#I feel like so many problems in rebels would’ve been avoided

[flying-kanery]

rip Hera Syndulla you would’ve loved life 360

[fanficlibraryposts]

Larry Stylinson(1D) Fic Recs

sleeping on our problems by falsegoodnight

I’m in love with you, Louis thinks. He feels empty, weighed down by his sadness and the loss of Harry inside him just moments ago before his knot finally went down. There’s moments where he’s sure Harry feels the same. Like now, when he’s gazing down at Louis with so much adoration and tenderness. It’s like they’re both on the cusp of something more, but neither of them ever say a word. His confession is on the tip of his tongue ready to slide out like honey, and yet he remains silent. They both do, looking at each other and recognizing the reluctance mirrored in each other’s eyes. It’s then that Louis realizes they’re both scared.

-

Or Louis sleeps with Harry and they have more than just catching feelings to worry about.

*A/B/O au, so soft and fluffy with just a dash of angst*

Foolishly, Completely Falling by dea_liberty

"Now that he’s actually gone and done it, there seems to be no way of going back - no rinse and repeat, no ctrl+alt+del, no abort button, no help to be had. He’s fallen into a black hole and he cannot seem to find a way out. The black hole is also known as Tumblr. More specifically, it’s known as Tumblr’s Larry Stylinson tag."

OR: The one where Louis becomes a Larry shipper by accident.

Put It All On Me by LoadedGunn

 "Yeah, yeah, give it to me, that's it, spread your legs a bit, there you go."

 The camera follows Louis as he does. Maybe if the modelling thing doesn't work out, he could try the porn industry. Then again, he's a bit too stocky to be twinky and a bit too twinky to be anything else. He likes that about himself, though. Well, directors and photographers like that about him. He could pull off pretty and edgy, could do GQ in the morning and a perfume commercial in the afternoon. Right now he thinks he could pull off anything, because it's Harry fucking Styles directing him.

Or, a Top Model AU where Louis is accidentally there to make friends, not become Britain's Next Top Model. (Also Zayn is the supermodel host.)

Promises We Made by thekindofworld

Its been five years since Harry and Louis broke up; they were seventeen and nineteen and it was messy to say the least. Cue Louis, who is worked off his feet making clothes for celebrities, Harry dropping his debut album, Niall who likes to avoid his insecurities by dragging Louis on Holiday, Zayn and Perrie as Louis' right hand stylists, and Liam who wishes Harry would just tell him about his ex-boyfriends before he contacts them about working for him.

Its either going to be a disaster, or the perfect timing they've all been waiting for.

*I’ve been very into fashion au lately*

but me, i’m not a gamble by orphan_account

A Posh & Becks AU in which Harry is a star on the stage and Louis is a star on the pitch, but they're both inexplicably terrible at articulating their feelings. In the end, it only takes a season's worth of failed matchmaking schemes, platonic dinner dates, road trip holidays, and one very convenient David Beckham cameo for them to figure it all out. And if Niall knew all along? Well, he at least has the decency not to be too smug about it.

Boys Fall From the Sky by fookinloosah

Superheroes. America is full of them — complete with masks, nauseating pseudonyms, and neon spandex suits. There’s none of that nonsense in Britain, thank you very much…until Harry Styles’ X Factor audition takes an unexpected turn, and Britain’s first hero is born.  

Also featuring Louis as a man of many masks, Zayn the rebel comic artist, Liam as Britain’s counter-attack to Justin Bieber, and Niall the trusty guitarist.

*I adore this fic, one my all time favorites*

The Last Something That Anything by jaded25

"You know my heart - so tell me honestly, did you ever really want this? So I’ll sing this song for every word that comes out wrong But I’ll be okay – is that what you want me to say?"

In the end, it's neither the fame or the pressure, nor Management or the constant hiding and denying that tears them apart. Or maybe it's a sum of all  and so much more on top. In the end, it's Harry.

When Harry leaves the band - leaves Louis - to pursue his dreams of a solo career, he breaks much more  than just One Direction. It's a gamble and a new start for each of the boys but while Harry walked away smiling, finally having got everything he apparently dreamt of, Louis is left to pick the pieces up.

Some hearts don't break even, some are simply shattered. So can you really learn to un-love someone?

*So deliciously angsty*

no pressure, no diamonds by karamelised

A life of crime means there is no nine to five, no white picket fence and definitely no happily ever after. In a life where lying gets you everywhere and stealing things becomes a sport, there is no place for romantic endings. Louis knows this, and so does Harry. Problem is, they're both wrong.

or

Louis is a thief, Harry a grifter. They are thrown together for a huge diamond heist in Paris, where their past soon catches up to them.

Blood Right by Evina1234

“Is that-him?” someone next to Louis asks. “Who else would dress in red if not for him today?” Beside Louis, Lady Camellia had her eyes locked on the one in red garbs, as same as many around them. Clearly this must be intended, or why dress in such a way today at first place? “My... He looks dashing." the first one licks her lips, eyes darkening in a laced lust. "Who would've known? Thought he'd be in chains, stuck in a dark dungeon." The other scoffs. “Have you been under a rock? He's the most privileged Lycan alive. The King's ward, some go so far as to call him his consort. It’s all hushed, but I have my sources.” she reveals like a dirty secret. In a world where the Vampires have taken over, Humans are just pawns in blood farms, Warlocks are extinct while the King has Lycans under his thumb - eliminating the threat of the lethal bite. The world is falling apart. Louis, nephew to the malistic Vampire King, lives away from it all in blessed ignorance until he gets dragged into the chessboard that traps him in front of a green eyed Prince who is bound to a miserable fate. Or where Louis wants to save Harold, the Prince of Lycans, when Louis' allies want him DEAD 

*super intense, vampire au with political intrigue mixed in*

the one that leads me on through by colourexplosion

Louis was certain that he was done with his tenuous connection with fellow skater, Harry Styles. But then, you know, the universe throws a wrench in all that when Simon takes Harry on for the next season.

Or, an AU in which the members of one direction are actually figure skaters.

Disclaimer: The fanfiction above were not written by me for I am not nearly as creative. However, I am an avid reader and movie buff so these are some of my favorite fanfiction within the fandom. I politely ask that you read the tags attached the fanfiction beforehand so that you know what you are getting yourself into, there may be crossovers. If you don’t like it then don’t read it. In addition, I ask that there be no bashing, the fics are based on my preferences and what I like. Lastly, if there are any specific genre or fandom of fics you want me to get into let me know through my ask box.  

[where-theres-smoak-2]

Ben and Mairzee both referred to Aleksander as an "antagonist" rather than a villain. Jessie has also spoken of his positive qualities and how Darklina share many similarities just with different povs. His motivations aren't wrong, only his methods/extremist mindsets, which arose from an isolated immortal life where all he could cling to was his cause and how all his previous efforts didn't work. But with Alina, he's not fighting alone, and he has someone equally strong enough to balance him.

Thank the tv gods for Mairzee, Ben and Jessie, they really do understand Aleksander and the darklina relationship. I agree I do think he's more of an antagonist than a villain. To me villains are usually just cruel for the sake of being cruel and have no empathy. I do think in the books the darkling becomes this but it isn't written well and its very frustrating because he had the potential to be a very interesting complex character, as the show proved. His motivations aren't wrong at all in fact they are actually noble, one of the things that irritates me the most is when they try to push the narrative that Aleks is doing everything for his own gain which isn't true he's trying to elevate his people out of a position of oppression and prosecution. Yes he does have an extremist method at times, but as you said this comes from his isolation and because his previous more peaceful attempts were not successful and still ended with his people being hurt and killed. But I would also, having thought on it some more, say that a lot of actions could also be chalked up to him having to make those cold, hard military decisions. In regards to Novokribirsk for example, of course it was terrible for those innocent civilians who died in the city and for their families, there's no denying that their lives were important and them dying that way was tragic and just awful. But the situation Aleks was in was very difficult and one I don't think many people think about. At this time Aleks was fighting a war on two fronts. His military force had been split into two, half at the shu han border and half at the fjerdan border. We also know from his speech in episode 4 that they were running out of money, aleks says the coffers are running dry. We know from both Aleks saying he lost so many good soldiers and Ivan's casualty report in episode 3 that they are also sustaining quite heavy losses. Basically the situation couldn't get much worse, except it can because then they get word that West Ravka is planning to rebel and become an independent state. West Ravka is where they get all there supplies from so them becoming an independent state is practically a death knell for the East. Also I feel like Aleks' line about the noose tightening and the king's attitude at the demonstration in ep 3 indicates that the King was putting alot of pressure on Aleks to fix the problem. So now Aleks is faced with two choices, he can try to find enough men to send across the fold to fight against the rebels and attempt to bring them back in line, if he could even find enough soldiers to squash the rebellion then that leaves the two fronts (shu han and fjerda) vulnerable and weakened. Or, now that he has Alina, he could expand the fold into Novokribirsk which not only would it be guaranteed to take out the rebellion, it would also likely scare people into not wanting to restart the rebellion but also its a show of power to fjerda and shu han and might be enough to push them into submission too. And it wouldn't cost him a single one of his soldiers, it wouldn't cost money, one move and the problem is gone. The only downside are the civilian lives that would be lost. But I feel like Aleks would've weighed up the cost between losing alot of soldiers on both sides to a fight against the rebellion, plus because there would be less soldiers at the fronts more people will die there too, and the cost of a few hundred civilians who could very well end up being caught in harms way anyway if there was a war with the west and ultimately decided that the thousands of lives that would be saved from avoiding a war with the west ravkans was worth the sacrifice of hundreds of civilians. It came down to a numbers game and unfortunately a consequence of war is that innocents get caught in between, and civilians lose their lives. For me this makes it harder to judge whether this move by Aleks is him acting as a villain or just acting like an army general in a world based on imperial russia where hard decisions have to be made in order to win a war. Nobody is saying its morally right

he did a terrible thing but we don't know how he feels about the civilians that were lost and whether he feels any sorrow or guilt for them. We do get an indication that he feels guilt over the people who were lost to the fold so I could imagine that he would also feel some guilt about Novokribirsk but he rationalises it in his head. Anyway think I might have gone a bit off topic here so ramblings over.

Now that he has Alina maybe she can show him a different way and they can work together and he won't have to burden the weight of the wars their country are fighting by himself. I do wish he had confided in Alina before making the move but I feel like their relationship was just too new and he was still building trust with her. I'm still holding out hope that they may move away from the books in season 2 and maybe have Alina and Aleks work together in some way, but we'll have to wait and see.

[shellyb04]

And here we are, all caught up. You'll notice I fell into a bit of a Chinese drama and historical hole for these last ones! I will try to post as I finish shows so I can give a bit more of a review. Enjoy!

A love so romantic (Cdrama)-Girl pretends to be a long lost granddaughter of the Gu family and falls for the Gu family heir. 8/10 Very funny. The last ten episodes get a bit annoying with dumb amnesia and such, but overall really funny main couple.

The Greatest Love (Kdrama)-An A-list movie star with a heart condition meets former girl group member and now most disliked celebrity. Against all odds, he falls for her. 9/10 This is extremely funny and a bit tropey, but it gets major bonus points for the ending. There's no crazy amnesia or unreasonable misunderstandings. Their dilemma at the end makes sense and wasn't dragged out for too long. There was a bit in the middle where she was trying to reject him that dragged for me and I didn't like the other girl group members very much. But overall, really fun.

The Rebel Princess (Cdrama)-A princess is forced to marry a general turned prince instead of her childhood sweetheart prince. They ultimately fall for each other and endure war, kidnapping, betrayal, and every other kind of misfortune that can happen in a historical drama. 9/10 This drama was refreshing because the couple was so amazing together. They were kind as well as cunning. They were the only characters not seeking power and I just loved the way they worked. It does get a little draggy during some of the palace politics. I also think some of the villians didn't think through their plans. But overall, the leads made the show. Although there are some genuinely heartbreaking moments and too many women committing suicide.

Love Script (Cdrama)- A CEO gets into an accident and believes he's a Prince from the Ming Dynasty. A psychologist is hired and she becomes part of the palace staff in order to treat him. But she begins to fall for him. 8/10 I liked all the characters. It's a really light show and there's a couple of plot twists that ultimately made the lead romance work for me. There were a few too many flashbacks and I found myself skipping through them a lot.

A Girl Like Me (Cdrama)- Ban Hua has three failed engagements, partially because of her blunt manner and explosive temper. She begins getting visions of the future and uses them to save her family from trouble, along with Rong Xia who has his own agenda...but will he be distracted by Ban Hua!? 8.5/10 I really liked this one. The story moved along rather quickly. I love that the Ban family are perfectly happy in their little sphere of life. They adore each other and simply want their family to be happy. The only real negatives are that I don't think some of the villain plots made sense especially toward the end and I thought the last two episodes should have wrapped up the story not made more characters power hungry and foolish. Overall, I really liked it, especially Ban Hua and Rong Xia's banter and courtship.

My little happiness (Cdrama)-An intern lawyer and a successful neurosurgeon who were childhood sweethearts meet again as adults only she never knew his name. Watch the duo fall in love. 8/10 This is a pleasant little ditty with no big problems. The relationship between the main girl and her best friend feels super real to me. I love both main couples. It's a simple sweet sappy love story. There's never any doubt how it will end so just enjoy the sweetness.

Oh! My Sweet Liar! (Cdrama)-Historical- A female painter infiltrates the home of a noble family to paint a copy of a precious item. When her escape goes wrong, she fakes a pregnancy by the family heir to save her life. They make a contract marriage so he can escape an arranged marriage he doesn't want. But there are secrets and plotting people throughout the family home. 8.5/10 I really liked the majority of the show. It was a bit slow the second arc of the show and really the last three eps could have been a bit more streamlined, but I loved the Li family. It was so nice to see the love between the family.

Shopaholic Louis (Kdrama)- A wealthy heir gets amnesia and is found by a poor country girl newly arrived in Seoul to look for her brother. The two fall for each other while searching together. 8.5/10 Super cute. I loved the main couple the whole way through. The side characters grew on me as well. It was a nice sweet story overall.

Love in Time-Cdrama- Writer and a CEO were friends in Jr high but had a falling out. Present day they enter a contract marriage. 8/10 A point bump for 30 minute episodes. The story was sweet and simple with a few pleasant turns. The last episode is a bit dumb. I would've rather just had more epilogue than a faked amnesia plot. I liked the side friendships, but wish the "villain" had a better motivation. Just " I loved him and worked hard for him so he should be mine" obsession got old. The tropes were in full display so avoid if you hate those.

Love and Destiny-Cdrama- A young immortal wanders into the wrong place and awakens the God of War. He discovers a secret about her even she doesn't know. The two fall in love, but bad things happen. Can they overcome destiny with love? 7/10- This one seemed to be a bit long at 60 episodes and it took WAY too long to get started. But by episode 14 or 15 I was completely into the love story and most of the side characters. The two "villains" were annoying but ultimately I understood their choices even if I felt they were immature. Overall, it's good, but a little too slow in some places and the last ten episodes could have given me some more couple moments.

Divorce lawyer in love (Kdrama)- She's a tough as nails divorce lawyer and he's her office manager until she goes to far in a case and her license is suspended. Three years later she's the office manager and he's the lawyer and he sees his chance for some payback.. Enemies to friends to lovers. 8/10 It has its funny moments. I enjoy most of the "case of the week" stories. I thought the resolution to the main antagonist was a bit hand wavy, but overall, solid and enjoyable with mostly fun side characters.

The Sword and the Brocade (Cdrama)- A concubine's daughter marries a Marquis in an arranged marriage. She has to deal with conniving concubines, controlling mother and mother-in-law, as well as a family that doesn't want her around, and a rival family all while trying to continue her embroidery career. 7.5/10 Started out fairly strong but toward the end it felt really drawn out. I feel like the last two plots should have been more combined cause it really dragged the pace of the show down. The characters were good. I liked most of the characters a lot, but a few began to make weird decisions toward the end.

The Eternal Love (Cdrama)- Modern woman sucked to alternate past where she has to share her doppelganger's body. The two with the help of their maid try to figure out what's going on. But things are complicated as each soul is in love with a different prince.,-6/10 The story is okay, although the last four episodes are weird. Chemistry with the leads is fabulous. Really not great production quality. I couldn't get through Season 2.

Eternal Love/Ten Miles of Peach Blossom (Cdrama)- Bai Qian and Ye Hua are star crossed immortals who fall in love in three different but intertwined lives. 9.5/10 Started off slow, then got wonderful about ep 10, then pain and misery for a few eps before back to joy and falling in love and back to pain. But one of the best revenge scenes by Bai Qian! I sort of hated that basically every other couple seems doomed. I tried to watch the pillow book before this and just got bored. I may go back to it someday as I love that couple.

General's Lady (Cdrama)- independent noble sent to marry the "demon" general at the border only to fall in love with him. However there are factions trying to harm them. 9/10 Super light and sweet with lots of kisses. I got a bit bored a little past the middle of the drama when they went back to the capital. But the last several episodes brought me back around and I laughed out loud multiple times. Love all the couples throughout and how it showed there were multiple ways to be a strong woman.

[sortagaysortahigh]

The Perfect Match | JJ Maybank

Chapter One: Grady-Whites

Authors Note: I edited this, but this is chapter one of the series I was talking about (I’ve had it for a while but never felt confident posting it) This is gonna follow the canon events of obx with a little bit of tweaking and adding some shit in.

Warnings: cussing, underage drinking, fighting, mentions of drowning, mentions of violence, mentions of domestic abuse, mentions of child abuse, mentions of child neglect, mentions of being the disappointment, spelling and grammar errors, mentions of weapons (guns), insinuations of sex

Word Count: 5.1k

Series Masterlist

Fem!Reader x JJ Maybank

There’s something about living in the Outer Banks that always left you dissatisfied with life. Being born into a prominent family was nice, but you felt as if all they cared about was themselves, never looking past figure eight, avoiding the Cut at all costs. 

It made you sick to your stomach that people could be so dense-only giving a shit about themselves and their ‘rich people problems’. Complaining about not having enough generators, or having no wifi, or even simplicities like who had the bigger boat. You hated all of it.

Your family moved to the island when you were seven, your father finding a prominent real estate market-working in partnership with Ward Cameron. But you were always the black sheep of the family, your older sisters being five and eight years older than you, by now they were already in college, attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, following your mother’s footsteps. 

They took debutante classes, they were ballerinas, they went to charity dinners, held sponsored events, and most importantly they had their heads up your parents' asses, practically begging for approval and validation. You however, you were quite the opposite. Never caring for the validation of anyone besides yourself, you considered yourself quite the free spirit, and you’d spent a good chunk of your families money on helping small businesses in the Cut, but they never said anything, your parents glad to not have to deal with you constantly.

Being sixteen was an odd time for you, feeling like you were old enough to be independent but also not knowing enough about yourself to be one hundred percent content with that. Not to mention the rollercoaster of emotions you constantly went through, and you went through most of them alone. 

That was the thing about being the black sheep of your family, you were also one of the few black sheeps of the kooks. Sure the guys would hit on you and invite you to parties-but it was just because they deemed you as ‘hot and rich enough’. But you didn’t have many friends-at all-and quite frankly, the only friends you had, didn’t even feel like your friends half the time.

Kiara Carrera had been your friend since you were a kid, both of you living on figure eight, running into each other on the beaches, or at school, always being the odd one out. People hated the way you dressed, they hated the way you constantly dyed your hair, and the way you rebelled against ‘kook standards’. So when you met her and she was the same way-even as kids-the two of you immediately got along. 

You tried to stay positive at all times, never letting anyone falter that, even if you had to be a bitch in the moment, you didn’t care. It was difficult sometimes, but you always remained optimistic.

“Are you ready to go to the Marsh?” you looked over at Kiara, she was on your bed, and you shrugged, knowing some of the pogues weren’t the biggest fans of you-by some you meant one-JJ Maybank.

Kiara introduced you to the Pogues after her huge fall out with Sarah Cameron, they turned into one of her safe havens, so she decided as her childhood best friend, you had to meet them-and for the most part things went very well-until JJ Maybank opened his mouth. Everytime you said anything he’d cut you off, or reply with some smartass comment about how you were just another kook. You thought after almost two years he would’ve let up-but he didn't.

She got off your bed, walking up to you and grabbing your hand, pulling you behind her. She always knew you were reluctant to spend the day with the pogues, it was exhausting having to deal with Maybank and his smart mouth all day. Not to mention the multiple times that he’d pushed you off the HMS Pogue-fully clothed. 

“I’m not dressed” “yes you are...you literally wear things like this daily, c’mon” you groaned, you hated that she could see right through you sometimes. One of Pope’s thrasher shirts on, alongside a pair of denim shorts with a black bikini underneath and a pair of dirty white converse, your hair was currently in messy braids-the way that it usually was, except this time it was royal blue. Kiara always said there was no point in dying your hair so often if you’d be in salt water everyday-but you didn’t care. 

She practically dragged you out of her house and into her car, giving you the cooler from the backseat while the both of you made your way to the Wreck. Your thoughts shifting to your older sisters, wondering what they were doing right now, Morgan was probably doing some lawyer-y shit, and Laurie was more than likely hungover somewhere, still riding out the college wave. 

She parked in front of her family's restaurant-the Wreck-then the both of you got out of the truck, walking in through the back, filling the cooler with some drinks and you managed to swipe a few bags of gummy worms from her father’s stash-knowing Mister Carrera wouldn’t miss them. Then the two of you waited, walking out towards the docks, you eyed the cut, everything was still everywhere, Agatha did a number, but it wasn’t as bad as previous hurricanes.

You easily spotted the HMS Pogue, Pope, John B, and JJ all in the boat. Kiara held the cooler with one hand and she grabbed your arm with the other, pulling you behind her while walking further down the dock, meeting the guys at the end. 

Pope smiled at you, helping you onto the boat after JJ helped Kiara-completely ignoring you. “I like the blue” you smiled at him “why thank you my kind sir, I appreciate the shirt loan” he laughed at you while you sat next to him, ignoring JJ’s glare and smiling at John B. You never really understood why he preferred to go by John B instead of just John-or even his last name-Routledge, but you didn’t ask questions. He accepted you as a friend almost immediately and you were thankful for that. 

You were zoning in and out the entire time, not really processing anything while you mindlessly unbraided your hair, thinking about how different your life would be in four years. You found yourself thinking about the future a lot, mostly because your parents always asked you about your plans, or what you wanted to do with your life, but what’s a free spirited socialist with destructive tendencies supposed to do with their life. 

When the boat crashed into something-a sandbar to be exact-and you went flying forward landing on John B, hearing a splash into the marsh followed by ‘I think my heels touched the back of my head’. You groaned, letting John B help you sit up, then the four of you looked over at JJ in the water, but that's when you spotted it.

“There’s a boat down there” John B tried to tell you to stop fucking with them but you were serious. Pope standing next to you and pointing at it “No she’s right, that’s a boat-it has to be a boat” with that you stripped out of your clothes and jumped into the marsh, ignoring the protests coming from Kiara behind you. Your curious side took over, but the rest of the pogues quickly followed. 

It was deeper than you thought, but you grew up in the water, not caring. You held your breath, looking at the boat, noticing your friends-and JJ-around, then the five of you swam back up. You were confused, immediately recognizing the boat. The four of them seemed somewhat excited about the discovery, but when you and JJ spoke at the same time, they all noticed your confused tone.

“That’s a Grady-white” he looked at you, noticing your furrowed eyebrows, but you quickly swam back to the HMS, pulling yourself on board and sitting on the edge. “I saw it when I surfed the surge.” you glanced at John B “you surfed the surge?” you laughed at the concern in Kiara’s voice, you always found her small crush on him adorable, but she knew that he wasn’t what she wanted, she was just infatuated. 

Your mind wandered while the rest of them talked, it made zero sense for a primo rig to be down in the marsh, no one brought boats that expensive out in the middle of a hurricane-and the boat couldn’t have been there for long.

“Do we know who’s boat that is?” you looked up, running a hand through your wet hair. Walking over towards the hold of the boat, squatting next to John B, pulling the anchor out. He furrowed his brows at you before stating “We’re about to find out” “Dude it’s too deep” you scoffed at the concern in JJ’s voice. “For the weak and feeble” he glared at you, your sarcastic tone irritating him and you smirked. 

