#LDE23

[221bshrlocked]

fatal dis|at|traction

Pairing: Hunter x AFAB!Reader

Words: 9774

Warnings: Unrequited feelings (in more ways than one). Touch-starved characters. Lots of sweet/dirty talk. Hunter likes to tease a lot. Oral Sex (female receiving). Fingering. Squirting. Just a bit of a knife kink (it's not everyone's cup of tea so it's a very short scene). Pentrative, Unprotected Sex (wrap it up folks). Creampie. Cuddling.

Summary: You have feelings for Tech who is now taken. Hunter notices your little predicament and decides to offer you a solution, one that you take enthusiastically. Little do you know that this could be the start of something new.

A/N: It's been a minute but I'm very thankful for the Life Day Gift Exchange by @cloneficgiftexchange because I finally managed to write something. This is for @intricatechaosofyou who gave a prompt after my own heart. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it. Coincidentally, this also fits into one of the @clonexreaderbingo prompts I got which I am embarrsingly behind on.

With every little chuckle you heard from Phee, your heart beat in jealousy at not being Tech’s center of attention. You thought it wouldn’t be an issue in the beginning, assuming that Tech would remain uninterested in Phee’s flirtatious advances. But the more she hung out with the team, the more he warmed up to her subtle compliments and faint touches. Before you knew what was happening, he was hanging out with her whenever you and the batch had time off from the crazy missions Sid continued to send you on. 

Then she took you to Pabu and things really spiraled. Their time together increased each day and you barely got to see him. You couldn’t blame him really, or Phee. You just wished you had more time or perhaps been a bit more brave about your feelings towards him.

Another random laugh fills the afternoon air, this time from Tech, and you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and look at the two of them enjoying the preparation for Life Day. You look with longing at the man who managed to captivate your heart with a simple, random fact, and you sigh heavily at knowing that you’ll never really have a chance with him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hunter breaks your sad train of thought, and you turn around to look at him, silently praying that he didn’t just notice you staring at his brother. You pack the decoration boxes and look down to the ground, pretending you don’t understand what he’s talking about. 

“What?” You ask once, and when Hunter doesn’t respond right away, you glance at him quickly to try and gauge his reaction, hoping that you can fool him by acting as clueless as possible about his question. He stares at you silently, uncrossing his arms and heading towards you to help you out with the rest of the boxes.

“I- I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Sarge.” You say in passing as you make your way to the storehouse, already thinking of some lie to respond with in case he dragged this out. When you set down all the empty containers, you shut the door behind the two of you and head towards the center of the town. 

“Don’t do that…not with me.” Hunter breaks the silence after a while, stopping you in your tracks and waiting until you acknowledge him. You ring your fingers nervously, gulping down the nervousness that built up in your throat before facing him. There’s another fake reply at the tip of your tongue but before you can say anything, Hunter beats you to it, stopping you from embarrassing yourself any further. 

“Come on, you can’t lie to me.” He furrows his eyebrows, looking at the couple standing not too far from you before centering his attention back on you again.

“I’m not lying.” You’re more defensive than you’d like and Hunter sighs in irritation, shaking his head and taking those last few steps towards you. The last thing he wants to do is embarrass you but he knows this conversation won’t go anywhere unless you willingly open up to him. 

“Then why is your heart racing? I can practically feel you shaking. You’re not even looking at me.” Your palms grow sweaty the more he reveals those little details about you. 

“Talk to me.” You never thought you’d hear him plead for anything and when you finally look at him, you see a genuine, heartfelt expression on his face, one that makes you feel even more horrible about the predicament you found yourself in. 

“It’s not important, don’t- just don’t worry about it.” You wave your hand around and turn around to walk away from him, only to feel a strong hold wrap around your wrist and stop you from going anywhere else. 

“Tech is a genius, but he can be incredibly dense at times.” Hunter waits until you meet his eyes again before he whispers that last sentiment. The shock of the exclamation sends your heart racing, and your eyes widen in horror at the prospect of everyone else potentially knowing your feelings for Tech. 

“Wha- how…how did you know?”

“I know mesh’la, I know.” He loosens his grip a little, but doesn’t let you go completely, not wanting you to run away from him. The two of you stand in quietness for too long to your liking, and you give up on trying to pretend you don’t know what he’s talking about. 

You give up on trying to make it seem like you’re okay. 

“Is it that obvious?” The chuckle is self-deprecating, and you avoid looking into his hazel gray eyes, afraid you’d cry if he continues to give you that horribly sentimental expression. 

“Not to the others, although Echo guessed just as much a while back. But no, the others don’t know.” Hunter lets go of you then, but he doesn’t move away from you, wanting you to know that he’s here to help in whatever you’ll allow him to. 

“How did you find out?” You move away from the crowd slowly forming around the town square, wanting to have some privacy from prying eyes, from Wrecker and Omega. 

“I notice the way your eyes light up whenever he walks in the room, or goes on one of those rants about kriff knows what.” Anyone else would have laughed at you, but you feel at peace knowing that Hunter would never tease you about something like this. He was too kind to joke about such an intimate little secret. 

“Hmm.”

“And your heart beats like you’ve just run across the whole of Coruscant.” Hunter adds as he comes to a halt in front of the house you reserved for yourself when you first got to Pabu. 

“Ahh, that is extremely embarrassing.” You turn away from him as you respond, not wanting to be at the receiving end of whatever comment he was going to throw your way.

“It’s not…it’s natural to react that way when you have feelings towards someone.” You’re a little surprised by his explanation, mostly because you never thought he’d be the type to speak so sweetly about something as awkward as emotions. 

“Right.” You can’t help but smile when you see him shrug at you, and as you’re about to unlock your door, Hunter turns around and grabs the knob, preventing you from reaching for it, let alone turn around and get away from him. 

“You know what you need?” He asks, and you shiver at the sudden drop in his voice, wondering why he was suddenly becoming so friendly with you. 

“Please enlighten me, because this whole conversation hasn’t been humiliating enough as is.” You laugh in an attempt to diffuse the tension slowly building in between the two of you, but Hunter doesn’t crack a single smile, roaming his eyes down your neck and taking in a deep breath before meeting your gaze once more. 

“You need to get your mind off of him, just for a little while. Find a distraction…sometimes you have to stay busy so you don’t feel.” You’re too distracted by the proximity between his body and your own to dwell on the true meaning behind his words. 

“Yeah well, good thing we’re staying here. Helping rebuild the city will definitely take my mind off of him and…ugh, I guess make me focus less on seeing the two of them together.” Looking past him to the slowly busying town square, you completely miss the way he bites his lower lip as he studies you closely and shakes his head at your response. 

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh yeah, what do you mean th-” Turning your focus back to him, the words die in your throat when you finally notice the way he’s looking at you. You part your lips in a gasp, finding it difficult to breathe as Hunter leans into your space and groans his intentions against your jaw. 

“I mean…you need to get your mind off of him, and onto something else…perhaps someone else.” Your body freezes at the unexpected intimacy of the moment, and although you know you should push him away and tell him to forget whatever was happening, you tell yourself that this might just be what you need to forget about Tech. 

“I s-see.” Hunter’s hand reaches for your waist, holding you against him until he’s sure you’re accepting his advances. He smiles at you, his eyes twinkling with mischief that sends a zap of lightning down your spine. 

It was a warm day in Pabu, but having Hunter flush against your chest makes you even more heated, and you gulp down whatever nervousness was threatening to make itself known in the form of a rejection, allowing your fingers to dance along his forearm before you grab onto his shoulders for support. 

“W-what do you have in mind?” He gets even more bold then, wrapping his arm around your back and pulling you in until you nearly bump your forehead against his nose. 

“I think you know.” His voice is gravely, and it occurs to you then that he may have always had this deep baritone, but you just never truly appreciated it until now. 

“Humor me, Sarge.” You smirk right back at him, eyes dancing from his lips to his piercing gaze in preparation for what he’s about to say. 

“Well, you’ll first need to find someone willing to help you out, someone who knows all about distractions. Then, you take them somewhere private and…how should I put this, kindly ask them to fuck your brains out…take the edge off a little…and if you start thinking of him again, you get on your knees and have them dick you down real hard…till you can’t think straight.” His lips graze across the skin of your cheek, down to your neck, as he promises you the filthiest sentiments, and if you weren’t sure you knew the man standing in front of you was far beyond the average man, you would have asked him how he had you melting into his arms in such a small period of time. 

“Maker,” you nearly reach up to kiss him but then quickly remember that anyone can see you. Before you can push him away, Hunter nudges you harshly to get your attention again, not wanting you to get distracted by your surroundings or if anyone might hear what the two of you have in mind. 

“Hmm, I think your body agrees with me sweetheart. Why don’t you have that tired brain of yours catch up?” He nods at your head, tilting his head to the side as if he was asking you a silent question. 

“Do you…do you know someone that can do all of what you just said?” 

“You’re right in luck baby, I happen to be free for the next couple of hours.” Hunter responds right away, knowing that it would be extremely difficult to have you like this again. 

“Ahhh, t-that saves me from looking then.” You smile when he rests against you and nudges your nose with his own, aquiline one. 

“So, what do you want?” Again, his voice is smoother than honey, sending you spiraling in a matter of seconds out of anticipation. 

“I thought you…don’t be cruel, please.” You kiss the corner of his mouth, feeling the rough stubble across his sharp cheeks burn you in the sweetest way. Hunter turns his head far enough to finally tough his lips with your own, the kiss ending far too quickly to your liking but leaves you begging for more. 

“Never…never. I mean, how do you want it mesh’la? You want it slow, soft, sensual…” He slithers his hands across your body, leaving a trail of fire across your skin with each sweet touch he graces you with. 

“Or do you like it hard and fast…till you can’t scream anymore?” He digs his nails into your curves then grabbing and squeezing your ass until you nearly fall against him.

“Oh fuck…I- Hunter, please.”

“You’re a big girl, use your words and tell me what you want!” Hunter combs his hand into your hair, tugging on it harshly until you throw your head back and give him access to your neck. He descends down on you like a madman, nipping and sucking on the soft expanse of your skin until you’re panting in his embrace. 

“You want me to be sweet with you…or do you want to feel me with every step you take tomorrow?” He licks the bitemarks he’s left behind, chuckling to himself when he feels you shaking in his arms and practically begging him to fuck you right out in the open. 

“Please Hunter, be- be rough with me. As rough as you want.” You reach for the collar of his shirt, fisting it in your hands as if you were holding on for dear life. You should have known that as everything else, Hunter would easily take you down without breaking a sweat. 

“A girl after my own heart.” He chuckles then, the sweet sound shooting straight into your chest and making you wish he just pushed the door behind you open and took you somewhere more private. 

“I’ll take my time with you next time baby, worship every fucking inch of your body as you deserve. But tonight…tonight I’m going to teach you how to take me…please me…open up for me and take my cum like the good girl I know you are.” He kisses across your damp skin in between words, finding it difficult to continue holding back when he could practically smell your arousal the more he whispers into your ears. 

“I’m going to fuck you into the next galaxy sweetheart, till the only name your pretty little brain can remember is mine and mine alone.” Your heart beats so fast Hunter thinks you might pass out, but as you melt into his arms and pull him closer to you, he knows that you’re enjoying this as much as he was. 

