#[‘i’d rather not do it myself…’] (authority +1)

[lecl3rcw]

MOMENTS WITH YOU | CARLOS SAINZ

Summary: 3 of Carlos and Y/N’s cutest moments

Author’s note: Thank you so much to everyone who’s requested a fic, your requests are all works in progress💗

Warnings: badly translated Spanish, and tooth rotting fluff.

Sing recommendations: All of the girls you’ve loved before & Lover - Taylor Swift

____________________________________________

Moment # 1

Y/N was sat in her boyfriend’s drivers room listening to his rants and frustrations of how Ferrari, yet again screwed him up.

“It’s just so annoying! I ask them to do something and they just don’t listen? And now they’re purposely screwing me over” He says pacing back and forth, These past few races have been nerve wrecking for him with Ferrari considering to replace him at the end of his contract fueled him even more to try to prove himself to them but he can’t, if they don’t give him a chance.

The girl stood up, locking her arms around his waist as her head rested on his shoulder, he reciprocated the hug as he exhaled “I hate to see you so upset” she murmurs, her hand gently caressing his back, he closes his eyes in content, greatful for her touch.

“I’m just so done, I’m constantly trying to prove myself to people that obviously are sabotaging me, I just don’t understand why they treat me so bad, have I not given enough?” He says, frustration leaving, sadness engulfing his voice. Y/N squeezes him even tighter.

“You’re more than enough cariño, you’re just as amazing as anyone and if they can’t see that then they’re idiots, your overridden decisions are the only reason why you guys placed so good” she says leaning up to place a sweet kiss on his cheek.

“Thankyou mi cielo” He says leaning down to place a kiss on her lips, as his arms travel down to her waist grasping it.

Moment # 2

The soft patters of the rain along with the occasional boom of thunder were the only things that could be heard through out the city of Madrid. The couple was snuggled in bed, both too lazy to be productive.

Carlos admired the girl who’s head was burried into his neck, his arm under her neck serving as a pillow, his hand goes up to gently caress the back of her head.

“We should probably go make something to eat amour” He whispered as he heard her groan and push her head impossibly deeper into his neck. He chuckles, “cmon Y/N, we gotta get up” he says gently, She huffs before turning around and pulling the duvet over her head.

“Y/Nnnnnn come on” he says pulling the cover off her head, “Ugh fine” she says before sitting up. He opened up his arms and she immediately fell into them. Her hand tracing hearts on his collarbone as her head found its place under his chin. The rainy weather brought out a different type of lazy out of them.

“I thought you said we need to get up” she says still tracing on his collarbone, “We probably should but I have nowhere I’d rather be” he replies pressing his lips against her head and squeezing her tighter, she sighs in content as she leans up to kiss his jaw.

Moment #3

The girl came back from work exhausted, her boss doesn’t make her life any easier, and on top of that everything just seemed to be going bad today. She missed a deadline and absolutely got flamed by him and she wanted nothing more than too just be in Carlos’s arms.

As she entered her house, she wanted to hold herself together until she made it to the bedroom, but upon hearing Carlos’s voice call her out sweetly, tears immediately started going down her cheeks.

“Y/N? What’s wrong amour?” He says gently going up to her, she shook her head as she covered her face with her hands, a habit she developed when she didn’t want people to see her cry. “Oh come here” he cooed as he wraps his arms around her tightly. He held on to her for as long as she needed. She cried for so long, she didn’t even realize when he moved the two of them on the couch.

Once her breathing stilled and sobs were no longer wracking her body, Carlos once again asked her “What’s wrong Y/N?” His hand on the back of her head as she played with strings of his hoodie.

“I missed a deadline and he said if I make one more mistake, I’m done! I mean that’s so upsetting, I’ve done so much for this stupid company and this is how they treat me? I was up until 4 am fixing his dumb mistakes and this is how he repays me? Ugh he’s so annoying” she says no longer sad, but more frustrated.

“Baby, you have to separate work from your home life, your boss is not understanding, and if he fires you then he’s just making the dumbest decision ever” he says, “I love you Carlos” she says, he smiles and leans down to kiss her, the rest of the night, the couple was so wrapped up in each other that they fell asleep on the couch, at peace with their minds.

[thebibliosphere]

I saw your post about ingram, and out of curiosity, is there some advantage to going through the whole self-publishing thing with retailers when you're just starting out? like I mean the way that fandom zines work is that they don't even bother going through ingram or amazon or whatever. they just set up a social media site (usually twitter) to gain followers, open preorders (usually 1-2 months in length) to generate the costs of printing upfront, and then sell anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred copies of their books (usually artbooks, but anthologies exist too). I've seen some zines generate over a thousand orders. they're kind of like pop-up shops, except for books. maybe the sales numbers aren't so impressive to a real author, but the profit generated is typically waaaay more than the $75+ apparently needed for Ingram Spark, so I still feel like new authors could benefit from this method too, especially if they just need some start-up cash to eventually move to ingram if they want to for subsequent runs of their book. I think authors would also have to set aside some of the pre-order money to buy an ISBN number to have printed on their book, and I'm not really sure what other differences there are, but I just wanted to ask about it in case there's some huge disadvantage I'm missing!

So, popup zines work well for some people, and I know some authors who kickstart their work successfully. But for a lot, it's just not feasible as a long-term stratedy. Or even as a means to get off the ground.

Fanzines succeed primarily because an existing fanbase is willing and ready to throw money at something they love. They’ve got a favorite writer or artist they want to support. Supporting all the others is just a happy by-product. They also take a HUGE amount of short-term but intense planning that just doesn’t always jive with how some of us work.

I, for one, would never offer to organize a fanzine. I’ll take part in them as a creator, but I’d rather throw myself off a cliff than subject myself to wrangling that many people and dealing with the legal logistics.

When it comes to authors doing anthologies, it'svery much the same. The success of the funding often hinges on having other big-name authors involved whose existing fans will prop up the project. Or having a huge marketing budget.

Most self-pub authors have zero marketing budget. I’m one of them, and I’m under no illusions that my work would not be as popular and self-sustaining as it is if I didn’t have a large Tumblr blog.

When I thank Tumblr in my forewards, I am utterly sincere. Tumblr brought fandom levels of enthusiasm to an unknown work and broke the Amazon algorithm so hard, that Amazon thought I was bot sniping my way to multiple #1 spots and froze my sales rankings.

That’s not the norm. And while I could probably kickstart my own work as an indie creator, that’s because I’ve put literal decades into building up a readership. I’ve been doing this since I was 16 and realized people thought I was funny. I didn’t know what to do with it or if I’d ever actually write anything, but it meant the groundwork was already there (thank you, past-me). I basically fell upward into my success by virtue of never being able to shut the fuck up and wanting to make people laugh. Clown instincts too strong.

New or first-time authors trying to sell their work without that will find it infinitely harder.

All of that aside, even if an unknown author somehow gets lucky and manages to fund their work, there’s still the question of shipping and distribution logistics. Are you shipping everything yourself? Better hope you’re able-bodied and have the time for it. (for reference, it took me months to ship out 300 patreon hardbacks because of my disabilites. It damaged my back and hands. I couldn’t type for several weeks after I was done.)

Are you going to sell primarily at conventions? Better hope you’re able-bodied, have the time and don’t have cripling anxiety about being in large groups...

Also, will selling a dozen to a few thousand copies in one burst be sustainable in the long run as a career? Not for me. Doing things via Ingram and Amazon means I earn a steady trickle of sales for the rest of my life provided the platforms remain and so long as I keep working and can generate interest in the series, not just when I have funds to pay for physical copies to sell. The one-time (in theory) cost of $75 to distribute through Ingram gets paid off pretty quick that way. And it doesn't require the same logistics as doing the popup/crowdfund.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you are capable of but also the type of work you’re doing. If you’ve got an extended network of fellow creatives who will back you or you’ve got a large following elsewhere, doing it like a popup might work for you.

If you’re an exhausted burnout who can’t fathom the short but intense amount of organization that sort of thing requires, not to mention doing it over and over and over... Ehhhhh. No thank you.

[fishermanshook]

ASK: hi! i couldn't find if requests are open, sorry if they're closed rn. can i request some composer, orpheus and painter x fem/gn reader fluff?

DATE NITE!

( composer , novelist & painter ) + gn!reader

˙✧˖°🍓 ༘ ⋆｡˚ modern/celeb. au ?? , chars. are considered pretty big in the fine arts department + the world pretty much , silly little dates w/ them , ooc a bit , lower case intended , grammar and spelling warning

INTRO

mundane dates for people with too much on their plate.

꒰wc꒱ 1 k

THE COMPOSER ; FREDRICK KRIEGBURG

♫ | when it comes to going on dates with the musician, he much rather prefers something more secluded. something personal between the two of you. that’s why he [politely] turns down any offers on going out to things that are known for having big crowds, like festivals or loud concerts.

♫ | it’s the little things that count to fredrick, truly. the homemade dinner has been platted and served along with dimly lit candles and rose petals scattered across the floor. it’s so romantic and fredrick can’t help but feel so loved by you.

♫ | you’ve got music playing in the background as well. and, once you finish your meal, the two of you sway and dance to the song. the composer kisses your lips and for once, it feels like it’s just you and him, and he wishes he could do this with you every night.

the composer looks at you with playful contempt. “is this my song you're playing?”

you throw your head back in laughter. “of course it is silly, I’d be mad if I didn’t play at least one of your songs tonight.”

♫ | eventually, your dancing leads you to freddrick’s piano in the living room. you sit next to him as he plays you his newest creation. it’s a masterpiece, you tell him, followed by the question of what he’ll name it. fredrick chuckles to himself before revealing to you that it’ll be named after you.

“[name]’s symphony, doesn’t that sound delightful?”

THE NOVELIST ; “ORPHEUS” DEROSS

♪ | orpheus, similar to fredrick, likes to keep things personal. not the biggest fan of crowds, but he’s been in the middle of a few big ones due to book signing. he’s not too picky about what dates you guys go on and enjoys most if not all of the outings you plan together.

♪ | so what’s better than a coffee date followed by book shopping? well, lots of things in reality. orpheus definitely participated in extravagant and expensive activities thanks to his earned riches. but a coffee date makes everything feel normal again, a simpler time when he wasn’t flooded with the need to release the next great book. it’s a great way to spend time with you, he thinks.

♪ | the date is filled with hushed whispers and silent giggles as the two of you browse the library, steaming hot coffees in hand. or maybe it’s hot chocolate in your hand. you're too distracted with reading the back of another book to let him have a better look at your drink.

↳ going to a bookstore as a date was more of a “kill two birds with one stone” kind of deal. you knew that it would be a nice way to spend time together without doing anything too grand, and orpheus gets to look for new inspiration. plus, you get to see if any best sellers catch your eye.

“ooooo I like the sound of this book! I think I’m gonna snag it for myself.”

“lemme see, I can probably get it for you.” [he’s going to steal in and read it himself when you’re not looking]

♪ | you expect him to be engulfed in the books around him, flipping through the pages and seeing what other authors have put on display. instead, he looks at you with a type of fondness only you are graced with. he brings a thumb to your lip to wipe off the excess hot chocolate around your mouth. you smile and lean into his warm embrace.

“sorry, I'm too busy looking at you to notice any of the other books. let’s pick out some more together, ‘k?”

THE PAINTER ; EDGAR VALDEN

♩ | edgar valden is widely known for his skills when it comes to painting. he’s perfected everything, he’s mastered every medium, and his inspiration is seemingly endless. that’s what everyone thinks.

↳ edgar lets you in on probably one of his darkest secrets one night, lying in bed: he hasn’t mastered every single medium there is. his inspiration runs out quicker than most would think. and yes, he hasn’t truly perfected everything when it comes to the arts [mostly saying painting]. the reality of it all rains down on him with the pressure to fulfill such beliefs, but you let him know that it’s okay not to. no one should be expected to accomplish such a feat.

♩ | that’s why little dates like these are the ones he probably cherishes the most, despite how embarrassed and anxious he is walking into the art studio.

“they were 5 dollars a person! I thought it could be nice because we could both work on our art skills.”

“[NAME] WHAT IF SOMEONE NOTICES ME?!?!?”

♩ | that’s why he’s so nervous. the edgar valden, in a beginner's art class, learning how to make pottery? don’t the people expect more of him? you tell him no and that, they shouldn’t because he’s human.

↳ legit started hiding his face at the start of the session ‘cause he was so afraid someone would comment about him being here. you had to pry his hands away from his face.

♩ | it isn’t until maybe halfway through the class he starts to get the hang of things, and you're not far behind either. his beautiful, hand-crafted bowl looks stunning, you tell him. Well, not really. it looks more like a pinch pot, but you think it’s best to keep that to yourself.

↳ neither of you is good at pottery, and it just makes learning it that much more fun for the both of you. [edgar refuses to admit smh] he’s secretly dedicated to making a vase to replace the broken one in your apartment. he’ll paint it your favorite color and doodle your favorite flowers all across it. although, he can’t say that this is looking that much like a vase…

♩ | the two of you are complete messes at the end of it. colorful paint splattered across your face along with dried clay stuck and chipped off underneath your fingernails. you walk out having done your first of many pottery classes that day.

“thank you for planning this out. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, really.” edgar states before leaving a fleeting kiss on your cheek.

note: his my fishies…🤭🤭🤭 hope you all are having an amazing day / night. enjoy this short little request i got <3

© fishermanshook — no stealing , translating , plagiarizing or reposting my work on other any other sites + reblogs adored !!

[movingmusically]

Caught Feeling - Chapter 1

Synopsis:

Tired of her quiet, predictable life, a woman takes a spontaneous detour into a gritty bar. What begins as a distraction becomes a night of rediscovery, as an encounter with a captivating bartender brings her face-to-face with her own fears—and desires.

Author’s Note:

I’ve never written anything before, though I’ve always had stories in my head. Seeing all the Caught Stealing set content this week finally pushed me to get something down. I’ve combined the original two parts I posted earlier into one updated story, adding in some details I couldn’t leave out!

Word Count: 8,712

Masterlist

The truth is, I don’t really know what possessed me to walk into Paul’s tonight. I’m not the kind of person who normally does things like this—spontaneous, bold, risky. That’s never been me. Or at least, it hasn’t been me in a long time.

There was a time when I was more comfortable in my own skin, when my shyness didn’t feel like a weight. It used to be a part of me, something I accepted, something I lived with rather than fought against. I could be quiet and still feel confident, blending into the background but never doubting my worth. But somewhere along the way, that shifted. The quiet I once enjoyed now feels stifling. I’m constantly second-guessing myself, overthinking every little action, every word I say, as if there’s some invisible audience keeping score.

The world feels too loud, too fast, and I feel too small in it.

Lately, the silence of my own company has become less of a comfort and more of a reminder. A reminder that I’m stuck. That life is moving forward, and I’m standing still, watching everyone else go on without me. I can’t even remember the last time I did something that made me feel...alive. Not just existing from one day to the next but really feeling like I’m part of something—part of the world instead of just a spectator.

Tonight, it feels like I’ve reached some invisible limit. I can’t take another evening of staring at the same four walls, of flicking through channels without really watching, of pretending I’m okay with the monotony. Work drained me, as it always does, leaving me too exhausted to think but somehow too restless to sleep. My mind feels like it’s stuck in a loop, clogged with the same old worries that circle endlessly, without resolution. They’re small things—most of them, at least—but they pile up, weighing me down until I can barely breathe under their collective pressure.

Normally, I’d push through it, fall back into my routine because that’s what I do. I know the safe route; I’ve perfected it over time. But tonight, the routine felt unbearable. The thought of going home, of slipping back into the same old patterns—it made my chest tighten with the kind of dread I couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t that I had a plan, not really. I just knew I couldn’t face another night of nothingness.

So instead of walking home like I always do, I took a different path, literally. One foot in front of the other, the sidewalk unfamiliar beneath me as I moved further away from everything that felt safe and known. It wasn’t intentional, not at first. But the farther I walked, the more it felt like I was being pulled—by something I couldn’t name, some need inside me that I’ve been trying to ignore for too long.

And that’s how I ended up here, standing in front of Paul’s, the bar I’ve passed countless times but never once considered entering. It’s not my kind of place. Never has been. It’s gritty, loud, with an edge that feels too rough for someone like me. The kind of bar where everyone seems to know each other, where conversations are shared over sticky countertops and half-drunk glasses of whiskey. The regulars here probably have stories they’ve told a hundred times, stories about the kind of life I don’t live—the kind of life I always thought I didn’t want.

But maybe tonight, I don’t want to be the kind of person who always plays it safe, who blends into the background without ever leaving a mark. Maybe tonight, I need to be someone else. Someone who isn’t so afraid to take up space. Someone who doesn’t spend hours dissecting every interaction, every conversation, until the memory of it feels more like a mistake than a moment.

I step inside, and immediately, the atmosphere hits me like a wave. The smell of cigarette smoke clings to the air, mixing with the sharp scent of alcohol and something else I can’t quite place. It’s dimly lit, the kind of place where shadows linger in the corners, and the faces blur together unless you’re really looking. There’s a hum of conversation, the low murmur of voices blending with the occasional burst of laughter, creating a background noise that fills the space without overpowering it.

I don’t know why, but the second I cross the threshold, I feel the weight of the room shift. Not in any obvious way. It’s not like anyone stops what they’re doing to look at me—most people are too engrossed in their own lives, their own stories. But I feel it. I feel different, like I’ve stepped out of my usual world and into something unfamiliar, something that makes my nerves buzz just beneath the surface of my skin.

For a brief moment, I want to turn around, to leave before anyone even notices I’m here. That familiar urge to retreat, to go back to what I know, bubbles up inside me, threatening to overwhelm the tentative boldness that brought me here in the first place. But I don’t leave. I take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, and then force myself to stay. To move further into the bar, even though every part of me is screaming to turn back.

I make my way toward the bar, my steps feeling both too loud and too quiet at the same time. My eyes flick around, taking in the crowd, but not really seeing anyone. I feel exposed, out of place, but at the same time, there’s a strange comfort in knowing that no one is really paying attention to me. I can be invisible here if I want to be—and that’s fine. I’m not here to be noticed. I don’t need anyone to see me.

I just need a break—from my own head, from the endless loop of thoughts and worries that seem to follow me wherever I go. I don’t know what I’m hoping to find here, or if I’m even looking for anything at all. All I know is that tonight, I couldn’t go home. I needed to be somewhere different, somewhere unfamiliar, somewhere that wasn’t the same quiet, predictable space where my thoughts would close in on me again.

That’s when I see him.

He was positioned behind the bar, leaning casually against the counter with an ease that suggested he was in his element, practically part of the furniture. His blonde hair, tousled and slightly unkempt, peeked out from under a well-worn baseball cap, pulled down just enough to give him a hint of mystery, shadowing his piercing blue eyes. Those eyes caught mine with an intensity that felt almost tangible, sharp and probing, as if he could peel back the layers of anyone who happened to fall under his gaze.

For a brief moment, the thought of diverting my eyes flitted through my mind, a reflex to escape the unexpected vulnerability I felt under his scrutiny. But I didn’t look away. Instead, our eyes locked, and a slow, knowing smile spread across his face—a smile that seemed to see right through to the nerves I was trying so hard to mask. He held my gaze for a beat too long, creating a moment charged with an unspoken challenge before he turned his attention back to the drinks he was pouring.

A stir of something unfamiliar fluttered inside me—a cocktail of nerves, curiosity, and an exhilarating sense of daring. This wasn't typically me; I was not one to flirt openly, especially with bartenders, nor to sit alone boldly in such a buzzing place. But tonight was different. Tonight, I felt drawn to the unknown, compelled to explore whatever this could lead to.

As I approached the bar, each step seemed amplified, my awareness heightened as if every movement was a statement of intent. I slid onto a stool, feeling the coolness of the leather through my jeans, and my presence seemed to draw his attention once more. The bottles behind him caught the soft lighting of the bar, casting a kaleidoscope of colours across the polished surface. The room was steeped in the smells of smoke and aged wood, enriched with a hint of something musky, almost intoxicating.

He glanced up as I settled in, his earlier smile returning, expectant, as if he had anticipated the challenge I was about to present.

“What’ll it be?” he asked, his voice a rough blend of warmth and rasp, perfectly echoing the raw, ambient energy of the bar.

Under normal circumstances, I’d have a standard order ready, something simple and unassuming, designed to blend in rather than stand out. But tonight, driven by a newfound audacity, I hesitated, meeting his gaze squarely. “Whatever you recommend,” I ventured, my voice more steady than I felt.

His eyebrow arched, clearly amused by my response, and his smirk widened, adding a playful edge to his already compelling demeanour. “You trust me to pick for you?”

I nodded, the gesture firm despite the fluttering in my stomach. “Yeah. Surprise me.”

He chuckled, a low sound that seemed to resonate with a hint of respect, or perhaps challenge. Shaking his head as if in disbelief at my daring, he reached for a bottle. “Alright, you asked for it.”

Watching him work was like observing a skilled artist; each movement was fluid and assured. He selected ingredients with precision, mixing them with a practiced hand that spoke of years behind the bar. As he prepared the drink, I found myself stealing glances, drawn to the confident way he navigated his domain.

He slid the drink across the bar with a smooth motion, and when his fingers brushed mine, a spark of electricity zipped through me, startling and vivid.

“Here you go,” he said, his tone light, that easy grin playing on his lips again. “Let me know what you think.”

I took a tentative sip, and the drink was a revelation—smooth with an undercurrent of complexity that mirrored the night itself. It warmed me, loosening the edges of my anxiety, coaxing a sense of openness I hadn’t felt upon walking in.

“Not bad,” I replied, my own smile a reflection of his, a silent acknowledgment of the small adventure I had embarked upon.

His eyes studied me, a flicker of intrigue passing through them. “Good to know,” he said, his voice tinged with a subtle warmth. He momentarily excused himself to attend to another customer, his movements efficient and practiced as he refilled a drink without missing a beat.

As he worked, the familiar atmosphere of the bar wrapped around us—a comfortable hum of background chatter mingled with the clink of glasses and the occasional cheer from patrons watching the baseball game on the television above. Adjusting his cap, he made his way back to where I was sitting, his approach marked by an easy, confident smile that seemed to pull the dim light of the bar towards him.

Normally, I’d be tongue-tied, fumbling for words, but here, with him, it felt different.

“So, you come here often?” I asked, aiming for light-hearted but cringing a bit at the cliché.

He chuckled, a light, engaging sound that drew a grin from me. “I guess you could say that. I work here most nights. Name’s Hank, by the way,” he introduced himself, extending a hand across the bar.

Hank. It suited him perfectly—strong, straightforward, with just the right amount of rugged charm.

“I’m—” I began, ready to offer my own name, but just then, a regular at the end of the bar caught Hank’s attention, loudly requesting help with the jukebox that was stubbornly refusing to accept their money. Hank shot me a quick, conspiratorial smile that promised he’d return, and then he was off, his stride confident as he navigated the crowded space.

I watched him as he worked, noting the way his shoulders rolled with each movement, the casual confidence in his stride. There was something undeniably magnetic about him, something that drew the eye and held it. It wasn’t just his looks—though those certainly didn’t hurt—it was the way he seemed so completely at ease in his environment, as if he were as much a fixture of the bar as the shelves of liquor behind him.

As he adjusted the jukebox, his eyes occasionally flicked to the small television mounted above the bar. The San Francisco Giants were playing, and it was clear from his intermittent nods and muttered comments to another patron that he was following the game.

When he returned, the noise level in the bar had dropped a bit, and he leaned in slightly to resume our conversation. “Big Giants fan?” I asked, gesturing towards his hat and the screen above us.

"Definitely," Hank said, his smile broadening. "I played a ton in high school back in California, but a bad leg break sidelined me for good. Now, I never miss a game, it helps keep the spirit alive."

“From baseball player to master mixologist,” I observed, noting the transition from his past interests to his current profession. “Looks like you’ve got it all figured out.”

He let out a soft chuckle, a hint of irony flickering in his eyes. “Something like that,” he replied with a slight shrug. “Though life always has a few surprises up its sleeve, doesn’t it?”

As the evening unfolded, the bar had thinned out, not nearly as busy as when I first arrived, but still lively enough to keep Hank moving between customers. Between sharing a laugh, or tossing a rag over his shoulder with casual grace, his eyes would inevitably return, as though drawn by some unspoken pull. Each time he approached, it felt like we were continuing a conversation that had never really stopped, even if words weren’t always exchanged. It was more about his presence—the way he leaned in slightly, his focus making it seem like nothing else in the room mattered.

The warmth of the alcohol settled into me, quieting my usual reservations. It wasn’t enough to cloud my thoughts—I was still fully aware—but it gave me a newfound confidence. With each passing moment, the initial unease melted away, replaced by a comfortable rhythm between us.

“So, what brings you to Paul’s tonight? You don’t exactly blend in with the usual crowd here,” Hank inquired after a while, his tone casual but curious, his eyes searching mine for something deeper than the surface-level chit-chat.

I hesitated, the question more profound than I had anticipated sharing with a near-stranger. Yet, something about Hank’s straightforwardness, underscored by the honest curiosity in his eyes, made me want to open up.

I shrugged, glancing around. “Just needed a change of scenery, I guess. This isn’t exactly my usual kind of place.”

He chuckled, leaning against the bar, his blue eyes flicking up to the TV screen for a moment where the end credits of the game were rolling. “Yeah, I kind of figured. You’ve got that look—like you’re used to being somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else like… where?” I asked, curious what he saw in me.

He paused, his gaze momentarily drifting off as if visualising the answer, then locked back onto me with a reflective expression. “I dunno. A café, maybe? Somewhere quiet. You strike me as someone who appreciates peace.”

I smiled, touched by his perceptiveness. “You’re not wrong. I’m definitely more of a coffee shop girl than a bar regular.”

Hank’s eyes twinkled with a mixture of curiosity and amusement as he leaned in a bit, resting his chin on his hand, studying me as if he was putting together a puzzle. “Let me guess,” he started, his voice lowering to a warm, playful tone, “you’ve got that favourite little corner spot, don’t you? Always tucked away with a book or maybe a notebook for doodling or jotting down your thoughts. And I bet you drink your coffee black, no distractions—just you and your thoughts.”

The accuracy of his assumptions made me burst into laughter, more open and genuine than I expected in such a setting. “Okay, you’re close,” I conceded, still chuckling. “But, I do take a little sugar with my coffee—just a touch to sweeten the deal.”

His laughter joined mine, creating a light, easy atmosphere that seemed to set the tone for whatever was to come. “Noted,” he said, with a mock-serious nod. “I’ll remember that for next time.”

The lighthearted moment briefly subsided as he posed a more thoughtful question, his tone lowering to a gentle, inviting rumble. “So, what’s got you stepping out of your coffee shop comfort zone tonight?”

Glancing down at my glass, the swirl of liquid momentarily mesmerising, I acknowledged the underlying current of vulnerability. Yet, there was an ease in Hank’s presence that coaxed the words from me more freely than I expected. “I don’t know... I just didn’t want to be alone tonight. Work’s been overwhelming, I guess I just needed a break from myself for a while. From the routine, the quiet. You ever feel that way?”

Hank’s response was a nod, his eyes softening with a deep understanding. “Yeah, more than you’d think.” Curiosity piqued, I found myself more drawn to him, seeing him not only in his role here but as someone who genuinely understood the struggles people go through. “What about you? You seem like the kind of guy who’s seen it all here. What keeps you coming back?”

“The people, I guess,” he said thoughtfully, his eyes meeting mine again. “Everyone who walks in has their own story, their own reason for being here. I like that—it’s unpredictable. I can be part of the background or something more, depending on the night. Tonight feels different, though.”

“Different how?” I asked, my voice quieter now, the conversation shifting as his attention became more focused.

“Maybe it’s you,” he said, his tone teasing but his gaze serious. “You stand out. You’re not trying to blend in, like most people who come in here to disappear for a bit.”

I felt a shiver run through me, even though his words were light. “I wasn’t really planning on standing out,” I admitted, my voice softer now, a little shy.

He folded his arms on the bar, leaning in just a touch closer. The subtle intimacy of the gesture didn’t go unnoticed. “Well, I’m glad you did.”

I felt my cheeks warm, surprised at how much I liked hearing that. “Yeah… me too,” I said, smiling just enough to let him know I meant it.

He smiled back, his voice dropping lower. “Sometimes, stepping into something unfamiliar is exactly what we need to remind ourselves what we’ve been missing.”

There was a brief pause, comfortable yet charged with an unspoken acknowledgment of the connection forming between us. “And what do you think I’ve been missing?”

He leaned in, closing the space between us. “Maybe something real. Something that pulls you out of the everyday.”

I held his gaze, my heart racing a little faster now. “Maybe I am.”

“Well,” he said, his voice barely a whisper, “you’re not alone in that.”

The air between us thickened, charged with an undeniable pull. Even in the quiet, there was no mistaking the connection forming between us—raw, real, and electric.

The last patrons trickled out, and the bar lights dimmed slightly, signalling the end of the night. The soft glow cast shadows that only made the space feel more intimate. A slow, soulful tune from the jukebox filled the room, amplifying the closeness between us.

Hank leaned in a little more, his hands idly wiping down the already spotless counter, though his attention was fully on me. The air around us felt thick with unspoken anticipation, a magnetic pull that neither of us could ignore.

"You’ve definitely changed the vibe in here tonight," Hank murmured, his voice a low, warm rumble that seemed to match the mood of the room. “Doesn’t happen often.”

I felt a flush of heat rise to my cheeks but found myself leaning in too, letting the moment take over. "Is that your way of saying you hope I come back?" I asked, my tone playful, though beneath it, there was something bolder, something daring.

A slow smile spread across his face, one that made my pulse quicken. “I’m definitely saying that. You’ve made tonight... different. And I like it.”

The room felt smaller, as though it was just the two of us, the rest of the world fading into the background. Our eyes locked, the tension between us humming with an intensity that felt almost tangible. Neither of us moved to break it.

Hank leaned a little closer. There was a question forming on his lips, one that seemed to dance in his eyes as he paused, giving the moment the weight it deserved.

His gaze flicked to the back door, then back to me, and I could see the question in his eyes before he said it. “You wanna get out of here?” His voice was low, the words hanging in the air between us like a challenge.

The invitation was clear, laden with possibilities and the thrill of continuing whatever was unfolding between us outside the confines of the bar walls. I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. Normally, I would hesitate, tangled in self-doubt and over-analysis. But tonight felt different. It felt like a return to an older version of myself—I took a deep breath, embracing the liberating shift, and met Hank's gaze with a quiet nod.

"Yeah," I said softly, "I do."

Hank nodded, a knowing smile spreading across his face as he moved towards the employees-only door at the far end of the bar. He gestured for me to come closer to where the bar ended, and I walked towards him, my heart pounding in my ears.

