#*c. howzer // answered ask.

[ncrthernl1ghts]

tag dump: captain howzer

[freesia-writes]

C-can I pick Howzer for #1, mmmaybe? 👉👈

ANY EXCUSE TO WRITE FOR HOWZER, my love! :D This follower celebration was SO FUN because the variety of prompts and people I have waiting to be written about are just... *chef's kiss*. This one was super fun. It was one of those times where the writing just kind of falls into place as you go along! Hope it's a fun one. <3

#1 - You hear [clone] tell the waitress that they are nervous for their blind date, but no one shows up. So you sit down to act like the date.

Howzer x Fem!Reader Word Count: 3.5k Content Warnings: Kissin and drinkin ;)

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He caught your eye the moment he walked in. He was immediately recognizable as a clone, but he just had a little extra *somethin* that immediately had your attention. Whether it was the tousled undercut he sported or the curving scars across his cheek and chin, you were thoroughly enjoying the view from your perch at the far end of the bar counter. It was always fun to see clones free of their armor, enjoying their scarce free time.

You’d had to stay late after your shift at the restaurant, covering a baby shower that stretched for hours through the day and into the afternoon, and now the dinner rush was already starting. You were free to leave, of course, but an extra dirty martini and some of the mistaken food orders were too good to pass up. Plus, the bartender was your best friend, so when she had a break between customers, there was always good conversation to be had. 

“Did you see that test tube specimen walk in just now? Right up your alley…” she asked, waggling her eyebrows at you while she shook a steel canister. 

“It’s not ALL clones, Dee…” you said in mock defensiveness. Okay, so you had a type. And there happened to be millions of them. But they weren’t all the same… not that it was worth getting into it with her again. “But yeah,” you admitted, peering over your shoulder again, watching him sit and gently take the menu from his server, “He’s got a sweet vibe.”

“You’ve watched him for fifteen seconds and you already think you can tell his vibe?” Dee challenged, pouring the drink. Without waiting for an answer, she bustled off to deliver it, leaving you to wait for his server to come back to the station next to your seat. As soon as he approached, you were speaking. 

“So what’s the deal with table 44 over there?” you asked, earning an immediate snarky grin from Barnes, who was quite the tall drink of water himself, but he’d made it quickly known that he wasn’t interested in women. 

“Ohh, you noticed, huh?” Barnes laughed, tapping on the register screen to enter a drink order, which you leaned over to peer at, curious what he might like. “Yeah, he’s a treat. All cute and nervous, too. He’s on a blind date.”

“Ahh, damn,” you said, leaning back to your food. “Well let’s see who he got set up with.”

* * * 

You lost track of time, nursing your martini and accepting an extra appetizer that had been ordered and then changed. Dee had been regaling you with a tale from the last party she’d been to, although it was delivered in bits and pieces as she went about her job. It wasn’t until Barnes gave you a tap on the shoulder that you remembered to look for the clone’s hot date. Surprisingly, however, the chair opposite him was still empty, and he was leaning his chin into one hand, elbow on the table, the other hand idly twirling the straw in his drink. He looked so smart in his dark grey uniform, and you noted the way it fit snugly around his chest and arms, tucked neatly in to a belt around his narrow waist.

“Get this,” Barnes said conspiratorially as he tapped on the register again, “He just asked for the check, for just his drink. I think he got stood up. Should I quit and go join him?” he paused, as though he were genuinely asking you, then chuckled. “Ehh, I’m not into the military type. Also, it’s getting busier -- you should get out of here before you get wrangled into serving some tables.”

“Good point,” you said, not really thinking about what he said because you were so surprised and distracted at the fact that Mr. Handsome over there had been stood up. What kind of idiot… Suddenly, an idea popped into your head, as the rest of Barnes’ words finally processed, and you decided to act on it before your rational brain (and cowardly second-guessing) kicked in. “Wait, Barnes, don’t give him the check…” you said, putting a hand on his arm as the receipt printed in front of him. “I’m gonna do it.”

His genuine laugh of delight was infectious, and further fueled your slightly bubbly mood. “Well you’d better come up with a good excuse for making him wait so long… And make it worth his time,” he said, giving you a suggestive wink that earned him a smack on the shoulder. You stuffed your apron into the cabinet below the server stand and rushed to the refresher to see what could be done. The smell of a full day’s work in a restaurant was heavy on your clothes and hair, and the barely-remaining makeup was sparse. Grateful for the little basket of hygiene items kept under the sink, you pulled your hair down, tousling it with your fingers after spraying some refreshing powder through it. You got some paper towels wet and wiped your armpits, laughing at the thought of the clone seeing you now. There was nothing to be done about your outfit -- black button-up shirt and black pants -- but at least you could untuck the shirt now and roll up the sleeves. You made one last stop by the bar, making two rushed requests of Dee. 

“Hey -- real quick -- I need that gold necklace from the lost and found drawer, and can you make a dirty martini and another of whatever he had?” 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, shaking her head fondly as she fetched the necklace that had been left a few weeks ago. “I mean, what the heck. Sounds like fun, and probably nicer for him than going home sad.” Armed with two drinks and as much courage as you could muster, you headed for the table, running through all the possibilities in your mind. 

“Hi! Blind date, right?” you asked, wanting to be careful not to lie. His brown eyes lifted to you, expression unreadable. He’d been patiently waiting, but was he the stiff sort who would be indignant at being made to wait? Or was he a pushover so desperate for attention that he’d put up with anything? It remained to be seen.

“Yeah,” he said in that smooth clone voice you’d heard so many times. “Howzer,” he said, standing to greet you. He awkwardly offered a hand, realizing you had a drink in each of yours, and gave a breathy chuckle of relief as you quickly set the glasses on the table and took his hand, giving it a gentle shake. You froze, unsure of whether to use your name, or if he knew the name of the person he was expecting… 

“And you’re Xena, right? Here, please, sit?” he continued, standing behind your chair and smiling in such a kind way that the guilt settled heavily on your shoulders. He’d been made to wait an awfully long time, and yet here he was, offering a kind and graceful introduction…And it was also way too much work to try to figure out how to continue the deception as further details would be questioned.

“Erm, no…” you admitted, once he’d cordially seated you and taken his place across the table. His furrowed brow and crooked smile made your heart skip a beat, and you blundered on, “I’m sorry… I work here, well, not right now, but I was hanging out, and I heard you were waiting for someone, and I saw it had been a long time, and I was… well, yeah, I was totally creeping on you from over there… And I just didn’t want you left here hanging cause you’re just… Well you seem really nice… And honestly, you’re really cute… Ohhhh man. This is not a good start,” you laughed nervously, burying your face in your hands. What HAD you been thinking?

Howzer put two and two together and leaned back, running a hand over his tousled hair. You grimaced, hoping it wouldn’t all fall to pieces, and gently pushed the drink toward him once you were willing to show your face again, despite its bright red color. “Here… I brought the same thing you ordered, and… you can just enjoy it, if you want… Sorry, I don’t know what I was aiming for here,” you fumbled, starting to rise to your feet.

