#<- 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

[chazz-is-a-zelda-fan]

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

[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.

[ageofevermore]

IT MAKES YOU MINE

SUMMARY — in the days leading up to your twentieth birthday, you seek the one thing you’ve never been able to find; your soulmates

WARNINGS — anxiety attack, omegaverse, soulmates, natasha being a worrywart 

heart masterlist, tomorrow at one 

In all the ways to spend the days leading up to your birthday, you had never that you’d sulk your way into a convention center for lost Omegas. Truthfully, you had always thought that you;d have no problem connecting with your pack, and your mates, but in nineteen years, you had never even seen an Alpha bear a soulmark similar to yours; and you have five. In nineteen years, that endless fire of hope that burned in your belly dwindled farther and farther down until it became a dull spark, the butt of a sparkler on the fourth of July– hopelessness. 

The convention center is just about as busy as you would’ve expected it to be, but it doesn’t comfort you any to know your worries were right. It was the first convention of the summer season, a period of months where being without a meaningful relationship weighs on hearts the most. For you, summertime and Christmas hurt the worst. For you, living through these weeks and months with nothing but isolation breaks your heart into pieces that can't be mended.

Growing up, you were never an overly excitable or happy kid. You tried your best in your academics, in your relationships and extracurriculars, you were sweet, and you were easy, but you were riddled with paralyzing anxiety that always pulled you out of the fun you were trying to drown yourself in, and as you got older, depression kept you fully on the shore. Most doctors have assured you that being united with your pack will ease your symptoms; headaches, nausea, spells of dizziness, and paralyzing dark days that bind you to the center of your empty bed. For as hard as your symptoms prove to be, you’ve never had any luck like your mother. Your mother passed away two years ago in the same way your father had been taken. If you had one thing, it wasn’t a clean track record.

Being in the convention center was enough to set you on edge. The soulmarks that decorated your soft body burned the longer you remained uneasy, just like they did every time, and your breath began to pick up in the shallows of your scratchy throat. You’d been in the convention center for all of thirty minutes, already desperate for an exit despite a lack of booths. Alphas hadn’t even began to scour for their lost omegas and already you needed an out.  

A defeated sound escaped your chest as your arms brushed against other excitable Omegas. You knew this would become just another bad idea, especially when you decided to come alone, after one-to-many anxiety attacks that became like rabbit holes of bad days, you had promised your mother that you would stop venturing out of your safe spaces alone; that had only lasted a few weeks after her death before it felt suffocating to always bother your less than affectionate and very intentionally scattered siblings.

You were in a disoriented panic, so focused on the blinking red exit sign ahead of you that you hardly realized that you had set her course straight for a female Alpha. It wasn't intentional, really it wasn’t, you just needed to escape, and the women had been right in your way. But, you hadn't known that until you went barreling into her chest. The Alpha growled deeply in her chest, having not expected to be plowed into, but her defenses fell at the submissive whimper that escaped you.

You couldn’t look up from your trembling hands, stuttering over an apology as you bounced between both feet nervously,  "S-Sorry Alpha. I wasn't, I wasn't looking. S-Sorry."

The woman, having not intended on staying at the convention long anyway, could easily scent the presence of an anxiety attack presenting within your chest. An anxiety attack that had been presenting long before you had stumbled into her space.

"Omega." The woman's voice was steady, and dominating. It wasn't at all her Alpha voice; that would've had you on your knees, but rather a dominating tone that she tucked away to work quite a few kinky minded men and women into submission. It startled your attention away from your fingers successfully, and your soft brown eyes went wide seeing just who you had stumbled into. Not only had you disrupted an Alpha's personal space, but Natasha Romanoff's. That only sent another harsh wave of anxiety rippling through your tight belly.

"I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry, Ms. Romanoff. I didn't, I'm so sorry!" If Natasha weren't so worried about your increasing heart rate, she would've smiled fondly at how skittish you were with a fluttering heartbeat that sounds like butterfly wings in a breeze. She'd hardly had any good experiences at conventions like these, especially once she's been spotted, but she felt responsible to overlook and make sure the presenting Alpha's had the right intentions with these otherwise vulnerable, and most times bratty, Omegas.

Natasha looks over the nametag pinned to your soft colored top and she prused her lips in admiration, Y/N. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. "It's alright, Omega. Come on, let's get you somewhere quieter." Natasha takes a hold of your trembling right hand, cursing lowly at how cold you must be if your icicle fingertips were any indication. She's not sure if it's from your  anxiety or just general coldness either.

"N-No it's really okay. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." You anxiously responded, trying to pull away from Natasha but failing with how weak you had become beneath the clutches of an attack. You hadn't had one in months, and it was becoming apparent as you were rusty in all of your self-regulated coping mechanisms.

"Omega," Natasha flickers her eyes down to the nametag again, "Y/N, I wasn't asking."

You whimpered, dropping your head in shame and submission as you allowed Natasha to lead you into a small conference room isolated from the rest of the madness. It was only when the door was fully shut that you could remember how you had to breathe to calm your racing heart; something you often forget when you become like this.

"Hey, none of that." Natasha fret, pulling your cold and clammy hands away from your forearms when you began to scratch at them anxiously. God, she didn't know why she felt so drawn you, but every part of her body was screaming at her to help by doing more than just standing idly by, but she didn't know you, and she didn't know what you responded well to. "Good girl." Natasha praised when you let her grab your hands, not even trying to pull away this time.

"It's loud in there, huh?" Natasha cooed. She's experienced a handful of panic attacks herself, all due to her time as an assassin and an avenger. She didn’t want to imagine what had triggered this in you. When the Omega gave her a soft nod, eyes flickering around the room nervously, Natasha let go of one of her hands; that were shaking significantly less, and touched her chin softly, leading her gaze back to her emerald eyes. “You’re safe in here, Omega. But I need you to focus on me, okay? Y/N, hey-” Natasha doesn’t get the chance to continue. She would’ve asked the trembling girl to start counting to five, but before she could, a sweet albeit timid and shaky voice was ringing in her ears.

“P-you.” She pleaded shyly, cheeks becoming a hot red at the prospect of sharing her name with the Alpha. you was never the best with figures of authority, especially in such a vulnerable state. It’s one of the reasons her mother homeschooled her for so long.

“Hey, okay sweetheart.” Natasha smiles softly, not wanting to startle the Omega that’s slowly beginning to find her footing again. Natasha doesn’t even think she’s noticed that she’s stopped shifting her weight, and that she’s gripping onto Natasha’s hand like she’s dependent on it. God, her heart is going to ache when she has to let this little Omega go.

Natasha still hadn’t found her Omega. Her ache for that intimate connection was intensifying as the years passed, and it was often a conversation at pack meetings. By all means, Tony Stark could have found their Omega seven times over in a matter of hours, but they didn’t want it that way. They wanted to feel the magic of meeting by accident, by authentically falling in love and discovering one another. But God did Natasha crave one of these sweet creatures to call her own through every dawn and dusk.

“How can I help you, You?” Natasha asked, backing the two of them up so that she was sitting down in the office chair, looking up at You. Her jawline was soft, but her bitten lip and clenched teeth made it appear harsher than it was. That tension started to fall from her face when she looked down at Natasha, feeling like she had some of the power in this position. Natasha had hoped moving to sit would give You that security, and her lips twitched watching the brunette girl come apart from her worries.

“Y-You’ve already helped me.” The Omega frowned, not understanding what more Natasha was willing to do for her. This was more than anyone had done for her in months. You hated being alone, but it was easier to leave when she didn’t have anything to hold onto.

“You’re still shaking, honey.” Natasha frowned, reaching for the younger Omega and leading her forward. “I’m going to pull you into my lap, is that okay?” Natasha asked, tracing every feature on You’s face to indicate she wasn’t okay with that kind of contact. She understood completely if the Omega protested. They were strangers. Even if biologically they were Alpha and Omega, nothing would permit for You to be stripped of her right to choose what she was comfortable with. “I need to hear you say it, sweetheart.” Natasha smiled fondly when You nodded. She hadn’t even had to think about her response, just nodding softly and shyly. Natasha was beginning to think the brunette girl in her arms didn’t have a mean bone in her body.