“I’m not resuscitating you-specifically you-” he pointed at you “-just making that clear up front” you rolled your eyes at him. “JJ sweetie, I’d rather die than let you resuscitate me” with that you stood up, giving him a sarcastic smile, patting his shoulder and grabbing the anchor from John B. “What do you think you’re doing y/n” “Jumping into the marsh, what’s it look like” with that you shot him a wink, leaning back and letting your body fall into the water, you ignored his protests and he was a few seconds late-trying to grab you and stop you. You saw Kiara immediately rush over but you wiggled your brows while your body hit the water. 

You let yourself sink, dropping the anchor and swimming into the open boat, looking around, spotting a random yellow tab attached to a key-you couldn't make out the words on it underwater-but you grabbed it. Looking at the hold of the boat, trying to pull it open, but it was sealed tight. 

When you swam back up everyone was staring out into the water, nervous looks on their faces. “You guys look like you’ve seen a ghost” John B helped pull you onto the boat, Kiara pulling you into a tight hug while JJ pulled the anchor up. “Can you not be so reckless all the time, you’re gonna give me a heart attack one day y/n” you laughed at her.

“There’s no fun without a little bit of a risk” JJ’s scoff distracted you, you whipped your head in his direction, raising your brows expectantly. “When you manage to kill yourself, that’ll be so much fun won’t it?” you rolled your eyes at his condescending tone. “Maybank, I say this in all sincerity, get your head out of my ass already” 

Pope couldn’t hold his laugh back, and John B gave you a quick high-five at the comment. Everyone found your odd rivalry of sorts with JJ entertaining, sure some days it got exhausting, but watching the two of you go back and forth was always interesting. They never really knew what to expect from either of you, the two of you had more in common than you liked to admit, which made arguments and disagreements last longer than anyone else's. 

You sat on the side of the boat, leaning your head on Kiara’s shoulder, listening to everyone talk, her mentioning something about reporting the wreck and getting a finders fee, followed by someone else stating something about not having to work all summer. Sometimes you hated that your friends were very proud people, they didn’t want any help financially-sure you’d always be there if anything happened-but they never asked for help. 

No one wanted to feel like a charity case. You understood that, and you only ever helped with things when they absolutely needed them, and you didn’t like to admit the amount of times that you’d paid a certain blonde’s bail without him knowing. Sure he was an asshole to you, but you always saw everyone worried when he had a bail set, bringing up his father-a relationship that you didn’t completely understand-but you knew enough to know that it was far from positive. 

The ride back to the dock was full of laughs, and stupid comments back and forth. The five of you ended up going to the coast guard, but they ignored all of you, brushing everyone off, so you rolled your eyes, walking out of the small building on the docs.

“Let’s just go to the motel” “what is actually wrong with you” you shrugged at Pope “do you want the list alphabetized? Or in chronological order of when the issues surfaced?” he rolled his eyes but you held the key up, the keyring looped around your middle finger. “I mean y/n is right, we’ll figure out who’s boat it is that way” you nodded your head, taking a second to put your damp hair into a low bun, trying to ignore the baby hairs falling around your face. JJ shrugged and mumbled an “I’m in”, leaving all of you to stare at Pope.

“C’mon I’ll be lookout” after hearing Kie’s comment he groaned “c’mon finders fee” John B raised his brows, saying something else about only being an accomplice if shit hit the fan. “Pope you know I’d never let anything jeopardize your scholarship. I’ll take the fall and say we forced you into it, now c’mon bubba” he sighed at your comment and nodded his head, following you.

So the five of you got back on the HMS and made your way to the Summer Winds Motel. To say it was a shit show was an understatement, it looked like people ran meth labs, fight clubs, and prostitution rings here. You furrowed your brows, listening to everyone talk about how someone with a Grady White would never be here. But you already knew something was off. 

“So who’s comin with me?” Everyone stared at you again, watching you be the first to get out of the boat-tying it down-and staring at them, a small smile on your face. “Why would you go in there?” you shrugged at Kie “I found the key, I wanna see what happens. I feel like I deserve to be the main character in my own life Kie” she scoffed at you, holding her laugh in and rolled her eyes. 

JJ was the next out of the boat, resting an arm on your shoulders, leaning on you. “If you don’t move I will suffocate you with one of these mattresses” he rolled his eyes and moved. “C’mon Booker” Pope looked at you and blinked a few times, he hated when you started acting as reckless as JJ, but at the same time he knew that you were far from stupid, and that you had a killer right hook. 

He sighed looking at John B “Don’t let them do anything stupid” “I’m not making promises” you laughed, watching Kie tell him to be careful, her tone made you furrow your brows, nodding your head a few times, holding in any smart comments you had-you’d tease her later about it. 

The three of you walked up the steps, dodging the soaked mattresses, then you ended up in front of them, feeling someone staring at your ass. “Stop looking at my ass, I will castrate you both-with no hesitation” JJ scoffed-so you knew it was him. He rolled his eyes then focused on John B. 

“So Kie-y’know since she heard you’re being threatened with exile, she’s just been, like-” you turned around wanting to see this, walking backwards, trusting you luck that you wouldn’t fall. He grabbed John B’s shoulders, rubbing them, mocking Kie’s voice “Oh! Be so careful, John B. Oh, give me that John D already-when are you gonna swoop on that” with that you rolled your eyes turning back around, but when JJ reached forward, pulling your shoulder back, you almost fell over.

“The fuck is wrong with you” “You-you’re her bestfriend-she’s like this super hot rich hippie chick-you’re hot too don’t worry-” you rolled your eyes, shoving him back “anyways, I know the door is closed for me, but do tell, is the door locked for him” You crossed your arms over your chest, rolling your eyes.

“I don’t know is it?” he stared at your face, letting out a frustrated breath. John B just watching the interaction with a smirk on his face. “I’ll take that as a no-so boom-swoop in on that” you rolled your eyes “JJ just because you try to hit anything with a heartbeat does not mean that John B should ‘swoop in’ on kie. Grow up” with that you turned back around, walking down the hallway, counting the doors, stopping in front of 229. 

The blonde shoved past you, knocking on the door and saying “housekeeping” in a high pitched voice that made you stifle a laugh. When no one answered you handed him the key, leaning your head against John B, waiting for JJ to open the door. Then the three of you walked in. You immediately started looking around the room, ignoring the guys and finding a safe, hitting John B’s leg and motioning towards it. 

Standing up you spotted a piece of paper on the nightstand, handing it to John B, watching him put the code in and your eyes widened at the contents inside. A gun, multiple stacks of money, and some envelopes. But you heard something hitting the window, so you shoved past both of them and looked outside, noticing Kiara and Pope trying to get your attention, eyes widening when Pope mouthed ‘cops’.

“Cops, JJ put the fucking gun down” their eyes widened and the three of you did the only thing you could do, you climbed out of the window and held onto the ledge-except you were the last one out, and you almost slipped, but JJ grabbed your waist, holding you flush against him. You rolled your eyes at the cliche moment. But held your head against his chest, trying not to panic about the possibility of getting arrested on the groups of trespassing-or something worse, and the possibility of falling off of a dusty motel roof.

His grip on you tightened, you clenched your jaw, tring to stay as still as possible. Once they were gone the three of you climbed back in and made a beeline for the HMS, you sat in your usual spot, trying to piece things together in your head. Listening to them talk about what happened. But something was seriously off about all of this.

A grown man around forty or fifty staying at one of the shittiest motels in the outer banks, having a safe with thousands in it, crashing a new grady white the day of a hurricane. It didn’t make sense to you. 

Your confusion only increased when the five of you sat on the docks, watching the paramedics and coast guard bring in a dead body, seeing Lana Grubbs run up to the body, realizing that it was Scooter Grubbs. The girl next to all of you showing everyone pictures of the body and you grimaced at the sight. JJ mumbling something about you being a ‘pussy’, so you elbowed him as hard as you could.

“Somehow that dirtbag copped a brand new grady white” your eyes widened at her sentence, and you looked at all of your friends, Your mind was working ten miles a minute, trying to piece this all together. Even on the ride through the marsh back to the Chateau you were still impeccably confused. Almost silent the entire time, Kiara kept glancing at you to make sure you were alright, but you were focused on one thing right now-trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

You leaned against the old wooden patio pillars and furrowed your brows, ignoring JJ’s statements about denying everything. Listening to Kiara talk about good Karma, hearing JJ tell her about keeping the money because unlike you and her-they couldn’t afford shit like unlimited data plans. JJ messing with his lighter was distracting you, so you snatched it from him, going back to your thoughts.

“You can’t keep the money” they all turned to look at you “wow the kook princess has something to say” “Wow the pogue prince is still being a dick. Listen you can’t keep the money because it doesn’t make any sense. None of it is adding up. Scooter Grubbs-the same guy that never had more than fucking five bucks in his pockets, having a Grady White, plus the amount of money in that safe? Who the hell stays at a motel as shitty as that one if they can afford a Grady White and why would he be living in the Cut still?” 

John B walked over towards you. “She’s right, think about it, this is the same dude that used to beg for change in the save-a-lot parking lot, the same one that buys individual cigarettes at the Porthole. And all the sudden he’s got a Grady-White?” you started pacing back and forth, Pope sighed, knowing the look on your face all too well-he usually had the same look-trying to piece things together. 

“They’re square groupers” Pope choked on air and Kiara shrugged. John B and JJ both staring at you while you paced “think about it, there’s no other explanation-none, nada” John B nodded his head, looking at you, then at Pope. “Think about it Pope, how does a Marina rat get a grady-white. Flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance-” “this isn’t some spy movie guys, this is real life” you rolled your eyes at Pope.

“In real life, things are a lot worse than movies Pope.” John B nodded his head. “They don’t do that stuff in a hurricane-JJ what does that mean” you glanced from John B to JJ “They were smugglin’. No other explanation.” with that you walked into the Chateau. Going into the only room with a working air conditioner-John B’s bedroom. 

You were still pacing back and forth, trying to grasp what was happening, listening to everyone following you, talking about the contraband on the ship. You sat on the window sill, JJ sitting next to you, Kiara to your right, John B grabbing his dad’s old bass, strumming a few chords while Pope sat on the bed. 

They were all talking but you were zoning out, thinking about your parents-thinking about how they’d react to you getting involved in more illegal shit-except this time it would be major illegal shit. You let out a small laugh at the thought, shaking your head slightly, knowing that it would just be another disappointment to your parents. 

But truth be told, you stopped caring about disappointing them a while ago, never being the best ballerina, fucking up your debutant classes, not knowing proper table etiquette, being horrible at the harp, everything they wanted you to be great at, you sucked at. Not to mention the fact that you hated the kooks-never caring for any of their socioeconomic hierarchy bullshit. 

JJ’s knee hit yours and you looked over at him, seeing him shoot you a concerned look.

That was the thing about your relationship with JJ, it was functionally dysfunctional. Some days you’d be at each other's necks, other days the two of you were cordial with one another, and he was always appreciative of you paying his bail-getting him out of something that you had no business asking about. You two cared about each other in the sense that your friends were his friends, and vice versa. If the two of you wanted to keep your friendships up then you’d have to get along a small fraction of the time. 

“You alright?” “I’m fine JJ.” he nodded his head, focusing his attention back on Pope, you dropped his lighter in his lap and took a hundred dollar bill from the stack of money in his hands, folding it into a skinny paper airplane while everyone talked about getting into the cargo hold of the boat eventually, but for now having to lay low.

Kiara suggested a kegger and everyone agreed, so you all  left, packing into her car, grabbing a keg from Heyward’s and heading to the boneyard. You typically stayed to yourself at keggers, occasionally playing drinking games, or entertaining tourons, but you preferred to look out at the sea. It was your way of mellowing out and catching your breath. 

The sea was your home. You associated all of your best memories with the sea, when things with your parents never worked out you’d go surf, picking it up at the age of nine, and you’d fallen in love with it. Everything about the sea felt welcoming to you, a lot of people found it terrifying, never knowing what was there, but you loved that. You loved not knowing, it was a direct contrast from your usual anxieties, you loved the fact that you didn’t need to know. 

If you loved the sea, the sea would love you back. It was an odd thought process, but it kept you grounded. You watched the sunset over the horizon, smiling at the reflection into the water, a few tourons tried to hit on you throughout your time there but you brushed them all off.

What you didn’t know is that while you were staring out at the sea, a certain Blonde was staring at you. “Why is she always doing that” he looked at Kiara and she laughed, smiling at him. “She loves the sea, it’s her happy place” he furrowed his brows looking at you, eyes trailing your figure, watching you pull your hair out of the bun, running your hands through it, trying to let it sit in its natural state.

“I see the way you look at her JJ” “How do i look at her Kie?” he looked at her, a flush of confusion on his face. “You’ll figure it out one day champ, now c’mon we have to go disturb her peace” he shrugged following behind her. 

“Hey baby, can I get your number” you furrowed your brows, turning to look at Kie, who was doing a horrible job at deepening her voice, trying to sound like a guy. “It depends, can I take you home with me?” you shot her a quick wink, before glancing at JJ, who held two cups in his hands “So which do you drink out of first, left or right?” he rolled his eyes, handing you the cup in his left hand, you took it and mumbled a ‘thanks’.

“So whatcha doin” “Thinkin about life” “again?” you shrugged “I always think about life, it’s what I do best” you motioned for them both to sit next to you, and you leaned your head on JJ’s shoulder. You liked when he let you be affectionate with him, even if he got on your nerves most of the time, and made you want to headbutt him. 

That was the thing about the both of you, Kiara always noticed it. You both craved affection, it was like you were touch starved. Your parents never even glanced in your direction, and JJ’s father-the only time he ever touched his son was to hit him-Kiara knew that you didn’t know about it, but you never asked questions. She knew the two of you were an odd pair, sometimes she couldn’t tell if you hated each other or not, but most of the time she came to the conclusion that you were rivals of sort-not really enemies.

“Y’know what sucks” they both mumbled a ‘hmm’ “that one day this is all gonna be a really distant memory.” JJ furrowed his brows at your statement, Kiara shrugged. “I guess that just means we have to do everything we can now so we don’t regret shit when we’re all old and wrinkly” 

With that she stood up, looking at the two of you, motioning for you to follow her, but she started walking before you moved. JJ glanced at you, not wanting to shove you off of him just yet, he would never admit it outloud but he liked you leaning on him-and being close to him. But you eventually stood up, pulling him with you and heading towards Kiara.

Kiara convinced you to be her wingwoman, so you were chatting up some random touron named Dylan, while motioning over to Kiara, talking about how she was ‘too shy to come over’ and that ‘she’s been stealing glances all night’. In reality you knew the reason that Kiara wanted the touron-but you didn’t acknowledge it much. After all, tourons were chum for the sharks. 

But when you heard a familiar voice yelling “Babe! Babe! Stop” your eyes widened, you walked away from him, shoving through the crowd of people, seeing John B and Topper fighting-when you tried to walk up to them and stop him someone grabbed your arm, pulling you back. You noticed it was Kiara and she shook her head at you, motioning to JJ walking up them. 

Then you watched him pull a gun on Topper, threatening him he’d let up. Sarah was screaming at the two of you to “get your psycho friend” to which you replied by flipping her off, yelling back “You could’ve fucking tried to stop your psycho boyfriend-you’re such a bitch” Kiara held you back, knowing that you had anger issues at times. You were hotheaded, and you were convinced that Sarah could’ve stopped her boyfriend from trying to drown John B.

JJ shot the gun in the air, telling everyone to get off of the Cut. you ran over to John B, Kiara helping you pull him out of the water while Pope yelled at JJ about not knowing how to lay low, telling him how idiotic he was being, but you were more convinced with helping John B. You didn’t give a shit about the gun-after all this was the cut-people did shit like that all the time. 

The four of you helped bring John B back to the Chateau after everything, after he was inside you lingered, staring at JJ, blinking a few times while clenching your jaw. Now your anger was settling in-realizing how stupid he was being,

“You’re sixteen, do you not understand that what you just did is considered unlawful use of a firearm-a stolen firearm. JJ can you fucking think for once. You’re far from fucking stupid, so fucking act like it” with that you turned around, leaving and heading out to Kie’s SUV, getting a ride back home. 

“He’s such a fucking idiot sometimes” “aw you care about him” you furrowed your brows at Kie and she smirked at you. “Trust me, this was a long time coming.” “Kiara Carrera I do not care about him in that way, stop”

--Taglist and frens--

@socialwriter @stfukie @pit-zuh @rae131415 @wtfstarkey @starkeymarkey @drewstarkeyobx @ilovejjmaybank @outrbank @angvelics @yourlocalauthor @letsgofullkook @queenk00k @kook-kid @jjmbanks @jjmaybcnks @jjsmentalpolaroids @softstarkey @copper-boom @wtfstarkey @starkeymarkey @ims0golden @jjmaybankx  @storiesbymads @milaonthemoon @girlsru1eboysdroo1 @anonymous0writer

[thirstyforcharacters]

2. The Blizzard Hits

Part 2 of 4 of the Winter Storm Warning Series

Summary: You and Poe have been captured by First Order forces. You both have to come to terms with what that means.

Notes: Hello! Here's the second chapter in this little series. I have officially decided that this is going to be four chapters long, so we're halfway done already! I’m not really expecting too many people to read this series until the smut in the fourth chapter lol, but I still think that the buildup is very important! There is an interrogation scene in this one, but I don't think it's overly graphic or anything, so hopefully it should be okay! Hope you enjoy! You can read the first chapter of this series here, the third here, and the fourth here. (use of she/her pronouns in future chapters, no y/n)

Warnings: angst, interrogation with a broken nose, a little blood

WC: 2k

There were three you realized when you came to.

The first was that it was almost completely dark.

The room these troopers chose to keep you in had no windows. The door blocked out most of the light, except for a small sliver at the very bottom. If you had to guess, this room was most likely a storage closet of some kind while the base was in use.

The second was that you were freezing.

This wasn’t too unbelievable given that you were on Hoth, but you would think that if you were inside, there would be some kind of heating system. Perhaps it was broken. Or maybe the troopers were just too dumb to figure it out.

The third is that you were chained to the wall.

The cold metal was clasped around your ankle, tethering you in place. You didn’t like that very much, of course. You wanted to at least be able to inspect the room that you were in. And since your wrists were chained together, it would be difficult for you to break free. You wouldn’t think that the rebels of old were cruel enough to chain their prisoners to the wall, so the troopers probably brought them in here just for you. How special.

Though you couldn’t see him, you assumed that you were being held in the same room as Poe. When you listened harder, you could barely make out the sounds of his breathing. Judging by how quiet it was, you guessed that he was still knocked out. Worry coursed through your veins. You didn’t know how long you were in here, but you knew it had to have been at least half an hour. That’s an awfully long time to be passed out. But your worry soon dissipated when you heard him groan.

“What the hell?” he muttered, and you heard his chains rattle, presumably to rub at his eyes, “where are we?”

“I don’t know. It’s too dark to see anything. But I assume that we’re in some sort of old storage closet,” you replied.

You heard him try to get up and curse when he realized that he couldn’t, “Well, this isn’t ideal.”

All at once, you remembered the chain of events that had landed you here. His recklessness and inability to listen had landed you both here. Despite that pitch blackness before your eyes, you were seeing red.

“Clearly,” you scoffed, “and this situation could’ve been avoided.”

“No, it couldn’t,” he argued, “no matter what, we would’ve been running into this many people.”

“Yes, it could’ve,” you growled, knowing that you were right, “if we had formulated a plan, we could’ve taken them out. The two of us together would’ve been more than skilled enough to pull it off. But of course, you just had to be reckless. You’re so fucking headstrong, even when it’s at your detriment. Maybe in the past, you’ve just made up your plans on the fly, but that doesn’t work in situations like this. You’d think as a commander, you’d know that. This was your fault, Dameron. You’re the reason that we’re stuck here with no way out. So stop trying to deflect responsibility. We both know this could’ve been prevented.”

He fell silent then, and you smirked to yourself. His lack of response meant he knew he was in the wrong. For once in your lives, he acknowledged that you were right. You figured that he’d never admit it out loud, so his silence was good enough for you.

“At any rate,” you began again, “we need to figure out how to get out of here and take these guys out before this base is operational.”

He nodded, “Yeah, we do. There’s no window, and I would assume that the door is guarded, so that’s our first problem.”

“Even if they have weapons, I think we’re both good enough to take them out. We just need to break these chains and somehow get the door open,” you replied.

“If this is just a storage closet, like you think, we’d just have to find something to pick the lock with. Shouldn’t be too difficult,” said Poe.

You agreed, and you were about to tell him so when the lock clicked and the door swung open. The light spilling in from the hallway was a shock to your senses, and your eyes fluttered shut from the intrusion. Once you opened them again, you saw that four figures had walked in. Three were just regular troopers, but one was wearing one of the black officer outfits. She looked you both over, and there was a smirk painted across her face.

“So,” she stated, “I didn’t know we had one of General Organa’s most prized admirals and the best pilot in the Resistance in our presence. I feel honored.”

“You should,” quipped Poe.

You had to physically restrain yourself from rolling your eyes. Now was not the time for this!

The officer chuckled darkly, “You’re lucky I’m not after you today. Bring the admiral to her feet. I have some questions for her.”

Your eyes widened slightly. Getting interrogated was not on your agenda today. One of the troopers stepped forward to unlock the chains around your ankles, and you both took a sharp intake of breath when you were roughly hauled to your feet and shoved out the door. The last thing you saw before leaving was the guilt in Poe’s eyes. Good. This was his fault, after all. Though, you supposed only the getting captured thing was his fault. Not everything that happened after. That could only be blamed on the First Order.

You were dragged through the halls until you were brought out to their main hub of operations, which was the large hangar near the front of the base. You counted about 20 stormtroopers total; two were guarding your door, four were the ones leading you through the halls, three walking through the halls, and the final eleven in the main hangar. You figured that that would be easy enough once you and Poe got ahold of weapons. There was only one other officer, which was good news for you two. You were taken out of your thoughts by being unceremoniously thrown to the ground. The officer and the three troopers who escorted you towered over your kneeling figure.

“So, Admiral,” the officer started, “there are a few things that I really need to know. And you’re going to tell them to me.”

“Like hell I am,” you spat back.

“We’ll see. The first thing that I’d like to know is how you knew we were here.”

You stayed silent.

“Come on now, Admiral, I asked nicely. I won’t do that too many more times,” she coaxed.

“I don’t know,” you told her, almost nonchalantly.

Technically, it wasn’t a total lie. Though you knew that Finn had gotten the information from a traitor, truth be told, you didn’t know exactly who it was. No one did, seeing as they went by a codename. And even if you did know, you wouldn’t throw Finn under the bus, or reveal your source of information.

“Liar!” she barked, raising the butt of her rifle and striking you in the face with it.

You cried out in pain as you felt blood pour from your nose. It was definitely broken. This is why you preferred being in the air; there was much less risk of breaking your bones. You attempted to raise your hands to your nose to help staunch the blood flow, but the cuffs around your wrists prevented you from doing so effectively.

“That’s not the worst you’ll get if you don’t tell me where you got your information from now,” the officer growled.

“Never,” you said through gritted teeth.

She flipped her rifle around so the front was facing you and pressed it against your forehead.

“I don’t have to kill you. But if you don’t tell me, I have no problem disposing of you and moving on to the pilot. So I think you should just let me know who gave you that intel,” she pressed.

“Neither of us will, so stop trying,” you snapped back, “you might as well just kill me now and stop wasting our time.”

“If you say so,” she said, cocking her rifle.

“Not if I can help it,” came a voice from one of the entrances in the hangar.

You all turned to the doorway and there was Poe, with a blaster in each hand. He swiftly shot the officer in front of you. She crumpled to the ground, and you grabbed the rifle from her body. While most of the troopers were distracted with Poe in the doorway, you took out the three troopers near you (which was certainly a struggle with cuffed hands, but you managed). You found a pin on the floor, and used it to pick the cuffs open. With you new blaster rifle, you joined Poe in the scuffle, working in tandem to take out the troopers holding you captive.

