. Wrecker apparently sat up some time during the confrontation with the bounty hunters, looking displeased as he watches her.

“You alright?” He asks, Wrecker's gritting his teeth, sitting upright clearly taking a lot of effort.

“Fine.” Omega's face still stings, but she can ignore it.

“Just let them do what they want to Omega.” He sighs. “It's not worth you getting hurt.”

That makes Omega stop what she's going. She turns to glare at Wrecker. “You'd do the same for me.”

“That's different 'mega.” Wrecker lays down, but continues watching Omega.

“How is it different?” Omega huffs, going back to pulling the piece of floor out.

“Don't wanna watch you get hurt, kih'vod.” Wrecker's voice wavers with pain.

“Well I don't want to watch you die!” As Omega is venting her frustration, she manages to yank the sharp shard from the floor. Wrecker doesn't say anything for a while. Omega moves to sit by his side again, makeshift blade in her hands.

“I'm doing a terribly job at keeping you safe...” Wrecker sounds muffled by the hand he's running across his face. Not knowing what to say, Omega takes her brother's hand.

They hear shouting outside of the cell soon, shortly followed by the Trandoshan bursting in. She's got Wrecker's blade now.

“She's just a kid!” She yells back at her accomplices. “How kriffing hard can it be to move her?”

Her approach is far more aggressive than the Humans. Omega scrambles to her feet, taking the same stance she did before. The Trandoshan extends the knife dangerously close to Omega.

“Move, or I hurt you.” She barks as she grabs Omega by the shoulder. Omega can hear Wrecker move behind her. He's going to do something stupid to try and keep Omega safe, ans she won't let that happen.

Swiftly, she brings the piece of scrap metal down into the Trandoshan's thigh, jamming it in as hard as she can. The bounty hunter yells, shoving Omega back and bringing the knife down at the same time. It catches Omega's forearms as she shields her face, leaving a deep gash on each.

The Trandoshan kicks Omega when she's on the ground, then storms off. “Once we give you to out contact, your brother's all ours kid! Remember that!” She yells as she storms off, limping heavily.

Wrecker's immediately trying to fuss over her, despite barely able to stay sitting upright. Guilt paints his expression as he tries to inspect Omega's arms. She only notices she cut her hand on the piece of metal when Wrecker flips her hand over.

Wrecker goes on on on about how he should have stopped this, how it's his fault and how he won't let it happen again. Omega only gets him to stop by starting to list times he's done dangerous things to keep her safe. He stops talking but he still looks like he's thinking the same thoughts. That Omega can't influence.

She sighs as she sits close to her brother and tries to formulate a plan. It's not ideal that Omega lost the only defence they had. Still she isn't going to give up.

She finally has an idea when the ship's landed. It's the human bounty hunter loudly complaining about having to wait for their contact that makes Omega think of it.

“I have a plan.” Omega whispers to Wrecker, despite none of the bounty hunters paying them any minds. “Trust me.”

Worry crosses Wrecker's unfocused gaze. “Please be careful.”

Omega doesn't say anything. She's not sure how careful she can be, and doesn't want to lie to her vod about it. The entire plan hinges on the bounty hunters being as unprofessional as they seem and them underestimating her. A bit difficult, now that she's stabbed one of them, but Omega will use the fact she's a child to her advantage.

The worst part of the plan is that Wrecker will end up getting hurt further no matter if Omega succeeds or not. As much as she hates the thought, it may be their only chance. Omega vows to apologize to Wrecker about it later.

The blood from the cuts in her arms has soaked her sleeves, but Omega makes sure to smear it about a bit more for dramatic effect. As she knocks on the door, Omega starts trying to force out tears. She's not the best actor, but thinking about the way the bounty hunters treat Wrecker makes emotions rise in her chest hard enough for her to squeeze out a sob when the door swings open. She's wiping at her face with her hands to cover the fact she's not quite as distraught as she's pretending to be.

Omega hears the Trandoshan sigh. “What's your kriffing problem?”

Forcing out another sob, Omega looks up at her captors through tear filled eyes. “Can- Can I wash my arms?” Omega displays her bloodied forearms. “It hurts.” She's almost proud of the way she makes her voice crack.

The Trandoshan doesn't seem phased, disgusted by the pathetic display if anything. But Omega can just about make out the Rodian leaning towards the Trandoshan.

“She's just a kid, Drish.” He speaks softly. “Don't be heartless.”

The Trandoshan, Drish, snarls, and Omega half expects to have to give up, but then the Human elbows her. There's a grin on the Humans face. “Let him deal with that,” she says, “and we'll have another go at her brother.”