“And believe me when I tell you, I’ll know if you’re thinking of him. So be a pretty little sweetheart and focus on me.” He moves away to take a better look at you, raising a curious eyebrow when he finds you completely lost in every touch and every sweet word he was gifting you with. 

“Yes,” you barely manage to breathe out, waiting for whatever he still has in stock for you. 

“Yes?” Hunter asks, his expression turning more serious when you open your eyes and look right into his own. There’s something so erotic about how much he can sense every little reaction you have to his advances, but he sets his thoughts aside long enough to hear you openly consent to him. 

“Yes, sergeant.” Those two words are music to his ears, and he steps away instantly, but not before making sure you can still stand on your own two feet. You snap out of your haze when you no longer feel the heat of his body against yours. 

“Good girl.” He grabs your hand and leads you away from your home, down the tiled pathway towards the quieter side of the island. 

“Where…where are you taking me?”

“Some place where you can scream my name without worrying about anyone hearing you.” He nearly stops in his tracks when he hears you moan in response to his words, but he knows that if he looks back now, he might never make it to his own place. If anything, the reaction he gets out of you makes him walk quicker, not caring for how you stumble several times as he continues towards the smaller, but more private homes at the bottom of the island. 

You can’t look away from him, and as you follow him blindly, you find yourself surprised at not wishing he was someone else. Maybe because you’ve always found him objectively handsome, all the clones were if you were being honest, or perhaps because you’ve always wondered what it would be like to be with someone like Hunter, someone who you knew would be so attuned to every sound and every muscle twitch you’d have that he’d know instantly how to please you. But the longer you dwell on it, the more you realize that you’re lucky to have someone like him pay you this much attention, or even be willing to give you this favor. 

Little did you know that while you were longing for Tech, Hunter was struggling to keep his own feelings at bay. He didn’t want to take advantage of you, far from it, but he figured that maybe, just maybe, if he showed you how much he cares for you, you’d look at him instead of his brother. 

He can feel your eyes on him, and his heart skips a beat at the prospect of finally having your attention. Hunter wants to ask you if you’re sure about this, but as he approaches his residence, he finds himself less willing to break the two of you out of whatever cloud you’ve fallen under, afraid that you’d change your mind and leave. 

The thought nearly breaks his heart, but as he slows down and unlocks his door, he feels your hands shaking even harder, and he knows then that he needs to give you an out because you may not be able to take it yourself. 

“Sweet girl, you’re trembling.” He turns around and cups your neck, forcing you to look into his eyes so you’re sure he doesn’t mind if you walk away from him. 

“If you’ve changed your mind…if- if you don’t want this anymore, we can stop. It’s- it’s okay.” The words sound less convincing to his ears, but he braces himself for the rejection he’s sure you’re about to give him. 

“No, Hunter please.” Your instant response sends a wave of relief and reluctance through his chest, and his eyes widen for a fraction of a second before they soften again, knowing that if you noticed his expression, you might push through just to not upset him. 

“I won’t have you against your will baby.” He leans over and kisses the small space in between your eyebrows, waiting until you relax against him before he pulls away and meets your gaze again. 

“I want this, Hunter. I- I want you. I’d be lying to myself if I said otherwise.” You tug at his forearms, wanting him to not shy away from you, perhaps even afraid that he’d change his mind and tell you to leave. Your nerves slowly rise again and Hunter must sense your spiraling thoughts because he pulls you into the small space and shuts the door behind you, pushing you against the wall and stepping impossibly close to you so you can only feel him. 

“Tell me what you need. Right this moment.” 

“Can you just...hold me for a minute? I- I need to feel your arms around me.” You barely manage to breathe out the request, not because you think he’ll laugh at it but because you find yourself having a difficult time thinking of a single coherent thought. 

“Sure thing ad’ika, come here.” Hunter slowly walks back to the small bed at the edge of the wall, sitting down on the soft surface of the covers before pulling you into his lap. You follow him quietly, finding it oddly soothing to have him in control of your actions rather than your own mind. You throw your arms around him and rest your head on his chest, willing yourself to relax as soon as you feel his hands roam across your back soothingly. 

“I want you to focus on my heartbeat.” You do as he says, moving your head down a little further so you can listen to his heart. If you’re shocked by how much faster it is, you say nothing and dwell on the fact that he may be just as nervous as you are. 

“Take deep breaths,” Hunter slides one hand underneath your shirt to test the waters, shutting his eyes and smiling to himself when your muscles relax deeper into him. 

“Nothing else matters, little one. Only you, and me…right here and now.” He reminds you one last time, massaging your back and turning his head every once in a while to kiss you. Hunter shuts his eyes to commit this moment to memory, unsure of whether he’ll ever get to have you like this again or not. He says nothing after, wanting to ensure that you have all the time you need before the two of you do anything. 

You’re not sure how long you spend in his arms but when you no longer feel nervous at being in his presence, you pull away and rest your hands on his chest, willing yourself to be brave enough to look into his eyes after experiencing such an intimate moment with him. 

“Feeling better?” He reaches for your chin and moves it up softly to take a better look at you. As soon as he looks into your eyes, he smiles at you, waiting until you return the expression before doing anything else. 

“Hmm.”

“Then why don’t you lay back for me.” He moves you off of him and studies you closely as you maneuver yourself around his bed. You’re less shy than before, that he’s sure of, but you do as he says more confidently, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Hunter, and makes him imagine all that he can do to you. 

“You know, I- I always thought you had a soothing voice,” you break the silence reluctantly, biting your lower lip when you notice Hunter smirking at the unexpected sentiment. 

“Yeah?” He questions as he kneels on the bed and slowly crawls towards you. 

“Yes, but now…now I’m realizing it’s your presence.” You waver in your response, finding it difficult to think of anything when he’s looking at you like you’re his prey. 

“Tell me more.” Hunter demands, dancing his fingers across whatever skin he has access to and watching as goosebumps erupt across your body at the simple touches. 

“It’s in your touch, your- kriff, your movements…your gaze.” You arch your back when Hunter digs his nose at the space just above the edge of your pants and takes a long whiff of your scent. You think that if anyone else has done something so strange, you’d be turned off by it, but this was Hunter, and scenting was important to him, especially since he must have been getting awfully close to you because he liked what he could smell. 

“Glad to be of service,” he comments in passing, nudging your shirt up to get more access to the skin of your stomach. He kisses your navel, breathing you in with each new bit of flesh he came across. 

“Gods above,” you can’t take it anymore, reaching for his shoulder and trying to pull him closer to you so he could speed things up a bit. 

“No sweetheart, it’s only me.” He chuckles at the whine you send his way, looking up at you as he parts your thighs and makes space for himself in between. 

“You’re d-driving me insane Hunter.” Hunter doesn’t move an inch as you try to bring him closer. If anything, he slows down even more and takes both of your hands into his own, softly kissing the wrist of each one before bringing them above your head. 

“If you’re still coherent, then I’m not driving you insane enough.” He’s teasing you, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was pushing you to a point where you could do nothing but beg for him. So distracted with the patterns he’s drawing across your arms, you don’t realize where the other hand is reaching until you feel his grip tighten around your throat. 

“Ahh, please.” You arch your back, grabbing the sheets beneath you in an attempt to keep your hands where he asked you to. You want nothing more than to wrap your arms around him and surrender to his lips, but you knew better than to disobey his orders. Hunter was a strict man in the field, and you were positive he wasn’t any different in this context. If anything, he was probably even more severe now. At least you hoped he would be. 

“And remember baby, it’s ‘Sergeant’ for you. Got it?”

“Yes, sergeant.”

“Now, do me a favor and keep your hands there.” He taps twice on them, waiting until you nod in agreement before he sits back up and takes your wrecked form. He hoped you’d open up for him easily, but he never thought you’d be so needy, let alone greedy for him. 

“But how will you take my clothes off?” You pout at him, the expression making Hunter wish he could flip you over and fuck you into oblivion. But he knew you needed him to be soft tonight, even if you were adamant in making him get a little rough with you. 

“Let’s not spoil the fun.” He warns with a pinch to your hip, chuckling at the way you jump and your thighs unintentionally close around him. 

“A bit sensitive, aren’t we?” He rests one hand near your head as he leans down and kisses the corner of your mouth, waiting for you to breathe before touching your lips with his own. It’s a chaste kiss, yet it sends your heart leaping through the roof because of how unexpectedly tender it is. 

“I…haven’t done this in a while.” You whisper against his mouth, chasing him along when he begins to pull away again. 

“Shame,” it’s such a simple comment, and yet you feel a string of butterflies in your stomach at the implication behind it. The fact that you held Hunter’s focus when so many on the island were begging for it makes you wish he could have approached you sooner. 

“Hmmph,” the sound of your moan reaches your ear instantly, and you try to hide from Hunter out of embarrassment, but he doesn’t let you, moving down your body slowly and continuing to drive you mad with need for him. 

“Go on baby, moan for me.”

“What if s-someone hears?”

“Everyone’s in town for the celebrations,” he reaches down and unbutton your pants, looking straight into your eyes as he pulls the fabric down your legs and throws it behind him. You try to close your legs quickly, afraid he could smell how wet you are. But Hunter is much faster than you, and he prevents you from moving another muscle, looking down once at the dark patch on your panties before meeting your eyes again, silently letting you know that he could smell you long before this very moment. 

“No one’ll hear you, mesh’la. So beg all you want, you’re mine tonight.” He slips one finger beneath the edge of your panties, thumbing at the skin of your hips to get you to calm down a little before he does anything else. 

“Only tonight?” You don’t mean to ask this question, not now at least, but you figured you may as well see if this was a one-time thing or not. 

“Oh I don’t get to decide that, you do.” He surprises you with his answer, and the shock must be visible on your face because Hunter tilts his head to the side and stares at you until you realize you really were in control of what goes on between the two of you. 

“So if I- oh kriff, if I want you to fuck me every night…”

“Then ask me nicely.” He slips one hand underneath your shirt, raising it above your stomach to your chest and laying it across your sternum to feel your heartbeat. When you don’t respond right away, he slides his hand a little further and draws random patterns just below your breast. 

“Better yet, beg me sweetly…and I’ll give you my cock whenever you like.” He promises as he continues to edge you into submission, something that makes you wish you could yell at him about and thank him for. 

“T-thank you, sarge.” Your breathing becomes erratic the longer he touches you anywhere but where you want him, and just as you begin to give up hope, he removes his hands completely from your form and reaches behind him. 

“Do you trust me cyar’ika?” The question is asked with hesitance, and you’re not sure why he’s asking you this all of a sudden, but when you hear the sound of a clasp coming undone, you know why he’s being so serious. 

“You know I do.” It’s the first thing you said since he dragged you behind him where you aren’t practically shaking beneath him, and once he’s completely satisfied with your response, he pulls out the blade from its holster and flips it around. You’re enamored by the swift movement of the weapon as it dances in between his fingers, and the faster Hunter plays with the knife, the more difficult you find it to breathe. 

“Then look at me.” He demands as he stops swinging the knife around, and you obey him instantly, gulping excitedly as he leans over your body once again and places the sharp end of the knife at the top of your shirt, inches below your neck.  