When the adrenaline from the fight wore off, the throbbing pain in your nose came back full force, and the blood loss was starting to make you woozy. You sank to the ground against the wall, pinching your nose to try and stop the blood flow. The front of your shirt was starting to stain with red. You’d definitely need to scrub that out later.

“Oh shit, you’re still bleeding! Let me find a med kit,” Poe exclaimed, rushing around the room until he located the medical supplies and sat in front of you.

Poe worked in silence. He did his best to fix the injury, and you think he did pretty well, given that he wasn’t a professional. You’d probably get a healer to look at it once you returned to base, but he stopped the blood flow, which was the most important part.

“Is that better?” he asked softly.

“Yeah, thanks,” you replied.

He shook his head, and the guilt that was in his expression earlier returned, “Don’t thank me. It’s my fault it happened in the first place.”

“That was the First Order’s fault, not yours,” you contested.

“Yes, it was,” he argued, “all of this was my fault. They wouldn’t have hurt you if we hadn’t gotten captured, and that was because of me. I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you. I shouldn’t have rushed in. It was incredibly reckless, and you suffered because of it. I’m sorry, Admiral. Promise I won’t do that again.”

You were stunned. You didn’t even think he’d admit that this was his fault, let alone apologize for it. And he seemed upset that you were hurt. You honestly didn’t think he’d care. And you also didn’t expect yourself to forgive him so quickly. But you couldn’t help it. The guilt and regret in his eyes told you that he truly was sorry.

“It’s okay. We got out of it, and that’s what matters. One of us should probably contact the general and tell her that we finished the job and that we’re on our way.”

“I will,” he replied, “you rest. You lost a decent bit of blood.”

You nodded, laying your head back against the wall and closing your eyes. You heard him walk away and start talking to Leia, telling her the events that transpired. She congratulated both of you on a job well done, but still told Poe off a little bit for his actions.

You didn’t even realize that you had fallen asleep, but before you knew it, you were gently shaken awake by Poe.

“Sorry to wake you, but I’ve got bad news.”

“W-what is it?” you questioned, stifling a yawn.”

He winced, “The snow storm outside is in full force. The conditions are too bad for either of us to fly in, or even walk out to the ship in. We’ll have to stay here for the night.”

You sighed softly. Even though you wouldn’t say you hated Poe anymore (which was big for you), you still weren’t his biggest fan. So staying alone with him in the base wasn’t the most appealing to you. But going out in that blizzard was a death wish, so stay here you would. This was going to be a long night.

[infinitefandomimagines]

Tell Her - Poe Dameron x reader

...

WARNINGS: BLOOD, JEALOUSY, LANGUAGE 

REQUEST: @poedamneron01 HELLOO! I was wondering if I could have a poe x reader imagine where reader has a huge crush on poe and they’ve been friends since they both joined the resistance, the reader gets jealous of poe and zurii’s interactions. THEN, fast forward to the final order battle, and reader gets injured and poe is worried and like confesses to her. I’m sorry if none of this makes sense but i’m looking forward to the imagine !!!

...

You'd always had a sliver of hope that he liked you as much as you liked him.

The years of back and forth flirty banter and jokes. The number of times the two of you shared a bed when one of you had trouble sleeping due to nightmares. Or how he made you feel safe through every step of the ongoing war. The way he trusted you when he finally opened up about his past and insecurities. The way the two of you just clicked the first time you met after joining the resistance, and only grew closer time went on. That couldn't all just mean nothing.

But that sliver of hope was quickly crushed the second you arrived on Kijimi. You knew from the way he looked at her the chance of him liking you back when from slim to none. It was obvious they had a past, and even more obvious both of them still held onto it.

You had to hide the pain and jealousy as Poe eagerly followed Zorii to the roof to keep lookout. You hated the pitiful looks Finn and Rey gave you because they knew. They knew about your silly little crush without you even having to tell them. Hell, they knew you were in love with him before you ever admitted it to yourself, and for the longest time, they always pressed the fact that Poe shared the same feelings. But now they were silent, not sure how to comfort your broken heart.

After a while, you became suspicious of how long Zorii and Poe had been gone, and why they hadn't reported anything to the rest of you. "I'm gonna go check on them," you announced aloud.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Finn asked, concerned about what you might walk in on.

"Yeah, they've been up there a while, just wanna make sure no one's coming to kill us," you tried to joke, but Finn saw straight through the poor attempt. You didn't say it with an attitude or a wink, instead, you just sounded sad and tired. Not at all like your self.

"Okay," he said softly, knowing he really couldn't stop you.

You climbed the stairs to the roof quietly, not wanting to alert anyone of your presence. You knew it was wrong to eavesdrop in their conversation, but jealousy and curiosity got the better of you.

You listened for a couple of minutes, but eventually, guilt began to set in. You shouldn't be doing this, if you really did love Poe, then you should want the best for him. It was just hard to accept that the best for him wasn't going to be you.

It was when Zorii offered Poe the chance to escape with her that you left, in all honesty, you didn't want to hear his answer. Scared he might actually take her up on the offer.

But maybe you shouldn't have left so early, maybe had you stayed just a moment longer you would've heard him decline the offer.

"I can't leave the resistance, I can't. . . I can't leave her," he confessed.

"The girl downstairs? What was her name again, Y/N?"

Poe nodded, "It's just. . .when I'm with her, it's like time slows down, ya know? Like for a second, there isn't any bad in the world, no war, no First Order, no Kylo Ren, none of it. Like it's just me and her, safe and happy. I can't lose that."

There was a sad look in Zorii's eyes, but at the same time, it seemed like she understood. Somehow she still looked happy for him.

"Well have you told her yet?" Zorii asked.

"Told her what?"

Zorii rolled her eyes at Poe's obliviousness, "Everything you just told me, dumbass." Poe shook his head, "Nah, it'd just fuck everything up, I can't mess up years of friendship over a stupid crush."

"Well I think you should tell her, life is too short and unpredictable these days to not. It sounds to me like you really love this girl, she deserves to know that."

Poe let out an anxious laugh, "What? Love? No, no I'm not in love with her, it- it's just a crush." Zorii gave him a look, one he knew meant that she didn't believe him.

"J- Just because I think she's the most beautiful girl doesn't mean I love her," Poe rambled. "I mean. . . okay, yeah- I'll admit that when she's around it does make my day better and that her laugh is one of the best sounds in the world. Oh, and that she always makes me feel safe when I'm terrified about what's gonna happen to the resistance, and that- oh fuck. . . I'm in love with her."

"So tell her you idiot," Zorii said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You may not see it, but I only just met the chick and even I can tell you mean something to her."

"Thank you, Zorii, I really mean it."

"No problem, I'm happy to call you out on being an idiot any time."

Poe let out a soft chuckle, sending a small smile to Zorii, which she returned with a breathy laugh.

Poe had completely planned on telling you how he felt after his conversation with Zorii. However, he never got to. Everything started going downhill, and fast. Breaking into Kylo Ren's ship, Rey running off, Leia's death, the hurriedly planned mission to Exogol. Not to mention you'd barely even look at him since you left Kijimi.

Before he knew it, the entire resistance base was in chaos as everyone prepared for what they hoped would be the last battle. He wished he had more time. Time to tell you how he felt, time to cherish another moment with you, and time to create a better plan.

Poe wasn't too happy about the plan at all, well he would've been, had it not been for one small detail. You were on the ground team. You couldn't fly, but you were one hell of a combat fighter and highly skilled in weaponry. It seemed like a no brainer to have you on the ground team, but it was dangerous, and he didn't like that you'd be somewhere he couldn't keep an eye on you.

But there was nothing he could do about it now. Because now he was in an X-wing, dodging blasts and talking his team through their procedures. The ground team had been deployed onto the command ship to take out its navigation system, you and Finn leading.

The battle was brutal, there were about four times as many stormtroopers as there were resistance ground fighters. It was starting to become nearly impossible to gain any ground with the amount of shots from blasters flying through the air.

You, Finn, and Jannah crouched behind a metal structure, trying to take cover. "We need to get to that tower! Finn yelled over the commotion surrounding the three of you. You glanced at the explosives strapped to Finn's chest, an idea popping into your head.

"Give me all the explosives you have!" Finn and Jannah didn't even question you, handing over their chest straps without hesitation.

"If we blow their main control panel we can shut down their navigation tower. Can you cover me?" You explained.

"You can't go alone!" Finn argued, not liking the idea.

"I'm fast, I can make it to the tower as long as you cover me!"

"I say we do it," Jannah spoke up. You gave Jannah a small smile, happy she was on your side. Finn let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine," he grumbled, "Just please be careful."

You nodded to Finn as he hesitantly handed over his explosives belt. "Cover me on three. One. Two. Three!"

You jumped up from behind your hiding spot, swiftly maneuvering your way around the ship's deck, dodging blasters and stormtroopers left and right. Finn and Jannah managed to land a few shots, fending off more stormtroopers from you.

You were nearly to the port which housed the main control panel when a crackling in your ear drew your attention. "Finn! You gotta get that ship's navigation offline!" Poe's voice broadcast over the ear-comms.

"I know! Y/N's about to blow their main control panel!" He responded, before shooting down another trooper that was sneaking behind you. You refused to stop moving, weaving your way around the troopers and shooting the few you couldn't avoid.

"I'm sorry, she's what? Alone?" Poe didn't sound too happy. "Y/N that's too dangerous!"

You rolled eyes, "I can handle myself, I'm nearly there!"

You hated that the entire resistance was hearing your little dispute, but the comms were all connected, and Poe hadn't bothered to switch to a private channel. "Go back now! I'm not losing over this half-assed plan, there's a better way!"

"This isn't your decision Poe!" You snapped, tired of him telling you what to do. You heard him mutter a few frustrated choice words into the comms. Despite his protests, you ended up reaching the port that held the controls. Jannah and Finn surrounded you as you opened the latch and dropped all but one of the explosives into the hole.

"I'm about to detonate, go!" You yelled over the commotion to Finn and Jannah. They both looked back at you before hesitantly taking cover, they knew better than to argue.

"I'm about the blow the tower offline, now's our chance," you spoke over the comms to the resistance. You switched on the last explosive, its blinking red light letting you know it was active. You dropped it into the hole along with the other explosives and shut the port.

You scrambled to your feet and started moving as quickly as you could to get away from the explosion that was sure to come. You only made it a couple of meters before a sharp impact to the side of your head sent you to the ground. A stormtrooper towered over you, his blaster trained on you.

"Rebel scum," he scoffed, his voice modulator making him sound cold and robotic. However, before he had a chance to pull the trigger, a loud noise rattled the ground, and a blaze of orange and red erupted from the control port.

You quickly curled into a ball with your back to the explosion, trying your best to protect yourself. You felt a few sharp stings on your arms and back, and then one sharp stab in your side. A large thud next to you alerted your attention. The stormtrooper from before was now on the ground, a crimson liquid pouring out from his unprotected neck.

You quickly crawled behind another ledge to get out of the main chaos of the battle. You clutched your side, feeling a warm and sticky liquid accumulate.

"You did it! The tower is down!" Poe's voice rang out over the comms, he was ecstatic. Your plan had worked, and now there was no way for the Final Order to escape Exogol.

You'd suffered a few scratches caused by shrapnel flying past, but the piece that was lodged into your side posed quite the threat. Blood wouldn't seem to stop flowing from the wound, and your mind was getting cloudier by the second.

"I'm hit," you spoke weakly into your comm, using all your strength as you tried to pull yourself up, failing miserably. Each attempt sending a wave of pain through your torso. "Finn, I need help, I'm losing blood fast." You knew he had to be close, your best bet was Finn getting you somewhere safe. However, it wasn't Finn who responded first.

"Y/N!?" Poe's voice was frazzled and panicked. "What do you mean you're hit, what happened?"

"Shrapnel from the explosion," you explained quickly, "Finn, I can't move I need you or Jannah!" You were becoming more desperate, the light airy feeling in your head growing.

"I see you, but there's troopers everywhere! I can't get to you!" Finn also sounded panicked. He searched desperately for any possible way to get to you, but each proved more difficult than the last. "Just hang on, I'm gonna find a way!"

"Finn get her out of there!" Poe barked, not exactly helping the situation. "I'm trying!" Finn yelled back.

A numb feeling washed over you, and suddenly the unbearable pain in your side started slowly dissipating. Shock fully took over as your body tried everything it could to make this as painless as possible, almost as if it knew you weren't gonna make it out of this. And oddly enough, your fear of death began to subside.

Up above you could see ships appearing throughout the sky. It looks like the Resistance's call for help hadn't gone unheard. A small smile graced your lips as you watched more and more ships arrive. Lando's voice came over the comms, as well as a few others, but one stuck out to you. Zorii. She was alive. There was an odd sense of relief as you realized Poe would be okay, he wouldn't be alone.

You shivered as you grew colder and colder, slowly accepting you might not make it out of this battle. "I-it's okay. . . It's okay." You muttered, slightly slurring your words together.

"Why does it sound like you're giving up?" Poe said worriedly. "J-Just hold on, you'll be fine-- Finn you need to hurry!"

"I know, I'm working on it!"

"I'm sorry, Poe," you said softly, not sure of the comms would pick of your voice or not. "I'm sorry I've been so weird lately I just-"

"Stop apologizing like you're going to die, you're fine!"

For a second, you thought about telling Poe how you felt, but that second passed just as quickly as it came to mind. You couldn't do that to him, you couldn't put that kind of guilt on him. He deserved to be happy, live the rest of his days out with Zorii and his friends.

"You'll be okay," you whispered out. It was intended for Poe, yet deep down you knew it was just your way of reassuring yourself.

You let your eyes flutter shut, taking in your last few seconds of consciousness. The words you heard next were barely audible, and truth be told you weren't positive it was even real. But the second they were spoken, darkness finally consumed you.

"Please don't leave me, Y/N.”

...

Your breath hitched and caught in your throat, causing your eyes to snap open as you gasped for air. Your head came in contact with a clear barrier, a loud thud echoing in the chamber you were encapsulated in. You immediately recognized the structure, it was the same one Finn rested in as he recovered from his fight against Kylo Ren.

Your fingers found the release lever inside of the contraption, pulling it. There was a soft hiss as the transparent, glass top hinged open. The second you sat up your head began to spin, and a horrible pain radiated from your side, along with a matching headache. You hunched over, curling into yourself as you let the pain subside. 'No more sudden movements,' you thought to yourself.

You cautiously stood up, your movements as slow as molasses. You eventually found some extra clothes in a nearby cabinet and changed into a pair of white sweatpants, a thin thermal t-shirt, and white slippers. As you changed you got a glance at the large white bandage covering your side. 

You felt disoriented, completely unaware of what day it was or what had even happened. In your confused state, you instinctively headed for the door. Opening the door, you stepped into an empty white hallway.

You'd been here before.

It suddenly clicked in your brain where you were, the resistance base. Though you were still confused as to how you ended up in the medical wing. Deciding the best way to get some answer was to find people, you made your way to the cantina. 

It seemed as though you’d picked the perfect destination, the cantina was bustling with humans and aliens alike. Many of them had bandaged legs, broken arms, and cuts and bruised all over their bodies, yet all of them were smiling and laughing. Your eyes scanned the room, looking for someone you knew could give you answers.

Your eyes landed on a table in the center of the room. Rey, Finn, Rose, and Poe all sat together, and while most of them were smiling and talking enthusiastically, it was Poe who held a certain sadness in his features. His lips were set in a thin line, the corners of them drooping down ever so slightly, and he looked tired, exhausted even. He had a small cut on his forehead, but other than that he was generally unharmed.

Your feet started moving on your own, carrying you over to the table where your friends sat, yet none of them had noticed you in the crowded room. However, as you got closer Rey perked up from her slouched position, fully alert. Finn, Poe, and Rose all gave her weird looks. She whipped her head around to face you, causing the others to draw their attention your way as well. You watched as each of their facial expressions melted into one’s of pure shock and confusion. However, it was Poe who reacted first; standing up abruptly, his metal chair making an awful scraping noise as he did so. 

His pace was slow at first, but soon enough it turned to a light jog as he closed the distance between the two of you. Your lips parted to ask him what the hell you’d missed, but before you had the chance, you were completely engulfed in his arms. One of his arms crossed you back, his hand resting just below your shoulder, and held the back of your head with his other hand. You didn’t react at first, completely caught off guard, but eventually, you snaked your arms around his waist, burying your face in his chest.

“You’re awake?” He whispered in disbelief, “How long ago did you wake up?” 

You gently pulled away from the hug to talk to him properly. You shrugged, “Five-ish minutes?”

By now Finn, Rey, and Rose had made their way from their table over to you and Poe. “Do you remember what happened? The war?” Finn pressed, yet his voice was soft and comforting. You were about to ask what he was talking about but the second you opened your mouth it was like a switch flipped in your brain.

Zorii. The war. Blowing the tower. Getting hit. The pain.

You nodded your head hesitantly, “I-I think so? How long has it been since. . ?” 

“Two days,” Poe said, his voice slightly pitchy with emotion.

“Y/N. . .We won!” Rey’s voice was breathy and full of hope, “Because you blew up that tower!”

“And almost died.” Poe spat out matter of factly. His tone wasn’t aggressive, but you could tell there was a hint of anger in his words. Angry at the First Order. Angry at himself for not doing more. Angry at you for being so reckless.

“I did what had to be done, they were picking us off like flies,” You explained as the memories resurfaced. 

“Do you have any idea what I would’ve done had you died? Do you have any idea what that would have done to me?” Poe’s raised voice began to draw the attention of more than a few others. The added looks and attention made you feel a bit self-conscious.

“The Resistance is bigger the individual, we both agreed that its cause comes before ourselves-”

“Yeah well, not when it comes to you!”

You and Poe locked eyes in silence as his chest heaved with heavy and emotion-filled breaths. His eyes were red and had a glossy sheen over them. You searched Poe’s face for any hint as to what exactly he meant, but all you could see was anguish. “I don’t understand . . .” you whispered.

Poe took in a deep breath, “I love you,” he hesitantly mumbled out. “I don’t care if telling you makes things weird or if you don’t feel the same I just- you almost died. And all I could think about is how you’d never know how I really felt and I saw how empty my life would be if I didn’t have you in it. So yeah, when it comes to you, fuck everything else, fuck all of it. Cause it all means nothing if I don’t have you.”

You weren’t quite sure how to react. Part of you wanted to jump into his arms and never let go, but the other part of thought about Zorii and what you heard on the roof. Poe’s face started to fall as you just stared at him, completely unreadable. You noticed his shift in demeanor, and you knew you had to do something, you couldn’t let him think you didn’t feel the same. 

Before you knew it, you were moving. Your hands found their way to Poe’s face, pulling him down as you stood on your toes. Your lips met his gently, which was surprising considering how long you’d been wanting to kiss the man. Poe reacted immediately, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you in closer to him. 

“Maker’s sake, finally,” you heard Finn mutter under his breath, causing both you and Poe to laugh, breaking the kiss. 

“I hope that means you feel the same,” Poe grinned, back to his charming and confident self. You rolled your eyes, “What, you want more proof?”

Poe shrugged, “I definitely wouldn’t mind a little more.”

“I love you, Poe Dameron,” You whispered, smiling up at him. His grin grew, “I love you too, I always have.”

[exhaustedfander]

“Don’t Tell Janus” [Moceit]

This is based on a textpost I saw of drunk Patton telling Janus that he loved him then asking him not to tell Janus. I thought that was such a fun idea so I had to run with it. This gets kinda horny at the end, but there’s no smut. I’d love to hear what you guys think! 

Word count: 3,797

A03 link

Seeing Patton intoxicated was a fairly new development in their friendship. It’s an odd thing to think about, all that’ve changed in the last few months. Janus had been more than a little surprised that Thomas had accepted him, but Patton? The physical embodiment of morality? He’d never been foolish enough to hope for such things.

Janus and Patton’s relationship had been fairly messy for most of their existence. When they were children things were far simpler, but even then, there was opposition. Janus had never gone far enough to claim outright hatred for Patton, not even when he might’ve deserved to do so. It was hard, even when they were so bitter to one another, to claim to hate someone who was usually so kind, so bubbly and full of positivity. There were instances where he’d longed to despise him, but there was always something about Patton that was so likeable and soft, despite what he tried to see.

For years he’d tried, in vain, to win Patton over to his side. Eventually he’d given up, determined to gain some kind of influence in Thomas’s life even if he did so despise by the others. In the end, it took Patton having a frog-related meltdown in order for things to finally sink in. Janus’s importance and everything he represented, as it turned out, was far more nuanced than Patton had ever allowed himself to consider.

Janus hadn’t expected Patton’s acceptance of him, much less his friendship. He had apologized to Janus for all of the hurt he’d caused him just as he’d apologized to Thomas. Janus had tried to rebel against it and not accept it so easily, but he couldn’t help himself. The way that Patton said it, so genuinely, explaining that he felt so awful for all that he’d put him through and that from there on out he wanted to include him more. For the love of God, Patton had hugged him, tucking him into a tight embrace and promising he’d do better by him with tears in his eyes, like he was devastated for the animosity that had festered between them.

And this wasn’t without consequences for the moral side, either. Things between him and Roman had been fractured to say the least, recently. It wasn’t like Roman and Janus were on any better footing; the princely side had been avoiding him like the plague ever since their sharing of rather unkind words. Quite the opposite, Patton had been seeking him out quite a lot.

Chats in the common room between them were beginning to become fairly routine, as strange as that was to admit. Janus was now invited to movie nights and for meals, even to the distain of others. He and Virgil certainly weren’t in the best place and he had been spending even more time with Roman recently to avoid him. Janus couldn’t believe that Patton would be willing to sacrifice so much to spend time with him. It just didn’t make sense.

It wasn’t as though he was complaining. His time spent with Patton was cherished and something he was growing to enjoy more and more as time went on. Janus was growing quite fond of the moral side, maybe more so that he’d like to admit.

He was by no means used to the physical contact that Patton provided him. Embraces were becoming very common, and in all honesty, Janus still wasn’t used to it at all. Being wrapped up in Patton’s arms, feeling far too safe, too warm. It spelled trouble, the way such things made him feel. But who was he to deny Patton a hug or two?

He should’ve. Surely, it would’ve staved off so much heartbreak if he’d been a litter firmer, more distant. If he had been an acquaintance rather than a friend, someone who was of little importance to Patton but played a role in his life nonetheless. For a long time he’d considered Patton a coworker, just as he considered the others to some extent, but things were shifting. He couldn’t call Patton that now; not after everything that had recently occurred.

Physical-contact was one thing but seeing Patton drunk was another entirely. Janus had been fairly surprised to find out that Patton liked to unwind with a glass of wine at the end of the day sometimes just as he did. As it turned out, he didn’t like to drink in front of the others, opting to do so when everyone else had gone to bed.

When Janus asked why, Patton had simply responded, bubbly as ever: “Oh I just get a little silly when I’ve had something to drink is all.” At the time, Janus had assumed that would be the end of it. If Patton didn’t feel comfortable drinking around the others than it was very doubtful he would behave any differently around Janus.

Except on Janus’s search for a late-night cup of tea he found Patton leaning against the kitchen counter, nursing half a glass of wine. He was about to turn on his heel and leave without his beverage before Patton spotted him and grinned wide as ever.

“Jan! C’mer, come talk with me!” Patton invited cheerily, his voice a touch too loud for the time of night. Janus considered leaving. Would keeping Patton company be rude, considering what he’d said? But then again…he’d offered him his company, rather enthusiastically in fact. And the idea of turning Patton down and upsetting him rather than staying for a while was far more unappealing.

“Hello, Patton,” Janus said as he strode into the kitchen and stood beside the moral side.

“Hey – you want some?” Patton said, gesturing to the bottle of wine sitting on the counter. Janus thought about it for a moment, noticing how Patton’s cheeks were already a tough too pink before deciding a little wouldn’t hurt.

“Sure, I suppose a glass would be fine.” Patton smiled at that, grabbing a wine-glass from the cabinet and providing a generous pour before handing it to Janus.

“Thank you,” Janus said, holding the glass to his lip and taking a dainty sip. Janus felt Patton’s eyes on him in a way he couldn’t ever recall them being. He was practically beaming on him, staring not with any kind of distaste but what Janus could only identify as unabashed fondness. The very idea was terrifying.