“No, wait -- it’s alright,” he offered, raising a hand to accompany his words. “I guess Pivot didn’t paint me in the best light to whoever I was supposed to meet here,” he chuckled dryly. “But it was kind of you to take pity on me… I think? Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving, so what do you say to some dinner?”

Relief cascaded down at the invitation, and your shoulders dropped a few inches with the release of tension. You smiled, letting out the breath you didn’t know you’d been holding, and nodded. 

“You said you work here?” he continued, opening the menu as if he hadn’t spent the last thirty minutes reading it about eight times over. “What’s the good stuff? Oh, and I suppose I should ask your name too.”

You filled him in, on both points, and had just began sharing about how you got this job when Barnes interrupted you by sliding right up to the table with an air that absolutely demanded attention. “Welllll hellooo again. I see your date showed up?” he said, mock innocence painted all over his face. Howzer gave you a smirk with a raised eyebrow, and you blushed bright red again, chuckling anxiously once again. 

“I told him, Barnes,” you said, holding your hands up in surrender. “I’m not cut out for this sort of thing.”

“And yet you’re still here,” Barnes pointed out, pursing his lips at you before sending Howzer a rather flirty glance. “I mean, I don’t blame you. But you’re not skimping on my tip if you’re gonna make me serve you,” he said, turning back to you. His charisma lightened the mood even further, and you assured him that he would not be slighted in any way. After some discussion about the dishes and a few suggestions, both you and Howzer had the food ordered and were left to stare at each other once again. You were trying to figure out what kind of date this was meant to be, what type he may be looking for (or what type he was himself). But instead of trying to make yourself into something you weren’t, you decided to just be authentic and see where it went. You didn’t really have much to lose, anyway. 

“So. Howzer,” you said, “How’d you get the name?” 

He leaned forward again, stirring his drink again and appearing to be much more relaxed, and began sharing stories from his life so far. It was decidedly different than yours, especially with the fact that he aged twice as fast. You tried not to think about the actual number of years he’d been alive, as that would make you a total pervert by regular human age standards. He told tales of his brothers, their personalities and quirks, and the adventures that his military life had taken him on so far. He shared his thoughts about the world, musing about ideas for the future -- if or when things ever changed. The minutes melted away, punctuated only by Barnes appearing occasionally to refill drinks, bring plates, or clear them away. 

You’d always had a soft spot for the clones, but you loved seeing them open up. The unique complexity of each individual was always a delight, and Howzer seemed to have more depth than most. He was simultaneously ambitious yet reserved, steady yet bold. You were finding yourself more and more enthralled, and in a bit of disbelief at your luck. Somehow you’d chatted away the entire dinner rush, and the restaurant was now growing quiet, filled with only a few lingering guests.

The conversation took a bit of a flirty turn, and you found yourself reaching across the table in a fit of laughter, clapping your hand on top of his. He smiled, still chuckling, and turned his hand over to gently take yours, sending another spark through your body. His gaze darkened a little, taking on a suggestive edge that suddenly made you ready to take him home right then and there. His thumb traced softly across your knuckles, and his eyes dropped to your hands on the table. 

“Well, things didn’t turn out so badly tonight after all, did they…” Howzer mused. His smooth voice and the thrill of the last couple of hours of conversation and connection had you feeling as though you were living a dream. You smiled, giving his hand a little squeeze, and shook your head. 

“Want to get out of here?” you asked, perhaps with more of a seductive tone than you’d intended.

“Oh, ahh, sure… But… well, I mean…” he stuttered, sheepish and hesitant all of a sudden, and you wondered if you’d crossed a line somehow. 

“I just meant for a walk, or glow pops, or something to change the scene,” you offered brightly, and though he tried to hide it, he looked visibly relieved. 

“Sure -- yes -- sorry,” he continued, running a hand through his hair again. “Look, this has been super fun, and I’m so glad you took the initiative to sit down. I’m just… I’m not much of a one-night-stand kind of guy. I know it’s lame, or whatever, but… I guess I just take a while to warm up that way… The guys make fun of me for it all the time.” You felt your heart swell in your chest at his vulnerability. You definitely hadn’t been expecting that, and somehow it made you crave him even more. Respectfully, of course. 

“Don’t apologize!” you insisted, leaning forward and picking your hand up from his to place it on his bicep, emphasizing your words with a smile. “I’ve really enjoyed this. And would like to continue to enjoy it.” 

“I mean, I’m not a total prude,” he said, laughing self-consciously, still with that glint in his eyes that hit you right in the soul. 

“I don’t know,” you said playfully, being careful to keep it lighthearted, “We’ll have to see about that.” You bit your lip, hoping it wasn’t too much of a jab, but he smirked, primly setting his napkin on the table and rising to his feet, extending a hand to you.

“Well let’s start with a walk.”

After fighting over the bill for a few minutes, since you “weren’t the one he asked on a date” but he “had indeed taken you on a date” but “it was where you worked” but “it still needed to be paid” but “you wanted to be fair”… You let him pay with the insistence that you’d be getting the next one, which gave you a little thrill at the thought that there would be a next one. The coat closet was in the middle of a long, narrow hallway that branched away from the host stand at the main entrance, and the hallway included a few other doors that led to the refreshers as well as the kitchen. Howzer leaned in, scanning the hangers for his coat, and suddenly you heard a loud voice as the restaurant door slammed closed behind someone.

“Hello! I need to be seated immediately. Oh, it’s been a ROTTEN evening. The stupid taxi driver got lost twice, and the train was held up by some idiot old lady, and now I’m incredibly late to meet someone here!” a sharp female voice announced, catching the attention of everyone within hearing range. The realization hit you like a gallon of ice water dumped over your head, and as Howzer leaned out of the closet door to peer at the disturbance, you moved without thinking, pushing him back into the coat closet with so much force that both of you lost your balance and tumbled in, kept on your feet (barely) only by the row of jackets hanging up along the back wall. 

Howzer’s arms went out to the sides, hitting the wall with an ungainly thump, and you fell into him, landing against his chest in the most fortuitous way, hands splayed across his shoulders to try to break your fall. You couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, and heard him chuckle quietly once the initial surprise had passed. 

“I wasn’t aware I had this effect on women,” he said in a low voice, and you held a finger to your lips with urgency, tilting your head toward the loud voice still ringing outside. 

“What do you MEAN, he left?!” she said shrilly, and you could hear Barnes smoothing things over. “You can’t hold a table longer than two hours? That’s just ridiculous.” You sent up a silent prayer of thanks for his quick thinking and willingness to cover for you. You slowly pushed yourself to your feet, freeing Howzer from beneath you, though you were quite loath to do so, and watched him slowly stand straight as well. His eyebrows raised at what he was hearing, and he looked down at you in amusement.

“I may have dodged a bullet tonight,” he whispered, and you stifled a giggle. 

