#(I’m also busy cause of tech week)

[lifeandtimesoftrying]

Eddie McKenna and the connection between his kindness and his willingness to be wrong

(hi again! It’s Eddie day for TOTA takeover. There will be some spoilers for the show, hence the cut)

I think that one of the most remarkable things about Eddie is that he’s so *willing* to admit when he’s wrong, and this is directly influenced by his kindness. We see this in the very first episode—his first reaction to meeting Campbell is to assume that he’s one of the staff, because he has preconceived notions about what the patients should be like. But once he knows he’s wrong? He’s fine with it, and throughout the series we see him repeatedly advocate for Campbell.

(spoilers start here!)

Eddie repeatedly insists that he and Campbell are a team, and when Radio Scotland want to take Campbell but not Eddie, Eddie… agrees. And furthermore, he *tells* Campbell to take the job.

You also see this worldview with his treatment of Francine. Within the show, she’s the most unstable character, but Eddie actively tries to learn about all aspects of her, and doesn’t dismiss her out of hand. And with Fergus, Eddie continuously insists that he’s qualified, which provides a stark juxtaposition with employers’ and psychiatrists’ treatment of Fergus. And this isn’t because that Eddie went into the job already being accepting—as noted earlier, he *did* have preconceived stereotypes. But he was willing to actually get to know the patients and adjust his assumptions.

He’s also a generally selfless character. He pays Harriet’s lunch (she was the little old lady), and gives his grandmother 3,000 pounds so she can go to Lithuania, even though he doesn’t think it’s a good idea. He goes against his job as a double-glazing salesman and tells the single mother that her windows are fine, just loose, and if she has putty he can fix them for her.

Furthermore, he’s incredibly honest. This is demonstrated with the window example, but it also heavily influences his relationships with the patients, particularly Campbell. Eddie repeatedly tells Campbell to not get his hopes up, and while this creates conflict between them, Eddie’s stance is sympathetic—he isn’t saying it to discourage Campbell, he’s saying what he has experienced and has full reason to believe is true so that Campbell isn’t misled and later disappointed. Eddie is also unusually self-aware. He readily acknowledges that he hates his day job, and in episode 6 when Campbell confronts him, he doesn’t go back on that, but instead makes it clear that what he wants is financial security and respect “for this first time in [his] life.” There’s also the line where in response to Campbell saying “Eddie, you don’t see that job’s killing you!”* Eddie replies, “No, Campbell, my dreams. My dreams are killing me.” And in some ways it’s *true*. Eddie’s job is soul-sucking because of the kind of person that Eddie *is*, and Eddie realizes this, even if he doesn’t give himself credit for it.

(*note: this line might also be “Eddie, don’t you see that job’s killing you!” I believe it’s the former but there are no subtitles to check against.)

The combination of Eddie’s willingness to be wrong, selflessness, and honesty is also what makes the line “he’s funnier than me” (referring to Campbell) so impactful, because it very clearly showcases all three of those characteristics. That statement encapsulates a core part of Eddie’s character, and we as the audience know that, which is why it hits. It’s not false modesty, or a cop out, or something that’s going to be undermined—it’s part of the reason that we want Eddie’s to succeed, and seeing it used in a place where Eddie is going to be punished for it *hurts*.

Finally, I think that this triad is what makes Eddie’s arc of recognizing his alcoholism compelling. This is really the one thing that he doesn’t honestly acknowledge about himself for most of the show, which indicates that it’s far more difficult for him to be wrong about than anything else that we’ve seen. There’s also a double standard between him and the other characters; he is routinely kind to those around him, but isn’t nearly as kind to himself. He views himself as a failure and lets others take his agency away from him, and the first time we really see this stop (or at least pause) is after he and Francine go to Lithuania night. While this could be interpreted as ~romantic love makes everything fine~, considering the sheer amount of respect the writers have for the characters and that the message is clearly not that, I think that that scene shows that Eddie needed someone to be kind to him and appreciate him in order to realize that he *can* and *should* be treated with kindness and respect, which includes him treating himself that way.

[cc--2224]

Working Parts

Pairing: Echo x F!Reader

Summary: There was always something about Echo that drew you to him, you had no idea that he'd feel the same way. But when he shares his past with you, you know you want to be there to comfort him in the future.

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, pregnancy mention, lots of angst, but it's also so soft

Notes: This was written for the @cloneficgiftexchange run by @ghostofskywalker and this fic was written for @jedipoodoo , I hope you enjoy!!

Prompts: "You're okay, I'm right here." ||"I won't leave you." - and you also included that you love stories about parenthood and pregnancy, so I did my best!

Word Count: 3.4k

Read on AO3 Here

Taglist: None, let me know if you'd like to be added!

Masterlist

The first time you saw Echo, he had just disembarked from his ship, visiting his brothers and his sister. You happened to be near the landing port, and you looked over just as he descended the ramp, and from there you knew that you wanted to meet him, to get to know him. 

But you also knew that you weren't really the type to walk up to someone new, especially here. You were new enough to Pabu, the idea of putting yourself out there when you had just come here to hide from the Empire just seemed counter intuitive. It wasn't as if you were in any kind of trouble, after all, you were a mechanic and if anything would be an asset to them, but it seemed safer to stay out of sight, you could think of only a few things worse than being forced into the Empire.

“His name is Echo.” You heard a voice ring out from beside you, making you jump. You turned to your right, the voice had come from another one of the new arrivals, you had only learned that his name was Tech a few weeks prior when he walked into your shop looking for parts for his ship.

“W-What?” Your voice was still flustered from the sudden scare.

“I assumed you would want the name of the person you were so obviously staring at.”

“No, I–” You began to protest before sighing, knowing it was pointless to argue.

Tech waited for you to continue your sentence, but when you didn't, he adjusted his goggles and walked over to greet his brother.

“Like he'd want to meet me..” You muttered to yourself, but almost as soon as Tech made it over to Echo, the latter had turned his head to face you. That was your cue to turn and leave, not wanting to make him uncomfortable with your apparent staring.

~ ~ ~

The second time you saw Echo was a few months following the initial visit. He and his brothers had all come by your shop. Tech had placed another order for his seemingly never-ending tinkering, and the others - whose names you had finally learned - decided to accompany him.

You were surprised to see them all there in your little shop, but especially surprised to see Echo. It seemed that his visits to Pabu were few and far between. 

You did absolutely everything you could to avoid staring. 

When you were busying yourself with re-organizing drawers of miscellaneous parts, you heard your name being called out from behind you. It caused you to jump and knock over a pile of bolts onto the ground.

“Oh kriff, sorry about that.” 

You turned around slowly, trying not to let the embarrassment show in your face, only to be faced with the one you were internally trying to avoid.

“Don’t worry about it.” You said, a bit too shakily..

“That is your name though, right?” He asked, and when you nodded, he smiled. “Good to know, I’m Echo.”

“Nice to meet you.” You forced a smile back.

The tallest of them, Wrecker, wandered up to the front counter to join the two of you, and slapped a hand across Echo’s shoulder.

“Weird you two have never met!” He laughed, “I mean, Echo always just stares at you whenever he sees you, so it’s nice you finally have a chance to talk!” 

“...Thanks, Wreck.” Echo sighed, and looked at you with a slightly guilty expression.

You smiled and shook your head in reassurance to his unspoken apology, knowing you were guilty of the same thing. This almost gave you hope that your desire to get to know him was mutual. Almost.

Before long, the others approached the counter to collect their order and purchase the additional parts they had gathered in your shop. 

As they left, Echo took one last look toward you before ducking out of the building, and you got to work cleaning up the bolts you had knocked over.

Kriff. You sighed to yourself.

~ ~ ~

The time between Echo’s visits seemed longer and longer the more you eventually started getting to know him. You would never admit it out loud, but you even began to miss him when he wasn’t around.

He was kind, and he was quick-witted; he definitely matched his brothers' sarcasm and humour. And when the evening sun shone on him, his eyes almost appeared to glow gold.

It didn't take long for you to completely fall for him, he had a way of speaking that invited you in, he was charming and confident, certainly the type who could have any girl he wanted. 

For that reason, in addition to his frequent trips off-world, you decided not to say anything to him about your feelings. At least you wouldn't pine after him when you didn't have to see him every day, you had figured.

You had put the kettle on one evening and began sorting through your to-do list for the next day, getting lost in your thoughts when a loud knock on the door startled you out of them. 

Cautiously, you walked to the front window, peering out to see who could possibly be visiting, when you saw Echo standing on your front steps, looking around nervously, with his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

You unlocked the door and opened it. 

"Echo? What are you doing here?" You didn’t even realize he was on-world.

"I uh.. was just nearby and wanted to say hi." He was shuffling his feet a little, and his tone was hesitant.

Everything you had thought of his confidence seemed to fizzle away with his words, but still you smiled. 

"Hi," you repeated in greeting.

"Right well.. I should just.." He sighed, "I had a whole idea of what I was going to say but..."

You shook your head, still smiling. "I just put the kettle on, would you like to come in for some tea?" 

He breathed a sigh of relief, "I'd love to."

Echo entered your house slowly, as if he wasn't fully sure if he was actually welcome.

"Make yourself at home," you told him, reassuringly. "Tea should be ready soon."

"Thank you." He sat down on the sofa, taking in his surroundings. 

Your living room was warm and inviting, it certainly felt like you. He smiled, eying some of the photos on the wall.

He knew fairly early on how he felt about you, the fact that you seemed just as nervous as he was when you had first met gave him courage that you might even feel the same way. You were smart, you knew your way around all the working parts of any droid or ship on the planet. Something that he almost felt was humourous, given the fact that it made up most of him too. But more than that, his own darker thoughts figured that meant you’d want nothing to do with him. For that reason, he could never be open about his feelings toward you, but he had enough of hiding it. This revelation was what brought him to your door.

You returned to the living room holding two tea cups, and you set his down in front of him before sitting down on a nearby armchair.

"So what did you have to say?" You asked when you were settled.

"I'm sorry?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"You said you had an idea of something you wanted to say."

"Oh, right I-..." 

He looked down at the teacup.

"I guess I just wanted to talk to you. We’ve been getting to know each other, but I feel like I still don’t know much about you."

You smiled, "Well there's not much to know. I came to Pabu after the Empire began occupying Lothal, opened up my shop, and have been here ever since."

"I see. Not the worst place to escape to," He noted. "Do you er... Anyone special?" 

You could feel blood rise to your cheeks at his question. 

"N-No, not really. Do.. you?" 

"Nah, me neither." His admission brought a feeling of relief to you. He had a sad look as he continued. “Not really sure it’s in my cards. Part of me always kinda wanted a family, especially after meeting Cut and Suu, knowing that some clones out there are living comfortably, but..” He trailed off.

You wanted so badly to comfort him in some way, but you didn’t know how. Anything you thought of saying would only reveal your feelings toward him, and you weren’t really ready to do that.

It grew silent with neither of you knowing what to say.

Eventually, you spoke up, figuring the best thing to do was to change the subject.

"What do you think of Pabu?" You asked him.

He thought about his answer, then he looked at you earnestly, with a spark in his eye that you couldn't quite place. 

"Honestly? I know I’m gone for long periods of time, but… It's getting harder and harder to leave." 

"You could stay." You blurted out without thinking, and you quickly tried to recover, "I mean, since the others live here and all.." 

You mentally facepalmed at your outburst.

But instead of poking fun at you, you heard a quiet chuckle.

"Maybe I will, after my job out there is done."

Your curiosity got the better of you. “What is it that you do when you’re away?”

“We help lost clones find places where they can be safe and comfortable, and above all, free.” 

You smiled, “That’s really noble.”

“It’s the least we can do. Rex and I both feel like we’re only alive today because of the blood our brothers spilled for us, so it’s only fair that we use that to help the ones still out there.”

“What was the war like for you?”

He paused and looked down at his cup. “It’s kind of hard to say.”

You waited to see if he would continue.

“It took me and my squad a long time to even pass the training drill to leave Kamino. They used to call us the Domino squad because we always seemed to fall one after the other. When we did finally get deployed, we were sent to an outpost on the Rishi moon and in our first real battle, we lost three of our men.”

“I see…”

“After that though, Fives and I were taken into the 501st under Captain Rex, where we eventually were made ARC Troopers, but after that was the Citadel.”

“What happened?”

“I got blown up.” He stated, his tone was laced with almost dry humour but he wasn’t laughing. “Seps got me and turned me into, well, this. And now I’m here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful that Rex and the boys found me on Skako Minor, but I still get nightmares about it sometimes.”

He looked over at you, and his expression turned sympathetic after he saw how upset you looked.

“I guess I unloaded there, sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m glad you told me. I just wish I knew what to say.”

He smiled a half smile at you, “I appreciate you listening.”

Without really thinking, you moved closer to him, wrapping your arms around his neck in a tight embrace. You stayed there for a moment, and soon you felt his arm reach around you, holding you there.

~ ~ ~

After that night, your relationship with Echo changed. He trusted you, you knew that just from the fact that he was willing to tell you everything about his past. 

When he’d arrive on Pabu, he always met you with an embrace, and more times than not, he’d show up at your house to discuss his missions and any news you had over a cup of tea.

And one of those nights, he had finally confessed his feelings for you. 

He didn’t work up to it in any sense. Instead, when you opened the door to let him inside, he stood on the doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers out to you.

“What’s this?” You said smiling at the gift.

“I love you.” He announced, a faint blush growing across his cheeks, he was slightly shaking, but his eyes were serious.

“You- What?” Was all you could manage to say in reply. You heard him, but you couldn’t believe what you were hearing.

“I have for a while now. I knew from the start that I had feelings for you, but.. Ever since the night where I told you about, well, everything, I knew how deep those feelings were. If you don’t… Feel the same way, that’s okay, but I needed you to know.”

“Echo…” You managed to say, quietly. “I do feel the same.”

“What?” Echo was surprised, and he immediately believed he misheard you.

“Come in, please.” You said, and all but pulled him into your house. “I love you too.”

“But why? I.. Since when?”

“The same time as you.” You sighed and stood closer to him. “I’ve always had feelings for you, since we met. And when you opened up to me, when you trusted me with your past, I couldn’t ignore it anymore, but I always thought I was alone in it, so I couldn’t bring myself to tell you.”

He smiled softly and placed his hand on your cheek, drawing your face closer to his. 

“You’re not alone. I’m right here with you.” He told you before he closed the distance, pressing his lips to yours, and you wrapped your arms around him, smiling into the kiss.

Echo broke the kiss before you both ran out of air, but still he held you close to him, pressing his forehead against yours.

“I’m relieved that you feel the same way, but I would understand if you didn’t, with me being this.”

“Oh shush,” you told him. “You’ll need a mechanic to keep everything in order.”

He smiled at you before placing a kiss against your lips once again.

~ ~ ~

You felt him tossing in the bed next to you. Another nightmare, you thought to yourself. 

He was getting them more frequently, and it worried you. It had been some time since he was rescued from Skako Minor, but the memories he had of his life before that had never quite faded. Memories of a life he could never quite return to. And you knew that something else was causing him stress. His nightmares grew more frequent ever since you had told him that you were pregnant. 

He was happy to be on Pabu with you, to start a family with you. But you knew it was still a hard adjustment for him. Not just living on Pabu, but everything since waking up from the stasis chamber he was put in. Everything that he had told you about all those years ago still haunted him to this day, and you wished that there was some way that you could help, but he had always told you that just being there with him was enough.

All you could really do in these moments was to try and calm him down, gently ease him out of his nightmares, try to get him to talk to you about them when he woke up, but sometimes it was easier said than done. 

You lay next to him, rubbing his back gently guiding your hand up and down next to the cybernetics, attempting to soothe him from his nightmare without waking him. He stirred gently under your touch before his eyes fluttered open.

"Fives!" He yelled as he lifted himself up off the bed. 

He took a moment to look around, eyes adjusting to the dark room.

"Shh.. You're okay." You whispered to him. 

He fell back onto the bed, turning to look at the ceiling before turning to face you.

"You should be sleeping." He said quietly, "I didn't wake you, did I?"

You shook your head, "No, I was already awake." 

He sighed and pulled you close to him, you adjusted yourself so you could rest your back against his chest, and he held you there, with a hand rubbing your belly gently. 

"I dreamt about the Citadel." He began. "Only instead of me getting hurt, it was Fives." 

You could feel his breath get shakier, and you intertwined your fingers with his. 

"I couldn't protect him. I couldn't protect any of them. Fives, Cutup, Droidbait, Hevy... I'm the only one left." 

You could tell from his voice that this wasn't entirely about his nightmare, and you turned back around to face him.

"Echo.." You gently reached your hand up to rest it on the side of his face.

He wouldn't meet your gaze, his eyes became fixed on your belly.

"What if I can't protect our child?" He asked quietly. 

"You can't think like that, I know you'll do anything for them." 

"But what if I can't?" He sighed, "You deserve someone you can rely on, someone strong to stand beside you. A good father for your children."

"And I have him." You reassured him. "Echo, everything you've described is you. I know you're afraid, and it's okay to be. In a couple months, we'll have someone else to look out for, but I know we'll be able to do this together. I didn't know them, but I know that Fives, Hevy, everyone would be so proud of you, for everything you've made it through, and everything that is coming our way." 

He sighed in frustration, clearly not hearing your words. “I won’t even be able to hold them properly without hurting them. How am I supposed to take care of a child?”

“Because you’re not doing it alone. Echo, I’m still here. I’ll always be here, we’ll be in this together, just like we always have.”

You pressed your forehead against his. "I'm right here with you." 

Echo nudged his forehead into yours gently, and pressed a kiss against your lips. 

"Thank you, mesh'la. You always know what I need to hear. I'm.. sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry. Anytime you need to hear it, I'll be here. I won't leave you."

~ ~ ~

If there was one thing Echo didn’t need to worry about, it was whether or not he would be a good father. 

He was nervous about it, of course. His nerves couldn’t be calmed until the moment he looked into the big brown eyes, his eyes, on this tiny person. His insecurities and worries all melted away from that moment onward.

He had a bit of practice with Omega, but fatherhood really came naturally to him. You remembered hearing a joke once that it was the Mandalorian genes, but to you, it was just how Echo was. He was always kind, gentle, and caring, and these traits became even stronger once your child was born. 

He was a perfect father, perhaps a little overly cautious at times, but caring all the same. You remembered laughing at his idea to wrap a soft blanket around his scomp link so that it didn’t dig into your child’s skin, but he did it anyway.

And he was proud that his child had such a loving family, the other batchers became the best uncles overnight. Hunter and Wrecker immediately took to doting on and fawning over your child, Tech took to adding all kinds of child safety measures to the Marauder, and Omega was ecstatic to finally be an aunt. 

You knew that there was still a part of Echo that he tried his best to keep hidden that longed to see the other members of the Domino squad be part of your little loving family, to watch your child grow up, to play games with them, to teach them to fly, to tell them stories about their dad that even you haven’t heard, to just be there, to be alive, but all you could do was reassure him that, wherever they are, they were looking out for him, and the new addition. 

From there, everything seemed to fall into place. Everything made sense. 

Echo had told you once, all that time ago that he had wanted a family of his own, a dream of his and yours that became reality with you by his side. 

The two of you were working parts, you helped each other move and grow, and you would continue to do so for as long as you could.

[dfortrafalgar]

I'm Losing You

Having a family isn't always as easy as fairy tales make it seem.

Warnings: READ WARNINGS IN CHAPTER 1!!!! Stuff starts rapidly going downhill from this chapter onward. If you haven't heeded the warnings from chapter 1 until now, this is your final chance to do so

Taglist: @phsycochan | @mirillua

Chapter 6

[Prev] [Next]

You anxiously kicked your feet dangling off the examination table you were sitting on, heart pounding in your chest as you waited for your doctor and the ultrasound technician to enter the room.  Law had felt absolutely awful that he wasn’t able to go to your first ultrasound appointment with you, but you happily assured him that you were dedicated to keeping him updated on the entire day while he was busy with his shift at the hospital.

