#I'm still considering whether I'll post the non-SW fic too

[exonerin]

Do we get any more inside scoop on Hardeen? 😈😈😈 Can’t wait!

Of course! And thank you for the question. I have 24,255 words at the moment, and I'm working on the second half of the fifth chapter at. It's all my first draft (more or less, but I won't bore you with the details. I did some extensive rewriting).

Before I post my situation (boring) and a snippet (might be interesting), I'll ask a counter question.

Depending on the answer in a week, I'll arrange something.

For option 1: as soon as everything is finished, I'll switch to daily updates, too.

Snippet and irrelevant explanation below:

Now, I'll talk briefly about my situation. So, looking at my AO3 account, I released Not Made To Last in June and then remained silent until September with Bringing Him Home and Insult & Injury in close succession. You might suspect I took a break, but I didn't.

Because this is not an entirely accurate timeline. I wrote my Obikin Big Bang (77k) and a non-Star Wars related project (20k) in this time gap, too.

So, since the end of June, I've written 130k and edited 175k words. I also have a 40 hour office job and a (one-person) household to run. This has implications for how I spent my time, as you can imagine. By which I mean, I had several weeks of very long nights.

I planned to continue with the Hardeen fic (Till Death Do Us Part) immediately, but I was a little bit... well, overwhelmed, perhaps. I write for fun, and I might lovingly call it my second job, but I don't make any money on this. It's a hobby. That means, I have to have fun while writing (which I do!).

I guess, what I want to say is: I took an involuntary break to keep this sustainable in the long run. Therefore, I didn't make any progress with my writing since I posted the last chapter of Insult & Injury

Here's the good news, though: I started again on Monday, and I've been making solid progress. So, we will get there.

Lastly, the most important part: the snippet! And I have 25k to pick from, so it's very difficult. Here's my snippet:

Turning the large sniper rifle in his hands, the movements both elegant and eerily familiar, Hardeen twisted the blaster from the guard's hands. While the guard stumbled back, Hardeen pushed for an advantage, aggressively gaining terrain as he landed a barrage of blows that took the guard to the edge of the plaza.

Rako Hardeen.

Vaguely, Anakin remembered that the Chancellor told him Hardeen had escaped.

It was unfair.

Slowly, Anakin struggled to his feet, swaying as he staggered after Hardeen, determined to make him pay. He felt punch-drunk as he approached Hardeen, his gaze on the mercenary's back to avoid acknowledging the world spun wildly out of control.

Each breath was loud, coated in blood and agony.

Sensing Anakin limp closer, Hardeen turned around, and his eyes were so… They were so… pale blue. Gray. Overcast skies and icy shards. So Obi-Wan.

How cruel that the man who had slain his Master had stolen his eyes, too.

Desperately, he gritted his teeth, grinding them with so much pressure that his molars ached.

"You killed him," Anakin growled, his voice a low hum that vibrated behind his clenched teeth. "I loved him, and you killed him."

Tapping from energy reserves Anakin didn't possess, burning the embers of his being, he lunged at Hardeen. For a brief moment, as Anakin barreled into Hardeen and sent them both to the ground, he believed he could win.

Then, Hardeen rolled them over, twisting Anakin's left arm behind his back. Hardeen's other arm curled around his throat, pinning Anakin in a hold he couldn't escape, the threat of pressure against his throat a clear warning.

If Hardeen believed Anakin was scared of death, he was dead wrong. Vindication made Anakin bare his teeth like a feral animal, and he struggled in the hold, his joints protesting as he forced them in awkward angles. Hardeen applied more weight, pinning Anakin against the smooth stone of the plaza. The arm pressed against his throat tightened marginally.

Anakin had depleted his energy, but he had hatred left, and he would fight as nastily as he could. Hardeen applied more pressure, and Anakin knew he wouldn't win.