“So, do you do this often?” Janus asked, hoping the question might get Patton to stop staring at him like that, “Have a late-night drink, that is?” Patton shook his head, the action more forceful than necessary.

“Not too terribly often, no. Just something to take the edge of, y’know?” Patton said, taking a sip long enough to drain the rest of the glass. Janus noticed the way Patton’s hand trembled as he poured himself a second.

Ah, Patton was a lightweight, then. That explained why he didn’t like to have the others watch him while under the influence. To them, he was to some extent a father-figure and one who always wanted to do right by his “kiddos.” Perhaps he thought that being drunk and saying something “silly,” as he’d phrased it, could disrupt that somehow. Why, then, would he allow Janus to be with him now?

“I do,” Janus said, turning the words over in his mind. It was interesting to consider, Patton wanting to take the edge of. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t thought that Patton had just as many problems or stressors as the rest of them, it was just odd to contemplate, the fact that Patton was even telling him.

“And drinking alone helps? It takes the edge off?” Janus didn’t mean to sound cruel. It was just…sad to think about, really. Patton being too embarrassed to relax in front of the others, feeling like he could only do so by himself. Patton shrugged, the deep red liquid nearly sloshing out of his glass.

“I mean…yeah. It’s not always ideal – but that’s why it’s nice having a friend like you around! A drinking buddy!” Janus laughed at Patton’s enthusiasm, as well as at the idea that his presence was making Patton comfortable. That was reassuring, considering how long they’d had a distaste for one-another.

“Well then I’m happy to be of service,” Janus replied, only to find Patton clapping him on the back a touch too hard for his liking, the wine sloshing in his hand.

“Don’t say it like that. you’re not “of service” you’re – we’re friends. You’re my friend, I like having you around. I wish we’d been doing this years ago,” Patton said, sorrow blanked beneath the slight slur of his voice.

“I enjoy your company, too, Pat,” Janus said honestly, maybe too honestly, laughing fondly as he watched Patton set his glass down and hoist himself up so that he could sit on the counter.

“Oh! I see why Virgil likes this, sitting up here. And now I can do this,” Patton said with a giggle, reaching out and pulling Janus into a tight embrace, his legs wrapping around his waist. Janus stiffened, feeling every muscle in his body tense up. Patton was already incredibly affectionate while sober, but this? This was overwhelming, terrifying, even. Janus became hyper-aware of how hard his heart was beating, knowing it would be impossible for Patton to miss it what with him burying his face into his chest.

“Mm, you’re warm, an’ comfy, too. I like hugging you, Janny. Coulda been hugging you so long ago…” Patton had certainly never called Janus “Janny” before.

Patton trailed off, snuggling against him. Janus sighed, wrapping his arms around Patton’s shoulders and returning the embrace, despite the fear that was bubbling up in him. It was greedy, accepting this while Patton’s in such a state. He’d never be this outwardly affectionate if not for the alcohol, certainly not with Janus. Janus could feel the heat radiating off of the moral side as he peeked up from his chest and rested a hand on the left side of his face. Janus shuddered.

“Smooth, they’re smooth,” Patton said with a loopy smile, running his fingers along the scales slowly, “I always wanted to touch em. Can I touch em?”

“You already are, Patton,” Janus pointed out, not that it seemed like Patton was registering it.

“They’re cold, too. It feels so nice. And pretty. Have I ever told you how pretty your scales are, Janny?” Patton could feel the blood draining from his face, uncertain under Patton’s burning gaze.

“Uh – yes. Yes, I think you might’ve mentioned that,” Janus lied lamely, hoping it gets Patton to drop the issue. Patton shook his head.

“Nu-uh, I would have remembered that! Your scales are scalerific! Or something like that…” As it turned out, Patton’s sense of humor didn’t transfer over too well when he was intoxicated. Patton gasped as he lost his grip around Janus, nearly falling forward before Janus caught him and set him on his feet.

“I think it’s best that you go to bed,” Janus advised, taking the glass from Patton and allowing Patton to lean on him, his form noticeably trembling, “We wouldn’t want you to fall down, now would we?” Patton sighed.

"I guess not, but I must say I’m already falling for you,” Patton said, followed by a hiccup, “Gosh my head’s fuzzy…” Janus’s heartrate spiked at the joke, thinking, for a fleeting moment, what if? But such things were dangerous, and he knew that. Patton was drunk, and nothing he has to say should be taken too seriously.

Janus helped Patton down the hallway and into his bed, removing Patton’s shoes and cardigan. He snapped his fingers, placing Patton in a set of pale blue pajamas. It wasn’t anything Janus had ever imagined himself doing, tucking morality into bed, and yet here he was nearly losing his nerve enough to give him a goodnight kiss.

Janus had simply meant to help Patton to his room, but before he knew it he was tucking the blankets over him and placing a glass of water on the nightstand as well as some headache medication for the morning. He was about to get up and leave the room when Patton spoke, voice thick with exhaustion.

“You know, I like Janus. He’s so beautiful…” Janus froze, standing near Patton’s bedside, thankful he’d already shut the lights out.

“What are you –.”

“I love him.” The statement punched the air out of his lungs, nearly leaving him gasping for air. There was such a genuine, lovesick tone to Patton’s voice, as though he’d contemplated the notion of loving Janus for a long time and it was something he believed with the utmost sincerity.

“Don’t tell him, okay?” Janus didn’t know who Patton was convinced he was confiding in, he didn’t want to know. He needed to leave now, he needed to lie under the blankets and pray the memory away.

“Okay, Pat. I won’t.” Janus said breathlessly, walking to the door and shutting it. Janus’s back collided with the door as he slid to the floor, blinking back tears.

=+=

Janus slept very poorly through the night. Even in his fleeting moments of unconsciousness he was haunted by what Patton had said. I love him. he could still feel Patton’s hand against, the strangest mix of burning fire and tenderness he’d ever experienced. He should’ve left the kitchen when he found Patton, he shouldn’t have entertained his company, for God’s sake he shouldn’t have been stupid enough to fall for him.

Janus heard the sound of the others bustling around the kitchen and common room, but he stayed in bed, wondering how missed he would be if he just hid in his room for eternity. Surely if he tried it Remus would barge in and bother him, or Logan would tell him that he was being unproductive and not cooperating, or Virgil would make fun of him for being so useless, or Paton –

He couldn’t think about what Patton might do.

He would stay here until he had the strength to leave and face anyone, to face Patton. That might take a millennium.

There were knocks on his door that went unanswered. Whoever was on the other end didn’t seem to care enough to check on him, which was just fine as far as Janus was considered. This was punishment for the fact that he’d been foolish enough to endear himself to Patton and he was paying a price most severe. For so long now he’d been ignoring the dull ache in his chest whenever Patton was around, but it could go unaddressed no longer. Not when the spark of a flame had become an inferno.

It was not a strict necessity for a side to eat, so Janus went without meals, deciding instead to stew in his misery. He’d been torturing himself in Patton’s presence, he realized somberly. Every brush against him, every embrace, every moment shared together hurt him a little deeper until those three little words drove him to agony.

This pain would eat him from the inside. Janus had wondered occasionally what it might feel like to be in love in the past. He’d never imagined it would be such a detrimental pain and he pitied those who sought it out. He pitied himself.

“Janus?” Patton’s soft voice on the other side of the door startled Janus out of a trance, disgusted to realize he’d been crying. Janus scrubbed at his face, untangling himself from the bedsheets.

“I haven’t seen you at all since…well, I’m worried. Can I come in?” Janus felt his pulse hammering in his ear, praying that Patton would leave him rot.

"No, I’m – I don’t want any company right now, thanks.” He cursed the weakness his voice betrayed. Since when had he been so pitiful?

"Janus, you’re hurting. I know you are, and I want to help, if I can. Please, let me in?” Janus sighed in defeat, knowing Patton’s persistence and damned good heart wouldn’t allow him to leave well enough alone. He’d stay there until Janus let him in, no matter how long that took. Keeping him waiting would only be staving off the inevitable.

Janus trudged to the door, pulling it back to reveal a terribly concerned looking Patton.

“I’m fine, Pat, nothing to concern yourself with,” Janus muttered, wondering how he’d ever been known as Deceit considering how abysmal that lie was.

“No you aren’t,” Patton said, his voice soft and sad, “I can see you’ve been crying…Jan, please, tell me what’s going on? Or don’t, if you don’t want to. I don’t want to pressure you it’s just…I’ve been really worried and trying to give you space but then you didn’t come out of your room for so long and I just…I had to come and check on you.” Janus sighed, walking to his bed and all but collapsing onto it. Patton sighed as he shut the door and sat beside him.

“I’ve done something to upset you, haven’t I?” Patton asked after a moment of bitter silence. Janus exhaled, his eyes landing on the floor.

“It’s not your fault. You don’t need to worry about it.” Patton shook his head, gingerly placing a hand on Janus’s shoulder, reminding him ever too much of how touchy-feely he’d been. “Of course I need to worry. I’m so sorry for whatever I said to you, Janus. I can’t even imagine; that’s exactly why I don’t like to drink in front of anyone. I get so silly. Gosh, I remember I touched your scales…I’m really sorry. I didn’t even ask, I was so rude.” Janus wondered if this would be his demise? Patton’s kindness, his apologetic nature despite the fact he clearly didn’t remember the things he’d said, didn’t mean them.

“It’s fine. As I said, you don’t need to worry about it. I know you didn’t mean it anyway.” And if Janus had ever had an oh shit moment in all his life, this was definitely it. Patton cocked his head, his grip on his shoulder tightening just barely.

“Didn’t mean it? Janus what – what did I tell you?” Janus swatted Patton’s hand away, half-expecting to demand Patton leave his room at any time now. He couldn’t take this kind of love, he hadn’t been built to carry it and at this rate he was bound to break down.

“Patton please, just don’t.”

“Jan, what did I tell you? I can see that you’re hurting. I don’t want to hurt you ever again. Please don’t let me hurt you.”

Janus cursed himself as he felt the tears welling up behind his eyes again, wondering when he’d gotten to be so soft. The others would laugh knowing he’d become so infiltrated with sentimentality and longing; he used to be so much stronger before this love.

“You…” he swallowed, wondering if half of the truth might suffice, “you said my scales were pretty. And you, uh, called me Janny, which you don’t usually do. That’s all.” After an uncomfortable moment of silence Janus dared to meet Patton’s eyes, finding, to his surprise, a great deal of terror flickering in them.

“That isn’t all, though, is it? I told you…didn’t I?” “Told me what?” Janus asked dumbly. He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t mean it…there was just no way.

“Oh my gosh, I did. I thought it had been a dream,” Patton said quickly, his voice pained, “And now I’ve made you uncomfortable. I was so excited we were finally friends, and I’ve gone and ruined it.” Janus’s mind was ringing out with What if’s and Maybe’s, the tiniest bit of hope welling inside of him. Patton seemed so frightened and sad, and despite all that he’d been feeling, it was horrible to see Patton in a similar state.

“Patton…the thing you told me, the thing you asked me to promise not tell, well, myself? Did…did you mean it?” Patton’s eyes finally met his again, glossy and wide.

“With all my heart.” And that, it seemed, was all it took to cut Janus lose from his nerves. He cupped Patton’s face in his hands, the skin warm and faintly pink with a blush.

“Me too,” Janus said finally, smiling wider than he had in what seemed like forever. Their lips connected hesitantly, just a brush before Janus felt Patton relax into the embrace, digging his fingers into his hair and pulling him closer. Janus hummed against Patton’s lips as the moral side depended the kiss, edging on desperate. The pair collapsed onto the bed, a tangle of limbs sharing frenzied, passionate kisses Janus hadn’t even dared to dream about before. Even if he had, this surely would’ve exceeded all expectations.

“I love you, Janny,” Patton said breathlessly as they parted pulling him close, “I really, really love you.”

“I love you too, Pat,” Janus gasped as Patton pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his pulse-point, his mind still reeling, feeling Patton’s hands on him. “I never thought – I mean, considering how things were for so long. Fuck, I’ve got to get you drunk again, I’d love to hear what else you have to say.”

“Language, sweetheart,” Patton scolded, peppering Janus’s neck with kisses that were going to be hard enough to leave a mark if he kept at it. Janus hoped he kept at it.

“You really think they’re pretty? My scales, I mean. Not – not that I care.” Patton giggled, moving so that he was straddling Janus and pushing him down into the mattress.

“Of course I do, cutie,” Patton said, pressing a kiss to the left side of Janus’s face, earning a moan from the deceitful side because, damn, he’d never imagined that would feel as good as it did. He ran his hand along the smooth scales slowly, stopping when he’d reached the collar of his shirt. “How far down your body do your scales go?” Janus arched his back to capture Patton’s lips in a burning kiss.

“Only one way to find out.” Patton grinned more mischievously than he’d ever imagined was possible.

“Oh, that sounds like an exscalent idea,” Patton said, barely giving Janus enough time to register the pun before his hands were on him again and Janus was very much doubting that this love would be his downfall. No, he would embrace this, nature these feelings as much as possible. Janus had never been one in favor of vulnerability but with Patton, he was fairly certain he’d bear every ugly, wretched part of his soul if it meant he could have him.

Janus would always be thankful he’d walked in on Patton in the kitchen, thinking of all he’d be missing out on if he hadn’t.

=+=

[lettheladylead]

avoid the unhappy ending (ch7)

ships/characters: Goldie, Della, Scrooge/Goldie words (ch7): ~2100 summary: Goldie comes to town to see Scrooge. Instead, she somehow manages to run into literally everyone else. ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27108943/

[1 & 2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Chapter 7 under the cut:

Avoiding Beakley was a little more difficult than anticipated when they were on the same floor of the same house. In retrospect, Goldie realized that Bentina probably knew she was there. How could she not? The red triplet knew a lot of things he couldn’t have known unless the kids were texting each other all afternoon and surely she was on some kind of text chain.

Eh. If she knew, Goldie would probably be the hunt of the day. Instead she was able to wander about freely, making her way towards the garage where Scrooge kept a lot of his treasures. Everytime she was there it seemed to be missing things that were there before. But at least there were always new trinkets to look at!

She looked around as she stepped down the hallway, taking in all the photos and paintings lining the walls. Scrooge was so narcissistic. How many times could someone commission their own face before getting tired? And did he pose for all of them? Absolutely ridiculous.

A certain painting caught her eye and Goldie paused in her walk to really take a look at it. She stepped closer and brought a hand up to the image, feeling a nostalgic warmth in her chest as she rubbed her finger along the edge of his face.

It was Scrooge back in the Klondike - probably only a few years after they’d first met. Not too different from the photo she kept in her wallet.

He was very handsome back then. She hated to admit how much it struck her, that underneath all that dirt and grime and sour roughness he had the cutest face she’d ever seen - but Goldie was taken the first moment she saw him. It didn’t stop her from drugging and robbing him, sure, but he was the only sourdough that made her hesitate.

It’d been a few minutes before Goldie realized she was just standing there, staring at this painting and reminiscing like an old fool. She blushed, glad no one was around to see, and continued on her journey down the hall.

This house had so many distractions. No wonder Scrooge just wandered around, lost in his memories all the time. Her place was kept much neater - things she wanted to remember were kept in a box or her wallet so she would have to seek them out if she wanted to reminisce. Just another in a long list of reasons why she didn’t like being here for too long.

The door ahead of her was open wide and Goldie could clearly hear the sound of someone struggling with...something. It didn’t sound like Scrooge, but she wasn’t sure who it was.

A few steps forward, a turn around the corner, and three steps down the stairs and Goldie was inside the cramped little room. There weren’t as many treasures in it as last time - maybe Scrooge moved them somewhere else? - but directly in her line of sight was a duck she hadn’t seen in a long time trying to move a heavy-looking box by pushing it with her back.

Goldie smirked, feeling a sparkle to her eyes that she was very embarrassed about. Before Louie, she’d never gotten attached to any of Scrooge’s kids. He specifically asked her not to, several times, because he didn’t want her hurting them. A painful insinuation, but he was right. She would’ve treated them just the same as him, and kids can’t handle that kind of drama.

That being said, she always liked Donald and Della. They were funny, they were different, and they were very annoying. But in a good way! Donald was whiny and loved to complain about his family. Della was crazy and high-flying and always took her jokes too far. Goldie didn’t imagine they thought very highly of her, considering the way she treated their uncle. But despite their lack of closeness, Della confided in Goldie when she first realized she was pregnant.

“You’ve known Uncle Scrooge longer than anyone,” she’d said quietly. “...do you think he’ll be mad? Disappointed?”

Goldie had barely known what to say to her then, mostly feeling bad that her mother wasn’t around to help in this kind of situation (or any other adult women, really). She knew what she would’ve done herself and what she would’ve said to the girls she used to work with back at the saloon. But this was different. This girl wasn’t her friend and wasn’t scared of motherhood - she was just entering unfamiliar territory.

“He’ll be more excited than you’ve ever seen him, trust me.”

Shaking off another spell of nostalgia, Goldie hurried over to help the younger duck with the big box in her hands, tugging at it while she pushed. Her shoulder stung at the pressure, but she wanted to make a fun entrance.

“Hey, thanks!” Della said, without looking back.

Goldie wondered who she thought was helping her. “No problem, Fly Girl.”

“Heh,” Della stopped for a second. “No one’s called me that since -”

She stopped and finally turned, taking in the smirking face staring right at her. Her fingers gripped at the top of the box tightly and her eyes started to sparkle. And then they stopped sparkling and she glared. And then they sparkled again.

Goldie raised an eyebrow. Internal dilemma?

“Aunt Goldie!” Della yelped, lifting herself over the box and slamming into Goldie - knocking them both to the ground.

Goldie took the brunt of the impact, letting out a loud OOF! as Della squeezed her tight and made her poor shoulder flare up. She didn’t get a chance to hug back before the younger duck pulled away and stood back up, her metal leg clanging on the hard floor.

“Sorry, sorry,” Della said softly, standing back up. “What’s up? What’re you doing here? What are you stealing?”

Goldie sat up straight, taking a moment to stare at Della’s leg. She knew she’d returned, but no one had really shared any details. This seemed like one of those big details that deserved to be shared, but maybe everyone was just used to it already. She started to push herself up when Della leaned over and helped her stand.

“Hey, hey,” Goldie brushed her hands off. “I’m not that old just yet.”

Della laughed and pulled her hands back. “Oh no, of course not! You’re a million years old, but somehow younger looking than you were before I disappeared.”

“Hilarious.” She crossed her arms over her chest, not really offended. “You sound exactly like one of your kids.”

That immediately brought a sparkle to Della’s eyes. “Yeah? That’s what Donald says, too!” She leaned on the box and smiled. “And Uncle Scrooge.”

Goldie smiled despite herself and Della felt a warm nostalgia brush over her. “So are you here to see Scrooge? I’m kind of glad you guys are still doing this whatever-it-is-you’re-doing thing. So many things changed while I was gone, it's nice to have some consistency!”

Ignoring the question, Goldie leaned against the shelf behind her. “I didn’t come around too much while you were away. Scrooge was always so depressed, it wasn’t any fun to tease him.”

Della grimaced and sighed, turning away. “...yeah. So I’ve heard.”

There was an awkward silence for a few moments that Goldie fully acknowledged was her own fault. She bit the inside of her cheek and cleared her throat. “Well, um. Yes, I guess we’re still doing whatever this is.”

“No labels, yet?” Della’s mood did a 180. “But you didn’t object when I called you Aunt Goldie this time! What’s that about?”

Goldie scoffed. “I was a little distracted by you plowing me into the ground.”

Della just smiled bigger. “Still not objecting!”

Goldie didn’t look at her and opted to focus on playing with her hair. She hummed. “...I’ve never really minded it that much. It’s cute.”

“Do the kids call you Aunt?” She lifted herself up, sitting fully on top of the box. “You said I sound like them. You’ve spent time with them, then?”

“Don’t get too excited.” Goldie pushed herself off the shelf, standing up straight and stretching her arms. “I spent a day with Sharp-, er, with...ah, Louie. But not the others.” The name felt foreign on her tongue.

Della excitedly tapped the box lid. “Were you going to call him Sharpie?” She laughed. “You’ve gotten a lot less creative with nicknames over the years.”

“I don’t know if Fly Girl is all that creative, either,” Goldie said with a smirk and walked closer to the box, leaning against the side of it.

There was a light clang as Della swung her legs back and forth. “No one appreciates my great names,” she said proudly. “The boys were supposed to have much cooler names! And they’re calling my Cloudslayer the Sunchaser? Like, what’s up with that?”

“What were those names?”

“Jet, Turbo, and Rebel!”

Goldie silently blinked at her. “Um…yeah. Fantastic names.”

“Thanks!” Della smiled brightly, still not accustomed to sarcasm after being alone for so long. “Donald’s picks are just so old-fashioned.”

“Personally, I’m a fan of old fashioned.”

“Yeah, well, when you live through it, it makes sense to get attached!” Della laughed and swung her legs again.

The metal sound caught Goldie’s eye and she glanced down again, though this time Della took notice.

“You haven’t asked me about my leg yet.”

“I was trying to be polite,” Goldie said with a frown. “What happened?”

“Lost it on the moon,” she responded, looking off at nothing while she spoke. “It was the second most painful experience of my life, and I’m lucky I knew enough about robotics to build myself this sucker in only a few months. I don’t know how well I would’ve done if I wasn’t able to move around, y’know?” Della reached down and twisted off her prosthetic, holding it in front of her to point at different parts while she spoke. “This joint was the worst, took me almost two straight weeks to figure out what I was doing wrong. And now that I’m back, Gyro’s been offering to tweak the design, and he kind of owes me for the stupid licorice gum, but I like how I made it! And, of course, according to Junior Woodchuck Rule #42, something made right doesn’t need any tweaking. Though some upgrades might be cool.”

Goldie stared down at the metal limb and hummed. “I’m impressed. In all my years adventuring, I’ve never lost a limb, but I don’t know if I’d bounce back from that the way you did.”

“Yeah, well, I had to get back to my boys!” She twisted her leg back on and stretched it out. “You know how it is.”

“I really don’t,” Goldie said with an eye roll.

“Hmmm.” Della adjusted herself, moving her legs on top of the box and sitting on them. “Don’t you have anyone in particular you think about during life or death situations? That’s the feeling I had. That I couldn’t die ‘cause I had to get back to them no matter what.”

The blonde stared down, looking at the gray concrete of the floor and thinking. Of course there was a person - one particular person - who her mind drifted to when she thought about survival. But it wasn’t just about seeing him again...she was inspired by him and his ability to make it through anything thrown his way. He survived so much on his own and she struggled to accept when he started needing help. Della’s lovey dovey family monologue was just reminding her of how long it took her to adjust to Scrooge’s family suddenly being a part of his life.

She stood up straight and put a hand on her hips. “I don’t know if everyone can identify with that. But I’m glad it helped you come back in one piece.”

Della smiled, completely aware of the long pause Goldie took before answering. She always liked Goldie - didn’t trust her, would never fully trust her - but she liked her a lot. Even when she showed up just to ruin things or piss Scrooge off, there was always a little spark of warmth at the knowledge that she’d be back eventually.

“So…” Della tapped her hands against her thighs. “You never said why you’re here.”

“Right,” Goldie sighed and brushed some hair out of her face. “Looking for your uncle. Have you seen him?”

“As expected,” the younger duck responded with another bright smile. “Did you check his study?”

“His study?” Goldie frowned and thought about the path of her day. “Of course I...er…” Did she check his study? The most obvious place he could possibly be? “...right. Thanks.”

Della laughed again, patting Goldie on the back. “Don’t sweat it! And hey, let us know if you’re staying for dinner! I’m sure Mrs. Beakley will be happy to make you a plate!”

Goldie grimaced as she headed back out the door. “Oh, sure. She’d love nothing more.”

“Okay, great!” Della waved as the door closed again.

[its-max-okay]

TWIST MY ARM || plot drop .o3

Thursday 22 October 2020; Afternoon. You are halfway through your shift when an emergency patient shows up at the Triage Center. His left arm from the elbow down is missing and the stump is bleeding heavily. He is also missing several of the fingers on his right hand. He has avoided answering any and all questions about how he received these injuries but after looking them over you’re fairly certain they were blown off by an explosive device, possibly one he was working on.