Your eyes scanned over the equipment that would eventually be used on you, the sterile instruments, the heavy ultrasound equipment, and the small storage counter in the corner.  Your heart leapt into your throat at the sudden sound of the door cracking open.  The sight of your calm, collected gynecologist brought you comfort as she smiled at you, her bright blue eyes shining.

“Your blood tests came back very positive with HCG, you are in fact pregnant, though we both already knew that,” she said with a happy smile, opening the door once more to welcome the ultrasound technician.

“I still can’t believe it,” you sighed in disbelief.

Dr. Robin sat in the swiveling stool across the room from you and flipped open her laptop.  “I understand you and your husband were concerned about fertility, yes?”

You nodded.  “I had called to schedule an appointment with you a few weeks ago to discuss that.”

She hummed in confirmation.  “Yes, I did see your name on my schedule for May.  But luckily your recent pregnancy let you come in much earlier!  I’m sure you know, but we usually do an ultrasound around seven weeks.  According to the information you gave me, we should be around that time frame now.”

The ultrasound tech was sanitizing her hands, but tossed you a very excited grin.  “Congratulations, Mrs. Trafalgar!”

You beamed.  “Thank you so much.”

After a few briefings about your current health and any possible symptoms, you were instructed to lay back on the exam table and lift your shirt to expose your belly.  The feeling of the translucent gel against your skin caused a chill to run up your spine, making the technician whisper a silent apology for the sensation.  You kept your eyes trained on the ceiling as Dr. Robin began to brief you about the expectations.

“If you’re around 7 weeks, we should be able to detect a heartbeat in the fetus.  We’ll also be able to make sure that the embryo’s development is progressing normally,” she explained.

You took a deep breath through your nose as the technician placed the blunt end of the ultrasound transmitter on your lower stomach, over where your uterus would be.  “Sounds good.”

She moved the wand around your belly, trying to get a good image, before finally locating and settling on your uterus.  Sure enough, there was a small attachment in your womb, surrounded by an abyss of black, outlining the shape of your organ and the fluid surrounding the embryo.  You were scared to look at the screen, and simply kept your eyes focused on the ceiling.

You were starting to really wish Law was here.

It took you a few moments to realize that neither your doctor nor the technician had uttered a word.  A few adjustments were made to the machine and the wand was placed against your skin once more.  Your throat went dry.

“Is… everything okay?” you asked.

Dr. Robin cleared her throat.  “We can’t seem to detect a heartbeat.”

Your stomach dropped, and she must have noticed the way your entire body tensed up.

“This isn’t always cause for alarm, it could easily be that you’re earlier along than we thought, maybe around five or six weeks.  The heartbeat doesn’t usually start to show until around week seven, so it’s likely that’s just the case,” she elaborated, placing her hand on your arm to reassure you.

The ultrasound technician finished blotting down her patient notes before powering off and cleaning her machine, followed by cleaning you up.

Before you had the chance to speak, Dr. Robin grabbed your attention.  “There is no need to be alarmed, I’m going to set you up for a follow-up appointment next week so we can check on the embryo again and make sure it’s progressing normally.”

You took a few shuddering breaths through your mouth.  “Okay…”

Dr. Robin rubbed your arm reassuringly.  “I’ll get your patient summary printed out for you to take home, and I’ll meet you at the front desk to schedule a follow-up for next week.  Take some deep breaths, you’re going to be okay.”

You followed her directions, taking deep, controlled inhalations.  Finally, you nodded.  “Okay… thank you, Dr. Robin.”

Time moved in slow motion as you walked to the receptionist’s desk.  The voice leaving your mouth sounded like your’s, but it certainly wasn’t you who was speaking.  Operating purely on autopilot, you took your bag, your patient summary sheet, and your waning confidence to your car where you sat in silence, staring at your steering wheel.

No heartbeat.

You were running through calculations in your head.  You must have been on your seventh week, unless you counted wrong.  Perhaps you did count wrong in your excitement, you were known to do that on occasion.  But at the same time—

Your phone buzzed.

Baby~~<3

Hey honey, I’m on lunch.  How did your appointment go?

You choked on the hard stone in your throat, heavy tears welling in your eyes.  You were trying so, so hard to convince yourself that your doctor was telling the truth, that perhaps you were simply earlier in your first trimester than any of you thought, and that the fetus’s heart simply hadn’t developed fully yet.  The chances of that were very high, you knew they were.

So then why were you so… petrified?

—

Law sent his text, placed his phone down, and ate his lunch, checking his phone before his afternoon rounds.

He went on his rounds before heading to the operating theater, where he placed his phone with his circulating nurse and prepared for a basic operation.

When he was finished, he still had not heard back from you.

That was when he began to grow worried.  He sent you another text that simply read:

Babe?  Are you back home?

He tucked his phone back in his pocket when he was called to a patient’s room.  He shoved away the rising anxiety and discomfort that filled in his throat in order to manage the rest of his shift and get home to you as soon as he possibly could.

—

Law hurried from his car to the front door of your apartment.  He was relieved when he saw your car parked in your usual spot, but he still hadn’t heard back from you when the clock struck 10:00PM.  He flung open the door.

The living room was empty, and Bepo was sprawled out on his bed on the floor, lost in a heavy nap.  He barely moved a muscle when Law walked in, leaving his dad alone to bolt to the bedroom, where the door was closed.

Law felt his stomach sink.

He gently twisted the door knob and pushed the door open, peering into the bedroom he shared with you.  The lights were dim and the blinds drawn shut, but through the faint lighting he could make out a large lump under the duvet cover.

“Babe…?” he called in an anxious whisper, unsure if you were asleep or not.

He saw your body lurch under the covers responding to this voice.

“Hey…”  He rushed to your side, kneeling on the bed and placing a hand on your shoulder, ushering you to roll over and face him.  “Tell me what happened…”  He was afraid he already knew.

Very slowly, you rolled over and popped your head out from under the blankets.  Your eyes were bloodshot and swollen from your violent crying that had only recently stopped, only for your tears to quickly return upon seeing your husband’s concerned eyes gazing down on you.  You let out an involuntary noise, something akin to being strangled, before blubbering out a sob.

“They… couldn’t… find… a heartbeat…” you managed to mutter in between your cries.

Law figured that might be the case, but it didn’t stop his heart from shattering once again.  “Did the doctor say anything else?”

“She…” you rolled over, wiping your tears and snot on the ratty t-shirt you wore.  “She said to come back next week… and that it might just be too early to tell… but…”

The black-haired man nervously bit the inside of his lip.  He was trying to remain as calm as he could for you, but he couldn’t help the way he felt utterly helpless at your distressed state.  Taking a shuddering inhale, he replied, “Then you’ll see her next week.  It’s very likely that she’s right, and we’ll have a heartbeat.”

You sniffled.  “I… I know… but…”

Law patiently waited for you to speak.

“Law, I’m… I’m so scared.”

He felt his entire world disintegrate at how small your words sounded, how utterly petrified your voice and expression seemed.  When Law had first met you all those years ago when you were undergraduates in college, he was convinced you were the most headstrong, unwavering woman he had ever met.  Never did he see you get discouraged, you were always thinking ahead, using your neverending charisma and wit to solve every problem life threw at you.

So to see you like this, completely beaten by life…

“Law…?” you weakly called for him.

“What is it, baby?” he replied, keeping his voice low.

You swallowed a thick glob of saliva in your throat.  “Are you going to leave me if I can’t give you a kid?”

Law’s eyebrows furrowed together, his lip trembling.  “Of course not.  I would never.  And you’re not ‘giving me a kid,’ we’re working together on this, remember?  I would never abandon you for something that’s out of our control.  You’ll find out more next week, and chances are the doctor’s right and the baby will have a heartbeat.”  He was trying his damn hardest to reassure you, but that sinking feeling he developed while writing his report a few days ago returned stronger than previously.  He couldn’t help but dwell on the feeling that you were, in fact, seven weeks along, and the pregnancy was nonviable.  But regardless of his analytical way of thinking, the prospect hurt him just as much as it hurt you.  To try for so long, to feel a level of excitement that he had never felt before, only to have it ripped away so quickly.

He couldn’t tell you, though.  You needed him to be strong for you.  At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

When Law returned from work, he would usually shower and change, but tonight all he wanted to do was hold you.  He simply shrugged off his jacket, letting it fall to the floor, crawling into bed with you and holding your fatigued form against his warm body.

The smell of sterile alcohol followed you into your dreams.

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Bateman Begins Part 43

Previous Part | Masterlist | Next Part

Notes: I’m aiming to have 2-3 more chapters before wrapping this up.

Pairing: Nathan Bateman x Reader

Rating: M

"You're late."

You are. That had not been the plan.

In fact, for most of the evening, nothing has gone to plan.

The modulator had been such a finicky little fucker to get right.

You had spent so much time fiddling with it to nail Nathan's pitch and timbre.

His tone and pace, that was down to you to get right.

The kevlar had also been more difficult to manipulate than you'd anticipated.

It's lighter and more flexible, just like you wanted, but conforming it to your body and needs is so foreign to you.

And after all of the time that you had taken to get the voice box right—

It doesn't matter.

You're finally there, hugging to the shadows as you eye. Commissioner Jim Gordon standing at the other end of the roof.

You've seen him on the news all day, and you'd had some inkling that Nathan was working with the cops while you'd both been in Gotham.

"I've got questions," Gordon takes a step closer, and it's a fight not to just turn and run.

Instead you tip your chin up, the night splitting with Nathan's voice: "I came here for answers. You said your information was too sensitive to send."

"Where the hell have you been?"

And isn't that the million dollar question.

"Busy."

"Look, I know we don't exactly have a solid relationship, but you can't just disappear on me like that, man. We've been drowning without you out there."

"...Information," You reiterate. "Who, where, what. Details."

Gordon shakes his head, huffing.

"You've seen this clown shit?"

"Here and there."

"Well, it's all over the fucking place."

"You said you had a lead."

"The name Jack White mean anything to you?"

Not a damn thing.

Gordon's eyes narrow at your silence before he fishes into his pocket, drawing out a USB stick.

He holds it out, and waits.

But you don't dare get any closer, not as you are. Not like this.

"...Look, I don't know what the fuck is going on with you," Gordon says after a moment, "Or with Bateman. The department's up my ass about it. Once we clear up this clown gang, if he hasn't resurfaced and if you don't volunteer that information...It's not looking good for you."

"Nothing to volunteer."

"Why were you at his manor, then?"

"...Had a tip."

"About what?"

"Can't say."

"Christ," Gordon hisses. "I thought you were a shit before. What's crawled up your ass?"

"Give me the information. I do my job, you do yours."

Gordon huffs a flat laugh, tossing the stick just enough for you to catch it.

"I'll see what I can find," You add.

"Work fast, and keep your head down. Anyone in the department catches you with that information, it's both of us on the line."

"I understand."

--

You shouldn't have taken it.

You stare at the USB drive, damning yourself as the screens flicker in front of you.

You can't look into this.

Your thing is the tech, Nathan's thing is the digging.

At least, it was until Vicki sunk her claws into—

No, no. Not now.

You know that Nathan has access to a vast array of information.

You won't go after the guy, you can just...Give Gordon some insight on his leads to get him off your back.

And then you can dig back into whatever the hell happened to Nathan.

You heave in a deep breath, straightening up with a groan.

Getting home had been hell.

You'd doubled back to make sure Gordon wasn't following you. It had taken you four times as long to get back to the mansion.

It's nearly three in the morning, and you don't have Nathan's stamina.

Alright.

You'll take a short nap, have a snack, and then get going on this.

--

"Activity report, Master Bateman."

Nathan doesn't answer right away.

It's been like this for the last week and a half—Alfred running at half-power, focusing on security tasks as Nathan tries to identify the faulty wiring that's causing the facility to lock down.

He's been running as his own skeleton crew, working at half-speed and half-power as he tries to pinpoint the problem.

Whatever it is, wherever it is, it's giving him a helluva runaround.

Every time he thinks he's got it nailed, something else rears its ugly fucking head.

And with Alfred running at diminished capacity, Nathan has narrowed his task focuses mean—namely activity reports for the properties connected to his systems.

"Go on," Nathan waves a hand before returning both to the keyboard.

"Facility occupants: two."

"Technically one," Nathan mutters.

"I take umbridge with that. Manor occupants—"

"None, I know, move on—"

"One—"

"What?" Nathan twists in his chair, brow furrowing deeply. "The fuck do you mean, one occupant in the Manor?"

"Entry, exit, kitchen, and Blue Room sensors have been triggered repeatedly."

It can't just be the police, there's no way they'd start sniffing around there after so many weeks, let alone take up residence.

It could be a wild animal that's gotten in, is enjoying having the run of the place.

"Cave sensors?"

"Triggered."

His stomach swoops.

"Why the hell didn't you start with that? How many times?"

"Nine times in the last forty-eight hours."

Nathan twists back to his laptop, minimizing his work.

"Is that the only activity for the cave?" He asks.

"The sensors have been triggered routinely for the last week."

Nathan's hands curl and flex over his keyboard, fingers beginning to tingle with nerves.

Vicki had been on his trail when he left town, but he didn't think that she'd gotten that close.

Could she have found the cave, worked out how to get in?

And if it is her, what the fuck is she doing, going down there, over and over? Taking photos? Collecting evidence?

Nathan hisses a curse as he receives an error message for the cameras at the Manor.

Son of a bitch—it can't be that the power had been shut down, or off.

If that was the case, the sensors wouldn't be working.

He considers for a few moments, eyes searching the error screen.

"Alfred."

"Sir."

"How many times have the sensors in the Blue Room been triggered?"

"In the last forty-eight hours?"

"In the last week."

"Fifty-three, sir."

Nathan's mind zips to a place it shouldn't go.

You're in Metropolis. You're in a shitty apartent with your grass-green avocados and stubbornness.

Even if you are back in Gotham...No.

Nathan shakes his head, swallowing thickly.

He's been toying with the idea of a return, first as Batman, and then as himself—an ease back into public life coupled with an excuse that things had gotten too chaotic, that he didn't plan his little break to cause such a stir.

But if someone is in his Manor, sniffing around the cave, poking around his truths—

Hell.

Nathan is going to have to get back to Gotham—the sooner, the better.

Tag list: @blueeyesatnight ; @massivecolorspygiant ; @foxilayde @danniburg ; @brandyllyn ;

@missredherring ; @the-feckless-wonder ; @ew-erin ; @xocalliexo ; @youngkenobilove ;

@chattychell ; @lorecraft  ; @thembosapphicclown ; @kmc1989

[gourmetjello]

könig x reader : microwave

hey loves, hopefully könig isn’t getting too boring !! i’m quite obviously a könig blog for now but i would love to write about others too maybe a bit later, i was thinking about keegan, ghost, krueger or maybe even horangi? any opinions on these guys? (｡- .•)

you know the drill already -> 2nd person pov (it’s working pretty well!) and english isn’t my first language so bear with me. this will be a more lighthearted and shorter fic! i’ve been promising a fluff for a few days now but gosh, i feel like i would mess it up and könig would be to ooc. that’s just my personal fear though bahaha

also in this oneshot könig is wearing his mask / sniper hood for the first time ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝) hope you’ll enjoy! (bunch of dialogue in this one ahaha)

—

the kortac base was always eerily quiet and dark around nighttime and it even creeped some people out. you weren’t really one of them, but you couldn’t deny that the thought of being surrounded by so many guns and other kinds of weapons didn’t exactly make you feel safe and sound at night. not like you spent so much time in the main building after midnight, but still.

one night though, you happened to be in one of the rooms because the microwave in the dormitory stopped working. it’s a stupid little thing, but it did indeed cause a mass panic among the people in the crew! everyone was rushing to grab their already prepared meals from the fridges, trying to get to the microwave first. they got to warm up their food and was all that mattered — however, you totally forgot about this silly tech chaos.

you stood in front of the already yellowed microwave in the shared dormitory kitchen, pressing every button you could possibly lay your finger on. it made a little beeping noise after your aggressive presses, but after displaying ‘error’ instead of the time, you gave up. it just wouldn’t start spinning and it wouldn’t light up either. what a stupid piece of technology!

loud sighs could be heard in the empty room ws your finger gently knocked against the already cracked and slightly dirty plastic shell of the microwave. you didn’t even dare to open the door of it and look in there with maybe a light or something — you were totally scared that you would find some kind of nasty black mold growing in there. which was probably the case. and it made you feel so uneasy! but oh well, soliders are so cheap — you thought and carried on.

you were fine with eating cold food, as long as it had some nutritional value, but when a bunch of people in camouflage outfits passed you with steaming warm meals on their trays, you just had to stop in your tracks.

“hey, where did you heat that-“

but everyone was too busy with eating their soggy yet warm food. they were all eating like they have been starving for at least three weeks! and the way they knocked you out of the way to get to the fridge made you freeze up for a second — gosh, these men (and women too, surprisingly) can drink a can of no name beer like it’s the finest liquid to ever flow on planet earth!

you quickly had to realize that you were on your own in this situation. or well, maybe not a hundred percent on your own because there was that small plate of clumped together mashed potatoes and a can of ice cold soup on your plastic tray. your fingers slightly trembled as you were about to pick it all up and sit down next to someone, pretending that they were piping hot like theirs — but you accidentally caught someone blabbering about how it was such a smart touch to put a microwave in the main building too.

that small little sentence you happened to hear was almost like a god-sent miracle, it made you immediately grab everything that was in front of you and you practically rushed to the lobby of the kortac base. it was pretty dark in there and you weren’t too familiar with where the light switches were there, but it didn’t bother you that much because all you could possibly care about in that moment was getting your food all nice and wamed up.

and guess what — the microwave was working. what a blessing!

you watched as the device light up with an orange-ish tint and you could see your canned soap going round and round on the little glass plate inside. the microwave lit up the entire room with a pretty yellow color, making you forget how quiet and dark it actually was in there.

the sweet little chime that played as it finished spun in your head on repeat like it was the best sound ever, signaling that you could finally eat after a long and tiring day. as soon as you took out the soup, you immediately paced the mashed potatoes in there as well, wanting to heat them up as quick as possible. it was satisfying to see the timer go down, and when you thought about getting something to drink, maybe a glass of water, you turned around-

only to see the barrel of a gun pointing at you.

you could barely make out the shape in front of your eyes in the dimly lit room, but once you realized what shape it was your heart immediately started beating in your throat. as a trained solider, you knew better than to make a sound in a situation like this, but come on. was someone pulling a horrible prank on you?

“who’s.. who’s this?” you asked with a weak voice, what a mistake. you knew you were never ever supposed to form a question when something dangerous was going on, but you had to know.

“i’ll tell you while i pour that boiling can of soup on you, how does that fucking sound?” the voice was familiar, but you couldn’t exactly put your finger on who it could belong to.

“e-excuse me?”

as the microwave finished heating your mashed potatoes up, it made three short beeps and the light stayed on, blinking every once in a while. the sounds it made broke the silence between you and this mysterious person that really wanted to commit some kind of crime on base, for whatever reason.

or maybe you were taking this too lightly? what if it was actually someone that broke into the base and is actually not kidding while saying all of these things? you knew quite a few people that could kill people without even thinking twice, the military was simply a place like that, but gosh, why would anyone say this to their own co-worker? it had to be someone who’s actually a threat. right?

as the yellow light blinked every few seconds, you just had to look up in case you knew who this person could be. and as soon as you saw how low the mysterious man had to hold compared to his own body and weight, you could immediately make a guess.

“könig?”

“huh?”

“what the fuck are you doing? put the gun down!”

it looked like something clicked in his brain too as he heard your voice again and he lowered the gun to his side, or at least that was what you were able to see. he then lightly leaned down but what you saw next absolutely creeped you out — he had some kind of cloth on his face! did this man totally go insane?

“i demand an.. explanation?”

“hm?”

“..like, i need you to tell me what this whole thing was about!”

“i mistook ya’ for an intruder.” he shrugged.

you stayed silent for a few seconds.

“you really thought that someone would break in all sneakily and.. warm up some food? are you being serious right now?”

“you can never know.”