“Please.” You’s cheeks burned, her chin dropping farther into her chest as she recoiled into herself. Natasha felt her belly spark at the sight, biting back a giggle at the submissive of the Omega. She would’ve pressed for more than from the small girl, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t get more than a whiny ‘please’  in response.

Natasha moved to grab at your waist, letting go of your hands fully for the first time in twenty minutes. You felt like you were floating again, like a butterfly in the breeze, without her grounding touch, but breathed in sharply when Natasha’s fingers brushed against the skin of your hip accidentally. In the Alpha’s innocent attempt to pull you into her embrace, her bracelet had gotten caught on a loose thread of your shirt, revealing a small pink soulmark on your hip.

Natasha’s eyes were glued to the pink mark, her own heart rate increasing in her chest. Right where the skin on her hip was scarred over from a soviet slug, right in the place where all of her mates had her soulmark, you had the same one. A pair of pink ballet slippers etched in first position.

At the hitch of Natasha’s breath and her following silence, you jerked backward, away from the Alpha, away from her touch, away from her comfort. Your thoughts were once again reeling at the prospect of what could’ve happened to change the atmosphere between the both of you so drastically, and the calm Natasha had helped you work towards had been dismantled easily, panic settling alight in your belly again.

“I’m sorry! I-Im sorry, Ms. Romanoff. I’m sorry, A-Alpha!” You sobbed, backing yourself into a corner when the distant glaze in Natasha’s green eyes softened once more and her breathing evened out as she pulled herself together. There wasn’t any time at all for Natasha to react, to ease your spiraling panic and start the settling process again, because by time she got her emotions into check, and could fully process how badly you were blubbering, the world became dark. The walls felt like they were brushing against you, the floor felt like it was opening beneath your feet, farther and farther away from your head as it chased it, until eventually your body crumbled and your consciousness went with it.

-

The convention center clinic smelt like expired antibacterial, and the scent was beginning to give Natasha a headache, but she hadn’t been too focused on it. After coming to her senses, and admittedly, acting on her Alpha impulse which she hadn’t wanted to do at all, she had called for the med squad to assess you in the lower level clinic. Natasha would’ve felt more content taking you back to the tower, but she knew that was a major overstep. She hadn’t had the chance to tell you about the soulmark, hadn’t had the chance to ask if you had any more, and she was almost positive that you hadn’t made the connection from ballet slippers to Black Widow.

Natasha had learned quite a bit from the medical staff as they rushed around the small infirmary. Their frantic rushing wasn’t in concern for your condition, they were just frazzled by the presence of an Avenger, and if she weren’t so in her head with worry, Natasha would’ve laughed. The staff had managed to pull up your medical records, leaving Natasha’s heart heavy in her belly just thinking about all that her little Omega suffered. Anxiety, Depression, PTSD. It seemed that your list of horrors was ongoing and unforgiving.

Natasha was on her feet at the first sign of you coming to consciousness. You, her omega, whimpered sleepily and in discomfort, shifting around the stiff cot until you abruptly recognized that you weren’t at home. Natasha forced a smile onto her lips, stepping into your line of sight and watching as your heart rate spiked on the monitor you were attached to.

“Hey, Hey, you’re okay, love. You’re okay, darling.” Natasha coos. She wants nothing more than to reach out and brush strands of unruly brown hair from your eyes, but she doesn’t want to cause another surge of anxiety through your already tight and recovering belly. “No, don’t pull that out sweetheart.” She stressed, watching you fumble with the IV in your arms.

The medical team explained your condition to Natasha after the Alpha had worriedly bared her teeth at them, saying that the small Omega had fainted due to the severity of the anxiety attack, but her severe dehydration hadn’t helped her either. Already Natasha was making that a note in her head. Three cups of water a day, at least.

“I-I don’t, please.” You begged, still focusing on the IV in your arm. You hated needles, and already feeling on edge in your own body, the intrusion of something you feared wasn’t a comfort. You had managed to pull the medical tape off of your arm, leaving a stinging feeling to bubble on the sensitive skin, but that’s as far as you had come before Natasha was grabbing your hands.

“You’re dehydrated, darling. It’s going to help you feel less dizzy.” Natasha enlightened, though she was sure you knew what it was doing. If fainting was on your chart as a common symptom of your anxiety, she was sure that you had been in this situation at least a handful of times. Seeing that the distress on your face didn’t ease, Natasha’s stomach clenched in guilt. She wished she knew how she could help. As an Alpha it was her job to bring peace and comfort to her Omega, but you were a stranger to her. She’d never been in such a difficult and intimate situation with her mates until much later in their relationship; this was all painfully new.

“Water.” You were floaty with the aftermath of anxiety and sleep, and Natasha could see as much. “Water.”

“We can get you some water, sweetheart. Can I leave you for a minute?” Natasha asked sweetly, not wanting to startle you when you looked to finally be settling into her comfort again. Guilt was ripping apart Natasha’s belly and had been for the last hour. Her reaction to your soulmark was the reason they’re here after all.

“Don’t leave. Don’t leave, please! I’m sorry.” You sobbed, beautiful brown eyes brimming with tears as panic swarmed your chest again like a constricting blanket. You hated hospitals and infirmaries. You hated being alone. You hated your anxiety, and how it claws up your chest and paralyzed you. You hated needles. Natasha was the only thing even remotely settling about your situation.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Omega.” Natasha’s tone was soft, but it was firm. It left you no room to argue, but neither of you believed she had the energy to do so either way. “I won’t leave, that’s fine. I can stay right here, but I will have to call a nurse then, okay? We can’t get you some water if we don’t move.” Natasha teased lightly, hopeful that it would ease your tight chest. You smiled bashfully, dipping your head down to look at your intertwined fingers.

“Are you okay?” You whispered so softly, Natasha almost hadn’t heard you. Her heart melted looking into your soft brown eyes, wondering how you were all alone at a convention like this when all you had done was prove that you have a heart of gold.

“Of course, I’m okay.” Natasha smiles softly, squeezing your hands.

“You got so quiet.” You whisper, scared that mentioning what had happened in the conference room upstairs would upset the Alpha and she would leave you here alone. “Did I do something wrong? W-When we were in the conference room?”

Natasha felt her heart grow three sizes at your revelation. She hadn’t even realized that was what you were implying, but the thought of you being so kind and attentive made her heart swell with pride and adoration. Maybe she was crazy, but already, she could see you fitting in perfectly with herself and the pack. You were exactly the sweetness that they needed, especially with Clint’s recent coming and going.

“Hey, keep breathing for me, sweetheart. You’re doing such a good job.” Natasha praised when she noticed the spike in your breathing again, your words coming out quick and stuttered. Natasha had never had to be this soft with any of her mates, it was refreshing. She felt like she was needed, as opposed to just feeling like she belonged. They were two very different feelings she’d come to find out. “I have a lot to tell you, sweetheart. But I think that pretty head of yours should get some real rest before we talk about it. But yes, I’m okay. I pinky promise.” Natasha had a feeling that you would enjoy the lighthearted gesture at the end of her sentence, and she wasn’t disappointed by the smile that split your cherry lips wide. You raised your pinky for Natasha to link her own with, a blush settling across the apples of your cheeks.  

“I’m okay to talk about it, if you want. It would help me feel better.” You said shyly. Natasha just wanted to squeeze you, but she refrained from physically melting at your reassuring words meant to comfort her. How was it that somebody in so much pain was so sweet and kind?

“That pretty little soulmark on your hip,” Natasha began, watching every miniscule part of you for your reaction. She knows the boys would’ve wanted to be with the both of you when you found out, but a part of Natasha knew that a situation like that would put you on edge for days. Already, Natasha was overwhelmed with an urge to protect you from harm, to love you entirely.  “Is my mark.”

You flinched backward, away from Natasha and into yourself and the uncomfortable white cot. You pulled her hands out of the Avengers embrace, dropping them into your lap as they began to tremble again. Natasha wasn’t offended by your reaction. She’d expected worse if she was being honest. Bucky had screamed and cursed when he had found out that Tony Stark was his mate, and when Tony had found out that Steve Rogers was his head Alpha, all hell had broken loose in the tower for days. You was a gentle addition to the memory book in Natasha’s head of all these moments, a light ripple in the waves along the shorelines, a monarch butterfly drifting in a sweet spring breeze. You were refreshing.  