As I reached the end of the bar, I found myself separated from him by a pane of glass that partitioned off the employees’ area. Above Hank, the neon “BAR” sign bathed him in an ethereal glow, casting dramatic shadows across his features, highlighting the contours of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes, and the gentle curve of his full lips. He reached up to unlock the door from his side, his eyes locked on mine.

Our hands met through the glass, fingertips aligning in a moment charged with anticipation. The cool surface couldn’t lessen the warmth that radiated from his touch. With a soft click, he swung the door open, diminishing the barrier between us.

“After you,” he said, his voice low and inviting. I moved around the partition, stepping into his world behind the bar for the first time. There was an intimate thrill to being on his side, close enough to share his space.

Together, we walked towards the back of the bar, where a heavy door led to the alley outside. As Hank pushed it open the cool night air hit my skin, but it did little to cool the fire that had been burning between us all night. The alley behind the bar was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls, but I barely noticed. All I could focus on was him—the way his broad shoulders moved, the way his hands flexed at his sides as if he was holding himself back.

We stopped just outside the door, and before I had time to second-guess myself, he turned to me, stepping in close. The space between us disappeared in an instant, and I felt his hand at my waist, pulling me gently but firmly against him. My breath caught in my throat, and for a split second, all I could do was look up into those mesmerising blue eyes, my heart pounding in my chest.

Then he kissed me.

It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t slow. His lips crashed against mine, urgent and hungry, like he’d been waiting all night for this moment. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer as his mouth moved against mine, and I kissed him back just as fiercely, my fingers instinctively finding their way to the base of his skull. His hair was soft, curling around my fingers as I tangled my hands in it, pulling him closer.

He let out a low, guttural sound, the kind of sound that sent shivers down my spine and made my knees weak. His hands slid up my back, his fingers digging into my skin as he pressed me against the brick wall behind us. The roughness of the wall was a stark contrast to the heat of his body, and I arched into him, wanting—needing—to be closer.

As he kissed me deeper, the sensation was overwhelming—like a storm that obliterates everything else, leaving only a beautiful, blissful blankness in its wake. It blew my mind how everything inside me cast into darkness, every worry dissolving in the heat of his touch. What a relief it was, not having to think anymore.

My hands stayed tangled in his hair, pulling him down harder as his lips trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along my jawline.

This wasn’t me. This wasn’t the shy, quiet girl who kept to herself, who avoided risks. But right now, with Hank’s body pressed against mine, his lips on my skin, I didn’t care. All I cared about was him, the way he made me feel—alive, bold, free.

And I wasn’t about to stop.

His breath was hot against my skin as his lips moved lower, trailing down my neck, and I could feel every nerve in my body igniting. I tugged at his hair again, just enough to pull him back to my mouth, and when our lips met, the kiss was even more intense—desperate, as if we both knew this moment was everything we had been building up to all night.

I could feel his body press harder against mine, his hands roaming over my waist, my hips, pulling me even closer as though the small space between us was unbearable. My back hit the rough surface of the brick wall again, but the discomfort only heightened the sensation. The world outside the alley faded away—there were no more sounds from the bar, no distant cars, just the pounding of our hearts and the shared heat between us.

When he finally pulled back, his breathing was ragged, and he rested his forehead against mine, his blue eyes searching my face in the dim light. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he murmured, his voice low and thick with desire.

I swallowed, my breath still catching in my throat. “I think I do,” I whispered back, unable to stop the smile that tugged at my lips.

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. “I thought I had you all figured out, but… you keep surprising me.”

“I’m surprising myself,” I admitted, my fingers still tangled in his hair, feeling the warmth of his scalp beneath my touch. “But I like it.”

He pulled back just enough to look at me fully, his gaze softening for a moment, as if he was trying to read me—trying to make sure I was still in control, still wanting this as much as he did. And I was. More than I’d ever imagined.

“What now?” His voice was a little quieter, a little less hurried, but still laced with that same intensity.

I didn’t need to think about it. I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his again, this time slower, more deliberate, savouring the feel of him, the taste of his mouth. “I don’t want this to stop,” I whispered between kisses, my hands sliding down to grip his shoulders, feeling the tension in his muscles as he held back.

He groaned softly against my lips, his hands gripping my hips tighter. “It doesn’t have to.”

The way he said it, so sure, made my heart race even faster. We were in an alley behind a bar, but in this moment, it didn’t matter. Nothing felt rushed or wrong. It felt like exactly where we were supposed to be. Like I had finally stepped into a part of myself I’d been avoiding for too long. And with him, it felt… right.

The intensity between us burned hotter, and soon, his hands were back on my waist, sliding under my shirt, his fingers grazing the skin there in a way that made me gasp. I could feel the roughness of the brick wall behind me, but all I could focus on was him—his touch, his breath, the way he seemed just as lost in this as I was.

But there was something else too, a sense of grounding I hadn’t expected. He wasn’t rushing. He wasn’t pushing. He was waiting, following my lead, giving me the space to feel, to take in every second of this. And I knew, in that moment, that whatever happened next, it was because we both wanted it. Because we were both ready for it.

And as the world around us continued to disappear, the night taking over, I knew that whatever came next—whether it lasted for just this night or beyond—it would be the best decision I’d ever made.

But then, as if sensing a shift in the moment, Hank’s lips stilled against mine. He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against mine, our breaths mingling in the cool night air. His fingers tightened on my waist as though he couldn’t bear to let me go for even a second, but his voice was softer now, more grounded. “We should get out of here.”

My eyes fluttered open, meeting his in the dim light. He was still close, so close, his blue eyes darker now, full of unspoken promise. “Yeah,” I breathed, my heart still racing. “We should.”

Without another word, he gently untangled us from the wall, his hand sliding into mine as he led me out of the alley. The sudden openness of the quiet street hit me all at once, the world outside the alley much brighter, sharper, but I barely registered it. All I could think about was the way Hank’s thumb traced small circles on the back of my hand as we walked, like he needed the physical connection to tether us to the moment. I held his hand tighter, feeling the warmth radiating through his palm, the steadiness in the way he held me.

We walked in silence for a minute, the intensity of the night lingering between us. There was no rush, no need for words right now—just the sound of our footsteps echoing softly in the quiet night. I couldn’t help but steal glances at him as we walked, at the way his jaw clenched and relaxed, his gaze still fixed ahead, but every now and then flicking back to me with that same heat that had burned between us all night.

With every step, the cool night seemed to draw us closer, the world fading until there was nothing but the warmth of his hand in mine. Finally, we reached his apartment. Hank fumbled with the keys for just a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, betraying a mix of nerves and excitement. The lock clicked, the sound echoing slightly in the quiet hallway, and the door swung open, revealing the inviting glow of warm light inside.

He stepped aside, letting me walk in first, his hand still wrapped around mine. The apartment was simple but cozy, a space that felt lived in but not cluttered. Warm light spilled from a nearby lamp, casting a golden hue over dark wood furniture, soft blankets draped over a well-worn couch, and a guitar propped in the corner. The air was tinged with a scent that was both woodsy and intimately familiar—perhaps cedar, or simply the essence of Hank—enveloping me in a sense of deep, comforting familiarity.

As he shut the door behind us, the soft click of the lock seemed to seal us off from the rest of the world. The moment was heavy with anticipation, yet it carried a tenderness that made the space between us feel charged yet safe. I stood still, taking in the room, and felt his presence behind me. Turning slowly, I met his gaze—intense, dark, yet filled with a softness that drew me closer.

The electric connection that had sparked between us earlier was not only still present but had intensified in the privacy of his space. His eyes momentarily searched mine, a silent question lingering in their depths, ensuring I was truly there with him, in this moment. Reassured by my subtle nod, his familiar half-smile appeared, sending a rush of warmth through me.

He approached me, each step measured and unhurried. Reaching me, he raised his hand to gently cup my face, his thumb tenderly brushing my cheek in a touch that grounded and calmed me. His fingers wove through my hair, and a shiver ran down my spine as his thumb delicately traced my lower lip, the gesture so filled with intent and tenderness that my breath hitched in anticipation.

For a moment, we simply stood there, barely inches apart, the stillness of his apartment wrapping around us. Then, driven by playful curiosity, I reached up and gently tugged at the brim of his cap, pulling it off. His hair, tousled and soft, spilled over his forehead. The golden lamplight highlighted subtle waves, which caught the light as they fell free. I smiled and let the cap drop to the floor.

“I’ve been wanting to see you without this,” I teased, my fingers weaving through his hair, exploring its texture—thick and surprisingly soft, curling lightly against my fingers. He exhaled a soft sigh, a sound of relief or perhaps pleasure, his eyes deepening into a more intense hue as they locked with mine.

“It feels better already,” he murmured, the timbre of his voice low and inviting. His hands found their way to my waist, his touch firm yet gentle, anchoring me close to him as his gaze stayed fixed on mine, conveying a depth of feeling that went beyond mere attraction.

We kissed again, but this time it was different—slower, more deliberate, as if we were savouring every second. His hands roamed over my waist, tracing the curves of my hips before gliding up my back, each touch sending shivers cascading through me. I leaned into him, my body pressing closer, feeling the firm warmth of his chest against mine.

His lips left mine only to trail down to my neck, soft and warm as he planted a line of kisses from my jaw to my collarbone. My breath caught in my throat, a flush of heat sweeping over me as his hands slid under the hem of my shirt, his fingers grazing the bare skin of my lower back. I arched into him, wanting more of his touch, more of him.

But he maintained a tantalising pace, not rushing the moment. His hands explored with deliberation, exploring the contours of my body as if he wished to etch them into his memory. His touch was gentle yet assertive, guiding without pressuring, and I felt the attentiveness in every movement, ensuring I was fully present with him. My hands wandered across his chest, tracing the defined muscles beneath his shirt, revelling in how his body tensed responsively to my touch.

He kissed me again, deeper this time, and in a quiet plea for more, I tugged gently at the hem of his shirt. He pulled back just enough to help me lift it over his head, tossing it to the side. The sight of him—shirtless, standing before me in the soft light—made my heart race even faster. His torso was sculpted and firm, his skin radiating warmth under my fingertips as I followed the lines of his muscles, feeling the slight tension there as if he, too, was holding back, letting the moment unfold slowly.

Hank’s hands slid up my sides, his fingers brushing over the fabric of my shirt as he slowly began to lift it. I raised my arms in silent consent, allowing him to pull the garment over my head. The cool air brushed against my skin, yet it paled in comparison to the fervour of his touch. His hands returned to the small of my back, drawing me in until our bodies aligned. I was now standing in just my bra and jeans, my bare skin pressing against his, the direct contact of our skin was electrifying.

His gaze swept over me, filled with a mixture of awe and desire, yet he maintained his deliberate pace. Leaning in, he kissed me tenderly, his hands rising along my back to trace the contours of my spine, finally pausing at the clasp of my bra. He hesitated, his breath warm against my ear, his voice a soft murmur, “Is this okay?”

I nodded, breathless, my hands running up his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my palms. “Yes.”

He smiled against my skin, his fingers deftly unhooking my bra before letting it fall to the floor. His hands were on me again in an instant, warm and firm, sliding up to cup my breasts gently, his thumbs brushing over my skin in slow, teasing circles.

Hank’s lips grazed my collarbone, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down to the swell of my chest. His hands explored me with deliberate care, his touch sending waves of heat coursing through my body. When his mouth found my nipple, he teased it gently, the sensation sparking something deep and primal inside me. I let out a soft moan, my fingers tightening in his hair. “God, that feels amazing,” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He let out a low groan as he lifted me with ease, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. His hands tightened around my thighs, keeping me close, I could feel the hardness of his body pressing into mine, each step toward the bedroom intensifying my need for him, the heat between us nearly unbearable.

He laid me down gently on the bed, his body hovering over mine, his hands never leaving my skin. He kissed me again, slow and deep, as his hands moved down my sides, tracing the line of my ribs, my hips, before reaching the waistband of my jeans. His fingers lingered there for a moment, his touch light but full of promise.

My body ached for him, the need overwhelming now, and I reached up, my hands tugging at his belt. Hank’s breath hitched as I unfastened it, my fingers slowly working the buckle before moving to the button of his jeans. I eased the zipper down, each movement deliberate, and he quickly followed my lead, his fingers deftly undoing the button on mine. With one smooth motion, he eased both my jeans and underwear down. I sat up slightly, desire tightening in my core as I eagerly guided his jeans and boxers down. He groaned softly as I slid the fabric over his hips , and I couldn’t help but bite my lip, heat flooding through me as I took in the sight of him, feeling a mix of awe and raw need.

With nothing left between us, Hank moved closer, his weight slowly pressing down as he hovered above me, our bodies finally connecting. The sensation of his warmth and the solid press of his length against me was overwhelming, yet exactly what I craved. His lips found mine again, gentler this time, while his hands explored me with careful intention, as if he wanted to savour every moment and memorise every inch of me.

He paused for a moment, his forehead resting against mine as he caught his breath, his hands still cupping my waist, his thumbs gently brushing over my skin.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his voice rough with yearning.

I smiled up at him, my hands sliding up to cup his face, pulling him down for another kiss. “So are you.”

It was intoxicating—he was intoxicating. And yet, as his hand slid down my side, I felt a flicker of something else. This isn’t me, I thought, not for the first time tonight. The quiet, careful girl who played it safe, who kept her feelings locked away, wouldn’t have ended up here. But with Hank—with him—everything felt different. It wasn’t just the heat between us or the way his touch made my body come alive. It was the way he looked at me, the way he saw me, like there was no one else in the world but us.

And for the first time, I wasn’t afraid to let go.

His fingers traced lower, along the length of my thigh, caressing the sensitive skin there. He kissed just beneath my ear, and I could feel the soft brush of his hair as he moved, his breath heavy but controlled. Hank’s hand moved between my legs, his fingers parting me gently, slick with my wetness, exploring with a careful but knowing touch. My breath caught, and I let out a soft moan, my body arching into him, craving more. I could feel the tension building inside me, every nerve alight with sensation, and the way he touched me—so deliberate, so focused—made the moment feel even more intense.

He lifted his head, his lips brushing against mine as he met my gaze, his blue eyes dark and full of need. There was something in the way he looked at me, something that made my heart pound even harder—like he was asking for more than just permission. He was asking for trust.

And I gave it to him.

My hips shifted with his movements, my body instinctively responding as his fingers pressed deeper, working in rhythm with my rising need. His touch sent waves of heat through me, building toward a release I could feel just out of reach. His lips moved against mine, his breath ragged as he murmured my name, his voice thick with want. I could feel the urgency in every kiss, every movement, as he drew me closer to the edge.

This wasn’t me—this wasn’t who I normally was. I didn’t do this. I didn’t sleep with men I’d just met. I had always been cautious, reserved, taking my time before giving myself over to moments like this. But with Hank, none of that mattered. There was something different here—something raw and honest that made me let go in a way I never had before.

I wasn’t inexperienced, far from it. I knew what I wanted, and right now, I wanted him. It wasn’t the uncertainty of the newness that had me trembling beneath him; it was the way he made me feel like this was more than just the moment. It was the way he looked at me like he saw me—like I wasn’t just a passing encounter, but something real.

Without breaking our connection, Hank shifted, his mouth moving lower as his fingers continued their steady rhythm. My hands tangled in his hair as I guided him down, my body urging him on. Then his lips were on me, soft and insistent, sending another rush of pleasure through me. My hand moved to grip the sheets beside me as he sucked gently, amplifying the sensation while his fingers stayed firm, working me toward release. I gasped, my legs tightening around him, instinctively holding him there as I let go completely, my body giving in as the waves of pleasure crashed over me.

I’d never let go like this before—not with someone I’d just met. But right now, I wasn’t thinking about what was usual or expected. I was just thinking about him.

Breathless, I felt him move back up, laying the length of his body gently against mine. Before he could say anything, I pulled him into a slow, deep kiss, tasting the remnants of my release on his lips. When I finally pulled back, his eyes locked onto mine. “You’re incredible,” he whispered, his voice rough, filled with both satisfaction and unspoken need.

My heart raced, still buzzing from the release, and I breathed out a soft, teasing reply. “Not done yet,” I murmured, my lips brushing his jaw. The warmth of his skin against mine only fuelled the fire that hadn’t quite faded.

With a shift of my hips, I surprised both of us, rolling him over beneath me. Hank let out a low groan, his hands instinctively settling on my waist as I straddled him, my confidence growing as I took control. His eyes locked on mine, dark with hunger, and I could feel the rapid beat of his heart under my palms as I pressed them firmly to his chest.

“You like that?” I whispered, his answer was another groan, deeper this time, as his hands gripped my hips a little tighter. “You have no idea,” he growled, his voice full of want.

I leaned down, letting my lips barely graze his, keeping him just on the edge of what he craved, knowing I was the one in control now.

I hovered just above him, our breaths coming fast, feeling the heat radiating from his body, knowing he wanted more—needed more. But I held back, teasing him with the lightest brush of my lips, making him wait, making him want it as much as I did. His grip tightened on me, his fingers pressing into my skin as he resisted the urge to take control again.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he rasped, his voice thick with desire.

I smirked against his lips, revelling in the power I had over him in that moment. “Good,” I whispered, barely audible, before pressing my lips to his in a deep, languid kiss that made his whole body tense beneath me.

Hank groaned into my mouth as I moved my hips ever so slightly, teasing him with the smallest amount of friction. His body reacted immediately, his hands gripping my waist with a new urgency, but I wasn’t ready to give in just yet. I wanted to savour every second of this, every sound he made, every look in his eyes.

“Please,” he muttered against my lips, his voice hoarse, laced with desperation that sent a thrill through me.

I pressed my palms against his chest, feeling the heat of his skin and the tension in his muscles. “I’m just getting started,” I teased, lowering my lips to his neck, letting my teeth gently graze the skin there, sending a shiver through him. The soft gasp that escaped his lips sent a thrill through me, and I knew I was in control now.

He let out a low growl, his control slipping just enough that I could feel the shift in his body, the tension coiling tighter, and it sent another rush of excitement through me. I rocked my hips again, this time giving him just a little more of what he wanted, and the sound he made—deep, desperate—was enough to make my pulse race.

He tried to move beneath me, but I pressed him back down, holding him there with just a look, my body hovering above his as I whispered, “Let me.”

His breath hitched, his hands stilling on my waist as he nodded, his eyes dark and filled with nothing but need. He was completely mine in that moment, and the feeling was electric.

Slowly, I lowered myself onto him, taking his entire length with one long, languid thrust. I began to move, letting the rhythm build between us, each motion deliberate, but this time, I wasn’t holding back. His hands tightened on my hips, guiding me as I set the pace, every sound he made spurring me on.

I didn’t think about anything except the feel of him. It was the not thinking I loved most, the not thinking that I never wanted to end.

“You’re incredible,” he breathed, his voice almost reverent as his eyes met mine, and the intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine. “I can’t… get enough of you.”

The words sent a surge of heat through me, my movements becoming more urgent, more desperate, as the tension between us spiralled higher. His hands roamed over my body, tracing every curve, every line, and I could feel the restraint slipping from both of us, the heat between us burning hotter with each passing second.

I leaned down, letting my lips capture his again, this time deeper, my tongue sliding against his, claiming him just as he claimed me. His hands gripped my hips tighter, matching my pace as the intensity grew, our bodies completely in sync, every breath, every movement pushing us closer to the edge.

“Hank,” I gasped, my hands gripping his shoulders as I rocked against him, my body trembling with the intensity of it all.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, his voice raw and full of promise. And then, with a swift movement, he sat up, pulling me with him so I was still straddling his lap. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close as his lips moved to my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. I gasped as he left soft love bites along my collarbone and down the side of my neck, his breath hot against my skin, each kiss, each bite sending a new wave of heat through me.

I gripped the back of his neck, my fingers digging into his skin as I arched into him, every nerve alight with sensation as his mouth worked its way across my skin, leaving a trail of pleasure in its wake.

The tension between us spiralled higher, my release building fast as my body tightened around him, the pleasure growing more intense with each second. His lips stayed on my neck, hands gripping my hips as he urged me to move, guiding me to grind harder against him. That added pressure sent me over the edge, and with one final push, I shattered, the pleasure crashing over me in waves.

Hank’s name escaped my lips in a broken whisper as I came undone above him, my body shaking with the force of my release, wave after wave, my mind completely lost in him. I felt him follow soon after, his grip tightening on my hips as he buried his face in the curve of my neck, his breath ragged and hot against my skin as his own release overtook him. His body tensed beneath me, and I could feel the shudder that went through him as we rode the high together, leaving me breathless and trembling in his arms.

For a moment, we just stayed like that, our bodies tangled together, our breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as we slowly came down from the high. His lips brushed my collarbone once more, softer this time, tender, before he leaned back, his eyes meeting mine.

“You…” he started, his voice hoarse, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I don’t have words.”

I smiled back, my own heart still racing, but this time, it wasn’t just from the intensity of the moment—it was from the way he looked at me, like I was something more. Something important. “Good,” I whispered, my voice just as raw, “I don’t need them.”

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest as his hands slid up my back, pulling me close once again. I curled up against him, my head resting on his chest as our breaths slowly synced. I could hear the steady beat of his heart beneath me, feel the warmth of his skin, and for the first time in a long time, I felt completely at peace.

And as we sat there, tangled together, I knew that whatever this was—whatever we were—it was only just beginning.

Masterlist

[audrey-carr1]

The Heiress and the Lady of the House (part 1)

Author's note: Due to a lack of Hetty x reader fics I decided to fix that. This will more than likely be a series! For future writings, I will take requests as well! Please don't be too upset with how i write because I'm still learning how to write for Hetty. We all know she's a simple yet complex lady. We learn as we go. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

warnings: fem!reader, hettyxreader

It was an accident when I stumbled upon the "Woodstone B&B "hiring ad". As a child visiting my grandmother, I remember riding my bike past the mansion. My grandmother used to take me trick or treating there, and the older woman who lived at the manor always gave the children king-sized candy bars.

After a near-death experience as a teen, I've been able to see ghosts. It began to happen on occasion before it became an everyday thing. I would pretend it wasn’t real and ignore every ghost I encountered. Unless they looked sorely out of place, I couldn't really tell if they weren't living anyway. Ignoring all of them had worked...at least up until I walked into the Woodstone B&B.

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“So is there a history convention in town or something?” I ask Sam teaches me the basics of the B&B website.

“Um no, why do you ask?” Sam questions nervously

“Because of the people in costume? Do you not see the Viking and Revolutionary officer in front of us?”

Sam gasps, “ Oh my gosh You can see them!?”

“She can see us?!” The two men ask.

“Am I not supposed to?” I asks

Sam quickly takes my hand and leads me into the living room. She has me sit and takes a seat in the spot next to me.

“What I’m about to say is going to seem absolutely insane,”

“Okay?” I say unsure of where Sam is taking this.

“This place is haunted, and everyone you see besides me and Jay are dead,” Sam explains

I didn’t mean to burst into laughter, but I did. How could something so absurd be true?

“My word what is all of this laughter about? Can you plebians be joyous outside of my napping hours,” a voice says

I turn to see a red-headed Victorian woman descend the main staircase. We both lock eyes and I feel as if time has stood still. My heart starts to beat a little faster and are my palms sweating? I could be mistaken but is that blush on the other woman's cheeks? "Can ghosts blush?" I ask myself

The redhead quirks and eyebrow before breaking the silence, “You can see me?”

Suddenly unable to speak I nod still looking into blue eyes.

“Hetty, this is (y/n). She is our new employee,”

“And she can see us? She’s not dead? How can you see us?”

Finally finding my words I reply, “I can see you, I’m not dead, and I’m not sure as to why I can see you but I can,”

“Did young girl fall and hit head like Sam?” The Viking asks

“I don’t remember falling recently,” I reply

“Have you always been able to see ghosts,” Sam turns and asks me.

“It’s a long complicated story, I’d rather not get into,” I say.

The redhead purses her lips not enthused by my answer. Soon I hear whispering of what I assume are the other ghosts.

“It’s okay guys, you can come out,” I say not sure of what could happen next.

Entering the room is a flapper, the Viking, the war officer, a hippie, an oversized Boy Scout, and a man without pants. My mind is filled with questions, but mainly I'm wondering why that man doesn’t have on pants. Before I can question his attire, Sam begins introducing everyone.

“There is one more of the main 8, his name is Sassapis, but we call him Sass. He’s out on a walk with Crash, our occasional headless ghost.”

“I see, well it’s nice to meet you all,” I say to them.

“Well go on tell us about your little cute self,” Alberta says “We want to know everything,”

“Well okay I’ve graduated college with a (insert major) degree, and my grandmother recently passed and left me with more money than I know what to do with. Which means I'm technically a heiress. I’m not sure I want to go into my field of work yet, that probably has something to do with my imposter syndrome. I’m an only child, my parents passed away when I was 19. Oh, I love jazz! I actually play piano and know almost all of the Jazz standards, my favorite pizza is pepperoni, and after reading a dystopian novel series I got into archery but that didn’t last long. Let’s see what else,” As I try to recall information I notice the redhead Victorian woman, Hetty looking at you. I begin to blush as I start my next sentence, “I was crowned queen at my senior prom, I love playing vintage Super Mario Brothers in my spare time, My favorite fish to cook is cod, I have a stuffed teddy bear named Daisy, and my favorite musical of all time is Hamilton,”

Isaac, the revolutionary war officer, scoffs and throws his hands up in exasperation while Hetty pats his shoulder while holding back a smirk.

“What about the juicy stuff, like do you have a significant other and have you ever killed someone?” Alberta asks.

“Oh well," I say a little overwhelmed, "I do not have a significant other, I haven’t even had my first kiss yet. To answer your other question, I have not participated in a murder at least not to my knowledge,”

“Sam you have to keep her! She’s perfect for the job,” Flower says

“Except for the Hamilton thing,” Isaac says off the side.

“Plus she’s incredibly hot,” Trevor says. “Not like Tara Reid hot but she’s almost at your level Sam,”

Everyone rolls their eyes at his comment, “I find it best if you ignore his comments. He’s harmless ” The victorian woman who's the name I've learned is, Hetty, whispers in my ear and I try to ignore the sudden butterflies in my stomach. I don’t need to add attracted to a ghost to my resume.

“Well it seems like everyone is on board with you being here even though you were already hired. Why don’t we go back and get some training done,” Sam says heading back to the front desk.

I go to follow her, but I trip over my untied shoelace. Before I can hit the floor, I find myself caught by a pair of soft hands.

Everyone gasps, and I can tell it wasn’t from the fall.

“Did Hetty just catch a living?”

-end-

A/N: Oh I hope y'all don't hate it! This is the first fanfic I've written in about 11 years, so I'm a little rusty. As I said before this is the first part of this many-part series. I may even add this to AO3. Tell me what you think! Until later!

[twilightmalachite]

Esu Sagiri - Idol Story 2

Author: Akira

Characters: Esu, Subaru

Translator: Mika Enstars

"Hehehe… But you know, even though I was crying like an idiot just by watching… You were smiling up until the very end and did your job perfectly as an idol, Senpai."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Spring

Location: Cemetery

Second year of ES’ establishment. At a secret cemetery somewhere in Tokyo…

Subaru: (Dad.)

(I’m sorry I visited you so late this year as well.)

(I’m getting busier and busier year after year, you know? Although in Trickstar’s case, it’s more like there’s no leisure for the poor...)

(You wouldn't angry at that, would you though, Dad? ‘Cause you were much busier than I was, day in and day out.)

(Nothing could be done about that, though. You were a super idol who carried the industry on his shoulders, after all.)

(You never gave up, though. You never complained, and on holidays you would even be sure to come back home with a smile on your face just to make your family happy.)

(You sure are amazing, Dad. I’ve always admired you. And I’m now in the same position as you—I’ve become an idol.)

(As time passes, I’ve slowly realized more and more just how amazing a person you were.)

(It made me happy. It made me happy to be able to understand you, Dad.)

(Hey, Dad, I wonder if I’ve become an idol worthy of your praise.)

(If possible, I’d like to have you say “Wow, you’re amazing, Subaru!” if you were alive.)

(And I wish you could ruffle up my hair like I was a dog, just like you used to too, but…)

Esu: NwaaAAAAAAH!?

(thunk)

Subaru: …?

Hmm? Umm, are… you okay…?

Esu: Ah, It's okay, do not mind me! My arms are just outta shape, as it’s been a while since I’ve climbed! I bit off more than I could chew!

I took a dangerous route to get away from this creepy guy, and accidentally slipped from somewhere high—

Esu: —Wait, you’re Akehoshi SubaruuUUU!

Subaru: Yup. Huh, are you a fan of mine?

(This isn’t good. I didn’t really want my fans to know where my dad’s grave was.)

(Although his reputation’s been restored to an extent, there’s still a lot of anti-fans who believe those rumors and consider him the worst idol ever…)

(I don’t want that. What if his grave gets vandalized or something?)

Esu: Oh, no no! It’d be presumptuous for someone like myself to call myself a fan!

Presem… Presim, prisum… Huh, is “presumptuous” correct?!

Subaru: Yep, that’s it.

Esu: Was I right? Got it! Good, good, hip-hooray! I mean, that was very kind of you! This debt of gratitude will not be forgotten even if I am reborn seventeen times over!

Subaru: Seventeen times over, huh? What’s with that oddly specific number?

You’re a strange kid.

Esu: Huh, you think so? I find myself to be normal, though! Maybe I’ve become a little out of touch with the world after having been cooped up for a while?

If I do anything that feels off, do feel free to point anything out! I’ll correct it!

Subaru: Alright. Well to start, it’s looked down upon to cause a ruckus at gravesites.

Esu: You’re right~! My bad! I’ll quiet down! I’m a man who has often been told “You’re so cute when you keep your mouth shut, Esu-kun!” by his inconsiderate classmates!

Subaru: So your name’s Esu, huh?

Esu: Yes! I am Sagiri Esu! My name’s pretty tough to read, or excessively sparkly rather, so it’s okay if you don’t remember all of it![1]

You’re free to just call me something like “Ecchan” or “Sacchan”!

Subaru: Ecchan reminds me of Eichi-senpai. Sagiri—I feel like I might’ve heard “Sagiri” somewhere before…

Esu: Oh, so you recognize it? My father used to be real popular! He was even called a super idol at a point!

Subaru: Ah, that’s right! There was a super idol who showed up sometime between the times of Hokke~Papa—Hidaka Seiya-san and my dad, right?

His name was Sagiri. My dad said that he looked up to him, so I remember.

Esu: Ahaha~, although it was all downhill for him once the next super idol, Akehoshi-senpai’s father, made his appearance.