“Fine, well at least tell me where the refresher is, and I’ll be on my way!” the woman demanded, and the quick click-clack of her heels coming down the hall sent you both into a panic again. There was nowhere to hide except behind all the coats, and you both immediately dove into the row of fabrics, pushing them out in front of you and flattening yourselves against the wall, side by side. Now you were trying really hard not to laugh, at the utter ridiculousness of this turn of events, and you clapped a hand over your mouth to avoid making a sound. 

“You know she doesn’t even know what I look like, right? We’ve never met,” Howzer breathed in your ear, and you gave him a little push. 

“There weren’t any other clones in the restaurant tonight, were there?” you whispered right back, and he tilted his head in concession. 

“Good point.”

The sound of the refresher door closing was a welcome one, and you pushed the line of jackets in front of you apart, taking a deep breath of the fresh air that was a nice change from the stuffiness of your hiding place. You were getting ready to head out when you felt Howzer pull your arm, and you turned back toward him questioningly.

“We don’t want to risk it. Better wait til she leaves,” he said, shrugging as though he had no choice in the matter. But the soft croon of his voice and that little shimmer of a reflection of the dim closet light in his eye took away absolutely any reason you may have to argue, and you leaned back into him, facing him now, as he rested against the wall. Jackets were stuffed all around you, draped over your back and undoubtedly sticking out a bit, but his breath caught in his throat as you drew near and the sound made you forget about everything else. 

“I don’t want to push you past your comfort zone,” you said softly, feeling the tingles growing as he ran his hands up the outsides of your arms, and you brought your hands up to rest on his broad chest. 

“I appreciate that,” he breathed, leaning in a little closer, “But I told you I wasn’t a complete prude.” He was so close now that you could smell him, an intoxicating mix of aftershave, soap, traces of scents from dinner, and the slightest hint of musk underneath it all. His proximity was electrifying, and you lifted your face to take in the fondness in his eyes and the gentleness in his expression. You were hopelessly lost at this point. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered, and your cheeks curved into a smile at his gentlemanly request. 

“Yes please,” you whispered back, and as soon as the last syllable had left your lips, his mouth was against them, arms wrapping you in a firm yet tender embrace. As if the closet weren’t stuffy enough, the sudden heat of the moment, combined with the two of you pressed together, had you completely flushed with warmth. His kiss was unfathomably sweet, and when he pulled away with a soft smack of the lips, he rested his forehead against yours with a small smile on his face. You lifted a hand to his scarred cheek, reveling in the moment. 

The silence was broken by the refresher door opening again, and an aggressive tapping of heels echoed down the hallway as the narrowly-avoided blind date from hell clattered out the front door. You pulled back a little to better meet Howzer’s eyes, though you could have stayed there forever. 

“Now how about that walk?”

[ampedupkaon]

August Writing Challenge Day 29: Diane/Howzer

AN: Takes place during the OVA; after the day where they were chasing dinky Hawk.

“We did all of that running around and Ban cheated.” Diane pouted. She'd wanted to go on a date with the captain and that wasn't going to happen.

“You're forgetting Meliodas cheated too. Ban got the request though, since he found Pork and all.” The man currently with her was not her usual companion. He'd wanted the prize as much as she had, but didn't seem all that annoyed.

“His name is Hawk.” Diane informed him. He just shrugged.

“Hawk's a weird name for a pig... I am pleased we found him though; Elizabeth looked rather unhappy he'd run off.” She nodded, agreeing with him. She was happy that Hawk was back. She'd kind of missed him too.

“What would you have asked for if you won, Howzer?” He jumped, cheeks a little pink.

“I don't know! I wasn't thinking about that when I said I'd help. I was... more interested in spending some time with you.” His cheeks were definitely pink when he'd answered.

“Then why don't we spend a little more time together?” He gave her a shocked look. Diane couldn't work out why he'd be shocked. Friends spent time together and he was one of those, wasn't he?

“Al-Alright.” He stood up, waiting for her to decide where they were going. She didn't see his cheeks go red, him nervously swallowing when she started climbing the stairs. She turned around when she was about halfway up. He was standing nervously at the bottom.

“Come on, don't make me carry you, bridal style.” His cheeks, already red, turned darker at the image that spawned. Howzer started following her upstairs, so she turned around and headed up them to the floor where her room was. She went inside and settled on the bed, before realising he hadn't followed her inside. She went back to the door, opening it a little wider.

“Is it... really alright for me to be in here?” He asked.

“Sure! Elizabeth and King spend time with me in here; why shouldn't you?” He muttered something which Diane didn't catch, before making his way inside. He stood rather awkwardly by the bed, where she was sitting.

“Did you mean what you said before?”

“What do you mean?”

“About... being able to carry me bridal style.” He didn't look like he believed her. She stood up and scooped him up. She might have shrunk but her strength hadn't. Howzer's cheeks turned pink and Diane giggled.

“Not used to ladies just casually scooping you up, huh?”

“S-Something like that.” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. She carried him over to the bed, placing him down on it. He kept his legs up off the bed until he'd thrown his boots on the floor. She removed her shoes and joined him on the bed. His cheeks were a little pink again.

“Don't tell me you haven't spent time with a girl like this.” His cheeks blazed.

“C-Can't say I have. Is... is it your plan to drag me to bed?” He sounded incredibly nervous.

“I already did. You're on my bed.”

“Th-That's not what I meant! You know... to have your wicked way with me.”

“I'm not sure what you mean by that either. I thought you might be tired and... you could share my bed since you'd have to be tired and... your house is all the way across town, isn't it?” He nodded.

“Th-Thanks. Does it not bother you that I'm a guy?”

“No. You're my friend. What's wrong with two friends sleeping together?” His cheeks blazed once more. Diane wondered what she'd said that might have flustered him so much.

“P-People say they've slept together to mean... they've made love.” She giggled.

“We're not doing that, we're sleeping.” She scrambled into bed, leaving a corner of the blanket lifted in invitation. She fished a small container filled with purple cubes out of her pocket, taking one out and swallowing it.

“Can't forget to take that. Wouldn't want to suddenly start growing again through the night and smash up the tavern.” He shuddered.

“Howzer, come join me. I know you need to be naked to make love and both of us have clothes on.” He shivered again, before crawling up the bed and climbing under the blankets with her. She immediately grabbed hold of him, trapping him in a cuddle. His entire body heated up.

“Wow, you're so warm. Must be what it means when you're sharing body heat.” He was shaking, cheeks crimson. She wasn't to know, but he wasn't expecting her to just casually cuddle up to him like this.

“Is it... really alright for you to be... c-cuddling me?!”

“Yeah. You're warm and we're just sharing body heat.” His hands nervously slid around her body to hug back. He leaned forward and brushed his lips to her forehead.

“Night Diane. Sweet dreams.” She giggled, the gesture was cute. She copied it, and his red cheeks somehow got redder.

“Sweet dreams Howzer.” She closed her eyes, sleep finding her quickly. She was warm, she had a lovely warm companion cuddling up to her... she couldn't help thinking of that boy. The one she didn't quite remember. Being held like this made her think of him.