“B-but, you have Mr. Barnes! And-And, Mr. Stark! And Mr. Barton! And Mr. Rogers! A-And I’m just me.” It was Natasha’s turn to flinch. In all of the responses she’d come up with in her head. Of all the responses that she’s heard and been told of, never once had she thought you would feel out of place because of her social status. Never once did she think her sweet little Omega would put herself down all because of wealth and class. All because of the initiative.

“Y/N.” Natasha couldn’t help how rough her voice became while addressing you, but she wouldn’t allow your insecurities to fester any deeper than they already had. Your brow quivered at her tone,  “You are our equal. This,” Natasha lifted her shift, revealed the outline of her mark to you. It was a beautiful thing really. How on your own body, your mark is just a simple sketch, but on your mates it’s so much more. It’s a soft color that represents them, most are usually black, but Natasha’s, hers is a beautiful soft pink. She wishes she could bear that color on her own skin. “Is my mark. It makes you mine. It makes me yours.”

“C-Can I see my mark? Please.”

Your soulmark is a simple, sweet, heart. It’s just to the left of where Natasha’s heart actually sits, and only half colored in with a soft brown ombre. Brown had never made sense to Natasha or her mates, but seeing you, feeling your radiant and elegant energy, falling in deep with your soft and gentle mannerisms, brown was the perfect color to describe you, though not to take away from how beautifully soft your hazel brown eyes are. But, now understanding why the heart etched on her body was half empty broke her heart. You were a lost little girl. You had always been a lost little girl. You had always felt half empty. Natasha hoped that being united, being together, would change that quickly. Natasha hoped that sometime soon you would come home to her and them.

[gabessquishytum]

Hullo! I just saw a video today from Dancing with the Stars about mango or two men dancing the tango and immediately thought Yesss Dreamling! I was rambling about it with friends and thought of sharing some ideas here too. @yamru who's from Argentina, also let me know that tango was originally danced by male partners!

This clip particularly reminded me of two alphas from extremely wealthy but rival families, who think they can't be together because societal norms say they have to be with an omega to continue the family line. In fact, initially they hate each other! But after a lot of meet ugly moments, angst, UST, these two fall head over heels in love with each other. Now this dance happens at a party where they are still in their enemies phase, but insanely attracted to each other, and they are developing feelings as they dance. After the party they cannot stop thinking about each other and how it will feel to be together. They torture themselves about the logistics of it and concerns of how to continue the family line. But eventually when they get together, all rules fly out the window. They also realize that being together is more than just resolving physical tension. Their culture requires them to be macho alphas but what they both truly crave is just being pampered by each other. But because they are idiot alphas, they don't tell each other how they really feel. When one of them, maybe Dream, is forced to marry an omega suitor, say Alex or Calliope, Hob comes to the wedding at the right time to profess his love and that he doesn't care about these social norms. And Dream, who was waiting to hear these lines, flies to Hob's arms! The family and guests are scandalized but Dream and Hob don't mind what others might say anymore. I'm not sure how to resolve the baby business. Maybe lucienne is a doctor who tells them about scientific advancements about how alphas can carry a child. Or use a surrogate. Anyway everyone kinda resigns to the fact Hob and Dream are a couple now. They are both still every bit ruthless alphas but also indulgent softies for each other. When they finally get married, of course they dance the tango again at their wedding!

MANGO. MAN TANGO. I love it.

I really lean towards the idea of Dream and Hob being business rivals - maybe not rivals, necessarily, but they're both big-shot CEOS. Dream has that inherited wealth and Hob is more of a self-made man. They know each other from conferences, galas, and society in general. Both are considered VERY eligible alpha bachelors. And they're kind of frenemies. Who obviously want to fuck.

Hob is always teasing Dream by flirting with him, and it annoys Dream because it really turns him on. So at this party he tries to teach Hob a lesson by being receptive to his flirting, and dancing with him. Turns out, Hob wasn't teasing though - he's totally sincere in his advances and spends much of the dance whispering filthy things in Dream’s ear, until Dream drags him out to a secluded spot and shuts him up. With many, many kisses.

They spend the night together and it's like paradise, but of course it can't last...... Dream swears Hob to secrecy, Hob is kindof offended that Dream would be so ashamed of him. But he also understands. He's an alpha with his own reputation to uphold, too.

(If Dream’s intended omega bride is Calliope, she knows exactly what's going on and spends the entire betrothal trying to subtly encourage Dream to follow his heart. Dream is too stubborn to listen.)

Hob is fortunately brave enough to make a stand and declare his love for Dream. He doesn't want to live without the man he loves, and doesn't see why it matters that they both have knots! Hob wants to build a life with Dream and do cute domestic things like baking and flower arranging, and he also wants to fuck Dream face down on the living room carpet. He wants to merge their companies and be ruthless in board meetings together. Isn't that what life's all about?

Even if they can't legally marry, Dream decides that he'll put a ring on Hob’s finger anyway. He's not letting him go. So, Calliope happily marries someone else, perhaps one of Dream’s siblings. After a few years she offers to be a surrogate for her favourite pair of alphas. And a few years after that, laws are changed and Hob and Dream finally tie the knot (hahaha).

They are very very good tangueros, and have learned to seamlessly swap the lead/follower roles... although other dancers have to beware. There's no telling whether they might actually start fucking on the dancefloor...

[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

[cakerybakery]

Had an image appear as I woke up one morning before I was sick.

-

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The Morningstar was born. The first of God’s creations, the light of the universe, and the favourite of God.

God loved him so much that he created others. He loved the joy of creation as much as he loved his creations and give the Morningstar his gifts for creation.

Before he awoke the other angels he transformed the Morningstar into an Omega. He awoke the other angels as Alphas then left them so he could continue to expand his universe.

The Morningstar didn’t want his gift of being an Omega. He liked how he had been. He didn’t like how the other angels took his omega status as being lesser than them. He was the first, he was the favourite, he might not like the gift, but it was to be a gift. And the other angels didn’t see it as such.

God had told him before he left the HE was to be in charge. That he was made an Omega so that he might choose among the Alphas who was to sire the first of the heaven-born. The Morningstar was given gifts of creation from nothing beyond what the other angels could do as well.

However, the others would not listen to him and so he left them to their own devices.

When he would not submit, the other angels created Eden and the Earth, intending to expand heaven that way.

The Morningstar was horrified by the actions of heaven. Their human Alpha was as rude and arrogant as themselves, they thought him perfect. They created an Omega in Lucifer’s image, but they believed she would be better than him.

They issued a command, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” But Lilith was like him, willful, and unwilling to be a second class citizen.

Together they hatched a plan. For heaven didn’t know how it happened but a tree whose fruit contained all the true knowledge of the universe grew in the garden.

A tree Lucifer had planted from seed of the spark that gave him life.

Lilith ate from the tree and knew the truth. Omegas weren’t created to submit. They offered the fruit to Adam’s new bride, Eve.

Eve was different from Adam or Lilith, a Beta. Created from Adam’s rib, heaven had hoped to create a broodmare that was less willful than Omegas turned out to be. She learned the truth.

Adam had to be tricked, the apple chuck lodged in his throat, but knew his status was not meant to be. But like many arrogant and privileged people of today, Adam fought against the change that would take away the idea that he was special and to be the rightful leader of humanity.

Heaven didn’t realize that by trying to force the Morningstar into a role he wasn’t supposed to have, the darkness of hatred spotted his light. When he planted the seed from his soul into the ground there grew more than the tree of knowledge. Although the fruit was full of his light and the true knowledge, its roots were dark.

The hatred from his heart spread out, creating a great pit under Eden.

Hell.

They were discovered and to protect Lilith the Morningstar allowed himself to be run through by the Alphas weapons and thrown into the pit.

Heaven thought them punished.

They thought themselves free and remade hell to suit them.

A place where they ruled as Omegas.

Heaven scraped the plan for creating alphas and omegas on Earth. Instead forcing winners or sinners to become one or the other in the afterlife.

This is the part that mixes with the adamsapple a/b/o world building I did months ago but I can’t remember the details of.

In heaven, the strong are made Alphas, the omegas are made to breed. In hell the strong are made Omegas. Betas are the most common in both.

As more sinners appear, the sliding scale develops as they hurt each other for control. The more powerful someone is the more they shift towards being an Omega, since omegas rule in hell. Even Lilith isn’t immune to it and they start spending more and more time apart so she can keep her status. They realize that Lilith has tipped into being a Beta when they discover that Lucifer is pregnant with Charlie.