“and what’s this rag on your head?

“rag?”

“yeah.”

“it’s um. equipment. sniper.”

“you’re not even a sniper.”

“shut up. i can be a sniper.”

“is that a t-shirt?”

“no.”

you could barely see what was on his head but judging from the way it just hung down, you were almost 99% sure in it being just an old t-shirt. the idea felt so silly, yet you had to admit that someone in a mask like that standing in this dark room would really make someone shit their pants.

“it is. you could have gotten a.. um, like, fake leaves. like others do. or that net on your head or something. you know, anything that looks a little more.. professional?”

“yeah, ya’ don’t like it?”

“i did not say that, just..”

“want a bullet in yer’ fucking stupid brain?”

“no.”

“i thought.”

“you thought?”

“i thought.”

“you thought so?”

“ja. thought so.”

“your english still sucks.”

“don’t need it.”

you took a deep sigh and you took a moment to think about how pathetic this scene could look to someone viewing this whole thing from the doorway or outside or anything like that. it was almost like you were watining for a cameraman to walk out from behind one of the chairs in the room and tell you how this will be a great scene for their next draining comedy series.

“you do need it.”

“nein.”

“what a great sense of humor you got there.”

“another joke.. and i, eh, really shoot you. understood?”

“oh gosh. okay.”

—

really short !! so sorry, this was all i could do today. thank you for the kind words, the many likes and the 20 followers. ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

good night!

[mariacallous]

Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker, who wrote the concurring opinion in last week’s explosive Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos have the same rights as living children, recently appeared on a show hosted by self-anointed “prophet” and QAnon conspiracy theorist.

Parker was the featured guest on “Someone You Should Know,” hosted by Johnny Enlow, a Christian nationalist influencer and devoted supporter of former President Donald Trump. Over the course of an 11-minute interview, Parker articulated a theocratic worldview at odds with a functioning, pluralistic society.

“God created government,” he told Enlow, adding that it’s “heartbreaking” that “we have let it go into the possession of others.”

Media Matters, the liberal media watchdog group, was the first to report on Parker’s appearance on the program.

That a state’s chief Supreme Court justice would associate himself with Enlow is a cause for alarm. Enlow is a prolific conspiracy theorist, often weaving QAnon apocrypha with prophecies he claims to receive directly from God.

As reported by Right Wing Watch, Enlow has claimed that Trump “is on assignment” from God to work with the angels Michael and Gabriel to take down George Soros and Bill Gates, among others; he has claimed that Russian President Vladamir Putin is fighting “Luciferian pedophiles” in Ukraine, in a battle to stop them from deploying vaccines and 5G that would turn people into transhumanist semi-robots; and he has claimed that the majority of other world leaders are “satanic” pedophiles who “steal blood” and “do sacrifices.”

Enlow’s interview with Parker was uploaded to Rumble, the alt-tech video platform, on the same day the Alabama Supreme Court issued its opinion that sent shockwaves throughout the reproductive rights community. The ruling, which makes fertility clinics liable in wrongful death lawsuits for harming or destroying an embryo, has already imperiled access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state.

“Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God,” wrote Parker, a longtime anti-abortion advocate sometimes credited with building the legal framework to overturn Roe v. Wade. “Even before birth,” Parker added, “all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory.”

Parker used similar theological language in his interview with Enlow, thanking Enlow for promoting the “Seven Mountains” on his show. As HuffPost has reported before, the “Seven Mountains Mandate” is a doctrine at the core of the New Apostolic Reformation, an evangelical movement that believes in the supernatural, including the existence of modern-day apostles and prophets, and which is characterized by a belief in Christian dominionism. The Seven Mountains Mandate is the belief that Christians must conquer the “seven mountains” of societal influence — education, media, religion, family, business, entertainment and government — and force fundamentalist Christian values onto every part of American life, in order to pave the path for Christ’s return.

“As you’ve emphasized in the past, we’ve abandoned those Seven Mountains and they’ve been occupied by the opposite side,” Parker told Enlow, suggesting the chief justice is familiar with Enlow’s show. Enlow is a big proponent of the Seven Mountains Mandate, and maintains a far-right website with his wife called “Restore Seven.”

Parker also told Enlow that God is “equipping me with something for the very specific situation that I’m facing” as the Alabama chief justice.

Enlow, as noted by Media Matters, praised Parker and appeared mindful of not dragging the judge into even more controversial topics. He told Parker that he’s “in such a key place that we don’t want to have any conversations that hurt you in any kind of way, but we appreciate who you are, who you are in the kingdom.”

[clever-fox-studios]

Two Weeks

A little thingy I started as a crossover of my Legacy AU and @garbagechocolate 's Truth Virus. I might continue as it's short and meant as pure angst, if that's desired; it'll go on AO3 if that's the case. It's not canon to my AU at all, but it does have Legacy-canon-compliant information that may or may not be relevant when the time comes~

Content below the cut:

Overhead lights hummed, casting dirty yellow-white light across cement, tile and metal rebar and pipes, trying and failing to make the dirty underground service bay seem somewhat sterile but only managing to pick out every crack and spot of dirt in grimy, perfect detail. Normally, Parts & Service was busy and filled to the brim with techs and programmers looking for something to do during the day, but at this moment only two could be found operating the repair pod, the others long gone on daily tasks of some sort or hiding out of camera view to catch a smoke or pilfer uncollected fries from the warmers. Fingers drummed the service pod keyboard lightly–click-clack-clack–but never enough to press a key by accident. That was what rookies did. Contrary to the opinion of corporate, they were not rookies. They were not paid like rookies, and yet…

Yet.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t just wait for Phil?”

Balling a fist, the older technician slammed his fist into the desk, avoiding the keyboard altogether but still startling his coworker into biting his own cheek with fright.

“Owowow–”

He gave the younger worker a hard look, stilling their whining so he could speak, sharp and firm as a stroke of a key on the computer. “It’s a fucking patch for the new system they wanted the jester thing to test run.”

This was true.

“It’s from the server at fucking corporate, so it’s gotta be legit, right?”

This was also true.

“We shouldn’t have to wait for Mr. Espresso For Dinner to supervise us every fucking time the talking pipecleaner needs a spit shine”

Nervously, the younger technician nodded, then shook his head. “But Phil–” He stopped for a moment. “Mr. Mercer was extremely clear about us being careful with the theater unit after the–”

“I. Don’t. Care,” the older man cut in, face creased with angry lines and graying brown hair. “I’ve been working here almost as long as that junkrat in a trenchcoat. Just because he’s Reed’s favorite little dumpster fire he gets the head IT position, but I’m just as capable of working on the attendant as he is. I’m not a fucking rookie–no offense.”

“N-none… taken,” the younger man squeaked, unable to voice further concerns.

“Just get the fucking twink down here so I can get this done, will you?” With a sigh, the older man wheeled his chair to the desk and began to prepare the file for processing, grumbling under his breath. “It can’t be that hard to install a fucking patch for something that’s already in their system, it’s robotics, not fucking rocket science!”

~

“Let me guess.”

Sun fidgeted with his ray, fingertip flicking over the point rhythmically, eyes looking anywhere but into the acid-bright hazel eyes staring him down from behind unkempt brown-black hair.

“You didn’t stop them because Mason’s a jackwad and you didn’t want to cause more problems?”

Nodding, Sun’s fingers closed around the end of his ray tightly–a nervous reflex. Before he could do any real damage, a hand wrapped around his wrist, firm but not overbearing. It still got him to jump, gaze darting up in spite of himself to see the hazel gaze was less of a disappointed burning and more of a concerned flicker, one that knew well and good about his… ‘problematic’ tics that had been developing over the months.

“I’m not mad, Sun,” the man said, voice gentle as he slowly brought the jester’s hand down from his head. “Not at you two, anyway.”

Sun couldn’t help himself, the apologetic babble coming up before he could really stop it, “I’m so so so sorry, Phil! I know you’ve told us not to let them bully us, but the new employee was so nervous and we didn’t think it was a big deal, we just–”

Phil’s palms pressed into both of Sun’s cheeks, causing him to stop as the short human got his attention, face unchanging. “Sun,” he started, speaking slowly and firmly, “I. Am not. Mad. At you. Understand?”

Feeling his jaw quiver, Sun nodded; the hands left his face, turning to hold the man’s chin in thought as he finally broke eye contact. Quietly, Sun folded his own together at the fingers, trying desperately to contain the guilt he felt as he noticed the stirring in the back of his programming of Moon as the night unit tuned in from wherever it was he found himself during daylight hours.

“Is he mad?” the crackly voice inquired.

Sun knew only he could hear his brother but it didn’t offer any solace–it was upsetting, if nothing else. Wrong. Even after months, he still wasn’t used to it, finding himself turning to answer only to be met with an empty room. This time, though, he was acutely aware that Moon wasn’t there. That turning would net only a concerned gaze from their maker, Phil Mercer.

“Not at us,” Sun whispered back, aloud.

Phil’s gaze flicked to Sun at the sound, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He didn’t need to. Instead, Phil mumble, a bit loudly on purpose so they boys–the theater jesters both–would hear without needing to be direct, “That idiot can’t even set the time on a microwave without using wikihow. I could run diagnostics myself and see if it worked but Al’s already up my ass as it is and I don’t have time for a full sweep…” He sighed with exaggeration, folding his arms together.

Sun’s head was tilted curiously at the mutterings, his fingers fidgeting over each other rhythmically.

“Of course Mason picks this week to be a pain. The inconvenience can’t be helped.”

“We’re sorry–”

“Shush.” Rubbing the back of his head and neck, Phil came to a decision–he only hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite them all later. “How’s daycare duty treating you both? Any issues outside of the whole ‘Moon didn’t switch from theater to nap time’ thing the patch was for?”

With a click and whirl of his rays, Sun smiled, glad for something good to talk about--relatively speaking. “Oh, it was lovely! The children are so much fun to interact with! Such wild imaginations!”

A half smile crept onto Phil’s face under his 5-o’clock shadow. “Moon? What about you?”

Sun waited as Moon spoke, relaying his answer precisely while switching the voice setting to the blue unit’s default. “It’s different trying to make the little ones sleep instead of cheer or laugh. Keeping them up by mistake was… odd. But I’ll learn.”

“Well,” Phil mused, “hopefully you find it easier now but I’ll be honest, I don’t trust that patch corporate sent–especially knowing Mason was the one to install it.”

“I don’t trust that guy as far as we can throw him,” Moon muttered, earning a snicker of agreement from Sun.

Catching this, Phil asked, “What's so funny?” still grinning.

Eyes wide, Sun stuttered, “N-nothing! Moon just–doesn’t like Mr. Mason!”

Knowing how this game went, Phil pressed, “So what did he say?”

“It’s not that funny, really!”

“Then why’d you laugh, Sunny D?”

With a raspy giggle, Moon kept on in the back of Sun's mind, “I saw him struggling once to change the input source on the TV in the P&S bay when he pulled a late shift.”

Sun’s voice cracked with disbelief. “What???”

“Let me in on the joke,” Phil begged dryly, giving the tall robot a playful elbow.

“No no–stop!” Sun laughed, rays spinning while Moon dropped more little things about the man named Mason and his prevalent skill issues; if he could cry he’d surely be in tears from laughing, between the snark of his brother and the amused ribbing of his friend on either side as Phil started piling on his own observations of the tech’s mishaps. “Please, this is so mean!”

“You’re feeling better though, right?”

The others stilled, giving Sun a chance to catch his breath so to speak. “I… am, yes.”

“Good.” Phil gave his back a pat. “So listen carefully, alright?” Sun nodded, feeling Moon’s presence close in as he leaned in to hear. “I’ve already got a bunch of things to go over and finish up for you guys for this new trial run they want you two to do. I’m going to work on my own fix for the default program issue but I can’t install it until I’m back.”

Sun’s rays retracted just a hair, giving off a series of clicks that gave away his sadness as he clamped his hands against them with embarrassment. “Ah!”

Phil’s brows raised in a sympathetic arc. “I know, I wouldn’t leave it be like this but Emilia’s…” Without meaning to, Phil’s voice trailed off for a moment, his mind going a thousand miles away briefly. “She’s having a rough trimester.”

“Oh no.” Carefully, Sun’s hands grazed Phil’s shoulders, attempting to comfort the man . “Of course, of course! You can take time for Mrs. Mercer as much as you need!”

Phil gave the lanky robot’s hand a grateful pat. “Appreciated, Sunny, but I still have a job to do. I’ll be home for two weeks and I’ll come back with all kinds of things to clean you up and make you the best daycare attendant those chucklefucks at corp–”

“Phil, language!” Sun blurted, catching both of them by surprise for a moment.

After a second of seeing Sun’s shocked face, rays retracting with embarrassment, Phil let out a deep laugh. “Well, it’s already working so that’s a relief!”

“Can we do that to all the adults?” Moon wondered quietly, a devious feeling creeping into Sun’s mind of how his brother wanted to abuse that feature for his own amusement. It was admittedly tempting with the way some of them talked.

Exhaling briskly, Phil got the pair’s attention before they could get caught up with mischief planning. “Do you think you two can handle me not being here for that long?”

“We should." Sun hoped saying it would give him some confidence in the idea.

“Can you promise me not to be too agreeable with the new guys and keep your butts out of P&S until I get back?”

That one would be harder. “W-we can try. The kids…” Images of the last few days flashed through Sun’s active mind–colorful paper, sliced apples, pillows soaring through the air–and glue.

So.

Much.

Glue.

“You are too new to this to have that look of ‘back in ‘Nam’ already, Sun.”

Sun blinked and came back to the present, grin shaken but not gone. “It was just a lot! Great, but a lot! We can handle it! The helpers are very good at keeping us ready to go!”

Moon mused, “Especially Nana,” which made Sun’s smile change from nervous grin to gentle curve at the mention of the older woman with curly, gray hair and too many bracelets that insisted on everyone, even the staff, calling her ‘nana’ or ‘granny’ despite none of the kids in the daycare being her family by blood.

Phil observed all of this quietly, taking note of Sun’s expression and how he tended to look off to the side whenever Moon spoke. Despite being unable to hear the entire exchange, he had some idea what they were talking about; nothing those two did went unknown to him for long, even in spite of their best efforts to hide some of their hiccups from him at first. If nothing else, he was glad they could still talk to each other actively. I’m glad those mooks in the office are still afraid of the big bad OSHA man, he thought to himself smugly, thumb twitching against his forefinger.

With habitual movements, the messy haired man pulled a sucker out from somewhere in his pocket, peeled the wrapper off in one graceful tug and popped it in his mouth–he grimaced as the sour tang of lemon-lime graced his tongue. Peeking at the wrapper, he saw a small green gator-shaped icon stare back at him. Of course it would be Gator Blast.

“Phil?”

Said man glanced up, realizing the yellow jester had finished his aside in time to see the face Phil pulled at the bizarre flavor of Faz-pop he’d managed to fish out. “Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

Rolling the candy to his cheek, Phil grumbled, “Monty’s lollipop flavor tastes like plastic and battery acid.”

Horror and concern flickered through Sun’s optics. “Should you be eating that??”

“Too late now.” He checked his watch quickly and made a displeased sound in his throat. “I’ve gotta go wrap some stuff up before Al starts in on me, promise me you two will be careful.”

“We promise!”

“I’ll see you in two weeks. Moon.”

Sun felt his brother’s awareness lean in again just as he was recoiling to whatever mental corner he claimed for himself.

Brow raised as he placed a hand on the daycare exit doors, Phil stated, “Behave,” despite knowing full well it wouldn’t be obeyed for very long. Waving politely, Sun affirmed on Moon’s behalf that he would, indeed, behave as much as possible–Moon himself made no such claim but chose not to argue the point for the moment. No, it would be more fun later to bring it up if and when Phil eventually found out he was not, in any capacity, behaving himself.

With the daycare functionally empty now, the yellow attendant set about checking his new and improved To Do list. Equipment and playsets loomed above him, one of the few things he found that could make him feel small–and hesitated. They still were not used to sharing a body, never mind the bizarre sensation of action overrides that happened on occasion when one of them felt too strongly and it overtook the other’s priority listing, but this one Sun had gotten familiar with. Though he himself didn’t have any issues with the bright plastic tubes and tangled nets that so many kids--and himself-- loved to scramble and climb over, he knew his brother had some… lingering hesitations about them.

For good reason, he knew, despite having been assured Moon wouldn’t remember the details, yet it didn’t stop the lunar unit from the occasional fear response whenever either of them found themselves looking up at the bars and bridges too long. Gently, Sun murmured, “Moon?” just loud enough to get his pair’s attention and snap him out of his trance–immediately, Sun felt his knees relax and motion return to him.

“Sorry, Sunny,” he heard back after a moment.

Carefully, Sun picked his way across the daycare floor to the great glass wall that enclosed the play area; there was a spot they knew where the shadows on the other side made the glass just a bit more reflective, allowing them a murky look at themselves if they stood in just the right spot. For a moment, Sun saw only himself staring back, red frill laying neatly around his neck, eyes bright and baby blue against his yellow and gold facial mold; he blinked hard and was not surprised in the least that when he look again, what stared back was a red frill laid under a blue cowl, navy and gray features replacing his own as grayed eyes peered back from the glass. A quirky little feature that had taken getting used to, but Phil never passed up on a chance to make things a bit easier on them, even when corporate threatened him with termination for making ‘unsolicited upgrades’.

Guilt crept through Sun’s circuits as he met Moon’s gaze in the glass; part of him was glad Phil hadn’t manually swapped them out to see for himself, but the betrayal of trust was almost too much for the yellow jester to bear. Feeling this, the reflection of Moon’s face creased with concern–he couldn’t touch his brother physically, but Moon knew he could be heard regardless. “You could have told him,” the night-colored bot said gently.

Sun started, “Its–” but hesitated, unable to maintain eye contact with the reflection. “I’m sure it’s nothing major. Mr. Mason isn’t the most… careful with us, and Phil has enough to deal with. You heard him, Mrs. Mercer isn’t feeling well and she’s having a baby–!”

“Sun.” Moon’s voice was firm, cutting off the tirade of excuses before it could get out of hand. “You’re doing it again.”

“I’m sorry.” With a start, Sun realized he’d grabbed onto one of his rays again while talking.

“Why do you do that?”

The barest hint of a shrug moved Sun’s shoulders. “Maybe the same reason the playsets make you freeze in place?” Sun’s brow furrowed. “I–I’m sorry, I…”

That hadn’t meant to be said aloud.

Moon seemed just as confused as Sun felt, thankfully, his brow an exact mirror of Sun’s, bunched in confusion at the odd vocalization. “It’s… fine,” he eventually managed to say, shaking his head. “I don’t mean to do it, I just…”

“I know.” Standing straight, Sun brushed imaginary fluff from his collar, attempting to make himself ‘presentable’ in an effort to get some kind of control over himself. “And you’re right, I should have told him about your eyes, but if he’s going to give us a big system clean-and-polish when he comes back, we can wait until then. Right?”

Their gazes met in the glass again.

Moon closed his eyes briefly and nodded. “It’s probably just Mason being clumsy, nothing major. We’ll tell Phil once he’s back. Mrs. Mercer needs him more than we do right now.”

“Exactly!” Turning quickly, Sun moved away from the glass, no longer able to maintain a sense of ease while his brother stared back with the empty, gray eyes that didn’t belong to him. “Today’s list has something new on it–” Pausing, Sun raised a finger in thought. “I don’t know where they keep the disinfectant.”

“I hope it’s not behind the desk.”

“Me, too!” Set about to find the elusive chemicals, Sun didn’t dare to check the glass again. At first, he’d hoped he'd been wrong when they chatted after the patch update and he thought Moon’s eyes were off somehow, but then a worker commented on it.

“Why are his eyes gray?”

Thankfully, by some miracle, that tidbit hadn’t gotten back to Phil yet.

Not that it made it feel better in Sun’s coding when he was met with empty gray irises any time he used the glass or a mirrored surface to see his brother.

Moon’s eyes shouldn’t be gray, he told himself fretfully.

They should be yellow.