It's exactly what Omega hoped would happen, but hearing the words spoken with such glee fills her with rage. Instead, she channels the anger into letting out another small sob as she hears the Trandoshan laugh.

“Let her get cleaned up.” Drish says, waving dismissively at the Rodian. As she's lead out of the room, Omega observes the other two bounty hunters approaching Wrecker. Drish is limping heavily, which makes Omega feel a little satisfied with herself.

The Rodian has the audacity to look guilty as he unbinds Omega's wrists to let her into the refresher. Omega hurries with cleaning her arms, not really paying attention. She rolls her sleeves back and lets the water flow across her skin, clenching her jaw when it hits the open wounds. All she has to do now is shake the Rodian long enough to find her comm, contact the others and possibly arm herself.

It ends up being a lot easier than she expected.

As soon as she exits the refresher, still forcing tears to flow down her face, the Rodian crouches down to her level. But not to put the binders on her again.

“Can I see your arms?” He asks, once again sounding genuinely sorry for her. Omega's almost tempted to believe him, if she hadn't heard him laugh just as hard as the others when they were hurting Wrecker. She lets him look at her arm, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. “We don't usually hurt kids, you know. We're honestly not that bad.”

If faced with a human, Omega would go for the nose. She doesn't know much about Rodians, so she slams her hand into his eye. It brings him out of balance hard enough to make him hit his head on the wall and collapse.

Omega isn't going to stick around and observe the damage, instead sprinting off in the direction Wrecker thought their stuff might be. It's a cargo hold littered with crates and strewn about junk. But, among the mess, Omega spots bits of Wrecker's armor, next to which she finds her comlink.

Tech's since taught her how to relay coordinates, but she needs to get to the cockpit to do that. Neither her bow nor Wrecker's blaster are easy to locate, so Omega grabs the closest thing that looks like a functioning blaster and sets off.

The Rodian's still on the floor when she passes him, but Omega isn't taking any chances by being slow. Especially not when she hears one of Wrecker's screams echo through the ship.

Tech's a good teacher, as Omega's able to extract and transmit the coordinates with few problems. She'd love to try and contact her vode further, maybe hear one of their voices, but there's commotion in the rest of the ship. Setting the comlink to silent, Omega unplugs it and throws it into a dark corner of the cockpit. Hopefully, the bounty hunters won't find it.

Clutching the blaster, Omega waits. She holds her breath as the door hisses open. Omega fires a shot at them, only glancing the Human's arm. The fact that she won't be able to get herself and Wrecker out of here safely dawns on her fast, and when Drish orders her to drop the blaster, Omega complies.

Drish grabs her roughly, muttering about how much she hates children and clones. The Rodian is back up, looking dazed. Omega's hands are cuffed and she is shoved back into the cell. Hopefully, their brothers got the coordinates and are on their way here.

“Like what we did to your brother, kid?” the Human hisses through grit teeth, clutching the new wound on her arm. Omega is gripped with dread as she scrambles to her feet and to Wrecker's side. New cuts litter his skin, visible where his blacks are split.

“We retaliated for what you did for me.” Drish laughs. Omega's eyes fall on a large wound in Wrecker's thigh, on the same side she'd stabbed the Trandoshan.

“Maybe I should shoot him in the arm too.” The Human continues. Omega's ready to stand between them and her brother again, when the Rodian begs them to just leave it.

“We need her alive, remember?” After he makes that clear, they're left alone again, albeit with some complaining from the other two bounty hunters.

Wrecker's trying to stop his leg from bleeding as he squints up at Omega. She thinks he's trying to ask if she's alright, but his speech is so unclear and nasal, Omega can barely understand him.

“I'm sorry.” Omega says. She just hopes the additional pain Wrecker's been put through is worth it, and her message went through. Wrecker makes a questioning noise at her words. She just sits down next to her ori'vod, putting her hand on his shoulder as she waits. Omega would love to tell Wrecker what she'd been doing, but he doesn't look nearly conscious enough, nor does Omega want to risk the bounty hunters catching on.

Everything's a bit of a blur after the sound of blaster fire resonates from beyond the cell. When the door is unlocked not by some new threat, but Tech, Omega feels like she might pass out from the relief washing over her. She almost does as she runs up to him, pressing her face in his side as she hugs him. Tech has to halfway hold Omega up as he returns the hug with one arm.

Guilt's vice-like grip returns as Omega watches her brothers discover the state Wrecker's in. It doesn't let go. No when she watches her vode clear out the ship and retrieve the items they'd been stripped of. Not when she tries to help them get Wrecker to the Marauder, ultimately having to leave the job to her brothers. Not even when they're off the planet and in hyperspace, injuries being treated.