“Don’t,” Hunter warns slowly, nicking small holes into your shirt until the article of clothing rips down the middle, “move,” his voice is somehow even more gravely than before, and you stop breathing altogether, not because you think he’ll hurt you but because you can’t help but feel turned on by how focused he is on you and how safe you feel with something so dangerous, “a muscle.” He continues to ruin your shirt and you can’t find it in yourself to care one bit, knowing that being at Hunter’s mercy was worth far more than any shirt you could own. When he completely separates both sides of the fabric, he slips the wide edge of the knife beneath the fabric and pushes it to the side before grabbing the other with his fingers and displaying your nude skin to his hungry eyes. 

You let out a deep breath and refuse to look anywhere else but his dilated pupils, clenching your thighs tightly at knowing that you were the reason behind such a dramatic reaction from him. 

“I can smell you, little one. Does this turn you on?” He finally looks away from your heaving chest to your eyes, and when he finds you already staring at him, he smiles to himself and places the knife down gently on the small table near his bed. You’re disappointed that he clearly won’t be using it anymore, and Hunter notices the small expression because he trails his fingers down your front and pinches one nipple to get your attention. 

“Use your words and tell me.” You arch into his rough ministrations, whispering your response and moaning for more. 

“Y-yes, it does.”

“I knew you’d be fun.” He soothes the heated skin of your breast, drawing small circles around one nipple just as he leans down and takes the other in between his teeth. You whine his name over and over again, and Hunter growls his approval against you, lapping up the bitemarks he left around your hardened peak before sucking harshly on it again. 

“Fuck, I do love how sensitive you are.” He manages to say right before diving for the other nipple and tasting your natural scent along with the soap you use to shower. 

“And how hard your nipples perk at the touch of my fingers.” He thinks you’re about to move one hand so he reaches quickly for it, gripping it tightly and keeping it against the bed while he leaves angry marks across your chest. 

“Ahh maker, please sergeant.” Your moans are becoming louder, and Hunter decides then and there that if you were going to scream for him, it should be his name falling from your lips, not his rank. The only warning you get before he descends down your body is his hand slipping underneath your panties and instantly pushing two fingers into your cunt. You’re dripping for him, and his thick fingers rub against your tight walls with an embarrassing ease. 

“Kriff, I know I asked you to call me that, but forget it.” Hunter looks into your eyes as he lets go of your wrist and grabs the back of your neck, not bothering to say anything else as he lunges for your mouth and swallows your moans. You part your thighs and your lips for him, not caring for any rule he’s given you as you throw your arms around his neck and pull him closer to you. He fingers you slowly, but as begin to clench tightly around him, Hunter can’t hold back anymore and he moves off of you with a wet smack before crawling down your body. You’re shocked by the sudden urgency of his movement, and as soon as you reach for his hair and tug on it, you feel his warm lips close around your clit and his tongue aggressively lap at the engorged bundle of nerves. 

“I want you to scream my name, mesh’la. Scream my name as you come on my tongue.” 

“Hu- ahhh g-gods!” You’re not aware of what you’re saying, and the harder Hunter thrusts his fingers into you, the quicker you feel your release coming along. 

“You smell…so sweet.” Hunter manages to breathe in between his assault on your pussy, and you let go of his hair to grab for the sheets beneath you, not wanting to hurt him by how hard you’d pull on his hair. 

“But you taste so much sweeter.” He feels his cock harden as the taste and scent of you fill his nostrils. Normally, he’d find it overwhelming to be surrounded by so many strong scents, but the more you gush for him, the more he wants to dive into you and make you soak him with your arousal. 

“Hunter, oh right there…please.” You reach for his hair again, but this time, you pull so hard that his red bandana comes off in your hand and reminds you to loosen your hold so as to not overwhelm him with too many sensations. 

“Sorry, I-” You try to apologize but the words trail off when Hunter looks up and shakes his head at you. 

“I don’t mind, sweet thing. Go on, pull as hard as you want.” He leans down and kisses the hand near his head, nipping at your thumb to let you know that he was feeling more than okay. 

“But won’t that-” You don’t want him to feel like he needs to do this for you, but Hunter distracts you again, rubbing at your clit with his thumb to get you to listen to him. 

“Please cyar’ika, let me feel you…everywhere.” Hunter begs you, pushing your thighs apart even more in an attempt to get you to do as he says. He doesn’t wait for a response then, descending down on you again with more passion than you thought him capable of in such a setting, and before you know it, he has you right at the edge with his expert hands and his enthusiastic mouth. You should have known that he’d know what you like quickly, but something about him being so attuned to your responses pushes you closer to your orgasm, and before you know it, you’re shutting your eyes and letting the flood of sensations overtake you. 

“Hmm fuck, that’s it.” You scratch at his scalp as you pull on his hair, the action driving Hunter nearly mad and making him grab at your stomach to keep you planted to his face. 

“Hunter…I- I’m co-” His harsh breathing and how hard he continues to lick at your clit is all you need to fall apart, and as soon as he coils his fingers inside you and rubs your tight walls, you come around him instantly, shaking violently beneath his firm body and screaming nonsense into the damp air of the room. It’s becoming nearly too much, and although you want him to stop, you can’t find it in yourself to push him away, a part of you sensing that he may need this as much as you. So you let him continue his assault on your cunt, and before you realize what’s about to happen, Hunter pulls away and watches as you soak his arms and his bed with your juices. He doesn't let up once, plunging his fingers into you so quickly that you manage to wet even his thighs. When he hears your heart beating impossibly rapidly against your chest, he slows down and removes his hand from you, pulling away and watching as your panties hide you from his eyes again. 

He waits until you look at him before he slowly sucks on each of his fingers, smirking to himself when you hide behind your arms and close your thighs immediately. 

“I changed my mind.” His voice is rough, and you’re not sure if it’s because he’s turned on or because he’s having a difficult time breathing just as you. Then the words settle in your remind and you move your hands away to take a better look at him. 

“W-what?” You don’t have time to grab him as he gets off the bed and reaches for his shirt, throwing it away as well before unzipping his pants and pulling them down his thighs and stepping out of them before kneeling on the bed again. 

“We can do rough later. Right now, I want to watch you come undone…slowly.” He grabs your ankles and pulls them apart, not caring for how blatant he’s being with his staring as he moves towards you again. 

“Fuck baby, you’re gushing for me.” His disbelief sends a shiver down your spine and you softly smack his thigh to get his attention away from your heated core. 

“Hunter, don’t- don’t say stuff like that.”

“And why shouldn’t I?” He narrows his eyes at you, daring you to say anything in disagreement. 

“It’s…embarrassing.” You manage to whisper out, only to have Hunter shamelessly wipe the wetness over your legs with his hand. 

“No, it’s fucking sexy mesh’la….and if I had known taking my shirt off would turn you on this much, I would have walked around naked since you came on board.” He reaches for your hand and you squeal suddenly when he tugs you harshly until you nearly smack his chest. Looking down at you, Hunter bites into his lower lips as he pulls the rest of your shirt away and throws it away, not bothering to push you back into bed when you rest your hands against his naked chest and feel his muscles flex and unflex. 

“Speaking of taking things off…” You try to grab your panties but Hunter stops you, shaking his head and bringing your hand back to his skin. 

“No, keep’em on.” 

“But-”

“These are mine now, and I want nothing more than to smell your cunt and my cum on them…when I take them.” Hunter nods down at the wet article of clothing as he swipes your hair away from your face and softly grazes your bruised lips. 

“Hmph, you’re a shy little thing aren’t you?” He wonders out loud when you turn away from and rest your forehead against his stomach, once again feeling a sense of pride wash over him at being the one to bring such a reaction out of you. 

“Do the honors.” He takes your hands and moves them down his rigid form, not missing the way your breath hitches when you feel the muscles on his stomach flutter at the soft touch of your palms. You don’t dare look up at him as you drag his boxers down his hips until his cock juts out from beneath the elastic. 

“Oh fuck me.” You stop what you’re doing as soon as you see the size of him, and Hunter uses your moment of distraction to his advantage, pushing you back into the bed and moving away to step out of his boxers before returning to you again. 

“Since you asked so nicely.” He remembers the biosheath and finds one in his drawer instantly, but before he can take it out, you take his wrist and bring it back to you. 

“Wait-” You stop him, unsure of what to say now that he was looking at you with such an unreadable expression. 

“You don’t have to- like I said, I haven’t done this in…in a while. And I’ve-” Your attempts to explain to him that you don’t have anything and that you wouldn’t mind it if he didn’t use a biosheath with you evaporate into thin air, and as you give up on trying to relay the message, Hunter shuts the drawer and lays on top of you. One look into his eyes gives you away and you turn from him to avoid whatever embarrassing words you’re sure he’s about to relay to you. 

“You want me to fill you with my seed, little one?” The question is asked in such a low voice that you nearly miss the playfulness in between. You refuse to acknowledge him, afraid of how much he’d drag this out if you told him outright that you wanted to feel him leak out of you. 

“You want me to fuck my cum deep inside your pretty little cunt?” He asks again, this time as he slips his hand in between your bodies and wraps his palm around his hard cock, lazily stroking his length while teasing your clothed clit with the tip of his dick. He goes on for too long, and when you can’t take it anymore, you moan in agreement, hoping that the outburst pushes him to finally, finally, fuck you. 

“O-ohh gods, please…please.” The way he cups himself and teases the both of you nearly sends you into overdrive, and just as you begin to give up hope, Hunter tugs aside your panties, and pushes his cock against your wet folds, giving you a taste of what’s to come. 

“Keep begging baby.”

“Please Hunter…I need you. I- I want you to come inside me, want to feel you all night long.” He was planning on making you cry for him, but the sound of your voice telling him everything he’s heard a thousand times in his dreams sends him reeling and before he can warn you, he pushes his cock into your slit, arms nearly giving out at finally feeling your cunt welcome him in. You arch your back as soon as you feel his thick, hard cock fill you, and although you should be embarrassed at how easily he slides into you, you don’t bother thinking about it, not when Hunter was finally giving you what you’ve been craving. 

“Kriffing hells, you feel so good mesh’la…so tight and hot for me.” He stops moving, the heat of your cunt making him nearly lose his mind and whatever bit of control left in him. 

“Hunter-” You don’t like the fact that he’s stopped pushing into you, but then he moves and you realize that maybe you needed a second to get used to him after all. 

“I know, love. I know, just a little bit more.” Hunter kisses your forehead, lips quivering at the thought of being too much for you to handle. He waits until you’re relaxed a little before he gives you more of his cock, and when you drag your nails across his arms and grab onto his shoulder, he stops again to soothe you. 

“You want to be a good girl for me, don’t you?” 

“Yes…oh maker yes.” Your voice breaks, making Hunter wish you weren’t so kriffing sensitive to him. 

“Then open up for me…take me.” He leaves a trail of wet kisses down your neck, licking and nipping at the taut skin in an attempt to distract you from whatever discomfort you were feeling. 

“Haa…ahh, you’re- so fucking hard.” Your words are unexpected, and Hunter fists his hands tightly into his pillows so he doesn’t do something he’d regret. He unintentionally thrusts the rest of his dick into your pussy, the action knocking the breath out of the both of you and sending a strike of pleasure down your spine.