Subaru: Well, my dad did become the talk of the town for many things, both good and bad… Those from around that time aren’t talked about as much anymore, with Hokke~Papa being an exception.

It’s like it’s all been balled together as a dark past to be forgotten, thanks to all that’s happened.

So I dunno how things are now, but, umm you—Sacchan, what’s your father doing now?

He’s not active anymore… right? I feel I’d know about him if he were active.

Esu: Oh, my father died.

Subaru: …Is that so? Sorry, I didn’t know…

Esu: Nah, if you didn’t know, you didn’t know! He passed away three years ago, and by the time he’d already turned over a new leaf as just an ordinary man.

Just an ordinary man, just with a bit of a nice-looking face.

Could at least look ugly… Wouldn't have to be followed around by that pervert then…

Subaru: Pervert? Had your father been targeted by some weird stalker or something, like mine was…?

Esu: No, no, this pervert has nothing to do with my father’s death. Sorry if I’m being difficult to follow! My communication skills aren’t all too great, after all! Just terrible!

My father died in a plane accident. Just a common—well, it’s not common, but an ordinary accident with nothing to do with idols or anything like that.

I was involved in the accident too, and although I managed to survive, I’ve been in the hospital up until recently. So, I've been in the process of rehabilitation for about six months, as of now.

Subaru: Is that so… I probably wouldn’t have even known three years ago. In the period before I entered high school, I would shut myself away from any and all information.

All of the information that would drift my way… I wouldn’t wanna hear any of it.

Esu: I totally get you~. It feels like anything and everything is an attack on you when your heart is weak, doesn’t it?

Even though nobody in the world probably spares a single thought about you.

Ah, but you’re an idol, Akehoshi-senpai, so tons and tons of people pay attention to you, of course! I was really moved by the SS from two years back![2]

It was like—and sorry if this sounds disrespectful—but your father also passed away… I felt like I could relate with you in some ways.

Like, “Ahh, this person, he’s me.”

Subaru: … …

Esu: At the time, I understood the expression on your face, your voice, everything, as if they were my own—I empathized! I was no longer able to distinguish between you and I!

I was in the hospital, lying in bed watching your performance, and I cried so hard that even the nurses became seriously worried about me.

Esu: Hehehe… But you know, even though I was crying like an idiot just by watching…

You were smiling up until the very end and did your job perfectly as an idol, Senpai. So, I thought you were real amazing—

Esu: Ahh, I can’t find the right words! Hang in there, my vocabulary!

Subaru: It’s okay. I understand you.

Thank you. For watching my performance.

You cried in place of me, didn’t you? Maybe that’s why I didn’t have to show a shameful sight like that upon such an important stage.

So… I know it sounds weird, but thank you. Really.

Esu: Oh no no, I seriously didn’t do anything! I don’t know what to do being shown gratitude like this?!

Oh, shoot!? I hear Fuyume’s voice! He hates exercise and isn’t all that good at it either, but caught up to me through sheer determination…!

I-I’m so sorry, but I gotta go now! It’s over for me if I’m caught!

Subaru: It kinda feels like you’re in danger… Do you need me to hide you?

Esu: Ah, that’s very kind of you, but I’m alright! This is a problem I gotta resolve on my own…!

But if you’d like, do offer some incense at the grave over there, the one decorated with cutesy goods.

That one’s my father’s grave.

Subaru: Right. This cemetery is for those in the industry that need to be kept secret from the general public. Both your father and my dad rest here.

It was through some sort of fate I was able to meet you, and hear your words that made me happy, so… Yeah, I’ll be sure to offer some incense.

Esu: Thanks! I’m sure our fathers are happy too! It doesn’t seem like they were on good terms when they were alive, but everyone becomes a Buddha when they die, right?[3]

I’m sure all those concerns and karma have been thoroughly purified!

—Eek, his voice is getting closer! Maaan, I wanted to have a nice and quiet visit to his grave after all this time!

But, well, I also caused a ruckus for no reason, and disturbed Akehoshi-senpai’s visit to his grave! That makes it sort of a mutual karmic retribution, right!—kinda?

Subaru: It’s fine. My dad always liked it when things were lively.

I’m sure he’s standing beside your father, watching over with a smile on their faces—over us.

[ ☆ ]

story directory

A sparkly name (キラキラネーム) is a term that refers to a recent phenomenon of giving names that are over-extravagant and notably very difficult to read. Esu's name is written with the kanji 笑主, which is both very unrecognizable as a name (it uses the kanji for laugh/smile + the kanji for lord/master), the reading is also very unnatural. The phenomenon is similar to the one where people will name their babies stuff like "Mhackenzeigh" or "Lakynn". Since knowing that 笑主 is read as "Esu" doesn't come instinctively, it would be difficult to remember; hence Esu saying there's no need to remember it all.

Referring to the SS where Trickstar won, back in ! era. If you aren’t aware of what happens to Subaru and Trickstar during the event, I highly recommend reading SS - Friendship 14 until the end of the event story, else this entire scene won’t make as much sense.

Esu uses a lot of Buddhist terminology here. If you’re familiar with the idea of reaching enlightenment, once you reach enlightenment, you let go of all worldly possessions, realizations, attainments, and achievements. This is what is referred to when one becomes a Buddha.

[edenmemes]

red dead redemption 1 starters

❝ it’s wanting that gets so many folks in trouble. ❞ ❝ it ain’t no secret i didn’t get these scars falling over in church. ❞ ❝ if you win power, remember why you wanted it. ❞ ❝ you do a man wrong, he’ll shoot you for it. you do a man right…well, he still may shoot you for it. ❞ ❝ trust me. there’s things you’re better off not knowing. ❞ ❝ you remind me a lot of myself. how i used to be. stubborn and angry. ❞ ❝ i hope you will give me some warning if you get the sudden urge to kill me. ❞ ❝ my side wasn’t chosen. my side was given. ❞ ❝ a little sore, but apart from a couple extra scars, it will be as nothing happened. ❞ ❝ i don’t think you’re a bad person. a little stupid perhaps, but not rotten. ❞ ❝ i certainly don’t mind you asking, if you don’t mind me not telling. ❞ ❝ you are being deliberately obscure as a substitute for having a personality. ❞ ❝ so do tell me, have you needlessly risked your life since we last spoke? ❞ ❝ i came into this world fighting. and i’ll go out of it fighting. ❞ ❝ i hear you speak and suddenly i'm reminded of how the people i respected most in my life had a problem with authority. ❞ ❝ you're looking much better. considering you were almost buzzard food a couple days ago. ❞ ❝ power is like a drink. the more you have, the more you want. ❞ ❝ people don’t forget. nothing gets forgiven. ❞ ❝ sometimes in the service of what is right, you got to do terrible things. ❞ ❝ you have quite a story. i really am a little jealous. ❞ ❝ old friends make the worst enemies. ❞ ❝ i had everything, and gave it up in the pursuit of nothing. ❞ ❝ hah. you were always bad at lying. ❞ ❝ i’m not going to stand by and watch good people suffer. ❞ ❝ some trees flourish, others die. some cattle grow strong, others are taken by wolves. some men are born rich enough and dumb enough to enjoy their lives. ain't nothing fair. you know that. ❞ ❝ if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. ❞ ❝ now, if you don't mind, i'd hate to spoil such a beautiful afternoon on such beautiful land with any further unpleasantries. ❞ ❝ i, too, have a family, friend. and so that we may see our families again i suggest we part ways amicably. ❞ ❝ sometimes i tell myself that everything happens for a reason. ❞ ❝ i see the good in everybody. it’s a flaw of mine. ❞ ❝ well, try not to get yourself killed. ❞ ❝ see if you can keep your gun holstered for once. ❞ ❝ i don’t pay much attention to rumors. ❞ ❝ i swear, if it was down to me, i’d never have gone anywhere. ❞ ❝ lock all the doors. whatever happens, don’t come outside. you hear me? whatever happens. ❞ ❝ what would you care? i’m just a nuisance to you anyway. ❞ ❝ i’ve been hearing some things about you. ❞ ❝ i would rather be dead than a cynic like you. ❞ ❝ damn, a little gratitude wouldn’t kill you. ❞ ❝ trust me, i ain’t no hero. ❞ ❝ as it turns out, it's you or me. the way i see it, might as well be you. ❞ ❝ you live in a dream world. it ain’t like they tell it in books. ❞ ❝ i’m asking you to do what i say, before you get yourself killed. ❞ ❝ those who sit on the fence make a choice…in their own way. ❞ ❝ i’d do anything for you, you know that. ❞ ❝ better watch your mouth, my friend. i've cut out a man's tongue for less. ❞ ❝ there's nothing worse than a nobody thinking he's a somebody. ❞ ❝ you got it all wrong. i’ve always loved you, even now. ❞ ❝ what the hell were you thinking, going off on your own? ❞ ❝ first impressions are hard to erase. ❞ ❝ it’s a long story. too long to tell without a drink in my hand. ❞ ❝ i’m not angry. i’m disappointed. ❞ ❝ you know me. i’ll be late to my own funeral. ❞ ��� that tone of voice ain’t so becoming on you. makes you seem all pent up and angry. ❞ ❝ you think i don’t know who you are. ❞ ❝ why don’t i get a warm and tender embrace? ❞ ❝ what do you want me to say? yippee? ❞ ❝ there’s always a choice. you’re just too blind to see. ❞ ❝ you’re not ready for that yet. one step at a time. ❞ ❝ every time you go off, i worry you’re not coming back. ❞ ❝ it didn’t have to be this way. ❞ ❝ come on now. try to look on the bright side. ❞

❝ after all i taught you…i’m ashamed. ❞ ❝ it’s easy to make promises you can never keep. ❞ ❝ we all make mistakes. i never claimed to be a saint. ❞ ❝ how does it feel to kill hundreds of men in cold blood? ❞ ❝ it ain’t the first time i had a gun to my head. ❞ ❝ you’re not perfect, and i’m sure not. but you’re better than they are. ❞ ❝ you alright? you’re not hurt, are you? ❞ ❝ this really couldn’t have gone more horribly wrong. ❞ ❝ you’re just like me. you can’t change who you are. ❞ ❝ my whole life, all i ever did was fight. ❞ ❝ you’re in no position to make demands. ❞ ❝ the bright side? there ain’t no bright side. ❞ ❝ my heart’s beating like a drum. ❞ ❝ are you sure you’re alright? i mean, i know all that business must have been hard on you. ❞ ❝ you’ll make me blush with all these kind words. ❞ ❝ i never took you for the jealous type. ❞ ❝ come now, you’re stupid, but you’re not that stupid. ❞ ❝ you’re weak. you always were. you never had the stomach for this. ❞ ❝ seems real quiet, don’t you think? ❞ ❝ you were always a hard and nasty man. ❞ ❝ see, i have nothing but your best intentions at heart. ❞ ❝ don’t talk about things you don’t understand. ❞ ❝ i guess there’s only one room for one hero in this family. ❞ ❝ for a wise man, you are a really stupid man. ❞ ❝ what would have happened if i hadn’t come along? ❞ ❝ you must have mistaken me for someone else, friend. ❞ ❝ you ain’t very talkative, are you? ❞ ❝ we cannot be too careful. the world is very dangerous. ❞ ❝ no, i’m not okay. do i look like i’m okay? ❞ ❝ you are so tense all the time. come, let’s have some fun! ❞ ❝ i will stay and fight. i am ready to die if necessary. ❞ ❝ i know i can’t change the past but i’m sure gonna do something about the future. ❞ ❝ i’ve given you no reason not to trust me. ❞ ❝ choose your tone rightly. remember who you’re talking to. ❞ ❝ there are guards everywhere. if they see you, they will kill you. ❞ ❝ it was nothing. i’m not a kid any more.❞ ❝ a lonely, forsaken place. some people say it’s haunted. ❞ ❝ i’m not sure your idea of paradise and mine are the same. ❞ ❝ maybe if you were more cordial to folks, they’d be better inclined to help you. ❞ ❝ i’ve been in far worse situations. ❞ ❝ you have the exterior of a violent man, but the soul of an angel. ❞ ❝ you’re not gonna pass out on me, are you? ❞ ❝ you’re no better. how many men have you killed? ❞ ❝ stay alert. something doesn’t feel right. ❞

❝ i'm going to hand you over to them and watch them tear you limb from limb…i'm just kidding. ❞ ❝ you love to talk badly of other people because it makes you feel better about yourself. ❞ ❝ it’s been a pleasure spending time with you. ❞ ❝ that’s a lot of sacrifice. i just hope it’s worth it. ❞ ❝ i’m not cut out for this. no, not cut out for this at all. ❞ ❝ i don’t need you to show me. ❞ ❝ men are born, and then they're formed. at least, that’s how i see it. ❞ ❝ a little flattery…now we’re finally getting somewhere. ❞ ❝ i thought you were supposed to be fearless. ❞ ❝ you are a man who has lost his spirit. ❞ ❝ if you were less secretive, people might be more inclined to trust you. ❞ ❝ me mean me no harm? this is funny. what harm could you do to me, exactly? ❞ ❝ come on, after everything we’ve been through, i think we can trust each other, don’t you? ❞ ❝ i can’t rightly believe it. just like in the books. ❞ ❝ i didn’t ask for your help back there. i owe you nothing. ❞ ❝ be careful. what’s stopping me from killing you? ❞ ❝ one day, i promise you, you’re gonna regret this. ❞ ❝ you know i’ll do whatever i can, but i have problems of my own. ❞ ❝ what would you know about leadership? ❞ ❝ you make a choice by not making a choice, you know. ❞ ❝ hold your excuses until you figure out which one to use. ❞ ❝ i'll give you a bad case of "someone just shot me in the head" if you don't hurry up. ❞ ❝ being honest though, this tastes bad enough to kill a man. ❞ ❝ do i look like i need saving? ❞ ❝ sarcasm should be beneath a man such as you. ❞ ❝ are you always this stupid or are you making an extra effort today? ❞ ❝ i don’t like to kill a man on his knees, even if he deserves it. ❞ ❝ don't forget you need me more than i need you. ❞ ❝ i’ll hunt you to hell and back. ❞ ❝ you’d best not be lying to me. ❞ ❝ let's get going. before the weather gets any worse. that sky don't look good.. ❞ ❝ thank you for telling me all that back there. it must have been hard for you. ❞ ❝ i know we ain't exactly old pals, but…have i ever done you wrong? ❞ ❝ your nobility's almost as affecting as your naivety. ❞ ❝ you are a romantic who wants to be a cynic. ❞ ❝ i apologize if i seem to be prying. ❞ ❝ strange place for a decent person to visit, if you don't mind me saying. ❞ ❝ well, you must admit…it's an unusual start to a friendship. ❞ ❝ i can’t really say i understand you. ❞ ❝ every man has a right to change, a chance of forgiveness. ❞ ❝ hello, old friend. it’s been a long time. ❞ ❝ i hope you understand now why i've been playing my cards somewhat close to my chest. ❞ ❝ nobody made my path but me. ❞ ❝ it’ll be a piece of cake. trust me. ❞ ❝ oh, don’t be so deliberately enigmatic. ❞ ❝ my word, what a difficult life you’ve lived. ❞ ❝ you have a strange sense of humor. ❞ ❝ stay and fight me, you coward. ❞ ❝ i ain't planning on staying very long. ❞

[hugmekenobi]

The Bad Batch (1)

Chapter One: Aftermath

GIF by @sinfulsalutations​ 

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: You joined the Batch 8 months ago and everything was going well. But then, Order 66 happened and suddenly the galaxy around you changed. Now, not only do you need to be careful given your new ‘social status’, but you also need to navigate your feelings towards a certain Sergeant. 

Chapter Summary: You and the Batch have to deal with the way the galaxy has changed. And secrets get revealed along the way.

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers

Warnings: Use of (Y/N) (but I’ve limited it as much as I could), swearing, canon-typical violence, character deaths, slight canon deviation (particularly in later chapters), the Force works according to what I need, angst, mild injury description, reader also digs herself a hole with some poor early choices

Word Count (Ch 1): 18.9K (so sorry, episode one is a long one)

Rating: 18+

Author’s notes: Like I said, just putting this out there cause I finished this last year and I just have it sitting in my docs and figured I’d give it a shot! Majority of the dialogue is from the show but my own parts and voice is in there too! I’ve written the reader to be someone who makes mistakes and isn’t a flawless character because that’s how I want her to be so I can understand if that’s not for everyone, I even got annoyed myself sometimes lol. But yeah, still very nervous about sharing this but if you do read, hope you enjoy! :) 

MasterList

Kaller.

You watched as the young padawan left your group to head back to his master. You remembered when you had been his age. Life had been so different. You never imagined that where you were right now is how your life would’ve worked out. Fighting in a war? Or at least facing conflict of some kind? Sure, that seemed inevitable given the way your life was set out but going from a life of relative peace to a soldier (not that that label was very well accepted but it was what you believed), to a civilian, back to a soldier but fighting with a group of defective clones? No. Nothing could’ve prepared you for that.

“Credit for your thoughts?”

You smiled and turned to face the, more modulated, but all too familiar covered smokiness voice of Sergeant Hunter of Clone Force 99. You’d ran in to him and the rest of the group a long time ago- it was coming up on 8 months ago now- when they were on a mission on Devaron, one of the many planets you had settled in. You’d watched as they got themselves into a bit of bother with a rather large battalion of Separatist droids and you knew you had to help. With your assistance, along with their rather unorthodox tactics, the droids had been taken care of quickly and you found yourself not wanting to leave them so when Hunter offered you a spot on his squad, you hadn’t hesitated. At the end of the day, you were back doing what you enjoyed- helping people. Of course, something you hadn’t fully thought through and something you quickly realised was that, with them being soldiers of the Republic, you were often in the presence of a Jedi which wasn’t ideal. You huffed out a breath before replying, “That would just be a waste of your rather limited funds.”

“You’re okay though?” Hunter asked, lightly touching your shoulder.

Even though his helmet was on, you could feel his eyes looking into yours. You pushed away the heat that began to spread through your body. The last thing you needed was to get that warm and fuzzy feeling you so often felt in front of the clone with enhanced senses. That had been getting harder and harder lately. Yes, upon first meeting him, you’d noticed that he was a rather attractive, but you’d hoped that feeling would only run surface deep, but you’d been wrong.

Over the months you’d been alongside him, that feeling only grew until it became a deeply engrained part of you. There were moments where perhaps you thought those feelings were reciprocated. A few months into your new membership, after spending your time sleeping in one of the ship’s passenger seats, the two of you began share his bunk in both the ship and their barracks because, according to him, ‘sleeping in one of those chairs wasn’t a suitable way to live or prepare for missions’.

Moreover, you were often paired up with him on these missions, but you convinced yourself this was nothing more than him being a good friend and sergeant. Yes, it was all platonic. Friends platonically shared a bunk and often woke up in each other’s arms. Yes, it could only possibly be platonic. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Hunter, can we do this already, I wanna attack some droids!” Wrecker complained loudly.

You drew your hood and mask up and followed Hunter over to where Echo, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair were standing.

You took your weapon from the sheath slung over your back. You’d melted down a bunch of vibroblades to make this. It wasn’t quite the length of a sword, but it was close enough, and it was the nearest thing to a positive reminder of home you had.

“I still don’t understand why you use that and not a blaster. Logically, a blaster is more practical for a battle.” Tech observed.

“You know Tech, sometimes you don’t need to understand everything. This works just fine for what I need.” You replied simply.  

“Okay. Everyone ready?” Hunter asked.

You and the others nodded.

You took a breath to calm your pounding heart. This mission would be the closest you’d come to encountering the many Jedi masters scattered across the galaxy. You’d always managed to not stick around too long after the job was done. You tended to hang back, usually with Crosshair, avoiding any and all interaction whilst the others spoke to them, but you sensed this mission would have you in closer proximity than you would like. You couldn’t put a finger as to why you felt this way, a large factor was probably you and the group were the only reinforcements available so there wouldn’t be many buffers, but there was also something else that was bothering you- you were going to tell them after the mission today and you had no idea how it would go down or just how bad their reactions would be. You couldn’t dwell on it for too long though, Wrecker had dislodged the boulder and it had begun its course down the cliffside, so you all began your descent to the droids below.

--

It was child’s play really. You gelled well with the rest of them. Every droid you came across fell victim to a stab of your weapon and Wrecker didn’t need your help getting rid of the tanks, much to your relief. You weren’t sure you would be able to get away with that today. It was over relatively quickly. Chopping off the last droid’s head, you began walking over to where Caleb and his master were taking cover. Maybe you could hide behind Wrecker and go mostly unseen.

“If you’re done hiding down there, I suggest you launch a counter-attack.” Hunter said, removing his helmet. “Another droid battalion is approaching.”

“The General is the one who gives the orders around here.”

The Jedi Master put her hand up to appease the clone captain. “He’s right Captain this is our chance. Launch the counterattack.”

“Yes General.” He said a tad reluctantly before addressing the rest of the battalion. “Alright men let’s go!” He ordered before he, the Padawan and the General made their way out their bunker towards you all.

Wreaker pushed his way past Echo, leaving you a bit more exposed than you would like. “There you are little Jedi. You missed all the fun!”

“Watching your team in action was the fun.” Caleb replied with a smile.

“Care to introduce your new friends Caleb?” She asked.

Fuck. You watched as the General lowered her hood. That was Depa Billaba. There was a very strong chance she could recognised you. You adjusted your mask over your nose, making sure it suitably covered as much of your face as it possibly could.

“Yes Master. This is Wrecker, Hunter, Echo, Tech, Crosshair and…” He trailed off and looked past Wrecker slightly. “Sorry, I don’t think I caught your name earlier.”

You coughed and stepped forward beside Wrecker as you told her your name.

The Jedi Master let out a hum as she heard it. “Forgive me, that name sounds very familiar. Have we met before?” Depa mused, her eyes peering into your own.

You avoided her gaze quickly. “No.” You replied before retreating back into the safety of the group.

Hunter watched you carefully. He knew you didn’t like interacting much with the other people the mission involved but this time you seemed even more uncomfortable than usual.  

She stared at you for a moment longer before returning her focus back to the group as a whole. “While I’m not sure fun is the sentiment I would express. I agree with my padawan. Your exploits were quite impressive.”

“Exploits?” Wrecker repeated, confusion in his voice.

“Don’t overthink it, Wrecker.” Crosshair said, before walking off.

You followed him; you really didn’t want to be a part of this interaction.

“Thank you General.” Echo said.

“Now would one of you please explain where my actual reinforcements are.”

“Re-routed to the Capital. We’re all you’re getting.” Hunter answered.

“Ha! We’re all you need!” Wrecker added.

“Actually, if my intel is correct, the general will not need any of us. The Clone War will soon be over.” Tech said.

“Better tell that to the clankers headed our way.” Depa’s clone captain countered.

“I am referring to the encrypted comm chatter. Clone intelligence is reporting General Obi Wan Kenobi has found and engaged General Grievous on Utapau.” Tech explained.

“If he captures or kills Grievous, the Separatist command structure would collapse.” Echo theorised.

“And most likely the droid armies along with them.” Tech added.

“A fascinating theory yet unfortunately not something we can control from here. I suggest we focus on the task at hand.” Depa suggested.

“Any orders?” Hunter asked. “Or shall we do what we do?” He added before putting on his helmet.

“Let’s blow something up! Yeah!” Wrecker cried enthusiastically.

“Well Caleb, shall we let them ‘do what they do’?” She asked her young padawan.

“Only if I can go with them.” He answered happily.

“Very well.”

“Hey kid you ready for this? We move fast.” Hunter told him.

“Good, that’s the only way I know.” He replied smoothly before running off.

“I like him!” Wrecker said before him, and Echo followed.

Giving a quick salute, Hunter too ran off.

--

You had noticed the group had dispersed so you and Crosshair ran towards the squad too. You were keeping pace with Caleb at the back but as you were running, your body ran cold, and you knew it wasn’t the Kaller climate. Something was wrong, you could feel it. You knew Caleb did too because you both slowed down at the same time and that was when you heard the blaster fire. You turned around and your heart sank to your stomach.

“Master.” Caleb said, his voice filled with concern.

“Caleb, wait!” You tried to grab him, but he turned and began to run back to the sight where his master was fending of a group of clones.

“Master!” He cried out again, igniting his lightsaber.

Hunter and the rest of the squad too began to hear the blaster fire and stopped and turned around to see what was happening.

You watched helplessly as the Jedi Master took multiple blaster bolts and as you heard her final cry, you felt a pain that wasn’t just from this. It felt like the pain of an entire galaxy, and it took everything in your power not to fall to your knees. You couldn’t give yourself away. You inhaled deeply and saw Caleb making his way back to you, but you heard Hunter and the others approaching and as they did so Caleb stopped and looked warily at the group of clones.

“Stay away from me!” He demanded, before running off into the forest.

“Kid, wait!” Hunter called after him.

“What the fuck was that?” You asked, coming to stand beside Hunter.

“Wha, what just happened?” Echo asked.

“The comm channel is repeating one directive. Execute Order 66.” Tech explained.

“Yeah, I heard that too. What’s Order 66?” Wrecker inquired.

“I am not certain.” Tech said with a slight sigh.

“Well can you get certain?” You snapped aggressively.

The others all turned to look at you.

You sighed. “Sorry. Just shocked, that’s all.”

Hunter studied you for a moment before addressing the group. “Echo, Tech talk to the Reg captain. Find out what you can.” He looked to you and Crosshair. “We will track down the kid and make sure nothing happens to him. Wrecker, stall anyone who tries to follow us.”

--

The three of you ran into the woods. You knew you could find him quicker than Hunter could track him but until you knew what exactly this order was, your secret would have to remain a secret.

“He’s close.” Hunter said quietly.

You looked in the trees around you and you spotted a huddled brown figure on a tree branch. You nudged Crosshair and subtlety pointed up. “There.”

Hunter followed your gaze. “Come on down kid. We’re here to help.”

You noticed Crosshair fiddling with his sniper. “What are you- No!” You watched in horror as Crosshair fired on the branch and the young Jedi deflected the bolt.

“Liar!” He shouted before jumping away.

“What are you doing?” Hunter asked, stunned.

“Following orders.” Crosshair answered.

You just stared at him. “You don’t even know what the order is.”

“Stand down.” Hunter ordered, pushing Crosshair back. “Until we know what’s going on.” He walked off, tugging your arm gently to get you to follow him.

You shook your head at Crosshair before following Hunter.

“Good soldiers follow orders.” Crosshair said once the two of you were out of earshot before he walked after you.

--

The comm linked chirped and Wrecker’s gruff voice came through. “Hunter, you’ve got regs in bound.”

“Copy that.”

“We have a situation.” This time it was Tech’s voice.

“Tell us something we don’t know, Tech.” You answered.

“It appears the regs have been ordered to execute the Jedi.”

You immediately stopped walking. You felt lightheaded and your knees were definitely threatening to buckle and this time you weren’t so sure you could resist, so you leaned against a tree.

“What? Which Jedi?” Hunter asked.

“All of them. They’re saying the Jedi have committed treason.” Tech clarified.

“That would explain things.” Crosshair said.

“It doesn’t begin to explain things!” You snapped, pushing off the tree to walk towards him.

“I suggest you get back here.” Tech inserted.

“Can’t, haven’t found the kid yet.” Hunter explained.  

Crosshair turned and raised his rife. “Wrong.” He fired.

You watched Caleb fall and ignite his lightsaber and come running at Crosshair.

“Stop!” You shouted at Crosshair before trying to grab his rifle, but he pushed you back and continued firing at the padawan.

“Crosshair, stand down!” Hunter ordered.

Caleb landed a blow to the rifle causing it to fall from Crosshair’s grip.

“Don’t!” Hunter called out.

Caleb landed a hard kick to Crosshair’s chest, causing his to crash into the bottom of a tree.

You turned to face Caleb and spoke calmly to him. “Take it easy, kid.” You took a slow step towards him. “Easy.”

You heard the sound of Hunter’s blaster hitting the ground and he also began to slowly walk towards the boy. “We’re on your side.” He said.

Caleb turned and ran.

You shot Hunter a look and the two of you ran after him. As you approached where he was, you saw he had stopped at the edge of a cliff. You and Hunter both slowed your advance.

“Stay back!” He cried.

Hunter removed his helmet, and you followed suit by taking down your hood and mask.

“Just hear us out.” You said gently.

“No. You killed her!”

“The others did. We’re just as confused as you are.” Hunter replied.

You saw the fear and uncertainty in Caleb’s eyes. You inhaled deeply. It was worth a shot, so you reached out into his force signature. Caleb, listen to me.

Caleb turned his gaze towards you, his eyes wide with surprise. You’re a-

Yes, but I’ve not been a part of The Order for a long time.

They killed her. I can’t trust them.

They didn’t kill her Caleb. He wants to help you. Let him, no harm will come to you I can promise you that. Trust him.

Do he and the others know about you?

No. You knew there was no point in lying to him.

Then how am I supposed to believe I can trust them when you haven’t even told them who you are?

There were a series of reasons for why I- You can- Please Caleb listen to me.

No!

Caleb don’t- You shook your head slightly in mild discomfort. He’d pushed you out. You wouldn’t be able to communicate with him like that now unless he was the one to instigate it.

Hunter’s eyes darted between you both. He couldn’t think of how, but he could’ve sworn the two of you just had a conversation. He brought his attention back to the frightened padawan in front of him.  He slowly continued his approach.

“Stay back! Stay back!” Caleb shouted.

“We can help you. Come with us.” Hunter moved forward again and reached his hand out.

Caleb glanced at you whilst backing towards the edge. I won’t tell him, but I can’t go with you.

You nodded sadly but you couldn’t blame him. If you were in his position, you weren’t sure you would go either. Suddenly, you all heard the sound of regs heading in your direction and you knew your time was up.

“No!” Hunter called out but it was too late. Caleb turned and jumped across the river and with one last look back, he disappeared into the woods.

Perhaps, if you were smart, you would’ve followed him, but you didn’t want to leave your squad and you needed answers too. You’d kept it a secret this long, it would just be a little harder now. You and Hunter watched him go and out of the corner of your eye, you saw Crosshair approach.

“Where’s the Jedi?” He enquired.

“I stunned him when he jumped. He didn’t make it.” Hunter answered soberly before turning away.

Crosshair glanced at you. You only glared at him and turned to follow Hunter.  

--

The ship came out of hyperspace. “We are coming up on Kamino.” Tech announced.

“It’s good to be home. How long’s it been?” Wrecker asked.

“One hundred and eighty rotations in a standard cycle but galactic zone changes put the adjusted figure at around two hundred and five.” Tech explained.

“What?” Wrecker replied, face filled with confusion.

Echo sighed. “A long time.”

“You got that right!” Wrecker replied with a laugh.