[mandos-mind-trick]

Here's To The Future - Part 5: Battle Scars

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

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

Pairing: The Bad Batch x reader (no clonecest)

Warnings: NSFW, smut, fingering, violence, emotions, inhibitor chips

A/N: Yes, I skipped ahead a bit, but I'd rather focus on the big plot points instead of dragging you through stuff you already know.

We're getting to the big climax now. This one's not too bad, but the next couple are going to be pretty heavy, so please prepare yourselves.

Also I am incapable of not being cheesy when writing Tech scenes.

< Previous | Next > | SERIES MASTERLIST | MAIN MASTERLIST

“That was fast.” Tech says as he looks up from where he’s fiddling with the ship. 

Midnight shrugs. “We didn’t need much this time. I got us some food, though.” 

“How was it?” Hunter asks, greeting them. 

“It was amazing!” Omega says excitedly. “There was a market going on and we got some fresh food and Midnight scared a guy that was following us.” 

Hunter looks up at Midnight startled by Omega’s words. “You were followed?” The others look up, their attention drawn by his worried tone. 

Midnight rolls her eyes. “Just a creep looking to shoot his shot. Don’t worry. I handled it.” 

“A man followed you?” Hunter asks, pressing her for more details. 

Midnight sighs. “I’m a beautiful woman, Hunter. Creepy men follow me all the time. It’s happened all my life.” She puts a hand on his chest. “Don’t worry. I set him straight.” 

Hunter’s jaw clenches, his hands balling into fists at his side. “I don’t like it.” 

“Well, I don’t either but unfortunately, it’s normal for me.” She stands on her toes, getting close to his face. “Don’t get jealous.” She whispers, lips brushing his for a second before she moves away. “Come eat before it gets cold.” 

Midnight and Omega’s outings have become normal as they frequent Ord Mantell more and more often. They have a good thing going with Cid, getting sent on missions and getting paid in return if they were successful. 

Nearly twenty missions now over the last few weeks. She knows the guys are feeling good being busy again. Being busy has kept her distracted too. Hard to be upset when you’re racing around the galaxy with a child. 

Midnight sits next to Echo, grabbing herself a serving. She smiles as she looks around at her boys. Hunter glances down at Omega where she’s sitting next to him every so often as she eats and talks happily with Wrecker. Tech eats with one hand, holding his datapad in the other. Echo also glances up at Omega every so often, all of them eating and enjoying this time together.

Midnight especially enjoys it, picturing all of them sitting around a dining table in their home, sharing in home cooked meals. She can’t hide the painful ache in her chest, though, at the missing space where Crosshair should be. 

***

“How much did you spend?” Hunter corners her in her room after they’ve finished eating. 

“None.” She says, putting her things away. “I used my money.” 

“I told you not to do that.” He says, stepping closer to her. 

“It’s my money, Hunter. It’s not doing us any good just sitting here.” She turns to face him. “Why won’t you let me help?” 

“I want you to save it.” 

“You’ve told me that before.” She says, putting a hand on his arm. “I have more than enough to keep us comfortable for a while. Let me help.” 

“No.” He puts his foot down. “I want you to save it in case you have to run.” 

Midnight blinks at him in surprise. She hasn’t heard this before. “What?” 

“I want you to save your money in case something happens and you and Omega have to leave.” 

“Hunter,” Midnight shakes her head. “I’m not going to-”

He holds up a hand, cutting her off. “We’ve already discussed it. It’s our newest plan. If something happens, we give you and Omega the best chance of getting to safety.”  

“Hunter, I don't want to...I can’t-” 

“It’s not a suggestion.” He says, looking at her with a hard gaze. “You have the best chance of giving her a good life.” 

“I don’t know how to be a parent, Hunter! You think just because I had a mom I know how to be one? My mom wasn’t there. She didn’t parent me. I know just as much about taking care of a kid as you do.” 

Hunter puts a hand on her shoulder. “You’re her best option. We’re all prepared to do it, if it comes to it. That’s always been part of our plans.” 

Tears blur Midnight’s vision. She hates the idea of just one of them sacrificing themselves, but the thought of all of them...she hates it. 

Hunter cups her face gently, wiping one of the tears that slides down her cheeks. “We’ll try not to need it, but we always have to be prepared for the possibility.” 

***

Midnight sits on her bed, patting a damp cloth against the wound on her arm. It was hardly more than a graze from a blaster bolt, but it still hurts. They’re all a bit battered. The latest mission had been a hard one, and also a failure. Well, not totally a failure. It had been a failure for the right reasons, but she knows Cid won’t see it that way. 

They weren’t getting paid for this one. 

It’s not that big of a deal for her, but she knows Hunter won’t be happy. 

The door to her room opens, Tech stepping inside. He doesn’t bother looking up from his datapad, moving to her side. He grabs her arm, holding the datapad up to her wound. 

“I hardly think it’s that serious, Tech.” She rolls her eyes, attempting to pull her arm away. 

“It needs to be cleaned.” He says simply, reaching into his belt for some bacta spray. 

She rises from the bed, coming to stand right in front of him. She stares up at him intensely, eyes wide. “Okay, genius.” She says.  “Then spray me.” 

Tech visibly swallows, his eyes intense as he takes her arm, spraying the bacta on her wound. 

“You sure you don’t want to check for other injuries?” She asks, taking a step back. 

“I do not think you have any more injuries.” He says, his voice wavering a bit as he goes back to his datapad.

Midnight rolls her eyes, grabbing his datapad, setting it on the bed behind her. Tech opens his mouth to complain, but he falls silent as she tugs her shirt over her head. She smirks at him, making a show of unbuttoning her pants, turning her back to him as she shimmies her pants down her legs. 

“You sure?” She asks, turning to look at him over her shoulder. “You don’t wanna be thorough? Maybe do a double check?” 

His bare hands meet her shoulders, calloused hands sliding along her skin. “Perhaps a thorough examination is necessary.” His fingers trail over her skin, raising goosebumps as they go. 

He presses close against her back as his fingers skirt around to her stomach, the plastoid on his chest cool against her skin. His hand slips into her underwear, fingers trailing through her already slick folds. 

“You’ve been waiting for this.” He says, pressing his lips against her shoulder. 

“Honestly, I would have taken any of you.” She gasps, her hips pressing against his hand. “I’ve been horny for a week now.” 

Tech hums. “That must be why your aim was off.” 

Midnight elbows him in the stomach. “Don’t be a dick...” She trails off as a finger slips inside her. She moans quietly, her hips rocking against Tech’s hand. 

“We don’t have a lot of time.” He murmurs against her neck, sucking a bruise onto her skin. 

“Make me cum and I’ll suck you off like that time after Trevath.” She says. 

He pauses for a moment, before adding a second finger inside her. “Deal.” 

His free arm wraps around her waist holding her up as he thrusts his fingers in and out of her. It’s obscene sounding from how wet she is, his mouth slotting against hers to try and quiet her moans. 

The tension had been building recently, as their now busy schedule, and a child aboard, makes it hard for them to find downtime. It’s a bit like when they were at war, either too busy or too exhausted to do much of anything. 

What she wouldn’t give to be living in a big house with lots of space and nothing to do. 

She cums quickly, soaking Tech’s fingers. He pulls them from her, shoving them into her mouth to keep her quiet. She licks his fingers clean, swirling her tongue around them. He’s already hard, his codpiece pressing rather uncomfortably against her ass. 

She turns, dropping to her knees in front of him. His codpiece comes off easily, dropping to the floor with a quiet thud. She palms the bulge in his blacks, looking up at him through her lashes. He gulps as he stares down at her, bracing one hand against the wall. 

She smirks, slowly undoing his blacks. He’s going to be the one needing to be silenced after she’s done with him. 

***

“That is one strange looking lizard.” Cid says, peeking in the cage where Ruby is being held. 

They had just arrived back on Ord Mantell after hunting down some rare lizard a contact of Cid’s wanted. It had been quite the event to get it, the Rhokai that had taken it rather unwilling to let it go so easily. 

“What’s your client want it for?” Echo asks. 

“Maybe it’s a pet. Maybe he wants to turn it into a stew. Don’t know, don’t care.” Cid says. 

“As long as you get paid.” Hunter says. 

“Now you’re catching on.” Cid says. “And guess what? That means you get paid too. Bring the lizard in the back.”

Echo grabs the cage, making his way towards Cid’s office. Tech follows, Wrecker hanging back. 

“Hunter?” Omega asks. 

“What are you two up to?” Hunter asks, turning to them. 

 “The mission’s over. Can we go?” Wrecker asks. 

“Again?” Hunter asks exasperatedly. 

“It’s a tradition.” Wrecker explains. “It makes the kid happy.” He whispers, as if she’s not standing right in front of him. 

“Uh-huh. The kid.” Hunter says knowingly, but he sighs. “Don’t take long.” 

Wrecker cheers, Omega grabbing Midnight’s wrist. “Come with us!” 

Midnight lets herself be pulled from Cid’s bar, Hunter glancing back and she offers him a shrug before she disappears out the door.

Wrecker takes her free hand, the three of them walking together. Just like a little family, making their way towards the marketplace. They lead her to a stand, Wrecker ordering three boxes of Mantell Mix. 

The lady at the stand holds her hand out expectantly, Midnight glancing at Wrecker before pulling out her credit bag. “How much?” She asks. 

“21 credits.” The woman says. 

Midnight sucks in a breath, but hands over the payment. That was a lot for the Mantell Mix. Where had Wrecker been getting the credits to pay for it? Hunter certainly doesn’t know. He would have put an end to this quite a few jobs ago. 

“Wrecker.” She asks as they make their way back towards Cid’s. “How have you been paying for this?” 

“Oh, we’ve been putting it on Cid’s tab.” He says. 

Midnight nearly chokes on her Mantell Mix. So that must have been why their cuts were getting smaller and smaller. No doubt Cid was also finding other things to charge them for wherever she could. 

“Well look who it is!” Wrecker says as they make their way down to the entrance. Midnight follows Omega in, finding Wrecker squeezing the life out of a poor reg. “Come here, Rex.” 

“Yeah. Good to see you too, Wrecker.” He says. 

“I thought you didn’t like the regs.” Omega says. 

“This one we like.” Wrecker says, spinning Rex around before setting him on his feet. 

“Omega, this is Rex.” Hunter introduces her. 

Rex drops down onto a knee, looking Omega over. “I’ve met many clones in my time, but never one like you.” 

Omega takes a couple steps closer, studying Rex’s face. “You’re a generation one.” She says.

“Now how’d you know that?” Rex asks. 

“From the lines on your face.” She answers simply. 

Midnight holds in a laugh, glad that Rex lets out a chuckle. “Yeah, I guess I’ve been around.” He says. 

“You got that right.” Wrecker says. 

Rex pushes himself to stand, looking at Midnight. “You must be Midnight.” 

Midnight stares at him in surprise. “Yes,” She says slowly. “I am.” 

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Rex says. “You’re rather famous.” 

“I’m beginning to figure that out.” She says. 

“A nat-born surviving with a specialized clone squad. That takes a lot of skill.” 

“I’d call it more dumb luck than anything.” Midnight shrugs. 

“Yeah, you should’ve seen her when she first started.” Wrecker jokes, but he’s cut off by a groan, his hand lifting to his head. “Tech, I need one of those med patches.” 

Rex turns around, staring at Wrecker tensely. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing. It’s just a headache.” Wrecker says. 

“Which are becoming more frequent.” Echo says. 

“Is that so?” Rex asks slowly. 

“If you’re concerned about the so-called inhibitor chips, don’t be.” Tech says. “Our deviant nature appears to have impeded their functionality. Except in Crosshair.” 

“You’re telling me you haven’t removed your chips?” Rex asks. 

“No, not yet.” Tech says. 

Rex takes a defensive stance in front of Omega and Midnight, his hand moving towards his blaster. Hunter stands, all of them also taking defensive stances. 

“Those chips make you a threat to everyone around you. Even her.” Rex nods back at Omega. “You’re all ticking time bombs.” 

“Take it easy, Captain.” Hunter says, moving closer as he tries to placate Rex. 

“What’s in your head is more dangerous than you can imagine. I’ve seen what happens when the chip activates, and I don’t want to bury any more of our brothers.”

Hunter deflates a bit at that, Echo and Tech sharing a look. Midnight’s stomach starts to churn a bit. She can’t stand something similar to what happened with Crosshair happening to any of them. The thought of losing another one of them makes her sick. Not to mention the danger it would present. Any of them would be deadly without their enhancements. Wrecker especially would be the most dangerous. The kind of damage he could do with no control over his strength. 

“Trust me. It is not something you can control.” Rex says. “I couldn’t. It’s a risk you do not want to take.” 

Hunter glances past Rex at Midnight and Omega. “How do you suggest we get them out?” 

Rex relaxes a bit, moving his hand from his blaster. “Good question. I’ll be in touch.” 

***

Midnight sits across from Tech as he works on his device. Omega stands next to him, happily handing him tools as he needs them. Wrecker sits next to them, tapping his foot restlessly. They’d gotten a message from Rex a day ago to head to Bracca, and that he’d meet them there. 

“I don’t like this plan.” Wrecker groans. 

“We agreed to meet Rex on Bracca.” Hunter says, walking up to them. “That’s what we’re doing.” 

“He wants to cut open my head.” Wrecker complains. 

“All of our heads, actually.” Tech says. 

“Not mine. I don’t have an inhibitor chip.” Omega says proudly. 

“Why not? Now, that’s not fair.” Wrecker complains. 

“How’s the chip scanner coming?” Hunter asks Tech. 

“Since Rex’s chip was removed, I am able to establish a baseline by comparing his brain scans to ours, allowing for the detection of any cellular anomaly.” Tech answers. 

“He means it’s almost finished.” Omega translates. 

“Do we really have to do this?” Wrecker asks. 

“If Rex is sure, we should trust him.” Hunter says. 

“Don’t worry big guy.” Midnight stands, putting a hand on Wrecker’s arm. “You’ll be fine. You probably won’t feel a thing.” 

Wrecker pouts. “But I don’t want surgery.” 

“I’ll be right there with you to kiss it better once Rex is done.” She leans against his arm. 

He stares down at her before breaking out in a grin. Midnight stands on her toes, tugging him down slightly to kiss his cheek. She’ll feel a lot better once the chips are out. She can’t stand the risk of losing another one of them. 

***

The ship enters Bracca’s atmosphere, revealing a landscape of decaying ships as far as the eye can see. 

“What is this place?” Omega asks, looking out the viewports as they come in to land. 

“A starship graveyard.” Hunter answers. 

“I’m picking up Rex’s beacon.” Echo says, flying them down to a landing place inside a ship. 

Rex’s ship is there, waiting for them as they leave the ship. 

“Right on time.” Rex says, greeting them once they’re off the ship. 

 “How’s a junk planet gonna help us?” Wrecker asks. 

Rex puts on his helmet. “Follow me.” 

The others put their helmets on as they make their way out of the decaying ship. 

“Bracca may not be much to look at, but it has exactly what we need.” Rex says, pausing and looking at a venator ship sticking up out of the rubble. “I had my inhibitor chip taken out on a Jedi cruiser just like that. That’s where we’re heading.” 

“Then why did we land all the way over here?” Wrecker complains. 

“Everyone down.” Echo says, all of them ducking as a ship flies slowly past in the distance. 

“That’s why.” Rex says. 

“It’s the Scrapper Guild.” Tech says.  

“They control this entire planet.” Rex says. “We need to keep out of sight from their patrols. Let’s move.” 

They make their way to the cruiser, staying low and moving quickly through the debris. Midnight tries to ignore the occasional loud creaking and shifting of rusted metal above them. If any piece fell, it would squish them before they could run far enough to get out of the way. 

They reach a tall ledge right on the edge of the cruiser, the others lifting themselves up easily. Tech puts his hands on her waist, boosting her up so she can get over the edge. She turns, helping him up. His touch lingers for just a moment. All of them have been on edge since the reality of their situation had been brought to light. 

“It’s much bigger up close.” Omega says, staring at the ship in awe. 

“This is an original Venator-class ship from the first batch off the line.” Rex explains to Omega. 

“First off the line, huh? Just like you, Rex.” Wrecker laughs. 

They make their way inside, walking down a decaying hallway. Rex takes the lead, lighting the way with a torch.  Echo follows right behind him. She knows he’s relieved finding out Rex is actually still alive, and being around him again. She’d heard the most about Rex when Echo talked about his past. 

“The last time I was aboard one of these it didn’t end so well.” Rex says. 

“If the inhibitor chip isn’t something you can control, how’d you get yours out?” Echo asks. 

“I had help.” Rex says, pausing just before falling into a hole in the floor. “The medical bay is at the other end.” Rex says, pointing his torch in that direction. “Wrecker, grab that cable.” He directs the giant clone, shining his light on the cable. 

“This? W-Why? W-W-What are you gonna do with it?” He asks nervously. 

They string it across the gap, all of them crawling their way down it. Midnight waits until second to last, trying to comfort the panicking Wrecker. She crawls her way down when it’s her turn, Rex helping her down once she’s reached a safe place. 

“You’re up Wrecker.” Hunter calls up to the giant clone. 

“Uh, yeah, my head doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m fine. You guys go without me.” He says. 

“You can do it!” Omega calls out. “Just keep your eyes on the cable.” 

Wrecker slowly moves to the edge, grabbing onto the cable. It bends quite a bit under his weight, Wrecker nearly falling from it. 

“That was close.” He laughs, getting himself righted seconds before the cable gives out and Wrecker falls. 

He nearly hits the water below, but the cable wraps around his ankle, holding him just above it. 

“Are you all right?” Rex calls down to him. 

“No! Smells awful down here!” He yells, trying to reach the cable. 

Something large begins to move under the water, getting close to Wrecker. 

“What’s that?” Omega asks. 

“Wrecker, start climbing!” Hunter commands. 

“Why?” Wrecker asks. 

“Hurry!” Omega yells. 

A tentacle shoots out of the water, wrapping around Wrecker and pulling him under. They all grab the cable, trying to pull against the creature. They’re almost successful, but the creature grabs onto Wrecker with more tentacles, pulling him under. 

It’s still and quiet for far too long, Midnight watching the water nervously. They’re so close. They can’t possibly lose someone else like this. 

Wrecker breaks the surface, trying to climb up the cable. The creature hangs on desperately, Echo shooting at it as its mouth breaks the water.

It does let go after a couple shots, all of them straining to help Wrecker back up onto the platform.

“What was that?” Wrecker coughs as he kneels on the platform. 

“Makes you miss battling clankers, doesn’t it?” Rex asks. 

Wrecker groans in agreement, taking a moment to collect himself. 

They make their way through the rest of the ship with little incident. This part is more intact than the rest, thankfully. It doesn't take them long to locate the med bay, door after door plastered with the medic’s symbol. Rex kneels down at a partially opened door, looking inside. He and Tech lift the door, revealing a surgical pod.

“This will do nicely.” Rex says. 

“I would no longer call this medical bay a sterile environment.” Tech says, looking around. 

“Do you prefer to use the facility on Kamino?” Rex asks him. 

“This will do nicely.” Tech backtracks quickly. 

“I’ll calibrate the surgical pod.” Echo says inserting his scomp into the control panel. The lights begin to turn on, the pod humming to life. 

“Time to get scanned, Wrecker.” Tech says as Wrecker sits on the bed of the surgical pod. 

“Let’s get this over with.” Wrecker says, clutching his head. 

Hunter takes his gear, setting it to the side as Tech works on setting up his device. Omega approaches Hunter nervously, looking worried.  

“Hunter, just because the surgery worked on Rex, doesn’t mean it’s safe.” She says. “This is dangerous.” 

“It’s more dangerous to leave their inhibitor chips in.” Rex says. 

“We have to do this.” Hunter says. “It’s worth the risk.” 

“And what if something goes wrong? I’ll be left here with no one.” 

Hunter’s face softens a bit, finally understanding where her objection is coming from. He puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. “We’re not going anywhere, Omega.” He says. “You’re stuck with us for the long run. Besides, Midnight isn’t going anywhere.” 