“Only for you, sweetheart. O-only for you.” Hunter breathes against your chest, cursing at how much better you felt now than in his dreams. He could feel every inch of you squeeze him, and if it weren’t for the fact that you told him it’s been a while, Hunter would have begged to fuck you like he wanted. But it has been a while, and the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt you. When you wince at the slightest of movements, Hunter pulls back and studies you, carefully listening to your heartbeat and looking over you to see if you were too uncomfortable to do this now. 

“Are you okay?” He should be the one asking you this question, not the other way around, and even though a million compliments run through his mind, he barely manages to respond to your question. 

“Fuck, I’m more than okay.” He hisses out as you clench around him, and before he can let you know that he’s not reacting out of pain but of indescribable pleasure, you reach for his hair and tug him down, begging for him to do anything besides remaining still. 

“Then move…” You cross your legs behind his back to tempt him into moving against you, but Hunter remains impossibly still, resting his forehead against yours as he tries to tell you why he’s having a difficult time moving. 

“N-not yet, just let me feel you. Let me…feel all of you.” He hopes it’s enough for you to stop asking him to move, but he should have known better. 

“Is- is it too much?” Your shyness makes itself known again, and Hunter swears beneath his breath because he genuinely didn’t mean to come off so strained in his response. 

“No, it’s- you’re perfect.” It’s both everything he’s feeling and barely an explanation of what he’s reserved for you for so long, but he can’t find any other word to describe what he’s experiencing with you now. You’re about to ask him to keep talking when he finally listens to you and pulls out a little before thrusting back in. 

“Oh.” The simple word riles him up more than he cares to admit, and he sets a slow and sensual pace to calm himself down and give you what you desire. The small room fills with sounds of your harsh breathing and Hunter’s controlled growls, and before you know it, he’s hitting every inch of you in a way that makes you see stars. Then you look at him, and you find his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes shut tightly, and you just know that it’s because he wants to do more with you. 

“Hunter,” you call for him, soothing his back with your hands to let him know that you weren’t going anywhere. 

“Hmm?” His eyes flutter open instantly and you wonder if their color was always so intense and dark, or if this was just a product of what the two of you were doing. 

“Don’t h-hold back.” You cup his neck and pray to the maker that he listens to you.

“I already told you cyare, I want you to fall apart for me…nice and slow.” He pronounces each word with a soft push of his hips against you, and you know then that this would definitely not be the last time you sleep with him. It couldn’t be. 

“But I-”

“I want to commit you to memory. The way your heart skips a beat when I kiss your shoulders,” he leans closer against you and leaves a trail of wet kisses across your sternum to your shoulder, biting it playfully when he notices you trying to move along with him. 

“The way you bite your lips when I pinch with your nipples,” you throw your head back in ecstasy as he pinches your nipple and rolls it in between his thumb and his index finger. 

“The way your eyes shut when I sink my teeth into your skin,” Hunter takes one last look at the pleasure etched on your expression before taking the other hardened peak into his mouth, rolling his tongue around your nipple before biting down harshly just below the reddened skin. 

“The way your cunt clenches around my cock when I pull your hair,” you wrap your arms around his back and pull him flush against you when you feel him comb his fingers into the hair at the nape of your neck and pull harshly on it, the action letting you know that Hunter was most certainly capable of being rough with you, but was choosing to get your body used to his soft touch first. 

“And- fuck…ah fuck, the way your tight walls invite me in deeper when I play with your clit.” He lets go of your hair and slides his hand down your body, squeezing your hips and scratching along your thighs to leave his mark. As soon as you open your eyes and look at him, he begins to draw small circles around your clit, all the while picking up his pace just a little to get you closer to your climax. 

“I want it all baby,” he begs for you, roaming his eyes across your body to get his fill of you before he brings the two of you to the edge. You’re so sensitive from before, but something about having Hunter pay close attention to you makes you welcome whatever he has to offer you. 

“I- I’m close.” You manage to whisper to him as he continues to play with your body, and you realize the mistake you did in your claim when you hear him laugh and pause in his ministrations. 

“Already?” He doesn’t expect you to answer, but you whine his name and roll your hips around to get any form of friction. Hunter is distracted by the movement, and he resumes his attention to your clit, grunting with need when you reach down and scratch his stomach to urge him on. 

“D-don’t tease.”

“Never…never.” He responds immediately, thrusting into you with shallow pushes, already feeling the knot in his stomach slowly unwind the more he feels your heat pull him in. 

“I can feel your fucking heartbeat, can feel it singing for me the harder I fuck you.” Hunter cries out in a mixture of pain and pleasure, sitting up and moving the hand on his stomach down to your clit to get you to touch yourself.

“Please Hunter,” as soon as you start teasing your clit, Hunter grabs both of your hips and fucks into you with slow, languid movements, knowing that if he picks up the pace any further, he’d have you screaming so loud that the rest of the batch may actually hear you. 

“What do you want? Tell me.” There is a layer of sweat covering your body and making Hunter lose his mind. Your scent is more pronounced now that it has ever been, and he’s not sure if he’ll be able to interact with you normally now that he knew what you smelled like as you prayed for him to fuck you harder. 

“I want you to come with me.” Your request storms into Hunter’s mind, making him wish he could just tell you how he feels, how he’s felt for so long. 

“Kriff,” he throws his head back and looks at the ceiling, knowing that tonight would replay in his mind until you came to him and asked him to take you to bed again. 

“So close…so fucking close. Hunter, please…let me feel you come with me. Come inside me.” You grab one of his wrists in an attempt to remain grounded, and Hunter can’t help but whine at the desperation you were trusting him with. Never in his life did he think he’d have you so unabashedly wanton, but here you were, telling him that you wanted nothing more than to feel him come with you. 

“You’re killing me baby.” Hunter growls and looks down at where you’re joined, not caring for how crazed he must appear to you as his hair swings back and forth, and his face shines with sweat. 

“Oh-hhh f…fuck right there-” you scream into the darkening room, no longer able to hold back the pleasure from seizing you and showering you with a most beautiful distraction. 

“Mesh’la, I-” whatever he’s about to say is cut off by your lips as you pull him into you and mold your lips with his own. It’s a hungry kiss, and Hunter prays to the Force that you’re desperate for him out of necessity and not out of simple, physical attraction. He gives you what you want regardless, slipping his tongue into your mouth and surrendering himself to the pleasure just as your walls flutter around his cock and signal your orgasm. Feeling you tighten even harder around him is almost too much, and he doesn’t realize he’s thrusting so violently into you until you break the kiss and scream his name. He fucks into you without abandon, growling your name over and over again until he lets go and falls over the edge with you. You’re aware of how harshly you’re dragging your nails across his back, and before you can apologize for accidentally sending him into a sensory overload, Hunter is falling against you and sinking his teeth into your shoulders, shooting his cum so deep inside you that you feel the warmth of his seed spread across your body. Neither of you stop moving, wanting the other to reach absolute pleasure before you finally slow down. As you come down from your highs, you wonder if you should ask Hunter what he was going to say right before he came, but you get distracted by the way he begins to slowly move off of you. 

“No wait,” he’s about to move off of you when you throw your arms around his neck and keep him flush against you. You can almost feel his heartbeat sound against your chest, and you’re sure he can hear your own singing for him, but you pay no mind to it, instead focusing on the heat of his skin as it slides against yours. 

“Stay.” You ask once, hoping that he’d listen to you without wondering why you wanted to have him crush you with his weight. 

“Wrap your arms around me tightly.” He says after a while, and as soon as he knows you did as he said, he slips his hands beneath you and holds onto you as he rolls around. The action shifts his cock inside you, and both of you moan out in unison at the shock of oversensitivity that strikes across your spines. He is careful when he moves again, and once he’s comfortable on his back, he slides his hand up your body and grabs your neck. You pull back to look into his eyes, offering him a lazy smile before resting your cheek on his chest again. 

“Does this feel good?”

“I- I liked your weight on me…but yes, this is nice.” You decide not to lie to him, knowing that he may misunderstand your answer if you didn’t give him the whole truth. 

“Noted.” You can hear the smirk in his own voice and snuggle closer into him, not realizing that your playing with his hair until he nuzzles closer into your hands.

“Stay as long as you like, ad’ika.”

You make a mental note of asking him what all of those words mean later, but for now, you surrender to his embrace and the gentle touches he continued to grace you with. Neither of you say anything else as you relish the sweetness of the moment, and before long, you notice that Hunter’s heart was beating much faster than it should. You’ve been sitting without much movement for a long time, so you wonder briefly why his heart was threatening to leap out of his chest. The thought of being the reason behind such a reflex makes you think differently of Hunter, and you hope that your hunch is right or else you’ll end up making a fool out of yourself when you ask him to take you to bed again. 

Just thinking of doing this again with Hunter sends your spiraling and you unintentionally clench around him, but this time, you realize that he’s grown hard again. In fact, you could feel him pulsing inside of you, and you hope he doesn’t sense the shift in your body or else you’d have to explain to him why you were getting wet again. 

“Don’t forget our little agreement sweet girl. I told you I’d know if you were thinking of him.” Hunter breaks the silence suddenly, and you frown at the sentiment, not because it was far from the truth, but because Hunter thought you were thinking of Tech and not him. 

“I didn’t forget.” You pull away and pout at him, wanting him to see that you clearly weren’t lying to him. 

“Then what’s making your heart race so suddenly?” It’s the first time Hunter asks a question that he clearly doesn’t know the answer to, but when you look away from him and draw strange patterns over his chest, he knows instantly what it was you’re thinking about. 

“Interesting…” You roll your eyes at him, unable to hold back from giggling along with him when he cracks a smile and laughs at your obvious irritation. 

“H-Hunter,” you break the moment and gulp nervously when he meets your eyes and gives you his undivided attention. 

“Yes, mesh’la?” If there was ever a moment where Hunter was at his most peaceful, you think it may be this one. 

“Kiss me? Please?” You’re reluctant in your request, unsure of whether he’d draw the line here now that you weren’t actively trying to fuck each other. But as he’s done so many times in the past few hours, he surprises you with an answer that you’d later pinpoint as the first time you truly felt something deeper than attraction for him. 

“Never ask for what’s already yours, cyare.”

[ghostofskywalker]

To Keep The Shivers At Bay

Captain Rex/Fem!Reader

Words: 1,754

Summary: On a special assignment, Rex ends up getting cozy with his battalion's civilian administrator. But it's only to make sure you stay warm (or at least, that's what he tries to tell himself)

Prompt: "come lay with me" (slightly adapted, but the vibes are there)

Note: this fic is part of the clone xreader life day exchange, which i ran! i was thrilled to receive @wizardofrozz as my giftee, and i had so much fun writing this - i hope you like it :)

for the rest of the fics in the exchange, check out @cloneficgiftexchange!

Clone Troopers Masterlist

Cold seeped into the small cabin from the non-insulated transparisteel of the window, and you watched as snow swirled around in the night air. The storm was growing more powerful by the second, and the fact that this place wasn’t exactly the height of luxury meant that the power had barely been enough to keep the lights on, let alone be able to provide a consistent source of heat. You groaned as you pulled every blanket you could find from the closet, and the fact that you only found two was certainly concerning.

Rex stepped into the cabin, a flurry of snow blowing in behind him as he swung the door closed. Even though he had been barely gone for ten minutes, and the helmet on his head meant that you couldn’t tell what his face looked like at the moment, you could tell that he was cold. Usually clones had higher body temperatures than humans did, so the fact that he was feeling the temperatures meant that it would be much worse for you. Part of you wondered if you were even going to make it through the night, but you preferred not to think about that.