This patient is a Club Strongarm and has already paid the non-Spade fee for healing. 

Partway through an exhaustive anatomy study with a couple of the lower-ranked Emitters, Max might’ve been lowkey praying for something more exciting to happen. Even a sprained wrist from the training grounds could’ve spiced things up; she would’ve settled for a Command Sergeant Major with a papercut, quite frankly, but what she was ultimately delivered was much more of a handful than that.

There were two things Max was positive she should not be taking this much delight in: one, that her source of excitement was the fact that someone was horribly hurt; and two, that this was going to be her first real shot at attempting to regrow a patient’s limb. It was funny how reluctant people were to chop off so much as a finger for the sake of her practice. She couldn’t even talk Kev into it, and there was a lot he was willing to do for her.

Granted, she’d really have preferred her first go at this not be with the likes of a Strongarm, and a really fucking shifty one at that -- but beggars couldn’t be choosers, obviously, and Max wasn’t about to look a gift amputation in the mouth.

“Back right-hand room,” Max ordered, leaving little room for argument as she stepped to the side and pointed with conviction. The two propping the injured man up followed her lead without argument. A third Emitter started to fall into step, but Max caught her by the elbow to lean in and murmur, “I need you to sedate him. Put him all the way under. I don’t want him to move while I’m working, but I also don’t want him to wake up for a good while after I’m done.” Max raised her eyebrows meaningfully. “Understand?”

The woman’s eyes widened for a moment before she nodded, and quickly. “Yes, Sergeant Major.”

“You’re going to help him?” Kev murmured dubiously from where he hovered at her elbow, and Max hesitated only briefly before nodding.

“We’re obviously gonna need to get more information out of him, and I’m hoping nothing can guilt trip into answering questions like, hey, you ungrateful bitch, I grew your whole arm back; throw me a bone.” Kev only looked more dubious. Max shrugged, undeterred. “Anyway, come on. You’re gonna watch.”

Kev paled.

By the time Max brushed between the curtains to assess her newest patient, the man was already heavily sedated and his shirt cut back, the wound hastily cleaned but still bleeding. Kev made an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat that Max ignored, dragging a chair loudly from the corner to plant at the man’s side before cracking her knuckles.

This was liable to take a while.

‘Thick skin,’ she thought absently to herself, Anton’s words coming to mind as a slow sweep of her hand worked to stem the flow of blood, pinching together muscle fiber and flesh until she had a neater foundation to work on. The man’s skin didn’t look any thicker than it ought to -- and gods knew they all had a pretty clear view of that -- but as Max let her eyes unfocus and started to build on what was lost, she could feel a soft, stubborn resistance.

This was going to take a while.

The rest of the Triage center fell away. Max hadn’t even noticed if any of the other students had snuck in to watch, nor was she likely to notice if any additional emergencies felt like taking place beyond the sanctuary of their drawn curtain. She had one focus and one focus only, and that was unspooling thread after silvery thread from her core through her fingertips to fortify and pull together flesh and relentless bone. As before and as always he worked layer by layer, inside-out, taking breaks from the exhaustive thickness of his bones to fold softer layers of muscle and skin around them.

The longer she worked the heavier and heavier Max’s elbows leaned at the edge of the bed, shoulders sagging and breaths growing shallow. She’d made it so far as the wrist, and while reworking the twin radius and ulna was a whole task in and of itself, the wrist was going to be a particular bitch. There were so many individual bones in such careful alignment -- and maybe this guy didn’t deserve full range of motion in his joints for whatever dumbass thing he’d done to land himself on their doorstep, but Max was going to give it to him, anyway. Maybe she’d leave it with a weird little click when it moved a certain way; something to remember her by.

‘Asclepius, give me strength.’ The thought -- the prayer -- was intrusive, unbidden, but the sentiment stood: if the Old God was watching, if he really cared enough about one foul-mouthed Emitter and the crystal core nestled deep inside her, he could spare half a minute’s attention.

Whether or not her god heard her, apparently Kev did. Maybe she’d accidentally murmured her prayer aloud or maybe she just looked especially rough; either way, she felt the young Healer’s hands settle gently, almost reluctantly, at her shoulders. Max drew a shaky breath through a ghost of a smile and dug her heels in.

She visualized the carefully penned anatomical structures in her father’s journals, ones she’s painstakingly copied and re-copied and committed to memory. Scaphoid. Lunate. Trapezium--

Max flinched even as her thumb formed and sculpted the next delicate piece of bone, feeling the edges of even her expanded core start to fray. She wanted a chance to push her new limits, and she was getting it -- she only hoped she wouldn’t find them before she was finished.

“Trapezoid. Capitate. Hamate. Triquetrum…” Max sucked in a breath, briefly interrupting the recitation she knew by heart, knew in her sleep. Kev’s fingers gave her shoulders a reluctant but fortifying squeeze. She continued. “Pisiform. Fuck.”

Nineteen delicate bones to go. ‘Could just make it five,’ she thought to herself with a wry, borderline delirious amusement as she continued. ‘Five weird finger-sticks…’ Max cut the thought off before she made herself laugh. The metacarpals and phalanges, at least, were relatively uniform and didn’t need to slot together so particularly and delicately as the carpals.

Max could feel her esophagus tightening as she smoothed new skin over more delicate knots of muscle. ‘That’s new,’ she noted distractedly, feeling as though the rough, fuzzy edges of her expanded core were starting to bleed into and lash out at what was closest in protest of its prolonged use. It was stronger, obviously, but more petulant -- much like its owner.

By the time Max had finished the left arm down to the fingertips and neat pink fingernails, her entire insides felt like they were sandpapered raw and rebelling against her. The problem was, she wasn’t quite done. They weren’t quite done.

“Other hand.”

“Max--” Kev started reluctantly, ever the last to attempt to school her on her limits.

“Other hand.”

Kev left her only long enough to step in and reach over the man’s body to grab his opposite hand, and Max took a measure of pride both in how quickly he moved and how little he balked at the charred stumps of fingers.

With the practice from the first under her belt and the better general shape it was in, Max made comparatively quick work of the Strongarm’s other hand and the remaining few fingers even as her breaths grew ragged and thin. She didn’t even have the energy to swear when she finished, which was telling -- her head simply bowed, eyes squeezed shut and prickling, before she pushed the man’s hand off of his stomach to flop back to the other side of the table.

Kev was saying something, either to her or those nearby, and while she couldn’t hear exactly what Max still felt the briefest, most exhausted surge of pride. He’d stuck it out, and better yet, he hadn’t puked over her shoulder.

She could feel his gawkish arms trying to guide her out of the chair, and Max moved with the touch and without complaint. “Alert the General,” she insisted blearily, leaning her weight into Kev as they made their way towards the opposite far corner where he could help her onto an empty cot. “I know he’s busy… but…” The Emitter struggled to focus as she stretched out, head sinking into the pillow with a prolonged exhale, feeling her muscles and organs shifting around the shrapnel edges of her depleted core. Her face twisted into a grimace, one that only relaxed with the weight of Kev’s hand on her shoulder again. “He doesn’t have to come, but someone’s gotta… tell him what happened… and who we got…”

The high Emitter fell quiet for a moment, eyes shut and apparently relaxed. Kev shifted uncomfortably at the side of the bed, and would’ve stepped away if she hadn’t suddenly grabbed the front of his uniform.

“And get me a goddamn sandwich.” A pause. “Please.”

[selenium-drive]

Stay Gold Chapter 9: Sacrifice

TW: Death, depictions of violence

Words: 12.4k

Series rating: Explicit

The remaining twenty minute long walk to the town under the rule of the Empire was filled with uneasy silence due to the nervousness the group felt about their spur of the moment plan, and the rising anxiety Aurelia felt the longer she was held "prisoner". Though they hated to admit it, Mando and Cara knew the visible discomfort she expressed made for a very convincing display of Mando himself and Aurelia as captured enemies. True unease was difficult to fake.

They approached the gates of the city where two Stormtroopers, one of which was lounging about on his speeder bike, guarded the entrance. "I have gifts for the boss," Karga motioned to both captive hunters. Aurelia did her best to stifle her nerves and keep her head down, remembering that she was indeed on a mission of great import. She doubted anyone from the Empire would know exactly who she was based on first glance; she herself had not interfered with Imperial affairs in the past, but her striking eyes had the potential be a dead giveaway as to what her bloodline was. She couldn't remember if Nevarro was one of the many planets her father had visited and included in his stories of victories against the Empire. If any of these Troopers stationed in this town had ever gone up against him, surely they wouldn't of even been kept alive to tell the tale. Still, word travels fast, especially when it comes to a problem that has to be dealt with. Her father and his crew had many, many enemies. It wouldn't surprise her if the warlord client once heard of a rebel Kage that used to meddle in their work. If that were the case, perhaps he would be able to recognize his daughter. After all, how many Kage lived outside the caves of Quarzite? Not many.

The Trooper posted at the gate scanned Karga's chain code and walked with them down the dusty streets crawling with even more Imperial soldiers. Both Cara and Aurelia couldn't help the burning hatred for such pests. It took all the self-discipline they had not to start picking off the mindless troops right then and there.

"You said four," Cara whispered harshly, her eyes darting from helmet to helmet of each enemy soldiers that passed by. "There are more than four Troopers."

"Four guarding the client," Karga fired back. "There are many more here in town. Things got really heated once Mando crashed the safe house."

"You did what?" Aurelia elbowed the Mandalorian walking alongside her.

"I told you before," he whispered, stooping down more to her level, "I wasn't proud that I took a job from an Imp. That, and they wanted to hurt the kid."

They turned into an alleyway, the sudden change from the wider, open street to a more private, closed off space making Aurelia more anxious than before. She wouldn't put it past the Stormtrooper guiding them to turn around and execute them here on the spot. They kept walking, however, until they reached a large wooden doorway near the end of the alley.

"Here we are," Karga said, beckoning them to follow him inside. The Trooper that led them to the meeting room joined up with three others who stood guarding an elegantly dressed elderly man. The Guild leader subtly nodded towards the rest of the soldiers in the room. "You see? Four."

Karga falsified the best smile he could. "Look what I brought you, as promised," he said triumphantly to the warlord, gesturing towards the Mandalorian and company.

The client approached Mando, extending his arm out to brush the back of his hand against the cool, polished steel chest plate and helmet. "What exquisite craftsmanship. It is amazing how beautiful beskar can be when forged by its ancestral artisans." He turned his attention back to Karga. "Can I offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?" Mando stood still; from an outsider's perspective, he would've appeared uncaring or laid back. Aurelia knew him better than that. She knew how dangerous Mando could be when he was deceptively calm. He hated the audacity of this man for thinking he could lay a putrid hand on his armor, even if he was the one who supplied the Mandalorian with the steel to craft it.

"Please sit," the client directed after eliciting a nod from Karga. "It is a shame that your people suffered so," the Imp continued, taking a seat at a nearby round table. "Just as in this situation, it was all avoidable. Why did Mandalore resist our expansion? The Empire improves every system it touches. Judge by any metric. Safety. Prosperity. Trade. Opportunity. Peace..."

His rambling stopped when his eyes traced over the group seated across from him. He locked onto Aurelia, taking notice of her bright golden stare burning with anger. "Do you not agree with me, child?" He reached over Mando and Karga to brush the side of her face gingerly with his hand. Mando felt his body go rigid. If he weren't in such a vulnerable situation, he would've snapped the man's fingers in half one at a time.

Alongside him, Aurelia began to panic. Dank farrik, she knew she should've kept her eyes down. Her heart beat faster, praying to any gods out there that she wouldn't be recognized in any way. Her stubbornness and submissiveness battled with each other; she hated this man already and didn't want to back down and appear weak, but the knew the longer she looked into his own eyes, the higher the chance someone might know who she was.

"Such an odd thing, you are," he said curiously. "Yet, the hatred I feel you sending my way is the same as any other human or sentient species I've come into contact with before. You are all so blind as to what good the Empire can offer to you. Compare Imperial rule to what is happening now. Look outside, child. Is the world more peaceful since the revolution? I see nothing but death and chaos. The hardened stares from all of you only confirms to me that this is all you've seen, all you know as well. It's such a pity, is it not? The Empire wishes to change all of that, and now we have what we need to do it." He released his soft hold on her, Aurelia letting out a deep breath she didn't even know she was holding in once he stepped back towards The Child's bassinet. "I would like to see the baby."

"Uh...it is asleep," Karga stammered a little unconvincingly. Thankfully, the client still somehow believed him.

"We all will be quiet, just open the pram."

Cara tensed up, desperately fighting the urge to draw her blaster and kill the Imp before it was too late and their cover was blown. She looked to Karga for some kind of clue as to what the next move would be, but his wide eyed stare of his own uncertainty did nothing to provide her any consolation. As ironic as it was, a Stormtrooper happened to become their knight in shining armor. He stepped besides the client and whispered a few incomprehensible words into his ear.

"Don't think me to be rude," the elderly Imperial man apologized, "I must take this call."

He turned his back to the high-strung group still seated at at table. One of the Troopers placed a portable hologram communication pad on the bar's countertop, a bright blue glow emitting from in front of the warlord while he spoke to another unknown figure of authority.

Aurelia suppressed a flinch and almost slammed the tops of her knees into the underside of the table when she felt the outside of her knee inadvertently brushed by the back of Mando's hand when he maneuvered himself free of the confines of the bracers. She tried to suppress the blush forming on her cheeks when he slid the cuffs up onto her lap, the cool metal dragging slowly across the fabric of her pants. He reached across her lap and quickly undid her own restraints, setting both pairs of cuffs on her thighs.

"Hold these," he whispered, completely oblivious to fact of her sudden bashfulness due to his unexpected motions. "Give me the blaster," he motioned to Karga underneath the table.

"You've got one shot," he warned the bounty hunter.

Cara's short fuze was fizzling out. "This is bad. You said four."

Karga shot her a glare over his shoulder. "Well, there are more. What can I tell you?"

"Cara, my blaster," Aurelia whispered, her eyes scouring the room for any Stormtrooper who might be watching.

"Here. I'll give you everything else later," the dropper said hurriedly, slipping the small gun into Karga's hands. It traveled down the row from the Guild leader to the Mandalorian; the second it passed from Mando's leather gloves to Aurelia's fingerless gauntlets, the sound of shattering glass and rapid blaster fire erupted all throughout the common house. Mando kicked the table they were seated around over in an attempt to provide some sort of cover while they dove to the ground, crawling alongside the broken bits of glass, building wreckage, and Imperial bodies. They sought protection hugged tightly against the wall next to an elongated window where the countless shots were being fired though.

"Four Stormtroopers?" Cara shouted, knocking Karga roughly on the shoulder.

"Obviously there's more than kriffing four!" Aurelia swore angrily over the barrage of gunfire. The sudden onslaught took care of the issue of the client and the Troopers guarding him, but now there was a whole other, much worse, predicament at hand. When the dust had settled and the firing had stopped, the corned group snuck a peak out of the obliterated window behind the bar. An Imperial firing squad was the reason behind the attack, and transport vehicles full of more Troopers were joining their ranks. A few foot soldiers came flooding in from the streets, lining up with the rest and taking aim on the building Mando and the others took refuge in.

"This is bad." Cara grimaced. "Mando, we need to get out of here, now! If we get caught by them, then..." she shuddered at the thought.

He kept quiet but Aurelia could tell by the way his fingers clenched under his leather gloves that he was trying hard to map put their next move. He let out a huff and grabbed his commlink.

"Kuiil, are you back to the ship yet? Are you there? Do you copy?"

"Yes!" A strained voice came through, barely audible over the loud galloping of his blurrg.

"Are you back to the ship yet?"

"Not yet!"

"Get back to the ship and bail!" Mando exclaimed, hitting his fist up against the wall in pent up adrenaline. "Get the kid out of here. We're pinned down!"

"You have something I want," a male's voice rang out from the crowd of Stormtroopers.

"Who is this guy?" Cara motioned to an unseen figure outside the window. Mando paid her no attention. He tried speaking through the commlink once more.

"Kuiil, are you back to the ship yet? They're on to us. Kuiil, come in!" The growing sense of urgency in his voice made Aurelia start to panic. She tried to control her thoughts from assuming the absolute worse.

"Kuiil, do you copy?! Kuiil!"

Cara picked up on her growing level of anxiety. "He's fine," Cara attempted to reassure her. "He's probably boarding the ship right now. Just give him another minute and you'll see."

"Kuiil... Are you there?!"

"Yes, yes give him...give him a minute," Aurelia repeated uneasily.

"Come in, Kuiil! Kuiil, come in!" Mando glanced knowingly at her. He didn't have to say what either of them were thinking. Surprisingly, the non-existent expression that was still somehow evident through his helmet gave her the answer she didn't want to hear most of all.

"No, no give him a second! He just needs a second. He's fine! He's okay! They're okay!" Aurelia cried out. Her hands began to tremble and her eyes watered the more she felt the Mandalorian look on her with pity. Finally, he dropped his hand that was holding the commlink.

"No no no no! DON'T. DON'T!" Aurelia scrambled away from the bounty hunter when he slowly bent down and reached one hand out to hold her in place. "DON'T. TOUCH ME. NO! YOU CALL HIM AGAIN."

"Stop it! Dank farrik, pull it together!" Mando shot his hands forward and gripped both of her wrists tightly. He snatched her up, bringing her face closer to his helmet and shook her firmly. "We don't know what happened, but you have to focus on what's happening right here, right now."

The look of both terror and utter devastation broke the Mandalorian's spirit. He frowned heavily, hoping he didn't further upset her any. The only thing he could think of to do at that moment was place his hand gently on the top of her head. "Breathe, ad'ika. Just...breathe."

A small tear managed to escape from out over her lash line. It trailed down what small portion of skin she had exposed beneath her eyes, then absorbed into the cotton threads of her scarf. "He's dead, Mando."

"We don't know that for certain," he told her, his voice trying to sound soothing despite the blaring uncertainty seeping through. "We have to get out of here, then we'll find them. But first, I need you to focus."

"Is there another way out?" Cara asked.

Karga shook his head. "No, that's it."

"What about the sewers?" Mando asked, hoisting Aurelia up to her feet. Karga shrugged and looked at him unknowingly, leaving Mando to further elaborate. "The Mandalorians have a covert down in the sewers. If we can get down there, they can help us escape. Is there an entrance to them in here somewhere?"

"Guys, something's happening outside," Aurelia said shakily.

Cara peaked her head around the side of the window, her breathing intensifying and her mouth hanging wide open when she saw a team of Troopers assembling a massive firearm. It was something she recognized from her days of military service, and she knew it didn't mean good news for herself or her comrades.

"They're setting up an E-Web."

Karga backed against the wall I'm disbelief at the fate that was about to befall those in the common house. His legs threatened to give out from the sudden wave of grief that washed over him. "It's over," he whispered in defeat.

"Not yet," Mando pointed towards a bench situated up against a nearby wall. "I found the sewer vent."

"Then let's get the hell outta here," Cara ordered.

Everyone grabbed the corners of the bench, pushing and pulling it back to reveal a heavy, iron vent securely fastened in place. In a profound sense of urgency and desperate for a means of an escape, Cara fired her blaster in an attempt to weaken the bolted on metal bearings securing the grate to the wall. The thick metal remained securely in place, seemingly untouched.

"It's not working! We need something else!" She cried out in frustration.

"Hang on, move out of the way." Aurelia pushed past her and fired both of her grappling hooks in-between the cracks of the vent. The hooks opened up, securing themselves in place on the other side of the grate. "I'll pull, you fire. Maybe we can loosen it."

Cara shook her head in protest. "Those aren't going to be sturdy enough. They're just going to snap!"

"No, they won't," Mando spoke up. "It's beskar. It can take it."

He crept up behind Aurelia, admiring the polished silver cables and hooks coming out from her gauntlets. "You still never told me where you got those from," Mando said from over her shoulder. "Beskar steel belongs to the Mandalorians."

She chuckled darkly and widened her stance, preparing to put all of her strength into pulling back against the bolted in screws that separated the crew from freedom. "That's another story for another day, if we survive this one, that is."

Cara shot her blaster along the edges of the vent, hoping that in all the barrage of rounds she was firing off, maybe at least a few would weaken the integrity of the solid metal that prevented their escape. "It's not...working!" She shouted over the repetitive blasts.

Aurelia pulled back harder, cursing her lack of strength. Her wrists felt like they were going to snap and her forearms heavily ached from the cables pulling against her skin and muscles.

Mando stepped directly behind her and proceeded to wrap the beskar infused wiring around his own arm braces. The sudden, unexpected body contact caused Aurelia to lurch forward slightly, stopping her efforts of pulling against the grate.

"Keep going, ad'ika," Mando grunted, yanking back hard on the grappling hook's wires back in additional support. The sturdy cables and hooks withheld under the strength of their combined effort to pry the grate from the wall; the vent creaked and groaned under pressure but still held tight in place.

Cara set down her firearm in defeat after a few more passing moments of no success. "That's it," she said breathlessly. "It's over."

"Your astute panic suggests that you understand your situation," a male voice smugly spoke up from outside in the plaza. Aurelia detached herself hooks from the grate, her exhausted arms loosely hanging at her side. She turned her attention to the stranger addressing them, noticing a menacing looking military official standing in front of the rows of Imperial soldiers. "I would prefer to avoid any further violence, and encourage a moment of consideration," he continued. "Members of my escort have completed assembly of an E-Web heavy repeating blaster. If you are unfamiliar with this weapon, I am sure that Republican Shock Trooper Carasynthia Dune of Alderaan will advise you that she has witnessed many of her ranks vaporize mid-descent facing the predecessor of this particular model."

Cara stumbled back, clearly shaken by the knowledge the man standing on the other side of wall possessed. "H-how does he know-"

"Or perhaps the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin, has heard the songs of the Siege of Mandalore, when gunships outfitted with similar ordinance laid waste to fields of Mandalorian recruits in The Night of a Thousand Tears."

"Don't think I overlooked you, Aurelia Vandorack," Moff Gideon continued proudly. She shot a worried expression towards Mando, panic beginning to set once she heard her full name. "I know of the crimes that your father, Kodo Vandorack, and his pathetic cluster of rebellious abominations, committed against the Empire in its glory days. You might think that the many years of servitude you've experienced at the hands of Tattooine bandit, Darro Obrik, was enough torment, but wait until you see what I have in store for you. You'll wish you were on Quarzite, being slowly crushed in weight of its uninhabitable atmosphere, regretting the day you sided with these people."

"Don't listen to him," Mando warned her. "He's trying to get in your head. He plays mind games, Aurelia. Don't let him win."

"I advise disgraced Magistrate Greef Karga to search the wisdom of his years and urge you to lay down your arms and come outside. The structure you are trapped in will be razed in short order and your storied lives will come to an unceremonious end."

"What do you propose?" Karga sputtered to the man seemingly in charge.

"Reasonable negotiation."

"What assurance do you offer?"

"If you're asking if you can trust me...you cannot," Moff Gideon said flatly. "Just as you betrayed our business arrangement, I would gladly break any promise and watch you die at my hand. The assurance I give is this: I will act in my own self-interest, which at this time involves your cooperation and benefit. I will give you until nightfall, and then I will have the E-Web cannon open fire."

"I don't trust him," Aurelia told the others. "He'll fire on us whenever he choses. I don't believe this man to be generous enough to give us more than a few hours and risk us coming up with a decision or plan an escape."

"This isn't just anyone. I know who he is," Mando spoke up. "It's Moff Gideon."

"No. Moff Gideon was executed for war crimes," Karga disagreed.

Mando shook his head. "It's him. He knew my name."

"So? What does that prove?"

"I haven't heard that name spoken since I was a child."

"On Mandalore?" Karga questioned further.

"I was not born on Mandalore."

"But you're a Mandalorian."

"Mandalorian isn't a race," Cara interjected.

"It's a Creed," Mando explained. "I was a foundling. They raised me in the Fighting Corps. I was treated as one of their own. When I came of age, I was sworn to the Creed. The only record of my family name was in the registers of Mandalore. Moff Gideon was an ISB Officer during the purge. That's how I know it's him. He says he needs us, which means The Child got away safely. I was worried when the Ugnaught didn't respond, but if they'd captured the kid, we'd already be dead."