“Yeah, what am I? Chopped liver?” She kneels down next to Omega, putting her hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere either. I’ll always be with you. No matter what.” She takes the younger girl’s hand, linking their pinkies together. “Pinky promise.” 

“What does that mean?” Omega asks curiously. 

“It’s a pinky promise.” Midnight says. “It means the promise can’t be broken.” 

Omega smiles softly at her before she throws her arms around Midnight. Midnight hugs her back, squeezing her gently. 

“I think I found something.” Tech says, looking at his datapad. “Ninety degrees from his right orbital floor, below the parietal and temporal intersection.” 

“Get that away from me!” Wrecker grunts out, taking the device off his head, shoving it against Tech’s chest. 

“Something’s not right.” Omega says, looking at him. 

“We need to speed this up.” Rex says. 

The surgery pod whirrs as it comes to life, Echo working faster to get it turned on. 

“You boys got lucky.” Rex says. “Very few clones were immune to the effects of Order 66. It’s rare.”

“When the regs attacked the Jedi on Kaller, we didn’t understand why.” Hunter says.  “We couldn’t save the general, but at least we helped the Padawan escape.” They move away from Wrecker, Omega following. 

Tech grabs the sedative. “Relax. This won’t hurt a bit.” 

He goes to inject Wrecker, but Wrecker grabs his wrist, stopping him. He reaches up with his other hand, grabbing Tech around the throat. 

“You’re in direct violation of Order 66.” Wrecker says, standing and lifting Tech off the ground. 

Midnight’s blood runs cold as she stares at them in shock. The chip must have activated. This is not good. 

Wrecker throws Tech against the wall, knocking him unconscious. He bends down, grabbing his helmet and blaster. 

“Wrecker?” Omega asks, trying to get through to the giant clone. 

Rex draws his blaster, pointing it at Wrecker. Wrecker knocks the blaster from Rex’s hand easily, Hunter grabbing Omega as they duck for cover. Wrecker fires at them, Echo blocking with a piece of scrap metal before ducking for cover. 

“He’ll destroy the equipment if we don’t get him out of here.” Echo says. 

“You’re all traitors!” Wrecker says, firing at them. 

“We’ll draw him out.” Hunter says. “Midnight, Omega, stay with Tech.” 

He throws a canister at Wrecker, the room filling with smoke. Midnight and Omega stay hidden, the plan working as Wrecker follows the other three from the room. Midnight crawls over to Tech, pulling the debris off him before rolling him onto his back. She shakes his shoulder gently, trying to rouse him. 

“Come on, Tech.” She says quietly, patting his cheek. “Wake up. We need some backup.” 

Tech groans quietly, shifting just a little. Midnight glances behind her, noticing Omega is missing. She curses, getting to her feet. She draws her blaster, peeking her head out the door. She can see Hunter’s body at the opposite end of the hall, limp on the ground. She wants to check on him, but she knows Omega is somewhere, likely with Wrecker close behind. 

She hears a clang from the opposite end of the hallway and heads in that direction. She sticks her head around the corner, the door to another med bay room open. She approaches slowly, blaster drawn. She likes to think Wrecker wouldn’t hurt her, but she can’t be sure. She may not be a clone, but she had deserted too. She’s still a traitor, just like them in the Empire’s eyes. 

Wrecker’s back is to her as she glances in the open door. She lifts her own blaster, pointing it right at his back. Her hands shake, but she knows she has no other choice. She fires, Wrecker’s body going stiff before it falls. 

Rex stumbles up next to her, holding the side of his head. “You alright?” He asks. 

She gives him a once over. “I should be asking you that.” 

Omega slams into her, wrapping her arms around Midnight. Midnight runs a hand over her head, looking down at her. 

“You alright?” She asks. Omega nods, holding Midnight tighter. 

They manage to get Wrecker’s limp body into the surgical pod, Tech a bit dazed but up and moving by the time they drag his body in. Everyone is a bit battered, but still alive as Tech begins the process of removing Wrecker’s chip. 

“Is it supposed to take this long?” Echo asks as they wait for the surgery to be over. It seemed like it should be simple, but then again, removing something from someone’s brain was probably complicated even for a highly specialized machine. 

“I’m not sure. I’ve never been on this end of it.” Rex says. 

Midnight watches over Tech’s shoulder, quietly memorizing every button he pushes, everything that flashes across the screen. 

“The procedure’s complete.” Tech says after a while, ejecting the bed from the machine. 

Omega puts her hands on Wrecker’s chest, shaking him gently. “Wrecker.” He doesn’t move. “Wrecker! He should be awake by now.” 

Tech presses a button on the console. “He is alive, but his vitals have not stabilized. We won’t know more until he regains consciousness.” 

“This could be a while.” Rex says as he and Hunter step away. “Why don’t you take Omega topside and get some air?” 

“No.” Omega says definitely. “I’m staying until he wakes up.” She pulls a chair closer, plopping down next to Wrecker’s side. 

Midnight straightens up, turning to face the two clones. “I’ll go then. I could use some air.” 

“Be careful.” Hunter says. “Stay hidden and try not to draw any attention.” 

“Keep a close eye on my surroundings and trust no one but my squad, right?” Midnight jokes. 

A small smile tugs at Hunter’s mouth. “Be careful. We’ll comm you when he wakes.” 

Midnight nods her thanks, heading out of the room. She wanders the ship a bit before finding the bridge. She can imagine it full of people navigating and commanding during a battle. She’d only been on a cruiser once during the war, and she’d been unconscious the whole time. 

She seats herself on an abandoned crate, staring out the viewports at the sky. It’s beginning to turn yellow as the sun gets lower and lower. They’ll be here all night at this rate. 

****

Midnight doesn’t turn as footsteps approach her. She’s been up here for a while, the sky beginning to go orange. She’s trying hard not to think too much, waiting patiently for word about Wrecker. 

A body lowers itself next to her on the crate, her gaze still out the window. 

“He talked about you a lot, you know.” Rex says, breaking the silence. “Cody was very proud of you. Whatever you did to help him, it must have really been something.” 

Midnight shrugs. “I think it was more the fact that I did help him.” She tugs at the fraying end of her sleeve that’s untucked from her glove. “Have you...heard anything?”

“Only that his squad shot down General Kenobi on Utapau. He succumbed to the chip, just like the others.” 

Midnight lets out a long breath, looking out at the sea of decaying ships. “I guess that was to be expected.” 

It’s quiet between them for a few moments. 

“How long have you been...” Rex trails off, leaving the rest of the question unasked. 

“Is it...that obvious?” Midnight stutters.  

Rex smirks. “I know those bruises on your neck aren’t from any fight.” 

Midnight flushes, pulling the neck of her blacks up slightly higher. “Three months after I joined the squad.”

Rex gives her a soft smile. “I’m happy for you. I’m happy for them.” 

“Thank you,” Midnight says, looking at him. “For finding us, for doing this. Losing Crosshair was...” She shakes her head. “If I lost any more of them, I don’t know what I’d do.” 

“I know you must have really loved him, if you put up with Crosshair for that long.” Rex smirks, but it quickly falls. “Sometimes we have to accept we can’t change things, no matter how badly it hurts.” 

Midnight stares down at her hands. Could he tell just by looking at her that she was already considering it? 

Her comm beeps before she can think up an answer, or attempt to play it off. 

“He’s awake.” Tech’s simple statement does have relief flooding through her. 

Maybe there is a chance after all. 

Taglist:

@amyroswell, @dangraccoon, @hunnythebee, @lokigirlszendaya, @kriffingmeshla, @storm-breaker7, @burningfieldof-clover, @6oceansofmoons

[connorboyyy]

Hello, it's been a while since I've sent something lol. Had my birthday and a bunch of other stuff in the last few weeks, so my month's been busy lol

I've been debating on if I want to make a sideblog for DBH or not for a little while (I haven't posted much on my main in a while and feel awkward just posting random stuff again lol, plus I'd like to start organizing my fixations into side blogs or whatever lol), plus I've kinda wanted to rewrite DBH or something (though I'm not the best writer).

Anyway, I'm curious on some headcanons you have about androids themselves? Like any functions or lifespans or what?

Also watched the Tech Demo with Kara and such, where she says stuff like how her "battery" can help her run automonously for, like, 173 years? That's a long time, especially since it seems like the rest of their body (or at least several) has planned obsolescence?

She also mentions she's a third-generation AX400, which also makes me curious about how "generations" of androids work.

Rambling a lot, lol, but yeah, I'm just curious about what your thoughts or ideas are on how they function and whatnot :0

- Connor-#51

It’s so nice to hear from you again! :) And happy belated birthday 🎉

You should definitely make a side blog for DBH! It’s so fun, you’d love it. And a rewrite would literally be so awesome! Having a sideblog is really useful for promoting your fics and other content too 🫶

OOH LOVE THIS QUESTION ‼️ Here’s a few Android head canons I have when it comes to functionality and all that:

More “common” androids (such as caretakers, houseworkers, and receptionists) have much longer lifespans than more “advanced” models like combat androids or those made for special cases—like Connor. I think this because those “common” models tend to be quite personable. They’re usually in a home, form routines that humans close to them rely on, and even as times change a maid’s program barely has to be updated. Cleaning, cooking, and babysitting stays pretty consistent. Whereas more special case androids are usually in fields that change wildly and however they were made or appear probably won’t suit the conditions for long. So I head canon those common androids probably are built with the intention of longevity (even if new models become available, upgrades aren’t required) whereas models like Connor are built with the intention of a shorter shelf life.

I know rationally it’s accepted (and maybe confirmed? Can’t remember) that their skin and hair is a hologram. But I personally headcanon it’s not and that they can coat themselves in a layer of synthetic skin and hair. I feel it like makes more sense to 1.) make people more comfortable with the androids (it’s gonna be way easier for a child to bond with a caretaker android if when she takes its hand, it feels like human skin rather than hard and cold) and 2.) when considering sex work androids, who is going to want to pay to be intimate with something hard and plastic-y feeling to the touch yknow? I’m sure people would, but if it doesn’t feel human, I doubt it would be as popular. And I’m sure they would make the others in the same way even if they’re not doing sex work cause I additionally headcanon that pretty much all androids (except for children and maybe a few others) have some kind of genitalia. Because we know how people are, I’m sure any android that works in the home is probably equipped for intimacy. And there are the life partner androids as well. Etc, etc.

I know a lot of people head canon them to be very heavy cause they’re walking machines full of thirium, but I don’t think androids are any heavier or lighter than standard human weight. I imagine the weight of their blood is the heaviest part as their bodies are probably made of something sturdy but lightweight. And the inner mechanisms coming in at the second heaviest. I just think that would even out to being more or less pretty standard

[ryanthel0ser]

Leo repairs Donbot

I wanted to post a snippet of what I've been working on for the AU, so take this short scene between Leo and Donbot not too long after they initially get to this dimension :]

Masterpost that has links to other stuff from this AU

“Hey Don, have you noticed the giant dent in your…I guess shell yet?”

“What?” he reached back and grazed his hand over the almost comedic sized indent on his back. “Oh, well that explains a few things,” some of his systems had been acting up, and part of his motor function had started to jitter since he had gotten there but it hadn’t occurred to him that he had sustained damage. No nervous system meant he couldn’t really feel anything on him, much less pain, so anything he did sustain he only knew cause Raph told him or he got a warning from his system. Unless it was bugged…again.

“Here.” Leo patted the floor next to him, “your turn for a tune up.”

Don rolled his eyes (no one could see that though) and sat down with his back turned to Leo who had grabbed a toolkit that Don had stolen from the tech store while they were recovering, just in case. He lifted the plates on his back and heard an ooh boy under Leo’s breath.

“You need any help back there?”

“No, I got it, it’s just gonna take me a while. Donnie taught me some stuff, but I wasn’t anywhere near his speed. We’ll probably be here for a couple hours.”

“Well, my calendar’s been cleared for the foreseeable future. Go to town.”

As Leo worked, he’d ask about different parts to make sure he wasn’t screwing up the wiring job, Don’s antennae twitching with each adjustment, and Don couldn’t help but let his thoughts drift towards the strangeness of it all. Never in a million years did he ever think Leo would be the one fixing his tech, correction: any of his brothers fixing his tech. None of them had shown any interest in his tech outside of using it and even with just him and Raph he’d done his own repairs. He probably could have done this one on his own too but knew Leo would insist so he didn’t bother resisting.

God Leo, it’d felt like centuries since he’d last seen his Leo, much less properly thought about him. The whole apocalypse thing plus being put into a robot body hadn’t really given Don the time to think about his brother…not that he really wanted to. It was gaping sore still, but if he just didn’t acknowledge it then it would go away on its own, right? Eventually…someday…hopefully. Things weren’t exactly peachy keen between him and Leo when he…nope. Nope, nope, not today. It was an accident, he couldn’t have done anything about it, logically it’s not his fault. It’s whoever set off the bomb’s fault. That’s it. Nothing else.

“tss”

Don turned back to see Leo flinch away, reaching for his arm before seeing Don had turned and putting his good hand down.

“Leo?”

“It’s nothing, just pinched my finger, come on I just started reconnecting some wires back.”

“Leo. You’re using the metal arm.” They both knew he wasn’t stupid, much less blind. He shifted around to face Leo who had turned his face away, but Don could see he was clenching his jaw. He also noticed the discoloration around Leo’s shoulder where the robotic arm started, just barely visible under the blue scarf around his neck.

“Where’s the release.”

“Don I’m fine-”

“Not what I asked.”

Leo glared before sighing, “on the underside, close to my armpit there’s a small button on the port that’ll release a lever. Flick that and it loosens so it can be slid out.”

Just as Leo said, Don pressed the button and flicked the lever, hearing a click followed by a hiss. As he gently slid the arm out, he saw the swollen, dark green skin around where the port was.

“Leo, when was the last time you took this off?! An arm this size should only be on for maybe a couple days at most.”

“…two weeks”

“TWO WEEKS?! LEO”

“I know! But we were busy with the resistance, a lot of forces had been lost and there was no time to just take it off and sit. The Kraang were closing in and I had to be on guard, they could’ve attacked at any moment…and they did.”

“But why didn’t you take it off when you woke up, we’ve been here for a while now.”

“…” Don took in Leo’s furrowed brow and set jaw as a sign this wasn’t something he should pry about for now.

“Alright, fine. Just know you’re lucky I grabbed extra supplies on my initial run.”

“But what about your dent?”

Don put his back plates down, “it’s fine, I can fix it later. Not my first time repairing myself in a reflection.” Leo chuffed and Donnie got up to grab the medical supplies. He turned back to see Leo had already begun working on the infection.

“Hey where’d you get those,” Don gestured to the tweezers and gauze Leo had suddenly acquired.

“Medi bag,” he gestured to the pouch on his side, “all good medics have one.”

“Oh, so what I’m hearing is you’re a hypocrite.” If Don could, he’d be grinning ear to ear. Doesn’t matter which Leo it is, it’ll always be fun to jab at them.

“Ha ha, very funny, I can almost hear the smirk.” Don sat down next to Leo’s infected shoulder and put the gauze up to the port, gently pushing out the dark yellow gunk in it, breaking up the chunks he felt before easing them out. Thank god he couldn’t feel it when it leaked on his hand, although seeing it wasn’t much better.

“So, am I gonna have to raid the clinic again?”

“No, this is just surface level. The arm irritates the area, but Donnie made sure that the port itself was ‘perfect’,” he did a “chef’s kiss” gesture as he said it. Other him must’ve had some flair for the dramatic, but he couldn’t blame the guy, the amount of skill put into Leo’s port alone showed off an immense knowledge of engineering. Don would be dramatic too if he had this level of skill.

“I’m guessing the arm itself wasn’t his decision then.” Leo’s brow furrowed more as he seemed sink into himself a bit. Shouldn’t have said that idiot.

“No, it wasn’t.”

“…it’s his tech though, his style is hard not to see.”

“Yeah, Donnie was big on the branding,” Leo chuckled a bit, “made sure EVERYTHING had the genius tech logo on it, down to the plumbing.”

[elekinetic]

What are your hcs about the Stranger Things characters’ futures? Like concerning their careers, where they wind up living, pets, colleges, or anything else that you want to talk about!

ohhhh i’m torn. i want them to all end up in the same place. i don’t think this is the canon answer but this is what makes me happy:

the party ends up in california for college. they all go to uc santa cruz, cause they didn’t get a chance to do the whole college application thing while saving the world and owens pulled some strings. el and max are roommates. dustin mike and lucas get put in a triple, but if mike starts staying at a certain party member’s single most of the time…..that’s none of their business. max starts as a neuroscience major until she fucking hates it. she’s at the arcade one night and watches someone repair a broken machine and is like, oh shit. that’s kinda cool. she switches to computer science, then to computer engineering bc CS is for nerds. (dustin does CS.) lucas came in as a political science major, but he realized he was way more interested in helping max with her neuroscience homework. he ends up doing a double major in political science and human health sciences. mike majors in communication cause it’s a compromise between getting a business degree like his parents insist and studying something he’s actually interested in (this is the problem. mike has no clue what he wants to study). will is a visual arts major obv. el switches her major about seventeen different times (zoology, religion, international relations, mechanical engineering). she ends up graduating w mike in communication bc its the easiest to apply her various credits to. el and dustin get really into improv. el also does theatre, and mike ends up getting dragged into the tech scene. lucas plays club basketball and gets involved in student govt. he sets up a lot of food and blood drives. the party goes to a board game club, but will goes EVERY week and makes a bunch of great friends. max learns guitar and starts playing at open mics (el is the only one who knows. and lucas, a little later). they all join the college radio station. first its dustin helping a mutual friend fix radio tech, then its will filling in for a mutual friend’s missing cohost, then it’s will and lucas starting an advice show, and el and max starting a show where max makes the tapes and el just talks about whatever she wants, and mike fucking around in the background of all his friends’ shows and shouting out unsolicited comments. when they all move off campus, mike and will, dustin and lucas, and el and max get their own apartments respectively. lumax starts talking abt moving in together and el is like “i love you both but i am not trying to third wheel in my own home.” thus, henderhop house is born. these two were BORN to be roommates. they become such good friends and are so respectful of each others space and are so so communicative! and they both love to cook. henderhop lives together for like, six years post college. listen, they have two cats together. they don’t want to traumatize them with a divorce. mike and will get a dog when they’re older (late 20s, early 30s). they used to catsit for their neighbor, but mike is crazy allergic. it always sounds like he’s going through puberty again. the party ends up in southern california. el becomes an archaeologist and travels a lot. dustin lives in pasadena and works for JPL. max does some work with him, does some contacts for a few different companies. she eventually becomes a professor and spends her off time doing research. lucas becomes a pediatrician. later in life he serves on city council, then turns to non-profit work. will get a job as an illustration intern at a comic house straight out of college and works his way up from there. mike bounces around office jobs, does some time at a publishing house, and goes back to school for a creative writing MFA. he sells some original stuff but he ends up mostly writing comics for IPs with will. they make a name for themselves in the Star Wars EA and actually get invited to a couple comic-con panels. dustin flips his shit.

[lizzbeans3]

A Relaxing Week Gone Wrong

The Bad Batch had been on the run for a while, dodging the Empire and taking on odd jobs to survive. They needed a break, and they found it on a planet full of plants. The planet was uninhabited, peaceful, and lush with greenery. They decided to make this a relaxing week and went camping in the woods.

Y/N, the newest member of the squad, was excited to explore the planet. She had joined the Bad Batch after they rescued her from an Imperial prison, where she had been held for being a former Jedi padawan. She had a strong connection to the Force, but she also had a curious and adventurous spirit. She enjoyed being with the Bad Batch, especially Crosshair, who had a soft spot for her despite his gruff demeanor.

Crosshair kept an eye on Y/N as she helped set up the camp. He admired her bravery and resilience, but he also worried about her safety. He knew that the galaxy was a dangerous place, and he wanted to protect her from any harm. He felt a bond with her that he couldn’t explain, but he didn’t know how to express it.