The most insulting part of everything here was the fact that a Republic Gunship was currently stationed right outside this planet’s atmosphere, but the intense storms above where you were made it so that the rest of the 501st was unable to get through without severely risking life and limb, so you and the captain were stuck here until the storm stopped. At least the assignment you had been sent here to fulfill had gone to plan, you thought, because if it hadn’t, you have to have the worst luck out of everyone in the GAR. But with no droids or Sith on your tails, all you had to worry about was the cold.

You had thankfully packed a few hand-warmers before you left, but they were doing little to stave off the chill that threatened to freeze you solid. You handed one of the threadbare blankets off to Rex, who shook his head as he removed his helmet. “No, you need it more than I do.”

“I can tell you’re freezing too,” was your no-nonsense response. “I would never forgive myself if I was the one who got my commanding officer killed.”

Technically he wasn’t your commanding officer, but you trusted him with your life, and he knew a hell of a lot more about all this stuff than you did. Rex’s face changed, and you watched him wrestle with his emotions before finally sighing and taking the blanket from your hands.

The sooner that morning came, the sooner this experience would all be over, and the two of you shuffled off to opposite sides of the large couch before attempting to settle in for the night. Even with all the layers you were wearing and the blanket draped over yourself, you couldn’t help but shiver as you tried to relax.

The first hour was brutal.

Simply put, attempting to sleep like this was incredibly uncomfortable. Ignoring the fact that this old shelter had a bed frame but no mattress, the weather conditions were the the biggest reason for the fact that you had been unable to fall asleep. Wondering if Rex had managed to succeed where you couldn’t, you turned your head and looked over at him, right as he happened to look over at you.

“Too cold to sleep?” he asked, his voice soft.

Your response was accompanied by a shiver running through your body. “Yeah.”

“Me too,” he said, and you could feel the misery you both shared reverberate through the space as silence settled once more over you. In a shocking turn of events, Rex spoke again. “Why don’t you come over here and lay with me?” he said. “It’s no use for both of us to freeze on opposite sides of the couch.”

There was no arguing with him, it was the very thing you’d wanted to do since you handed over one of the blankets, but you would have never asked for yourself. Besides the fact that you considered him a direct superior, you would be lying to yourself if you didn’t say that Rex was incredibly attractive, and you did not want to feed into that silly crush by convincing yourself he felt the same way. Cuddling up together for the night was a survival tactic, nothing more.

You could feel one of his arms wrap around you as you layered your blanket on top of his, and you laid against him as best you could on the couch. You were certainly warmer (and more comfortable) than you had been before (Rex had thankfully taken his armor off), but you could still feel some of the biting chill of the air on your face.

“This should all be over in the morning,” you heard him say, and you weren’t sure if it was to convince himself or you, but either way, it did begin to work. Taking deep breaths and attempting to somehow pull your body heat together via telekinesis, you could feel your eyelids start to droop, and your last thought before drifting away was that you hoped Rex had found sleep too.

***

A beeping noise from your datapad was the thing that woke you up the next morning, and you shivered as you opened your eyes and realized that this damn cabin was still just as cold (if not colder) than it had been when you went to sleep.

Being close to Rex helped, clearly. As much as it was chilly and you could see your breath, you didn’t feel as though the cold had significantly affected your health, and you knew that it was because you had been able to conserve some of your body heat when you laid next to him. As you moved your arm towards where you had left your datapad (to stop its incessant beeping), you found it more difficult than expected.

Because as you soon found out, Rex had his arm around you.

It wasn’t difficult to escape his grip, since it was more like he was resting his arm on your back than truly holding you against, but you really didn’t want to pull away, even though you did. The feeling of the cabin’s cold air on your back was punishment enough for your treachery movement, but of course the captain had to yawn and shift at that very moment, with a look in his eyes that was adorably bleary as he woke up, even if it was just for a second.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, and you were certainly not prepared for the slightly gravelly edge that sleep had granted his voice.

Maker, did you want to kiss him right now, was what ran through your head in response. Not particularly helpful, but you couldn’t deny it.

“Still cold, but not terribly,” you said. “As long as we get out of here I think we’ll be okay.”

He nodded. “Do we know when the transport ship is coming?”

You paused for a moment as you checked your datapad for answers, but shook your head. “I sent Jesse the coordinates for our location last night, but there hasn’t been any word since.”

“We’re all packed though, so it shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. “And that means we don’t have to get up until we know we’re leaving.” You knew that his words were meant in that way because it was very cold in this room and your shared body heat was helping to keep both of you warm, but for a moment you allowed yourself to believe that maybe he said that because he wanted to keep cuddling with you.

A comfortable silence settled over the space as you waited for any kind of word from the rest of the 501st about when they were coming to get you. But of course, you did want to say one thing before the moment passed.

“Rex?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you,” you said, and a look of confusion began to dawn on his face, so you continued. “For sharing your body heat with me.”

“Of course,” was his response, along with a smile you’d never seen before (but you’d pay an endless amount of credits to see forever).

Once more the conversation fizzled, and then after a period of time it was his turn to break the silence. “And if you’re still cold, I think I know of another way to help keep warm.”

“Really?” you asked, moving your body so that the two of you were facing each other. “What is it?”

“This,” Rex said gently before leaning in. However, he stopped right before your lips would have connected with his. “Is this okay?”

“Of course,” you breathed. The tiny gap between you was closed, and you suddenly forgot about the fact that you were in a chilly cabin with barely any power.

The feeling of Rex’s kiss was electric, and a soothing warmth spread through your entire body. You kissed back, and soon his hands had found their way to your waist as the two of you sat on the couch. Yes, both of you were wearing gloves, but you could still feel the spark that would have electrified your entire body had it been against your bare skin.

But of course, all good things have to come to an end, and this one ended with the sound of your datapad beeping, accompanied with the sound of Jesse’s slightly mechanized voice from the comm function. “We’re outside you two,” he said, and you reluctantly pulled yourself away from Rex’s lips.

“We’ll be out in a minute!” you said, and once you were sure no one could hear you through the device, you spoke again. “I don’t know exactly what this means, but I’d really like it to continue.” Those words could be dangerous, since clones (along with anyone who worked for the GAR) were technically allowed to form romantic relationships on the job.

Rex nodded. “I’d really like it to continue too,” he said, leaning in to place a soft kiss on your cheek.

So much was left unspoken, but you were pretty sure you’d get a chance to figure things out, even if it meant enduring inevitable teasing from Rex’s men once they figured out what was different about your relationship with their captain.

And of course, just being with Rex made all of that worth it. 

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[secondratefiction]

Keep You Safe - Commander Cody x Medic!Reader

Life Day Fic Exchange 2023 @cloneficgiftexchange

Written for @loving-the-cambridges

“Alright… unfortunately it does look like it’s broken…” You sighed, setting the trooper’s arm back down gently, “I’ll brace it and give you something for the pain and swelling until we get you back to the ship. 1 to 10, how bad is it hurting?”

“It’s feeling much better now that you’re taking care of me, mesh’la.” The trooper smiled up at you loopily and you had to resist the urge to roll your eyes.

“Careful Shiny…” The voice behind you made you smirk and you turned to smile at Boil as he stared the trooper you were working on down.

“He’s fine.” You said, motioning the older trooper to come help hold the other’s arm while you splinted and wrapped it up, “It’s probably the shock and adrenaline talking anyway.”

“Even so…” Boil rolled his eyes but was still as gentle as possible holding his brother’s limb while you worked, looking pointedly back at him, “You show the medics more respect. Especially the nat-borns.”

“Careful Boil,” You laughed softly as you finished up the wrapping, helping the trooper put his arm in a sling before giving him an injection, “You’re starting to sound like your commander.”

You could see Boil’s lip twitch as he tried to maintain a professionally neutral expression, “Thank you ma’am.”

Declaring the newer trooper done for the time being, you quickly shooed him off with instructions to find one of the transports back to the starcruiser, once he was out of your tent set up, you turned back to Boil expectantly, “Alright, so what can I do for you?”

“The Commander is back ma’am, he asked for you.”

“Maker karking damn it…” You spun around quickly to grab your bag, “Maybe lead with that next time.”

You had literally watched the man bust his knuckles open, dislocate a wrist, and just keep throwing punches. If Cody was requesting a medic there was no way this was going to go well.

-*-*-*-

Your relationship with Cody was complex to say the least. Honestly, he’d barely paid you any mind in the very beginning… another nat-born medic that had been brought in because there was too much work for the clone medics to keep up with. But after a few weeks of you seeming to always be there every time he turned around, the Marshal Commander couldn’t help but notice the way you treated his brothers. Like actual people and that they were deserving of your real effort, care, and attention.

And there was also the fact that you had to be the single most persistent nat-born he’d ever had to work with… Usually, Cody avoided the medics when and wherever he could, leaving the time and supplies open for other troopers he considered more in need than himself.

You however were stubbornly opposed to his inexplicable need to ‘just walk it off’, going so far as to literally chase him down once when Waxer had ‘accidentally’ mentioned to you that he’d taken a rather hard kick to the ribs during the previous skirmish.

Granted, his ribs had been bruised, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

You weren’t hearing any of it though, and Cody had had to sit there petulantly while you’d tended to him.

That had been where the ice had started to crack, and eventually after much persistence and pursuit on your part, Cody had started coming to you, and exclusively you, whenever he was more than just a little bumped and bruised. And, you at least liked to think that, a sort of friendship had sparked up between the two of you….

What little free time he had, he was more than content to spend with you if the situation allowed, you’d sat in on more than a few meal time meetings with him, and you were always his first consult when it came to the best solutions for setting up the field medical stations.

The only other person you’d seen him be that casual and informal with was the General in their down time, so you’d like to think that meant you were in some kind of favor.

Which is what leads you here now, busting into the command tent with a barely contained panic, “I’m here! What happened?”

Cody was leaning against the large table in the middle with different maps and other planning materials strewn across it. One arm was hanging limply at his side, the other one holding it close against him to seemingly keep it from moving or getting jostled around.

“I can’t-” Cody grunted, trying to roll his shoulder again, “I can’t get it back in…”

“All right, stop - Stop moving it,” You shook your head crossing to him and quickly putting your hand on the uninjured arm, “Let me look.”

You started gently removing his armor to get a better look at the damage underneath. The hiss through your teeth was involuntary as soon as you got the spaulding off, just from the jut of his shoulder you could tell the joint was fully dislocated.

“Ok… good news is we can fix it…” You said looking up at him.

“The bad news is, it’s gonna hurt like hell.” He finished and you nodded sheepishly, “Alright… Let’s get it over with…”

The process wasn’t complicated, making Cody lay back across the table with his shoulder at the edge and hold your bag while you pushed the arm back out straight to get the bone to drop back into the joint. The loud crack made you wince, and completely justified the long, low string of curses Cody let out as he reflexively dropped your bag.

“Easy… Easy,” You helped him set up, making sure he moved somewhat gingerly until you could get a look at the rest of him, “Just relax a minute.”

“I’m alright,” Cody shook his head, trying to wave you off as he got back on his feet, “I need to get back out there.”

“Cody!” You snapped, grabbing him by the elbow of his good arm.