Thankfully, everyone seems to focus on Wrecker first. It's agony watching Wrecker being stitched and bandaged, knowing she couldn't stop what had been done to him no matter how hard she tried.

Halfway through, Tech insists Omega let him treat her. She knows better than to try and argue with her brothers about something like this. They're all annoyingly stubborn.

Omega's had stitches done before, but never this many, and never in the palm of her hand. Even with a generous amount of numbing agent and how careful Tech is, Omega can't help the tears forming in her eyes and the noises she makes. Her arms and hands still burn long after Tech's done, but the bacta helps a lot. As does Tech holding her after, praising her for getting the coordinates to them and holding still for the stitches.

Omega wants to tell him how she had to put Wrecker in danger to do so, but the words don't leave her mouth. The bounty hunters could have killed him in her absence, but she executed her plan without a second thought. The first real sob leaves her mouth as she clings to Tech.

She sits at Wrecker's side when his injuries have been seen to. He looks to be more bandages than person. Omega's stomach clenches at the sight.

“I'm sorry.” She repeats.

“Wha' for?” Wrecker turns to look at her gingerly. There are a lot of cold packs laying on him, most of which wouldn't stay there long if he started moving. Omega doubts he feels like moving anyway. His concussion is clearly giving him a bad time, Wrecker's voice still slurred and his eyes struggling to focus on Omega.

“For putting you in danger.” It hurts to say it out loud. Wrecker looks confused by Omega's words. “When I left you alone to contact the others. When I left them to hurt you.”

A sad smile crosses Wrecker's bruised face. “They'd hav' done it a lot earlier if you hadn't stabbed one of them.” Omega can tell he wants to laugh, no doubt forcing the urge down due to the multiple broken ribs he's sporting. “Thanks for having my back.”

The “Even if I wish you didn't put yourself in danger for me.” Wrecker so clearly wants to say goes unspoken, so Omega doesn't point out that he does far worse things to keep her safe.

“You'd have done the same.” Omega says instead.

“Still appreciate it.” Wrecker takes Omega's hand, grip weaker than usual.

One by one, the rest of their vode join them. They stick close together that night. Despite being reunited, the fear of forceful separation still persists. Omega's grateful for their presence, finally feeling safe enough to succumb to the exhaustion accumulated over the last two days.

[skellymom]

"SLIDE"

The Bad Batch Fan Fic x Non Gendered Reader

(My first ever TBB Fan Fic posted 7/31/23. Unfortunately, I didn't realize at the time putting the MATURE label on the bottom of the post would make Tumblr hide it's presence)

Background: Force Sensitive learns to grow their Force powers. This timeline is several months after leaving Crosshair on Kamino, near the end of working for Cid. The Batch is trying to figure a hook to be independent and possibly start actively rebelling against the Empire. This is set well before Mt Tantiss. 

Warnings: Canon and non-canon violence, swearing, momentary and possibly gruesome death of main characters (no worries, they don’t stay dead forever), Crosshair is an angry psychopathic killer with a vengeance (no hate, I love his problematic ass), mild Hunter fluff, touchy concerned Tech, Echo swears (of course).

Word count:  2.1 K

You hadn’t expected to be separated from the rest of the Batch, however, Omega had other ideas “to help” on this mission. The Batch infiltrated this Imperial base for intel and possible chain codes to steal. You volunteered to run after and bring her back.  Spotted by Imperial stormtroopers in a corridor, you and Omega try to lose them, but they are hot on your tail. Omega hears the Batch’s voices down a hallway and runs to them. 

You and Omega skid to a halt at the edge of a missing bridge while the rest of the Batchers are on the other side.  The precipice between is a several hundred story drop within the Imperial base. The group of stormtroopers rocked up behind you, guns lowered.  Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker looked on impotently across the chasm, weapons trained on the stormtroopers.  The Batch are poised, holding fire, trying to avoid any possibility of you and Omega getting caught in any crossfire. 

Unfortunately, you had not finished training with your Master. Your Master did not survive Order 66. You were SO CLOSE to obtaining Jedi status.  Now it was up to YOU to save yourself and Omega.  Being captured was not an option at this point.  Although, allowing the Empire to take you and Omega might allow time for the Batch to retreat safely to fight later.  That carried serious risks.  You were very limited in options as far as your Force abilities.  Master had not given you a light saber, remarking that the Force had a different path for you. 

The lead stormtrooper immediately grabbed you as a human shield, just as Wrecker let loose a shot from his blaster.  He intended to shoot the stormtrooper but hit you in the chest.  You slipped out of the stormtroopers grasp and off the edge of the bridge. You met Omega’s eyes as she called your name, while being dragged away by the same trooper.  As your body went into free fall down the chasm, you could hear your Batchmates scream, curse, and start blasting away.  