AN: Howzer muttered 'Should guys be alone with you in here?' when he had a grumble. Howzer almost screams when he wakes up in the morning; because Diane is still cuddling him like a teddy bear. He allows it for a few moments, before gently waking her up. He can't answer Gilthunder and Griamore when they ask him where he was last night.

[553butterfly553]

The Adventures of Arcadia and Hendrickson - 20

Together

After getting back to Liones things returned to normal. Well as normal as they could now that the war was over. For only a few moments, Dreyfus and Hendrickson were able to make up and get back to how they once were. Then, they had to split up again due to their own duties. Dreyfus had to tend to his son, while Hendrickson had to tend to his lover. “You know, I'm angry with you for trying to sacrifice yourself. I can't believe you'd leave me like that.” Arcadia spoke to the druid as they got ready for bed in their temporary home. Hendrickson's house had been destroyed, meaning they were now staying in a room in the castle. No one tried to offer them separate rooms, by now, everyone understood that they were sleeping together, in a pure type of way. “I understand, and I'm-” Hendrickson was cut off by Arcadia raising her hand. “No, don't say sorry, because you aren't. I completely understand why you were willing to do what you were going to do. I'm proud that you would give yourself for the sake of Gilthunder and Lady Margaret. Even so, I'm still angry... along with being angry for you abandoning me that night for Ludociel.” “Yes, well, I do apologize about that. I never meant to hurt you. It was all part of my plan... However, did you truly sleep with Dreyfus that night?” “Of course I did. You know I can't sleep alone. I was also being spiteful towards you, but it was completely innocent. Dreyfus was a gentleman. He didn't touch me inappropriately.” “I see...” Hendrickson was a little upset that he forced her to sleep with his closest friend, but he knew it was his own fault for leaving the girl alone that night. “Arcadia...?” “Yes, Hendy?” She turned to look over at him. He was staring at her with a soft smile on his face. “I swear, you will never sleep alone, or with anyone else, again.” “I'm glad to hear that, but I already planned on sharing your bed until the day we die. You don't have a choice in the matter any longer.” She said that with a teasing smile on her face, causing Hendrickson's own smile to widen. He then reached out his arms to her, beckoning her into them. “Come here, Arcadia.” He was sitting on the bed now, while Arcadia was in the process of putting a pair of shorts on. They'd changed together with their backs to one another, but Hendrickson had caught the tail end of her putting her bottoms on. “Why?” She asked that, but still followed his orders and walked into his arms. She was still standing though. “I spoke with Dreyfus. About us.” “Oh? What did he say?” “He said that the next logical step will be to get married. How do you feel about that?” “I feel like we've been married for a while now, so we might as well make it official. I don't plan on ever leaving your side again.” Arcadia then wrapped her arms around Hendrickson's neck and smiled down at him. “However, how about we make it official tonight.” “How will we do that? We can't get married so late now.” Hendrickson was a little clueless to what the girl was referring to, but she just smiled even more at him. “I'll show you. I'll show that you are the only man, human or otherwise, for me. I'll show you another way to show our love for one another, if you're up for it, old man.” Arcadia was smiling a teasing smile once again, causing Hendrickson to frown. “Now, now, Howzer calls me that, don't you start too.” Hendrickson then thought it over what the girl said, and turned an adorable shade of pink when he realized finally what the girl was saying to him. “I'm up for it, Arcadia. Let's show the depth of our love the way only two people in love can.” “Hendy, that sounded romantic, what has gotten into you?” Hendrickson just smiled up at her, before tugging her down to his level to press his lips against hers. “I love you, Arcadia.” Not only did he say that with words, but in the kiss, she could feel it, and in his eyes, she could see it. This was uncharted territory for the man, but he'd do his best for the sake of the one he loved. “I love you too, Hendrickson.” With that, the two dived head first into their love. Let's just say, neither got much sleep in that bed. The two love birds ended up sleeping away the rest of the day, which led them to where they were now. Half awake due to hearing a knock at their door right after dusk. “Hendy, there's someone at our door,” Arcadia muttered as she shook the man in front of her in bed. He grumbled a bit, then began to get up. “I'll get it.” “Put some pants on first, you're naked.” Arcadia watched as Hendrickson confusedly looked down at himself, before turning a shade of pink as he searched for his pants that had gotten thrown away at some point during the night. Once they were located and on his body, he answered the door. “Hendy, where have you been, no one has seen you... Wait, why are you half naked? Why is Arcadia hiding in bed? What...” Dreyfus trailed off not wanting to ask anything more as he was putting the pieces together. “Oh, I'm interrupting.” “We were just sleeping, if you'd knocked a few hours ago, you would have been interrupting,” Arcadia called from her place hidden under the covers. She had a smile on her face that was clearly meant to tease the older man. “Give us a minute, Dreyfus,” Hendrickson spoke as he slowly closed the door. “Of course.” Dreyfus couldn't help but smile at the two. He was proud of his best friend. He thought the man would stay a virgin for the rest of his life. It only took a few minutes for the two to get their clothing back on and prepare for going out. Once they were done, they left the room to see Dreyfus looking out of a window. “We're ready now. What was it you wanted?” Arcadia questioned simply as she walked over to the man. He turned to look at her and smiled down at her. He then patted her on the back and turned to whack Hendrickson on the back. “Good job you two. I'm glad you two have each other.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice, but before either Arcadia or Hendrickson could comment on it, Dreyfus was speaking again. “I was wanting to take a walk with the two of you before getting a celebratory drink tonight at the Boar Hat.” “That sounds good!” Arcadia smiled brightly up at the man. She enjoyed spending time with Dreyfus. “Then, let's go.” Hendrickson simply spoke as he too smiled at his friend. As they walked, Dreyfus could remain silent no longer. “I'm just astounded at you,” Dreyfus spoke to Hendrickson as he walked down the path. “I can't believe you managed to pull a fast one on the head of the Four Archangels.” “Well... It's not like I was planning to deceive him.” Hendrickson began as he ran his hand through his hair. “I mean, I was being sincere...” “You idiot savant.” Arcadia couldn't help but chuckle at Dreyfus's words. “I'm sorry, Dreyfus. I should have at least told you, but...” Hendrickson looked over to the older man. “Honestly, if I had, you would have stopped me, right?” “Of course, I would have!” Dreyfus yelled as he punched Hendrickson's head, knocking the man forward. “Hendy!” Arcadia was instantly tending to the man. “Hendrickson...” “What?” The druid responded as he looked to the man who'd hit him. His pain was written all over his face. “As your friend, I understand your feelings more than anyone else, maybe even more than Arcadia, but don't overdo it and go rushing to an early grave.” “Dreyfus...” “Both Anna and Zaratras are already gone... and Griamore's already become capable and self-sufficient, as well. He may have his own family to provide for before long. Not to mention now, Fraudrin is no longer apart of me.” “Dreyfus, Fraudrin was-” Hendrickson's shocked outburst was cut off by Dreyfus smiling. “I know... But I just can't seem to bring myself to hate him completely.” The man then turned to look at Hendrickson once again. “Anyways, you're the only person I've got left that I can really vent to. Of course, now there's Arcadia as well.” “Not sure I like that job,” Hendrickson commented, only to he patted roughly on the back. Arcadia could only smile at the two men as she watched them walk together. “C'mon! I'll be treating you to a full course of venting and ranting over drinks at the bar tonight, little Hendy!” Dreyfus then turned to Arcadia, who was walking behind the two men now. “You too, Arc. Let's go!” “Right!” Arcadia then fast walked to catch up with the two men. She walked in between them to take Hendrickson's left hand and Dreyfus's right hand. “Let's go, boys.” “I'm middle-aged, y'know...” Hendrickson muttered while Dreyfus just laughed. “I'm still a couple thousand years older than both of you, so to me, you'll always just be a boy.” “Well, technically, I think earlier today, he became a man.” Dreyfus pointed out, causing both Arcadia and Hendrickson to turn a full shade of red. “Yo-You're not wrong there.” Arcadia stuttered out, clearly embarrassed. That was the end of their conversations. The rest of the walk, hand-in-hand, was silent. Eventually, though, they reached the Boar Hat where many other people had gathered. Thankfully, there was a table still available and the group headed over to it. There, they began to drink and laugh with each other as Dreyfus ranted on drunkenly. “Two meat-ish pies-” Elizabeth spoke to the two men, before tripping and throwing the pies all over them. Arcadia just laughed at the two men but had a sense of unease come over her. She looked over to Ban and Meliodas who were now leaving the main part and going out onto a balcony. “I'll be right back.” Arcadia quickly hurried over to them, only to catch the tail end of their conversation. “...So, you realized, did you?” It was Meliodas speaking. So Arcadia opened the door to see what was going on. “You can't stay here much longer, can you? So... When it is?” Ban spoke before clarifying his question. “When is the day that you'll be gone?” “Fa...Father?” Arcadia hesitantly asked as she stepped out onto the balcony. Both men turned to see her. Meliodas had a smile on his face, but it faltered when he saw her. “Arcadia?” Meliodas muttered as he looked at his daughter. “What does he mean by