Whatever scolding you were about to give the commander was cut off by a loud explosion that rocked the ground beneath your feet. Cody moved quickly to grab you by the forearm, half dragging you out of the tent to see what was going on.

The second explosion went off far too close to the right of you and Cody barely had time to pull you into him before the two of you were sent flying through a cloud of dust and debris.

You registered something sharp hitting you in the back before everything faded away…

-*-*-*-

“C’mon cyare, you have to wake up for me…”

You groan lowly, trying to turn your head away from the incessant tapping on your cheek, blinking slowly as things around you came back into focus. The first thing to register was the ringing in your ears, followed quickly by the pain in your head and back.

“There you go kar’ta, easy.” Cody helped you sit up as gently as he could, shifting around behind you so you could sit propped up against him, “I tried to cover you, but you still took a hard hit to the head. Don’t try to move too fast just yet.”

You gave a weak laugh and leaned your head back against his shoulder, “Well, it’s nice to know you’ve been paying attention, even if you don’t actually listen to anything I tell you.”

You could feel the chuckle vibrate through his chest even if the trooper behind you was trying to hide it, “I always listen to you, mesh’la.”

To say you were a little stunned by his free use of endearments would be an understatement; other troopers, especially the new and shiny ones, through them around like water - a sweet, if a little awkward attempt to flirt with one of the first if not only females they’d had close contact with in their lives - but not Cody. He almost exclusively addressed you as ‘ma’am’ or your surname.

Either way it was still your turn to chuckle, turning your head to look up at him over your shoulder, “Yeah? You got a funny way of showing it, Kote.”

Another odd occurrence: Cody smiled, again laughing under his breath, as he looked away from you. If you didn’t know any better, and there was more light wherever the two of you were temporarily hidden, you would have sworn he was blushing.

“Just because I don’t always have the luxury of following your orders, doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention.”

Another explosion and the sound of blaster fire cut through whatever clandestine moment the two of you were having, Cody’s head immediately snapping back to the small cave entrance you assumed you’d fallen through, “We need to move.”

You nodded, pushing yourself back up to your feet, still a little unsteady, but there was no spinning feeling or nausea, so you could power through it.

“You stay right beside me, cyar’ika,” Cody said drawing his own blaster as he chanced peeking out of the cave, “Right on my hip, I’ll get you back behind the line.”

You nodded, as he slipped his helmet back on, “Right behind you Commander.”

Reaching back for your hand, Cody pulled you up beside him as close as he could get you, and just as you thought he was about to step out into the fray he stopped and turned back to you. Squeezing your hand, you could just tell Cody was staring down at you intently behind his helmet

“Stay with me, ner kar’ta,” Your eyes fell shut on their own accord as Cody leaned in to press the forehead of his helmet against yours, “I will keep you safe.”

In that moment, you had never believed anything more.

[cloneficgiftexchange]

If you missed some of the amazing stories written for this event, here is a list of them!! They are organized by character and are in alphabetical order by title. You can also access a collection of those who posted their work on AO3 HERE! It's still open in case anyone ends up posting there in the future!

If you liked a story, consider reblogging it! Reblogs are a great way to show appreciation for an author’s work. Reblogs to signal boost this list are greatly appreciated as well.

NSFW fics are strictly 18+ and are marked as such. 

It's Officially Christmas by @dragonrider9905

Keep You Safe by @secondratefiction

First Life Day by @ghostofskywalker

Snow Drift by @clone-anon

Life Day on Daiyu by @goblininawig

A Perfect (Life) Day by @literallyjustanerd

Deep Space Delicacies by @ghostofskywalker

No One Should Be Alone On Life Day by @starrylothcat

Still Hanging The Mistletoe For You by @anxiouspineapple99

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice by @melliejellybellybean

Wrapped Up In You by @multi-fan-dom-madness

All I Want For Christmas by @masterjedilenawrites

Come Away With Me by @imarvelatthestars

Hold You Tonight (Stay Close) by @ladysongmaster

Secret Santa by @flyiingsly

The Clonetrooper by @sunshinesdaydream

Blumfruit & Cheer by @diviluscorner

fatal dis|at|traction (NSFW) by @221bshrlocked

I Wish All Readers A Very Hunter Life Day (NSFW) by @dystopicjumpsuit

Sewing Lessons by @intricatechaosofyou

Winter Adventures by @wizardofrozz

Carol of the Cookies by @captainpains

First Winter Date by @loving-the-cambridges

Getting Caught In The Wrapping Paper by @pinkiemme

To Keep The Shivers At Bay by @ghostofskywalker

Comfort by @cc--2224

Candy Cane Cupid by @toomanybandstocare

I'll Take Care of You by @isaidonyourknees

The Cabin by @rinwritesfics

[starrylothcat]

Pairing: Echo x Reader

Summary: Echo knows you are alone on Life Day Eve and wants to spend the holiday with you.

Warnings: Light angst/meloncholy related to the holidays, kissing/making out, slight allusion to sexy times but not described and nothing explicit. Fluffy and happy ending. 🎄

WC: 2676

A/N: This is a gift for @cc--2224 as part of the Life Day Fic Exchange hosted by @cloneficgiftexchange !

I played with ideas from the prompt: Having no one to spend the holidays with and being invited out/over to spend it with [x clone].

❄️ Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy @cc--2224 ! ❄️

The sun was setting, and delicate rays of light poured into the streets from residences up and down every street on Pabu.

Life Day lights began twinkling on above doors and around windows as the sun sunk beyond the horizon.

Laughter and melodic tunes floated in the air, along with mouth-watering aromas from holiday feasts being set out on tables for friends and family to enjoy.

Echo stood outside your small Pabu cafe, trying to steady his nerves. He was clutching a bottle of rare Tevraki whiskey in his hand, something he had been saving for some time.

Your neon “Open” sign was switched off and the cafe was dark, though a string of Life Day lights flickered above your storefront sign.

You lived in a small apartment in the back of the cafe, and Echo could see a dim light illuminating your living room window.

It was Life Day Eve, and Echo knew you were alone.

Echo had been frequenting your cafe for a while now, making a point to come in the early mornings when your delectable baked goods were fresh out of the nanowave oven.

The more he got to know you, sipping caf and sharing stories and smiles, the more he realized he was catching feelings.

It started small, at first. Little fleeting flutters of his heart when he entered your cafe, knowing you’d be behind the counter. His face warming when you’d laugh, a wonderful medolic laugh that made those flutters in his chest beat like a porg’s wings trying its damdest to fly.

When he was away on missions with Rex, he thought more and more of you, truly missing you and how he felt when he was in your presence.

He felt…safe. Comfortable. At ease. Emotions he hasn’t felt in a long, long time.

You were kind and generous to everyone who entered your cafe and went out of your way to help the people of Pabu. You often hand-delivered bespoke baked goods to new arrivals to make them feel at home.

Echo admired your kind heart, quiet strength, and warm demeanor. It took him time to fully realize what he was feeling, but let it happen. Echo had been thinking more and more of his future, especially now that he was in control of his destiny for the first time in his life.

He had much taken from him, his very soul used against his will. He was given a second chance, and he was not going to waste it.

So when Echo discovered you were spending the holiday by yourself, he knew he couldn’t let you be alone, not tonight.

You cared so much about Life Day, just the day before describing your fond memories of celebrating with your family as a child. You were a refugee like most Pabu residents, and you’ve been unable to see your family for many years due to the war.

Echo picked up the melancholy in your voice and how your body language changed when you spoke of your memories, a heavy weight anchoring you down knowing it was another Life Day without them.

Echo had his brothers and Omega. He was incredibly lucky to have a support structure, even after all he had been through.

The thought of you having no one to celebrate with didn’t sit right with him, so he decided to surprise you with a bottle of whiskey he purchased some time ago, a drink he used to share with Fives on this very holiday.

Echo found himself with a similar weight in his chest this cycle, thinking of Fives. Life Day was Five’s favorite holiday, and Echo had many memories of him and Fives savoring this drink on this nat-born holiday, cheering their brothers, and speaking of their hopes for the future.

Echo couldn’t think of anyone else he’d want to share this drink with tonight. Not even his own brothers. But you.

Now Echo stood in front of your door, hesitating for a moment, hoping he wasn’t coming on too strongly.

Echo never had time for relationships and was currently flying by the seat of his pants, but wasn’t dumb.

Echo has noticed how your expression softens when you look at him, or how your hand always brushes against his every time he hands you credits for his caf, touching his hand just long enough to be noticeable.

He was here as a friend, as much as he wanted to be more than friends. He wanted to kiss you, hold you, and let you know just how much you meant to him.

Echo wanted to respect your boundaries, though, and if you just wanted to be friends, he would continue to stand by your side as that and nothing more.

Echo took a breath and walked to the back of your cafe, up to your front door that was adorned with a Life Day wreath.

He tapped on your front door with his scomp.

It was now or never.

He waited a moment, hearing quiet music playing and some shuffling.

“Hello?” Your voice called from behind your door.

“It’s Echo.”

Your door clicked open, revealing your face, warm light spilling out, illuminating Echo who stood before you.

You were wearing your apron, the one you always adorned in the storefront, and Echo could immediately smell something sweet drifting from your kitchen.

“Echo!” Your face lit up. “What are you doing here?” You looked surprised, glancing at the whiskey in his hand.

“Thought you could use some company tonight.” Echo held it up, trying his best to act casual.

Your lips parted in a delicate oh, a blush warming your cheeks as you took in the man you are seriously crushing on standing in your doorway.

“Echo…you didn’t have to…I’m sure you have plans with your brothers…?”

Echo shook his head. “I want to be here, with you. You shouldn't have to spend the holiday alone.”

A genuine smile graced your features and Echo felt the tension in his shoulders dissipate.

You stepped to the side, gesturing inside. “Please, come in!

Echo stepped inside your small home. It was cozy, with a few dim lamps casting a pleasing glow throughout your living space. A Life Day tree was tucked in the corner of your living room and sparkling lights lined the ceiling, adding a magical feel to the space.

Your dining room table had racks of tooka-shaped cookies cooling, the culprit of the delicious smell.

“Sorry for the mess.” You walked to your kitchen, opening a cabinet to grab glasses. “I wasn’t expecting company…” You laughed, reaching with your tiptoes into the cupboard.

“No need to apologize. I’m the one intruding.” Echo stood near the table, placing the whiskey bottle down where there was space.

You walked back over to him, holding the glasses.

“No, not at all, Echo. I’m…really glad you’re here.”

You smiled your beautiful smile that Echo replayed endlessly in his head, making his heart do flips in his chest.

“Hope you like whiskey.” Echo said, “I used to drink this with my brother on Life Day. We’d save up credits for months to get a bottle.”

You scooted a rack of cookies out of the way, placing the glasses on the table.

“I’m honored you’re sharing it with me.” You untied your apron, draping it over a nearby chair.

“And yes, I do like whiskey, so you will have to share.” Your eyes held a mirthful glow, the Life Day lights hanging above mirrored in your irises.

Echo’s heart was thumping as he poured you each a glass of the amber liquid.

You gestured toward your couch. “Shall we?”

Echo sat next to you on your couch, sinking into the comfortable cushions as you settled near him. The couch was small, leaving little room between you.

You cradled your glass of whiskey, the lights from your tree reflecting off the crystaline glasses. A comfortable silence spreading between the two of you, only interrupted by the music playing from your radio.