As consciousness slips from your body, you close your eyes.  The sense of falling disappears, but you expected that by eventually reaching terminal velocity from this height.  You open your eyes and are standing on an outstretched infinite path within an ever-expanding universe.  Before you is a HUGE hulking creature with glowing eyes. 

“What’s happening?  Where am I?”  You are simultaneously shocked, afraid, and unsure if this is all a dream. 

The creature stares down, sizing you up. 

“ In The World Between Worlds.” 

“Am I dead???” 

“No. It is not yet your time.  You are here to finish your training.” 

“My friends need my help!  I need to get back to them!!!” 

“You will return to help them; it is part of your training.” 

“Who are you?” 

“That matters not.  Only your path is of importance.  You cannot progress until your training is finished.  The lives within your care hang in the balance.  You and your group are linked together in that realm.  Your failure will be their failure…until you succeed.  Then you will be released from this realm to continue your path.” 

It feels like the creature is staring into your soul, “The point of entry is behind you.” 

You turn around to see…a doorway?  A dark threshold surrounded by cryptic symbols, suspended among stars.  

“Are you ready?” 

“No! I…” 

“Begin!” 

Your vision becomes a blur as you leave that place and return to where you were standing before falling off the platform.  The vertigo messes with your senses, and it all feels like you had a momentary hallucination.  Now back in this moment, you quickly spring into action. 

You yell “NO WRECKER” immediately and Wrecker stops in his tracks.  Hunter is sensing something, but unsure what it is.  The Stormtrooper grabs you as a shield.  A second trooper grabs Omega and drags her away.  Omega starts using swears that only Echo could come up with as she is taken.  The Batch stand with blasters trained on the stormtroopers in defense but not wanting to hit you in the crossfire.  The trooper violently puts a foot in your ass and kicks you off the platform, then commences to start firing on the Batch.  You free fall down the chasm and… 

…pass The World Between Worlds for a split second, and then appear back onto the platform.   

You try again. 

Omega is led away swearing up a storm while the stormtrooper is holding onto you.  Hunter calls to you, and in that moment, you sense the concern and love in his heart.  You also sense a dark presence in the Force, look up to the platform above and see Crosshair with his Firepuncher trained on you.  He was watching this exchange the whole time, waiting for the opportunity to shoot.  In his jealousy and anger, he fires, hitting you dead center between the eyes.  The very last thing you see is Cross grinning as he hears Hunter lose his shit. 

The fabric of the connected realms brushes past you. 

Again. 

You yank the stormtrooper into Crosshairs blaster bolt as his body is hit, he stumbles into Omega and both fall off the platform to their impending deaths.  The stormtrooper behind him, seeing the target they were looking to take is now gone, opens fire on you.  You fall off the platform. 

Again. 

Before the trooper can grab you, you grab Omega and jump off the platform into the chasm.  With any luck, you can use the force to stop yourselves before hitting bottom.  Unfortunately, you and Omega’s fall velocity was too much for your Force abilities.   

Again. 

You grab Omega but try to save only her.  As you fall past hundreds of platforms, you try to yeet her onto one as you fall.  You are falling too fast, and your throw was severely off.  You hear a sickening thud as she hits something. 

Again. 

You attempt to Force jump, and only make it just short of the other side.  You yeet Omega across the chasm towards the Batch, Hunter jumps for her from the other side, and she slips from his grasp.  You hear them both scream above you as you fall.  Fortunately, Tech and Wrecker send out their grappling cables and catch both.  Blaster fire starts from the stormtroopers.  Tech is hit, falls off the platform, and takes Omega with him since she is attached to his cable.   

Again. 

You Force jump again, Hunter jumps but misses Omega.  Knowing Wrecker will catch Hunter with his grappling hook, you send out a Force block in front of Tech. He is shielded from blaster fire, but Wrecker is hit by several bolts.  He falls off the platform taking Hunter with him.  You hear Wrecker’s insanely terrified scream as you all fall.  Hunter sends out his grappling cable and it catches.  His fall is stopped, but Wrecker’s weight wrenches Hunters body horribly.  He screams out in agony as he feels muscles tear.  They are hanging and safe momentarily…or so it seems.  A shot is heard from Firepuncher and Hunters cable is severed.  Both Batchers scream as they fall. 

You try to hold onto the edges of the realm as you pass through, but it evades your grasp. 

Again. 