As much as they love each other, Lilith wants to keep her power as an Omega queen and the two are forced to separate. She even goes to heaven for several years to speed up the process.

Adam revives in hell as an Omega, learns about the power scale, and realizes the only way to stay an Alpha is to find someone more powerful than he is. A difficult task as he’s Adam. His only hope becomes clear. Lucifer.

Lucifer wants to toy with him. See how willing Adam actually is to do whatever Lucifer says just to be in Lucifer’s presence.

At first it’s fun. Making Adam follow him along. Run errands, do chores, dressing Adam up like a doll. But he lets Adam sleep in his nest one night as a reward. A whole night next to Lucifer is bound to help Adam get closer to being an Alpha again.

Waking up in the morning with Adam wrapped around him makes Lucifer’s heart flutter. He’d been lonely. Lucifer missed being curled up with someone. He and Lilith hadn’t been intimate since Lucifer had been pregnant a couple centuries ago. She stopped sleeping in their nest not long after they found out about Charlie.

Adam is woken to the scent of Lucifer starting his first heat since the one that resulted in Charlie, which had been his first heat ever. His omega status was a gift after all, his heats were to only trigger after inviting a non-omega into his nest. During the night, Adam was tipped over into being a beta, kickstarting Lucifer’s heat.

It hot in the nest. Lucifer pulls Adam in, unable to think clearly. Adam is overwhelmed by Lucifer. An Omega heat is more overpowering than Eve’s had been as a beta. They can think of nothing but mating. By night it wears off and they realize what that means. It might only be Lucifer’s second heat but Adam’s had dozens of babies before.

Lucifer is mentally preparing himself for Adam to run away like Lilith did. Maybe stick around for their child to grow up, but emotionally and mentally be checked out of their not a relationship.

The next night, Adam asks to come into Lucifer’s nest. To spend the night again. Maybe do more than sleep.

Letting go of the breath Lucifer didn’t know he was holding, he invites Adam in. It’s nice having Adam there. To have a mate. By the time the baby is ready to be born, Adam’s an Alpha again.

He is proud to be back how he likes. Adam is still stronger than any omega besides Lucifer. It’s hard for him to maintain the alpha status of his body, needing to spend months to get it back but spending a week away from Lucifer once he easily slipped back towards being a beta.

Adam finds he rather likes being the king’s alpha. He likes being Lucifer’s mate. Now that Lucifer isn’t torturing him with silly tasks but rather Lucifer is giving him actual duties relevant to what he knows what to do, Adam is feeling fulfilled. Lucifer himself, isn’t half bad either. Lucifer while pregnant is intoxicating. He likes Lucifer’s cruel streak towards assholes, and kindness towards those that do something good. Reminds him of heaven.

The question of what are they pops up. They’re sort of mates. Lucifer is still married, Lilith is just doing her own thing. No one sees a particular reason Lucifer and Lilith have to get divorced. She attends to her duties just fine and Adam doesn’t want them. He’s taken over command of the guards upon seeing how shitty they were.

They both like just being mates. Exclusive to only each other. It’s not quite love, but they can feel themselves falling.

[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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[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)

[mandos-mind-trick]

Here's To The Future - Part 7: Bounty Lost

Summary: The war’s over. That should be cause for celebration, except the wrong side won. Things begin to change quickly, and it doesn’t take long for Midnight to realize something’s not right among the clone army. She should be glad the war is over, but the threat of her losing her boys is all too real. She did swear she would do everything she could to keep them from being separated when the war ended.

She’s not going to give up on that promise. Even if it kills her.

Pairing: The Bad Batch x reader (no clonecest)

Warnings: Angst, a bit of violence, injuries, angst, Hunter and Crosshair have some issues, brief discussion of torture, lots of cuteness and fluff though.

A/N: This one isn't really one of my favorites, it's more of a filler than anything as the story begins to shift away from canon and into my own little AU of how their stories play out.

The threesome is up next, though I'm busy this weekend and I want to work on other stuff, so it might not be up until Monday or later. We'll see.

< Previous | Next > | SERIES MASTERLIST | MAIN MASTERLIST

“I see things have been going well in my absence.” 

Hunter sighs, hands balling into fists. He resists the urge to turn around and throw a punch. He deserves it, after everything, but the snarky remarks are starting to get on Hunter’s nerves. 

He has bigger things to worry about. 

“I get why Bane took Omega, but why Midnight too?” Echo asks. 

“I think she knows him.” Hunter says. “She tried to warn me not to take the shot.” 

“How would she have met someone like him?” Wrecker asks. 

“It’s very likely she’s met all sorts of fugitives, pirates, and bounty hunters.” Tech says, stepping out of the cockpit. “She is from the Coruscant underground, where those types of unsavory characters flourish. I’m more surprised she hasn’t recognized more of them during our recent escapades. I’ve relayed a message to Cid. She will be in touch.” Tech pulls out his scanner, fiddling with it. 

“There’s another possibility.” Crosshair says. 

“What?” Hunter asks, turning around. 

“We were sent to Bracca to terminate a group of deserter clones.” He says flippantly. “But we were given special orders to bring Midnight back alive.” 

“Who gave those orders?” Echo asks. 

“Admiral Tarkin is putting together a nat-born army to replace the clones. He tested his idea using a small group of volunteer nat-born soldiers.” 

“We know that.” Hunter says. 

“It worked, to a point. Some of the nat-borns were...less willing to comply with orders. Tarkin wants to develop a way to control nat-borns as efficiently as clones.” 

“Mind control?” Echo asks, horrified. 

Crosshair smirks. “And who better to test it on than a highly skilled nat-born with unwavering loyalty to a group of deserter clones.” 

Hunter’s hands ball into fists. “That’s why you didn’t aim to kill on Kamino.” 

“I was given explicit directions. You were to be terminated, but Midnight was to be brought in alive.” 

“You think Tarkin would send bounty hunters after her?” Echo asks.

“News will have already reached him of my...compromised state.” Crosshair crosses his arms, leaning back in his seat. “He will only double down on retaking us both.” 

“Would Bane risk landing on Kamino openly?” Echo asks. 

“It is unlikely.” Tech answers. “Though he was wanted by the Republic, we cannot be certain if the Empire intends to prosecute those on the Republic’s list as well. Perhaps Cid will return us some valuable information regarding Bane. For now, it is in our best interest to ensure there is no present danger.” 

They all turn to look at Crosshair, his eyes narrowing at them. “It’s a bit unbelievable for you, Hunter, having such little trust in your teammate.” 

“After everything you’ve done, I have no trust in you at all.” Hunter says, meeting Crosshair’s glare unwaveringly. 

“I’m not talking about me.” 

Hunter deepens his glare, but Crosshair’s words slam into his chest as hard as Bane’s blaster shot. He does regret it now. The last thing he’d said to Midnight was that he couldn’t trust her and now she’s gone, in the hands of a brutal bounty hunter. The thought has been digging at him, ever since he’d come back to consciousness to find his worried squad mates asking where the girls are. 

Midnight knows Bane. Would she have left willingly? 

He doesn’t think she would have, not after risking everything to try and save Crosshair. 

To successfully save Crosshair. 

He won’t believe it. Not until he has proof. He hates it, that he has to distrust her. He had been so angry at her. Going off on her own like that, defying him so openly. It’s not the first time she’s done it, but those times had never been as high risk as what she had done to save Crosshair. 

He does regret his words, though. If something happens to her, he doesn’t want his last words to be that he can’t trust her. He does love her, but he has to think about the safety of his whole squad above all else. 

Tech calibrates the device, running the scan on Crosshair. They wait tensely, for the scan to be done, for Cid to get back to them, for any crumb they can find about where the girls are. Hunter needs to do something. 

If he’s not careful, it’s going to be punching the glare right off Crosshair’s face. 

“She was telling the truth.” Tech says. “His chip is gone.” 

He shows them his datapad, the place where the chip had shown up on previous scans of their minds missing from Crosshair’s. 

Guilt starts to chew away at Hunter. Of course she had been telling the truth. She wouldn’t have come back, risked leading Crosshair directly to them if she hadn’t been sure he was back to his normal, insufferable self. She wouldn’t have put them at risk like that. As much as she loves Crosshair, she’s not that careless. 