Despite everything that just happened, you chuckled slightly. Something you never grew tired of was the dynamic between all of them. You adjusted yourself slightly from where you were platonically sitting on the floor, leaning against Hunter’s legs. You noticed that Crosshair was staring at you both.

“What?” Hunter asked, without opening his eyes.

“You sure that padawan died when he fell?” Crosshair asked.

“It was pretty easy to deduce, Crosshair.” You snapped.

Crosshair looked back to Hunter.

“Sure I’m sure. Why?” He replied, looking over at him.

“Well usually when someone falls you look down. Not across.”

“Or some of us don’t like to watch.” You added solemnly before standing up and moving towards the front window.

Hunter got out of his seat and followed you.

--

As you entered the rather wet and thunderous planet atmosphere, two ships set themselves up on either side of The Marauder. “Unidentified transport transmit your clearance code.”

“Clearance code?” Echo repeated. “Don’t they know who we are?”

“Must be a protocol drill.” Tech stated before transmitting the code.

“Authorisation confirmed. Proceed to landing bay one-tac-one.”

--

As the ship landed and you all walked out, you could not only see but feel that something was different.

“Shock troopers? What’s the Coruscant guard doing here?” Hunter thought out loud as he saw a group of red and white armoured clones walk past.

“Something strange is going on here. This doesn’t feel like a simulation.” You said.

Tech looked up from his datapad. “You are correct. This isn’t a drill.”

“Oh, man. What did we miss now?” Wrecker complained.

“The end of the war.” A shock trooper replied.

“Say again, trooper.” Hunter requested.

“General Grievous was defeated on Utapau. The Separatist leadership has collapsed. The war is over.”

“Just like I said.” Tech pointed out.

Wrecker gasped and sounded genuinely impressed. “It is just like you said!”

You weren’t so impressed. Kenobi- your friend- was probably dead now anyway. The end of the war did not feel right to you. Something was wrong and it wasn’t just the dead Jedi. As you were standing there, two regs carrying a stretcher passed you and a hand came free of its covering and a lightsaber fell out of its grasp. You took a step forward and stared at it and felt that cold feeling rush through your veins again.

“Is there a problem?” The shock trooper addressed you.

You tore your gaze from the weapon in his head and spoke calmy. “No problem.”

Hunter came beside you and brushed his fingers against yours. “We’ll just head to our barracks then.”

“Best hurry. There’s a mandatory general assembly at 1500.” The trooper informed you all as you walked away.

--

“It’s not just the clones on Kaller. All the regs are acting strange.” Hunter observed.

“Let’s test that theory.” Tech said before approaching an oncoming group of regs. “Excuse me, Trooper. What division are you from?”

“Step aside.” The clone responded roughly, elbowing Tech.

“Oh. Well, they seem the same to me.” Tech said frankly.

You gave him a small smile and patted his shoulder sympathetically as you walked past him.

--

“Ahh. Good to be back.” Wreaker said as you all entered the barracks.

“The smell’s getting worse.” You and Echo said in unison.

“You’re both still new. You’ll get used to it.” He said cheerfully enough, placing a hand on your shoulder.

“Speak for yourself.” Crosshair said, pushing past the two of you.

“Well, I’ll get the board.” Wreaker pulled out his vibroknife and began adding to the tallies that were etched on the wall.

You took off the strap that had your weapon in it and laid it down on the table in the middle of the room and sat down next to Hunter. Your knees touched under the table.

“Eleven more successful missions. Ha! Like there was any doubt.” Wrecker said proudly before heading to his bunk.

“Kaller wasn’t a win.” Echo added.

“Says who? We completed our objective.” Wreaker argued.

“Not every objective.” Crosshair said.

You glanced at him suspiciously. Ever since Kaller, he had been acting strange.

“Those two let that Jedi kid escape.” He continued, pointing in your direction. “Or do you want to keep lying to us?”

You clenched your fists tightly to stop yourself from doing or saying something stupid.

Hunter stood up and walked towards the window. “I don’t like to think of executing our commanders as a mission objective.”

“An order is an order.” Crosshair stated.

“Since when?” You questioned as Hunter turned to face him.

Crosshair stared harshly between the two of you before Echo spoke up.

“None of this makes sense. Those clones served alongside General Billaba for years. How could they turn on her like that?” Echo said, a hint of anger coming through.

“Because of the regs programming.” Tech replied.

You looked at him. “Come again?”

“What programming?” Hunter asked.

“It’s been well documented that the Kaminoans inhibited the cognitive functions of clones to engineer them to follow orders without question.”

“Ha! We sure don’t!” Wrecker said smugly, pushing his Lula toy into Crosshair’s face who was having none of it and pushed against it.

“Obviously we are different.” Tech said. “They manipulated pre-existing aberrations in our DNA, resulting in your brute strength, Crosshair’s sharpshooting skills, Hunter’s enhanced senses and my exceptional mind. My guess is we are immune to the effects of the programming. Though I can’t be 100% certain of it.”

You stole a look at Crosshair who only narrowed his gaze at you. You looked away. “What about Echo? He was a reg before he joined you, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah, if all regs were programmed, why didn’t I react like the others?” Echo asked.

“The damage you sustained on Skako Minor most likely wiped out all your present behavioural modifications. You are more machine than man… percentagewise, at least.” Tech answered.

Echo sighed. “Lucky me.”

You gave Echo a sympathetic smile before a PA announcer sounded. “All personnel report to the staging area for a briefing on the state of the Republic.”

You grabbed your weapon casing and jumped out of your seat and walked towards the door. You needed this briefing. Maybe after it you would finally be able to make sense of all that happened.

“This is one meeting I don’t want to miss.” Hunter said, following you.

“First time for everything.” Tech said before he and everyone else made their way out.

--

You were stunned by the image on the screen in front of you. Chancellor Palpatine had certainly had a rough time of it. His skin looked like it was about to fall off his face, it was scarred and damaged to the point where if you hadn’t been heard so many of his previous senate meetings, you might have struggled to recognise him. But what shocked you even more were the words that were coming out of his mouth.

“And the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated.”

Jedi rebellion? They wouldn’t have- they couldn’t- would they? No. You had your issues with them, but you couldn’t believe this. You felt sick to your stomach.

“The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger!”

You were too focused on the screen in front of you to notice Hunter glance up to the platform where the top Kaminoans were. With them he noticed someone he did not recognise.

“What is it?” Tech asked him.

He turned to him slightly but by the time he looked back up, the person was gone. “Nothing.” He replied. Then he felt a hard grip on his wrist, and he looked down to see your hand there before he looked back at you and saw that the colour had drained from your face.

“The Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire!”

“Galactic Empire?” Echo repeated quietly.

“For a safe and secure society.” Palpatine finished with a smile and applause rang through the assembly.

“Still don’t think the regs are programmed?” Tech pointed out.

You glanced around you; everyone was cheering in unison. Everyone was happy about this new reign. Everyone except the six of you. All this assembly did was confirm your suspicions. You couldn’t ever tell them what you were. Not only would that put you in danger, but it would put them in danger too. You had to do everything in your power to supress that part of you, you’d gotten good at it when you were on your own. You only started to embrace that part of you again when you joined this group. You had to do this, or you were screwed.

--

As you all walked down the corridor from the meeting, you were still trying to process what you had just witnessed.

“Galactic Empire? We’re soldiers of the Republic.” Echo said.

“Republic, Empire… What’s the difference?” Crosshair inserted.

You scoffed in disgust. “I can think of a few.”

“The systematic termination of the Jedi is a big one for me.” Tech responded.

“That being the main one.” You agreed.

Just then, Hunter held his hand up to stop you all. “We’ve got company.”

You all turned round and what greeted you left you quite surprised.

“Hello.” The young child said with a smile and wave.

“What’s that?” Wreaker asked, bending down.

“Adolescent human female. Origins… uncertain.” Tech replied.

“Or in layman’s terms, Tech, a young girl.” You said with smile and a roll of your eyes. You walked forward and kneeled down in front of her. “What’s your name?”

“My name’s Omega. I was wondering when you guys would come back.”

“You know who we are?” Hunter asked, nudging past Tech.

“Hunter, Echo, Tech, Wrecker, Crosshair and (Y/N).” She said looking back to you. “You’re Clone Force 99. Although-”

“Yeah, I know. I’m clearly not a clone but I helped these fellas out of some hot water, and they’ve needed me ever since.” You grinned up at Hunter who shook his head, a small smile on his face.

“Technically-”

“No, Tech. Everything I’ve said is true.” You turned back to him with a smirk.

Omega let out a small laugh.

“What are you doing on Kamino, kid?” Hunter asked.

“Her job, of course.” A smooth, calm voice answered for her.

You stood up and saw a female Kaminoan approach your group. “She is my medical assistant. One with a curious mind that causes her to wander. Come Omega, there is work to do.” She turned away and Omega followed her but not before giving you all one last wave.

You glanced at Hunter and the others and were pleased to see that they all looked just as confused as you were. In your time on Kamino and all that you knew about it, that was quite unexpected.

“This day keeps getting weirder and weirder.” Hunter said.

“Can’t disagree with you there.” You said.

--

You didn’t know if it was because you’d been living off rations for so long, but this canteen food was quite possibly the best food you’d tasted in a while. You were at what was now your usual table.

“Clones being programmed. Nothing controls me.” Wrecker said authoritatively, standing up at the table.

“Wrecker, it is a logical conclusion that your affinity for destruction would stem from your conditioning.” Tech explained.

“You take that back!”

“I am merely stating a scientific hypothesis based on factual data.”

“Well, I’ve got a fact for you. I like to blow things up because I like to blow things up!” He yelled, slamming his fists down on the table. “Got it?”

“Well, I’m convinced.” Crosshair sneered.

“Will you sit down.” You hissed, grabbing Wrecker’s arm, you didn’t want any more attention being drawn to you and the squad right now.

Hunter joined your table, sitting across from you. “An Imperial’s been sent to evaluate the clones. Everybody’s talking about it.”

“What kind of evaluation?” Echo inquired.

“Hopefully not mental. Clearly, we’d never pass that.” Tech said.

You couldn’t help but huff out a laugh at the looks on the others faces. Then another strange thing happened.

“Hello again.” Omega said as she sat down at the table next to Hunter.

You all just kind of stared at her.

“Omega. From earlier? In the corridor?”

You cleared your throat. “Sorry. Come on guys, back to basic human interactions please. Staring like this is just weird.”

Hunter spoke up. “Yeah, kid we remember. Don’t you have someplace to be?”

“No. I’ll stay.” She said before dipping into her food.

“You want to sit with us?” You asked sceptically.

“That’s never happened before.” Tech added.

“I like you. You don’t fit in around here either.” She said.

“What are you really doing here on Kamino, kid? Don’t you have a family somewhere? Parents?” Hunter asked.

“Parents?” She repeated, looking at him slightly puzzled.

“Check it out. The defects squad’s got themselves a new recruit. Another member added to the Sad Batch. Gotta say, I preferred it when they brought back the hot loner.”

Don’t be an idiot, don’t be idiot. You don’t want attention right now, you thought to yourself. So, you just joined the others in glaring at the two regs that walked past your table. You went back to focusing on your food, but you seemed to have lost your appetite now. Then all you heard was a squelch and you looked up to see Omega standing on the table, one roll in hand, the other seemed to have exploded all over the one reg’s neck and the side of his face.

“Who threw that?” He demanded angrily, eyes scanning the area.

“I did.” Omega said seriously. “Now apologise to my friends.”

“I like this kid!” Wrecker said.

“What did you say to me?” The reg pointed in her direction and began walking towards her.

“Whoa, whoah, whoa. Back off.” Hunter stood in front of him. “I suggest you keep moving.” He said firmly.

You and Wrecker both stood up behind Omega. You hoped this would be all you had to do.  

“Know your place, lab scrapper.” The reg started to walk away but as he did so a bunch of food trays hit him.

You all turned to look at Wrecker who was holding two more trays. “Oops.”

You put your head in your hands. “Wrecker, did you have to?”

“That’s it.” The reg said heatedly.

“Oh yeah!” Wrecker shouted before throwing the trays, those ones hitting another reg straight in the face.

“So much for lack of attention”. You grumbled to yourself before landing a punch to a clone that was coming from your left.

A quick look around told you that everyone was doing just fine, even Omega was handling herself and Crosshair… well, he was just being Crosshair, eating his meal, not phased by what was happening around him. That was until a clone kicked Echo into his tray and his food went everywhere… then he got involved.

You came round the table to go to the clones near Tech, but a clone stood in front of you. “You’d be better off getting out the way. Save yourself the black eye and sore ribs.” You stated.

“I’ve got a better idea. Come back to my barracks. Save us both the fight. Unless you into that sorta thing.” He said with a smirk.

“I just threw up in my mouth.” You said with a disgusted scoff.

“Sorry, guess I just thought clones were your type or is it only the one’s with a higher military rank?” He jeered.  

You glowered at him before darting forward and landing a punch to the right side of his face and a quick kick to the middle of his body sent him onto his back. He groaned. “Did try to warn you.” You said smugly.

You stepped over him and made your way to Tech. You both were able to easily deal with the few clones that came over but then you heard a crash. You turned to see Echo being tackled to the ground. You had to turn away quickly to push back another clone that had advanced towards you. As you did so you heard Tech call out.

“Echo, watch out!”

You looked and saw the reg bring down the metal tray straight on to Echo’s head and he slumped to the side. You ran over to the reg and pushed him away and knelt down by Echo. “He needs to go to the medical bay.”

--

Machines. That was all he could see. No, he couldn’t be back there. “No! Get them off!” Echo sat up quickly, pushing the scanners away.

“But my tests are not yet complete.” The small droid said calmly.

“Echo. Echo, it’s okay. It’s me. Omega.” She soothed, moving the droid to the side. “I understand. I don’t like being hooked up to their machines either.”

Echo looked at her and took another few breaths to calm himself down.

The droid spoke again. “Hello, CT-1409.”

“His name is Echo.” Omega pointed out.

“I am AZ-345211896246498721347. Your assigned medical droid.” The droid said with a spin of his body.

You walked through the medical bay doors alongside Hunter and were thrilled to see that Echo was awake.

“Ha told you he’s alive. You owe me two credits!” Wrecker said smugly to Crosshair who only shook his head.

“How you doing, Echo?” You asked.

“CT-1409’s condition is stable.” The droid answered. “But I have some distressing news for the four of you. According to your test results, you all appear to be genetically defective clones.”

The droid’s sincere and distraught tone meant you had to turn away to choke back your laughter.

“I will leave you to process the shock of this revelation.” He said gravely before going away.

“We’ve got a problem.” Echo announced.

“Not really. We’re more deviant than we are defective.” Tech interjected.

You studied Echo’s face, and you could tell whatever he had to say had nothing to do with any medical information. “You’re not talking about that are you?”

Echo nodded. “Admiral Tarkin’s here. He’s the one evaluating the clones.”

You scoffed in disgust which caused the others to stare at you.

“How would you know anything about him?” Crosshair asked.

“Uh… I had a life before you guys you know. I heard rumours.” You said quickly. You couldn’t tell them the reason you knew he was kind of an asshole was because of your time in the Jedi Order where you had argued with him as he helped the Order ruin the life of your friend. It didn’t surprise you that he was already an important person in this new Empire. He was definitely someone you needed to avoid, if there was even the slightest chance he recognised you, you all were fucked, and you couldn’t have that.

“This is the same Tarkin form the Citadel rescue when you, uh… How shall I put this?” Tech paused.

“Blew up.” Wrecker finished the sentence.

“And turned into that.” Crosshair added, taking his toothpick out his mouth.

“Way to be sensitive guys.” You said with a shake of your head.

Echo sighed. “Yes, and he’s not a big supporter of clones.”

“We’ll soon find out. We’ve been summoned by the prime minister.” Hunter said, crossing his arms.

“Guess he didn’t find that mess hall fight amusing. But I sure did.” Wrecker said.

“Come on. Let’s get this over with.” Hunter said.

You all made your way to go but Omega called after you. “Wait!” She darted in front of doorway. “The fight was my fault. I’m going too.” She said determinedly.

“Not happening. We’ll handle this.” Hunter said firmly before walking past her.

“But I-”

“Listen, kid.” Hunter turned sharply to look at her. “Our squad’s nothing but trouble. For your sake, keep your distance. Got it?”

Your heart went out to her as you watched Hunter walk away. “He was a little harsh, but he’s right. I love them all, but we tend to end up in tight spots and as you’ve seen, we’re not the most popular group there is. I’m sure we’ll see you around though.” You placed a hand on her shoulder before walking out the door to join Hunter and the others as they waited for you.

--

You began walking towards the prime minister’s office but as you were walking a shock trooper addressed you harshly. “Where do you think you’re going? The training facility is that way.”

You all turned to look at the trooper.

“Training facility?” Hunter asked.

“For a battle simulation. Admiral Tarkin has requested to see more of your squad in action.”

“Then we’re not being reprimanded?” Tech questioned.

“No, you’re being tested.” The clone answered severely.

I sure as hell am not, you thought to yourself, this was the last thing you needed. “Well, you guys enjoy that. I’m just going to head back to the barracks. Good luck, sure you’ll do great.” You said casually with a click of your fingers. You slowly etched your way out the group and began to walk past Hunter and the shock trooper. As you did so, the trooper grabbed your arm.

“That includes you.”

Hunter reached his hand out and he felt the others behind him take a step forward, but he caught himself just in time and waved them back. He was sure you could handle this yourself plus he didn’t want to get his squad into any more trouble.

You looked down at the grip the clone had on your forearm and looked into his helmet, an unimpressed expression on your face. “Is this not part of the clone evaluation?” You asked him.

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re an observant fellow and those eyes of yours can see that I’m obviously not a clone.” You removed yourself from his grasp. “So, I’ll not be participating in Admiral Tarkin’s evaluation.”

“He requested your presence too. As far as he’s concerned, you’re an equal part of this squad so that means you’re being evaluated too.”

Shit, you thought to yourself. You could only hope enough time had passed and the hood and mask would be enough that he wouldn’t recognise you. You made your way back into the group, ignoring many of their quizzical stares.

“Now, go gear up.” The shock trooper ordered.

“So, we’re not in trouble, and they want us to fight more? Ha! Maybe this Empire thing’s not so bad after all.” Wrecker said merrily.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” You muttered as you headed to the training facility.

--

As the lift to the training facility began to rise, you kept adjusting your ensemble. You couldn’t afford any slip ups when you were doing this.

“It’s fine.” Echo muttered to you.

You glanced at him but before you could say anything else, you all were in the facility, and you kept your head down whilst Tarkin spoke to you all from the observation area where the prime minister was too. His suave voice echoed around the room. “The value of all clone troopers and other personnel…”

You didn’t need to lift your head; you could feel him looking at you.

“Is being challenge by the Empire. To demonstrate your effectiveness, a combat-proficiency test is in order. Take your positions.” He finished speaking.

“We’ve done these a thousand times, guys. You know what to do.” Hunter stated before putting on his helmet.

“A battle simulation? Give us a real challenge.” Wrecker voiced through his helmet before you all broke off into your positions.

You crouched behind one of the barriers that had Tech and Wrecker behind them too, whilst the other 3 took up their positions on the opposite one.

You waited a few moments before you heard the whirring of the training droids, and the towers came online and fired down on you. You knew Crosshair would be sent to the towers and sure enough, you saw him make his way over to them. You didn’t have a blaster, but you did have another vibroblade strapped to your thigh, so you took that out and threw it at one of the droids. It implanted itself deep within the face of the droid and it collapsed to the floor. You noticed a few more fall too as the other’s shots met their targets.

--

As Crosshair took the towers down, Hunter signalled you all to move in. You ran out from behind the barrier and drew your modified vibro-weapon. You picked your knife up from the fallen droid and dodged a few of the shots headed your way, managing to cut down a couple more before you took shelter behind another barrier. You couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated, if you could use your ‘special’ skillset effectively this could all be over so much quicker.

You peered out from behind it to see Wrecker doing exactly what you wished you could do: just taking on all the droids. You made eye-contact with Tech who only rolled his eyes. To be honest you were grateful for Wrecker’s antics at this point, you needed this to be over. Plus, it was enjoyable to watch him get so much fun out of a drill like this.

“What else you go? Gimme more!” Wrecker shouted up to the watch platform.

Admiral Tarkin thought this had been over much too quickly. This group hadn’t been tested nearly enough. “If the Galactic Empire is to be stronger than the Republic which preceded it, it’s soldiers must follow suit. Switch to live fire.”

The prime minister didn’t like that idea one bit. “Admiral Tarkin, I must protest. I don’t care so much about the woman, but live rounds could damage my clones and my facility.”

“For which you will be fairly compensated. Do it!”

The prime minister reluctantly nodded towards the Kaminoans at the control panel.

 --

You had been studying their interaction, something didn’t look right. You attention was brought back to the current situation as new, more advanced droids appeared in the area in front of you. This combined with what you had just seen above you didn’t look good. “Wrecker, hold on a minute!” You called out as he began running towards them. His shots were useless, even his brute strength didn’t have an effect.

Then it all went to hell.

You watched as the droids used live rounds, one of them hitting Wrecker. You darted out quickly, managing to cut the arms off the first droid. You ran over and grabbed Wrecker’s right arm. “You alright?”

“I felt that one.” Wrecker said, his voice straining slightly.

Tech had dashed out to grab his other arm so together the two of you were able to scurry behind the barrier before the other droid’s blaster fire made contact with you.

You sat helplessly whilst blaster fire surrounded you. Why was it the one time you actually needed to use the abilities you had the one time where you absolutely could not. If it got bad enough, you might have to anyway. You knew where that would leave you, but what about the others? A whistle brought you out of your head and you looked over to see Hunter giving the three of you hand signals.

“Oh! I hate hand signals!” Wrecker complained.

“They’re not too difficult to understand Wrecker once you know them.” You said, taking your knife back out and throwing it into the arm of one of the other droids. It didn’t do much to stop it, it just focused its attention on you causing you to duck quickly.

“Perhaps if you memorised them.” Tech suggested.

“Why don’t you memorise them?” Wrecker snipped back.

“We have.” You and Tech said at the same time.

“What we did on Felucia.” Tech clarified.

You jumped out from behind the small wall, jumping over the head of the droid that had your smaller vibro-blade in it, grabbing it as you did so. You knew that was foolish but if you needed to, you could talk your way out of it. You’d done it before.

You distracted the droids to allow Wrecker the time to move in. You slid on your knees, avoiding the blaster fire, and sliced through the legs of one of the droids. As it fell, you stabbed your weapon through the head of it, rendering it useless. Great, two down, lots more to go, you thought. You felt a blaster bolt whizz past your head as you ran quickly to where Hunter and Crosshair were taking cover. “How do you think we’re doing?”

“Could be better.” Hunter replied.

You saw that Tech was in the middle of reprogramming the droid. If all went according to plan, the playing-field should even out shortly.

--

Admiral Tarkin watched this display with intrigue. “These are rather unusual tactics.”

“The clones of experimental Unit 99 have a tendency to veer from standard combat protocol. Something that the woman who is a part of their group has also embraced.” The prime minister explained.

Tarkin peered down at you. There was something about you that didn’t quite sit right with him, and he needed to know what it was.

--

Oh, thank fuck, you thought. Tech had successfully reprogrammed the droid so now your life was simpler. With Tech taking down most of the advancing droids, the rest of you were able to finish the ones that remained. Everything seemed to be going fine… right up until it wasn’t. Tech had already started to struggle keeping the connection with the droid he was controlling and to make matters worse, a last droid appeared at the top of the training facility and fired at Tech’s droid. He fell to the ground.

“Tech!” You cried out. You saw Hunter throw his vibroblade into its arm and you used that to run up to it to stop it from continuing its fire in Tech’s direction but you severely under-estimated how fast it would react. Before you could use your weapon, it landed a kick to the centre of your chest that sent you flying backwards. You collided into Hunter, who quickly got to his feet and grabbed you. The two of you scrambled to get to cover. You leant back against the barrier and Hunter kneeled in front of you. “Sorry about that.” You said sheepishly, trying to get the air back into your lungs. “That was really dumb.”

“Are you okay?” Hunter asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m sure I’m supposed to feel like my entire chest has just caved in on itself.” You said with a laugh.

Hunter sighed, hoping you couldn’t pick up on the extent of the relief he felt. He looked away from you. “Crosshair, we need more cover fire!”

You looked to see how Tech was. He was still on the ground and that droid wasn’t stopping its assault. You needed one of them to come up with something quick or you really wouldn’t have much of a choice. If you had to die in order to save your squad, then you’d do that but at the same time you really hoped there would be another option. Crosshair’s voice then sounded.

“Wrecker, knife!”

You watched as Wrecker threw his knife into the air and Crosshair’s shot hit it perfectly. It spun in the air and hit the middle of the droid’s head, deactivating it. Out of all the shots you’d seen him do, that was by far the most impressive. You rested the back of your head against the block in relief. Your secret was able to stay a secret still.

“Here.”

You looked to see Hunter holding his hand out to you. Calm yourself down and just take the hand like a normal human being. Nice and casual, you reminded yourself. You took it and let him bring you to your feet. “Thanks.”

Hunter wanted nothing more than to keep that feeling of your hand in his for as long as possible, but he knew this wasn’t the place or time. Not to mention, you probably didn’t view it in the same light he did. He let your hand go once you were on your feet. “Nice work.” He directed to Crosshair.

You had made your way over to Tech and helped him to his feet. You glanced up at the observation platform to see Tarkin walking away. Please let that be the last I see of him, you thought.

--

Omega looked at the man who was studying the birthing pods and she felt a sense of unease.

“Extraordinary. Aren’t they?” The head scientist Nala Se said.

“That remains to be seen. Tell me about Clone Force 99.” Tarkin requested.

“They are medically defective clones whose cellular mutations enhanced traits desirable in a soldier.” Nala Se responded.

“And the woman who is with them?”

Lama Su told him your name before continuing with explaining your background. “She came back to Kamino with them the last time the clones were here. According to them, she assisted them on a mission, and they offered her a place on the squad. As far as I’m aware, she’s been with them ever since. Her tendency to stray from the normal rules also means she fits in well.” The prime minister replied.

Tarkin thought for a few moments, but your name didn’t ring any bells with him unfortunately. “Where did she come from?”

“They met her on Devaron. As to her original origin, I do not know.”

Tarkin pondered this before continuing. “How many of these enhanced clones do you possess?”

“Five are all that remain.” Nala Se answered.

“They could be an asset to your new Empire. Their female included, she’s bonded with them in a way I’ve not seen their fellow clones do.” The prime minister added.

“Yet reports indicate they exhibit a concerning level of disobedience and disregard for orders.” Tarkin countered.

“A side effect of their mutation.” Nale Se explained.

“Yet one that has never hindered the completion of their missions.” The prime minister inserted.

“Then they executed Order 66?” Tarkin asked.

“Since both the Jedi General and Padawan on Kaller were eliminated, one would assume-”

“Assume nothing.” Tarkin interrupted the Kaminoan prime minister. “Only the general’s death is confirmed. A counter-report filed by one of their own, says the Padawan escaped. Let us see where the loyalty of these clones and their friend truly lies.” Tarkin said before leaving the room.

Omega watched as he left. She didn’t like him, and she worried about what he had in store for all of you.

--

You removed your mask and hood as you entered the barracks and sat down at the table, head in your hands. What the fuck was that evaluation? Live rounds? What the hell? Apparently, Wrecker shared your unhappiness.

“Live rounds? They used live rounds! On us!” He said, throwing his helmet on the table.

“We were there, Wrecker. We know.” Tech replied.

“I tried to warn you about Tarkin.” Echo added.

“Yup. Major Dickhead.” You concurred.

“Who’s that Imperial snake think he is?” Wrecker voiced angrily.

“Stow it already. You got shot. It happens all the time.” Crosshair said coldly.

You stared at Crosshair and made eye-contact with Hunter who nodded back at you. Good, at least I’m not the only one who has noticed this, you thought.

“There’s a fundamental difference between taking fire in battle and being used for target practice.” Tech refuted.

“Exactly! We’re not dummy droids.” Wrecker agreed, looking at Crosshair.

“That much we agree on.”

Shit. You quickly put your hood and mask up and went to stand next to Crosshair as Admiral Tarkin entered the room. You felt Echo and Hunter’s eyes on you as you did that, but you didn’t care. You couldn’t exactly avoid him now so this was the closest you could get.

“That was quite an impressive display.” Tarkin said, walking down the middle on the line.

“Didn’t have much of a choice.” Hunter answered.

“Our new empire may have methods which seem a bit unorthodox but so does is this squadron. Particularly your presence here, (Y/N), is it?”

“Yes.” You said quietly, avoiding eye-contact. You felt his cold hands through your mask as they placed themselves on your chin, angling your face up to look at him. You resisted the instinct to tear his hand away and send him crashing into the barrack wall.

Hunter had to fight the urge to pull his hand off of you, but he noticed your left hand moving. The signal was clear, you were fine. He looked to the others who were all frowning in Tarkin’s direction, well, all except Crosshair who kept his expression neutral, and shook his head to stop any of them from saying anything.

“Your choice of weapon is rather unusual. How did you come by such a device?” Tarkin asked you.

“I made it myself. Gathered a bunch of vibroblades together.” You replied.

“And no blaster?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like them.” You answered simply.

Tarkin paused. In all his time in military command, he’d never come across an ordinary soldier who didn’t fight with a blaster by choice. Only the- no that couldn’t be possible. He continued his questioning. “You weren’t a part of this squad in the beginning.” Tarkin stated.

“That’s correct.” You answered curtly.

“Yet they allowed you to join them after only knowing you for a brief amount of time.”

“I made a good impression.” You said coolly.

“Clearly. Tell me, your military and fighting background, what was it?”

“Self-taught.” You lied smoothly.

“I doubt that. A person of your skill had to have received training from somewhere.”

“I pick up quickly, working with this squad helped me figure a few things out.” You replied easily.  

You were good. He had to hand it to you, but his suspicions were not yet quashed. Your voice and eyes felt familiar to him. There was only one way he’d know if he was right or not. “Take of your mask.” Tarkin ordered.

You felt your heartbeat start pounding in your ears. “No.”

“That’s an order.”

“Not one I’ll be following and if you try anything, you’ll end up in the medical bay.” You said defiantly.

Tarkin narrowed his gaze at you but before he could say anything, a clone voice grabbed his attention.

“You got a mission for us sir?” Hunter asked, wanting Tarkin’s attention to be away from you.

“Indeed.” Tarkin responded, releasing his grip on you, until either you slipped up or he had further information he would just have to wait. There was a larger issue at hand here. He walked to face the clone who spoke to him. “We have tracked a group of insurgents to the Onderon sector. They must be dealt with.”