You grab the lead stormtroopers gun while he is still holding onto it and keep pushing his finger onto the trigger, you shoot him and several other imps.  You fire several shots towards Crosshair, preventing him from shooting at you.  However, one hotshot trooper in the back squeezes off and hits you right in the back fatally.  

Again.   

Same scenario, but you spin the trooper around and use him as a human shield and the hotshot misses you.  However, Crosshair blasts you at the base of your skull.  The last thing you see is Omega’s terrified expression as you fall onto the platform next to your teeth his shot loosened in the blast. 

AGAIN?

You are getting sick of playing this fucked up reset game already.  In your anger, you quickly grab the stormtrooper and throw his ass off the platform.  The Batch and Omega watch shocked at your anger.  The other stormtroopers are taken by surprise, as you advance on them and grab another.  Crosshair is attempting to aim, but you are moving too much. The hotshot trooper aims his weapon. You and the trooper in your grasp struggle violently. The hotshot cannot get a good clear shot.  Finally, he squeezes one off and misses you. However, he didn’t consider where Omega is standing, and she takes a direct hit. You hear your Batchmates scream in outrage. You scream in outrage. The hotshot screams in frustration, then double taps you and the trooper in your grasp in the head simultaneously. 

AGAIN??

You grab the stormtroopers gun while still in his hand and shoot yourself in the head.  You just want this exhausting mess to be over. 

AGAIN???

You fall onto the platform in a crumpled pile crying.  Stormtroopers AND Crosshair shoot you at the same time, resulting in a horrible, charred mess. 

AGAIN???

You scream bloody murder and obscenities at Crosshair.  He shoots you between the eyes. 

AGAIN! 

You jump off the edge of the platform screaming obscenities like a crazy person. 

Before reset, you see the expression on the creatures face.  He looks disappointed and replies, “You aren’t even trying.  Reach out beyond the boundaries of your realm” As you angrily try to spout off to him, you are thrown violently into the next reset. 

AGAIN!!!

Standing on the platform, you take a deep breath and survey the scene.  You mull over the creatures words.  Time seems to slow down: You sense the stormtroopers behind you, looking into each of eyes of the Batch; Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, up to Crosshair, finally resting on Omega.  You mouth, “Trust me” to her and she nods. 

Time suddenly slams into overdrive, and you instantly pivot to bearhug Omega.  The trooper misses your shoulder and grabs open air.  The shot from Crosshair’s Firepuncher, originally meant for you, hits the trooper right between the eyes and he falls off the platform.  You reach deep within the Force, grab the thin tether of this realm and open it wide.  You then realize you were only meant to grasp it at the start of your actions, not at the end.  You “push” through with the Force, taking Omega with you.  As you “slide” from one location to another, you pass the creature.  He nods as you pass from the world you left only a millisecond ago, through the timeless World Between Worlds. 

“Congratulations, Jedi!  Your training is complete.” 

You part the curtain to your world again, entering behind the Batch.  Hunter, before his eyes even register your disappearance on the opposite platform, senses a presence behind them.  His head whips around to see you and Omega are now out of harm’s way.  His jaw drops inside his helmet.  Tech, seeing Hunters reaction, immediately spins around, his eyes are visibly dumbfounded “What?  How?”  Wrecker calmly looks behind him, seeing you and Omega there safely, doesn’t question.  He barks, “MUAHAHAHA!  YEAH!!!” and opens fire on all the befuddled stormtroopers standing on the opposite platform.   

With Wreckers cover fire, Hunter grabs Omega and runs down the hallway while yelling, “Let’s go!”  Tech runs past and grabs your hand.  He’s usually not touchy feely, but somewhere deep in his logical brain he understands that whatever happened saved your and Omega’s life.  All the quick calculations he was running in his brain logically ended in you both dying.  Wrecker is happily hopped up on blaster fire and the relief you are both safe.  He follows running behind. 

Crosshair is left on his sniper’s roost.  He hasn’t EVER missed a target.  This was his first time. You were there one second and gone next to his surprise.  Stares down at all the dead troopers laying on the platform below, gnawing hard on his toothpick.  He’s angry…but intrigued.  Maybe instead of killing you outright next time, he can land a stunning blow.  The Empire might be VERY interested if he brought you in alive.  Cross sprints away down a shortcut. 

Your group reaches the end of the hallway and bursts out into the ship hangar bay.  A large battalion of stormtroopers meet you there, with guns aimed.  You all stop, out of breath, and possibly out of luck.  Echo swoops in with the Marauder hovering and laying down suppressive cannon fire.  Unfortunately, there are too many imps for him to dispatch while also landing successfully.  Hunter and Tech are furiously looking for a way out.   