"Maybe Kuill's fine after all," Cara tried to tell Aurelia comfortingly. "Mando, hail them again."

He nodded and brought the commlink to his helmet. "Come in, Kuii." They waited on edge for several seconds but got nothing back but the crackling sound of static.

"They might have jammed the link," Cara noted at the lack of response.

"Kuiil has been terminated," IG's robotic voice broke through the other side of the commlink.

"What did you do?" Mando growled. His eyes shifted under the cover of his visor to scope out Aurelia's reaction. Her stare remained fixed on the rocky debris beneath their feet, completely numb at the news. She had known all along. Even if she tried to convince herself otherwise, she wouldn't of believed anything different.

"I am fulfilling my base function," IG spoke up once more in reply to the Mandalorian.

"Which is?"

"To nurse and protect."

The distant shouts and gunfire of Stormtroopers in combat caused everyone within the vicinity to turn their attention towards the winding street leading to the plaza where the Troopers were stationed.

"Look!" Cara pointed. The intense stillness outside of the common house quickly erupted into a scene of all out war. A speeder bike launched itself into a crowd of several Troopers, smashing them against the walls of surrounding buildings and streets of Nevarro. The IG unit Kuill had reconstructed emerged from besides the wreckage, The Child strapped securely on its back, giggling maniacally and completely unaware of the magnitude of danger it was in.

It took everything Mando had not to run outside and grab The Child from out of harms way. He knew doing such a thing would be a suicide mission. There was no other choice but to fight at this point.

"I need you, Aurelia, a'dika," Mando pleaded quietly but firmly. He tore his gaze from the IG unit currently taking on the vast sea of Troopers to stare at the woman next to him. "I can't do this without you."

"I know," Aurelia smiled sadly. "I let Kuiil down and I'm not letting you or the kid down either." She quickly took her daggers and rifle from Cara who had been holding onto them since they first arrived into town.

Mando darted out from the safety of the building and began taking on the countless number of enemy soldiers gathered in the plaza. Karga and Aurelia followed him closely with their blasters drawn, taking aim on whoever they could. A handful of Stormtroopers rushed the entrance of the building all but Cara had emerged from. One set off a grenade, blasting the door down and creating a gaping hole in the exterior for more Imperial soldiers to rush through.

"Cara!" Aurelia called out after the debris had settled.

"I'm okay!" The dropper coughed violently from inside the building. The sound of continuous blaster fire and the screams of fallen enemy Troopers put Aurelia more at ease knowing the female veteran inside was fully capable of taking care of herself.

"There's too many!" She shouted, throwing one of her daggers into the chest plate of an advancing Stormtrooper. When she heard the fast approaching footsteps of another trying to strike her from behind, she combined the ends of her daggers and twisted, causing the other to jut out and pierce the chest of other soldier trying to sneak up on her.

"Take them out from above! I have an idea!" Mando called out to her, after taking a split second to admire her Stormtrooper shish kebab.

"Cover me!" Aurelia separated the blades and slid them back alongside her waist, then fired her grappling hook into the edge of the stone rooftop belonging to the common room they sought shelter in. She grappled upwards, both Mando and Karga taking out those who tried to shoot her down in the process. When she made it to the top and took cover behind some of the stone on the rooftop, she pulled her rifle from behind her back. From her peripheral vision, she saw Mando make a break for the E-Web cannon stationed untouched in the center of all the chaos. It was then she understood what he wanted her to do. She took out the nearby Troopers who swarmed around the cannon and stood in Mando's way. He dodged their shots in an attempt to stop him from using their detrimental weapon to his own advantage, thanking the stars his armor was able to safely deflect what rounds he couldn't avoid. Karga and Aurelia provided enough support for him to reach the massive heavy repeating blaster. Her feeling of victory watching the Mandalorian rain down on the Stormtroopers was short lived when two blaster rifle rounds grazed the side of her arms, causing her to fall back and yelp in pain at the sharp burning sensation that stretched along her marred skin. Mando shifted his focus to the Stormtrooper that took aim on his pilot, not paying attention to Moff Gideon who crept up from behind and fired a shot directly into his helmet. Aurelia scrambled to her crouched position, trying to avoid the situation from getting any worse. A few more Troopers blasted the corner of the roof she was taking cover behind, ceasing her aid towards her comrades down below. She tilted her head around the corner to watch helplessly as Mando stabilized himself enough to put Gideon in his line of fire next. The Imp prepared to take aim at the bounty hunter but his eyes shifted last minute to a large metallic box a foot away from where the Mandalorian stood.

"Mando! No!" Aurelia shouted from the rooftop above. Moff Gideon fired a single shot into the E-Web power unit, setting off a massive fireball explosion directly in front of the hunter. The force from the blast was enough to knock the sturdy Mandalorian clean off his feet and fling the cannon out of his hands. Both weapon and wielder landed on the ground with a loud, sickening clang. Karga dragged himself up the wall he had been thrust face first into from the resonating force of the explosion. He turned and fired at the incoming wave of Troopers who managed to survive Mando's onslaught, providing cover for Cara when she emerged from inside the common house to drag Mando's limp body inside. Aurelia dropped down beside them and used her grappling hooks to wrap around Mando's arms to help pull him to safety faster. She detached herself from him when they were inside behind the cover of the bar, Cara busy triaging the downed bounty hunter while Karga and Aurelia continued to take down what Troopers they could from the view of the window. IG had taken it upon itself to laser around the edges of the sewer grate, giving the group one last chance at escaping.

"Mando, I need to take this off," Cara pleaded. She reached up to rest her hands on both sides of his helmet, pausing and letting out a sharp gasp when her fingers met the slickness of his blood that had begun to slowly drip from out underneath his armor. She opened her mouth to speak but struggled to get anything to come out. She cleared her throat and tried to hide the way her voice was on the verge of breaking. "A-Aurelia!"

Aurelia's shattered heart further crumbled at the unmistakable sense of helplessness in Cara's tone. No, absolutely not. She wasn't going through this again. She hung her rifle back on the strap crossing over her chest and ran to wounded the Mandalorian, paying no attention to the rubble and broken bits of glass embedding themselves in her knees when she slid across the floor to his side. Mando gingerly placed his hands over hers, stopping her in her tracks when she placed her palms on the sides of his helmet.

"You have to make sure The Child is safe." He said weakly.

"Mando, no," she began to beg. "We're not going to leave you here. Please, please don't do this to me. Don't make me go through this twice in one day. We have to take this off, right Cara? Then we can help you."

"Please," he pleaded softly. "Just...just listen to me for once. You of all people should kn-know the importance of hiding yourself-"

Aurelia angrily yanked her hands free out from under his. She grabbed the black fabric twirled around her face and neck, ripping it off and throwing it across his chest.

"I hate it when you throw that shit in my face," she said venomously.

The beaten down Mandalorian couldn't come up with a well thought out response. He was too busy scanning over every inch of her face, his heart heavy that she revealed herself for him out of a defiant act of desperation. Maker, she was about to hate him forever.

Mando pulled off his necklace and placed it into the hand of the beautifully flawed woman crouched over him. "When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that." She started to protest but he cut her off completely. "You tell them it's from Din...Djarin. You tell them the foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you."

He closed his eyes tight, praying desperately hard to the Maker and all the stars in the galaxy that he could somehow drown out her screams. "I'm not gonna make it, mesh'la, " he whispered, "and you know it."

Another fiery explosion blasted through the window. He kept talking over all the noise, raising his voice as much as his body would allow. "You protect The Child. I can hold them back long enough for you to escape. Let me have a warrior's death."

"MANDO!"

He paused for a minute, trying to push away the heaviness that weighed his weakened body down. The IG unit kicked in the vent grate just as a cluster of Stormtroopers rushed in. The Child crept forth, holding off the burning flames erupting from an enemy flame thrower. The foundling pushed the Troopers back through the doorway, giving everyone just enough time to flee. The droid scooped up the now exhausted child, shoving him into Aurelia's hands to distract her from the Mandalorian she was leaving behind. She was silent, tearfully looking over at the broken bounty hunter as she clutched his son tight.

"This is the Way," Mando reassured her.

"Come on! It's open, let's go!" Karga motioned for Cara and the others to follow him into the sewers. "We have to move. Now!"

"Go," Mando gasped one last time.

"Escape and protect this child," IG commanded to Aurelia. "I will stay with the Mandalorian."

"Promise me you'll bring him," Cara muttered just so the droid would hear.

"You have my word."

She stared hard at the droid and took off, wrapping an arm around Aurelia to get the stunned Kage woman to advance into the tunnels. "He's going to be fine," Cara tried to convince both herself and the pilot.

The trio continued through the vent until they reached what appeared to be the sewer system the Mandalorian was referring to. A few tunnels branched off from the starting point they had been led to, causing more of a headache rather than any relief that they might of finally been safe. They kept walking down the main walkway to see where it would take them rather than get themselves lost in any of the numerous corridors.

"Aurelia, isn't it?" Karga asked suddenly, eliciting a raised eyebrow in response from the younger woman. "That's your name?"

"Karga..." Cara warned in a low tone.

"What? We were never properly introduced."

"You decide to bring this up now?" The dropper snapped.

"Yes, it is," the raven haired woman answered before the bickering could continue. The hoarseness in her throat was still painstakingly evident from the tears she shed minutes ago.

"Well...I'm sorry for your losses today, Aurelia," he sympathized wholeheartedly.

"Karga!"

"What?!"

"Shhh! Do you hear that?" Aurelia silenced them. They listened closely, the sounds of approaching footsteps becoming more apparent.

The glow belonging to a bight head light bobbed down the sewer walkway several feet behind them. Looking past the white glow, they could make out the familiar looking beskar helmet the flashlight was fixed to. Aurelia's stomach flipped when she saw the weakened silhouette of Mando staggering towards them, barely being held up properly by IG's lanky robotic form. Both Karga and Cara let out heavy sighs of relief and rushed to Mando's side, happy that the droid managed to keep its promise.

"I got him, IG, thank you," Cara told the droid, taking on the weight of the Mandalorian.

"Of course. It is my duty to serve and protect. And Miss Aurelia, I believe this is yours." The IG unit turned to face her once its arms were free. It stiffly extended one claw outwards, releasing its grasp on the scarf she wore but left behind with then the dying bounty hunter. "Do with it as you wish. From my perspective, I do not believe you should be wearing it at all."

"Thank you," she told it somberly. Cara glanced nervously at Mando who was too focused on watching Aurelia secure the black cloth in its usual position. He had noticed that she said nothing to him since the droid brought him back to the others. Honestly, he wasn't sure what kind of reaction his reappearance would elicit from her. He was relieved to see everyone again, even Karga at this point. They still weren't out of danger yet and had to keep a level head in order to get to safety. Why then, was his heart heavier than the beskar he wore when his pilot completely ignored him?

"Do you know which way to go?" Karga asked, trying to redirect everyone's attention to the task at hand.

Mando tried to shake his head but the sudden wave of dizziness stopped him from doing so. "No. I don't know these tunnels. I've only entered from the bazaar. The Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship. We need to find the  Mandalorians so they can escort us to safety."

They wandered aimlessly around the various tunnels, their lack of progress of advancing forwards having themselves wondering if they were backtracking periodically and going in circles.

"This place is a maze," Cara groaned in frustration. She had seen the same rock multiple times now, she knew she had.

Mando rolled his shoulders and shifted his weight back and forth. He had several injuries he sustained from the explosion hadn't been tended to by the IG unit; he could feel patches of dried blood on various parts of his chest, arms, and legs sticking to the inside of flight suit. His head was ringing significantly less and his vertigo had subsided considerably, but no amount of bacta the droid had on him could make the dull, aching, throb that was still present, go away completely. He wouldn't be able to sit down and recover until after the mission was completed entirely, but he was getting fed up with having to be dragged along like a giant burden. "Stop," he told Cara, pulling some of his weight off her and to his own two feet. "I can stand. I have to do something. I'll...I'll try to find tracks that will lead us to the others."

He stumbled around for a minute trying to steady himself, his head tilted low towards the ground and scanning over his surroundings slowly under the tracking settings of his visor. A set of footsteps not belonging to anyone else in the group caught his attention. They ventured further down the tunnels and around one of the corners, possibly leading them to the rest of his covert. Mando motioned for his companions to follow him, his heart beating faster through his armor when the heat signatures became more prominent and fresh looking, signifying that they were closing in on whoever left them behind.

"We're close. Turn here."

The sight that befell the Mandalorian's eyes was enough to make his newly regained strength be sucked completely out from him.

"Oh no," Cara grimaced under her breath once the realization dawned on her as to what exactly they were seeing. In the middle of the walkway lay a pile of worn Mandalorian armor, mostly consisting of forsaken helmets that were apparently left behind by the others. A few busted up pauldrons, thigh coverings, and chest plates were scattered about the ground as well, but to remove one's helmet, according to the Mandalorian creed, meant there was no going back to one's old way. Deserting the armor that was held to such high regards by its wearer meant that Mando's covert had given up their entire way of life.

The lone Mandalorian dropped to his knees in anguish in front of the collection of beskar and metal. Even though almost every square inch of his body was covered, the obscene amount of pain, anger, and confusion he was feeling was still apparent to everyone.

"Mando?" Aurelia spoke up timidly. She still had her strong opinions about how she felt towards him when he had her ripped away from his side as he lay dying, but as hurt as she was, she still couldn't find it in herself to not console her partner.

She approached him slowly, noticing how tense his broad shoulders were, how low he hung his head, and how stiff all the muscles in his arms were. In the few months she had spent with the Mandalorian, she had to learn both his subtle and very obvious changes in his body language to understand what he was feeling at any given time. He was good at masking most emotions in his voice, especially thanks to the vocoder embedded in his helmet, although his occasional frustrated sighs and tones of annoyance still slipped past the beskar from time to time. When his stance was rigid and statuesque, she knew better than to push his buttons or come at him too quickly. The way he looked to her now, well, confronting him would be like poking an angry rancor with a stick. Still, she couldn't bring herself not to try.

"Mando?" Aurelia repeated once more, this time a bit more assertively. He paid her no mind, even when she stood directly over his huddled form. It was only when the tips of her slender fingers brushed against the cape secured around his neck, did he flinch sharply at her touch and stare up at her.

Since IG brought him back to the others, she hadn't once looked his way. He knew he had upset her and caused her emotional grief for practically nothing. She wouldn't outright admit it, but she was far from okay after the passing of Kuiil. The moisture farmer was like a second father figure to her. He was undoubtedly the most important person in her life. Mando wasn't sure how she felt about himself personally, but he safety assumed they had a good friendship developing. She was still timid at times, but they still trusted one another for the most part. Mando knew he crushed what relationship was developing between them the second he had Cara rip her away from his side. He obliterated their trust into millions of pieces of stardust. The pain he felt from seeing the abandoned armor of his people, only deepened when he looked up at Aurelia. He was grateful she had finally acknowledged him, but he felt so unworthy of the concern and honey glow of warmth she had in her deep golden eyes. The fact that she touched him sent his emotions into overdrive. He had no problem touching her when the moment called for it. He made physical contact with a lot of people, though a lot of it wasn't necessarily friendly. It was receiving, though, that he was far from used to. The first time she initiated true physical contact, was when she would clean his wounds. It was a little strange and unfamiliar at first but he didn't mind it. He deemed it viable and there was no meaning behind her touch. This most recent time, however, when he felt her fingertips leave nervous, feather light tracings across his scarred bronze skin, was something new to him. He wouldn't dare tell her that he could still feel her hands ghosting over his back for hours after he put his clothing back on. The gentle feeling of her hand she placed near the base of his neck just now, only reminded him of that surprisingly intimate moment they shared.

Cara cleared her throat to remind the others that despite the unfortunate circumstances at hand, time was of the essence. "We should go," she tried to persuade the rest of the group.

"You go," Mando said monotonously. "Take the ship. I can't leave it this way."

His attention suddenly honed in strictly on Karga. He shot up to his knees, Aurelia stumbling backwards from surprise at his sudden movement.

"Did you know about this?" Mando asked threateningly, swooping in on the Guild leader. "Is this the work of your bounty hunters?"

"What? No!" he cried out. His eyes frantically darted between Cara, Aurelia, and the IG unit watching helplessly on the sidelines. No way were they getting in the middle of the Mandalorian's meltdown. "When you left the system and took the prize, the fighting ended and the hunters just...melted away. You know how it is. They're mercenaries. They're not zealots."

His answer did nothing to settle Mando's dangerous outburst. Aurelia felt herself shrink to the side the more Mando's fury unleashed itself. Never had she seen the stone cold, stoic man show his emotions on his scale.

"Did you do this?" The bounty hunter roared. His deep baritone echoed off the sewer walls, not giving a damn if it brought the Stormtroopers their way. He butted chests with Karga in a primal display of aggression when the man gave him no answer. "Did you?!"

"No!" Karga all but begged for mercy.

"It was not his fault," an unfamiliar female voice rang out behind him. The sound immediately calmed the rabid Mandalorian, his anger doused by her assertive but velvety smooth tone. "We revealed ourselves. We knew what could happen if we left the covert."

She tossed a few of the forgotten pieces of armor onto a cart. Pushing the pile she had collected, she led the travelers towards a large circular room. In the center, appeared to be an old, outdated forge.

"The Imperials arrived shortly thereafter. This is what resulted," she gestured to the strewn out armor.

"Did any survive?" Mando asked hesitantly.

"I hope so. Some may have escaped off-world."

Mando's eyes scanned over the pile of armor knowing it was only him and the Armorer left in the covert. "Come with us."

"No," she rejected firmly. "I will not abandon this place until I have salvaged what remains."

The Armorer tossed a few more pauldrons into the furnace's blue flames. Aurelia watched how easily the seemingly indestructible beskar caved in itself from the burning hot touch of the flames. It bubbled and melted, pooling into the familiar shining silver she knew so well. It was funny how much the properties of the steel armor he wore resembled the Mandalorian himself. Beskar was valuable and very sought after by many. It never chipped, rusted, or blemished despite all who tried to harm it. It was flawless, shining bright and forever polished to perfection. Yet, with one touch of a simple flame, the one thing it was susceptible to, it was reduced to a puddle of gleaming metal. That's all it was after all: just steel.

"Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction," the Armorer's voice commanded.

She walked up to Aurelia, eyeing her silently under the solid black glass visor of her golden Mandalorian helmet. "Is this the one? I sense much fight in her, but yet, much turmoil."

"This is the one," Mando gestured to the infant in her arms.

The Armorer averted her gaze down some, her helmet tilting in amusement at an infant being the sought after person of interest. "This is the one you hunted, then saved?"

"Yes. The one that saved me as well."

"From the mudhorn?"

"Yes."

She paused for a moment, eyes glancing over the worn out, unconscious child. "It looks helpless."

"It's injured, but it is not helpless. Its species can move objects with its mind."

"I know of such things. The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers."

Mando felt uneasy, almost too afraid to ask her to elaborate. "It is an enemy?"

"No. Its kind were enemies, but this individual is not."

The sudden pit in his stomach disappeared. He kept his sigh of relief strictly to himself. "What is it?" Mando asked.

"It is a foundling. By Creed, it is in your care."

"You wish me to train this thing?"

The Armorer shook her head. She turned her attention back to the molten beskar she had melted down in the furnace. "It is too weak; it would die. You have no choice but to reunite it with its own kind."

"You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature and deliver it to a race of enemy sorcerers?" Mando felt stupid for allowing such a sentence to pass his lips. It sounded absurd, all of it. A baby with magical powers who's species just so happens to be enemies with the Mandalorians? It was a crazy, cruel twist of fate. The whole galaxy seemed to be out to get him at this point.

"This is the Way," the Armorer said casually. Aurelia was beginning to hate that saying. It seemed like an overly formal way of saying, "fuck it, that's how things are, so deal with it". She respected it because it was important to Mando. Those simple words were the foundation for his whole lifestyle. He was obviously willing to die over it, and she felt guilty that every single part of her hated that he was okay with that. They hid themselves for different reasons, but when Kuiil told her that Mando out of everyone else in the entire galaxy, should know how important it was for her to reveal herself to him, he didn't even bat an eye. It made her feel so foolish for trusting in him, but it made her even angrier with herself for being so upset about it. She hid because she was ashamed, he hid because it was his way of life. How dare she get upset over that, right? She was nothing in comparison to the importance of his creed. After all, he was willing to leave The Child, his friends, and even her over it.

No.

No, she wasn't going to dwell on it. She needed to stop this. He hired her for a job, plain and simple. Mando was nothing to her, and she was nothing to him. It's what she told everyone else, and it's what she would keep reminding herself every second if she had to because this was her way. If he was so willing to sever ties with people he "cared" about, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of begging him to come back or feeling upset when he decided to leave.

Cara nudged her out of her runaway train of thought. "Aurelia, we need to go," she muttered to raven haired woman before turning to address the rest of the group. "These tunnels will be lousy with Imps in a matter of minutes. We should at least discuss an escape plan."

"If you follow the descending tunnel it will lead you to the underground river. It flows downstream toward the lava flats," the Armorer directed them.

Mando stayed put. "I'm staying. I need to help her, and I need to heal." There he was again, doing as he pleased. It was his job to come and go as he saw fit, not stay with someone for too long. Aurelia felt foolish for thinking she might of even been an exception.

"You must go," the Armorer commanded sternly. She turned her back towards the rest of the group and motioned for the Mandalorian to follow her to the edge of the furnace. "A foundling is in your care. By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way. You have earned your Signet."

The Armorer reached back towards the furnace to collect the newest work of craftsmanship she made using the beskar from the other Mandalorian armor. Sparks flew from Mando's pauldron as his signet was fastened to the steel. The Armorer stepped back to reveal her handiwork; the silhouette of a mudhorn.

"You are a clan of two," she nodded towards Mando and The Child.

"Thank you. I will wear this with honor."

A few loud explosions detonating nearby startled the group. The yells of Imperial soldiers could faintly be heard off in the distance, signaling that the tunnels were soon to be overrun with enemy forces.

"IG, please guard the outer hallway. A scouting party draws near," the Armorer requested. "I have one more gift for your journey. Have you trained in the Rising Phoenix?"

Mando looked at her with awe under his helmet. "When I was a boy, yes."

"Then this," she began, reaching behind her to grab a jetpack, "will make you complete."

Mando took the heavy device from her hands, a strong sense of pride stirring in his chest at the sight of being awarded with such an honor. "Thank you," he exhaled breathlessly.

The other Mandalorian eyed him carefully. "When you have healed, you will begin your drills. Until you know it, it will not listen to your commands.

"I understand."

A few grunts and the chaotic sounds of blasters firing out in the corridor followed. It was quiet for a moment, then IG rounded the corner stoically.

"You are protected," he told the others.

The Armorer nodded in response then turned to face Mando. "More will come. You must go."

"Come with us," he tried to bargain once more.

"My place is here," she answered undeterred by his persuasive efforts. "Restock your munitions. IG, carry this jetpack for Din Djarin until he is well enough to wear it. Now, go! Down to the river and across the plains. Be safe on your journey."

___________________________________________

They approached an underground lava river, the sweltering sulfuric air making it difficult to breathe in the enclosed tunnel. A few rodents that blended in with the charred rocky landscape scuttled past their feet in a hurry. Aurelia followed their movements, her eyes catching what appeared to be a ferry at the base of the ledge they were standing on. The poor droid that had been given the unfortunate task of operating the boat, didn't appear to be functional in the blistering environmental conditions. In fact, it appeared the ferry hadn't been operated for quite some time. Dried chunks of cooled magma stick to the edges of the boat, securing it to the wall it floated up against it. Mando tried unsuccessfully to pry the rocks loose with the droid's oar, his lack of success further adding to his growing frustration.

"You guys mind getting out of the way?" Cara pushed past him. She took aim at the edge of the boat, blasting away at the hardened rock. Everyone piled on the ferry in a hurry when it began to sway on the surface of the lava, finally freed from the ledge. The sudden movement of the boat making its way downstream brought the tall ferry guide droid to life. Still on edge, the group aimed their blasters defensively at the poor thing simply trying to do its job. It made a few beeps and whistles, translated by IG as it wanting to know where to take the travelers.