that? Are you leaving?” “You might as well tell her, she deserves to know,” Ban spoke before leaving the balcony to head back to his lover. “I am the Demon King now, for the sake of balance in this world, I can't remain here.” It was a shock to the girl, but after a moment of thinking, she nodded her head. “I understand... I'm not happy about it, but I understand.” Arcadia was about to turn away when Meliodas grabbed her arm. “Wait, Arcadia, I can break your curse now. Do you want me to?” Meliodas's words caused Arcadia's eyes to widen. “What made you wait so long to ask me that?” “I didn't think you would want me to ask you about it in front of other people.” “Well... give me some time to think about it, alright?” “Okay.” Meliodas smiled at his daughter and released her arm. With that, Arcadia bid farewell to her father and returned to her lover's side. “What was that about?” Dreyfus questioned as the girl sat back down. She just shook her head and smiled at the two men who were staring at her. They could clearly see something was off with her. “I'll tell you two later, alright? Let's just enjoy the night.” With that, the two men and the girl went back to doing just as she said, enjoying their night together. Dreyfus ended up getting way too drunk and ended up passing out on the table, while Hendrickson drank slowly and didn't get as drunk as fast. Arcadia was happy to finally be able to drink especially with the two closest people in her life. All the while, in the back of her mind, she knew that one day, she would never see her father again. Eventually, Arcadia and Hendrickson passed out with Dreyfus and many other people. The couple remained together, holding each other on the floor under their table peacefully. Dreyfus eventually woke up and decided to join them on the floor, and that resulted in him wrapping his arms around both Hendrickson and Arcadia. The three of them peacefully slept there together until morning. “Hey, you three, it's time to wake up.” It was Meliodas's voice that eventually brought the three out of their deep slumber. “Is the world ending?” Arcadia questioned instantly as she looked over at Meliodas who was leaning down to look under the table. “No?” “Then go away.” With those words, the girl snuggled back into the embrace of the two men. She was in the middle of them happily. “No, no. Elizabeth and I need to clean up, so you three need to go. It's morning.” “...Fine...” With that, Arcadia sat up to the best of her ability and shook awake the two men next to her. “Wake up guys, we gotta go.” “Why?” “We're on the floor! Let's go, both of you!” Arcadia crawled out from under the table to see many other people being awoken as well. Now that she was awake and out from under the table, she grabbed Dreyfus's legs and dragged him out, startling him. Then, she did the same with her lover, also startling him. “Come on guys, if I have to wake up, then you do too.” “We're up now...” Dreyfus muttered as he put a hand to his head. “You okay? I'll go get some water for you. Do you need some too, Hendrickson?” “Yes, please.” Hendrickson looked up at the girl with a grimace on his face. Both men clearly had hangovers. So the girl scurried off to gather water for them. She returned moments later to find them sitting in their seats once more. “So what got you down last night? Why were you upset?” Hendrickson finally spoke after drinking a bit of water. The girl gasped a little, in shock that he remembered that she wasn't as happy as she was in the beginning. “Well, I suppose I should tell you, but you two can't tell anyone, alright?” Both men nodded their heads and then grimaced at the moving of their heads causing sharp pain. Arcadia dropped her voice and whispered to the men. “Well, Meliodas has to leave this world.” “WHAT?!” Both men yelled out instantly before groaning in pain. “Shut up you two!” Arcadia hissed instantly, swatting them both. A few others in the tavern looked over at the group, well more liked glared over at them. “Sorry, what do you mean by he has to leave this world?” Hendrickson spoke in a more hushed tone. Arcadia then explained it to the two of them and they both frowned. “I wish there was something we could to do help Sir Meliodas.” Dreyfus finally spoke up after he processed what the girl had said. “Well, there isn't anything we can do...” Arcadia trailed off as she looked down at the ground. “There's also something else I need to talk to you two about.” “What is it?” Hendrickson questioned with concern in his voice. The girl hadn't looked up at them again. “Well, for hundreds of years, I have lived and died and then lived again... But now, Meliodas can break my curse as well.” “What curse?” Dreyfus questioned as Hendrickson looked shocked. “I am cursed like my father was. With eternal life, along with always watching the people, I get close to die.” Arcadia had spoken while she looked back up to Dreyfus. She then turned to look at Hendrickson. “However, I think that I want you to be the last one. The last one I love until I die.” That threw Hendrickson off a little bit. “But, you...” The white-haired man trailed off, not fully knowing what to say to the girl. “I love you more than my own life, Hendy. I want to actually grow old with you. I want us to be together until we die, and then have our spirits be together even then. However, if I have this curse, I can't do that and honestly, I don't think I could live in a world without you now.” “Arcadia...” Hendrickson couldn't help but tear up a little as he smiled at his lover. “I'll have Meliodas break my curse if that's what you want as well. I enjoyed being practically immortal, but I would enjoy spending my last days with you even more.” “I would love to spend our last days together, Arcadia. If that is what you truly want.” Arcadia just nodded her head as she wiped away tears that had began to fill her eyes. “Good for you, Hendy!” Dreyfus patted his back painfully, effectively ruining the touching moment the two had. As both Arcadia and Hendrickson turn to look at the brown-haired man, they saw he had some stray tears as well. He'd been moved by their conversation. “Dreyfus...” Hendrickson just smiled at his friend. Arcadia couldn't help but chuckle at the situation as she looked at the two men. “After your curse is broken, you two should get married and have a couple of kids, don't you think?” With Dreyfus's words, Arcadia and Hendrickson's faces turned red. “...Well, he isn't wrong though. We can do that once my curse is broken.” Arcadia admitted after a moment of thought. “I should go and find Meliodas. I want my curse gone as soon as possible.” “Do you want us to come with you?” Hendrickson questioned as his face turned back to his normal color. “Hmm. I don't think so. I think I'll need a little time alone with my father. It'll be a goodbye talk as well.” With that, Arcadia stood up, kissed Hendrickson's cheek and then scurried off to find Meliodas. She knew where he was anyway. He was in one of the bedrooms with Elizabeth. Both of them were just waking up when she quietly entered their room with a hand over her eyes. “Can I look? Are you two decent?” The girl questioned, causing both of them to laugh. “We're decent, Arcadia,” Elizabeth responded simply with a chuckle. The girl uncovered her eyes to see her parents just sitting up in bed together. “Have you made your decision? Do you want me to break your curse?” Meliodas questioned as he smiled at his daughter. “Yes. I want to grow old with Hendrickson, and die with him.” “So dramatic, you could have just said yes.” Meliodas teased as he climbed out of bed. He then patted his daughter on the head and smiled at her. “I knew you were going to say that. Let's go find Merlin, and then go outside where we can break this thing.” “Alright.” The two, followed by Elizabeth walked down into Merlin's area. She was already waiting outside of her door with a smile on her face. “I believe you three were looking for me?” Merlin asked even though she already knew the answer. Merlin then patted Arcadia on the head. “Let's go break your curse.” With that, the four of them went outside. It didn't take too long, all Merlin had to do was use her magic to show Arcadia's curse, then Meliodas used his magic power to break the curse. It was over quite quickly. “How do you feel? Any different?” Elizabeth questioned after the curse was finally gone. “I feel a little scared now,” Arcadia admitted simply. “I only have a few hearts left and who knows what else will happen in this world.” “Yes, but now, you can live a normal life with Hendrickson. I want to see your children one day. I'm sure they will be beautiful.” “Thank you... Mother.” Arcadia smiled at her mother, but then tears began to fill her eyes. “I feel like this is the last time I'll ever see you both.” “It's alright Arcadia, we'll all be together again one day.” Elizabeth had tears of her own filling her eyes. The two girls couldn't help but hug each other. It was their first ever hug and it meant the world to them. When the hug ended, Arcadia turned to her father. “Father... I...” The girl couldn't get anything out before the tears began to fall. “I know, Arcadia.” Meliodas just smiled at the girl and hugged her. She couldn't help but begin to cry as she realized that this most likely was the last time she would ever see her parents. “I'll miss you both,” Arcadia whispered softly before breaking the hug. “We'll miss you too.” Both of her parents responded as the girl smiled through her tears. By now, Hendrickson and Dreyfus were out of the tavern and were watching the events. Arcadia had turned to see them and then hurried over to Hendrickson. He opened his arms for her and she instantly went into them, nearly knocking him over. Dreyfus actually had to hold the two up. “I'm free now, Hendrickson. I can die like a normal person.” Arcadia's tears were drying up now, as she looked up at the man she loved dearly. “We can finally live a normal life, right?” “Of course we can. As normal as our lives could possibly be, right Dreyfus?” Hendrickson looked to his best friend, who just nodded his head. “Let's go get married, okay, Hendy?” Arcadia couldn't help but laugh at the cute embarrassed look that appeared on his face. However, he just nodded his head and leaned down to kiss Arcadia's lips. Once they broke apart, Arcadia spoke as she looked at both Hendrickson and Dreyfus. “Let's go spend the rest of our lives. All of us, together.”