You reach out with the Force and envelope Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega.  Before opening the fabric of this realm, you feel eyes on you.  Looking to a ledge several stories up, Crosshair meets your gaze.  You both stare intensely into each other.  Without even realizing it, you reach out and speak with the Force: 

“Why???” 

“Because…” Slight shock registering on Crosshair’s face “…I can.” 

“You’ll regret this someday…when you’re all alone.” 

“I already am.”  He’s angry and hurt.  There is nothing more you can say. 

You slide through, taking all the Batchers with you and suddenly appearing within the Marauder.   

Wrecker: “WHOA!” 

Tech: Speechless, wide eyed…and STILL holding your hand. 

Omega: Dizzy and winded. 

Hunter: Rips helmet off his head. His expression is wild eyed and looks like he saw some serious shit.  “What was that place? Who was that creature?” 

Echo:  Spins around in the pilot’s chair, eyes wide “WHAT THE FUCK!!!” 

You grin.  And watch the Batch trying to piece together their sudden location movement and glimpse of the creature between worlds. 

Giving the order to Echo you bark, “Let’s go, soldier!” 

He’s still sitting there with a shocked expression, then laser blasts pepper the ship, and he regains composure.  Echo flies the Marauder out of the Imperial facility, off the planet, scrambles the ships jump signature, and punches it into hyperspace. 

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[operative-arrow]

Unprompted by literally anything other than coming across a song from their (very short and unworked on) playlist and getting feelings about it, I'm going to write (apparently) a fucking ESSAY telling the story of a character that only a few people around here would even know about.

He started off as one thing, pretty simplistically defined by everything and everyone around him (including me). and then after he got a window out of that life and saw how other people were he slowly started growing and questioning- oh god I was exploring the identity thing years before I realized, wasn't I? Like yeeeearsss. Holy shit.

Not Dragon Age, which is the flavor of my things around here right now, but Mass Effect. Below a cut because I have no idea how long this is going to be as of beginning this lmao

This is the character in question! Art by my friend https://www.tumblr.com/capybonara

This is Nameless. He was originally created for a simple role. A friend was trying to make a wary alliance of shitty Nemean Abyss psychopaths.

He was formerly a gladiatorial slave named Br'uuj, to batarians on their homeworld. He was stolen before he was born and had never seen his people's homeworld. Raised among no others like himself. Defined strictly both my myself as the player, and the environment he was placed in. He grew up brutal. Cannibalistic, because it played well with the crowds to see a monster in the arena. For a century and a half, passed from owner to owner. Batarians (at least in CDN canon, I honestly don't remember what is game canon vs our canon anymore lol) believe that the soul is contained in the eyes. Their version of the good afterlife is partially dependant on having all four of your eyes intact.

Being raised among this, and being told regularly he was not a real person and there was no afterlife for him, he etched two more eyes into the plates on his head. Because of course he would. He is a real person. He has a soul. He has to, and he'll show them.

After his last owner tried to have him entombed with her, and her son botched an attempt at stealing him from the funeral procession, he got out and stole away to Omega. Terrorized sections of the understation as he hid away.

Eventually he became a pirate in a particularly lawless section of the galaxy. A brutal tyrant over his crew.

The violence is expected. It's part of the mask. No one, at any point in his life, has ever expected anything else. From him, or anyone else, really.

His ship had a throne room where he kept tanks full of eyeballs because void-dammit if the batarians think he can't get into the afterlife because he doesn't have enough, he’ll gather enough souls to blow open the doors to the afterlife just so he can hunt down his old owners again and turn their eternity into suffering.

So this is all before he even joins CDN, the forum I RP’d him on. So that's all pretext here. Joining the boards, in-universe is his first opportunity to interact with people who don't see him or themselves as objects or weapons, violent things in a violent setting.

Now, he wasn't intended to be much of a real character at the point of creation. Just kind of a violent Abyss madman in juxtaposition to the other, more regular posters in civilized space. Someone to fill a role in a crew of likewise chaotic bad guys.

But I started playing him and not waiting for that plot to get going.

And he started asking questions. He asked questions of the characters from ‘regular’ space when what they said confused him, or didn't make sense with his outlook.

Some greeted him with fear or skepticism and that made perfect sense to him. He replied with veiled (sometimes) threats of aggression, or stoic aloofness. Basically the two forms of communication everything in his life up until that point said was allowed, for someone like him.

More surprising were those who positively interacted with him. This didn’t make sense to him. Some of them were even other krogan, very few of whom he had ever interacted with, and always on a battlefield. Some of them even gave him nicknames and after he responded in kind. It started a change.