He’s already beginning to feel worse. 

But he can’t trust Crosshair. Not completely. 

Just because his chip is gone, doesn’t mean he’s changed. The Empire could have done something else, something worse to him, and they wouldn’t know. For all Hunter knows, as soon as they turn their backs, he’ll strike. 

***

“I have the girl.” 

“What is her condition?” 

“Alive, so I expect a premium.” 

“See that she stays that way.” 

“That depends on you. I’ll be at the rendezvous. Bring my unmarked credits.” 

Midnight frowns as Bane ends the call. So it was the Kaminoans that had sent the bounty hunters after Omega. Midnight had a sneaking suspicion there was more to the girl than they thought. After all, she is a female clone. She’s not enhanced, even as much as the regs are. 

This is going to complicate things. 

Midnight groans quietly, shifting her arms. They’re cuffed above her head to a bar. She can feel the strain in her shoulders already. She straightens her legs out in front of her, trying to stretch as much as she can. 

“You haven’t changed much.” Bane says, his back still turned to her. 

“How would you know?” She snaps, tugging at the cuffs. They’re not going anywhere, but she has to try. “It’s been, what, ten years since my mom took pity on you?”

“Bad decision on her part.” Bane smirks. “Then again, she never was very smart, was she?” 

“You don’t know anything.” Midnight snaps at him. She knows he’s not wrong, but she won’t tolerate anyone speaking ill about her mother, especially him. 

Bane turns in his seat, glaring down at her. “I see it runs in the family.” 

Midnight’s jaw clenches, her hands balling into fists. “Where’s Omega.” 

“She’s fine.” Bane says, stepping down from his seat. “I get paid more if she’s alive.” He kneels in front of her, grabbing her chin. 

“Why take me too?” She asks, partially out of genuine curiosity.

Bane smirks at her, running a thumb over her lips. “You’re nice to look at.” 

He releases her, taking his seat once more. 

***

Midnight braces her foot against the wall, tugging hard at the restraints. Her wrists are raw and sore, the metal biting into her skin. The bar groans as she pulls, but it won’t give. 

Bane is gone, and likely so is Omega. She has to get to them before he can hand her off to the Kaminoans. She’s not going to give Omega up that easily, even if it means having to go up against Cad Bane again. 

She tugs harder at the restraints, groaning in pain as her wrists strain against the metal. 

“What are you doing?” 

She pauses, turning her head to look at the service-droid. “I...” She looks down at her hands before looking back at the droid. “I have to use the fresher.” 

“Nice try.” The droid says. “Under no circumstances am I allowed to set you free.” 

“Please.” She puts as much desperation in her voice as she can. “I really have to go.” 

“Mr. Bane said I must not let you out of the cockpit.” The droid says, staying firm on his stance. 

Midnight looks down at the floor, thinking. She needs to get these cuffs off and find Omega. “You’d you prefer I go right here? Bane’s going to make you clean it up.” 

The droid pauses before turning back to her. “Just to the fresher?” 

Midnight nods. “I swear.” 

The droid removes one of her cuffs, Midnight swinging as soon as the cuff is off. The droid slides across the floor, sparking a bit. She hadn’t planned on hitting it that hard. She didn’t know she could hit that hard. 

She climbs down from the cockpit, glancing around the hull. Omega is nowhere to be seen, not that she had expected her to still be in the ship. Midnight looks through the opened closets, finding a spare blaster. She’s going to need that if she’s going to go up against Bane. 

She takes off running before the droid can fully recover, heading into the building. They look just like the facilities on Kamino, but they’ve long been abandoned. Midnight hurries into the building, trying to wave away the dense fog inside. 

The sound of blaster fire somewhere above draws her attention. Her heart is pounding in her chest. What’s happening? Did the Kaminoans trick Bane? That’s not really their style, she thinks. Is someone else here? Have the boys found them already? She hadn’t seen the Marauder, but then again, she hadn’t really looked. 

She presses onwards, following the sound of the blaster fire. Her stomach twists nervously. She needs to find Omega. She needs to make sure she’s safe. The thought of something happening to her...she’d never forgive herself. 

Midnight peeks around a corner, blaster in hand. She can hear footsteps coming, her grip on her blaster tightening. She turns the corner, blaster ready. 

Relief floods through her. 

“Omega!” 

“Midnight!” The young girl runs straight to Midnight, Midnight waiting with open arms. 

Midnight wraps her arms around Omega, holding her tightly. “Are you alright?” 

“Fennec Shand is here.” She says, pulling away from Midnight. “She killed Taun We.” 

Both of them here? Midnight knows she won’t stand a chance against both of them together. “We need to get out of here.” 

“I contacted the others but the signal wasn’t strong enough. Tech said we need to create a power surge.” 

Midnight’s brow furrows. The chances of them finding something to do that, and having enough time to do it, are low. Not with two bounty hunters on their tail. 

“I’ve got a better idea.” She says, removing Omega’s cuffs. “We’re going for Bane’s ship.” She takes Omega’s hand, heading back in the direction she’d come from. “Even if we can find a way to contact them, there’s no guarantee they’ll make it in time.” 

“So we’re going to steal a ship?” Omega asks. 

“We’re going to try.” Midnight says, determined. 

It’s a bit of a crazy plan, but then again, rescuing Crosshair had been as well, and that had worked in the end. She only hopes her luck won’t run out. It’s not just her to worry about this time. It’s Omega as well. 

If anything happens to her, Hunter will never forgive her. 

She’ll never forgive herself. 

“I wouldn’t bother trying.” 

Midnight comes to a stop, pushing Omega behind her as she points her blaster at Shand. “Why are you here?” 

“I took a job.” Shand says, removing her helmet. “And I hate leaving things unfinished.” 

“I won’t let you take her.” Midnight says, backing up a couple steps. There’s a hallway within reach. All she has to do is distract Shand and Omega can run for it. 

“You’re a good soldier, but you’re not going to win this one.” 

“I’ve faced worse odds.” Midnight tightens her grip on her blaster. 

“I’m trying to help.” Shand says, taking a step closer. 

“You said the same thing on Pantora.” Omega says, tightening her grip on Midnight’s hand. 

“There you are!” Bane’s droid appears down the hall behind Shand. “You are coming with-” The droid is cut off as Shand turns, tossing a knife at it. 

Midnight and Omega are already halfway down the hall by the time she turns back around, racing towards the landing platform. 

Midnight pushes as fast as she can, Omega keeping a hold of her hand as they weave through the hallways. She prays they don’t run into Bane or his droid on their way. It had been luck that had gotten them away from Shand, but she doesn’t trust that luck to hold much longer. 

They reach the landing platform, Midnight breathing heavily as they board Bane’s ship. Her hands are shaking from the adrenaline as she climbs into the cockpit, Omega right behind her. She powers on the ship, praying to whatever deities she can think of that they can take off before Bane notices. 

Or before Shand gets to her own ship. 

The ship rocks as she lifts it off the ground, her grip on the controls unsteady. She’d learned the basics of flying during her training, and Tech had taught her a few times how to pilot the Marauder, but she was by no means an expert. This isn’t a starfighter or the Marauder. 

“Hang on.” She says, pushing the ship as fast as she can towards the atmosphere. 

It’s a rough flight, Midnight not relaxing her grip on the controls until the atmosphere is gone, replaced by the inky blackness of space. As unnerving as it can be sometimes, she’s never been happier to see it. 

She puts the ship on autopilot, typing in the comm channel. “Echo? Tech?” She says, getting static. “Anyone?”

“Midnight?” 

She’s never been more relieved to hear Hunter’s voice. She feels like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. So he had survived Bane’s shot. “We’re here. We’re alright.” 

“Where are you? Send us coordinates.” 

“We’re in the Lido system.” She says. 

“Midnight stole a ship.” Omega says proudly. 

“She did what?” Hunter asks in disbelief. 

“I’ll tell you later.” Midnight says, flipping through the navigator. “I’m making the jump to the next system over. We can’t risk staying here much longer. I’ll send coordinates and meet you there.” 

“Midnight,” Hunter says, his voice low and thick with emotion. “Be careful.” 

A small smile tugs at her lips. “It’s a bit late for that.” 