You took a shaky breath as he turned away from you. That was too fucking close.

“What sort of insurgents?” Echo asked.

“Separatist forces intent on keeping the galaxy at war. If you neutralize this grave threat, you will be looked upon most favourably as I assess the needs of the Imperial army.” He informed you all before walking out of the room.

You felt all the eyes in the room turn to look at you. “Problem?” You asked casually.

“What was that all about?” Wrecker asked.

“What?” You said with a shrug of your shoulders.

“If you were trying to get yourself thrown in the brig, that was an excellent way to go about it.” Tech added.

“I wasn’t trying to- I didn’t- I-” You broke off with a sigh.

“What’s going on?” Hunter asked you, his tone softer than what it usually was, as he moved to stand in front of you and laid a hand on your shoulder.

You looked into his eyes. You hated this. You wanted nothing more than to tell him- to tell all of them- what you were but you couldn’t, the time where you could safely tell them was gone and now it was killing you inside, way worse than it was before. “Nothing.” You shuffled away from him. “Come on, we got a mission to get on with.” You left the room quickly and walked down the corridor to the ship.

--

Echo and the others came to stand by Hunter who had watched you go. “She’s been acting strangely. Have you noticed?”

“Of course, I have. She’s been different since the mission at Kaller.” Hunter agreed.

“I too have observed several alterations in her behaviour since landing here.” Tech added.

“Do we think she’s okay?” Wrecker asked.

“Why are we talking about this? She’s right, we have a mission to be getting on with.” Crosshair frostily.

Hunter glared at him. “Since when don’t you care?”

“Never said I didn’t but I think we all know why you do.” Crosshair replied. “I’m just focused on the mission as we all should be. Certain feelings should be pushed aside.”

Hunter turned away from him. He wouldn’t have this conversation again. “Come on, let’s go.” He could only hope there would be a moment where you would feel comfortable enough to tell him what you were going through.

--

You were sitting on the steps leading into the ship after Tech and Echo arrived, trying to push your anxiety and self-loathing away but to no avail. All that had happened had overthrown any denial you were able to hold on to.

You couldn’t convince yourself otherwise; your entire relationship with them had started with a lie.

You had lied about the biggest part of your life to your team. No matter how you acted around them, no matter how much of it was genuine, your lie remained, and that lie was going to have to stay a part of you forever and you couldn’t do it anymore. This part of you would either kill you or them and you cared too much to see that happen to them. After this mission, you would leave them, as much as that hurt you to decide, you knew it was the only way out. You’d been on your own before, you could do it again. You stood up and walked over to Echo who was staring at the datapad. “Find any more intel on the insurgents?”

Echo looked up from the screen. “Negative. Imperial files are locked down tight.”

“That’s annoying. Maybe Tech-”

“Yes, give me time. I’ll crack them.”

You turned to see Tech walking down the steps. “Yeah, I figured as much.”  

“I’ll say this for the Empire. They know fire power. You should see the new armoury.” Wrecker announced as he and Crosshair came over with what you assumed was a box filled with explosives.

“That impressive huh?” You asked.

“He actually cried.” Crosshair revealed.

“Hey, we both did.” Wrecker protested.

You let out a small laugh. That was the Crosshair you’d been familiar with, the one you’d seen glimpses of earlier was unknown to you, but it was good to see that he seemed his usual self.

“There’s no room on board for that.” Tech said.

“Yeah? Well, I’ll make room.” He sighed happily as he made went to pick up the container. “A new mission and unlimited explosives. Things are back to normal.”

“That’s not going near my rack.” Tech objected as he followed Wrecker on to the ship. “I refuse to sleep by a projectile again.”

You smiled fondly as you watched them go on board. You were going to miss that. “Hey.” You lightly grabbed Crosshair’s arm as he walked past you. “Where’s Hunter?”

Crosshair looked past you. “There.”

You turned to see Hunter walking through the doors.

--

Hunter noticed you looking over at him. He knew you shouldn’t affect him this way, in fact his life would be a lot simpler if you didn’t, but he couldn’t help it. Within two months of you joining his squad, you had grown to become a key part of him, and he couldn’t stop it, not even if he wanted to and right now, whatever was happening with you, was driving him crazy. He wanted to help you, but he didn’t know how, and he couldn’t know how until he knew what was bothering you which you clearly didn’t want to tell him or anyone else for that matter. A familiar voice brought him back to the current moment.

“Hunter!”

He sighed and turned to see Omega running to catch up to him. “I told you to keep your distance.”

“I know, but I need to talk to you.” She said.

He kneeled down in front of her. “Alright. What is it?”

“That Imperial officer, I think he has it out for you. I overheard him talking to Lama Su. He doesn’t like clones or (Y/N).”

Hunter let out a chuckle. “Ah, that’s nothing new for us. But we get the job done and (Y/N) has already made it clear to him she could handle any trouble he throws her way.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“A mission’s a mission. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Then let me come with you.” Omega pleaded.

“Kid, you’re not a soldier. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous here too. Things aren’t like before. We need to leave Kamino.”

From the distance, Hunter heard Wrecker calling for him. They were ready to go. “Change takes getting used to. You’ll see. Just give it time.” He stood up and began to walk away.

“Hunter.” Omega called quietly after him.

He turned to face her.

“Um, never mind.”

He carried on walking to the ship.

--

You stood next to Crosshair as Hunter approached. “She okay?”

“Ah, something about her I can’t figure out.”

“Well, she’s a kid, they’re not supposed to be easy to figure out. Hell, most adults aren’t.” You patted his shoulder before going on board the ship.

I’ll say, Hunter thought to himself as he watched you climb the steps.

“Well, I guess kids aren’t quite your area of expertise either.” Crosshair added before he followed you up.

--

Omega watched Hunter board the ship and watched as it flew away. She hoped they would be okay.

“Omega, come along. I told you to stay close.” Lama Se beckoned.

Omega turned away to follow her out the docking bay.

--

The ship landed in the Onderonean jungle, and you all left the ship, helmets, and masks on, hoods up. You could hear the sounds of many creatures roaring in the distance.

“What was that?” Echo asked.

“You don’t want to know.” Tech replied bluntly.

“Well, at least it’s not a swamp.” You added brightly.

“Close enough.” Crosshair griped.

“The Separatist encampment’s two clicks south. We’ll continue on foot and do a full perimeter scan.” Hunter ordered. He stopped Wrecker as he went to run past him. “Covertly.”

“Oh, come on. It’s been days since I’ve blown something up.” Wrecker moaned.

“Easy, Wrecker. Your programming’s kicking in.” Tech pointed out.

“Hey, don’t start with that!” Wrecker said before knocking Tech in front of him.

You smiled to yourself and shook your head at Tech. “Was that really necessary?”

“I was merely pointing out-”

“I know, I know.” You said with a laugh. “Come on, you’re the man with the scanner, lead the way.”

--

The rest of you followed behind Tech as he scanned the jungle area.

“How many droids we talking about, Tech?” Hunter asked.

“I can’t tell from this distance. Something’s blocking my scan.” Tech replied, hitting the side of the datapad.

“Clankers always travel together in packs. Let’s get a closer look at what we’re walking into.” Hunter said.

You all climbed up one of the large trees and laid down flat.

“Tell me what you see, Tech.” Hunter directed.

“I’m clocking twenty-five heat signatures ahead but zero droids.” Tech answered.

“Tarkin said insurgents, not droids.” Crosshair said.

“I’m not sure they’re either.” You pointed out as you peered through your macrobinoculars. You passed them over to Echo.

“She’s right. There are children down there.” Echo stated.

“Children? Out here?” Hunter said, confusion in his voice. He grabbed the binoculars from Echo and sat up as he looked through them.

You sat up and looked at him. “Something’s not right, Hunter.” You felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

“What are you waiting for? Give the order.” Crosshair instructed, the scope of his rifle focusing in on one of the people.

“Negative. Stand down.” Hunter ordered.

“What?” Crosshair responded.

“You mean, we’re not blasting any droids?” Wrecker asked.

“There aren’t any droids, Wrecker.” You replied. You felt the like there were many sets of eyes on you.

“Well, so what do we do?” Wrecker asked.

“We finish the mission.” Crosshair answered. “Make the call, Hunter.”

“We’re not alone. Now stand down.” Hunter commanded.

Just as he did so, a group of who you guessed were the so called ‘insurgents’, surrounded you all. You drew your weapon and kept your eyes on them.

“Let’s hear them out.” Hunter pushed your sword down. “Trust me.”

You looked at him and nodded. You followed his lead and put your hands behind your head, as did the others, but you noticed that Crosshair hadn’t yet done so. “Crosshair.” You hissed.

Crosshair only let out an incredibly irritated sigh before he lowered his rifle and raised his hands.

--

Before you began the walk down to the camp, the troops came and took some of the equipment you all were carrying, including the helmets. One of the soldiers took your hood and mask down. You went to quickly push them back up, but he held his gun up at you.

“Don’t.” He said sternly.

“Hey, easy with that.” Hunter said to the soldier, turning back to look at you.

“It’s fine. I’m sorry.” You said calmly, lowering your hands slowly. The others had their helmets taken so you would have to make do too. “I’ll leave it down.” Please let there be no one here who could possibly recognise me, you thought.

--

The sight which greeted you left you lost for words. Aside from a few soldiers, most of the people at the camp were ordinary civilians, not a weapon or threat amongst them. What had Tarkin been talking about?

“These aren’t Separatists. They’re Republic fighters.” Echo said.

“Why would Tarkin send us to attack our own forces?” Tech asked Hunter.

“Because we refuse to fight for an Empire.”

Oh, of course. It would truly be too much to ask that you could go an entire day without the threat of being recognised. That voice belonged to Saw Gerrera and you’d only helped him utilise some more of his forces after Obi Wan, Rex, Anakin and Ahsoka had assisted him earlier in the war. You stepped behind Wrecker, hoping his size would shield you a little bit. He turned back and glanced down at you, but you just shook your head gestured for him to turn back around.

“You’re Saw Gerrera. Trained by Captain Rex and General Skywalker to fight for the Republic.” Tech stated.

Hunter watched as the man stepped towards him and took his blaster out it’s holster.

“So, the newly declared Empire sent you to wipe us out?” Saw said, turning away from the clone in front of him.

“Well, we’re here to neutralise a group of insurgents.” Hunter explained.

Gererra chuckled and turned to face him. “Well… here we are. What are you going to do? Strike us down like you did the Jedi?”

Your blood ran cold as he said that. The images in your head so vivid it was like you were back on Kaller.

“Is that a request?” Crosshair sneered.

“Enough.” Hunter said firmly. “We expected to find battle droids, not-”

“Civilians? Times change, targets change.” Saw interrupted. “Why don’t you take a look at the insurgents you were sent to destroy.”

Hunter studied at the group in front of him, they looked worried and afraid. These people weren’t a threat that needed to be taken out.

“Makes you wonder what else they’re lying about.” Saw said before turning to address his group. “Let’s mobilise. Pack up the camp.”

Hunter took a few steps towards Saw. He glanced back to see the others following but you weren’t where you had been standing when you first arrived. Wrecker coughed and tilted his head back. He then noticed your silhouette behind him. He turned back to face Saw. “What’s going on here? Who are these people?”

Saw stood up and responded to the clone. “Villagers, croppers, former Republic fighters, all now displaced refugees since Palpatine unjustly appointed himself Emperor.”

“According to reports, the Jedi made an attempt on the Supreme Chancellor’s life. His actions were a defensive measure.” Tech said.

You couldn’t help but scoff.

Saw paused. “You boys got yourself someone else?”

Stupid. Dumb. Idiot. Shit. Fuck. You could’ve kept thinking about all the words that described the stupidity of your actions, but you knew you would have to move out from behind Wrecker anyway, so you stepped out and as soon as you did so, you saw the flash of recognition in Saw’s eyes. You reached out quickly. Please don’t. They don’t know. I’ve been with them for a while and now more than ever they can’t know. Telling them puts them in danger and I can’t have that. Please.

Hunter looked between you and Saw. You had that same intensity in your eyes that you did on Kaller before the padawan jumped.

You let out a sigh of relief as he gave you the tiniest nod of his head. Again, you ignored the side-eye the others were giving you.  

Saw looked away from you and back to the clone with the goggles. “And I figured you for the smart one. With the Jedi decimated and the clone army under his command, Palpatine will have control over the entire galaxy. Unless we stop him.”

“The war is over.” Crosshair said.

“If we give up now, everything we fought for… everyone we lost, will have been for nothing. I won’t let that happen. The Clone War may have ended but a civil war is about to begin.”

You didn’t know what to make of this. You weren’t keen on the idea of this new Empire, but you didn’t like the war either, too many people got caught in the crossfire, too many people got hurt but this regime would probably do just as much damage. You couldn’t remember the last time there had been peace in the galaxy.

“With a handful of fighters and limited firepower? You don’t stand a chance.” Hunter said straightforwardly.

“Not alone we don’t.” Saw insisted.

“We should leave if we’re gonna make the rendezvous.” A soldier informed Gerrera. “What do we do with them?”

Saw paused and looked at the group in front of him. “The clones and others.” He paused slightly and looked in your direction, but he saw your gaze quickly drop down. He continued. “Once helped us free Onderon, so we’ll give them a choice. The old ways are done.” He pointed the clone’s blaster at him.

You took a slight step forward just in case.

“You can either adapt and survive, or die with the past.” Saw carried on as he turned the blaster around before he handed it back to him. “The decision is yours.” He finished before turning of the lamp and walking into the jungle with the rest of his squad.

You watched him as he walked away, and you reached out one last time. Thank you. You saw him stop for a brief second before continuing to walk on. You put your hood and mask back on and waited for Wrecker to gather the gear. You stood next to Hunter and pulled on his arm but just as the two of you were about to walk away, you both stopped. You made sure to stop a second after he did. You had that suspicious feeling again and you knew Hunter did too but neither of you could see anything. You glanced at him, but he just gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, you knew that meant he wasn’t sure what it was. You both turned to go, unaware of the probe droid in the treeline.

--

“At least with the Republic we knew where we stood. Tarkin and this Empire are a whole different story.” Tech stated as you all made your way back to the ship.

“Why are we debating this? We need to complete the mission.” Crosshair said.

You turned around sharply to stare at him. “Wake up Crosshair. They sent us to eliminate innocent civilians.”

“Who said they’re innocent?” Crosshair replied, holding your stare.

“What’s wrong with you?” Hunter said frustratedly, turning back to face Crosshair.

“Me? What about her display back there? That didn’t strike you as unusual?” Crosshair snarled, turning to look at you.

You avoided Hunter’s gaze as his eyes flicked towards you. “You don’t know what you’re talking about Crosshair.”

“Technically he’s referring to-”

“Not now, Tech.” You interrupted quickly.

“That aside.” Crosshair continued. “I’m following orders.”

“Exactly.” Hunter countered, taking a few steps towards him.

“Those insurgents are plotting against the Emperor.”

“Are you serious? Why does that matter? This Emperor isn’t providing safety or security, him and this regime are going to crush people and tear them apart. There’ll never be an end to the conflict that people have had to deal with for so long.” You said angrily.

Crosshair only glared at you before looking back at Hunter. “If you don’t have the stomach to do what needs to be done, then you’re not fit to lead this squad.”

You watched as the two of them stared each other down before that recognisable feeling of being watched returned to you. “Hunter, I think-” You didn’t need to finish your sentence, since Hunter had already drawn his blaster and fired it past Crosshair’s head. You looked to see a probe droid crash to the ground.

“We’re being followed.” Hunter said before brushing past Crosshair.

You all followed him towards the site where the droid fell.

“That is a probe droid.” Tech explained.

“Oh, joy.” You said sarcastically.

“Tarkin’s spying on us now?” Wrecker asked.

“The Jedi never did that.” Echo added.

“Not that you know of.” Crosshair refuted.

“No, they didn’t.” You argued, immediately regretting it. What was your problem? Were you trying to get yourself killed? Clearly you were suffering from an ill-timed case of word vomit. For months, no for years, you were able to keep this secret why all of a sudden was every word that came out of your mouth one that could lead into it. You glanced around the group; everyone was staring at you. Perfect.

“How would you know?” Tech asked.

“Um, you know, I hear things and from what I’ve heard, the Jedi were pretty stand-up guys.” Maker, what the fuck did you sound like? Never in your life would you have described the Jedi, or anyone for that matter, this way.

While he desperately wanted to know what was going on with you, he also wanted to save you from any more awkwardness. “Omega.”

“What about her?” Echo asked, turning his eyes from you to look back at Hunter.

You huffed out a breath and nodded a thank you as Hunter walked past you, before following him back to the ship.

“She warned me about the mission. And Tarkin.” Hunter replied. “She said not to return to Kamino, that it’s not safe for us anymore.”

Wrecker grunted. “Maybe she’s right.”

“We’re taking the word of a child now?” Crosshair asked stonily.

“I would not discount Omega’s insight. A state of heightened awareness is not unusual for an enhanced clone such as herself.” Tech said simply, looking up from his datapad.

You angled your head to face Tech as he leaned against the ship’s doorway. “She’s a what now?”

Wrecker just laughed. “Good one Tech, you almost had me.” He joined you on the steps of the ship.

“When Nala Se spoke of five clones, Tarkin assumed that meant us, but Echo’s a reg. The fifth is Omega. I confirmed my suspicions after analysing her DNA while we were in the infirmary.” Tech explained.

“And you waited until now to mention it?” Echo asked, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“Well, I thought it was obvious.” Tech replied plainly.

“Hey, Tech, here’s an idea. If it seems obvious to you, it’s probably not to the rest of us. These are things that are good to know well in advance.” You said with a shake of your head, standing up and joining him in the doorway.

“We’re going back for her.” Hunter said, turning away from the jungle.

Crosshair stepped in front of him. “Disobeying orders again over a kid? Bad play, Hunter.” He pushed a finger into his chest.

Hunter just pushed his hand aside and stepped past him. “She’s one of us. We’ve added a new member before, and it worked out.” He said, glancing at you.

You met his stare, but you couldn’t help but feel the guilt of what you were doing come crashing through you.

“We’re not leaving her there.” Hunter continued before stepping past you and into the ship.

--

Lost in thought, you stared out the ship window, your eyes following the droplets of rainwater as they slowly trickled down. You found yourself picking two beads of water and waiting to see which one would reach the bottom first. It was funny, you knew of Kamino’s climate before coming here and the times you had the weather had always been the same, dark, and stormy, yet you were always surprised to see it be that way. You couldn’t imagine anything good was waiting for you all once you landed but you knew Hunter was right, Omega had to leave with you all. Tech’s voice took your attention away from the trickling water.

“I’m getting no response from com-scan.”

“That’s unusual.” You said quizzically.

“Indeed.” Tech replied.

“Bring us in. We’ll find out what’s going on.” Hunter directed.

Before you stepped out from the ship, you drew your hood and mask back up- to protect you from the harsh weather more than anything else right now. You all walked towards the- now sealed- bay doors but before you all entered, Hunter spoke. “Stick to the plan. Split up, find Omega, meet back here at the ship.”

You nodded and walked over to open the door and you weren’t comforted by what greeted you. The bay was encased in darkness, the usual hustle wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The eeriness of it made your skin crawl. You stepped forward but before you could make it very far, shock troopers came out, blasters drawn, and your group was surrounded in an instant.

“As expected.” Crosshair sniped.

“Shut up, Crosshair.” You hissed back. You looked over to see Admiral Tarkin make his way over to Hunter. Dammit. Your mask and hood would be useless now, that probe droid would’ve caught you without it. You could only wait with bated breath and hope that time and Tarkin’s general distaste for the Jedi would have meant he still wouldn’t recognise you.

“The Empire does not tolerate failure, Sergeant.” Tarkin said, his displeasure evident.

“There were… complications.” Hunter replied.

“Yes, the probe droid’s report was quite detailed. Conspiring with Saw Gerrera. And you made your position quite clear.” Tarkin said, directing his gaze at you.

At least he didn’t recognise you. You’d be dead already if he had, you thought before replying, “Yeah, that position being I’m not a fan of a system or an Emperor that likes to go after innocent civilians. Not to mention, some of his employees are assholes. Oh, sorry, that’s a big generalisation, I meant at least one of them is.” You responded, glaring at him.

Tarkin did his best to maintain his composure. The probe droid had managed to send an image of your face and he was annoyed to admit that your profile meant nothing to him but this attitude of yours was becoming a problem and it would have to be dealt with. He nodded to the shock trooper closest to you and smirked as the butt of his blaster made contact with your cheek and then your stomach.

You grunted and kneeled down in pain. “Make that two employees. That feel good?” You panted, looking back at Tarkin. You took Echo’s outstretched hand and stood up, taking a few deep breaths to get air back into your lungs.

“Quite. You would do better to learn your place.” Tarkin answered.

“You need to stop.” Echo whispered.

“I can handle it fine.” You muttered back.

“You might, but he can’t.” Echo said, jutting his head in Hunter’s direction.

You glanced over to see Hunter’s fists clenched at his sides; his jaw tight as he stared at Tarkin. Any other day, you would’ve let your thoughts run wild with what that could mean, but now was not the correct time for that sort of thought process so you just skipped to the last part of your routine and dismissed it as nothing special. It was nothing more than a leader who cared about the general wellbeing of his squad, if it had been anyone else, it would’ve been the same.

“I assume you know the punishment for treason.” Tarkin resumed, speaking to the clone sergeant.

You went to open your mouth again but Echo’s tug on your arm stopped you.

“Treason?” Hunter replied, shocked.

“Throw them in the brig.” Tarkin ordered.

--

This was how you would die.

This was the way Tarkin would kill you.

No, not by finding out your Jedi secret.

But by locking you in the brig with Hunter wearing only his blacks.

The material clung tightly to him, accentuating every ripple of muscle he had. You simply could not handle it. Yes, the two of you shared a bunk and when he had the time, you knew he would remove his armour and sleep in them, but it was usually always dark, and you were too exhausted to actually notice and appreciate what they did for him. You weren’t the most focused waking up either, so you’d never had, what you supposed was the pleasure given the way your body was reacting right now with heat spreading throughout it and your heart rate dramatically increasing, of seeing him in them.

Now it was happening at the worst possible time.

You were trapped.

In a tight space.

With every other squad member.

Who in the galaxy had you wronged to receive this punishment? To have him in front of you, looking like that, and not being able to act on every impulse that your body was wanting to do, was torture.

It felt wrong, not to mention a little bit creepy, to let your mind wander this way when there was no way his had ever done the same, but you couldn’t help it. This was going to kill you.  

“You’re staring.” Echo uttered quietly to you.

“Shut it.” You shushed back, no malice behind it, before turning away from Hunter swiftly and you sat down on the bench, so out of it that you didn’t notice the small child sitting in the corner of the cell or really register that Hunter had been looking at you just as intensely.

Hunter couldn’t help but look at you. If Tarkin wanted to give him a hard time, this was a good way to do it. Being trapped in the brig with you was doing things to him that he should be better at ignoring. Your top layer had been taken off you so you were left wearing your leggings and undershirt which meant much of your skin was exposed and it was making his mind create images and thoughts he absolutely should not be having. He began thinking about the various ways he could make the goosebumps on your arms disappear, but he stopped himself. It was not the correct time for this, it was never the correct time for it, but he couldn’t help himself. This was going to be a struggle.

“You’re staring.” Wrecker whispered to him.

“I’m not.” Hunter replied defensively, before looking away from you quickly and facing the back of the cell.

Echo glanced between the two of you as you both looked away from each other at the same time. He sighed internally. He couldn’t believe you both were so clueless. Everyone else could see how you felt about each other but nothing had happened. He’d lost track of the number of conversations he and the others had with each of you individually about it, only to be faced with pathetic denials and excuses from both of you. They’d even tried a couple of times to set up situations were the two of you were alone, to try and force one of you to talk because it was just getting ridiculous and still nothing happened. You both were, somehow, too oblivious to what you felt for one another.

“Well, the plan wasn’t a total failure.” Tech spoke up.

You looked at him and followed his gaze and there was Omega. Huddled against the wall of the cell. Wow, your brain had short circuited after seeing Hunter. How did you not see her? What happened next wasn’t helping either. You watched as Hunter made his way forward and kneel down in front of her, it took all your willpower to not stare at the muscles in his back.

“I warned you not to come back.” Omega said.

“Had to. We were looking for you.” Hunter responded, making sure he was keeping his eyes on her and not you.  

You couldn’t help but smile as you watched her face light up in surprise.

“Me?” She replied.

“What do you say, kid? You wanna come with us or did we get captured for nothing?” Hunter asked.

“You came back for me?” She repeated.

“That’s right. Or you can stay on Kamino if-”

“No, it’s like I said before. I want to go with you.” She said eagerly, standing up.

“How touching.” Crosshair sneered.

You turned to look at Crosshair before glancing back at Hunter as he stood up and stared back at Crosshair. You cleared your throat, trying to disperse the awkward tension that had arose.

“Uh, Hunter, how are we breaking outta here?” Wrecker asked.

“I’m working on it.” He replied sternly, his eyes staying on Crosshair.

“You know what you should work on? Explaining when you went soft. I have a pretty good idea though.” Crosshair said, his eyes focusing on you.

You looked away awkwardly. Apart from Echo, Crosshair had been one of the main people who had spoken to you about the whole Hunter situation despite your many denials. Even though he’d done it in his Crosshair way, you had never got the impression it was a serious problem for him. Until now.  

Hunter stole a glance at you before looking back at Crosshair.

“Stow it, Crosshair.” Echo said.

You noticed Omega glancing in your direction. You gave her what you hoped was a reassuring smile and stood up and walked just behind Hunter, so you were standing next to her.

“Don’t you see we’re locked up in here because of him?” Crosshair said angrily. “He had us disobey orders.”

“So what?” You asked.

“I never thought you disobeying orders was a problem.” Tech added.

“Yeah. We do it all the time.” Wrecker agreed.

“Good soldiers follow orders.” Crosshair said aggressively, taking a few steps closer to Hunter. “Every choice you’ve made since Kaller has been wrong. First the Padawan, then Gerrera. You’re becoming a liability.”

You shook your head in disbelief but when you saw Omega look anxiously back up at you again, you put your arm around her shoulder. Judging by your most recent displays, if you spoke up more, you would probably only make things worse.

“We can debate my choices later.” Hunter replied. “For now, let’s focus on getting outta here.” He took a step away from Crosshair.

You studied Crosshair as he went to sit down. He was clutching the side of his head. Something about him now just felt weird to you, he felt like a stranger. You felt Omega leave your side and watched as she made her way over to him. She was a medical assistant after all, maybe she could figure out what was going on with him. You sat back down on the bench and placed your face in your hands, wincing slightly as you forgot about the bruise that was forming on your cheek.

“Does it hurt?”

You lifted your eyes to see Hunter kneeling in front of you, his eyes focused on you. You shook your head. “Nah not really. There’ll be a bruise but it’s fine if I just leave it alone. I should’ve seen it coming though, there was only so much of my charming demeanour Tarkin could take.” You said with a small smile. Before you could say anything else, you looked past Hunter to see a shock trooper approaching. You stood up.

Hunter mirrored your actions and turned to see what was going on.

“CT-9904, you’re coming with us.” The trooper dictated, whilst another brought the shield down.

You took a couple steps to the right whilst Hunter darted in front of the trooper. “Oh, no, no, no. We stay together.” He said firmly.

The trooper only hit his blaster into Hunter’s stomach.

“Hunter!” You quickly made your way over to him and grabbed his arm to haul him back to his feet. “Are you okay?” You asked softly.

“I’m fine.” He replied, grimacing slightly as he straightened up.

“Yeah, being on the receiving end of one of those isn’t the greatest feeling in the world.” You let go of his arm and made to step towards the clone, but he held his blaster up.

“Stand down!” He ordered.

You and the others stilled and all you could do was watch as Crosshair left the cell and walked out the door with them. You didn’t know what they wanted with him, but one thing was certain, it could not possibly be good.

--

You were situated on the other end of the cell, opting to lean against the wall rather than the bench. You told yourself it would be more comfortable for your back and not because you had a better view of Hunter that way.

You straightened your back against the wall. It had been a while since you’d all been sent to the brig, and you were getting fed up. You couldn’t be bothered wrestling with your inner turmoil anymore. All it would take would be a simple flick of your wrist and the switch controlling the shield would be lowered and you all would be able to leave. You could deal with the other soldiers easily enough and then you could leave them and… and never look back.

You sighed sadly but as you looked to where Hunter was sitting, that feeling of sadness changed in to one of amusement as you saw Omega mimicking each movement he made. That was another reason to do this, at least you guys had actually done something to piss Tarkin off, Omega was just a kid and didn’t deserve this. You inhaled deeply. “Guys I can-”

“I’ve got it. Why didn’t I think of it before?” Tech interrupted before pausing to looking back at you.

“No, go ahead Tech.” You said quickly. Just because you’d been at peace with that decision didn’t mean you wanted to do it, doing that would still put them in danger so if Tech had a plan, then you weren’t going to stop him.

Tech moved Echo aside and sat where he had once been before continuing. “This isn’t a prison.”

“Yeah, well I beg to differ.” Echo said.

“This is a Kaminoan facility. It was built prior to the Clone Wars. There were no barracks or prisons when it was constructed.” Tech clarified.

“Well, how does that help us?” You asked.

“Because while these cells were retrofitted to hold normal individuals, they could not possibly account for someone like Wrecker.” Tech replied.

“Oh! You mean I could punch our way out?” Wrecker asked eagerly, standing up.

You glanced over to where the troopers were and noticed them looking back to where you all were.

“Ssshh.” Hunter and Omega both said.

“Oh. Right. You mean I could punch our way out?” Wrecker repeated at a whisper this time.

“If you punch the correct spot.” Tech confirmed.

“Right. Show me where.” Wrecker said, rubbing his knuckles keenly.

“If this is gonna work, we’ll need some cover. Form a wall.” Hunter ordered.

You, Echo, Hunter, and Omega stood up to conceal the area of the wall Tech was examining. Omega had taken up what was your usual position next to Hunter, so you just stood next to her.

Hunter glanced down at Omega and then looked over her head at you only to see you look back at him and shrug with a small smile on your face.

“Hit this. Here.” Tech directed to Wrecker before coming to stand next to you.

“Right.” Wrecker kneeled down. “Tell me when.”

“Now.” Hunter said.

Wrecker punched the area and quickly sat back down.

The rest of you stood casually and waited for the troopers to look away again.

Wrecker examined the spot that he hit but let out a grumble. “Nothing happened.”

“Are you sure this is going to work?” You asked Tech quietly. You needed to know if your services would actually be required.