[rhettdempsey]

an unexcused absence // self para

summary: in which rj has an identity crisis and loses something most precious to her. 

Her eyes woke up red and puffy as the night before. She had only hope she was having a nightmare, but just like the morning before it wasn’t. Rubbing back the sleep from her eyes, she rose from the couch for the millionth time this week. She’d felt so depressed she hadn’t even managed to make it to her own bed.

‘ Mum? Dad?’, RJ’s voice strained out, looking for a hope of company. She’d been alone for over two and a half weeks now and she had just hoped for somebody to come save her from this hell hole. Her mind was slowly beginning to darken, and she felt those weeks of therapy were slowly draining from her mind. She was being consumed by the darkness. 

It all started the day she got a call at school from her mother two and a half weeks ago. She could remember the vision very clearly since it was being played on loop in her mind three times a day.  

It had been a great start of the day for RJ. She’d received her first C from her Chemistry test, and for once no panic attack had started to come. ‘It feels so wonderful out today.’, she thought as she walked out of the science buildings and heading her way straight towards the university center for lunch. ‘Blessed.’, she silently muttered to herself as she realized, she had gotten out of class twenty minutes earlier out of class which meant she would beat the Wednesday lunch crowd and could actually have some spare time to relax before her next class. Instead of typically spending her time in the library as she felt it was obligation, RJ decided that she was going to relax and watch some Netflix instead. In her therapy sessions with Dr. Howzer, he’d explained how she needed to stop pressuring herself to be perfect all the time. She’d been diagnosed with a panic disorder, and gladly she had gone through different medications trying to find the right one to help her calm the panic attack. But eventually they found the right one. 

As RJ was about to deciding to which food place she wanted to eat at, her cell phone began to blare through her back pocket causing the brunette to jump out of her skin. Reaching into her back pocket, she grabbed her cell phone as her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as ‘Mom’ lit up the screen on her phone. ‘Why is Mum calling me?’, RJ mentally questioned before clicking the answer button and bringing up the button to ear. 

‘Jacy, dear. Are you there?’, her mother questioned, sniffles coming from her voice. An instant worry ran through her veins and suddenly RJ was on sudden alert. Something in her gut didn’t feel right, and her voice was really shaky at her greeting. ‘Hi, Mom? Is everything okay?’, she asked curiously. 

‘Your Nanny is dead.’, her mother’s voice chimed in her head. And in that moment, RJ was sure the entire university center could hear her heart breaking too. 

That had been almost a month ago, and she spent her entire time back in North Carolina hiding back from all her problems she’d had to face as soon as she gotten back. The entire sequence would reloop in her head from the news, the visitation, and all the way to the funeral. Soon after the funeral, her parents left back to get back claiming ‘they had to get back to work.’ 

So, here was RJ stuck back in the apartment for last month by herself wallowing in her own self pity. The last conversation she had with her parents was her about starting an internship at PBS the following summer. With losing the person that meant the world to her, RJ didn’t even have the effort to fight them more. She even started to call herself ‘Jacy’ in some senses. 