She sends the coordinates, jumping the ship into hyperspace. She doesn't relax until the familiar blue is flashing around them. She leans back in the seat, reaching over for Omega. She lifts the young clone into her lap, wrapping her arms around her. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright.” She breathes, resting her cheek on top of Omega’s head. 

“I’m glad you were there.” Omega says, leaning against her. “I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t.” 

Midnight smiles. “I’m sure you would have figured something out. But I’m glad you weren’t alone. I promised I’d always be there.” 

Midnight holds Omega as they fly through hyperspace, her eyes beginning to droop. It’s been a very long past few days and she’s ready for a break. She knows it’s not over, though. She’s going to have hell to pay once Hunter sees her. He’s had plenty of time to think over what he’s going to say. 

She’s in for quite the reprimanding. 

***

The ship beeping as they near their destination wakes her. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep. Omega is asleep as well, still tucked against her chest. She drops the ship from hyperspace, heading towards the small desert planet. It’s mostly uninhabited, perfect to drop Bane’s ship and meet the others without risking being seen. 

She lands in an empty spot, relaying the beacon so the guys can find her. Omega stirs as she relaxes in the seat again, Midnight wrapping an arm back around her. She’d let the girl sleep as long as possible. She’s had a rough few days too. She deserves it. 

Not long after they’ve landed, the proximity alarm begins going off. Midnight doesn’t relax until the Marauder sits down next to Bane’s ship. Midnight shakes Omega awake, the young girl groaning and rubbing her eyes. 

“They’re here.” Midnight says, lifting her back to her feet. “Let’s go.” 

Omega seems to perk up a bit, excitedly climbing down the ladder. Midnight opens the hatch, stepping out into the bright sun. Hunter’s already halfway to their ship, Omega running to meet him. She slams into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

He grimaces for a moment, his abdomen wrapped with bandages. So he hadn’t totally been protected against the shot, but at least it hadn’t been fatal. 

He kneels down in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay, Omega? Are you hurt?” 

“Why is this happening?” Omega cries. “Why are the Kaminoans after me?” 

“Hunter, you have to tell her.” Echo says. 

Hunter sighs. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll explain everything.” 

Wrecker picks up Omega, holding her close. “Good to have you back, kid.” 

Hunter stares at Midnight, her gaze lowered to her hands. She’s ready, prepared for the yelling, the reprimanding. 

She’s shocked when arms wrap around her, pulling her against a warm chest. She leans into Hunter’s arms, squeezing her eyes shut. 

“Thank you.” He says, leaning the side of his head against hers. 

“For what? I was just keeping my promise.” Midnight shakes her head. “I meant it.” 

He squeezes her tighter for just a moment. “Come on. Let’s get out of here, then we can all have a long talk.” 

***

Hunter tucks the blanket closer around them, a small smile tugging at his lips. Midnight is going to be sore when she wakes up. She’s curled up on Omega’s sleeping pad, wrapped around the young clone. He’d heard every word of their quiet conversation, until both of them had dropped off into sleep. He had debated moving her, but he can’t bring himself to. 

They’d had a long discussion over ration bars. They’d talked about Omega and why the Kaminoans were after her. They’d talked about Cad Bane and Midnight’s history with him. They’d briefly discussed what had happened while Crosshair was with the Empire and their current situation. 

Above all, they were just happy the girls were back and safe. 

Hunter pulls the curtain closed, making his way back towards the bunks. Crosshair is pulling the extra blanket from his bunk, the one Midnight had added. 

“She slept there the whole time you were gone.” Hunter says. “She never gave up on you.” 

“She seems to be the only one.” Crosshair says. 

“I had to worry about my squad first.” Hunter tries to defend himself. 

“I was part of that squad once. You left me behind.” He scathes, narrowing his eyes at Hunter. 

“What did you expect me to do when you were ready to kill us any chance you could?” He takes a step closer to the sharpshooter, ready to defend himself if he needs to. 

“That didn’t stop Midnight.” Crosshair seethes. “I was still in there, you know. I remember all of it. They tortured me, played with my mind, strengthened the chip’s control as much as they could. I was still under there, watching as someone else controlled me.” 

Hunter deflates a bit at Crosshair’s words. He didn’t know what it was like. He’d been saved from having to experience that. Wrecker hadn’t spoken about it, not that he would ever ask him to. “You’re right. Maybe I did give up too quickly.” 

“I don’t want your apologies.” Crosshair snaps. “You still don’t trust me.” 

“I can’t. Not yet.” Hunter goes to move past him, but pauses as Crosshair responds. 

“Trust me on this, then, Hunter. If I wanted to, I would have already.” 

Taglist:

@amyroswell, @dangraccoon, @hunnythebee, @lokigirlszendaya, @kriffingmeshla, @storm-breaker7, @burningfieldof-clover,

[chicknstripz]

∘₊✧ [[ Taken ]] ✧₊∘

Pairing|| GN!Reader X Crosshair Word Count|| 1582 Tags|| Mild teasing, Fluff, Soft!Crosshair, Short reader (No specific height mentioned, Sexual intimacy mentioned, Cross has 0% shame! Synopsis|| You give Crosshair a special gift to remind him that someone loves him.

'Holiday' prompt for @clonexreaderbingo

Lazy mornings spent in bed where your favorite thing. The feel of freshly laundered sheets against your skin, the sound of idle chatter from the living room as Cross’s brothers made themselves breakfast, and the sensation of his arms pulling you close as he mumbled sleep roughed ‘morning’ would never cease to satisfy. You smile as you sink into him, the warmth of his body just enough to lull you into a slight doze, but alas the youngest occupant of your shared home had other ideas - their sing-song voice breaking the idyl as they broke into your room. “Ba’vodu! Ba’vodu! It’s life day! C’mon! It’s time to open presents!” You think you hear Cross utter a curse beneath his breath, another of his halfhearted complaints about how Hunter had too soft a heart as he propped himself on one elbow. “It is not morning yet Omega.” The young girl giggles, completely unbothered by his stern tone as she clambers into your bed. “Yes it is!! It’s ooh five hundred to be exact!” Cross clicks his tongue in disapproval, his quick reflexes preventing your niece from disturbing your relaxed state. He holds her back with relative ease, gently guiding her from your side of the bed to his, his head shaking the whole time as he situates her beside him. “Mir’sheb.” Omega gasps, her hands flying to her mouth as she turns her honied gaze to you “Ba’vodu Cross said a bad word!” You laugh, the sound vibrating pleasantly in your chest as you sit upright. The sun has barely warmed the opposite wall, the slight slits from the shutters casting long lines of orange along the pale blue. Crosshair himself looks caught between mild amusement and frustration, his tired eyes showing the desire to still be asleep, but he would never ever take that out on Omega - his warm sleepy smile curling his lip as you giggle at Omega ‘horrors’ “Don’t worry ‘megs, I’ll make sure he gets an appropriate punishment” “Promises, promises” You laugh at Cross’s whispered comment as you sit upright, one hand adjusting the bed covers to keep your nakedness covered, whilst the other motions to the half open door of your bedroom. Personally you’d rather stay in bed for a few more hours, properly wake up, but you knew Omega well enough by now to know that she wouldn’t leave you alone. Not with presents on the line! You somehow get her to vacate the room, your firm promises to follow after her in short order encouraging her out the door, and you let out a little sigh as you look back at Cross with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I should know to lock the door by now.” “S’alright, she’d just slice the lock anyway.” You don’t think you’ll get over how competent the kid is, or how much her brothers encourage her lawless behavior. To them it’s a useful life skill, to you it’s troubling, your frown earning you a poke in the side from Cross. “Better for her to practice on family, then complete strangers” “You won’t be saying that if she walks in on us having sex.” “Kids gotta learn.”

You can’t decide if he’s teasing you or if he simply has no shame. Both are equally likely with the sniper. You give him a long hard look, your eyes narrowed so much it draws a laugh from him, and you almost laugh along with him as you realize it was the former rather than the later. Kriffing idiot! How you’d ever fallen in love with him was a mystery, yet here you were trying to hold back laughter as you pulled one of his shirts over your head.

“You’re a menace, you know that right?”

“Guilty as charged”

You continue shaking your head as you pull on a pair of pants, the gleam of a carefully wrapped present making you smile. You’d intended to give it to him later tonight, once the others had gone to sleep, but seeing him there - stretching in the early morning light - it dashed all your plans. You grabbed it, rubbed a thumb over the patterned paper, and turned toward him with a smile.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I got you a little something.”