Echo looked so handsome in the glow of your lights. His jaw was set, strong, and stubbled. His skin had gained some color back from the Pabu sun, and you could see his muscular shoulders tight against the civilian clothes he was wearing.

You have known Echo for some time now, ever since he and his brothers first came to the tropical planet. He stopped by your cafe every morning he could for caf and a spice cake. You learned some of his story before Pabu, but not all. You knew how he got his cybernetics, a story he told you early one morning in your shop.

Your heart broke for him but admired his resilience and ever-present strength. It’s one of the many reasons why you have fallen for him.

“Thank you, Echo.” Your eyes met his brown ones, butterflies coming to life in your stomach.

“I didn’t mean to give you my whole sob story yesterday…I usually keep myself busy on Life Day, as you can see.” You motioned behind you to all the cookies.

Echo shook his head. “Don’t apologize. The holiday can be hard on everyone, especially now. I’ve been thinking more of my brother, and it hurts knowing he can’t be here. You’re not alone in this.”

He lifted his glass of whiskey toward you.

“Cheers.” He said, clinking his glass against yours. “To friends and family.”

“Cheers.” You replied, “To friends and family.”

You both sipped the sweet alcohol, enjoying the warmth in your chest it provided as you swallowed.

“You and your brother had good taste.” You smiled behind your glass, taking another small sip, savoring the drink.

Echo chuckled.

“Glad you think so.”

You watched something flash across Echo’s eyes.

Echo had told you a little about Fives in passing, but not much.

“I’m sure he’d be happy that you are continuing your tradition.”

Echo nodded, a small, sentimental smile pulling at his lips.

“Yeah…he was a good man. One of the best I’ve ever known.”

“Tell me about him,” you started. “Only if you want, though.”

Echo knew Fives would be happy for him, and while he desperately wished he could be here, talking about him lifted the stone off his chest that had settled ever since he saw this whiskey.

He told you of the first time they bought this drink, and almost getting caught with it in their bunk when they were cadets.

The night went on, trading stories of the past, you talking of your family and Life Day traditions, and Echo speaking of his brothers, reminiscing on the trouble he and Fives used to get up to.

There was a newfound intimacy between the two of you, for once not just talking in your cafe. Echo had never felt closer to you than now, watching how your features glowed under the lights, talking of fond memories and the current goings on in Pabu.

You weren’t sure when it happened, but you ended up sitting close enough to Echo that your legs were almost touching.

Your conversation lulled, and Echo glanced at your chrono, seeing how late it was, well past midnight.

Time always went by so quickly with you. That peaceful serenity that he only felt with you had overtaken him, not wanting it to end.

“I didn’t mean to keep you this late.” He spoke softly. “I should go.”

Without thinking, your hand shot to his knee, feeling the hard metal underneath his clothing.

“You don’t have to go, not yet.” You said quickly.

You didn’t want him to leave. Your gaze met his, your hand still on his cybernetic knee.

Echo’s honeyed eyes swam with emotion, feeling your hand on his knee slide up toward his thigh, where his skin began.

Echo, spurred on by your touch and maybe a little bit of the whiskey, laid his hand atop yours. The gentleness of your hand contrasted with his larger, calloused palm.

Your eyes darted to where your hands met, and back to his.

Echo whispered your name so quietly you almost missed it over the thrumming of your own heart.

“Thank you for being here tonight.” You took a breath.

“I know we both have people we are missing right now…it’s usually a difficult time for me, but this is the happiest I’ve felt in a long time.”

Your voice was quiet too, enjoying the weight of his hand atop yours.

“You…mean a lot to me, Echo.”

Echo’s eyes widened slightly, heat rushing up his neck, hoping he was hearing you correctly.

“You mean a lot to me, too.” Echo’s hand lightly squeezed yours, your confessions hanging around you as excitement flooded your systems, realizing you both felt the same.

The air was suddenly thick, a magnetic pull tugging at both of you toward one another.

You were so close now, his nose brushing against yours as you both tentatively leaned in, your lips just centimeters away as you slowly closed the distance.

Finally, your lips touched, soft and chaste, his scomp lifting to gently trace down your arm as his lips captured yours.

Echo felt as if sparks were going off in his entire body, your lips sweeter than he imagined. He never wanted to let go of this moment.

It was pure bliss to kiss you, Echo’s mind solely focusing on you, how you felt, the way your breath hitched when he brought his hand to cup your face, gently caressing his thumb under your eye.

You pulled away, already missing his spicy musk and surprisingly plush lips.

“This is the happiest I’ve felt in a long time, too.” Echo traced his knuckle down your cheek. “And it’s because of you. It’s always because of you.”

You leaned in again, overwhelmed by emotion, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing him into a more passionate and fervent kiss.

Everything that had been building between the two of you didn’t need to be spoken, the way your mouths danced and hands roamed one another’s bodies spoke for itself.

You sighed into his mouth as he shyly slid his tongue across your lower lip, politely asking for more.

His hand cradled the back of your head, entangling in your hair as your kiss deepened.

Emboldened, Echo broke the steamy kiss and traced his mouth down your jawline, placing hot kisses slowly down your neck.

The quiet whimpers that left your swollen lips ignited his body with passion, hoping he hadn’t fallen asleep on your couch and this was just a dream.

Echo lavished your skin, making his way back up to your lips for another profoundly devoted kiss.

When you both finally pulled away to catch your breaths, your lips were shiny with saliva, and your bodies flushed.

You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as Echo held you against his strong body.

“Do you still want to go?” You asked.

Echo shook his head.

“I think you convinced me to stay.”

He brushed his lips against yours, slowly leaning you back on the couch, until you were laying down and he was above you.

You looked up at him through hooded eyelids as he took in your form beneath him, your soft body pliable against his.

“Can’t let you wake up alone on Life Day, either.” Echo’s voice was deliciously deeper than usual as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss right under your ear, causing you to shudder in delight.

Echo waited for your answer, not wanting to take things further than you wanted.

“No, you can’t.” You replied, pulling him down flush against you, your lips meeting again, your bodies entwining.

When you awoke the next morning in one another’s arms, for the first Life Day in a long time, you both felt indescribable happiness.

As you drifted off the night before, speaking softly to one another in the afterglow of your ignited feelings for one another, Echo was afraid when he woke up, that peace he felt only with you would be gone. Or that maybe you’d only wanted that one night with him, and nothing more.

The feeling was still there, even stronger than before. His fears dissipated when you left feather-light kisses across his chest, asking if he’d like to stay for breakfast and help decorate some of the cookies you had made last night.

Echo wholeheartedly agreed, inviting you to the dinner Hunter was hosting that evening with Omega and the rest of his brothers.

The heaviness that had settled over both of you leading up to the holiday had lifted away, replaced with glimmering elation and harmony that only you could give one another, knowing you would never have to be alone on Life Day ever again.

⋆｡˚❆˚ ⋆ Comments & Reblogs Appreciated! ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡

Dividers by @saradika

[rinwritesfics]

The Cabin

Plot: The day before Life Day, you and Wolffe are sent to a safehouse as you harbor feelings for each other.

Warnings: minor angst in the form of frostnip, a lead-in to sex but not full-on sex

Word Count: 2373 (I have no control, nor do I have any shame about this.)

Author’s Note: A fic for the Secret Santa Gift Exchange by @cloneficgiftexchange. @221bshrlocked, I really hope you like this! After reading the prompts, this wouldn’t get out of my head, and I’ve never been more of a Wolffe simp than I am now. The prompts are bolded.

This was the worst. You weren’t sure how you were assigned to this, but somehow, you were. And right before Life Day, no less. This planet felt like it was colder than the depths of space, despite it being impossible. But, as you looked at Wolffe, who was leading the two of you to a safe house for him no less, you started to wonder if it was possible.

The nice thing about being a civvie medic assigned to the army was the army seemed to take great care in the comfort of the civvie positions. But you could see they didn’t afford the troopers the same luxury. He was wearing his harsh weather kit, but it was thin. And if you were feeling a bit chilled, you couldn’t imagine how he was feeling as you both trekked through the blizzard.

“Keep up,” he said a bit gruffly through his helmet’s modulator, but the usual bite in his tone was lacking. Something was wrong.

“Commander.”

“Keep. Up.”

The bite was back, and worse than usual. Something was bothering him immensely, and it wasn’t you. You kept up as ordered.

He kept flexing his fingers as subtly as he could, but you caught it. It was in that action that your thoughts were confirmed. You had to move faster to get to shelter, before frostbite set in.

Commander Wolffe wasn’t one to bring to light his physical discomfort – even to you. According to General Plo, the commander listened to you more than any other medic. You figured it was probably because you were a civvie and not one of his brothers.

To your surprise, Wolffe turned back to you and let you catch up with him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken that tone with you,” he said just loud enough to be heard over the wind.

“No apology necessary, Commander. You’re right, we have to keep moving.” You nodded, then gently patted his arm, keeping pace with your previous speed. The cabin started to show not far from you and you both sped up as much as possible through the flakes as they pelted you both.

Inside the small cabin, it was cold and dark, but there was no draft inside which improved things. You flipped on the breaker box, then the water heater, and turned on a lamp beside one of the chairs in the main room. As you went to check how frozen the fireplace flue is, you noticed Wolffe was examining the modestly-furnished place, but shivering a little more than you were.

“Commander.”

“Almost done,” he grumbled, still inspecting the cabin.

“It’s fine. Come here.”

He spun around to you. “Excuse me?”

“I’m a medic, and right now, I have concerns about your health. The general sent me along to ensure your health and safety during this time, and I won’t let you freeze to death, especially on the first night.”

He sighed heavily through his modulator, then pulled off the helmet and scowled.

“Gloves next, please.”

“Why?” he barked, then seemed a bit cowed.

“Gloves, Commander,” you said in a tone with patience that was thinning.

He grumbled again, then started to pull off his damp gloves. It was difficult, so you stepped in to help. The tips of his fingers were starting to turn pink and you pulled off your gloves to touch his hands and examine them.

“Numbness giving way to pins and needles?” you asked quietly.

“Yes,” he said, his tone a bit quieter.

“Toes, too?”

“Just cold.”

“Bear with me here.” You gently took one hand between yours, enveloping his fingers as best you could. They were very cold, even to you. You hissed, then said in a concerned tone, “Wolffe, why didn’t you say h-how bad it is?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Well, now I’m extra worried. The water heater will take a while to warm up and I have to prep the cold flue for a fire. There are very few options to fighting back this frostnip of yours right away, and I don’t imagine the rest of the openings of your armor are much better off compared to what happened to your gloves.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

You added quietly, “Like hells you will. Go find some blankets and, I say this in the most professional way possible, strip off your damp clothing to wrap yourself in the blankets.”

He looked at you with an eyebrow raised and eyes wider than usual, then turned away just as his cheeks showed a bit more color. Considering his cheeks were probably flushed from some of the chill already, you shut down the idea that coloring could have been a blush.

You dug through supplies in the cabinets, then found a hairdryer amongst other items, and started to try to warm up the flue enough it wouldn’t spit back smoke when you lit the fire. After a few minutes, Wolffe’s scoff sounded behind you, and you turned to him. He was bundled in a couple blankets, carrying a couple more with him.