All of the progress she’d made with her therapy session, developing feelings for Ezra, and even all the friendships she made seem to have gone out the window. She was a hollow shell of a person, and that’s when she realize she was back to where she started...an anxious little mess again with more crippling panic disorders eating away at her...and she seem almost lifeless everytime she passed by and looked at her self in the mirror. In fact, she couldn’t even recognize the reflection staring back at her. 

Letting out a silent sight, she knew that she had done enough of hiding for over a lifetime. She needed to get back to Monarch because she sure not only was going to have a lot to explaining to do, but the amount of homework she know she needed to catch up on gave her a mini panic attack on it’s own. So, standing off the couch she packed up her belongings and booked the next available flight for California..not really to face her fears but knowing her nanny wouldn’t her to treat herself like this. So, RJ wasn’t sure if she was going back to Monarch as Jacy or RJ but there was only one way to find out. Rolling out her suitcase, her Nanny’s face appeared in her mind and a silent tear rolled on her face. Pushing the door, she embraced the cold chill of a North Carolina winter before heading her way down to the car to make her way to airport.  

[rebelbasecardpod]

Show notes for Batch for Breakfast: Devil’s Deal

A Star Wars Bad Batch podcast that asks more questions than it answers. Along with me, Greg McLaughlin,  is my co-host and fellow Card squadron winger Gregory Cass from @eyeoncanon. Today we are asking questions on Bad Batch Episode 11: Devil’s Deal, that premiered on Disney+ Friday July 9th

Gregory Cass online:

@eyeoncanon on Twitter

So the show works like this, Greg and I will trade questions to each other that we have not talked about before. There is of course a chance we could take another’s question. There are no points, bonus of lightning rounds, but there is: 

THE GREG’s LIST

WAY WAY Better Star Wars Podcasts talking Bad Batch that we listened to this week.

Greg C

Fred the Jedi

Force Center

Blast Points

Knights of Ren

Greg M

Fantha Tracks Mark and Mark

Coffee With Kenobi - David Modder from Reactions

Rebel Force Radio

Rogue Rebels

If you have a question on Bad Batch ask on the socials, Twitter & Instagram @rebelbasecard

Feralith Young as Eleni Syndulla

Vanessa Marshall as Hera

Captain Howzer

Chopper as himself

Question from FRANC

Did the story perspective of this episode you and why do you think they did it this way?

Does Howzer show the clones aren’t as controlled as we think?

What happened to Hera’s accent?

Had we seen Eleni Syndulla before?

Agree this was likely the least surly Chopper ever as been?

‘It’s a feeling?’

Crosshair heals well and is still in Rampart’s good graces.

Apparently rising in a military transport is fun for one and all?

[freesia-writes]

Howzer + Aurelia Ch. 18

Beginning with his shiny days, this story follows Howzer's character arc through some heartwarming romance, action, adventure, yearning, angst, and growth.

Content/Trigger Warnings for Entire Work (individual chapters not labeled): wartime peril, injury, and death; sexual assault up to kissing; relationship passion up to making out and heavy petting; sexual relationship alluded to (smut is posted separately); pregnancy, birthing trauma, and stillbirth (chapters 30-39, can be skipped and still keep up with the story).

Master List of Chapters

Word Count: 2.3k

18. Foundation

Howzer and Aurelia found their paths crossing more often than they had anticipated, as their duties revolved around the same areas... Cham Syndulla was a primary leader of Ryloth throughout the Clone Wars, and even as the Empire had quickly replaced the Republic, it was still a continual transition from Separatist occupation to Republic annexation to Imperial protectorate.

The doonium mine and refinery was a hot spot of Imperial activity; they seemed to be obsessed with getting as much doonium as possible, for whatever huge projects they had going on. Twi'leks and other species from all over were being brought in as "employees", though the circumstances of their employment seemed awfully suspect of being closer to slavery.

Howzer had been tasked with keeping an eye on the Imperial activity and reporting back to Cham, who was navigating a tricky path of politics and civil unrest. Aurelia, on the other hand, felt purposeless even in her Imperial position, as her duties seemed to mostly revolve around being Moss Gowden's personal assistant. He was a greasy sort of person who often said one thing and did another, and she was feeling more and more disillusioned with the whole thing as time went on.

However, the perk of the job was frequent encounters with Howzer, where they were able to have brief conversations under the guise of business. Aurelia was often dispatched to inspect the various "mishaps" that occurred, including a variety of thefts of Imperial shipments as well as entire groups of "employees" who would go missing. It was the same every time, though -- she would gather the information, which was sorely lacking in any real substance, and report it to Gowden, who would shrug and file it away to his superiors. There didn't seem to be any real concern, other than the loss of materials and workers, but it small enough and slow enough to avoid any serious repercussions.

It had been a couple of months of them working together, and Aurelia had to admit that she was finding herself enchanted with this older version of Howzer as much as she had been with the "shiny" from years before. He was simultaneously confident and humble, executing his duties with dignity and efficiency, but lacking all of the attention-seeking neediness of his youth. It seemed that his experiences had shaped him, and his battle-scarred face emphasized the solemnity of his current stage.

He was always polite with Aurelia but didn't seem to pursue her. He appeared to enjoy their conversations, and always had a particular warmth with her, but she found herself yearning for the depth and playfulness they had enjoyed on Coruscant. She felt self-conscious, wondering if his interest in her had been thoroughly diminished over time, but couldn't shake her desire to see if that spark was still there, under the layers of maturity he wore.

Finally, she found her voice. One afternoon, after another "review" meeting at the refinery, Cham had dismissed Howzer for the day, citing a need to work things out with Gobi privately. Gowden shook everyone's hands and turned to Aurelia, asking if she'd be interested in a late lunch together.

"Ahh, you know, I've been feeling worse as the day has gone on... I was thinking I'd get some rest for the inventory check tomorrow," she answered, feeling a slight prick of apprehension at the flash of indignation on Gowden's face.

"Sure, alright. I can come make sure you're nice and comfortable..." Moss said, tracing a hand down her forearm. She hated it, but he had made it clear that rebuffs would not bode well for her employment, so she stood silently. Howzer's helmet tilted a bit, noticing the interaction from behind Syndulla.

"I wouldn't want you to get sick," Aurelia offered, keeping her face carefully neutral.

"Ah, it would be worth it," Gowden crooned, leaning in closer to her ear, "You're gonna give in someday, Aurelia, and realize what you've been missing." His breath was hot against the side of her face, and she leaned away a tiny bit, feeling a bit more courageous.

"No thank you," she said firmly, and turned to head toward the shuttle. Gowden glowered after her, following with a contemplative squint in his eyes.

Back in the capitol, Aurelia left the group in the square to head to her quarters. She didn't actually feel sick, but just didn't want to spend any more time with her boss. He gave her the creeps, and while he had never crossed a line, he was constantly pushing it, and she didn't trust that he wouldn't someday. She slipped into the building, made up of a bunch of apartments, and headed for the lift. As it slid shut, and she let out a breath of relief. Before the doors closed fully, however, a gloved hand slipped in the crack, sending them back open.