“How touching”

Again you laughed, the old snark from back in the day now a joke you shared. Oh how you’d bickered back in the day, back and forth for days on end, but now? Well, you’d be pressed to match the old Cross with the new Cross. It was as if the transition from being a soldier to a mercenary had awakened something in him, the days and days of providing for and protecting Omega bringing out a softness he’d hidden for so very long. The present is brought close to your heart, your smile momentarily becoming playful disappointment.

“Well, if you don’t want it ...”

You all but bark out a laugh as he takes it from your hand, his breath warming your ear as he kisses your brow.

“Don’t be a brat.”

“Look who's calling the weequay slimy.”

The comment earns you a gentle shove of the shoulder, his warm eyes gleaming in the light as he examines the present. His touch is gentle and tender, the present treated like a maker damned holy item, and you guess that to him - it is. He’s never had presents before you came along, never experienced warmth and love unless it came from a brother. Each corner of the paper is pulled away carefully, reverently, and you know that if you looked you’d find the paper stashed in his box of keepsakes. Oh yes. You know about that! Cross might think he’s being sneaky, but the underside of the bed doesn’t make for the best hiding spot in the world!

With the paper gone he next opens the box, his eyes going wide in shock at what he sees within. You’d spent days on the little project, pursuing the craft stall for beads in black and red, and blackened durasteel wire. It was an object of blood, sweat, and tears. The necklace checked and double checked to make sure you’d got the morse correct. Which you had if his little swallow was anything to go by, the microexpressions that crossed his facial features betraying just how touched he was by this.

“You ... want me to wear this?”

“Of course. You’re mine and I’m not afraid to let people know it.”

He cocks a brow at you, his fingers trailing the beaded proclamation of your love.

“And there was me thinking you weren't the possessive type.”

You take the necklace from him with a tut, your eyes full of warmth as you motion for him to crouch to your level.

“It’s got nothing to do with possession. It’s a little something for you to wear under your armor, a physical reminder that someone out there loves you, and if someone happens to see it? Well then all the better. It’ll just make ‘em wonder what type of person would fall hopelessly in love with you.”

Making people jealous or curious hadn’t been your intention, but you can’t help but admit that you got a thrill out of it. The mental image of someone’s eyes widening in surprise as they read the morse makes you beam from ear to ear. Crosshair wasn’t the type of person you’d associate with being ‘taken’, all hard edges and harsh snark with outsiders, and definitely not with someone like you. You were soft, considerate, the complete opposite of your significant other, and yet you worked - oh maker did you work! Your relationship grows from gripping friends to understanding lovers.

“Jealous too, anyone would think I was rubbing off on you.”

“Don’t get a big head Cross, Hunter can’t afford to widen them.”

He laughs, a muted little snicker that makes your heart leap as you secure the clasp.

“That's on him for spoiling the kid.”

“As if you don’t?”

He tries to give you his best glare, but fails, the mock offense twisting into a garish grin.

“It was about time the kid had a proper blaster.”

You smile alongside him, your thoughts drifting to the child sized firepuncher he’d sourced from one of his contacts. You couldn’t wait to see Omega open it, couldn’t wait to watch her learn to use it with skill and precision, and most of all you couldn’t wait to see Cross celebrate his first life day, the laughter that so often found you bubbling in your chest as you watched him enter the main room to raucous applause and playful teasing. He took it all with a sour smile and crossed arms, but you knew he was enjoying it, the dance in his eyes betraying the enjoyment he found from being among his family.

He enjoyed watching Omega open her presents, her innocence maintained by the hard work of her brothers. He enjoyed watching his brothers, his smile growing in smug glee every time they praised his gift choice. He enjoyed opening them, the simple joy of having possessions warming his facial features. But most of all? He enjoyed being with you, the care and love you gave treasured above all else as he brought you close to his side, the glimmer of the light catching the beads upon his neck making your heart swell with love.

He was yours and you were his, and nothing in the galaxy could ever tear you apart!

[kinkandkreep]

More Random Doramai Thoughts (continuation of the previous blurb)

Thinkin' 'bout the darkest possible ending for the Doramai college ABO blurb I posted the other day.

CW: noncon, drugging, kidnapping, mention of murder, mention of s**cide

Let's say that the newly obsessed Mikey has never truly experienced deep affection or attraction to anyone before, and for even more added spice, let's chalk this up to his Dark Impulses, which in this au he was born with as a result of some fumbling on the part of his father. (I'll let you decide what exactly that entails. I've got some ideas so if anyone would like me to share, I can do that as well.)

Anyway, when Manjiro finally realizes the depth of the emotion he feels of Ken, he doesn't immediately know how to process it, and so he lets his instincts lead.

And instinct says to claim the Alpha.

By any means necessary.

Mikey is cognizant of the fact that Ken is a catch, technical status as a "loser" aside.

He's strong, he's very good looking, he's decently intelligent, especially where it matters, and he's dependable.

That's more than can be said for a whole lot of guys, Manjiro would know.

So, he knows it won't be long before someone else realizes this and tries to snatch his Alpha away from him.

And Mikey's not normally one to believe, but he can't help but think that the fact that no one has taken Ken yet has to have been fate. He was being saved especially for him, and Mikey has also never been one to let an opportunity go to waste.

He does try at first, to pursue Ken normally.

He does the typical Omega things: dresses more feminine and daintily, acts more demure and reserved, uses scent enhancers.

All that is well and good, but it doesn't net him the results he was expecting.

Other Alphas fall all over themselves to get to him once he makes these changes, but his intended couldn't seem to care less.

Manjiro makes repeated attempts to approach and express his feelings to Ken, but each time he's either disregarded or outright shot down.

And the worst part about it is, Ken's never cruel in his rejection, just very straightforward and honest.

It drives Mikey insane.

Why doesn't Ken want him?

They'd be perfect together, can't he see?

Their pups would be perfect; good looking, strong, just like their parents.

Mikey wracks his brain trying to come up with a solution.

Until one day, after months of trying and failing to "court" Ken...

He catches him hugged up with some other Omega.

The Omega is very pretty, and Mikey recognizes him as Seishu Inui, a rather quiet guy, someone who never really caught Mikey's eye outside of his looks.

He and Ken are currently engaged in a heated lip lock some distance away from Mikey, and before the smaller blonde Omega realizes what he's doing, he's marched over to where the couple is, eyes ablaze with anger.

"How fucking dare you?!"

Ken and Seishu separate, looking as confused and annoyed as they feel.

Once he recognizes who it is, Ken sighs.

"Mikey, what are you doing here?"

Ignoring the question, Mikey continues.

"So this is why you've been rejecting me? Because of him?"

Seishu's brows furrow, but he doesn't speak.

With another sigh, Ken answers. "Yes and no. I rejected you initially because I simply am not interested in pursuing anything deeper with you. Seishu and I only just recently started dating, not that it's any of your business."

Mikey is taken aback, and he can feel tears wanting to well up in his eyes. But he refuses to cry in front of this asshole and his little bitch, so instead he takes a step back, before quickly turning on his heel and briskly walking away.

He keeps moving until he makes it home, and once he's safely inside his room, back against the door, he bursts into tears, sliding to the floor and wrapping his arms around his knees, into which he's buried his face.

‘But I was doing everything right. I changed so much for him. I love him! Truly, truly love him.’

At this point, Manjiro has begun to feel something...strange begin to flood as heat across his body.

He suddenly feels hungry, but not for food, and not even for sex.

This feeling is dark and possessive, almost entirely foreign to Mikey, as he’s never cared for anyone like this before.

Lifting his head, his expression has flattened, his eyes dull.

"I love him, and he is mine. I will not allow anyone or anything to come between us."

Fast forward, Manjiro decides the easiest and most familiar course of action to separate Ken and Seishu is to ruin Seishu's reputation around the school and run him out of town, but when that proves less than fruitful, he, influenced by his desperation and Dark Impulses, resorts to killing him.

To avoid suspicion, he leads the, admittedly minimal, evidence trail back to a Beta named Hajime Kokonoi, who everyone knew had a serious crush on Seishu.

When word gets around that the students and investigators suspect him, the pressure, in combination with his deep sorrow over the fact that the love of his life is dead, drives Hajime to take his own life.