“Try it again. A little harder.” Tech said.

“You’re all clear. Make it count.” Hunter said.

“Okay.” Wrecker said before pulling his arm back and crashing his fist into the metal wall.

Again, you all waited for the soldiers to look away from you.

“Oh, it still didn’t work.” Wrecker said.

You kept your eyes on the soldiers in front of you, but you felt Tech leave your side to examine the wall.

“Oh yes, it did.” Tech corrected.  “Look.” He pulled back part of the metal to reveal an opening behind the wall.

“I’ll never fit through that.” Wrecker pointed out.

“Astute as always Wrecker, but I was actually going to suggest-”

“I’ll do it.” Omega agreed.

“You sure, kid?” Hunter asked.

“I’m sure.” She confirmed.

“I’ll go with her.” You said, looking at Hunter.

He nodded. He knew you could handle these guards just fine; he didn’t need to be worried. “Okay. Omega, get to the console and hit the lever to lower the ray shield.” He looked back at you. “The guards are all yours.”

You smiled before glancing down at Omega. “Come on, Omega, let’s go.” You both stepped back and squeezed through the gap in the wall. You let Omega start climbing first, you followed closely behind.

“Incoming.” Echo warned as the group of shock troopers approached.

“Wait, where are the other two?” The guard at the front asked.

“You tell us.” Hunter replied calmly.

“Harm them and you’re a dead man.” Echo said.

Another one of the clones spoke into the commlink on his wrist. “Operations, we need a status report on prisoners 0219 and 0220.”

--

You and Omega paused as you heard this echo up through the vent, she had stopped just on top of it, you were just behind her.

Omega felt the vent buckle under her slightly and she glanced back at you.

You held your finger up to your lips and raised your hand to tell her to wait. You kept an ear out for what was happening below you and from the sounds of it, Wrecker was doing his best to provide an excuse, but he didn’t quite have the knack for that sorta skill, for as long as you knew him, he never had.

You kept listening and knew you had your opening once you heard the guard ask again for where the two of you were. You nudged Omega’s leg and gave a single nod of your head. As she hit the vent and came tumbling down with it, you jumped down quickly after her and you noticed that most of the guards were trapped under it, so your job had just gotten a lot simpler. “Hit the switch, Omega!” You called before landing a kick to the trooper that had gotten up to grab her and that kick sent him right into Wrecker’s oncoming fist. You took in the scene around you and sighed.

“What?” Hunter asked, walking over to you.

“Oh, nothing. Just thought I’d have more to do.” You pouted. “Omega did a lot of my job for me. Nice job, kid!” You said smiling at her.

Hunter chuckled before addressing the wider group. “We need to find out where they took Crosshair. Let’s move.”

--

You all carefully made your way through the hallways before stopping at the next new corridor. You sighed. “We’re not going to get very far without our gear.”

“They started moving all your things to the hangar. Your gear might be there too.” Omega suggested to Hunter.

“This way.” Hunter directed.

The six of you began to quickly head towards the hangar. You only hoped you would be able to find and help Crosshair in time.

--

The group of you silently made your way into the hangar and you were pleased to see that all your kit was there. You grabbed your hooded layer and hastily put it on, and you immediately felt comforted. You knew you shouldn’t have let it, but the ensemble you had put together provided you with a deep sense of security, something you’d only ever found at one other time in your life and that involved lying next to a certain someone in the quiet and darkness of space. You were losing one, so you were glad to still have the other.

You slung your sword over your back and tied your smaller vibroblade to your thigh. You looked around you to see the others finishing putting their gear back on, though Wrecker seemed to have lost something.

“Tech, power up the ship. The rest of us will go after Crosshair.” Hunter instructed, grabbing his blaster.

Yet again, you felt a disturbance in your veins as you heard the beeping of the door behind you. You turned to look towards it. “I don’t think we’ll have to go far.” Just as you said that the door opened. You and the others ducked swiftly before peaking over the crates in front of you and what you saw filled your heart with dismay. Amidst the shock troopers that ran through, came another soldier, armour all black, sniper rifle in hand. You weren’t fast enough.

“Is that… Crosshair?” Wrecker asked, his tone filled with disbelief.

You saw out of the corner of your eye that Hunter had stood up and walked into the middle of the room, so he was standing across from Crosshair. Your eyes darted between them, you had to be ready just in case. You wouldn’t let anything happen to Hunter.

“Best stand down, Sergeant.” Crosshair warned. “Make it easy on yourself.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Hunter replied.

“We should’ve killed that Jedi. You disobeyed orders.”

Your heart stopped. What had happened to him? You bit your tongue to stop yourself from saying anything that would only prove to escalate the situation. You took a moment to glance down at Omega who had taken cover by the crate you were positioned at. You laid a hand on her shoulder, hoping that it would provide some comfort before focusing your attention back on Hunter and Crosshair.

“I did what I thought was right.” Hunter answered.

“You never could see the bigger picture. Now surrender.”

One look at Hunter and the others told you everything you needed to know. No one here was surrendering.

“Is that an order?” Hunter asked.

“Heh. I guess it is.” Crosshair responded with a smirk.

“Well, I guess I’m disobeying that one too.”

You took a deep as the two of them stared each other down. You knew one of them was getting ready to shoot and you just knew Crosshair would be the one to shoot first so if it looked like Hunter wouldn’t be able to get out the way in time, you would be ready. “Stay close, Omega.” You whispered to her whilst keeping your gaze on the men in front of you.

You waited, everyone else tensed their blasters but you waited.

You’d had a lot of practice in patience. In everyday situations, you weren’t great at it but when it came to scenarios like this, you pretty much had it nailed.

You tuned out the thunder in the background and watched.

You exhaled deeply as you watched Hunter duck out the way of Crosshair’s shot and you turned back to face him, your back against the crate, as he hunkered down in front of you. “Don’t do that to me.” You chastised him but your voice was filled with relief.

Hunter couldn’t let his mind wander about what your relief meant in regard to him right now, so he only nodded at you before putting his helmet on and taking up position next to you.

“Omega, keep your head down.” You told her as blaster shots pinged off the crate and your surroundings. You cursed under your breath as the shock troopers threw smoke charges, concealing your view, well only partially concealing yours. You could sense where the others were, but you couldn’t reveal that without answering other questions and given Crosshair’s new allegiance, you most certainly couldn’t do anything to remove the smoke yourself. You and Hunter ducked as a blaster bolt fired past your heads. “Tech, we gotta move. Now!” You called into the comm on your wrist.

“I’m working on it.” Tech responded.

“Wrecker, clear the smoke on three.” Hunter directed.

“You got it, boss.” Wrecker replied, grabbing two crate lids.

“Omega, stay low.” Hunter reiterated. “One… two…”

“Three!” Wrecker finished, jumping up and hitting the trays together, the impact dispersing the smoke.

You watched as he flung the lids into the oncoming soldiers, one making contact, but Crosshair managed to get out of the way of the other before getting a shot away in Wrecker’s direction. You quickly moved a finger, keeping your hands at your side but it wasn’t enough, the bolt still made contact with the upper left part of Wrecker’s chest, and you watched with worry as he fell down. “Omega, don’t!” You grabbed the girl’s arm and pulled her next to you just as a shot whizzed past. “He’s using Wrecker as bait.” You told her, keeping her from going again.

“But he needs help.”

“I know.” You said, looking at her with a nod. You turned to face Hunter. “What’s the plan, Hunter?”

“Tech, we’re out of time.” Hunter called to the ship, looking away from you.

“Almost got it!” Tech called back, powering up the engines.

“When I say go, you both head for that ramp and don’t stop. Got it?” Hunter said, his helmet turning from Omega to look at you. “Echo, we go for Wrecker.”

“No way, I’m not-” You began to protest.

“I need you to be safe.”

Any quick retort you were about to give vanished from your lips. “What?”

“I meant I need you to make sure the kid stays safe.” Hunter corrected quickly. Now was not the time.

You sighed, of course that’s what he meant. “Okay.”

“Go!” Hunter stood up and repeatedly fired his blaster in the direction of Crosshair and the other troopers.

You grabbed Omega’s hand and the two of you ran to the ship, but you couldn’t shake the deep feeling within you that Echo and Hunter would need your help. Clearly Omega felt similarly because you both stopped at the same time. You noticed a blaster on top of one of the crates. You grabbed it and handed it to her. “Go to the stairs of the ship. Trust yourself and take the shot. You’ll know when.” You told her urgently. You watched her take the blaster with a nod, fear but also determination behind her eyes.

“What about you?”

“I’m going to circle back around this crate. Don’t wait for me.” You both split up, you making sure you moved to the crate closest to you, your eyes never leaving Crosshair.

Just as you got yourself situated, you saw Crosshair raise his rifle towards where Echo and Hunter were struggling to get Wrecker to the ship.

You lifted your hand, closed your eyes, and called on the Force to push him down. Just as you did this, you heard Omega’s shot hit his blaster and you opened your eyes to see Crosshair sprawled on the floor. You knew he wouldn’t stay down very long. With Hunter and Echo’s gaze fixed on Omega, you darted out and grabbed Wrecker’s feet to help bring him on board the ship.

Crosshair couldn’t understand what just happened, one minute he was getting ready to fire his rifle, the next he was knocked to the ground. He recovered quickly and stood up, drawing his other blaster.

“I told you to go.” Hunter said, voice straining slightly with Wrecker’s additional weight.

“That wasn’t going to happen.” You replied, ducking your head as some of Crosshair’s hurried shots rang around you. You all made it onto the ship, and it took off, leaving Crosshair and Kamino behind you.

--

“Ouch!” Wrecker complained as you stuck the needle in his shoulder between the gaps in his armour. “Hey, hey, hey. What’s that gonna do?” He asked anxiously as he saw the next needle you brought out.

“You’ll be okay. Just hold still.” You replied.

“Is this what you were looking for?” Omega asked, holding the stuffed toy up to Wrecker.

“You found my Lula!” Wrecker gasped, taking it from the small girl.

You used that moment to quickly stick the other shot into his neck.

“Ow!” Wrecker cried out.

“I saw an opportunity and I took it.” You said with a smile. “It’s done now, don’t worry.”

Omega giggled and moved out the way as Tech came over to Wrecker.  

“Hold still.” Tech instructed, holding out his scanner.

“Don’t examine me. I’m not a computer.” Wrecker said huffily.

“This will take just a second.” Tech responded.

“Get that thing away from me.” Wrecker grunted.

You huffed out a laugh and looked away from the two squabbling clones to see Omega heading for the cockpit. You took a few steps forward and turned around to look at Hunter, tilting your head in Omega’s direction, indicating that he should follow.

Hunter nodded and walked with you into the cockpit. He glanced at you, not knowing if he should speak first. He wasn’t sure how this was all was supposed to work.

“Go on.” You murmured. You stayed back a couple paces, waiting for him to go first.  

He took a deep breath before approaching Omega. “Your first time in space?”

“First time anywhere.” Omega replied, looking back at him.

There was a slight pause before he spoke again. “That was an impressive shot back there. Where’d you learn to do that?” Hunter asked.  

“I don’t know. She told me to trust myself but I’ve never fired a blaster before. I guess I got lucky.” She said, with a shrug of her shoulders.

Hunter faced you. “You told her to take the shot?”

“Figured you’d need to the help. I didn’t want anything to happen to you.” You told him as you came to stand beside him. “Or Echo, or Wrecker.” You included quickly.

Before Hunter could say anything else to you, Tech and the others wandered through.

You took that moment to step aside and sit down in the seat behind the co-pilots chair. That was a bit close. You chuckled as you saw Echo come through bearing much of Wrecker’s weight, it definitely looked like a struggle. “How’s he doing, Tech?”

“He got lucky, but he’ll be fine.” Tech replied.

“It’ll take more than a blaster shot to take me down.” Wrecker said with a laugh.

“You were down.” Echo corrected, removing Wrecker’s arm from his shoulder.

“Yeah, well, not for long.” Wrecker responded with a chuckled before grabbing his shoulder in pain.

“What’s the plan, Hunter?” Tech asked, swivelling his pilot’s chair slightly.

“I thought we could go off on our own. Lay low. But with Crosshair gunning for us, I’m not so sure.” Hunter answered.

“What about your friends? Could any of them help us.” Omega asked, looking back at Tech.

You barked out a laugh.

“That would be a short list.” Tech replied, before looking back out the window.

“I can think of one.” Hunter revealed. “Plot a course for J-19.”

“J-19?” You and Echo asked.

“We know a guy.” Hunter said, glancing between you both before looking back at Omega and turning the co-pilot seat towards her. “Strap in kid, you’re not gonna want to miss this view.”

You smiled warmly as you watched him and as you saw Omega study what Tech was doing to prepare the jump to hyperspace but that smile quickly became one of sadness. You were dreading the conversation you needed to have once you reached this new destination. You sighed and left your seat just as the ship entered hyperspace.

--

You stepped away from the cockpit and were just about to take your sword off and lay it down when you heard Echo say something that made you freeze.

“I still can’t believe Crosshair just fell down like that.”

“Yeah, that was pretty weird.” Wrecker agreed.

“Anyone see what happened?” Hunter asked.

“Oh, that was (Y/N).” Omega answered innocently.

Shit. You were rooted to the spot. You thought you’d gotten away with it.

“It couldn’t possibly have been her, she was nowhere near Crosshair. She was helping get Wrecker on board the ship.” Tech corrected.

“Yeah, how could she have done that?” Wrecker asked.

“Her attention was on Crosshair when he was getting ready to shoot. I saw her close her eyes, raise her hand slightly and the next thing that happened was he was on the ground.” Omega explained.

Fuck.

“Ha nice one kid, way to cheer me up. No way she can do that.” Wrecker said with a laugh. He turned to face you, expecting to see you smiling at such a ridiculous suggestion but instead he was met with your back.

Hunter had turned to look at you, only to see you frozen in place. Omega couldn’t have been right, could she?

“She does not possess such an ability.” Tech argued. “Only the…” Tech trailed off, turning to look at you. You had been behaving differently ever since Kaller and this could be a reason as to why. Was it true?

“Yeah, sorry Omega, only the Jedi can do that and she certainly isn’t one. We’d know.” Echo added. “Right?” Echo turned to look at you only to be met with the sight of your back at the other end of the ship. “(Y/N)?”

You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t lie anymore. You felt all their eyes on your back.

“I’m sorry, did I say something I shouldn’t have?” Omega asked worriedly.

You sighed and finished taking off your weapon. “No.” You probably would’ve had to tell them when you told them you were leaving, they wouldn’t have let you get out of that one without a series of questions. You squeezed your eyes tight before opening them and turning to face the many pairs of eyes that were focused on you. You might as well start over. You introduced yourself again with a new piece of information. “Hi. My name is (Y/N) and I used to be a member of the Jedi Order.”

Next Chapter>

[yaut-jaknowit]

Before A Throne

Pairing: We'ar-ow (Female Yautja) x GN!Reader

Word Count: 3225

Summary: We'ar-ow takes you to a new spot on the ship. New for you. Her throne room. As the Monarch of this clan, she must delegate tasks and ensure her clan thrives. It's a perfect time to show you off. As her pet, you are sat upon the steps of her throne and forced to stay. Like a good pet.

Author Note: Uh-oh… that anger is rising!

Masterlist

Ao3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18

A black, leather-style collar was hanging from We’ar-ow’s pointer finger. An offer, but more of a demand. It was for you. A collar. For you. To wear. Your body shook with rage that somehow didn’t pelt her in the face with swinging fists or venom-filled words. This was beyond anything you could handle.

“Why?” you grounded out through clenched teeth. The last two days have been calm. She lets you stay in your room the entire time as you wasted away from boredness. But it was better than facing the damn dragon that has you as her pet. Oh, that really grinded your gears truly right now. How dare she?! You’re a person! With thoughts, with feelings, with emotions. She thinks it normal to chain you up with a collar. You’re not a dog or some Houdini child. You’ve been good around her, for the most part.

Her piercing gaze was kept on you as she peered over her mandibles to look down at you. God, she was massive. At least two feet taller. Probably closer to three feet taller. You don’t even reach her midriff while standing in front of her.

The two bottom mandibles flutter mindlessly. “Pets wear collars.” She was completely pushing your buttons. Your nails bit harshly into the pads of flesh that made up your hands. “Pets wear their collars proudly,” she continued.

Your teeth grinded against each other as you gazed up at her. Anger had to be rolling off of you in waves. Deadly, fatal waves that if it was any other Yautja, you would be dead in a heart beat.

A deep breath cycled through your lungs. “I’m not a pet,” you argued, finally putting your foot down. You were done playing this game.

Wow, it took four days to break you.

We’ar-ow leaned down, invading your personal space, and wrapped a hand around your neck. Instantly, you freaked and kicked out your legs to fight for life. Her hold wasn’t vicious or hurting. Just something to keep you there, before her. “But, you are. Your skin is marred with my symbol as Monarch. And your previous failed to protect you, his pet. Why resist? I can give you life worry-free and relaxing on furs I’ve hunted myself,” she explained and slowly blinked at you.

At her words, your eyes narrowed. Dwainet had hunted furs for you, as a mate. From experience, that was a mate thing to gather survival items for the other. But, you did only had one life experience. So maybe she was just doing what an owner does with a pet.

“You forcefully put that mark on my skin! And as a pet. I won’t lower myself to that standard just because it’s an easy life. I’d rather live a hard life than be humiliated as a pet,” you spat out the last words as if it was vile. Truly it was. “I wasn’t a pet to Dwainet. He was my mate.” You finally let the cat out of the bag.

And she didn’t react in a negative way. Just ‘hmpf’ed and slightly grinned. Her face was still close, breath baring down on you. “You think I didn’t know that. You reeked of his mating scent. What I don’t understand is why? You would let a low ranking, barely blooded male to mate with you?” she questioned as if it was the more absurd thing to ever do.

Now she was questioning your love life! God, save your soul. “Because humans don’t care about that! I fell in love with him.” Her hand tightened for a second, your body freezing when you remembered how easily it would be snap your neck.

Then, she took a step forward, forcing you backwards. All the way until your back met the cool wall of your new room. It felt like she grew an extra foot or two as she completely towered over your trembling form. You had made a fatal error, you felt it in your bones as she studied you. “Young and dumb. The two of you are. How was this lesson learned? Well? I hope.”

You wanted to shy away from her intense stare down, but the Yautja refused to let up for a moment. As if she wanted to get it through your thick skull. “What do you think would’ve happened if I had not found you? Unclaimed physically by another Yautja. You were just a plaything to anyone who came along your path. You are ooman. You would not survive out there,” she stated. Her hot, thick body pressed against yours, trapped between her and the wall. Not an inch of relief to escape.

That boiling rage just came back in full force. Fire flickering mightily in your eyes. “You think I’m just some weak human that needed saving? You think you are doing me favor?!” you scoffed and wiggled a little. It just further increased your worries. She wasn’t letting you go or move.

Plainly, frankly, she stated: “yes.” Her thumb stroked along the ridge of your cheek bone. If it wasn’t for the sharp talon at the end so close to your eye, you would’ve been possibly distracted. It was soothing, almost. “So, either make a choice now. Make this easier on yourself and I or I will show you why I was made Monarch.”

The translator even carried over the dreadful threat in her voice and words. You didn’t have much of choice besides pain and suffering. You let your head loll back and thunk against the wall. “It’s a lose-lose situation, anyhow.” You paused and stared blankly up at the grey ceiling. “Just get it over with.” You were not winning this argument. You would never win one with her. You were done.

Her hand slipped away, leaving behind goosebumps. You heard the clinking of metal before the warm leather embraced from the back of your neck and locked together on your throat. You swallowed and felt the way it effected the bobbing of your throat.

“Ruach finished your clothing as well. Pick what you want. I’m taking you out.” Your body froze at her words. You knew she wasn’t about to kill you. She was hauling you back into the public of her kind. Somewhere you didn’t want to be. The last place you wanted to be. It’s only been two days… can’t you get like two years to recuperate after that traumatic episode.

Like you learned earlier… there was no winning an argument with her. It’s best to just shut up and sit along for the ride. Until an exit becomes clear. That was your new goal. Going home.

We’ar-ow turned around then and walked out of the room. At least she’ll give you some privacy to change. The least she could give after humiliating you lately. You knew nakedness was fine when it came to their species. It was the norm. To you, however, was the complete opposite.

How will you ever survive in this new world.

Up against the wall was a newly placed box. You stomped over to it and ripped open the lid. Just like how We’ar-ow had stated, Ruach had finished your clothing. Your jaw dropped at the first one on top. It wasn’t anything revealing or anything but it was strictly formal. Well, shit. Formal meant parties or gatherings of the sort. Such things you will most likely be forced to join.

A grumbled groan passed through your nose. You dug through the box to find something that could be considered for your kind. Please have a T-shirt and short or pants. Something close to it, please!

Maybe god had mercy on your poor soul. A semi-normal looking T-shirt with off-setting pants sat in the box. You pulled those out with a smile and pumped your fists above your head in victory. “Yes!” you cheered, ready to strip when chittering laughter met your ears. You froze then whipped your head over in the noise’s direction.

Of course, it couldn’t be anyone else. You shied away from her amused gaze and stood normally. There goes your privacy.

“I did not know it takes clothes to please my pet,” she purred. There she goes, ruining the moment. Your shoulders slumped, teeth grinding against one another.

It was worth a shot. “Gonna give me privacy to change?” you questioned and did your best to hold back the anger in your voice. An emotion she chittered her amusement once more.

“No.”

If only you could throttle her. You sighed in defeat before swiftly stripping down to your underwear and pulling on the new clothing. They fit… perfectly, as much as you hated to admit it. They weren’t snug in any place. The fabric didn’t rub. In all honesty, the fabric felt like heaven against your skin. Not too soft that it felt like nothing was there, but was smooth to your skin. If the situation was different, you would be thanking Ruach for the clothing. Instead, you just cursed at him less in your mind.

The Yautja strutted over to you and lightly grasped your chin to bring it up. There was a softness you’ve only seen in the privacy of her space. “They are to liking?” she asked, voice softened close to a whisper.

Your throat bobbed, head unable to nod. “Y-yeah,” you stuttered, feeling how your heart pounded in your chest. So hard, it felt like it was about to jump out into her hands.

She hummed, other hand coming up and stroking the like-leather collar around your throat. “You may not like it now. Once your emotions clear, you will see how being a Monarch’s pet will be a great life.” The moment was crushed. You turned your head out of her hold and took two massive steps away from her. She continued to stand before you, hand falling back to her side.

“We head out now,” she demanded then spun on her heel and marched out of the door. In the whirlwind of emotions flying in your head, you timidly follow after her, like a shadow. Your new clothing swaying with each step as the two of you left her room and into the elevator.

Yautja filled the halls, conversing or going their own ways. Just like before, all of them spilt, leaving a wide, respectful berth to their Monarch. You just went along with everything, feeling the way the new collar burned against your skin. A reminder in the back of your mind, a sight that everyone could see. You seethed quietly.

After a couple of minutes, you realized you didn’t know where she was taking you. These halls weren’t familiar, even after half a year being on the ship. Dwainet never took you out of his room often. Something you didn’t mind too much. Away from danger, away from prying eyes.

A simple door slid back to reveal a massive room with a towering ceiling. Your jaw dropped. You’ve never been here before, let alone heard about it. Your steps slowed to a stop as you took in the room. We’ar-ow took notice and looked over her shoulder. “Come,” she stated and gestured with her head to keep up. Which, you did to the best of your ability as you admired the place.

This was no simple room compared to the door, something you realized. It was highly decorated, like a throne room for a king or queen.

That’s when it hit you. It was a throne room for We’ar-ow. She’s the Monarch. The highest standing power within her clan. Why has she brought you here?

Mentioned Yautja gracefully took the steps up a throne designed for her size. She sat down then crossed a leg over the other and leaned on an elbow. With her other hand, she motioned with a finger to come towards. Like a lost dog, you did so, eyes flickering around the place. You still couldn’t believe the size of this place and the way it was filled. It was definitely different compared to anywhere else on the ship.

The steps were taller than back on earth but you still climbed and stood before the Monarch on her throne. With no one in here, she let a small smirk grace her lips. We’ar-ow pointed to a spot next to her throne, still on the steps. “Sit, I have a few issues to resolve,” she said and let her arm rest in her lap.

Whatever magic gripped you was broken at her words. Sitting at her feet like a peasant! You wanted to scream at her. Instead, you hesitantly plopped harshly on the steps next to her throne and crossed your arms. To be honest, that hurt you more than you expected. You glared at the floor.

A hand petted the top of your head. “Calm, pet. This will be over shortly.” Yeah, when I find a way to escape from this hell hole and go back home.

It wasn’t until now that you realized how homesick you were. Away from your friends, you family. God, you left them without much of a notice. Gone, just like that. They probably think you’re dead or something like that. You shake your head to get her hand off. She pulled away without complaint.

Then, the real fun began.

Just sitting there while she talked with other Yautjas. For hours. For literal hours. Your butt on the metal covered in what felt like carpet wasn’t nice. It ruined your back, made your buttock muscles beyond sore. Worse of all, you felt yourself going crazy! What did she expect you to do for hours and blankly staring at the ground?! You needed something to toy with, something to fidget with. This couldn’t be a daily thing.

Thankfully, you had the translator, so you had one thing to entertain yourself with. Listening to the talk of everyday life of a Yautja and the clan. An idea came to mind as you observed. Maybe you could find out a way to escape by listening. Learn their patterns, learn the place from the inside out. A sly smile graced your face but was quickly wiped off. You couldn’t have anyone getting any hints of your thoughts.

This is how the day went on. You, a pet, sitting at their master’s feet as she discussed with her people about issues among the clan. During the entire time, you kept a passive look on your face as you rested your chin on your hand. How long will this go on?

Yet, this time gave you a chance to think so more. That’s all you could do whole you waited, impatiently, mind you.

To We’ar-ow’s room has a keypad that she inputted a code to entire. A code you didn’t know was strictly for her room or her own code to have access to the entire ship. You’ll have to pay closer attention to when she puts it in to learn what it is. Hopefully, it was the latter to help you get out of here. If she had a keycode to access the place, you’ll have unlimited access everywhere.

Perfect. At least, you have an idea on where to start.

“Pet.” As much as you hated to admit it, you turned your head in We’ar-ow’s call. Immediately, you scowled and rolled your eyes. How stupid of you.

We’ar-ow had stood up sometime during your inner monologue. You also stood up as well, considerably short than her hulking form. Her eyes met yours for a short second before she began to walk down the steps. You stayed for an extra moment and admired the throne room one more time. It was different to any other place you’ve seen on the ship. It was nice to see something fresh here.

Not another words was spoke to you. It was back to her room once more. You didn’t mind it one bit. Away from prying eyes and able to find something to fidget with, at least.

After passing the threshold of her quarters, a hand landed on your chest and pushed you flush with wall next to the door. You couldn’t help the gasp that pierced the quiet air. Your hand coming up to wrap around her thick wrist, as if you could pull it off. “We’ar-ow?” you questioned, the first time you’ve uttered her name.

You saw the sharp rise of her chest the second after the name left your lips. The hand added a hair of weight, enough to be noticed. We’ar-ow leaned in, further crowding you to the wall. Her limb slid up to wrap around your neck, thumb forcefully tilting your head up more. She bent at the waist, knees bending to help her get to your shorter height.

With trembling rapture, you watched as she brought her massive head to your neck. You felt her hot breath fan over the fragile skin there. You whimpered in terror and clenched your eyes closed.

Then, she rubbed her head against your throat. The entirety of your body tensed painfully, ready for a killing blow to happen. But nothing besides the confusion on what she was doing. She changed sides of your neck, continuously rubbing against you like a cat. Your voice was lodged in your esophagus, stuck behind a lump of fright.

The terror that controlled your body had you froze like a deer in headlights. You didn’t know what to do or act in this situation. Dwainet has never done something like before.

Finally, you were able to swallow. “W-what are, are you doing?” you asked, voice trembling. All you could do was stare up at the ceiling as she kept rubbing herself on your neck.

“Scent marking you,” she explained, free hand pinning your hip to the wall as well. You were completely stuck, no room to escape from her clutches. You gritted your teeth painfully, chest taking shaky breaths.

So, she was doing what cats do, or dogs as well. Rubbing her scent on you, further claiming you as her pet. You slowly untensed your muscles to relax against the wall and let her do her thing. The day had been long and drawn out. The quicker she gets this done, the quicker you get to be in the safety of your room.

It was just the neck she went for. The hand on your hip slid up, underneath your shirt and palmed at your stomach. “Hey!” you snapped, without meaning to. That was too far though, more than something you were willing to let go.

We’ar-ow’s scent marking stilled, releasing a short trill in question; a sound you haven’t heard before from her. You reached for the limb on your stomach and tugged on it. “That’s too far.” But, the hand didn’t budge. “Don’t, don’t touch me.”

“I must scent mark you. You still have that male’s scent lingering on you.” Her hand, thankfully, slid back down to rest on your hip.

“Just stay to my neck, okay?” Your voice continued to tremble the entire time. And, We’ar-ow took you seriously. She pulled away from your neck and stared down at you. Not a word was said as she walked off like nothing happened. On the other hand, you stayed glued to the wall, life partially flashing before my eyes.

The Yautja left you there, to your own devices.

Part 1 |Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18

[literatecowboy]

The King With No Name

8. Do You Trust Me?

Part 1

Next part

Summary: König - the king of Caldera - has been called upon by your father to choose a bride from his daughters in order to establish an alliance to keep peace over the lands they rule. When he arrives, he is enraptured by you, your father’s eldest child - an unconventional woman by all standards. He pursues your hand in marriage, doing his best to make you fall in love with him like he has fallen in love with you - much to your dismay Author's Notes: fucking finally. Also this is long sorry. Also, would people be interested in reading a kidnapper!konig fic? Warnings: Arranged marriage, SMUT, betrayal, pining, ultimate wingmanship

-----

You wasted away slowly as you sat in König’s castle.

Each day dragged on but the weeks seemed to fly by. You were allowed to do nothing alone - soldiers stood outside your door and on the balcony as you slept, forever vigilant. They remained outside of the bathroom as you bathed, the maids entrusted with your care keeping a watchful eye on you as you washed.

You ate with others watching too, though they did not eat with you. You were no longer allowed into the barracks or onto the training grounds, no longer allowed to leave the castle at all, and the silence warped your dreams into nightmares. 

Some of the men who guarded you looked upon you with pity, others neutrality, some kindness. The ones you loathed the most were the ones who stared at you with fear behind their eyes - it was not fear of you, but rather, what your husband would do to them if you were to escape. 