"Howzer?" she said in surprise as his armored form entered the lift with her, "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure you got home safely," he answered, facing the doors with a straight back, a solder at attention. She felt a warmth blossom in her chest, smiling up at him, and when the lift arrived at her floor, he beckoned a polite hand for her to exit before him. As they approached her door and she retrieved her key card, he continued the formal facade. She hesitated, confused at the whole atmosphere of their interaction.

"Would you like to come in for a snack?" Aurelia asked, waiting with bated breath for his reply.

"Sure," he said, and she felt a disproportionate amount of delight as the door swung open and they strolled inside. Her flat was small and simple; it had a balcony with a view of the city, though it was mostly taken up by the various walls of buildings nearby. The morning had been sunny, but the afternoon had given way to a cloudy sky, painting everything in a grey blue light. The apartment had a small kitchen and living room, with one little bedroom down a hallway off to the right. The living room wall was a giant transparisteel door that led out to the balcony.

Once they were inside and the door closed behind them, Howzer's demeanor changed. He pulled his helmet off, shoulders dropping in relaxation. Glancing around the apartment, he set his helmet on a shelf by the door and ventured in a few steps. Aurelia dropped her bag on the kitchen counter, opening the refrigerator to see what she had to offer. Grabbing a myriad of snacks to lay out, she took one last searching look and smiled as she recognized a few bottles of fizz in the very back, pulling them out and holding them up to him.

"Heyyy, there's the stuff!" Howzer said, smiling and leaning against the counter next to her.

"Little throwback for us," Aurelia replied, passing one to him. He popped the cap off with a flourish. "You seemed so stiff on the way up... I was worried I had offended you or something?"

"Ah, I just didn't want to look suspicious, in case that creep Gowden was watching... although I suppose coming in might be suspicious in itself," he said, shrugging dismissively.

"Yeah... he's a bit of a womp rat," she admitted, grimacing at the mention of him.

"Why do you work for him?"

"I don't really know... My parents got me the job hoping it would lead to something important, which apparently is the only way to make them proud in life. But it seems like upward mobility only comes through shady means, and I'm not really interested in that."

"Yeah, well Moss sure seems interested. He touches you a lot," Howzer said, with a slight edge to his voice that made her wonder. Was that protectiveness? Jealousy on his part now? Either way, it felt good.

"I don't have anywhere else to go," she admitted. "Unless there's a bar here that needs tending... although that feels like taking a step backward. Aren't I supposed to be making some meaningful contribution to the world by now?" She hadn't anticipated the conversation taking such a vulnerable turn so quickly, but somehow it didn't feel awkward. She grabbed a bite of the snack nearest to her.

"Yeah, I get that," he commiserated. "All I ever wanted was to be a captain, and it's an honor to serve alongside Cham. I think he's got a good head on his shoulders. But every wave of new leaders, from the Republic to the Empire, has come in with a new agenda for Ryloth. We were put here to protect them from the Separatists, and now it feels like we're still all geared up for war even though we're supposedly under the 'peaceful protection' of the Empire."

"I thought the Empire was really going to get everything in line. All the talk about peace and order... I wanted to be a part of it. It seems like they're trying to do right by the people though, no?"

"You think so? You know the doonium mine and refinery here? That's going to bring all kinds of prosperity and economic wealth to the people?"

"Yeah... It's provided so many jobs!" Aurelia countered, starting to feel defensive at his accusatory tone.

"Jobs!" Howzer spat, standing tall from his leaning position, "Those so-called jobs aren't as voluntary as you think. I see them bringing in the people. They're filed in from the ships in lines, surrounded by troopers. Why is that necessary if they're there of their own volition? And they come in at night, shuffling in with their heads low. All to feed the Empire's endless appetite."

"Why don't you say something about it then, if it's so bad?" Aurelia asked, knowing the answer before she finished the question.

"What do you think they would do?" Howzer demanded, and she knew he was right. "Plus, who am I? I'm an asset, a piece of the military, to be used however they deem fit."

Aurelia sighed, having nothing more to say. She felt similarly trapped, but she had held out some semblance of hope that this new Empire would really turn things around. Taking another sip from her bottle, she motioned toward the living room, "Why don't we talk about less depressing things on our time off?"

"Fair enough," Howzer conceded, with a small smile once again. He ventured to the couch, reclining in the corner. He looked good on her furniture, she had to admit. She brought as many plates and bags of snack foods to the living room table as she could carry in one trip, smiling at him as he clapped in approval. She wanted to plop down next to him but didn't want to be too forward; she was still feeling her way around. Opting instead to curl up in the armchair, she invited him to fill her in on the years they'd been apart.

It felt like a few minutes later, but the cloudy sky had long been replaced by the darkness of night. Somehow, there was something that kept bringing them together, in a way that felt comfortable. Something under the surface, some kind of shared perspective... She couldn't quite put a finger on it.

He had shared the hard lessons he had learned -- the consequences of brash actions and his struggle with the loss of Sprint. There was a sense of regret, a sort of "why him and not me" that was more implied than stated directly. Aurelia could see the impact of these experiences on his personality. He had the occasional spark of passionate indignation or insistence, but for the most part, he was steady and insightful. She realized that she did slightly miss his playful flirtation, however, and wondered if it could be coaxed into returning or it was a relic of the past.

A momentary silence was broken only by the loud growl of a stomach, and they both chuckled, realizing the lateness and the fact that they'd completely skipped dinner. The snacks on the table had been thoroughly pillaged. Howzer stood, stretching his arms wide and arching his back.

"I should head back."

"Yeah, sorry it's so late! I can try to throw together something to eat if you'd like. I feel bad that I kept you from dinner," Aurelia said, feeling a bit embarrassed at her poor hospitality.

"It's fine, I'll grab something on the way," he replied, tilting his head at her. "It was really nice to catch up."

"I agree," she said softly, following him to the door. He paused, with it still closed, and turned back to her.

"I'm glad we keep finding each other," he said, regarding her with warmth and seriousness. She smiled, feeling more confident after their hours of soul-level conversation, and opened her arms, inviting him into a hug. His mouth curved into a small grin as well, and he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her back and pulling her close. It would have been a delightfully comforting thing if she didn't feel as though she were hugging a turtle in its shell. She decided to take a risk, to open a door of sorts, by bringing up something from long ago.

"We never did do anything about that armor, did we?" She pulled away from the hug, grinning playfully in an attempt to lighten the mood in case the little quip didn't land. He laughed quietly, looking down at the floor before back up at her.

"No, no we didn't," Howzer admitted, reaching a hand up to give her cheek the tiniest stroke with the backs of a few fingers. That alone was enough to send tingles through her body, and she took an extra long blink to enjoy it. He dropped his hand, retrieved his helmet from the floor, and gave her one last smile before pulling it on and heading out.

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