Mikey didn't predict that it would work out that way, but it thankfully makes Seishu's murder look like an open and shut case.

For all except one person.

Draken knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mikey is the one who killed Seishu, but he knows it would be next to impossible to convince anyone else of that, especially now that the case has officially been closed.

At this point, Mikey, in his delusional mind, is certain that now Ken will come to him willingly, but when he's proven wrong, things escalate even further.

Long story short, Manjiro ends up drugging and kidnapping Ken, then waiting until he wakes to go on his whole spiel about why they're perfect for each other, and how he never wanted to hurt Ken, or anyone for that matter, but that Ken forced his hand.

When he realizes how unreceptive Ken is being, Mikey decides to show him how good he could make him feel, deliriously hoping that it'll cause him to fall in love in return.

While Ken is bound and gagged, Manjiro takes his time "pleasuring" him, riding his cock and rambling the entire time about how beautiful their children will be, how perfect their shared home, how everything's going to work out fine if Ken would just get with the program.

I like to think that it takes a while, but eventually a frustrated and somewhat exhausted Mikey finally gets an orgasm or two out of Ken, who doesn't cry, but becomes unresponsive as a result of what's happened to him.

There's several ways this could go, so I'll leave it up to y'alls imagination for now, but if anyone would like me to continue or even potentially make this a full story, don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks for readin'! Ari out! ✌🏾

[knightprincess]

Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader) Part 25

Words: 1.4K Warning: Angst and mentions of Trauma (if you squint) Pronouns Used: She/Her (Use of Y/N) Note: Sorry to say there are only a few chapters left and a little epilogue at the end.

“Crosshair,” called Echo. The ship was quiet, other than Rampart moaning about something none of them really cared for or took notice of. “Where would a staff member be taken if arrested?” asked the Arc Trooper, wanting to think positively even when the dread was beginning to creep up. If things went right, they would successfully rescue Omega, (Y/N), and the clones held captive in the highly secure facility.

“Cellblock D,” answered Crosshair, doing his best to ignore his hand shaking again, the trauma constantly haunting him, preventing him from finding true peace. “But considering how valuable Snap is to Hemlock’s plans, he’d likely hold her in the tower above the training room,” he added, quickly realizing who the prisoner in question likely was. “Your missing commander should be within the normal cells, with the others intended to be a part of the Dark Trooper program.”

“Why would you help rescue the scientist who did that to you?” asked Rampart, raising his voice so the words reached the pair furthest from him. Hunter was the first to react, kicking the former vice admiral in the shin as if to get him to quiet down.

“Medic,” corrected Echo, his voice stern, with evidence of his dislike for the imperial operative before him flooding it. “She’s a medic, not a scientist,” he added, trying his best to keep a neutral voice, if only so Rampart didn’t detect the obvious affection and feelings he held for Snap and use it against him in the future.

“And she didn’t have a choice,” admitted Crosshair, recalling when he’d been put through the torment every day. The horror was painted on Snap’s features despite her efforts to hide it. She’d done her best to ensure all were comfortable after the torment she put each clone through. “We may have been the ones physically tortured, but she didn’t get away without consequence either,” added the sniper, suspecting the constant screams and agonizing yells of those she knew would have taken a toll mentally.

“Imagine the chaos if (Y/N) and Omega teamed up,” laughed Wrecker, trying to lighten the mood even when it felt as if happiness couldn’t exist until they’d overcome their final challenge—in this case, Hemlock and those wondering the halls of Mount Tantis.

“Hemlock and Tantis wouldn’t know what hit them,” replied Hunter, a shadow of a smirk appearing across his lips. Crosshair offered his small smirk, whereas Wrecker outwardly laughed as if he could imagine the havoc the two could cause around the secret facility. Echo could only shake his head. (Y/N) had training from the 501st; she was a combination of all she’d come across like Omega had inherited the best qualities of each batch member.

“Providing your plan to get there even works,” shrewdly commented Rampart, once again casting the shadow of doubt over the four men in his company. “That facility has the highest security I know of. No one gets there without Hemlock knowing. It is impossible to get there without a welcoming party ready to shoot us from the sky,” he added, matter-of-factly as if once again trying to convince them to abandon the idea of rescue and leave those they were trying to free to their unknown fate. “The CX troopers will likely be utilized as well, the best of the best.”

“You three go after Omega; I’ll find (Y/N), then meet in the cellblock,” said Echo, ignoring Rampart again. All of them did. Now they were aware that the CX Troopers and Shadows were the same, part of the secretive Dark Trooper project. “If we do happen to cross Shadows, knock them out with luck; what’s been done can be reversed,” added the Arc Trooper, not wording the latter half to float through his mind. Only kill if necessary, in case the shadow is someone they knew.

“And me?” questioned Rampart. “What will I be doing once I’ve completed my task?” he asked, suspecting that if and when things went wrong, he could bargain the information he had with the empire for whatever he wanted.

“It depends on whether we have to improvise,” Hunter bluntly stated, his voice cold yet determined. “We get the coordinates to Tantis; you can have your freedom. If not, you’re stuck with us until we do get there,” added the sergeant, making the stance clear and suggesting Rampart wouldn’t get what he wanted until they got what they wanted.

“I’ll go strip the armor,” declared Echo, sadness ricocheting through his voice. None of them wanted to strip away their individuality but were given no choice. If they wanted to succeed with their task, they had to blend in when wandering the imperial facilities, regardless of the location.

“What makes you think the medic is still alive?” asked Rampart, as if he sought to sow the seeds of doubt once more. “You forget I was once head of that project, and I was cast aside the moment I failed. What makes you think the empire or Hemlock would tolerate her failings?” he added, feeling a shiver go down his spine the moment the realization hit him. All four of them sent ice glares in his direction. Hatred was among the most prevalent to identify from the heat of their combined glares.

“What makes you think she failed?” Crosshair asked, countering Rampart’s attempts with his own to raise hope. Plus, he knew (Y/N) hadn’t failed at her task; all the Shadows out there were proof of that. Plus, if whispers were anything to go by, the project had recently been given more funding, as had the other Mount Tantis was home to.

The sniper didn’t bother to word his thoughts, the same thoughts his brothers were likely thinking and the truth Rampart had overlooked. Snap was far more valuable alive, regardless of whether she was a part of a project or not. Few could match her skills, and hardly any other civvies had the loyalty of clones like she did. (Y/N) was a weapon, one Hemlock, and likely other high-ranking officials had realized and would do anything within their power to keep in their procession.

“Echo,” said Hunter upon retrieving his black helmet from the elder trooper. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do after?” he whispered, knowing from Crosshair’s words that the healing process wouldn’t be easy for anyone involved in the project. Despite being safe for the most part, Crosshair still woke up after nightly terrors covered in a cold sweat, his heart pounding with fright and trauma. Neither of them doubted Snap would be any different. Although her torment hadn’t been physical, that any of them knew of, it had been psychological. The torment that could lead to far worse consequences and unseen damage.

“Rejoin the Rex and the efforts against the empire,” added Echo, as if his choice were obvious. Even if it wasn’t seen, there was still a war going on, battles to be won, and clones all over the galaxy to be freed.

“And Snap?” Hunter asked, allowing his concern for her to paint on his features, even if for a few fleeting seconds. “What are you going to do with her?” the Sergeant added, making his point clear. At the same time, it became all too obvious that Echo had either assumed she joined the effort for the freedom of clones or hadn’t given much thought to it. “Think over it, what’s best for her.”

Echo could only nod with a guilty conscience. He has been so wrapped up in the efforts to free the clones and get Omega as well as Snap back. He’d forgotten Snap hadn’t been trained for war, hadn’t been genetically altered to withstand the harshest of challenges life and war threw out. She was an ordinary civvi, a brave one but normal nonetheless. It would take her longer to recover from things, to accept she would be safe and free.

“I shouldn’t have let her go in,” replied Echo, sadness once again ringing through his voice. It began to dawn on him what the true cost could be. “I should have tried harder to convince her not to. Even if we win, I could still lose her, just in a different way.”

“You’ll never lose (Y/N), Echo,” began Hunter, as if he knew the trial the arc trooper now faced. “Your paths are different like they were after Anaxes,” he continued, pointing out how the pair had been on different paths before yet still found their way back to each other. That in itself was a win, and one few who found love could say they’d achieved.

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