Y/N was busy setting up a tent when she felt a sharp pain in her hand. She looked down and saw a small lizard biting her finger. She shook it off and examined the wound. It didn’t look serious, but it was bleeding slightly. She went to Tech, who was scanning the area with his goggles.

“Hey, Tech, can you take a look at this?” she asked, showing him her hand.

Tech glanced at her finger and said, “Oh, that’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a minor bite from a local reptile. It’s not poisonous or harmful in any way.”

“Are you sure?” you asked.

“Of course I’m sure. I’ve scanned all the lifeforms on this planet. There’s nothing here that can harm us,” Tech said confidently.

“Okay, thanks,” you said, feeling relieved.

She went back to finish setting up the tent, but she soon started to feel unwell. She felt dizzy and nauseous, and her vision blurred. She tried to call for help, but her voice was weak. She collapsed on the ground, losing consciousness.

Crosshair saw her fall and ran to her side. He caught her before she hit the ground and lifted her up in his arms. He checked her pulse and felt it was faint. He looked at her face and saw it was pale and sweaty.

“Y/N! Y/N! Can you hear me?” he shouted, shaking her gently.

There was no response.

He glared at Tech and yelled, “You said there was nothing to worry about!”

Tech looked shocked and confused. He ran over to them and scanned Y/N with his goggles.

“I don’t understand. There must be some mistake. The bite shouldn’t have caused this reaction,” he said.

“Well, it did! And now she’s dying!” Crosshair snapped.

He carried Y/N to their ship and laid her down on a bed. He searched for a medkit and found one in a drawer. He opened it and looked for something that could help her.

He found a syringe with an antidote for common venomous bites. He hoped it would work on Y/N bite as well. He injected it into her arm and waited for any sign of improvement.

He held her hand and whispered, “Please don’t leave me, You’re the only thing that matters to me.”

He didn’t know if she could hear him, but he hoped she could

He stayed by her side until she woke up.

She opened her eyes and saw him looking at her with concern and relief.

“Crosshair?” she said weakly.

He smiled and said, “Hey, kid. You scared me there for a moment.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“You got bit by a lizard and had a bad reaction to it. But you’re okay now. I gave you an antidote,” he said.

She looked at him with gratitude and said, “Thank you for saving me.”

He shrugged and said, “It was nothing.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.

She smiled and said, “I love you, Crosshair.”

He felt his heart skip a beat and said, “I love you too, Y/N.”

They hugged each other and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The End

[newstfionline]

Friday, October 11, 2024

Millions are without power after Milton tore through Florida (NYT) Hurricane Milton carved an uneven path of destruction across Florida. It maintained hurricane-strength winds from its landfall on the Gulf Coast last night until its exit this morning into the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal neighborhoods were swallowed by storm surge, inland towns were flooded with rain and nearly three million homes and businesses—about a quarter of the state—remain without power. The storm also caused several intense tornadoes on Florida’s Atlantic coast that killed at least five people, including some in a retirement community. Two other hurricane-related deaths were confirmed, and emergency workers rescued hundreds of people from damaged buildings and flooded vehicles. But the densely populated Tampa Bay region appeared to have been spared from the worst-case projections of the storm’s potential damage.

FEMA spent nearly half its disaster budget in just 8 days (Politico) Eight days into the fiscal year, the federal government has spent nearly half the disaster relief that Congress has allocated for the next 12 months. The rapid spending—which is likely to accelerate as aid flows to states pulverized by Hurricanes Helene and Milton—soon will force the Federal Emergency Management Agency to restrict spending unless Congress approves additional funding [and Congress is in recess until the election]. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell disclosed that as of Tuesday, FEMA had spent $9 billion of the $20 billion that Congress put in FEMA’s disaster fund Oct. 1 for the fiscal year that runs through Sept. 30, 2025.

For Lebanese Americans, calm at home is surreal as Israel strikes Beirut (Washington Post) Rashad Assir started a recent Monday with a 45-minute phone call in which his mother described how she had cracked open the windows of their family home in Lebanon to reduce the pressure wave from potential explosions. She was about to leave Beirut for the mountains in the north to try to escape Israeli airstrikes. Then Assir tuned in to a Zoom call to discuss the language and graphics for his tech company’s next marketing campaign. Assir, a Lebanese American tech worker based in New York, was in a state of disbelief about his different realities, he said. Several people of Lebanese descent in the United States, a community of at least 685,000 people, according to the 2020 Census, told The Washington Post that they are feeling a sense of dystopia and isolation from those around them. In recent weeks, Sara Harb-Fisher, 29, a Lebanese American nursing student from southern Mississippi, said she has been worrying about her “family in Lebanon that is being bombed.” “My day-to-day is overwhelming,” she said. “As I’m dropping my girls off at school, logging in to class or preparing lunch, I’m constantly wondering if my grandmother is still alive.”

They Flew 7,000 Miles to Fight Haiti’s Gangs. The Gangs Are on Top. (NYT) If the burned-out cars, bullet-riddled schools, demolished buildings and desolate streets in downtown Port-au-Prince weren’t enough evidence of the terrible things that happened here, someone left an even more ominous hint: skulls in the middle of the street. A human head propped up on a stick with another on the ground beside it in front of a government office was apparently intended as a menacing message from gang members to the Kenyan and Haitian police officers trying to restore order to Haiti: Beware, we rule these streets. A Kenyan police officer wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet and patrolling in an American armored personnel carrier took a photograph with his cellphone, while another maneuvered the vehicle around the skulls. The patrol offered a glimpse into the enormous challenges the Kenyan force faces in trying to wrest control of Port-au-Prince from armed groups that have unraveled life in the country, killing indiscriminately, raping women, burning neighborhoods and leaving hundreds of thousands hungry and in makeshift shelters.

Iranian covert operations in Europe (AP) According to the head of Britain’s national intelligence agency, the country is experiencing a “staggering rise” in assassination attempts, sabotage plans, and other crimes plotted by other countries. On Tuesday, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum revealed that his agency had stopped over 20 “potentially lethal” plots backed by the government of Iran over the past two years, and warned that Tehran might cook up even more plots if the conflict in the Middle East continues to grow. All of those plots targeted Iranians living abroad in the U.K., not British politicians or leaders.

North Korea says it will cut off all roads to the South (BBC) North Korea will sever road and railway access to South Korea from Wednesday in a bid to “completely separate” the two countries. Its military said the North would “permanently shut off and block the southern border” and fortify areas on its side. The Korean People’s Army (KPA) described the move as “a self-defensive measure for inhibiting war”, claiming it was in response to war exercises in South Korea and the frequent presence of American nuclear assets in the region. It marks an escalation of hostility at a time when tensions between the Koreas are at their highest point in years. The declaration is a largely symbolic step by Pyongyang. Roads and railways leading from North Korea to the South are rarely used, and have been incrementally dismantled by North Korean authorities over the past year.

Israel Fires on U.N. Peacekeepers (Foreign Policy) Israeli forces fired on several positions used by United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Wednesday and Thursday. According to the Lebanese mission, known as UNIFIL, Israeli soldiers targeted its headquarters at Ras Naqoura, “hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system.” Two peacekeepers from Indonesia were injured. “Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” UNIFIL said, adding that it was following up with the Israeli military, which also “deliberately fired at and disabled” U.N.-operated perimeter-monitoring cameras. Israel has not commented on the incidents. Israel has recently accused UNIFIL of failing in its mission by allowing Hezbollah to entrench itself along the Blue Line. Some Israeli operations have hit near U.N. Post 6-52, where 30 Irish UNIFIL peacekeepers remain stationed despite Israel warning them to evacuate.

Nearly a Million Civilians Flee War in Lebanon, U.N. Says (NYT) Hezbollah militants fired rockets at Israeli towns and fought ground battles with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, as the United Nations warned that nearly a million Lebanese had fled the spreading war between Israel and Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East. In a sign of the war’s growing scale, Israeli evacuation orders now cover a quarter of Lebanon’s land area, according to the United Nations, which says the calls have sent people fleeing from more than a hundred villages and urban areas. More than 600,000 people of Lebanon’s 5.4 million have been displaced within the country, threatening to overwhelm shelters, U.N. officials warned, and 300,000 others have fled abroad. Half of Lebanon’s public schools have been turned into shelters, the aid group Save the Children said on Wednesday.

Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics: What We Saw in Gaza (NYT) Dr. Sidhwa is a trauma and general surgeon who worked at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, for two weeks in March and April: I worked as a trauma surgeon in Gaza from March 25 to April 8. I’ve volunteered in Ukraine and Haiti, and I grew up in Flint, Mich. I’ve seen violence and worked in conflict zones. But of the many things that stood out about working in a hospital in Gaza, one got to me: Nearly every day I was there, I saw a new young child who had been shot in the head or the chest, virtually all of whom went on to die. Thirteen in total. At the time, I assumed this had to be the work of a particularly sadistic soldier located nearby. But after returning home, I met an emergency medicine physician who had worked in a different hospital in Gaza two months before me. “I couldn’t believe the number of kids I saw shot in the head,” I told him. To my surprise, he responded: “Yeah, me, too. Every single day.” Through personal contacts in the medical community and a good deal of searching online, I was able to get in touch with American health care workers who have served in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. 44 doctors, nurses and paramedics saw multiple cases of preteen children who had been shot in the head or chest in Gaza.

Adré snapshot: refugee camp life (Worldcrunch) In what is probably the world’s biggest refugee camp, the desert town of Adré, Chad, the refugees from Sudan exhibit a remarkable sense of dignity. Next to some of the huts, they have built from branches and plastic sheeting, flowers grow neatly in beds surrounded by bricks. There is hardly any rubbish on the muddy paths of the town. The people organize committees to clean the toilets, which are provided by aid organizations. People help one another. Anyone who has anything left from the far-too-small food rations shares it with the community—even if they are very hungry. That is what Sudanese culture dictates. And they have brought their culture with them to the neighboring country of Chad. Since the war between Sudan’s army and the Arab militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated 17 months ago, tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting. It is simultaneously the largest humanitarian crisis and the largest refugee crisis in the world; 10 million people have been displaced, and 2 million have moved to the already fragile neighboring countries. Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world, is bearing the greatest burden with 780,000 refugees.

With roads often blocked by rebels in Congo, boats are the only alternative (AP) The overcrowded boat that capsized in eastern Congo last week killed eight members of Serge Nzonga’s family along with 70 others. Days later, he was back on the same route that claimed their lives in yet another boat lacking safety measures. Nzonga and hundreds of other passengers, including Associated Press journalists, lined up at the seaport in Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, getting ready to board a locally made boat bound for Bukavu city on the other side of Lake Kivu, a perilous journey they would rather undertake than travel Congo’s treacherous roads. The capsizing of overloaded boats is becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods. The roads are often caught up in the deadly clashes between Congolese security forces and rebels that sometimes block major access routes. Hundreds have already been killed or declared missing in such accidents so far this year.

Virginia congressional candidate creates AI chatbot as debate stand-in for incumbent (Reuters) After Don Beyer, a Democratic congressman in Virginia, declined to agree to any further election debates before November—Bentley Hensel, a software engineer and long-shot independent candidate in the race, is planning instead to debate an AI chatbot that he has created. DonBot, as the AI is playfully known, is being trained on Beyer’s official websites, press releases, and data from the Federal Election Commission. The debate, slated to stream October 17 online, will pit Hensel and David Kennedy, another independent, against DonBot.

[causenessus]

NO I GET ANXIETY- MY BRAIN GOES “wait patiently till your ask gets answered before sending another one.” AND I GO 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ “we are not to be annoying, they have lives outside of tumblr (unlike me) and are not chronically online.” SO I JUST GET ANXIOUS- OR I GET ANXIOUS THAT MY ASKS GET EATEN. OR WORSE. I FORGET TO TURN ON ANON. Not even going to lie, I have almost sent these in without anon so many times bcs I’m not used to yapping at people 😭😭😭 like for the entirety I’ve had my tumblr this is like one of the first times I’m using anon not to request things and just yapping.

I shall try my best to get over my anxiety…like my friends will tell you I’m a chronic like paragraph texter (will send fifteen messages and not care if you respond right away even if I’m writing paragraphs) but the minute I have to like email one of my teachers??? Or ask someone something??? Or send in yapping asks???? No. Like suddenly I get anxious that I’m being annoying- anyways…

YES THE BASEMENT IS NICER. That’s actually why my mom suggested it. Sure it’s smaller than my current room and obv doesn’t have like a closet but! It has its own bathroom, and the laundry room is down here and I’m sure I could add more closet space in there. Since I’m almost a real adult (not really, I’m just 18 and a soon to be no longer high schooler) she wants me to have more privacy especially since her boyfriend will be moving in. So very slowly I am cleaning my room.

OMG YOU’RE SO SWEET THOUGH. I WOULD FEEL BAD IF YOU WERE TO HELP THOUGH LOL. Like my friends have offered to help and I’m just like “😀 it’s like embarrassingly depression. Like needs to be cleaned I cannot see my floor. I can’t make you clean that.” But I appreciate the in spirit help 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ <3

Yeah my senior year is pretty chill. I go to a career tech school so I only have 4 classes and then lunch and then after that I finally get to go to lab (basically where we learn our career stuff). I’m taking English Comp 1 + 2 but that’s the only like higher level course I’m taking. The teacher is so sweet though, like he has a coffee and espresso machine in his room and supplies coffee, creamer, milk, and sugar for us and doesn’t make us pay. He actually encourages it 😭😭😭 he’s like “Are you tired? Oh, why don’t we go make you a cup of coffee yeah?” And then if you bring your own mug he tells you to leave it and he washes it for you and like puts it in the cupboard. Genuinely my fave teacher this year. He also never had the lights on, like he has fairy lights all around his room and then he has soft music playing in the background (The Smiths, Cigarettes After Sex, and some others). His room is so chill and comforting.

The school wanted me to take Collegr Algebra but I said no (mostly bcs I don’t need it for my degree. Culinary/ Pastry majors take business math or at least where I live they do) because the school messed up and I wasn’t supposed to take a math last year (I already had four credits cause I took 2 math classes sophomore yr) but was put in one anyway. So I wanted 1 year where I didn’t have to take math 😭😭😭

All my other classes are pretty easy, they’re both history lol. Or I guess maybe a science and history? They were both labeled as history when I was picking classes so- I have to take American History (like World History isn’t just American History expanded 😒) and Criminology (which is kinda sick ngl- like we’re only on the second week of school but it’s fun so far. We watch movies every Friday and connect them to themes about sociology/criminology).

The only other class I have is study hall and bcs all my classes are so easy I don’t do anything in there except try to write fics to post or read fics other people have posted. Slowly making my way through my drafts. Very slowly. But! Progress nonetheless!!!!

IT’S GONNA BE A WHOLE SEVEN DAYS AND MY MOM IS PAYING FOR MY BEST FRIEND OF 7 years (omg it has been 7 years. Hold on I need to throw up-) TO GO WITH US!!!! My graduation present was supposed to be going to Europe but apparently not all of us have been saving money to go 😒 /lh (adult stuff happened that they had to pay off and we’re gonna have a lot more fun when I’m 21 anyway). I DO DESERVE IT! SCHOOL IS HARD BUT I DIDN’T QUIT AND I GOT GOOD GRADES SOPHMORE YEAR ON (freshman year is when the depression room started 😭😭😭😭). Also kinda glad I’m not going to Europe anymore bcs I’m like terrified of planes. Like no joke I get such bad panic attacks, I hyperventilate and my eyes tear up (and that’s just taking off don’t get me started on turbulence!) like it’s not a fun time. (OF COURSE I’LL CHECK IN BEFORE THEN!!! I HAVE TO YAP TO YOU DUH!)

TURNS OUT I WAS READING THE WRONG SCHOOL EMAILS. (For a little context: I still get emails from my “home” school or the school I went to before the career tech school. I get two graduations because I’m technically part of both schools) AND MY SCHOOL DOESN’T TAKE LIKE SENIOR PORTRAITS. 😔😔😔 my senior photos for like graduation announcements and stuff are Saturday though 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🥰🥰🥰

THE PURPLE AND PINK IS PROBS MY FAVORITE HAIR I’VE HAD SO FAR. NOW THE ONLY COLORS I HAVEN’T DONE ARE ORANGE AND GREEN. That does sound so cool WTH!!! Aww I’m sorry :((( I have white people hair that lightens really well lol- thank you mom! ALSO!!! IF YOUR SISTER BLEACHED HER HAIR BUT IT WAS YELLOW/ORANGE THAT’S WHY IT TURNED GREEN/GREY!!! MY HAIR DID THAT ONE TIME! YOU JUST NEED TO TONE IT AND THEN HOPEFULLY IT WILL WORK! 🫶🏻

Listen- I love Suna okay but he’s not like husband. He’s a great character DON’T GET ME WRONG. But there’s just some other characters I like a little 🤏🏻🤏🏻🤏🏻 better than him. however, my irl friend told me I could pull Suna, Timeskip! Osamu, Tendō, and Seijoh 4 (minus Oikawa) so. Confidence??? RAISED ABOVE THE ROOF. ME??? PULL TIMESKIP! OSAMU????? ME??? PULL?? MATSUKAWA ISSEI (HANAMAKI TAKAHAIRO’S FAVORITE FOOD)???? LIKE ???? Little old me???? [sidenote: I love these men but they’re too tall. I KNOW. NO ONE HAS EVER SAID THAT. But I’m a little guy and I would be concerned about their backs from how far they would have to bend down to kiss me 😭😭😭 like 5’ 7 already makes me stand on my tiptoes- so please. Give me a short king. GIVE ME YAKU. But also at the same time I love these men and would NEVER say no if they took me out]

NO I MUST STAY STRONG. I MUSN’T JOIN THE SELF SHIPPING HOURS ❗️❗️❗️❗️

I have failed! I’M JOINING. AND IT’S FRIDAY WHERE I’M AT SO. HAH!

I need Love Notes! Osamu religiously (you can determine what that means).

MAC N CHEESE WITH ORANGE JUICE IS EVIL. Like I already don’t like orange juice (apple juice anon for life [please don’t start a war I’m not fighting. If you like orange juice then like orange juice. I just don’t] <3). In all honesty I’m not that much of a pranker however. 😏 I AM an enabler. I’m the brains and Osamu is the one who executes the plan. I sit there and hand him things.

Speaking of self ship Friday I’ll ask and answer some questions!

Favorite couple thing you guys do?

Me + Love Notes! Osamu enjoy baking our own like fruit bars to eat during movie marathons. What do you and Suna like to do?

Favorite kind of hug?

I’m partial to a back hug but I think that’s bcs my friends do it so often to me. Like arms around waist, chin on head, 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ little head kiss? Heaven.

Do you guys play video games together? If so what do you play and how?

I would force Love Notes! Osamu to play Stardew Valley bcs I have an addiction and everyone I love must play with me at some point (I got my grandma to play, she was very disappointed that she couldn’t romance Gus or the Wizard which really for that). Osamu def tries to blow up the character I’m trying to romance. 😔😔😔😔 But he also probably grinds the mines so I can have pretty rocks. What’s your favorite game to play with Suna?

And the self shipping section of our night comes to a close folks. Tune in next week for more with Bakery Anon and Ness! <3

I think a man (Suna, Osamu, Sakusa. OIKAWA.) sending me a photo of him all bloodied up and smirking I would gen faint. Like swoon. “Is that the light I see? Is it getting closer?” Like I want pathetic beat up men while they’re also able to manhandle me and throw me over their shoulder if they really wanted to. Is that too much to ask???

MANGO ANON <3333 OMG I LOVE THEM!!! I LOVE READING THEIR YAP SESSIONS THEY FILL ME WITH JOY!!!! <3333 mango anon if you’re reading this I love you, keep being silly and full of whimsy <333

OIKAWA IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME. Like I relate to him on a level I don’t even understand. Can I just work on how I ABSOLUTELY ADORED BINARY STARS. I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I READ WHEN I MADE THIS ACCOUNT. IT WAS DELECTABLE AND I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I’m not gonna lie, when I get bored Oikawa is who I draw. He is my comfort drawing character. When I try something new for art but need to draw something to test it on I draw him 🧍🏻‍♀️ not everyone is made equal.