He was made to be ignorant and violent, but that box, the mask, didn’t last very long. As soon as he started asking questions. Seeing other people as they actually were caused him to lose that single edge. He still did violence. He took on mercenary work here and there, raiding this or that for someone who had a job to offer. And he had his own pirate crew. But he had this line of communication into a different kind of life.

Eventually he started engaging with this other side too. Taking part in conversations. Won a contest and went on a date. It went horribly because he had no idea what to do, showed up with a chest full of nonsense offering tribute like a romance novel character, because that was literally the only frame of reference he could study about the topic. I mean also there were some background sabotage shenanigans going on. But people had fun.

He met shamans and scientists, spoke to krogan his own age (despite being over 200 he is pretty young for krogan), even some batarians that didn’t treat him like shit. It all wore away at the mask and he sought more from his life. The pirate thing, it wasn’t fulfilling the way it previously was.

This was over the course of years of play mind you. It was gradual. There were periods where he slipped back into the routine of the mask a little more. Other times, where he really leaned in to learning. Asking.

He was born on a different species homeworld, as property. That lead him to being desperately curious about Tuchanka, when he allowed the mask to slip. He asked krogan who came from there about what made them them. What people like them were like. How he was, perhaps, supposed to be.

He asked about it many times over the years but genuinely never let himself go there. It was an unacknowledged terror, the idea that he would go there, he would look, and he would find something missing in himself.

Or worse, the planet would reject him because of his past. He wouldn't be krogan enough. He had spent so much of his life as something else. What if the very planet that made krogan ended up telling him he wasn't a real one?

But eventually, he had to face it. Some emergent factional power destroyed his ship, his safe, well worn armor against the outside. With just a shuttle and a few crew mates surviving he didn't know where else to go. So he had them drop him off on the homeworld that he never knew, and turned his back on everything that came before it.

As soon as they set foot on Tuchanka it was different. He told the crew to leave and not look back. He piled his armor in the sand, and began a long journey figuring out who he was.

Br’uuj was no more, the name left with the shuttle, or lingered in the armor of the gladiator, cannibal, and pirate that immediately began being consumed by the sands. He took some time to see the sky, feel the ground he. Everything was immediately lighter. But no more certain. He didn't know who he was, and so he didn't pick a name to replace the one someone else had assigned him, yet.

Nameless started to wander. His goal, ultimately, was to find a clan to join. To be welcome in. The path to doing so was to travel clan to clan, learning their histories and cultures. What made them who they were. The social expectations.

He made an animal friend alongside one clan.

He learned a form of divination that he used on the boards to read for other people's characters. (which was really just me reading my own cards reskinned with a krogan touch lmao. It was really fun)

There was a whole (mental) list of places to go and things to explore. As it seems to often go in rp writing, the whole thing sort of petered out and was never finished in that way. He never figured out or ‘earned’ a new name, or joined a clan. I had inklings at the time that he was going to question his role in gendered expectations as well. But I wasn't confident enough to move on that in any way with him.

I might or might not ever play them again. If I ever did, or simply wrote a nice ending for them out of my own self indulgent wishes, I think they would come to leave the weight of gender behind them like the armor and the name, too. It never did anything for them and was always projected on them from the outside. Something they were forced to match.

But yeah that's Nameless’ story. If you read all of that holy shit I'm sorry. I genuinely don't know what possessed me to start this a few days ago. Just remembered the song was on their playlist and I started thinking about their story.

I realized they were way more important to me than I realized in the middle of playing it. There were parallels I didn't even know I was having yet.

My other main character at this time was a digital construct of a fucking shitty man who got ejected to die, in space! This copy grew to be infinitely better and kinder than the original ever was and got a new name and friends and came to largely disregard his gender or the original's orientation altogether because it didn't actually matter to him, as the roomba he was stuck in.

Am I ever not writing through something subconsciously jeez

Thanks for sticking around, if you did. I just wanted to do a little send-off for a character I really enjoyed at the time, and even more so in retrospect.

[zeledonia]

alright ill not torment that artist's post with extended musings about ew! shinryu so here goes, i have some… thoughts?? about shinryu in ultima thule and about zenos' presence there and… all of that.

I thought Shinryu was really neat in Stormblood. The whole concept of this primal born from the rage and despair of a nation that was conquered and destroyed and plundered, and then having said primal also be subjugated by the conqueror. The cruelty of how even the manifestation of Ilberd's sacrifice was stolen to be used at the whim of the enemy. How slaying the primal at the end of StB allowed us to symbolically lay Ilberd's despair to rest - freeing Ala Mhigo in the same breath as freeing his legacy from the clutches of the empire.