You watched out the windows during the day as the world bustled around you, as others lived their lives in normalcy. You coveted any news that reached your ears about the conflict - König was winning, of course, beating back his enemies and pushing them out of his lands. But there was no word of your family - of Sadie, of Lydia, of mother or father or even Henry. 

Ferdinand was a common figure in your nightmares. 

—

König hadn’t shown his face back at his castle, but he had returned to the city several times. It was Wilhelm who visited you one evening as you sat by the fire, cleaning the bow you hadn’t used in what felt like forever. 

“My lady,” he called softly as he approached your seat. You didn’t react, not bothering to look up at him. 

“My lady, I’d like to speak with you about König,” he attempted cautiously, sitting down across from you with a sigh. You looked up sharply. 

“I have no words for my jailer. That is all. Go,” you demanded, looking back down at your bow. Wilhelm sighed quietly. 

“What would you do to help your people?” he asked after a moment, fixing his gaze heavily on you. 

“More than just sitting here, rotting away in a castle that doesn’t belong to me,” you spat, glaring at Wilhelm. 

“I’d like to give you that opportunity if you’d only hear me out,” he said. You sat stock still, not having to think it over for long. 

“Then speak.”

“Come away from this castle with me to see König. Lay with him again,” Wilhelm said, his cheeks turning pink. Your mouth fell open. 

“You’ve come all this way, lied to me about being able to help my people, and dangled freedom over my head so you could demand that I have sex with König? You’re a bastard and König is worse. I have never lain with him and I never will. Leave me alone!” you snarled, rising from your seat and stalking towards the door. 

“Wait! Please, I should have explained myself. König misses you, misses your touch. He hasn’t said it but I can see it in him. He’s more violent, more angry, more impatient. He’s starting to become reckless. I need your help to focus him!” Wilhelm yelled. You picked a book off of a shelf and hurled it at him. He ducked it just in time. 

“Fuck off!” you shrieked, snatching your bow from where it lay and storming out of the room and toward your bedroom, your guards following close behind. 

—

That night was hot, and after returning from your bath, you noticed that your maids had not built a fire in your fireplace. Once the bustle around you had settled and you had been confined to your bed, the guards had left to stand watch around the entrances to your room, leaving you alone. 

You blew out the candles one at a time as you did each night, and after waiting some time under the covers, the castle quieted. As the moon rose outside you dressed as quickly and as quietly as you could, tightening the straps on your armor and pulling a hooded cloak on over your clothing to hide yourself. 

With your weapons by your side, you stepped into the fireplace, gazing up the chimney and catching sight of the stars above. The climb wouldn’t be far, and judging by the roughness of the stone walls, it wouldn’t be that difficult either. 

As you hauled yourself out of the chimney and found your footing on the roof minutes later, you dusted the soot from your cloak and looked around. 

There were no guards on the sloped roof so you crept forward, moving as quickly and silently as you could across the tiles and to one of the tall towers near the outward edge of the castle. 

As you climbed down the ivy and landed on the ground, the tower door swung open and you nearly ran right into Sheriff Klein. He gasped but you clapped a hand over his mouth, your other hand finding your knife in it’s sheath. 

“Shh. It’s me,” you hissed, glancing around. Klein nodded, his eyes wide. 

“Stay quiet,” you murmured, pulling your hand from his mouth slowly. 

“How did you escape?” he hissed, glancing around and checking to see if you were followed by any guards. 

“That’s not important. I need you to get me outside of the walls. You owe me, Klein,” you whispered, pointing at the hitched prison wagon that waited just beyond the shadow of the castle. He sighed. 

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To save my family.”

—

Sheriff Klein stopped the wagon in the trees not far outside of the city and unlocked the back, tugging the iron door open and offering his hand to help you out. You wrapped your arms around him and hugged him tightly. 

“Thank you, sir. I believe we’re even,” you said, pulling back and offering him a smile. He returned it. 

“Come back to us when this is all over. I could use a woman resourceful as you helping me keep the city safe,” he said, unhitching one of the horses from the wagon and offering you his reins. 

And then you were off, riding bareback with only your bow and the knife on your belt, heading for home. 

—

Several days of riding took you through the carnage of war and past burnt-out villages and farms, their survivors hardly sparing you a glance as you headed deeper for the grassy plains of your homeland. As you rode, you passed the thicket where you and König had spent your first nights together, where he had slain the wolf and saved your life. 

Soldiers passed you occasionally but none seemed to recognize you as you blurred past them on your horse. As night fell on the day you reached the outskirts of your home, you set up camp, hitching your horse to a tree and building a small fire. You’d hunted a rabbit and ate the leftover meat for dinner and laid out on a bedroll you’d taken from a dead soldier as the fire died out slowly. The woods were quiet when it happened. 

König pounced on you from out of the darkness, terrifying your horse and sending it kicking and tugging until the lead broke and it took off like a shot. 

You screamed and thrashed as he pinned you to the ground, forcing your arms above your head as he buried his nose in your neck, inhaling deeply. He slotted his hips between your legs, grinding himself against you roughly as he kissed at your collarbone. 

“Oh maus, how exhilarating it has been to chase you across my lands. I have missed you,” he groaned. 

“Get off of me you fucking psycho!” you screeched, kicking at him and thrashing in his hold. He drew back as if wounded and you scrambled away from him. 

“Maus, have you not missed me? I am sorry for what I have done but–”

“But nothing! You kept me caged like some pet bird! Is that all I was to you? A pet? A decoration? Just a pretty thing to distract you and put down when you get bored?” you shouted, drawing your knife from your belt and thrusting it at his throat. 

“Oh, liebling, you are my heart, my reason to live,” König said breathily, gazing up at you from his knees. You were struck by the memory of the first time he’d come into your bedroom and your heart thundered at the thought as you pushed the blade forward. 

“Go away. I’m going to go save my family because you clearly aren’t capable,” you hissed, tears starting to flow freely down your cheeks. 

“Not capable?” König barked out a laugh, looking taken aback. “I have killed hundreds for you, maus. I near your castle each day. My men rip through the enemy with ease. All of this I do for you, for your honor,” he breathed.

“My honor is my own to forge, and you locked me in that dreadful castle!” you shouted, punctuating your words with wild stabs from your blade. He caught it in an armored hand and took it from you with ease, throwing it aside.

“Maus, I must do what I must to keep you safe,” he said, rising to his feet and taking your hands. You looked deep into his eyes. 

“Do you trust me?” you asked. 

“Of course, maus.”

“Do you want me to love you?” you breathed. He stiffened, his grip tightening. 

“Yes.”

“Then trust me, König.”

—

You rode into the war camp on the back of König’s stallion just as proud as the horse was. König trailed behind you on foot, watching with stars in his eyes as you shouted a greeting to his men, a great cheer splitting the night air as they caught sight of you in your battered, road-weary, armored glory.

As you dismounted in front of the largest tent, Wilhelm came to greet you, a smug look on his face. You froze. 

“You madman. You planned this, didn’t you? Riled me up at the castle so I’d break from my chains and ride out on my own?” you asked. He raised his hands and laughed, shaking his head. 

“I’d like to apologize, my lady, truly. I was doing only what needed to be done. But in all seriousness…have you never lain with König?” You laughed and smacked him in the chest before you hugged him, shaking your head. 

“The poor Sheriff must think so oddly of me now,” you chuckled. Wilhelm quirked an eyebrow. 

“He wasn’t in on it, my lady. I figured I’d leave the details up to you.”

You passed into the tent to collapse into a proper bed a moment later, the tent flap falling shut behind you. König approached Wilhelm, watching as you disappeared. 

“Does she hate me?” he asked, his gaze unfocused as his mind raced. 

“Hard to say. I wouldn’t push your luck though.”

—

König came into the tent a little while after you’d settled into bed and sat down on the end of it, working at the straps of his armor. It was quiet. 

“I…I am sorry. What I did was not right,” he said after a moment, setting his armor aside and turning to make eye contact with you. 

“Thank you for apologizing,” you said softly, rubbing your eyes and yawning. 

“I would like to sleep with you, maus. To embrace you. I will not touch you inappropriately. I…I have missed you,” he admitted. You thought it over, biting your lip and sighing. 

“I missed you too, König, but I don’t know. You scared me in the woods…” you admitted, curling up into a ball and shivering. He dipped his head respectfully. 

“I trust you, maus. I will sleep outside,” he said, rising and heading for the tent flap. Your heart sank slightly and you surprised yourself by calling out.

“Wait. I changed my mind. Sleep here,” you called out as his hand met the canvas. He paused and turned to you, his eyes wide. 

“Anything you wish, maus. I…give me one moment.” He stepped further away from the bed, taking his shirt off and letting it rest over the back of a chair before pausing. 

With a deep breath, he took his hood off and let it fall. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at you, his eyes brimming with worry and uncertainty. You sat up slowly, silent as you took him in. He was beautiful. 

—

The next morning you woke up nestled against König’s chest, his strong arms wrapped protectively around you. You watched him sleep for a time, tracing his facial features with your eyes and his scars with your fingertips. 

When he stirred and his eyes cracked open, you encouraged him with a gentle kiss on the cheek. Then he was awake and kissing him back, your eyes fluttering shut as he pulled you closer to him. He grasped at your hips and pulled you up so that you could straddle his lap. You could feel his erection throbbing against your core and you groaned softly into the kiss. He slid his hands up your shirt slowly, breaking away from your lips and looking at you with wide eyes. 

“Maus, I do not want to make love to you for the first time in this place where my men might hear you,” he cooed, squeezing your breasts gently before his hands dropped back to your hips. 

“I wasn’t planning on it. I’m still mad at you,” you murmured teasingly, running your fingers through his hair as you pulled him in for another kiss. 

“You are making it difficult to resist you,” he admitted with a laugh, laying you down gently on your back and climbing on top of you. Your lips met again and you slid your hands up his bare chest, teasing at the hem of his trousers before pulling away. 

“Consider how difficult it will be to resist me once you’ve proven your love to me and this fighting is over,” you purred, pushing gently against his chest. He backed away from you with a soft groan, watching as you got up and undressed. His breathing got heavier as he watched you dress and he got up, hugging you from behind and nipping at your neck. You laughed and shooed him away before leaving the tent and his view. 

—

It was cold outside and the morning was foggy. You armed yourself and headed to the edge of the camp to meet Wilhelm, looking out over the cliff and down upon the city and the castle you’d once called home. 

The city seemed deserted - villagers had been imbued with the good sense to flee as König’s armies marched closer. Ferdinand no doubt paced in the castle, plotting his resistance. Little hope was left for him now, and you were determined that he’d be dead by the time the week was over. 

You wondered about your sisters, your parents. Were they alive? Were they being cared for? Had your father resisted at all when Ferdinand had seized power?

“You want to sneak in. I can see it in your eyes,” Wilhelm said as you approached, his arms folded across his armored chest. 

“I grew up in that castle. I snuck out nearly every night. I know more nooks and crannies and passageways that could lead me inside than even the rats,” you admitted, sitting on a large rock and watching the guards on the walls. 

Had any resisted? Were any still loyal to you? You knew these men, their families. Would they kill you on sight or be loyal to your cause?

König approached, his armor clanking as he came to stand beside you and rested a gloved hand on your shoulder, gently guiding you closer to him. 

“Would anyone be able to detect you if you went in?” Wilhelm asked. König stiffened but said nothing, he merely rubbed your shoulder gently. 

“Not unless I wanted them to detect me. I suspect that once the men can see me I might be able to sway some of them to my side. I think that I can take down Ferdinand from within,” you said. 

“I think it’s worth the attempt. It’ll be faster than a full-out siege and do less damage to your castle so there’s less damage to be rebuilt when you take it back. The only danger would be if they were to take you captive,” Wilhelm said cautiously, watching his hooded king for a response. 

“They would not kill me, at least, I do not think that they would. If they have my family in there, I have to try to get them back,” you said. 

“Maus, will you ride with me?” König cut in, taking your hand and helping you rise. You nodded and shot an apologetic look to Wilhelm as you followed him out of camp and to the area where the horses were kept. He lifted you onto his horse and climbed on behind you and you rode off into the woods. 

“If this is what you wish to do, I will not stop you,” he began. You rode together for a little while in silence until you found a little clearing filled with flowers far off the beaten path. He laid out his cape for you and sat down, opening his arms to you.

“I wish that you would not, but you are a capable little maus. You can scurry quietly,” he said with a small smile. “But you must have a plan for when you go in, and you must allow me to charge in with force should anything go wrong.”

“It would be good to have a failsafe,” you admitted, stepping closer to him as he wrapped his arms around you and sat you on one of his massive thighs. 

“Then you should go tonight after the sun sets. I will bring men along the sides of the castle and should there be a commotion inside, we will storm it. Where will you go in?” he asked. 

“There are some catacombs far beneath the castle that open near the river. I can creep in there and nobody will disturb me. I will be let out into the dungeon, where hopefully I can find my family,” you said. 

“I trust you, maus. I love you. You must promise to me that you will come back to me safely,” he murmured. You rested your head against his chest plate and nodded. 

“König?” you asked softly after a moment, gazing up at him. He looked down at you curiously, and you slid your hand under his hood, cupping his cheek gently. 

“Make love to me.”

—

He was gentle as he helped you out of your armor and laid you on your back, leaning over to kiss you as he fumbled with the straps of his own and let it fall into the grass beside you. He only broke the kiss to tug his shirt and hood off in one motion. You wrapped your legs around his hips as he crawled on top of you, locking your lips together and gently tracing his fingers against the skin under your shirt. 

You pulled it off as he reached your breast and leaned down, taking one of your nipples into his mouth as they hardened, caressing and kissing your breasts as he drowned himself in you. 

You pushed your hips up to grind your core against his erection with a groan, feeling him grow even harder as he leaned up and kissed your neck, his gentle, teasing touches making you writhe. 

He paused to tug his pants down, allowing you to sit up and do the same. You crawled on top of him as he tossed both pairs to the side, straddling him and moaning as he gripped your hips and ground you against his erection, grunting into your ear softly. 

You moaned as he bit your neck and sucked at the mark he’d made feverishly, lapping at the bruise with his tongue as it formed. Your core throbbed and pulsed and he laid you back down gently, carefully pulling your panties down your legs and tossing them away. 

He pushed your knees apart gently, hunger in his eyes as he gazed upon your core. In an instant he surged forward, kissing up your leg and inner thighs before licking a long stripe up your entrance, making you toss your head back as your back arched, crying out in pleasure. 

König grasped you by the hips and pulled you forward, shoving his tongue deep into you and rubbing his nose against your clit. You throbbed against him, your arousal coating his face as he devoured you like a starving man, palming himself through his boxers as he listened to your moans and gasps of pleasure. 

“Oh, König!” you cried, your back arching and your toes curling as he kept going, his eyes flickering open to hold your gaze. Your entire body was hot as if his touch was a flame and you shivered as you saw the desire and love in his eyes, feeling your stomach tighten. 

König pulled his tongue from you with a groan and gently inserted one of his long, thick fingers. It felt better than anything you’d ever felt before - the sensation was alien and overwhelming, and as he pumped the finger in and out slowly, he brushed against a spot that made you mewl loudly, whimpering as you angled your hips so he might brush against it again. 

“Do I make you feel good, maus? Tell me how you feel,” he purred, inserting a second finger and pumping them faster, angling them so they just barely brushed against that spot with each thrust. 

“So good! Oh my god!” you cried, gasping for breath as you felt your orgasm building. König leaned down and sucked on your clit slowly, pushing his fingers directly into the spot you wanted him to hit so much. 

“Fuck!” you came loudly, crying out, moaning and whimpering and panting as your body spasmed. König gently pulled away from you as you came down, crawling over you, kissing you and wrapping you tightly in his arms. He’d freed himself from his boxers and you glanced down, your eyes widening. 

“Are you…are you going to fit inside of me?” you asked in a small voice, heat rushing to your cheeks as you looked up at him. He cooed, kissing your collarbone and running his fingers through your hair. 

“We can wait, maus,” he murmured in your ear. The tip of his cock brushed between your folds and bumped against your clit and you gasped, pleasure rushing through your body again. 

“No, no, no more waiting,” you gasped, pushing your hips up to meet his. He groaned as he ground his cock against your wetness, eventually guiding the tip into place and pushing in just a little bit. 

You cried out as he slid into you slowly, stretching your walls and making your eyes water from pleasure as you adapted to his size, panting softly as you watched him enter you. 

“I love you so much, maus,” he moaned, wrapping his arms tightly around you as he bottomed out, staying in place as he wrapped his arms around you, cradling you gently as he kissed you. 

You deepened the kiss, wrapping your legs around him gently and holding onto his shoulders, your nails digging into his skin as you adjusted to his size. His first thrust was slow and experimental - he watched your face for any expression other than pleasure as he pulled out slowly and pushed back in. 

“Give me more,” you gasped, your eyes rolling back into your head as he took you, bucking your hips up into his thrusts encouragingly. 

He buried his face in your neck and moaned, setting an even pace as he thrusted in and out of you, gently cupping one of your breasts in his hand as the other held your hip steady. 

“I’m not going to - not going to break!” you cried out, the pleasure overwhelming as you reached down to rub your clit while he fucked you. He looked up at you, his eyes hazy with pleasure and love as he picked up the pace, slamming his hips into yours more roughly and with greater speed. 

Morning light burst through the clearing and turned you golden as you made love, the slapping of skin on skin and moans mingling with birdsong echoing through the beautiful clearing. 

“I want to make you feel so good, maus,” he growled into your ear as he picked up the pace yet again, kissing you roughly before leaning down and biting your neck to mark you. 

“Fuck, you are!” you cried, feeling another orgasm building in your stomach. 

“Cum for me, my pretty wife. Tell this forest who loves you, who is making you feel so good,” he growled, biting your breast as his thrusts lost their rhythm and he moved wildly against you. 

“König!” you cried as you came, your back arching as your body spasmed, clenching tightly around him. He moaned your name as he came at the same time as you, his last, sloppy thrusts burying his cock deep inside of you as he filled you. 

You caught your breath together, embracing and kissing before König slowly pulled out, rolling off of you and pulling you into his side to snuggle. He pulled his cape around your body to shield you as he held you, stroking your hair gently as you rested against his chest. 

“I love you, maus,” he whispered as he watched you doze off. You could only mumble something in assent as you drifted to sleep.

-----

Taglist: 

@0mint-chocolate0, @elowynnlane, @littlelovebug98, @saturnknows, @passdaweedgaara, @lexuria, @numnuts, @nothingkillsyoulikeyourmind105, @acynicalcat, @poohkie90, @glitterypirateduck, @babyspice6, @hazelnutbitch, @rilamon, @p1nkliquor, @zeennnnnnn,

[fayes-fics]

Skinny-Dip

2k Celebration Masterpost

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader, Modern AU

Summary: A chance encounter in a rooftop pool after midnight

Warnings: Nudity, flirting. banter. Nothing explicit.

Word Count: 1.0 k (250 words drabbles I am too funny)

Authors Note: Eleventh in my 2k Follower Celebration drabbles. This is a request fill for @musicismyoxygen84 with the prompt “I forgot my towel” (ask here). Sorry lovely, I have no idea where this came from, but I hope you don't mind it. Unbetaed. Enjoy! <3

“We have to!” you point excitedly at the rooftop pool.

“You’re on your own…”

“C'mon, it will be funnnnn,” you insist. “I'm not suggesting skinnydipping; just dip our toes in!”

“Nooo. Bed for me. Too tipsy, Enjoyyyyy,” she slurs and pats your cheek.

And thus, you find yourself, without your best friend, making your way outside to the rooftop pool at 1 am. 

When you get there, there’s a lovely gentle breeze and the lights of the city twinkle all around. It’s quite magical in some ways. Or maybe that's the wine talking.

You are humming to yourself, removing your shoes and sitting at the pool edge, when you belatedly realise you are not alone. Someone is already in the pool at the far end. It's a man, only his head above the water, and he appears to be looking over at you slightly sheepishly as if you have interrupted something that he shouldn't be doing. Now that you are paying attention, you can see he is rather handsome.

“Miss, please could you do me a favour?” his smooth, refined, posh really, voice rings out.

Your brow knits. “What?”

“I don't suppose you could pass me one of those, could you?” he requests politely, nodding to the rack on the wall behind you. “I forgot my towel.”

“Why can't you get one yourself?” you retort with alcohol-induced bluntness after a brief look behind.

“I wasn't expecting anyone else to come out here…” he begins, and there appears to be an adorable tint high on his cheekbones.

“So?” you shrug.

“Well, I had thought a skinny dip would be refreshing…” he confesses awkwardly.

And the penny drops.

“Ohhhh….” 

You can't help it; your gaze drops. But even with the pool lit underwater, you can't make anything out at this distance. Sadly. If only there weren't so much chop in the water, you might have a better ch…

“Don't you believe me or something?” he questions with a teasing lilt, and you guiltily snap your eyes back to his face and see the smug crooked smile there. He knows exactly what you were doing.

“Sorry, I… look, it's a natural reaction…” you throw your hands up, your tipsy brain not bothering to attempt a lie. “I’d do the same if you told me there was a plane in the sky. I’m going to look. It’s who I am.” 

“There is a plane in the sky,” he fires back deadpan, and you look up on instinct.

Sure enough, there are indeed some telltale blinking lights.

“Well, at least you were being honest.” he chuckles.

You stick your tongue out, and that makes him laugh harder.

“So… towel? Please?” he looks hopeful.

You lean back casually on your hands, knowing it pushes out your breasts, and cock your head to the side. This could be fun.

“That seems like a you problem,” you shoot back with a raised eyebrow. You want to see where this could go. If nothing else, it's a fun flirtation.

He gapes at you momentarily, and then he smirks.

“If I have to get out naked to get one for myself, it will surely become a you problem?” he opines, swimming towards you.

“I’m willing to run that risk,” you answer back, and there's a little frisson through your body as he draws closer, and you can see just how attractive he is. Oh shit, that is one handsome face.

“Well, I suppose I should introduce myself as you insist on seeing me in the altogether,” he states drily as he draws up right in front of where your feet dangle into the water. “I’m Benedict,” he offers as he stands up to full height in the water.

And for a split second, you just stare. Watching rivulets of water run from broad shoulders onto a smooth, toned chest smattered with freckles down to a tapered waist. Oh shit, that is an excellent body too.

“Y/n…” you respond, distracted, your tongue feeling heavier in your mouth.

“Nice to meet you, y/n.” The tone is warm, pitched lower and something in your gut flutters. 

“Likewise,” you respond, feeling a tug of a smile at the corner of your lips. “And for the record, I am not insisting on anything. You could stay in this pool until I am done dipping my toes, and then there is no need to show me anything,” you point out with a wry tone.

“And how long might that be?” he inquires, bemused, crossing his arms in a way that seems to intentionally enhance the muscle in his arms. Bastard.

“Ah, that's one of life’s great mysteries, isn't it?” you shoot back, feeling a glow spreading behind your ribs that this could be something. It's been a while since you flirted so easily with anyone, especially anyone this handsome.

“There is another answer to the dilemma here,” he offers, dipping back into the water and pulling up to your left side.

“I’m listening….” you gaze down at him, captured by his soft hazy eyes.

“If you were skinny dipping too, then we would be equally embarrassed,” he offers nonchalantly with a lazy smile, kicking his body out backwards, intentionally, so you can see that he is indeed very naked. And his bottom and legs are very shapely too. You are left in no doubt now, and the spike of endorphins through your bloodstream is exhilarating.

“Now there is an idea…” you flirt back and, throwing caution to the wind, push off your hands and slip into the pool. The cool water is a balm to your heated body, flush with excitement and possibility.

“You're still dressed,” he twists towards you and pouts, eyes sparkling, that killer lopsided grin returning.

“Am I…?” you volley back and raise an eyebrow as you peel off your top and throw it onto the poolside.

The look he shoots you is blistering, and you know, without a shadow of a doubt, you are about to tick ‘sex in a pool’ off of your bucket list. 

Benedict taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @margofiore @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @bridgertontess @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @lilithseve @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @mlovesbridgerton @m-rae23 @last-sheep

[physalian]

Having a goal as an author to be able to make writing your full-time job is nice and all, but so much of that is outside of my control. I can put in the daily grind and slave away marketing myself on socials and still not get sales for no other reason than I published in the wrong year for my genre.

Rather, my goals as a writer are as follows:

To make characters who are at least one reader’s favorite characters in fiction

To show at least one person that they are seen and that they aren’t alone

To respond to criticism and dislike of my story with: “That’s okay, because I like what I wrote.”

And so far I’ve achieved 1/3rd of those. I’d say we’re doing well.

[silvyadrakkon]

3 Under-Discussed Writer’s Block Busters

You all know me as an artist, but my first love will always be writing. And writer’s block is REAL. 

So I thought I’d throw out a few of my moderately unusual writer’s block busters to help my fellow authors.

Of course, the most common “answers” to writer’s block are:

Just keep writing, even if you don’t want to. (Something is better than nothing.)

Write now, edit later. (Leave your perfectionism at the door.)

Find what makes you most creative. (Play music, write during the same time of day, find good snacks, write in the right setting, and so on).

These are definitely helpful tips—things you 100% want to do whether you have writer’s block or not, but they’re not much use against more stubborn forms of creative constipation.

That’s where my three failsafe fix-its come in. They have always worked for me, no matter the situation. 

1. Change your writing method.

Story time! I haven’t been able to write for personal prodjects on a computer for four years—about as long as I’ve been writing and editing for my career. I associate my computer with business—even now that I’m between jobs.

My creativity freezes up whenever I try to work on one of my stories, and I get really distracted. Eventually I end up down a rabbit hole looking up limnic eruptions or different types of crocodiles, having only written a paragraph of a completely unrelated story. 

I swapped to hand-writing stuff just after my son was born, and that worked for a long time. I filled several notebooks with some great content (that will eventually be ready for you to read). But then my kid started walking, and I became his favorite chair.

If I have a pen, my kid wants it. And he won’t take a decoy pen. He specifically wants the pen in my hand, so writing when he’s awake is kind of out of the question. (I can only draw when he’s awake because I can balance my tablet on the back of our sofa.) Plus, those of you with munchkins know that you’re generally doing other responsible adult things when the kiddo is asleep, making writing then rather difficult.

I learned I can get a lot of writing done on my phone in the Apple Notes app. It sure beats doom-scrolling Tumblr and is a vast improvement over my retro minesweeper game when I’m spending some quality time in the bathroom. It’s also something I can write with when standing up, sitting on the couch, or hiding behind the baby gate on our stairs.

Can’t get the words out on Google Docs? Switch to Microsoft Word. Getting distracted on your computer? Handwrite your story—in a notebook or even on colorful construction paper. Don’t be afraid to experiment, even across the same story.

2. Get a second opinion.

I have a character floating around my WIPs who’s an absolute blast to write (I can unleash my full punning arsenal), but he’s also an ENFP, meaning we see the world in completely different ways. I often find myself stuck on how he would get out of the really nutty situations he often gets himself into. Thankfully, my ESFJ husband has really strong Extroverted Intuition (an ENFP’s dominant Jungian function), so I can often turn to him and ask, “What would be the dumbest could-work way you’d fix this problem?”

Asking for a second opinion is surprisingly low on most writer’s block fix-it lists, but it is by far one of the most helpful. I’ve been my mom’s developmental story consultant since I could read, and it’s been a great way for her to really churn out the novels. (It’s also a great motivation to finish your story because at least one person will be wanting to read it when you’re done.)

Even if you don’t take someone’s advice, it might still spark something that’ll propel your story forward.

3. Change your story’s direction.

Adapted from The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

Writing, in many ways, is a lot like digging a silver mine. As you rummage around your own head for precious nuggets (those really impactful scenes readers remember forever), you’re setting up a sturdy narrative shaft, using exposition and rising action to fortify walls so your story doesn’t collapse on itself.

Experienced miners know when a shaft isn’t structurally sound. They won’t willingly enter or work on a mine that could cave in on them, gauging the safety of the mine through small clues—clues their demanding boss is completely blind to. 

Your creative subconscious is a miner, and you, its employer. While not always, writer’s block could be an early sign that your story is about to collapse. Perhaps you’ve accidentally let a plot hole grow too large to fill with easy edits, or maybe the way you’re taking your story will fall flat, leaving you and your readers unsatisfied. Sure, you can force your creative subconscious to continue, but you’ll end up with a lot of unusable content in the end.

If you think you’re in a mine shaft writer’s block scenario, go back several plot points and start writing in another direction. If that doesn’t work, go back a few more plot points. While doing so may temporarily upset the plans you had for the novel, it will let you continue writing in peace and produce a better finished product.

[oldiesstationlover11607]

Hihi! I just wanna start by saying thank you for always answering everyone’s requests and having a positive attitude!

I myself have a request: You recently wrote a fic where it was nerdier!reader x basketball player!tyler Joseph, and they had a group project. May I request either a part two to that that is all about getting ready for prom, going to prom, etc? And if you’d rather not do a part two, can I request a separate prom fic? :) If you don’t have time, that’s perfectly alright! You’re a very skilled author, and I will appreciate anything that you write :D

School Project Part 2 - Tyler Joseph x Nerd!Reader

Warnings: Slight angst - argument and bullies

Word Count: 2641

A/N: This was fun to continue :) enjoy it!!

PART 1

The weeks leading up to prom were a whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and anticipation. After Tyler’s big promposal at the basketball game, I felt like I was walking on air. For the first time, I wasn’t just watching everything happen from the sidelines. I was part of the story now, and Tyler had made it clear that I wasn’t just a background character in his life anymore.

But as the initial excitement started to settle, the reality of the situation began to sink in. Prom. With Tyler Joseph. I didn’t know the first thing about prom, let alone how to prepare for it. Everyone around me seemed to have it all figured out—girls in my classes were constantly buzzing about their dresses, their hair appointments, spray tan appointments, and their dates. They all seemed so confident, like they had been planning for this night their whole lives.

And then there was me. Who never thought I’d be going to prom with anyone, let alone Tyler Joseph.  I wasn’t sure where to even start.

Thankfully, my best friend wasn't about to let me panic alone. The day after Tyler’s promposal, she cornered me in the cafeteria, her eyes practically glowing with excitement. I was alone–Tyler had decided to go back to his friends’ table where they could discuss basketball things.

“So,” she said, plopping down next to me with a wide grin. “You’re going to prom with Tyler. How does it feel to be living every girl’s dream?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I keep waiting for him to tell me it was some sick  joke.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. Did you see the way he looked at you during that game? There’s no way this is a joke. He’s into you.”

I shrugged, still trying to wrap my head around it. “I guess. But prom… I don’t even know where to start.”

Her grin widened. “Lucky for you, I’m an expert at all things prom. We’re going dress shopping this weekend, and you are not getting out of it.”