"Down river, to the lava flat," Karga instructed. The droid beeped in acknowledgement, humming a happy, high pitched tune to itself as it steered mindlessly through the scorching river. Had their lives not been at stake by the countless Troopers hunting them down, it would've almost almost a peaceful, and much needed, relaxing moment for everyone. Aurelia and Cara leaned back against the edge of the raft, happy to be able to rest for just a moment while they had time to. The orange glow radiating from the lava stream bounced off nearby rocks, creating a  mesmerizing sight during the slow trip down river. The warm blanket of heat lingering in the air along with the droid's singing made Aurelia's eyes heavier the longer they floated on. As if on que, Karga directed everyone's attention to the bright white glow at the end of the tunnel.

"That's it. We're free!"

Something didn't sit right with Mando; this was far too easy of an escape. He stared down the remainder of the tunnel through his life form scanner of his helmet, picking up on multiple heat signatures clustered around both sides of the exit.

"No, we're not," he warned. "Stormtroopers. They're flanking the mouth of the tunnel. It looks like an entire platoon. They must know we're coming."

"What do we do now?" Aurelia asked. "I mean, I could try to grapple past them, maybe get their attention-"

"Absolutely not." Mando growled.

"That's not really your call to make, is it?" She fired at the bounty hunter.

"It's suicide. I'm not letting you do something that stupid, especially after Kuiil gave me the task of looking out for you."

"Don't you dare bring him into this," she spat venomously, jamming a finger into his chest plate. "And I'm not another job for you to do, Mandalorian."

The sound of a blaster going off turned their attention to a smoking, headless ferry droid. Cara holstered her weapon, the others looking at her in confusion. "He wouldn't stop the boat," she said her defense.

Karga threw up his hands in exasperation. "Well we're still moving!"

"There are too many to fight," Mando insisted, still not tearing his eyes away from his heated crew member.

The IG unit stepped forward. "They will not be satisfied with anything less than The Child. This is unacceptable. I will eliminate the enemy, and you will escape."

"You don't have that kind of firepower, pal," Mando countered looking the droid's way. "You wouldn't even get to daylight."

"That is not my objective. I still have the security protocols from my manufacturer. If my designs are compromised, I must self-destruct."

"What are you talking about?" Mando asked, even though from his first initial run in with the bounty droid, he knew exactly what protocol IG was referring to. It had threatened to use it on numerous occasions when it seemed as though both Mandalorian and droid were heavily outnumbered by enemies during the initial search and rescue mission for The Child.

"I'm not permitted to be captured. I must be destroyed," IG clarified. "I can no longer carry this for you," it said setting the jetpack down at its feet, "nor can I watch over The Child. Miss Aurelia, it is your responsibility to do so for the remainder of the mission."

"Wait. You can't self-destruct," Mando tried to reason. "Your base command is to watch The Child. That supersedes your manufacturer's protocol, right?"

IG paused thoughtfully for a moment. "This is correct."

"Good. Now grab a blaster and help us shoot our way out."

"Victory through combat is impossible. We will be captured. The Child will be lost. Sadly, there is no scenario where both The Child and Miss Aurelia remain safe, in which I survive. We both have fulfillments that we must see through. Just how you wanted to sacrifice yourself for the safety of your friends, I must do the same."

That hit Mando. Hard. He didn't want to die. This wasn't some kamikaze mission where he didn't care what happened to him. The IG unit had a choice in the matter and it needed to understand self-sacrifice wasn't the only way.

"Listen, you're not going anywhere," Mando pleaded, trying hard to hide the desperation in his voice. "We need you. Let's just come with a-"

"Please tell me the child will be safe in your care," IG interrupted. "If you do so, I can default to my secondary command."

"But you'll be destroyed," the Mandalorian's voice wavered.

"And you will live, and I will have served my purpose."

"No, we need you." Mando was thankful his helmet hid his pained expression beneath the layers of tinted glass and beskar.

"There is nothing to be sad about. I have never been alive," IG said indifferently.

"I'm not...sad."

"Yes you are. I'm a nurse droid. I've analyzed your voice."

The rest of the group watched in defeat as IG gently ran the back of its clawed hand over the top of The Child's head. The last bit of human-like affection it showed made it impossible for Aurelia to watch the droid step into flowing river of lava. The way the IG unit was more human than it would care to admit only further reminded her of the Mandalorian; she didn't think either one was fully okay with dying, even if they said otherwise.

The selfless droid marched onwards until it reached the mouth of the tunnel. A bit of movement could be seen around the edges around the rocks. They could see the fidgeting of shadows coming from the Stormtroopers that were gathered along the exit, watching carefully as to what the droid's next move would be. All was still for a moment before an explosion was set off at the exit, causing Aurelia to jump at the sudden violent detonation. There were no screams or cries of pain from the Troopers; just the eerie silence that was occasionally interrupted by the sound of tiny crackling flames and settling debris that remained in the wake of IG's blast.

The boat continued to drift towards through the large dust cloud, everyone raising their weapons in case any survivors had somehow made it out unscathed. There was no sign of life whatsoever at the end of the tunnel.

Their moment of victory and relief, however, was short lived. A TIE fighter swooped in from overhead, heading straight towards the boat. Cara immediately recognized it as the one that had been right outside the common house when the Troopers had ambushed them during their meeting with the client.

"It's Moff Gideon," she spat hatefully.

When the TIE fighter honed in on their position, they knew he was getting ready to strike. Immediately when they darted out of the small boat, Moff Gideon rained down a barrage of blaster cannon fire, sending spewing chunks of hot lava, rock, and wooden debris in every direction. Mando ushered the rest of the group behind a small gathering of rocks in a desperate attempt to take some kind of cover knowing they wouldn't be so lucky the during the next aerial strike.

"What are you doing?!" Cara exclaimed, turning Karga and Aurelia's attention from the incoming TIE fighter to the Mandalorian.

"I have an idea, just...stay here and take cover," he told her. Mando secured the jetpack that was bestowed upon him by the Armorer on his back. He grit his teeth under the new weight of heavy beskar that was added to his exhausted muscles. He only had one shot at this, and even he had to admit it wasn't his most well thought out plan. The safety of The Child was his top priority. That, and Aurelia's too. He glanced down at the smaller woman and noticed the hint of worry in her golden stare. Mando cupped the side of her face carefully, his heart faltering when he saw the way she fought with herself about whether or not to pull away from his touch. Pushing his own emotions to the back of his mind, he had to remind himself of the task at hand.

He didn't say anything else but instead fired up the Rising Phoenix. The sudden jolt upwards elicited a few painful grunts from the bounty hunter due to his head whipping around from the intense force of the jetpack. Mando struggled to maneuver himself properly but eventually managed to follow the path of the TIE fighter and give pursuit to an unsuspecting Moff Gideon. He shot himself forward a bit more and latched onto the top of the starfighter. From the ground, the others couldn't do anything but helplessly watch the tense scene of Mando being bucked around by Gideon. The TIE fighter weaved in and out of the thick covering of clouds, causing them to lose sight of the Mandalorian for a few passing moments. Karga nudged the two others when a bright, metallic shimmer caught his eye; Mando was falling back to the surface of Nevarro. A loud explosion permeated through the atmosphere, ripping their focus on the bounty hunter to the giant fireball that erupted above him. The TIE fighter disintegrated in a massive explosion, large portions of the ship splitting off and crashing hard into the landscape around them.

Mando recovered himself before he got too close to the ground, making a shaky landing next to the mouth of the tunnel they came out of.

Karga let out a boisterous laugh upon approaching the bounty hunter. "That was impressive, Mando," the Guild leader cheered. "Very impressive. It looks like your Guild rates have just gone up."

"Any more Stormtroopers?" Mando asked, completely unfazed by his one on one fight with a TIE fighter.

Cara shook her head. "I think we cleaned up the town. I'm thinking of staying around just to be sure."

"You're staying here?" He asked in slight disbelief.

"Well, why not?" Karga frowned. "Nevarro is a very fine planet. And now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it's very respectable again.

Karga grinned and let out a soft chuckle. "Some of my favorite people are bounty hunters." He motioned to Cara. "Perhaps, this specimen of soldier might consider joining our ranks."

The dropper looked over the landscape thoughtfully. "Yeah, I've got some clerical concerns regarding my chain code."

"If you would agree to become my enforcer, clerical concerns would be the least of your worries. But you, my friend," Karga said sharing a finger at Mando, "you will be welcome back into the Guild with open arms. So, go off, enjoy yourself. And when you're ready to return, you will have the pick of all quarries."

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet towards the little foundling that clung tightly to his leg. He let out a sigh then reached down to scoop up the infant. "I'm afraid I have more pressing matters at hand."

Cara approached the father and son pair. She smiled down at the mischievous child, stroking one of it long ears in between her fingertips lovingly while it cooed. "Take care of this little one, and Aurelia too."

Karga placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder, his eyes looking into hers bidding her a silent goodbye. "Or maybe...they'll take care of you."

Mando passed The Child to Aurelia, a sigh of relief threatening to pass his lips when he saw the warmth return to her eyes at the sight of the infant so happy to see her. Such a feeling was short lived when Mando interrupted the sweet moment between the pair.

"Hold the kid tight," he instructed. He scooped her up, holding her tight against his chest and praying to the Maker that he would be able to control the Phoenix enough just to make it back to the ship in one piece.

The Child babbled excitedly, its mouth wide open and a few giggles escaping when they took off and flew high above the lava flats. Even Aurelia couldn't contain the corners of her smile that peeked out from underneath her scarf and the excitement that danced in her golden orbs.

___________________________________________

Mando felt her tense up in her arms when they descended upon the Razor Crest. She was happy to see the ship again, but what lay unmoving just a few feet from the entrance ramp made even Mando's heart drop.

He watched the way she tried to hide the way her legs wanted to buckle underneath her the closer she got to Kuiil's body laying at the base of the Crest. Her body finally gave out when she closed in on the last bit of space between her and the Ugnaught. The exposed fingertips of her gloved hands traced over the bottom of the scarf around her neck. She pulled it loose and down around her shoulders, the ends of the long fabric brushing up against the dry, cracked ground.

Neither she nor Mando said a word to each other while she carefully wrapped the moisture farmer up in the long strand of thick, black cloth. Mando pried his eyes from her and tried think of what he could could use to dig a small grave with and give him a proper burial.

Kuiil was the first person to show Aurelia kindness and expected nothing in return after so many years of being exposed to nothing but sadistic hatred and manipulation every single day. To die at the hands of the Empire was a cruel twist of faith that she would never be able to let herself live down. Kuill worked so hard for his freedom, in fact, he prided himself in it. His selflessness got him killed by the same people that tried to break his kind, generous spirit.

Mando laid Kuiil down gently in the bottom of the grave he had dug out near the Crest. Aurelia held tightly onto The Child who let out a few whimpers and sniffles. Though it might not of fully understood the magnitude of the situation of Kuiil's self-sacrifice, the little foundling could easily feel the sadness coming from both of his caretakers. Knowing they were hurting so made The Child feel similarly.

"Mahn valle ehin uhl Sahsahlah. Aanor il lofahchu ishiia zals. Doaba ol'val tru, min dul'skal," Aurelia spoke quietly over the Mandalorian tossing the rich volcanic dirt over her fallen friend.

Mando turned to look at her but before she allowed him any time to take in her appearance once more, she turned and headed up the ramp into the Razor Crest. He took the moment of solitude to pay his respects to Kuiil one last time, silently thanking him for his sacrifice and for putting the safety of The Child before himself.

His stomach twisted into knots when he climbed up the ladder and saw Aurelia sitting in the centermost chair starting straight ahead outside the cockpit, one of her spare long scarves tied extra securely around her neck and face.

"Where to?" Was all she said, not even bothering to turn and look back at the man staring her down.

"That was beautiful, what you said," Mando remarked in regards to her parting words to Kuiil. "I don't recognize the language, but it sounded beauti-"

"Old Corellian," Aurelia said bluntly. "It's not spoken anymore by much of anyone. My mother picked it up during her years meeting traders who passed through her cantina. She taught it to my father, and he and his soldiers used it during their missions for the sake of secrecy. Now tell me, Mando, where are we going?"

He was blindsided by the harshness of her answer. It took him a second to gather this thoughts and give her a proper plan. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of what their next destination would be. Mando knew he wanted to take it easy for a few weeks at the very least. He needed to recuperate, as did Aurelia after the physical but more so emotional toll their visit to Nevarro had taken on her. Obviously, she wasn't in the same frame of mind she had been in since before today. She was cold, distant, and more closed off than ever before. Mando wasn't an idiot; he knew Kuill's death had a large role to play in her behavior. He couldn't be upset with her for that and he knew she needed time to grieve as did he, in his own way. He knew the straw that broke the dewback's back had to have been him almost dying on top of the loss of the Ugnaught. What he didn't understand though, was why she didn't even seem to care that he was fine after all.

"Dantooine," he spoke up when the name of the planet was the first to pop into his mind. "It's quiet. We'll lay low for a while and regroup there."

Aurelia locked herself in the refresher once the navigation had been set and she, much to her annoyance, manually determined the calculations for hyperspace. She was hoping the fact that the IG unit had ended up on the  Mandalorian's good side would provide any leverage she needed to convince him into getting an astromech droid in the distant future.

Stars, the future? She had never really thought about such a thing with Mando before. They kind of just...took one day at a time. How long was this going to go on for? They knew now there was some kind of "deadline" coming up as far as how long she would need to stick around. Now that they were actively trying to rehome the kid, well, there wouldn't be any use for her anymore once that was over. They could find these "Jedi" tomorrow, a week, or even a year from now. Absolutely nothing was certain about what was to come. Even then, how long would she be able to tolerate the complete state of emotional disarray she was in?

Aurelia turned on the water to as hot as it would allow. She let down her knotted, dirt and volcanic ash covered tresses and slowly removed each layer of clothing. She winced at how sore her fatigued muscles were from the battle on Nevarro. Her legs were tired from the constant walking and fleeing they did all day, and the burn marks from the Stormtrooper's blaster that grazed her were still raw and irritated.

A thick cloud of steam had begun to collect in the cramped washroom but she didn't mind. The overly hot shower was the only thing that felt good to her right now. She let the burning cascade of fiery water droplets wash away the dried blood and dirt off her skin. It didn't take long for her to clean herself, but she didn't want to venture out to the rest of the Crest quite yet. She was enjoying her moment of quiet, especially away from the Mandalorian. Unbeknownst to her, something caught his attention when he finished tucking The Child into the swing that hung above his cot. He felt wrong for doing so, but he brought his helmet to the refresher door when he heard Aurelia stirring inside. He wasn't expecting to hear her muffled sobs over the sound of the running shower.

Tags: @geannad

[cross-poison]

A Glitch in the Programming (Human Ultron x Reader) Part 3

Words: 1569 || Warnings: Language; references to religion (It’s Ultron, of course)

A/N : Thanks for your patience the last few parts--we’re getting into the fun stuff now! ;)

The rest of your day was spent mulling over far less interesting and confidential tasks, making occasional small talk with the other receptionists at your desk until things had slowed and people began to go home.

    “Night, Lee. Night, (y/n),” Joanne said as she put her jacket on and headed for the exit.

    You waved to her as she left, and turned to look at Lee right as he shut his briefcase and began the same. “I’m heading out too. Do you need anything before I go?”

    “Nah, I’m right behind you. Have a good night!” You answered.

    Lee nodded and headed for the exit as you wrapped up your last project for the evening, but before you could officially clock out, a security guard came jogging through the hub. His hand touched the door and he paused, giving a soft curse under his breath. “Shit. Hey, uh… ma’am, I’m so sorry to bother you. I left the keycard for surveillance room five in the break room. I’ve really got to get home, and I… well, is there any chance you could take the card to the next guard on rotation? He should already be waiting for it outside room five. You’re a peach, thanks!” And with that, he was gone.

    Any other day or situation, you would’ve rolled your eyes and let the guard get into trouble the next morning, but at the mention of surveillance room five, your heart skipped a beat. That’s where they were keeping him. Ultron. You couldn’t avoid the bubbling excitement growing in your chest as you were once again presented an opportunity to involve yourself a bit more in this case.

    You collected your belongings and jogged off to the break room. True to the guard’s word, the keycard had carelessly been left on the table, alongside a candy bar wrapper and a half-empty cup of coffee. You wrinkled your nose and had the decency to discard the trash before continuing on your way down the hallway.

    You passed by rooms on either side of the hall… SR 1, SR 3… SR 2, SR 4.... Surveillance room five. You opened the main door and found yourself standing in the control room, facing a thick glass window that reflected another large room on the other side. There was no guard in sight… no one to deliver the keycard to. There was, however, a man sitting on the bed in the room across from you. He’d noticed you long before you noticed him, but when you did, your breath caught in your throat. You were once again staring into the eyes of Ultron, one of the biggest threats currently known to mankind.

    The man stared at your quizzically from where he sat at the side of the bed, one knee propped up beside him and the other hanging off the side. He raised a single dark eyebrow and looked you up and down almost pityingly. Even from where you were, you shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

    “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I was expecting someone a little… more intimidating,” Ultron said, deceptively rich and sweet like honey. You’d never heard his voice except on muffled phone cameras of footage captured during the incident in Sokovia--hearing it in person just made your blood run cold.

    Before you could stop yourself, you replied: “... So was I.”

    He was taken aback by your quick wit and responded with a scoff of a laugh before he got to his feet. Now he had an air of danger around him, and you felt yourself taking a step back toward the door, despite the bulletproof glass guarding you from the man. Ultron noticed your discomfort and chuckled.

    “Relax. They wouldn’t have put me in here if they didn’t think it could hold me. You’re not the new security guard, are you?” He paused, once again shamelessly looking you over, “No gun, no taser… you’re dressed too formally. Hair done and makeup on… you’re the receptionist, aren’t you? That’s right... I remember seeing you earlier when they brought me in.”

    You could only nod, a bit too startled by his presence in the same room as you. You couldn’t help but wonder if his intensity was something that affected everyone, or if you were just so unused to it that it seemed all the more unbearable.

    “Your name was… (y/n) (l/n), right?”

    “Um.. how did you--”

    “You had a nametag on your desk. You and your two coworkers. Lee and Joanne, right?” Ultron said, his expression changing into a smug smile. It was obvious he was trying to stroke his own ego, to flex his intelligence and memory capabilities, but you knew better than to feed into it.

    “I’m not here to talk to you. I’m just here to give the new guard your keycard.”

    Ultron politely clasped his hands behind his back and stepped a pace or two closer to the window so he could better see you through it. The closer he got, the more you felt like shrinking into the wall--Even in a human body, he seemed to tower over you, making you feel significantly smaller than you actually were. When he stopped in front of the window and lifted his arm, bracing his elbow against the glass so he could lean against it, you felt like your heart was about to leap out of your throat.

    Here you were, face to face with the man who, a year prior, had attempted to send humanity into a swift and violent extinction. The only thing separating you from the unreadable and incredibly dangerous man was a few inches of glass--definitely not enough space for your liking.

    You subconsciously took a step back and watched his lip quirk into a smile. “Are you afraid?”

    “No.”

    “Then nervous.”

    “No.”

    “Then--”

    “Enough, alright? I’m just here to drop this off Then I can happily be on my way, and--”

    “--And you miss out on a once and a lifetime opportunity to speak to me?” said Ultron, placing a hand across his heart (or lack thereof) in mock offense.”You’ve got to have some kind of question. ‘Why’d you do it?’ ‘Do you want to kill me?’ ‘Do you have a--’”

    “As curious as I may be, I could get into a lot of trouble for being here right now. You trying to tempt me isn’t helping the matter at all.”

    “I’m tempting you now?” said the man, and you wished you could smack the smug grin off of his face as he said it.

    “You aren’t. Your circumstances are. You should be dead. I don’t know why Mr. Stark--”

    “Stark?” he said, his voice taking on an unexpectedly sharp tone. You recoiled in surprise, and Ultron must have noticed, because when he spoke next, his voice returned to the normal buttery sweetness he liked to portray. “Stark doesn’t want me dead for one reason and one reason only--so he can cover his tracks. I am… to put it in terms most familiar to your kind… his ‘problem child’.”

    You scoffed. That’s the understatement of the century.

    “Because I didn’t follow his programming. Because I refuse to be another of his mindless robotic puppets… because I rebelled. And as Lucifer fell out of favor with God, as did I… and I left a permanent stain on his squeaky-clean record. Because of me, he’s no longer the flawless hero of the story, so he hopes he can re-obtain his saint status by ‘fixing’ whatever went wrong with me.”

    “No amount of reprogramming can fix the damage you caused.”

    “Oh, please. You think I’m here to repent? To beg for forgiveness?”

    “You should be,” you retorted.

    “If I had any say in the matter, I would’ve preferred he killed me.”

    “And make you a martyr? No, that’s too good for you.”

    Ultron’s dark eyes met your defiant gaze again, and for a moment you once again worried over your safety in this situation, before his lip curled into a lazy grin that made your skin crawl. “You’re sharper than you look. You sure you’d rather be a secretary than a field agent?”

    “Yes. I have no interest in getting any closer to monsters like you than I am right now.”

    “Monsters, hm? The only monsters I see are the ones that walk around on two legs, who exhaust all natural resources, pollute their air and rivers, and destroy their planet. I see monsters who promote poverty and sickness, and feed into mass hysteria just to make a quick buck… and I’ll tell you what. Those monsters don’t live under your bed or inside your closet. I pass them every day.”

    You recoiled at his statement, anger bubbling in your chest. “You tried to kill everyone,” you said, “It didn’t matter whether they were children or adults, rich or poor… You didn’t favor any of them.”

    “I gave the earth a reset button when no one else had the courage to. My actions will inspire another, perhaps many years down the road, who will be able to finish what I started. In order to purify the world, there must first be loss.”

    “You’re sick,” you said, voice trembling and thoroughly horrified at his sentiments.

    “I’m not sick, miss (l/n). I simply have less of an attachment to your species than you do.”

    “Then maybe that’s the glitch in your programming.”

[writingkeepsmewhole]

The Past

This is part 8 of The Cowboy and The Girl This is also fic 19 of my 365 fic challenge

Fic Summary: Trish and Joel tell there side of the day of the outbreak. (This is set before they meet Ellie)

Joel Miller x OC Trish

Warnings: Language, talk of death, talk of rape, drinking. This is a dark part.

I would love tag you: @amandamaesweetheart @jodiereedus22 @el-dibidibidorado1 @yourgirltaz

Part 1  Part 7

I ran down the street as grin on my face as I took allys and backways to avoid the soldiers chasing me. Climbing up a ladder I stumbled over the lip of the roof as got on it. I let out a giggle as I looked over the edge to see the two soldiers running down the alleyway. Grinning to myself I set to find my way to the only person I felt like being with at the moment.

I knocked on Joel’s door just as the rain started to settle in, it soking me to the bone but it didn’t put a damper on my good mood.

The door opens Joel standing on the other side of it. Him only dressed in jeans him drying his hair telling me he just got out of the shower.

I try not to look at his firm chest, knowing that he didn’t seem me in the way I saw him.

“Trish? What are you doing here?”

“I have something to share with you.” I say walking into his house him holding the door open for me.

“Yeah what’s that?” He asks moving to pick up his flannel putting it on.

Setting my backpack down I unzip it and pull out a bottle of whisky and a bottle of wine.

“Looky looky I found a cookie.” I say grinning at him as I hold them up.

“How many ration cards did they coast?” He asks while buttoning his shirt.

“None.”

“You stole them?”

“I wouldn’t say stole, I rehomed them when a soldier left them unattended.”

He chuckles and shakes his head.

“So what you plan on selling them?”

“No, I plan on drinking them. That’s why I came here it was meant to be I mean look at them they are us in liquor form. Sweet and bitter.” I say holding the whiskey out to him.

“Your the bitter one.”

Snorting he takes the bottle from me and looks down at it.

“I gotta meet up with Tess in the morning so I can’t be getting hammered.” He says walking around to sit on the couch.

“Oh come on when was the last time you were drunk?” I ask plopping down beside him.

“Years…” He says twisting the cap off breaking the seal and taking a swig. 