Oikawa as a side character in smau’s is so satisfying because he’s usually there with Hinata causing chaos and I love them. Oihina friendship dynamic fills me with such joy. They’re so WHIMSY (yes this is my favorite word rn besides “very cutesy. Very mindful. Very demure.”) I agree though, he’s a very good side character. If he was the main character I don’t think the story (hq) would have the same feel (no duh) like I think it would feel a lot more serious and angsty. Oikawa can be a main character but he’s such a good like foil??? Is that the right word- for Kageyama that he’s the perfect side character.

Like the way both of them work so hard to reach their goals and still somehow fail before they reach them (beating Shiratorizawa and then Kageyama having a team that trusts them so they can win) but eventually they overcome those hardships and get their goals. Does Oikaw beat Shiratorizawa? No and yes, he doesn’t physically beat them no. But he beats them because he gets over his mental challenge of not thinking he’s even good enough to try to beat them. He wins because he starts believing in himself. And Kageyama gets Karasuno (and Hinata) where he learns to trust them and learns it’s okay to fall back on people and you don’t have to do it all on your own (a lesson Oikaaa has to learn too-) and they go to Nationals.

DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE WHOLE “b-but he abused Kageyama 🥺🥺🥺” like stfu. Oikawa was a MIDDLE SCHOOLER. LIKE 14-15 HAVING A PANIC ATTACK. Everyone likes to talk about “Oh just feel your emotions it’s okay to have them.” Until someone having a mental break does something that someone does on a breakdown. Like Oikawa was a child who wasn’t thinking clearly, you can see him literally panic during when he tries to hit Kageyama and then after he just kind of shuts down. STOP BLAMING A MIDDLE SCHOOLER FOR HAVING A PANIC ATTACK AND RESPONDING IN A WAY THAT SOMEONE NOT THINKING CLEARLY WOULD RESPOND.

SORRY ENOUGH YAPPING ABOUT OIKAWA BCS I FEAR I WILL NEVER STOP IF I DON’T NOW.

Okay! HAVE A GOOD DAY!!!!

For everyone who made it this far: I want you to know you’re loved. You are worthy of love. You are worthy of your desires, you deserve to be loved the way you want to be loved. Whether that be in the small hours of the morning or in the loud evening lights. You deserve love, you deserve food, you’re beautiful. If no one else tells you today. I love you!

For Ness: YOU’RE WONDERFUL. THANN YOU FOR YAPPING WITH ME AND MATCHING MY ENERGY. I’m so sorry this ask is so long- I’ll be back to yap about try again later!!!! Your writing is lovely and I finally have time to read it!!! <3333 go have a little snack you deserve it. I hope you sleep well <3

<3

-sincerely bakery anon 🍪

BUG I AM FINALLY HERE OMG I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO THANKFUL FOR DMS BC I WOULD'VE CRIED IF I HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO YOU FOR LIKE TWO WEEKS!!!! <3 AND NO OMG I GET ALL OF THOSE ANXIETIES 😭😭😭 ESPECIALLY THE ONES ABOUT AN ASK GETTING EATEN OR IF I FORGOT TO TURN ON ANON!!!! and dw i don't have a life outside of tumblr 😔😔😔😔😔 i am just forced to have responsible human duties aka school!!! but it's not by choice!! </333

omg bug i cannot cannot cannot tell you how excited i am to read this ask like i keep reading bits of it and hearing about buggykawa AND I AM SHAKING!!!!

and aa the moving into the basement sounds so so fun and nice!! i definitely get like the extra room and everything <3 i cannot remember how much i told you but for a little bit i lived with my sister who was rooming with a friend in a house so they got the top floor and she got the basement and it was really nice!!! and i would move into my basement in my house now but my dad basically uses it as his closet and i don't like the bed down there 😭 but it's okay!!! my room is a little cozy too so i don't mind it <3

AND OMG DW I KNOW WHAT DIRTY ROOMS FEEL LIKE </33 I'M SURE I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS BUT I JUST THROW EVERYTHING ONTO MY FLOOR AND DESK WHEN I GET HOME </33 there's like two bags on my floor at all time for when i go out, a random ziplock bag i always slip on, a camera bag, a trashcan in the way of my dresser (the TOP of my dresser is stacked with clothes) my desk is a mess of scripts and random stationery, and my chair has an unfolded blanket that bothers me so much!! (i promise my room is cozy!! i feel like as i describe my room it sounds worse than it really is but it lowk is that bad SO I GET IT DON'T WORRY) SO I WOULD GLADLY HELP YOU!! I'M ACTUALLY ON THE WAY NOW DON'T WORRY 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

and oh my god what??????????????? your english teacher?????? please bug please i need to go to your school please let me transfer schools PLEASE HE SOUNDS SO NICE like the exquisite music taste?? the fairy lights?? the COFFEE MACHINE??? THE FACT THAT HE WASHES YOUR MUG FOR YOU GUYS?? okay and see this is why i am fighting professions rn bc i want to be a teacher and have a cozy room but i really really want to go into psychology too I CAN'T </333 your english teacher sounds so so sweet!!! please i'll do anything i want him so bad omg i'm crying </3 like genuinely felt a pang of???? sadness?? READING ABOUT HOW COMFY HIS ROOM SOUNDS WHY IS MY SCHOOL FILLED WITH DRUGGY KIDS WHO SNORT COCAINE OFF THEIR DESKS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR TEACHERS 😔😔😔😔😔😔 (true story. i cannot even make that up. i have nothing else to say abt it.)

and aa your classes sound so fun!! i have college algebra second semester but i'm so ready/excited for (hopefully) how easy it's going to be bc last year i fought for my life in trig/pre-calc (THE ONLY CLASS I'VE EVER GOTTEN A B IN IT MADE ME SO MAD AND I WAS SO CLOSE TO AN A BUT I DIDN'T DO AMAZING ON THE FINAL AND I HAD TO BE AT AN 88% OR HIGHER FOR HER TO ROUND MY GRADE AND MY FINAL BROUGHT ME DOWN TO LIKE AN 86 OR SOMETHING 😔😔😔 but i've kept my 4.0 thanks to ap classes <33) AND CRIMINOLOGY IS FUN!! i knew some people who took it last year and they had a blast <3 this semester i have english, sociology, tech theatre, i'm a ta for my acting director teacher, and econ!!! so it's a mix of good and bad classes </3 like econ sucks but i have an amazing teacher who was also my teacher for ap psych last year!!! english kind of sucks, i really actually didn't want to take tech theatre this year but i have to bc i'm basically like in charge of our tech department tbh 😔and i love being a ta for my acting director!! (i tried to be one for him last year but basically i walked into his office which he shares with my tech director and my tech director was the only one there and i asked him where my acting director [we'll call him G to make this easier and my tech director is W] was and W was like "he's not here today. just be a ta for me." and i was like "okay 😃" WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE THAT MAN WORKED ME TO THE BONE being his ta basically meant i was in both tech theatre classes [where we build the sets and i have to carry the lighting department on my back, etc.] BUT i only got like 0.25 credits for it i think?? while taking the actual tech class was 0.5 credits </33 so i really burned myself out last year BUT ANYWAY)

AND NO I TOTALLY GET IT I'M SO SCARED OF PLANES TOO!!! like the way especially that they start all shaky and everything and it just feels so unreal being in one in a bad way they scare me so bad!!! and like i randomly got forced to go on an impulse trip with my mom and her parents on a cruise to Mexico???????? which is WORSE BC I'M TERRIFIED OF WATER!!! the only reason i'm excited to go is bc my mom's parents are the one who just gifted me a camera (and why there's a camera bag on my bedroom floor) AND I AM SO SO EXCITED TO USE IT AND LIVE OUT MY LOVE NOTES YN LIFE!!!!! but other than that i'll permanently be locked away in my room praying that the cruise ship doesn't randomly stop working and i die </33 i'm so scared tbh aaaa

AND OH NO SO LIKE DO YOU NOT EVEN HAVE TO TAKE A SENIOR PHOTO??? i'm so jealous of how many colors you've dyed your hair!!!! my mother's pitch black asian hair definitely ruined all my dreams of having colorful hair 😔😔😔 i just stick to like red highlights bc i think they suit me and it's the only color my hair will maintain!! 😭

AND NO OMG I GET IT 😭 SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE MEN AND ME AND LIKE BRO I AM MAYBE JUST BARELY 5'3 AND IT TOOK ME 4 YEARS TO GROW THAT INCH BC BEFORE THAT I HAD THIS MOMENT IN 7TH GRADE WHERE MY DOCTOR TOLD ME I WAS BASICALLY 5 FOOT AND COULD EVEN LIE AND SAY I WAS 5'1 AND THEN I GOT MEASURED AT SCHOOL AND THEY WERE LIKE "lmao no. you're 4'11 pookie" SO I DID NOT GET ANY OF THE HEIGHT GENES I THINK THE VOLLEYBALL BOYS STOLE ALL MINE 😔😔😔 AND I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOUR FRIEND WHO SAID WHO YOU COULD PULL!!! ALTHOUGH I THINK YOU COULD ALSO PULL OIKAWA <3 like i think he'd be a sucker for someone super sweet!! especially if they like baked for him yk?? HE'S SOLD he's never been in a kitchen in his life but for you?? he'll happily stand there all day just watching you with a look of love in his eyes <333

AND HELP I LOVE HOW YOU TRIED TO RESIST SELF SHIPPING 😭😭😭 BUT I'M SO GLAD YOU FAILED!!! WELCOME TO THE CLUB BUG <33333

and dw!! i actually don't really like any juices 😭😭 like orange juice is too tangy and sweet and citrusy and pulpy for me (i am so so picky) and apple juice is WAY too sweet for me (apples lowk make me feel sick anyway for some reason?? i think i was just not built for sweet things anyway unfortunately </33)

AND AW THE FRUIT BARS TOGETHER?? okay please and thinking about you and osamu like going to the grocery store together too to like buy the ingredients you need and he's always following you around holding the basket for you </3 and the both of you knowing how to pick out good produce and everything like that <3 LIKE YOU GUYS WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER AND COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER SO WELL IT'S SO SO CUTE!!!

for suna and me i think we just like lazing around or rotting in cafes all day <3 like we'll steal booths (my favorite cafe which i'm at now has little booth benches!!) and sit next to each other and just lean on each other watching movies or doing our own work the entire day <333 and even when we go out to restaurants we lowk like sitting next to each other more than sitting across from each other!! and ik most couples like sitting across from each other to like see each other but if he wants to see me and i'm not looking at him he'll just hold the side of my face and turn me towards him anyway <3 (our servers always get sick of us by the end </3)

AND NO HUGS FROM BEHIND ARE SO SO SOFT AND ADORABLE AND WARM AND I LOVE THEM TOO!!! and i know like them being from osamu?? he'd literally have to hold me up bc my knees would turn to jelly and give out being in his arms </3

AND OMG I LOVE STARDEW VALLEY TOO <3 I AM DEF MAKING SUAN PLAY WITH ME AND WE CAN HAVE BUGMU SUNESS STARDEW VALLEY CO OP NIGHTS!! <3333 you're so real for making everyone play too like i've bought sdv for three friends at this point i think?? bc i love it so much and i just want other people to play it too!! YOUR GRANDMA TRYING TO ROMANCE GUS/THE WIZARD IS SO REAL 😭😭 i love giving gifts to gus!! like that man fr deserves the world <3 I CAN IMAGINE OSAMU TRYING TO BLOW UP WHOEVER YOU TRY TO ROMANCE AND LIKE GUS/THE SALOON TOO 😭 simply bc he's like "i could make a better restaurant like let me build an onigiri miya here rn!!!!" also imagining osamu coming home from the mines at like 1 am bc you've been yelling at him to get back before 2 am for the past 10 minutes and he's just like "but i needed to get u pretty rock!! <3" i am in love with u guys. i am the #1 bugmu stan for life

BUG WE HAVE TO DO SELF SHIP TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY LIKE I CANNOT!!! I NEED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU GUYS OMG <3

and me too completely omg the duality of a man??? pathetic but can manhandle me?? like i'm turning into putting in a man's arms i'm ngl he can have his way with me i am so down bad for suna hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I LOVE MANGO ANON TOO!!! MANGO ANON IF YOU'RE READING THIS BUG AND I ARE STARTING A MANGO ANON FAN CLUB!!!!!! WE'RE YOUR BIGGEST FANS WE LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH <33

AND OMG I'M GLAD YOU LIKED BINARY STARS 😭😭 BC IT WAS FR JUST A TEST RUN BUT THAT MAKES ME HAPPY TO HEAR!! and i wish i could draw!! i would totally draw oikawa if i could but i think it'd end up looking like a really disfigured pinwheel or hazelnut or someting idk BUT EITHER WAY I WOULD NEVER EVEN TRY TO DRAW HIM BC I WOULD BUTCHER IT 😭😭 I WAS NOT BUILT FOR DRAWING

AND YES FOIL IS THE RIGHT WORD!! and i totally get what you mean!! like he is such a perfect side character and i would love to be on the sides with him yk <3 like what's that margaret atwood quote about not being the people written about on paper but in the white spaces on the edges of paper?? that's oikawa and me <33 i love him so much just the way he is!! he's absolutely perfect and i love how he's always causing chaos <3

AND YES OMG OIKAWA MENTALLY BEATING SHIRATORIZAWA BECAUSE HE GREW INTO HIMSELF AND LIKE WHO HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE :(( EVENTUALLY FINDING HIS PLACE IN LIFE IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY!!!! AND SO REAL!!!!! LIKE I LOVE KAGEYAMA TOO BUT I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY STAN WHO DOESN'T LIKE OIKAWA BC HE WAS MEAN TO KAGEYAMA OR WHATEVER like take one good look at tsukki and yams and tell me you hate tsukki bc he's mean LIKE IK IT'S A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC BUT JUST!! YOU GET WHAT I MEAN!! BEING MEAN TO SOMEONE AND ESPECIALLY WHEN OIKAWA WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER AND GOING THROUGH A LOT IS NOT A VALID REASON TO NOT LIKE SOMEONE!!!

BUT BUG OMG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL DAY!! FORGIVE ME FOR HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO GET AROUND TO ANSWERING THIS BUT I AM SO SO GLAD THAT I AM FINALLY ANSWERING IT!!!! YOU ARE SO LOVELY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUG YOU DESERVE FOOD AND ALL THE LOVE AND ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING GOOD IN THE WORLD!! I LOVE YAPPING WITH YOU AND IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY TO YAP WITH SOMEONE ABOUT SELF SHIPS AND OIKAWA AND JUST EVERYTHING OMG YOU'RE THE ABSOLUTE BEST AND I AM FOREVER THE NO. 1 BUGMU STAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM PRESIDENT OF THE BUGMU AND MANGO ANON FAN CLUBS!!!!! NO ONE CAN OVERTHROW ME!!!! <3333 I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUG <333

[harryleatherfit]

Upper East Side || A.U || Frankie Morales

Chapter 9: Voice Lesson

Chapter Playlist:

Void- Melanie Martinez

Peppers-Lana Del Ray

Does and Mimosas- Cherub

word count: 4.5 k

warnings: celeb conflict??? (deux moi) oral m receiving, cum play, cockwarming ifffff you squint, fluff at the end tbh , fondling balls, soft!dom frankie, rough face fucking, mentions of traumatic family

pairing: Frankie Morales x F!reader (teacher x student)

rating: mature (18+)

authors note: so ive never written like sucking dick smut before thankfully so without further ado , also like i’ve planned for this to kinda get darkish- be prepared (pray i don’t fuck up the story 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️ )

🪩Main Master List🪩 Series Master List🪩

Recently rehearsals have been going fantastic. You and Matias have mastered your characters, and most of your blocking has been memorized. You would try on costumes and have your makeup done, getting the final touch ups done for tech week.

You haven't seen Frankie outside of class or rehearsal, but it’s okay. There were occasional hidden kisses in the secret hallway, or sly hand touches when you had to talk to him. You would text him at night and in the morning, but you two were both so busy that nothing had moved with your relationship.

If you could call it that.

He was so busy controlling the tech world and getting the set finished on time in the Broadway theater, he would be gone half the time anyway. The life of an actor you guessed.

During your shifts at Matilda’s, Matilda help would always help you with your lines a bit and keep you on task when you weren’t serving a customer. The money you were bringing in with your job was fantastic, and if you could keep up with the tips- you could hopefully pay back your loans in a few years. You were eternally grateful for this sweet woman taking you in and trusting you with her business.

But today was a day you were missing Frankie more than usual. You hadn’t text all day, and with your busy week before Hell week, you felt like he was slipping from you. It sincerely wasn’t any of your faults, but it was how things had to be for the time. In the pit of your stomach, you were scared he was with another girl. You felt in your heart he wouldn’t do that but you weren’t yet truly dating and you didn’t know if you’d ever get to that point. Technically he’s allowed to be with other people, and so were you.

But you had already gotten to that point with him in your heart. You would seal off the rest of the world for him if you could. All you wanted was him.

You could tell Laylah about Frankie, you told them earlier in the year about how you thought he was cute, but involving Laylah so early on may cause trouble.

You definitely couldn’t tell Hannah or Rose, you had no one to tell. You for fuck sure couldn’t call your mom. That made you chuckle at the image in your head.

An idea popped in your head. You could tell Matilda. She could be the key to all your worries.

You finished ringing up your last customer in the shop and head in the back where she was cleaning the espresso machine, formulating how to ask her about the teacher you’re wanting to fuck and possibly spend the rest of your life with.

“Matilda, I was uh, I had something I wanted to ask you about? Something I really need advice with.” You shrug into a chair, looking into her ocean pearl eyes.

“Honey, if it's about math, you’d have to get lost because I can’t even tell you how to do algebra. Don’t even get me started with that.” She babbles.

“No it’s not about Math or anything school related, well maybe school related, but I need advice because I think I’m seeing someone but I need help with like,” You had to process what to say next, “How to go about what to do next with him if that makes sense.”

I mean it was complicated, not entirely but you can’t just say you want to fuck your semi-famous teacher. That’d make you look delusional.

“Ohhh, boy talk. I’m good with this one.” She sets her rag down, “Now how long have you been seeing this boy dear?”

“Well I guess not until recently but there has always been sparks since the beginning of the school year.” You explain, “And until recently I would like to take things further with him…’ You trail off.

“And does he reciprocate those feelings?” She stares at you.

“We’ve both been very busy these past few weeks with the show and rehearsals during school, and keeping our grardes up. They’re not excuses but we truly haven’t had time to be with each other and I feel like he’s slipping through me like sand.” You blurt.

“Sweetie, if you want him to be yours then take him. Life's too short to cry about men that don’t care. If he’s smart, then he’s thinkin the same thing too.” She tugs you in for a hug, “Are you worried about anything else with him?”

You hesitate, “He’s… a little on the older side.”

“How much older?”

“I’d like not to say.” You chuckle.

“Well sweetheart, at least you’re over 18, anything younger and I’d call the cops on his ass.” She gets riled up, “But older as in older than 30?”

You blink, deciding to stay silent.

“Oh darlin, you’re treadin hefty water.” She shakes her head, “When I was about your age, I dated an older man too and I had the biggest disneyland eyes for him. He paid for anything and everything for me. We partied but mind you this was the 80’s. We were the happiest we could ever be, but I wanted kids and he didn’t. He was already so much older and his kids were about to have kids.”

You listen to her, the age gap indefinitely being a serious factor for you both, “Well he doesn’t have kids.” As far as you know, you didn’t know if he had other family, or past relationships. You didn’t know much about him.

“But me and my man back then, we ended things on a good note. We were in each other's lives for a reason. If you and this boy end things for any reason, it can end on a good note. You needed each other for a certain part of your life and you move on with it. That’s life.”

“Thank you, so deeply inspirational.” You say sarcastically.

“I'm serious Sugar, if people learned to have less hate in their hearts, we would probably live longer and not have wrinkles.” She chuckles. “Will you bring him in someday?”