I groaned, but there was a smile on my face. “Fine, but I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” she said, linking her arm through mine. “Trust me. By the time I’m done with you, Tyler won’t know what hit him.”

Saturday came around quickly, and before I knew it, we were standing in the middle of a bustling boutique, surrounded by racks of shimmering gowns in every color imaginable. My stomach twisted with nerves as I scanned the dresses, feeling completely out of my depth.

My best friend, on the other hand, was in her element. She immediately started pulling dresses off the racks, holding them up to me with a critical eye. “This one’s cute, but maybe a little too much sparkle. Oh, but this one—this would look amazing on you.”

I smiled weakly, letting her take the lead. After trying on several dresses that felt too over-the-top for me, she finally handed me a simple, elegant gown in a soft shade of lavender. “Try this one,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “I have a good feeling about it.”

I slipped into the dress, and when I stepped out of the dressing room, I barely recognized myself. The fabric flowed beautifully, hugging my figure in all the right places without feeling too flashy. The color complimented my skin tone, and for the first time, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could pull this off.

Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “That’s the one,” she said, nodding in approval. “You look stunning.”

I turned to the mirror, feeling a strange mix of disbelief and excitement. I did look… different. Not like the quiet girl who sat in the back of the classroom. Not like the girl who was invisible to most people. I looked like someone who could actually go to prom with Tyler Joseph.

“Okay,” I said, smiling at my reflection. “This is it.”

She grinned, clapping her hands together. “Now all we need to do is figure out your hair, makeup, and nails. We’re going all out for this, Y/N.”

As the days passed, I found myself thinking more and more about what prom night would actually be like. Tyler and I had been texting more often, sometimes about school, sometimes about music, and sometimes just about random things. He was different in these moments—more relaxed, more real. It felt like I was finally getting to know the real Tyler, not just the jock everyone admired.

But there was still a part of me that couldn’t help but wonder what would happen after prom. Was this just a one-time thing? Would everything go back to the way it was after the night was over? Or was this the start of something more?

I tried not to overthink it, but it was hard not to let those thoughts creep in, especially when I saw Tyler with his friends at school. He was always surrounded by people, always the center of attention, and I couldn’t help but feel like I didn’t quite fit into that world. I was still the quiet one, the one who preferred to stay in the background.

But whenever Tyler caught my eye in the hallway or sent me a quick text during class, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe things really were different now.

The night of prom arrived faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection as my best friend fussed over my hair.

“You look amazing,” she said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. My hair was styled in soft waves, with a few strands pinned back to frame my face. My makeup was simple but elegant, just enough to enhance my features without feeling too overdone.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

She smiled, giving me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “Believe it. And just remember, Tyler asked you to prom. He could’ve asked anyone, but he chose you.”

I nodded, her words sinking in. I couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement in my chest. Tyler had chosen me. And tonight, I was going to let myself enjoy it.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and my heart skipped a beat. Tyler was here.

She grinned, practically bouncing with excitement. “Go get your man!”

“He’s barely my man,” I laughed and made my way to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. When I opened it, there he was, standing on the porch in a sleek black suit and a tie that matched my dress perfectly. He looked… stunning. But it wasn’t just his appearance that made my heart race—it was the way he looked at me when our eyes met, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Wow,” Tyler breathed, his gaze sweeping over me. “You look… incredible.”

I blushed, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He grinned, holding out a small corsage of white roses. “For you.”

I took the corsage, my hands shaking slightly as I slipped it onto my wrist. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

Tyler smiled, his eyes softening as he took a step closer. “You ready?”

I nodded, feeling the butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

The drive to the venue was filled with nervous laughter and light conversation. Tyler was calm and easygoing, which helped ease some of my anxiety. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was going to be one of those moments that I’d remember forever.

When we arrived at the venue, the ballroom was already buzzing with excitement. The decorations were beautiful—twinkling lights, elegant drapes, and tables set with sparkling centerpieces. As we stepped inside, I couldn’t help but feel like I was walking into a dream.

Tyler’s hand found mine as we made our way through the crowd, and I felt a rush of warmth at the simple gesture. People were watching us, whispering, but for once, it didn’t bother me. I wasn’t the quiet girl fading into the background anymore. I was here, with Tyler, and I felt like I belonged.

The night moved in a blur of music, laughter, and dancing. Tyler was attentive, always checking in to make sure I was okay, and for the first time in a long time, I felt completely at ease. He wasn’t just the popular basketball star anymore—he was Tyler, the guy who made me laugh, who understood me, who made me feel seen.

At one point, Tyler suggested we meet up with his friends. I hesitated for a moment, but I didn’t want to seem nervous. After all, I was his date tonight. I nodded, and he led me toward the table where his basketball friends were gathered with their dates, all of them dressed to the nines in glittering gowns and perfectly tailored suits.

“Hey, man!” one of Tyler’s friends, Jason, called out, slapping Tyler on the back. His gaze slid over to me, a smirk forming on his lips. “So, you actually brought her?”

I stiffened, my fingers tightening around Tyler’s hand. The way Jason said it made my stomach twist, like I didn’t belong, like it was some big joke that I was here. I glanced at the other girls sitting at the table. Their eyes darted between me and Tyler, barely veiling their disdain.

“Yeah, this is Y/N,” Tyler said, his tone light but firm. He seemed unfazed, but I could feel the tension rising in my chest.

One of the girls leaned forward, her overly bright smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Oh, Y/N, isn’t it? We’ve, like, never really seen you around much. You’re... what, in the same English class as Tyler?” She let out a little laugh, as though that was somehow amusing.

“Yeah and history,” I replied quietly, my voice barely audible over the music. I could feel their eyes on me, judging, picking me apart.

Another one of Tyler’s friends, Ryan, chuckled. “I gotta admit, when Tyler said he was taking you, we thought he was kidding.”

Tyler let out an awkward laugh while the girls giggled, exchanging knowing looks. One of them whispered something to her friend that made her burst into laughter.

My heart sank. Suddenly, the dress that had made me feel beautiful, like I belonged, felt like a costume that didn’t fit. Like I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Their words were sharp, like tiny daggers, chipping away at the confidence I had felt earlier in the night.

I looked up at Tyler, hoping for some kind of reassurance. But he just gave an awkward smile, not quite knowing how to respond. He didn’t laugh, but he didn’t say anything to defend me either. He seemed uncomfortable, like he wasn’t sure how to handle his friends’ comments.

Jason leaned in, his smirk growing wider. “I mean, no offense, but we figured it was just, like, a pity thing. You know, since you...”

That was the final blow. I felt my chest tighten, my eyes burning with unshed tears. I couldn’t stand there anymore. I couldn’t be the punchline of this cruel joke.

“I—I think I need some air,” I mumbled, pulling my hand out of Tyler’s grasp and turning away before the tears could fall.

“Y/N, wait!” Tyler called after me, but I didn’t stop. I pushed through the crowd, my vision blurred as I stumbled toward the exit. The laughter and music seemed distant, muffled by the pounding of my heart.

I made it outside, the cool night air hitting my face as the first tear slipped down my cheek. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold it together, but the hurt was too much. I had known deep down that I didn’t fit into Tyler’s world. I had known it from the start, but hearing his friends say it out loud—like I was some joke he couldn’t get out of—was too painful to bear.

I wiped at my cheeks furiously, angry at myself for crying, for letting them get to me. But no matter how hard I tried, the tears kept coming.

Footsteps echoed behind me, and before I could slip away into the shadows, Tyler was there, his face full of concern.

“Y/N,” he said softly, his voice filled with regret. “Please, don’t go.”

I shook my head, stepping back. “Tyler, just... don’t. I get it now. This whole thing was a mistake. I want to go home.”

He frowned, his brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”

I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Your friends—they think I’m some charity case. And honestly, I’m starting to wonder if they’re right.”

Tyler’s face fell, his expression one of pure disbelief. “What? No, Y/N, that’s not true.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything back there?” I asked, my voice cracking. “You just stood there while they made me feel like a joke.”

He stepped closer, his eyes searching mine. “Because I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting them to act like that, and I—I should’ve said something. I’m sorry. But I swear, Y/N, I didn’t ask you because I felt bad for you. I asked you because I wanted to. Because I like you.”

I blinked, not sure I had heard him correctly. “You… like me?”

He nodded, his gaze intense. “Yes. I’ve liked you for a while now. I just didn’t know how to show it. I thought asking you to prom was my way of finally telling you. And tonight… you’ve been amazing. I’m sorry my friends acted like jerks. They don’t know you like I do.”

I swallowed hard, my heart still aching but starting to soften at his words. “But why didn’t you defend me?”

Tyler ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated with himself. “I know I messed up. I didn’t handle it right, and I’m sorry. But I’m here now, and I want to make this right. Please, don’t let them ruin tonight for us.”

I hesitated, my emotions still swirling, but the sincerity in his eyes made me pause. He wasn’t like them. He had never treated me like they did.

Tyler reached out, gently taking my hand. “Y/N, I asked you to prom because I wanted you by my side. Not because of what anyone else thinks. I’m sorry for what they said, but I don’t care what they think. I care about you.”

His words broke through the walls I had built up, and I felt the tears fall again, but this time they weren’t from hurt. They were from the overwhelming relief that he wasn’t like his friends, that this night wasn’t a cruel joke after all.

“Tyler…” I whispered, my voice trembling.

Before I could say anything else, he closed the distance between us, his hand cupping my cheek as he leaned in and kissed me. It was soft and sweet, but there was something more—something that made my heart race and my knees weak.

When we pulled back, Tyler rested his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin. “I’m sorry,” he murmured again, his voice full of emotion. “But I’m not letting you go.”

I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a blanket of warmth. I wasn’t a joke to him. I wasn’t invisible anymore. And as we stood there under the stars, I realized that this night wasn’t just a dream—it was real. Tyler was real. And maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something I had never imagined for myself.

//

REQUESTS OPEN

[twilightmalachite]

Kanata Shinkai - Original "Kanji"

Author: Kanata Haruka

Characters: Kanata, Shinobu, Souma

JP Proofer: 310mc

EN Proofer: verdantcrimson

"They’re not fish?! But I felt so certain they all must’ve been!"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪] 

Season: Winter

Location: Starmony Dorm Common Room

Shinobu: *gulp, gulp*… Fwah. The tea you brew is delicious as always de gozaru, Kanzaki-dono~!

A freshly brewed cup of hot tea will warm you up from the mid-winter cold from the inside out~!

Souma: Today is of especially frigid temperature, is it not? You would do well to keep your body warm.

Do let me know if you wish to have an additional cup. I have some excellent tea leaves I procured from Kaori activities the other day.

Should you desire it, Sengoku, I could attempt to brew those tea leaves.

Shinobu: Are you sure, de gozaru? Then I would love to have another cup!

But before that, I shall first enjoy this cup through and through!

Souma: But of course. There is no need to make haste. Savor the drink thoroughly!

Kanata: Fufufu. Both of you look to be in quite the warm and cozy “mood”~.

Souma: Why goodness, if it isn’t Shinkai-dono! I presume you have just now returned?

In that case, I shall brew a pot of my green tea at once, so that you may warm yourself up with a drink.

Of course, rest assured that it shall be cooled to a suitable temperature for you, Shinkai-dono.

Kanata: Thank you very much, Souma. But, I’d like to request one thing first.

It’d be perfect if you could pour the “tea” you brew into this cup here.

Shinobu: Oh, it’s one of those! Those teacups you sometimes see at sushi restaurants and such, de gozaru![1]

Souma: Indeed. It appears to be a teacup with kanji characters that contain the radical for fish (魚).

Now then, I shall pour your tea… Here you go, enjoy.

Kanata: *gulp, gulp* ♪ Phew. The “tea” you brew is delicious as always, Souma~.

The “temperature” was just right, and my body feels nice and warm, too.

Souma: It makes me glad to hear so. Now, Shinkai-dono, why is it you happened to possess a teacup so opportunely? 

Kanata: Fufu. I happened upon it, and simply “couldn’t stop myself” from buying it~.

That, and I thought it would make for a good “reference” for “merchandise” as the “centerpiece” for “AOUMI Aquarium”~.

Shinobu: I see. You’re right, this teacup would indeed be a good way to learn fish names, de gozaru!

Souma: Hm. The impression it leaves reminds one more of a sushi restaurant rather than an aquarium, however…

Kanata: I agree~. I also did not feel too sure about using it as it is.

And so, I thought that by using it as a “reference”, I would be able to come up with some good “ideas”.

Shinobu: Is that so, de gozaru? Hopefully, you can come up with something nice, then…

Still, though, I was not aware that there were this many kanji out there for fishes.

I remember a time I saw teacups at a sushi restaurant that included kana readings de gozaru, but this one doesn’t appear to have any.[2]

Oh, this one here is maguro, “tuna” (鮪), de gozaru. Even I can read some of these, like sake, “salmon” (鮭) and tara, “cod” (鱈)!

But how do you read this kanji…? This one with the radical for “fish” (魚) next to the radical for “bay” (浦)?

Some of these fish use radicals that are easy to read on their own, like “sense” (念) and “flower” (花), but… I don’t have the slightest clue how they’re read all together.

Kanata: Fufufu. You see, some of the “kanji” you just mentioned just now, Shinobu, are among the ones for creatures of the “sea” that are not fish~.

Shinobu: They’re not fish?! But I felt so certain they all must’ve been![3]

Souma: Kanji that contain the radical for “fish” (魚) are rarely taught, as they are not commonly used. It is not surprising that you would be unable to recognize them, Sengoku.

Shinobu: Mm… You don’t look to be surprised at all, Kanzaki-dono. Could it be that you know how to read these, de gozaru?

Souma: Heheh, well, I am a member of the Marine Biology Club.

Under the tutelage of Shinkai-dono, I have acquired a fair amount of knowledge pertaining to fish. ♪ 

Kanata: Don’t worry~, Shinobu. At first, Souma didn’t understand a single thing at all, either.

I still remember the time Souma read this “kanji” as “uoura” (魚浦)-dono.[4]

Shinobu: Uoura-dono, huh? Ahaha, that’s just reading the radicals out as separate kanji readings!

Souma: I-I would not make the same mistake again! The radical for “fish” (魚) which is to the left of the radical “bay” (浦) is read as iruka, “dolphin” (鯆)!

Shinobu: Whoa… So this one is “dolphin”, huh?

You’re right, dolphins aren’t fish, they’re mammals, de gozaru.

Kanata: And to explain the others, the fish that has the kanji with the radical for “sense” (念) is the namazu, “catfish” (鯰).[5]

Souma: As for the one with the radical for “flower” (花), it is read as hokke, an “atka mackerel” (𩸽).

Shinobu: Ooh, Shinkai-dono, Kanzaki-dono, you both are so knowledgeable, de gozaru~! I’m learning a lot!

But all these kanji for fish are making me wonder if there is one that uses the shinobu (忍) radical…

Are there any, de gozaru? I’d love to learn about that one!

Kanata: Hmm, maybe I simply haven’t heard of it yet, but I do not think there is a fish “kanji” like that.

Shinobu: Is that so, de gozaru… That’s disappointing.

Souma: I see, if that is the case, why not create the kanji yourself, Sengoku?

It would merely be something for your own satisfaction, but as long as you yourself enjoy doing so, there is no harm in it.

Shinobu: Creating your very own kanji, huh… Ooh, that does sound really cool! ♪ 

Kanata: …Souma, about your “idea” you came up with. I think you might be onto something.

By creating their own "original kanji" for the fish they like, and making it into “merchandise”…

It could be made into “memorabilia” just for those who visit “AOUMI Aquarium”! ♪ 

Shinobu: Ohh, that does sound like it could have potential, Shinkai-dono!

Souma: Hm, it does sound like it would be fun to have one’s “orijinaru” kanji written onto clothes, handcloths, and the like.

Shinobu: How should the kanji written with the radicals shinobu (忍) and sakana (魚) be read… Perhaps as “ningyo”, de gozaru?

Souma: I think that is quite nice. However, if it’s read as ningyo, then wouldn’t the radical for “blade” (刃) be more suitable beside the “fish” (魚) radical?

Shinobu: No, no, that isn’t what comes to mind naturally at all, Kanzaki-dono![6]

Kanata: “AOUMI Aquarium” doesn’t have mermaids (ningyo) to begin with~.

However, I do think this will make for good “opportunities” for everyone to get together and “talk about” fish.

I also love to “talk about” fishes with everyone, so I’m sure this “idea” will be absolutely wonderful. ♪ 

[ ☆ ]  

story directory

The teacup Kanata has here is a sushi yunomi; a type of teacup characterized by having no handle decorated with various kanji for fish on the sides, a teacup often served at sushi restaurants. You can see it in his unbloomed art from his card ("Strange" Fish) Kanata Shinkai here.

A large number of animal and plant kanji are considered obscure or difficult to learn and write, and are more commonly spelt in katakana; such as ネズミ (nezumi) for mouse, instead of the kanji 鼠. These sushi yunomi teacups will typically have kana readings to indicate how they are pronounced.

If you’re as surprised as Shinobu is, back when these words were created, a lot of sea mammals would be grouped in with fish, as opposed to the mammal/fish grouping that we’re familiar with today, and so they were named as such. For example, the kanji for crocodiles, 鰐 (wani), essentially means “sea dragon”!

Souma tries his very best reading the kanji 鯆 by reading it as 魚 and 浦, separately—not even as a compound kanji. It’s very clunky and funny-sounding. 

The 念 radical in “catfish” (鯰) here is actually derived from an old Chinese reading of the radical that means “to be sticky”.

Reading the radical for “blade” (刃) as nin is very rare.

[thornedclover]

SPEAK NOW | Wednesday Addams × Tyler Galpin · wednesday ( TV 2022)

CHAPTER 1. i hate the crowds, you know that.

.☘︎ ݁˖

summary. 2 years later, 4 semesters have come and gone, and the annual Rave’N dance is tomorrow night. after refusing to attend the previous times since her first with Tyler, Wednesday is reluctantly convinced by Enid to attend the dance for a second time. little does she know that someone is awaiting her once she arrives.

word count. 2,805.

warnings. slow build.

tags. inspired by music.

authors note.

this is a 3-part short story initially inspired by Taylor Swift’s song betty from her folklore album. i hope whoever chooses to read this enjoys it even if it is pretty slow.

Enid slumped her shoulders with a slightly frustrated groan. “Ugh, why not?! You haven’t gone in two years! It’s the one night of the year where everyone can let loose and have a good time.”

Not bothering to turn around to face her roommate, Wednesday kept her eyes to her typewriter as her voice carried over the clicking of the keys. “What’s the point? I’m not interested in spiked punch and disco balls. Besides,” she paused to slide the roller back to the far left. “I’d rather not partake in self-torture by wearing heels and a suffocating envelopment of a dress.”

“I thought you enjoyed torture?”

“I do. Just not the type that makes me actually want to kill myself.”

Not buying into her reasons, Sinclair sighed. “Oh, come on. It’s not that bad. Once you get in there, you’ll completely forget about what you’re wearing.” Her mind flipped back to the year of their first Rave’N together as roommates. “You wore a dress and heels last time, and you looked so killer in them! You literally screamed ‘bad bitch icon’ on the dance floor!”

But Addams maintained her divided attention. “Precisely. Why would I subject myself to another night of useless pain and attention? It’s unsettling. One time was more than enough. I didn’t want to go two years ago. Why would I have even the slightest intention of going now?” Her dark eyes flickered from the keyboard to the manilla paper being scripted with black ink. “Rumor has it that it’s practically a breeding ground for germs and the perfect setup for erotic, teenage antics to thrive.”

Within the last couple of years, there was talk that the dance had been spiced up by typical adolescent behaviors. Simple yet idiotic jokes being played among the attendees, make-out sessions in the restroom, and the occasional down and dirty dancing that would illuminate the dance floor in competition with the flashing disco lights. Who would ever want to miss that?

A twitch of her eyebrow accompanied her following remark of sarcasm. “I’d be better off sticking pens in my eyes than witnessing something so overrated.”

Instead of keeping up with their argumentative conversation, the werewolf calmly paced over to her roomie’s desk and turned to face her, leaning on the table for support. “Please, Wednesday?” Her crystal orbs sparkled with hope and a hint of beseech. “Can’t you just try to do something other than go to class and stay locked away in here, writing another novel?” When she received no reply, she twisted her lips in an indecisive way. There had to be something more to the psychic’s refusal. The excuses she had stated her case with did not make complete sense… for her, anyway. Generally, she was not bothered by those sorts of things; she would just ignore them more than anything. Other than possibly walking in on vampires fanging in a bathroom stall, she would not have to dance or linger within the crowds if she preferred not to. Although it was highly encouraged, it was not required. Additionally, this upcoming dance, like all others, would serve as a getaway – a chance to disassociate from the world and all of its normie nonsense for one night. That is what the Rave’N was for, after all – a place for outcasts to be themselves and enjoy their lives as anyone should. So, what was eating at her that made it such a hassle to go?

Then it hit.

“Is this about Tyler?” She searched for the other’s gaze. “Do you not want to go, because he was your date to your first Rave’N?”

Wednesday expressed an irked, nasal sigh before finally breaking the connection with her typewriter to look at Enid. If she was honest, she was right. Since Nevermore cut all ties with the nightrunner, she had never let his name fall from her lips. There was no point. No reason. Nothing left to say. Nothing more to feel… Or so she wanted herself to believe. He was the mystery. The animal that lurked under the forests’ trees. The monster that attacked numerous, innocent souls and robbed them of their right to live. The Hyde that came to be known as the prized culprit of Jericho. He had become damn-good at leading her on only to abandon her at the hands of death, before he desired the thrill of ripping her apart himself. A cunning trickster trained by a manipulative mastermind. And the only boy she had ever grown to catch feelings for. That was who Tyler Galpin was.

It was true. She liked him, crushed on him, and found herself in a tailspin on which side of her to listen to and which path she wanted to follow. But after keeping her guard up and steering clear of any happenings of romanticism, she willed herself to take a chance on him. She had trusted him, and he drew scars upon her heart.

She should have known better.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” questioned Sinclair, reading the raven’s countenance like a book. “Look, I understand. I know it came as a real shock, but…” She glanced down in hopes of softening the upcoming blow. “You can’t hold on to that memory forever. I know it’s hard to let go, because he was one of the few people you trusted. I know you miss him-”

But Addams snapped back at her right then and there. “No, I don’t. And I haven’t developed an emotional hellscape to dwell in either.” She watched her roommate lock eyes with her again before continuing her reinforcement, sharpness still striking her tongue. “Tyler was a conniving pawn that bowed to his master like an obedient dog. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A puppeteer that fazed everyone to believe he was nothing but a common, innocent normie.” She narrowed her eyes to dispel any possible doubts the blonde had. “Grieving over something like that is nothing shy of pointless.”

But it was not pointless. She missed him. She had fallen into a hellhole of indeterminate emotions at the thought of him. Whether she believed it or not, he had left a scab on her heart that would bleed every now and then when she lost herself in her adolescent biology of oscillating hormones. Never did she think she would fall for someone, but then he came in and wrecked her plans that were laced in solitude. Now, she was forever haunted by his green eyes and calm, attentive voice. It was unusual and, quite honestly, uncomfortable. But that seemed to be her life nowadays. Go figure.

When the she-wolf picked up on her side of the dispute, she traded her tone for a softer pitch. She knew Galpin was the reason for her behavior towards the topic, but she decided not to push much further into the matter. “Well, even if you do… your secret’s safe with me.” She saw Addams take a quick glance away prior to carrying on. “I don’t blame you for feeling the way you do. Tyler was the first guy you’ve ever liked, right?”

The psychic sighed her usual sigh and sat back, crossing her arms.

“So, it totally makes sense,” she shrugged. She would know – as a teenage girl, herself, and being involved with social media, it was common sense that it was only natural to experience such feelings that her roomie, although denying it, was currently enduring. Even after two years have passed.

Then a light smile threatened to break her sentimental moment as she put her palms on the tabletop behind her to have her shoulders shrug up. “To be honest…” She tilted her head to the left. “It would be weird if you didn’t feel this way.”

This only made Wednesday maintain her cold stare and signature frown.

“Sooooo…, with that being said…, how about you make a new memory with me tomorrow night? One that you won’t forget? In a good way?” While Enid watched the other’s eyes shift down almost in a debating manner, she attempted to use the act of persuasion. “We can go tomorrow and find you a completely different look. Something that’s still a statement but doesn’t look like your first dress’s twin sister. There’s no way you’re going to wear something without a sense of variety.”

It took everything in the raven not to completely shut her roomie down. Despite everything, she did not have any interest in presenting herself at the all-cracked-up-to-be dance as it was. Why would she? She did not even have a date to attend with. Maybe it would be good for her to make a memory out of tomorrow night to try and repair the damage done? Even if her heart would never mend. Even if it would not change the past. Even if it would not make Tyler fade from her reminiscence. Maybe it would prevent talk from spreading around regarding her captivation in a mental jail cell of hormonal imbalance because of a particular barista formally employed at the Weathervane. Maybe she should just swallow her pride and go forth with herself as if she had moved on from her first semester at Nevermore. Maybe she should just care less and be careless.

Forgive and forget is what they say… but she never knew how hard it could be until she came face-to-face with it beginning at age 16.

Giving herself a thoughtful blink, she collected herself enough to meet the other’s face. The more she balanced her choices, the more she figured that one way or the other, they both had their cons. Whether she stayed or went, there was no telling what the outcome would be. All she knew was that Sinclair would keep digging periodically until she uncovered what had been hidden behind her nonchalant, icy front. What was the point of letting her push and push until she lit a match and triggered a domino effect of emotions? Sentimental performances were never her strong suit anyway.

“I’ll think about it.”

The following evening came within a flash. The night of the Rave’N had come at last.

All mirrors in the dorms were occupied with boys tightening their ties and girls perfecting their hair before meeting up with their dates to sashay their way through the Rave’N’s entrance. Come every year, this would be the night of nights – the dance to rival all others, the moment to brave and shine, the winning ticket to someone’s love story.

Well… all except for Wednesday.

After revisiting the idea over and over and over, she had finally allowed Enid to win her over late the previous night and ‘partake in self-torture by wearing heels and a suffocating envelopment of a dress.’ Dread still preyed upon her, but she was forced to overlook her biting temptation to drop everything and stick to her guns. She had decided to do this on behalf of her roommate – Sinclair never asked for much and she definitely meant well with every word that struck her tongue. With everything they had been through, the bond they had constructed over time, and all of the hell she had put her through countless times, she could, at least, return the favor this once.

In retrospect, how bad could it actually turn out to be?

Slipping on her heels, the psychic stood from her bedside and paced over to the mirror to double-check her final look before Enid came knocking at the door for departure. But when she stepped into the reflecting portrait, words could not even begin to explain what she saw. Except for a single phrase that seemed to speak deeper than she could feel.

The girl in the mirror… she has lost her damn mind.

Her pale skin was complemented against the black tulle orchestrating her gown along with the opera gloves encasing her arms. The daintiness of her clavicle was accentuated by the strapless design as it practically put her shoulders’ elegance on a pedestal. From the style chosen by Sinclair, with advice from Yoko, her raven hair had been unraveled from its signature twin braids only to be twisted up into a messy chignon with a blend of hair clips and pins. Her bangs kept their framing cut while longer tresses were separated out of her bun to dangle down for a charming, chic rendition. Never had she ever styled her hair close to anything like it was now… But that was what she got for permitting her roommate with creative liberty. From the bodice’s fit, her waist was sure to also catch eyes and tempt complimenting tongues with the way it highlighted her svelte physique. Past her waistline and down, an A-line skirt concealed her lower-half, hovering a few inches above the ground due to her high heels cutting its contact short. Head to toe, she was just as she thought 2 years prior – unrecognizable, ridiculous, a classic example of female objectification for the male gaze.

And she was… she really was. In the most prodigious, exotic, astounding way. She was truly something to behold. Even as an Addams… Even as an outcast. 

The longer she stared at the foreign beauty in the reflective surface, the more of an internal mess she became. How could she let herself do this? How could she have let herself be transformed into something so enthralling and so… fictional? Bewitching as she appeared, the reveal was almost enough to have nausea set in – this was not her. It was not her style, and did not come even close to fitting in her what-could-be or ‘in another life’ fantasy… if she had one, anyway. But the strangest thing of all was… she actually looked like she belonged to someone – dressing to impress a Romeo desperate for his Juliet. Outdoing herself in preparation for an unforgettable occasion. But everything she could possibly be perceived as was not what it seemed. Her enchanting sorcery of head-turning looks served for one, single purpose that no one but herself and Enid knew: the intent to dethrone the rule that Tyler Galpin had over her was to be carved in stone and executed. Whether it would actually work or not was in her power, her mind, her heart. Although black, it did bleed the same color red as every other being walking the earth. And, oh, how nauseating that was.

How nauseating it all was.

Releasing a bothered sigh, Addams turned away before several more knots could tie themselves into her stomach. She had definitely stepped up her fashion taste for the prior dance, but it felt more like a pole-vault going into it at 18. Like the first time, it was more than enough but then some. God, this felt so out of her element. Thought after thought attacked her brain, manifesting an urge to back out of this entire scheme, but, luckily, she was saved by a knock at the door that echoed off the room’s walls.

“Wednesday, let’s go!”

Forcing herself to snap out of the trance, she opened the front barricade to have wide, sparkling blue eyes and a snowy smile napalm her.

“Oh my God, shut up! Gothic femme fatale who?! You look absolutely amazing!” The werewolf looked over her roomie before adding, “Yoko and I did such a great job! You’re really going to stun everyone tonight. Like, jaws are going to drop through the floor.”

Still having the vision of herself burning in her mind, the raven kept a straight posture with natural sarcasm lacing her words. “If you mean ‘great job’ as in making emetic eye candy out of me, you’re not far off the target.”

“Oh, come on,” replied Enid, completely brushing off the mordacious counter. “You look fabulous, and the dance is going to be fire.” When she did not see a change in Wednesday’s attitude, she was pressed to try further reassurance. “If you’re that worried about being out of your comfort zone, just stick with me and Ajax. We weren’t planning to go crazy this year anyway, since he’s still getting over his cold. I mean, we might dance a little, but we’ll probably just hang out.”

The other merely responded with a quick glance away.

“Well…,” the she-wolf started with a warm smile prior to nodding her head back towards the hall behind her. “Are you ready?” Being so caught up with the psychic’s complete presentation, she almost forgot she had left her date waiting at the bottom of the staircase.

Swallowing her pride with a grain of bitterness, Addams let the words fall from her magenta lips. “As ready as I can be.”

And each step she took after that – through the hall, down the stairs, and out the doors to the awaiting party – led her to whatever may lay in her fate’s devious, inexorable hands.