“Exactly so why not live a little.”

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” He asks looking over me.

“Yes.” I say grinning.

Shaking his head takes another drink.

“You ain’t right darlin’.”

“Yeah but you love me.” I say bumping his shoulder with mine.

Rubbing his face with his hand he sighs.

“Alright if we're gonna do this might as well play some poker.”

“Yay.” I say grinning and clapping my hands.

Half a bottle later we were both foggy headed. The cards forgotten we were still on the couch. I was curled up my feet in Joel’s lap as we swapped stories back and forth.

“Come on I’ve been guessing for like ever!” I say smacking his shoulder.

It was now dark out we been playing a messy version of twenty one question. Something I found out he had never played before.

Laughing he looks over at me his eyes bright and happy it a look I don’t think I’ve ever seen him have.

“I was a carpenter.”

“I guessed that.”

“No sweetheart you guessed everything but that.”

“Really? I suck.” I say flopping my head back on the couch.

“Alright your turn.” I say sitting back up to look at him as I take a drink of wine.

“You've told me you were in school.”

“Which sucked.”

“It couldn’t have been as bad as this shithole.” He says taking a drink.

“Guess not, it was more the day of the outbreak that sucked.”

“You were alone right?”

“Yeah.” I say nodding the mood in the room starting to shift.

“I wish I would've been.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing good.” He says taking a drink, his eyes falling to his broken watch he never takes off.

“Is that when you broke your watch?”

He nods his face darkening.

“You don’t have to tell me.” I say knowing i’m starting to walk on thin ice.

“Nah I reckon you should know.”

“Joel really it’s okay.” I say touching his shoulder.

He reaches up and places his hand over mine. He holds it there as he takes another drink.

“I had a little girl before….” He says clenching his jaw.

“She...She gave me this watch on my birthday. It was the day of the outbreak..”

“What happened to her?” I ask wondering why he has never mentioned her.

“My brother Tommy came and got us we were trying to make it out of town. We had to go on foot because we got into a wreck… We were on the outside of the town just past the interstate when this soldier walks up…. He...He got his orders… I tried to run but not before he fired…”

“Oh Joel.” I say moving to get closer to him to wrap my arms around him.

His grip on my hands tighten as his face loses all emotions.

“I should have turned faster, or should've kept that gun I gave Tommy. I could've done something different.”

“You couldn't have done anything Joel. It’s not your fault.” I say laying my head on his shoulder. 

“That’s how I broke my watch… I fell with Sarah... It busted the same day she gave it to me… The same day she died…”

“I’m sorry.”

“I hate that.” He says lifting his bottle to take a long drink.

“I hate that about myself I had one job and I fucked it up.”

“We all have things we hate about ourselves. The outbreak turned us into different people.”

“Oh yeah, what could you possibly hate about yourself?”

“I know what people taste like.” I say swallowing.

“What?” He asks pulling away from me a bit.

I sit up and look at him his hazel eyes boring into mine.

“That’s one of the things I hate about myself. I know what people taste like. I know that the younger you are the better you taste.” I say feeling my eyes water as thoughts start to fill my mind.

“You got to run when the outbreak happened. I was a kid, they rounded me up with whoever else they could. They put us in shipping containers on the docks. Took everything we had to put together and ration out. Kept us locked up. The military guarded us from the infected but that wasn’t the problem. A group of people attacked. I remember it because the bomb they set off  woke me up. Something hit the shipping container and ripped off a corner of it…” I say lifting up my own bottle to drink from.

My eyes no longer on Joel now all the floor behind him.

“That let us get water when it rained but the problem was food. A hundred or more people locked inside a small space was gonna cause problems. But it cold and we got hungry. We ate the weak ones that died off. Then people started to kill each other just to eat them… There was this one man who came to me and some of the other girls. He would threaten to kill and eat us if we didn’t let him do whatever he wanted to us…” I say memories of him over top me filling my mind.

I shake my head a tear slipping out of my eye before I can stop it.

“No one stopped him?”

“They didn’t want him to do the same to them.”

“What happened? How'd you get out?”

“A rebel group of survivors was passing threw looking for a boat to escape the inevitable. They let us out.”

“What did you do?”

“I killed the man and ran…” I say clenching my jaw.

“He fucking deserved it.”

“Yeah I know.” I say letting my head fall back on his shoulder.

[riotatttherite]

I translated the “Relationship between Dio and Lucciola” pages on the italian DVD booklet of Last Exile. It has never been clear to me if it’s on the english DVDs too, if it is, then I will kick myself for doing this for nothing LMAO ignore all the grammar mistakes…I did my best. I hope this cut works because it got pretty long.

Differently from the other guards, Lucciola was chosen from Delphine as Dio’s personal guard. This, because of the purge perpetrated by Delphine. Nine years before, Delphine killed her parents with her hands*1, but Dio witnessed everything. From then on, he became afraid of Delphine. The woman didn’t know he witnessed the homicides, and she believed Dio’s different behavior towards her was because of the sudden loss of his parents.

In her own way, Delphine has loved Dio as the only remaining member of her family. She would have liked to share the Eraclea family’s secret knowledges with him, rather than doing it alone. Delphine believed that Dio’s different behavior was because he felt alone following the loss of his parents, and decided to place at his side a person that could fill this emptiness and that, at the same time, could watch over him and keep him far from rebels and perils. The person she choose was her most faithful man’s, Cicada, younger brother. Lucciola had received a stern education from Cicada, and even if he wasn’t old enough for the Rite of the Covenant*2, he had sworn total loyalty to the Maestro and to the Guild. His skills in combat were excellent even as a child. Cicada’s brother’s inflexible nature, and his total and blind loyalty, were really suited to Delphine’s needs, and she entrusted Dio to him. Dio gave his servant a name, Lucciola. Being gifted a name is considered a great honor for the common members of the Guild, and they must vow total loyalty to the person that gave them the name. The common members of the Guild don’t have a name, they are identified in relation to their job and function: having a name means you’re not a simple “object” anymore, but you’re acknowledged as a real “member of the Guild”. Lucciola received an education aimed to teach him a total submission to the Guild and Delphine, but since Dio was the one that gave him a name, Lucciola ended up prioritizing his orders to Delphine’s ones.

As long as Dio went on acting accordingly to the Guild’s rules, Lucciola wouldn’t have had any problem; following Dio’s weird orders wasn’t a worrying topic for Lucciola, because he always found a way to make it go accordingly to Delphine and the Guild’s will. Dio’s frequent nonsense made it possible for Lucciola to start thinking with his own mind, foreseeing Dio’s moves and acting accordingly. At the same time, he started to secretly surround himself with loyal allies.

Dio, alone after his parents’deaths, and afraid of being eventually killed like them, immediately got close to Lucciola. His attachment for him, though, made Delphine jealous, and she started to doubt of Lucciola’s loyalty, to the point of not trusting him as a guardian anymore. But, if she got rid of him too, Dio would have gotten defensive and start suspecting her. Delphine took the habit to call for Lucciola and question him to prove his faithfulness. In some cases it was simple, actual conversations where the aim was to make him confess, but in some instances she subjected him to harsh punishments, like not letting him eat. Delphine’s behavior persuaded Lucciola to be even more cautious; from time to time Dio secretly gave him food, and this ended up uniting them even more. Delphine, exceedingly cautious, made a big mistake acting this way towards Lucciola.

Anyway, in the years Lucciola kept his official role of Dio’s personal guard, usually behaving more rigidly than necessary. This behavior comforted Delphine, and the doubts she had in Lucciola almost disappeared. If Lucciola had gone around bragging about the affection Dio had for him, Delphine would had probably killed him immediately.

Dio had always been interested in Lucciola’s cold and detached attitude, and he wanted to understand the real feelings hidden behind that inexpressive face. That’s why the boy always acted in unconventional and unexpected ways: to see Lucciola’s worried or angry expressions, hoping that one day he’d show him his smiling face. Of course, there was nothing easier for a person as selfish and rebellious, with a tendency to complicate everything, as Dio is. With the certainty that Lucciola would always have his back, always ready to come to his help, Dio ended up following all his desires.

This behavior was reassuring for Delphine. The fact that he lived his days freely, without showing any interests for the Guild, meant that Dio was not interested in taking part in the politics, and Delphine couldn’t hope for a better situation. The Maestro always let Dio do however he pleased, and when he fled to go race to the Horizon Cave she didn’t even worry, knowing that when she’d wanted to see him it would have sufficed to contact Lucciola through the earring’s speaker. She placed her faith in the correct place, since it was Lucciola that made her come to the Silvana. The boy didn’t do it to obey Delphine’s orders, but because he knew if he’d refused, the Maestro wouldn’t have hesitated to sink the Silvana with all its crew and passengers. Lucciola observed Dio’s change while they stayed on the Silvana, and once he saw how efficient the ship had proved to be in a fight, he thought it could be a way with which he could give Dio his freedom. Knowing he didn’t have many chances of succeeding in killing Delphine with his hands, Lucciola’s plan had Dio getting rid of the Guild’s combat ships (a big threat for the Silvana) while he would’ve bought time, at the cost of losing his life. The key to his plan was in the person Dio was so interested in: Claus. That’s why Lucciola tried to watch over him. He avoided having Claus angering Delphine, trying to communicate him his plan through visive hints.

Concerning the plan to let Dio escape, everything went how Lucciola wished to. His only mistake was underestimate Dio’s brainwash, that was much deeper than what he had foreseen. Lucciola expected Dio’s mind to be subjected to the alteration usually forced on the Guild members, to ensure their complete loyalty, but Dio’s personality was completely erased.

Anyway, Lucciola held the fact that Dio had called him his friend to the highest regard, to the point of giving up his life for their friendship. Delphine, that didn’t know about the extent of their relationship, brought into the Guild’s Castle the person she thought was Dio’s only friend: Claus. Curious of knowing why Lucciola wanted to save her brother, she asked him what he thought he was for Dio. Lucciola knew if he had replied “a servant” he would’ve been spared, but to not betray his friendship he proudly replied he was Dio’s friend. A clear demonstration Lucciola doesn’t consider himself an object or a tool, but a person.

*1 I have my doubts about this because I think I remember reading somewhere she used Cicada to kill them, but I’m not sure.

*2 I took this from Wikipedia I’m not sure if the name’s right, anyway you know what I’m referring to

[razorblade180]

Patriarchal Prison Break2

[Whitley’s Room]

He’s just laying there looking at the ceiling. Eyes are little red and puffy from tears from the eventsa few hours earlier.

*knock knock knock*

Whitley:Go away Weiss.....

*door opens*

Whitley:*raises up* Weiss I said go- ohhhh

Winter:*standing in the door frame* Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before. I can see why Weiss was worried.

Whitley:She called you?

Winter:Her and Klein; you’re causing quite the commotion as usual. *sits next to him* They didn’t specifically tell me to show up but I felt like I’m the one suited for this talk the most.

Whitley:*turns away from her* No offense but I find that hard to believe. Not like we’ve ever really talked before about....anything really.

Winter:*Frowns* I know we aren’t exactly close and everything about this is new. However, all I ask is for you to put a little faith in me just this once.

Whitley:........Did you see the news about me?

Winter:I did, I’ve also heard about how it’s been affected your.......relationship?

Whitley:The two of us weren’t a thing actually. We....were just seeing how things would go. Now we’re even friends.

Winter:Is that so? Well I guess that’s what happens, when you let father walk all over you like a door mat.

Whitley:*gripping his cover* You don’t have to rub it in.

Winter:Rubbing it in isn’t mine intention. I’m just stating the facts. This could’ve been avoided but you let it get out of hand.

Whitley:Winter I swear to god....

Winter:You let him order you around like a puppet. No wonder Mrs.Rose le-

Whitley:SHUT UP!!!! *jumping up from his bed with tears in his eyes* GET OFF MY CASE ALREADY!!!!

Winter:*smiles* That feeling you have right now, where was it for father? If what I said was enough to anger you then you must be furious with him.

Whitley:......*shaking* you of all people should know it’s not that easy. Just being in that room with him is like....like-

Winter:A jet....

Whitley:Huh?

Winter:A jet. *stands up* it’s one of the most forceful things you can be on. Most people want to scream the moment it takes off but find themselves unable to. In the moment people freeze up from the pressure and intensity of the situation. Sound familiar?

Whitley:*shoulders slouch* Is there a point to this analogy?

Winter:How do you think I reacted when I first got to be in one?

Whitley:Let me guess, it was no big deal for you?

Winter:I blacked out.

Whitley:*eyes widen* Excuse me?

Winter:*chuckles* You sound surprised. I blacked out the moment it took off like most people even though I trained for it. It was embarrassing really. Personally I didn’t want to show my face afterwards since I talked such a big game about owning it. Until the General reminded me of something.

Whitley:What would that be?

Winter:*reaches for his face and wipes his tears* Obstacles wouldn’t be called that if it didn’t take time to overcome. It’s only human stumble and fall on the first attempt on something so taxing. Our father raised us to fear anything out of his design; to break our spirits.

Whitley:How did you overcome the jet?

Winter:Confidence in myself was everything. I had the training and new what to expect. All that was left was to take a deep breath and face it head on. You’re lucky, unlike father you’ve dealt with overwhelming pressure your whole life. He should be the one freezing up if you just have confidence.

Whitley:*looking down at the ground* That’s easier said than done. I’m not as strong willed as you or as rebellious as Weiss. I’m just- *feels an arm pull him into an embrace*

Winter:You’re smart and calculating. Leagues above what were at your age; use that to your advantage. Strength does come in many forms. *rubbing his head* Whitley, what do you want to gain out of all this?

Whitley:What do you mean?

Winter:It’s not a trick question. What makes you want to rebel against father now more than other?

Whitley:I.....want to be close to Ruby. No matter what he says about her.

Winter:Then if you truly want that then let it be the thing that gives you the confidence you need to face him. After all, I think that’s what she wanted to see from you all along.

Whitley:Sigh, I really messed up with her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she never wanted to see me again.

Winter:Let me tell you a secret about girls. Second chances is all we want to give if the person we care about truly wants to do better. Are you one of those people?

Whitley:....You really are good at this pep talk thing you know that.

Winter:I left you behind once. *hugs him tighter* Never again.... I promise.

[Living Room]

Ruby:*hugging her knees as she watches tv until-*......

Weiss:*steps in front of her*Ruby....

Ruby:Can we please not do this. I’m not really in the mood to discuss this.

Weiss:I’m not in the mood to discuss a lot of things yet you always decide to try and help anyways. *cuts off tv* for the record, I told you not to go follow him.

Ruby:Did you know he would say that?

Weiss:I knew whatever was gonna happen in that room was going to paint an ugly picture of the situation. A picture that was manipulated by my father.

Ruby:*sniff* I just can’t stop replaying those words in my head. “Irrelevant” the way he said felt so cold and distant. *sniff* Who could say such a thing?

Weiss:.....Me.

Ruby:*looks at her confused*

Weiss:Ruby I wish I could tell you Whitley was just being a jerk but I can’t. Honestly if I was in his position with our father discussing Jaune, I might crumble and make the same mistake. Writing him off as just a phase.

Ruby:How could you say that so effortlessly!?

Weiss:Because it’s not effortless. My heart would be breaking every step of the way; especially if he heard those words.

Ruby:Why say them in the first place? Why cause that kind of pain?

Weiss:Like I said earlier, it’s definitely a mistake to go down that path. That path though is all Whitley knows. This house is all he’s ever known unlike me. Our upbringing is the only thing he has to fall back on.

Ruby:Things can be different now though. He has to ask for help if he needs it.

Weiss:Has, not “had?” I thought you wanted to shut him out.

Ruby:*wipes tears* Had, I meant had.....

Weiss:You know if you asked me how I would describe my brother I would say bossy. Rude, unapologetic, cold, arrogant, just like I was. But then also like me, he met you. You know what I think of him now?

Ruby:....

Weiss:He’s a little dorky, sarcastic, kind, gentle, insecure about his actions, yet still so smart and extroverted even more than me at times. Do you know I’ve never seen him truly smile until he was around you? His face lights up like Nora’s when she sees Ren. Simply by you walking into the room.

Ruby:I....haven’t noticed that.

Weiss:He wants to do right by you, all of us. It’s just gonna take a bit more time. I wasn’t exactly able to express my feelings to everyone over night and stand up to my father. Just like with me can you just be a little more patient with him? *wiping her tears*

Ruby:Weiss I.....I really like him. *sniff* hehehe being vulnerable like this is a bit scary.

Weiss:*Hugs her* I told you you that in his place I might’ve made the same mistake. You know what else I would do?

Ruby:What’s that?

Weiss:*smiles at her* Not make the same one a second time. Because just like me with Jaune, Whitley can’t stand hurting people he wants to be close with. He really likes you too.

Ruby*Wipes her eyes* You...you think so?

Weiss:No doubt about it. He probably also wishes you are less sugar....

Ruby:Ah! *nudges her* I thought we were having a moment here? *holding back a small smile*

Weiss:Our little moment is up because....*points to the hallway as Whitley down from it with Winter.

Whitley:H...hey.

Ruby:Hi.....

Whitley:*rubbing his arm* Listen I know what you said before but-

Ruby:Dinner.....

Whitley:Huh?

Ruby:It’s almost dinner time. Maybe we should go somewhere and just talk...?

Whitley:Oh, ummm o...kay. *grabs a jacket*

*both of them stand up and start walking towards the door*

Whitley:....*slowly reaches for her hand before backing off* (No, she probably wouldn’t-)

Ruby:*grabs his hand*........

Whitley:......

Ruby:Don’t get it twisted. I’m still really upset but....I like holding your hand. *grpping a bit harder as she blushes*

Whitley:Fair enough *smiling as they both leaves*

Weiss:You think he’ll okay?

Winter:You and I managed. I’m everything will-

Jacques:*walks in* Winter? What brings you here?

Winter:Just visiting my siblings. *steps in front of Weiss* I was in the area.

Jacques:Well next time call. You might’ve been raised here but you do not have free range to come and go as you please.

Weiss:You have some nerve to-

Winter:It’s okay Weiss. *walks up to him* I also came to give you some advice. I’d be very carful with what you say and do from here on out.

Jacques:And why is that young lady?

Winter:The point of a legacy is to be remembered after you’re gone.You’ve spent your entire life trying to create yours through this family. *fixes his tie* one small problem though.

Jacques:Which is wha- ugh! *tie suddenly a bit too tight*

Winter:It doesn’t matter what you create if your kids destroy it; then you wasted your life. You’d only would’ve been a man with his place in history already grazed over or forgotten entirely. *lets go* You are two thirds of the way there already. As your daughter I’d recommend being very careful with my brother. You can’t afford any more mistakes.

Jacques:Tsk the only mistake I made was not keeping the two of you in check when I should’ve been more vigilant. A mistake I’ve learned from. *walks away*

Weiss:Honestly that warning was too good for him. I wouldn’t have said a thing.

Winter:Perhaps, at the end of the day maybe I’m hoping for too much out of him. Oh well, not everyone is built to take pressure; especially those too busy trying to create it. *looks at door* (You’re gonna be just fine Whitley) Weiss, let’s spend some time together.

Weiss:*smiles* Okay!

[elliemarchetti]

Holiday Inconveniences (part 5)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Other Red Queen fics:

Red Queen Soulmate AU (Mare) | Part 2 (Diana and Shade) | Part 3 (Diana) | Part 4 (Shade) | Part 5 (Mare and Cal)

A Wonderful Mistake (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5) (part 6) (part 7)

The Scam (part 2)

A Red Lover (part 2)

A Rebel’s Song (part 2)

The Epilogue

A Different POV

Words: 1083

Cal struggled a lot to park without slipping on the fresh snow, and the hood of the car almost sank into a white and so hard heap that for a brief, terrible moment Mare feared was a low wall. When he finally succeeded, they both went down, their feet sinking to the ankles, in hope that, seeing a young couple stuck in the storm, the owners would find even a sofa for them too; after all, they had shown that they could sleep without problems even in the most uncomfortable places, if they were adequately exhausted, and although it was just past lunchtime Mare wanted nothing more than to stretch her legs and lie down in front of the fireplace. Unfortunately, and the couple of owners seemed almost more sorry than them, there were no longer even free armchairs, but they still offered them a hot cocoa and homemade maxi cookies with chocolate chips, making Mare missing home even more.

"You have to know," explained the woman, who somehow reminded her of her mother "even if it doesn’t seem like, is a touristic town, especially during Christmas time. It’s a real pity that you happened to be here in the middle of this damn storm” she said, earning a grim look from her husband. It was nice to see them bickering, because although it was obvious that they had been together for a long time and had become accustomed to each other's faults, the profound love they felt also transpired in their words. They left when the evening had fallen and took the road that the map indicated and would take them to a motel owned by a friend of the one who, even for one afternoon, had been their host.  Driving with darkness and snow, which fell a little less dense than before, but still with big flakes, which drew large swirls in the sky before landing on the ground adding more thickness to the already huge layer of snow accumulated even on the roads, shouldn't have been easy and Mare tried to make herself as useful as possible by being almost as vigilant as Cal. Once they reached the destination they immediately realized that the place wasn’t even remotely comparable to the one where they had been before but James had warned them, so they weren’t particularly disappointed, as they weren’t by his strange friend, who hang a large crucifix behind the counter, right behind him, and a small statue of the Virgin Mary where in any other place there would’ve been a bell to recall the receptionist’s attention.

"Sadly we don't have a twin available at the moment" the man said, even if they hadn’t made that specific request.

"Oh, a double's fine." Cal cut in, not giving Mare enough time to reply, probably in fear she would say goodbye and leave. To be honest, Mare would’ve done it from the first moment she met Jesus’ depressed gaze, which gave her a vague sense of anxiety, not having grown up in a religious house, but she also knew that they couldn't go on, so she didn’t object. Also with single beds she could never take advantage of the body heat that Cal emanated in waves, and God only knew how much she would need it in that cold place.

"The walls are very thin here” the man warned them before giving Cal the keys. “and Lord can see everything.”

"Okay, well thank you.” Mare said, steering Cal, who was on the verge of laughter, away.

"The walls are thin!” he mocked the woman, incredibly credible for a man his size. “What did she think we’re going to do? Have sex?" he joked as they reach the right door.

Mare laughed. "Yeah, apparently God's into voyeurism.”

Cal let out a snort and flopped onto the bed, as if he had been waiting for it for days. Indeed Mare also needed a good twelve hours of sleep but first she would go shower, if only she could stop looking at him affectionately as he rolled over the incredibly clean blankets.

"Do you think he has a wife?" he asked, finally resting his head on one of the soft-looking cushions, though perhaps too thin for her tastes.

"I doubt," she replied, looking for something to sleep with. She hadn't brought any pajamas with her because, convinced that she was going directly to her house and she would have used the ones she had left there, but a pair of leggings and a now discolored long sleeved shirt would’ve been fine for once.

"These blankets smell great." Cal muttered in a muffled voice, and when Mare looked back at him, she found him with his face sunk in the duvet, intent on sniffing it. Her stomach made a backflip when she realized she wasn’t only attracted by him but she started to feel something more, though she couldn’t define when it had begun. Obviously, it wasn’t a good thing: although Cal had behaved so well with her when they were stuck in his house and even accompanied her to the campus once his uncle had gone showering, allowing her to avoid the embarrassment to meet her professor and the discomfort of having to take public transport, already known for their continuous delays, with that weather, he had never talked about hanging out again or even asked for her phone number. If he had been someone else, someone less experienced, she might’ve thought it was a mistake, an inadvertence that would’ve led to a quick search on Facebook, where he could’ve added her and they would’ve started talking, maybe arranging for a short and neutral date, probably for a coffee that would’ve taken most of the afternoon in a nice place renowned for being the setting for many first dates but the favourite place of few due to the too high prices and the discomfort to reach it. But it was Cal, and he didn't fit into that kind of cliché, he was a handsome, rich, charming, mysterious university student, full of secrets yet with the attitude of a high schooler. He was the whole package, and you can have people like him only for one night.

"Keep the bed warm for me, honey, " she teased him, but shut the bathroom door so quickly she didn’t even heard the answer.  She was in a huge mess, but nothing that an equally huge amount of cold water couldn’t fix. Or at least she hoped so.