One day, maybe one day in a perfect world when you can officially be together in the world’s eyes and no one would hate you guys for it. In another lifetime, you’d hope.

“Someday.”

“Everything’s okay as long as he’s treating my sugarpie alright.” She kisses your temple and you bask in her scent. Matilda always smells like sweet orange reminding you of the meadows in North Carolina. Reminding you of your mom when you were just a happy little girl. What would you be without Matilda?

------

You clock out and walk out the bakery from your shift, rushing to get to a late night voice lesson you had scheduled with Mr. Miller, after the play you had to worry about your voice recital, and to prepare your voice to be in tip top shape for the spring musical. You feel your phone buzzing in your pocket, checking to see your suitemates group chat blow up.

New Message: 19:45

Hannah: Guys check Mr. Morales’s instagram.

Laylah: That man has an instagram? Isn't he like in his 50’s?

Rose: OHHHH SHIT

Laylah: Fuck is this bad, what is it?

Hannah: That picture looks like it was taken outside near our dorm building.

Oh shit.

Laylah: Who’s the fucking girl!

You immediately check Frankies instagram, you guys had followed each other a couple weeks ago, not paying any attention to the fact he has tens of thousands of followers. You click on his profile from the search bar, and his recent new post on his page is the one he took of that night. Captioned: Missing you, mi amore.

You study the picture, your hair is long past your neck, and you obviously can’t see your face, but you can see the moonlight reflecting off your body. It was a good picture. He deleted everything else off his page, it’s just you.

Every step you took felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders. After looking at the group chat, you decide to respond,

You: Do you guys think it could be a teacher?

Rose: It could, but none of the teachers here have that hair color.

Of course none of them did, you couldn’t blame the picture on anyone else. At least they didn’t immediately suspect it was a student, or fucking you.

Hannah: It’s blowing up everywhere, the comments under the post are filled with questions and congrats.

Laylah: Look at fucking Deuxmoi.

The next few stories were the picture again, but submissions of people saying who they think it is. You were glad to see nowhere near your name or level of regular people, all C-List celebrities and above.

You: Do you guys have any bets on who it is?

Hannah: Imagine it’s Halsey or like someone super fucking famous and we get to meet her for the show.

Rose: That would be fucking amaze.

Laylah: Isn’t it crazy how he’s like considered famous to us and we just don’t even blink an eye just because he’s our teacher

You: Oh yeah, it’s fucking crazy, I bet we’ll find out soon.

Thousands of people are trying to figure out who you were, and you were 100% sure you would not let that happen.

New Message: 19:57

Frankie: I have a surprise for you

You: I think you have surprised me enough for one day, you think?

Frankie: Was it too much?

You: No it wasn’t, I love it Frankie. It just took my breath away. That gossip girl page Deuxmoi has it posted everywhere though.

Frankie: Well I had to post you sweet girl. That page can talk about you all they want, because I want everyone to see it, I want people to know that my heart has been taken from me.

After receiving that text, you walk into your voice lesson with Mr. Miller and you see Frankie seated next to him, both men looking up from their phones to meet your eyes.

His heart has been taken.

“Hi Mr. Miller, Mr. Morales.”

He shifts in his chair, that name coming from your mouth always makes him squirm.

You get out your music and wait for Mr. Miller to prepare his ipad with his accompaniment for the piano.

“Sorry, today Mr. Morales is going to sit in on your lesson today, we were talking about things for the musical and he doesn’t have much to do for now.” Mr. Miller justified.

“My bad Darlin, I hope my presence doesn’t scare you or anythin.” He glares at you.

“No worries Mr Morales, I don’t mind at all.”

“Perfect, so for today I wanted to pick out Winter Recital music and have you briefly sing them all. This Winter senior recital will be a little shorter than the springs since that’s the last hurrah for your college years but let me show you,” He shuffles through papers, “Here’s the music, I hope you enjoy these pieces, I think they fit your level and voice part quite nicely. And here’s some ensemble music you’ll all be doing together, I’ll play theml.” He turns on his TV, “Fish I hope you don’t mind man.”

There’s that nickname again.

“No it’s cool, I love choral music.” He sits back in his chair, not taking his eyes off of you.

He handed you some pieces your class would do together, he played Indodana, a hymn in Xhosa. This piece brought tears to your eyes, it was incredibly beautiful and you were excited to recreate it with your class. Then he played Earth Song, a cry for peace in the midst of war. This song really resonated with you. Then he went through more pieces for you, commenting on what parts he likes for you.

“And for the finale, I’d like you to pick an opera for yourself. I don’t really teach opera, but I’ve heard you and I know you can do it.” Mr Miller smiles.

“Me, do an opera song at our senior winter recital?”

“Yes, I think it would be good to show off what our school has, yes?” He shakes his head to Frankie.

“Yeah I agree, your tone is so clear darlin, and your voice never gives out. I’m sure you can do it.” He chides in. “Show off your perfect pitch sweetheart.”

He was edging you on. The way you sound with him, so loud and clear. You could scream so loud and high pitched because of him, the heavens could hear.

“Thank you seriously, this means a lot. Do you want me to pick a song now?”

“Preferably so I can get the sheet music, or have someone transpose it onto paper. 5 ish minutes good enough for you?”

You nod, and take out your phone to look through your music library, preferably looking through Caroline Polacheks discography.

New Message: 20:46

Frankie: 5 minutes starting

You: Keep your eyes to yourself Mr. Morales, you’re making me lose focus.

Frankie: Hmmm, I would. But that's no fun. Sorry.

He gets up from his seat to sit next to you, blabbering about some opera songs that he’s liked in his past years.

But you can’t focus on that, all you can focus on is his infatuating smell, it covers your brain cells and prevents you from formulating a single thought. His hair is curlier than usual today, and you would risk your whole life to touch it in front of Mr. Miller. You felt completely unresponsive to anything Frankie was saying to you.

“Find one yet?” Mr. Miller looks over your phone.

“I really liked this one.” You blurted, “Last Days: Non Voglio Mai Vedere II Sole Tramontare. It’s by my favorite singer Carolina Polachek, and she actually did it for a parisian opera a couple months ago. I would absolutely love to see if I could perform this.”

“That’s funny you say that. We all have actually met her.”

“Of course you have,” You throw your hands in the air, “So you know her style of music?” You question Mr. Miller.

You’d have to ask him more another day about her, you were too distracted to care about anything.

“Oh yeah, her voice is beautiful. Those high F sharps may be a challenge, but we'll work on them don’t worry. I’ll get some sheet music soon enough and we can work on the pronunciation.” He looks down to his watch, “Ah, it’s exactly 9. You may leave now, next lesson everyone will be together, and then we’ll go to individual lessons again.”

“Thank you Mr. Miller, have a great night. Mr. Morales.” You smile at him.

You walk out of his lecture room, receiving another ding from your phone.

21:03

Frankie: Wait at the water fountains for me, he’s about to leave through the other exit.

You: What are you up to?

Frankie: We’ll see.

You wait, scrolling through your phone. Interested to see what he wants.

He walks out the hall, locking the door behind himself. Catching you, he looks like a hungry lion. The glimmer changed in his eyes. He advances towards you, grabbing your hand and pulling you to a door near the building entrance unlocking quickly before you can even register. It looks like a janitor's closet.

He flicks on the light, it’s about big enough for someone to sit in, shelves to hold cleaning supplies, but not much more.

“And what is this, Mr. Morales? A small little closet to do what in?” You play dumb.

“You tell me.” He whispers.

A vibration went down your back. You set your bag down in a corner of the tiny room, knowing exactly what you want this night to be for. You’ve been planning for this all along.

Tying up your hair, unbuttoning the cuffs to the sleeves of your shirt. You walk up to him, closing in and pushing him against a shelf.

“You’re gonna let me do what I want to do next, even if you want to save it for a “special night”. Tonight's about you Frankie.” You bring your hands to the hem of his jeans, cupping your hand around his cock. Always so swollen.

“Fuck sweet girl, I’ve imagined so much with you lately, I need your hands on me- please.” He begs.

You sink to your knees, bracing to open his jeans and unleash his cock. You’ve never seen it, you’re nervous, but what you’ve felt makes your mouth water. You shimmy his jeans down his legs, kissing his stomach, adoring his happy trail. His whole body succumbs to you immediately, kissing every rough patch of skin, every freckle, every section of skin open to you. You notice his legs are covered in tattoos.

The dark ink on his golden skin making you hornier than ever.

The second you meet his boxers, his cock twitches.

“Can I?” You look up, bracing your hands at the edge of his boxers.

“You’re gonna kill me sweet girl. A man’s gotta beg for a girl like you to be touchin my cock?”

With his needy confirmation, you bring them down, revealing every inch. Your brain plummeted. It was so big, and thick. Hair at his base surrounding his cock, and your mouth couldn’t stop watering.

You wish you could skip this part and immediately crawl over him, pushing every inch into your pussy, closing in so tight you both can’t move.

The more you looked at his cock, the more it grew in size, the wetter you became. You could feel the liquid oozing out of you. Still, who knew you could want to suck a man so bad, but it is Frankie Morales.

“It’s big, really big Frankie.” You choke.

“What darlin? Cat bite your tongue? Those googly eyes like what they see?” He falters.

Instantaneously, you swirl up spit in your mouth and spit on his tip, bringing your thumb to his head, mixing your spit and pre-cum together.

He seethes through his teeth, the movement happening too fast he had to hold onto a rail.

He looks down, “Taste us together, go on, pretty girl. I know you want to.”

You take your thumb up to your mouth. It tasted almost sweet, of course coming from Frankie. This made you crave more. You hum in the taste, swallowing every last drop.

“Look at you dirty girl, already licking cum. I bet that pussy is aching to feel me again huh?” You nod. “Get those fingers wet from your leaking pussy, I wanna taste.”

You do as you’re told, shoving your hand so fast in your pants to relive the prevalent ache in your core. Tonight is about Frankie. Dick what brain needs to go away.

He bends slightly to lick your fingers, “Sweeter than candy angel, fuck. Such a good girl.” He swallows what’s given to him.

Catching him by suprise, you spit along his dick, wrapping your hand around him, “You’ve been so good to me Frankie, making me squirt, making my pussy feel full with these thick fingers.” You bring his hands to your head, making his hands wrap full of hair, “Now fucking face fuck me, use my mouth.”

In double time, he grabs a hold of your hair in both of his hands, violating your face with his cock, spreading your mouth so wide, you can feel your jaw tick.

The sound of his cock relentlessly hitting the back of your throat made you want more, you wanted every ounce of cum inside his shaft to fill you up in every hole.

“Is this what you wanted from the start, just to suck me off pretty girl? You could’ve just asked nicely.” He growls.

You push away for a second, sending a popping sound. The spit from your mouth covering your lower face, dripping onto your clothes, “Why would I do that when you’ve been dying to cum down my throat?” You raise your eyebrows, “Just stating the fucking obvious Fish.”

He snarls, grabbing your face, you thought your body would give out, but you love it. Your body is opening up to him so easily, it’s simple biology. This is what you wanted for him. You knew he was so stressed, and letting him see the stars could make your heart have an orgasm too.

His cock continues to swell in your mouth, globs of pre-cum and spit are dripping all down your face, tears falling down. You reach the base of his cock for some time, nose nested into his hair. You move your face around his cock, angling it inside your mouth so it can reach deeper down your throat.

You reach your hands to touch his balls.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck- babygirl-.” He groans.

You pull off, “Is this okay, is it too much?”

“No, no- so good- so- fuck- you’re gonna make me cum in you like that.” His legs spasm.

“That’s the goal.” You chuckle.

You continue to bob, up and down his perfect cock, rubbing his balls. You bring them to your lips, moaning, hoping the vibration will send him over the edge. His body reacted perfectly, you couldn't believe your ears when he started to slightly whimper, it was too much for him.

“Oh my god- baby- keep doing that-- shit-.” He yells. “Such a good fucking girl.”

He forces your face up and down a few more pushes, and finally a thick sweet substance is flowing down your throat and you can’t get enough. You moan louder, draining his dick for everything he has. You can see the whites of his eyes, his strong hands bracing your skull, your tongue never leaving his cock.

“Come up baby, let me see your face.” He whispers. You didn’t want to breathe, you wanted to stay stuffed from him. His cock started to go soft in your mouth, but you didn’t want to detach from him.

He breaks free from you, breathing together in sync, “You’re gonna be the death of me, pretty girl.” He falls to the ground holding you on the ground. Laying limp against the shelves in the closet. “My beautiful sweet dirty girl.”

“Your beautiful sweet dirty girl?” You ask. Your heart is completely unsolicited and open to the question, “Am I yours, Fish?”

“Baby girl,” He holds you tighter, “You always have been. Since I saw you getting your dorm room that night. You saw me looking down at you, remember? And the bathroom?”

“I do remember, your memory is impeccable.” Kiss.

“Since the orientation meeting.” Kiss. “I brought in Timothée for you, I needed someone I trusted to see how talented you are.” Kiss.

“He kinda slipped up at the end of class that day and told me how you felt. I couldn’t see it then because you were so closed off with me.” You reveal.

“Of course that boy did.” He grumbles. “I was closed off with you because I didn’t want to scare you away, I didn’t want this to be dead before it started.”

“Hey, he didn’t mean to. Don’t give him a rough time. I think because of him, we’re in this very spot right now.” Kiss. “And your death scare makes you really fucking hard to read.” You giggle.

“Oh whatever,” He clicks his tongue, “But since your monologue, since I heard your beautiful voice singing Caroline Polachek. Fuck, ever since I heard about that fucking bitch Nina talkin to you.”

“You know?”

“Of course I know. When we were all talking about who would get Lady Macbeth, Pope, um Mr. Garcia, told us what was going on. She’s been a headache ever since she’s been a freshman, and her father can get fucking lost.”

“Yeah during my audition, she got to me, deeper than I thought. It made me actually cry during my scene though.”

“Oh sweetheart, fuck. I’m sorry I was so cold to you. I wish you could’ve come to me after that.” “No, Frankie, it was the both of us.” You nestle to him closer.

“Up on that stage, I can’t take my eyes off you. You captured us all so much, we all immediately knew you’d get the part. You’ve been broadway ready for ages. Those questions we all asked you were like a bullshit follow up if you’re askin me,” He kisses your head, “And if Nina Wyatt ever gets close to you or your friends, tell me.” He adds darkly.

“But the nightclub.” He holds your face, “That night was when I knew I never wanted anyone else. Seeing you dance on that stage, your dress, your skin in the lighting, your smile spreadin all across your face. My heart is fucked.”

You wish you could have done something about this sooner, every time after you’ve been with him you have to fucking overthink and question every action.

“I’m afraid.” You shiver.

“I know, you’re such a smart girl. So smart for weighing out your options. That kind of yours, always thinkin about everyone. If you wanna back out for any circumstance I understand. There’s so much to risk. For the both of us. But I’m done hiding away from the risks, m’not gonna lose you because of some people talking online.”

“Deuxmoi has it out for me, literally.”

“Let them find you, I don’t care.” He murmurs in your ear. Playing with your hair.

You knew this was Frankie giving his heart to you. If he continued any more, you would’ve burst into tears, he’s all you’ve been looking for your entire life. This feeling consumes you. You need him to know how you feel.

“I couldn’t, Frankie. I could never leave you. I was just scared you were seeing someone else and I don’t want my issues to mess with anything.”

“Darlin, it’s okay. I want you to know, you can have access to anything. I want to give you my world, want you to feel safe no matter what. And you don’t have ‘issues’ gorgeous, you’re human and that’s okay.”

You’ve never had a man, especially an older man, say words to you that resonated with your heart so deeply. How did your worlds suddenly align?

After your mom and dad, you would never stay with a man through abuse, or if he cheated on you. And you pray to fucking god Frankie would never hurt you. God left you a long time ago, but you would pray that you were enough for him.

You felt that eventually, you’d tell Frankie about your life, you’d tell him about the things that have happened to you. And hopefully you’d meet his friends and family, and hear about his life. Hear about Spain and his travels. But right on now, you want to create a life with him.

“Then I’m forever yours.” You graze his lips, you can feel his heart beating so fast, you don’t know who fell eachother first.

——-

previous || next

this is caroline polacheks opera song and tbh as a chorus person im not too deep into opera, but this is really damn good and how the hell does she hit those damn notes

[shmothman]

Thank you for responding! I love the essay you wrote about what we've seen about his character thus far and you brought up good points! When you put it like that, his 'recklessness' does come from things that he planned for. While true, having the Brave Asagi fly through a thunderstorm for the sake of shaking of the Explorers is reckless, it also gave Cap a power boost from the lightning, bringing back that image of Ash's Pikachu way back in the first episode getting struck by lightning against the Spearow flock.

And yeah, instead of letting Liko just rush in like that, he held her back and put down a plan; distracting Amethio with a battle while Liko goes ahead to save her Pokemon. It makes me wonder if Amethio would wise up and makes it harder for Friede to taunt him into battles, seeing that he's done it twice now. I'm super intrigued to see the origins for the crew! Like, how did he scrounge up people from various backgrounds and ages, and where the Brave Asagi even came from. Did they build it from scratch? Repurpose an existing blimp for their purposes? It's super technologically advance to me, given that they can have an on deck battling arena plus those force fields(?) covering it. From the character sheet we've seen of him, there was one where he made this pouty face and one that I could see where he's getting reprimanded or maybe feeling sick. Given that there's Mollie on board, I just want to see moments where he's wrangled into the infirmary for one reason or another. With the stunts he's pulled thus far, I want to see one where things doesn't go exactly as plan. He strikes me as someone who maybe has a hard time staying still. I know I'm waiting every week for new bits of information cause I want to write him so much!

Right right right—the thunderstorm bit seemed risky, but I think it really mostly showed that he has confidence in what he does; he didn’t doubt his and pikachu’s ability to navigate through it safely, and he knew the tactical advantage it would give to pikachu in battle. (There’s the question of whether learning that these things would work took a lot of risk on his part in the past, and I do have an inkling that he was more reckless as a kid/teenager than he is now, but who knows what we’ll learn about his past.)

And yes I also hope Amethio is the type of antagonist that doesn’t fall for the same thing twice—now that he knows Friede is prone to Being The Distraction, I hope they’ll have to find new ways to beat them! (Though, if we’re being honest, we’re coming from the series that had ash/team rocket fall for the same things every time, so we’ll see 🤣) And I really want to see what Friede does when plan A doesn’t work 👀👀

I’m so excited to see the origins of the crew, too! I mean obviously Molly has a history with the Nurse Joys (given the pink hair, the Chansey, and the fact that she didn’t want to go into the pokemon center) so my guess for her is that she ran away from being a nurse—and what better way to leave everything behind than to join the crew of an airship. But I would guess that either they were all friends and decided to go into the adventuring business together, or Friede was the one who came up with the idea and met/hired/befriended the rest along the way. Or Captain Pikachu found them all 🤣🤣 it’s anybody’s guess right now!

I wouldn’t say that the airship is super advanced, given what we’ve seen of the rest of the technology in the pokemon world: the forcefield around the battlefield reminds me of the energy barriers in the stadiums in the journeys series—it’s probably pretty standard tech in-universe. And there have been much more futuristic methods of travel, off the top of my head I remember Hunter J’s airship from the Diamond and Pearl series; though I do get the idea that it was at least a little bit cobbled together—or at least improved by Orla and the rest of the crew when they got it. Maybe they inherited it from someone? Maybe they bought it? I can’t wait to find out!

I also agree that he seems like someone who can’t stay still (listen I know I’m always HCing my favs with at least one of my Mental Issues but this one for sure has adhd)—I would bet that he’s always looking for the Next Mystery to Solve, and would probably get restless pretty quickly if there wasn’t anything to do next. But I also think he’s okay when the thing to do next is just… make some money 🤣 because hey, more money means more adventure, right? Though I do think he took this job more for the mystery of it than the money of it 🤣 it really seems like he’d do just about anything for a good mystery 👀👀