And there's something to be said about how Shinryu was born from Nidhogg's eye - yet another character doomed through his bottomless rage at his loss. And how we use Omega to hunt the primal down - an omicron, conquerors and destroyers of the Dragonstar.

It was one of the parts of Stormblood that worked for me, and I wasn't fundamentally opposed to the idea itself that Zenos draws upon Shinryu's power once more in Endwalker, but… idk, I feel like I am interpreting more into it than the narrative ever intended me to?

I feel like there's a lot you could read into the scene, and how it delivers proof that Zenos is hitting a fundamental limit to his character. But when i look at the way the game plays the scene out, it feels like I'm just too generous about it idk.

So like. Zenos spends most of EW chasing after the WoL and trying to get them to fight him again, blatantly admitting that he is trying to cause you as much rage and despair as possible, because he believes this to be the way to unlock your full potential against him.

He says it on several occasions. Tells you during the dinner that the final days are a gift to you. Tells you on the moon that he intends to see you consumed with hatred and despair.

And of course, during the aftermath of Alisaie's scolding when he's ruminating in the menagerie, he supposedly realizes that he's been going about this all the wrong way. Both his motivations for seeking you out, and his methods. So he appears to you in the Ultimatum, as Shinryu, and claims he's got it sorted out now.

But does he?? At the end of the universe, he tracks you down in the shape of a primal born from despair - a primal he effectively stole from his enemy-, born of feelings that never belonged to him in the first place. A feat he was only capable of by stealing the Echo from Krile, because Hydaelyn's blessing was never his to begin with either. And of course, he gets to this point by consuming what remains of Hydaelyn's aether, too. And then he fights you as a Reaper, and in post-EW we find out that even this power was stolen - Zero tells you she had no choice. She tells you (if your character unlocked Reaper) that your pact with your avatar is equal, but hers with Zenos was not.

Zenos never had the ability to reach Ultima Thule through his own merits, he still fell short of achieving what the Warrior of Light achieved. Where we make it to Meteion's nest by understanding despair, and overcoming it through hope that was created by understanding, such a path would have been barred to Zenos.

I was kind of disappointed that our dialogue options upon his arrival were just variations of "lol I won't save you", when really i wish the game had let me acknowledge how fucking wild it is that Zenos shows up in the despair realm, dressed up as the rage and despair primal, looks at the WoL and goes "lmao are you gonna fall to despair???".

I think it says a LOT about his character. He's had a good long thinking session about his issues, and made a commendable effort. But he still doesn't grasp the nature of despair, positions himself (and wants to position the WoL) as someone who cannot be affected by "such a banal thing", and… well, he dies.

The Warrior of Light understands despair and has the power to turn it into hope, and it saves the world and shows Meteion that it isn't the end. But it is the end for Zenos, because ultimately he doesn't understand how to create hope. He has harnessed a collection of powers he fundamentally does not understand, used them to speedrun the road to Ultima Thule, brute forced his way into the Ultimatum, and never walked the path that gave the WoL the strength to make it out of this ordeal alive. But the way it plays out ingame, it feels. Too triumphant? It's practically his big moment - he shows up to save the day in his own way, he's your reliable flying platform for the whole fight, and…. I don't know what I expected, but it feels like the game simply does not address a single implication of his choice to take Shinryu's shape again.

Maybe what I was missing was something, a tiny thing, during the battle? There's a moment in the battle where the WoL falters, and the scions are giving us strength. But I wish Zenos had faltered, too. I wish there had been a consequence, however brief, to him harnessing the power of a primal he never had a true connection with.

In the same way he got punished in Stormblood for stealing the Echo (by being brought back to life), I wish he'd gotten punished for using Shinryu, too. Maybe I would have liked it if the scions had saved us JUST in time because despair-driven Shinryu could not withstand the Endsinger's attacks any longer. What if we fell? What if Zenos' mockery of the Endsinger as "weak prey" was punished, and he found out that he does not have what it takes to conquer despair, because he was so detached from the majority of human emotion.

I feel like there's something missing from Shinryu's appearance in Endwalker that ties it back into what happened during Stormblood - Zenos forcibly taking control of this massively powerful primal, but losing.

I think if we'd gotten something, anything acknowledging how at the end of the road, he had still not managed to bring anything of his own to the table, I think it would have been such a good demonstration of why he died that day, and why we did not have the chance to save him.

Something about how he forged an empty existence for himself, and all his stolen power was indeed a sad, sad mirror to the strength the WoL gains from their genuine bonds with their friends, who lend it to the Warrior willingly. (Also something something limit break happening because it's the battle with you, the only person he does have a genuine connection with that he can draw true power from.) (Okay yeah that bit is very self indulgent)