“A hairdryer?” he asked, a bit of disbelief in his tone.

“Yes, Commander, you ever lit a fire in a fireplace that’s cold?”

He shook his head.

“I’ve seen it. It’s thermodynamics as the cold air sinks -”

He held up his hand and you stopped. “I get it.”

You nodded and turned back to trying to warm the flue. “How are you feeling? Your hands starting to warm up?”

“Not a ton, but things haven’t gotten worse.” He walked over to the water heater and huffed a sigh. He read out the temperature to you, one that was good enough, and you told him to grab a bowl and run the faucet before filling it. The heated water wouldn’t be at optimal temperature, but it would be better.

He turned to you and said as he filled the bowl, “Why couldn’t we use the electric stove to warm the water?”

You paused. “Kriff.”

He chuckled. “Suppose I could’ve thought of that, too. Honestly, the fact you thought about the flue temperature is impressive.”

“As a medic, they teach about survival as well as everything else. Guess something stuck.” You smiled a little, teasing yourself for the most part.

The kitchen faucet stopped, and he fumbled a bit with the bowl in the sink. You set down the hairdryer and came over to help him get it to the table. He grumbled a bit about it, but didn’t say anything definitive.

After, you put on a kettle to boil water for the cocoa you found earlier. You were aware as he watched you… well, like a wolf as you moved about he small cabin, getting hot cocoa set before him and going back to the fireplace.

You started a small fire shortly after, relieved when the smoke starts up the chimney and doesn’t come back down. Putting a couple logs in, you let the fire grow a bit before heading back to the dining table to check him.

“How are the fingers doing?”

“Better,” he said quietly. Something else was bugging him, as the clipped, gruff tone was back.

“So what’s bothering you?”

He grumbled nonsense.

“Commander,” you said sternly.

He huffed. “I should be the one getting the fire going.”

“Why?”

“I’m the commander. I shouldn’t just be sitting and doing nothing.”

“Wrong. You’re under strict orders from the medic to get better. You’re healing. Commander, frostnip isn’t child’s play – it can cause actual damage, if I may remind you.”

“Well, don’t remind me,” he bit out, then looked ashamed.

“I know I’m not one of your brothers, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you suffer.”

He grumbled, “You’re a medic. Course you don’t want to see suffering.”

“It’s not just that, Commander. The 104th matters to me almost like family, okay?”

He looked up at you, a bit surprised.

“I know, I get it, I’m civvie-born. Or, what was it Comet called it…?”

“Nat-born,” Wolffe said quietly.

“Right, that. Not fond of that term because of how it reflects on you boys.” You grumble a bit, causing him to smile. “Anyway, I’m not like you boys, but I still care.”

Wolffe’s mouth dropped open, cheeks flushing a bit again.

“You okay, Commander?”

“Y-yeah.”

You look at him with concern.

“I’m fine,” he growled, then stood up from the table, leaving the bowl behind, then sitting on the couch.

You walked over to him and sat beside him. “Commander, if something is wrong, I need to know.”

“Alright, alright….” He sighed. “But don’t laugh at me.”

You nod and wait.

“I think… I think I love you,” he said softly.

Your mouth dropped open. “Y-you do?”

He nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Look, I know I’m your commander technically, but I couldn’t help it. You’re so kriffing persistent, in my brain all the time. Thinking about your smile, your laugh, how it would feel to kiss you in the snow….”

You smiled softly. “Commander….”

He looked at you, the pleading in his eyes catching you off-guard, as did the slight wince as he prepared for the worst.

You whispered, “Wolffe….”

The worry in his eyes vanished, replaced with hope.

“I… I have feelings for you, too.”

He sat up, then gently took your cheek in his hand. “Mesh’la… I want to kiss you.”

You nodded, then leaned forward and your lips brushed his. He cupped the back of your head in his free hand and he pulled you into the kiss. You both got lost in the kiss, letting the time you’ve gone apart melt away as you make up for it all. All the pain and longing disappear, leaving warmth and love behind in their wake. Eventually, you both pulled apart to breathe. He welcomed you into the blanket cocoon he had, holding you against his half-naked body. You blushed, but wrapped your arms around him anyway as you shared the blankets.

Wolffe softly said, “I know it’s a little early, but I think I got what I wanted for Life Day.”

“Oh, did you?” you laughed softly.

He nodded, a smile on his face. “I get to be with you. I’ve been trying to figure out how to talk to you about the possibility of us for a while, now.”

You smiled shyly. “Yeah? You wanted me for Life Day?”

He smiled softly. “In a way. It’s not a holiday song type of wish since you’re a person and not an object….”

You laughed. “That’s okay. I want to be yours, anyway.”

“You’re sure?” he asked hopefully.

You nodded.

“I want to kiss you again.”

“Yes, please,” you whispered.

His lips were warm compared to what you were expecting and you responded almost immediately. His hands rested on your waist and you moved closer to him.

He pulled back a little, then grinned. “I can think of a way that we can warm up more.”

“Why, Commander, what are you proposing?” you asked teasingly, then your breath hitched as his hand moved to the middle of your hip.

“Would it be too fast, or have we been pining long enough?” he asked in a dizzyingly gruff tone. This time, it was mixed with a bit of lust.

You grinned. “Pining long enough.”

He leaned in again, smiling, then kissed you, this time more passionately. The two of you leaned back on the couch, with you looking up at him, and he gripped your hip a bit tighter. His other hand, still a tad chilly, started to slide under your shirt, causing you to gasp softly into his mouth. He took the opportunity to kiss you open-mouthed, then move his hand higher.

“This okay?” he whispered into the kiss.

“Yes,” you whispered back. His lips were so intoxicating and you arched your back as his fingers traced closer to your breast. They finally landed over your bra and he started to caress the first curve. The touch was muted by the fabric still between you and you pulled back from the kiss to slip off your shirt and your bra. His eyes widened as he looked down at you, fingers gently touching the swell of your breast again.

“Wow,” he said appreciatively. “All for me?”

“Always has been,” you said softly back, causing a guttural groan from him, one that made your thighs clench. “Are we really doing this, Wolffe? Are you sure I’m the one you want?”

He nodded. “Yes. And something tells me General Plo planned on this happening, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent us alone.”

“Remind me to get him a gift basket when we’re back at the Venator,” you chuckled.

“Will do. Now, I want to show you how much I’ve wanted you for so long.”

You grinned, then pulled him back down into a kiss, ready for a long night of love and passion in front of the warm fire.

Bonus!:

The next morning, the blizzard finally calmed down, making it safe to step outside into the light flurries. You grinned at Wolffe and pulled him outside, both of you fully dressed in the clothes that dried by the fire. It was still chilly and the flakes immediately stuck to his hair, but you didn’t care. You pulled him to your lips and kissed him, surprising him. It wasn’t a big gift, but it was a start.

Pulling back after the long kiss, he grinned. “What is this all about?”

“You’d said you wanted to kiss me in the snow, so I thought I might make that a reality.” You smiled back.

The chuckle that escaped him was just as warm as the love you made last night. “Oh, mesh’la. That’s not what I quite meant. I meant playing in the snow and kissing you.”

“Why not both?” You bent down and scooped up some snow, throwing it at his chestplate. His eyes widened in mischief.

“You sure you want to do this?” he asked slyly.

“Will it get me kissed?” you tease.

He growled playfully and you knew you were in for it.

“Happy Life Day, Wolffe.” You grinned.

“Mm, happy Life Day, cyar’ika.” He grinned back before he got you back for the snowball.

[intricatechaosofyou]

Sewing Lessons

Fandom: The Bad Batch; Star Wars

Summary: Life Day is quickly approaching, so you and Omega set out to give your boys some gifts.

Using the prompts “Did you get us matching pajamas?”

Warnings: sewing needles (no one gets poked, they just exist), kissing, I am unaware if mistletoe is a thing in the Star Wars universe but it is now so deal with it

Author’s note: Happy Life Day Exchange @wizardmandoo !! It was great getting to write for you. I hope you enjoy this story and have a fantastic Life Day season, babe!

And thank you to @cloneficgiftexchange for putting this together!! This was my first exchange and I’m so glad to take part!

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

Strands of green hung around Omega’s door frame as she sat in the gunner’s mount that served as her makeshift room. The young girl had never experienced a real Life Day before. Kamino wasn’t known for their festivities; the long-necks claimed they took away from their work time. So although the boys didn’t have much experience actually celebrating the holiday either, they all tried their best to give Omega a perfect first Life Day.

Hunter had let you all stop for a few days on a snowy planet. With enough supplies, he figured you could take a break somewhere festive for the holiday.

Wrecker had let Omega sit atop his shoulders to hang up homemade garland around the Marauder.

Tech had taught her about the history behind the holiday, telling her everything he had learned from the Holonet.

Crosshair had taught her to make the perfect snowball and helped her perfect her aim.

And Echo told her stories every night before bed he had heard back during his days celebrating Life Day in the 501st.

Yes, all the boys had done their best to give Omega a perfect Life Day. But Omega was even more excited to give them a perfect Life Day. The girl had the biggest heart, so that’s how you found yourself crammed in the gunner’s mount with her, carefully watching as she stitched her design.

She had wanted to give the boys gifts, and when you recommended pajama pants, she jumped at the idea. The boys only had their blacks and sometimes the Marauder could get cold, even for them.

So the two of you found the perfect red and black pants that would match the team’s colors, and Omega was insistent on adding the Clone Force 99 symbol onto the pants, skull and all.

“It’ll be perfect!” She claimed.

So you found the sewing kit you kept in case someone’s clothes needed repair and showed her how to sew.

The girl was very intent in her escapades, listening and watching your stitching intently. She put her all into making the design. And when she was disappointed about her stitches being crooked, you reassured her that her brothers would love them no matter how they looked.

“I’m done with Tech’s,” she announced, holding up the pants to show the freshly sewn design on the left leg.

“Perfect, Megs. Now only Echo’s and Hunter’s left.” You took the garment from her and folded them up to add them to the pile of finished gifts.

She nodded and began to thread her needle when Wrecker called her name from the cockpit.

“I got something else to hang up!” He called.

Placing her supplies down, she rushed down the ladder to help Wrecker hang up another decoration.

You laughed and climbed down from her room as she took off. You smiled at the small girl before looking to your left, finding Hunter leaning against the wall, arms crossed across his chest.

“Hey there, Sarge,” you smiled.

He smiled and glanced over at Omega. “You two are certainly spending a lot of time up there.”

“Just having a little girl time.”

His eyebrow raised at your response. Although it wasn’t a complete lie, it wasn’t the complete truth either.

“Anything I should be concerned about?” He questioned.

You adamantly shook your head. “Nope!”

He smirked and leaned in to whisper in your ear so Omega wouldn’t overhear him. “No Life Day gifts hidden up there?”

You gasped and gently hit his arm. “How dare you accuse us of hiding something!”

He rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t move away from you. “Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the surprise, cyar’ika.”

“You better not,” you retorted as Omega came rushing back up to the two of you.

She immediately grabbed your hand and tugged you back towards her project. You didn’t resist the girl’s pull and sent Hunter a wink before heading back to Omega’s little room.

———————

The seven of you sat in the middle of the hull of the Marauder. Omega had practically been bouncing off the walls as the time to exchange gifts came around. She happily handed each of them their gifts. Even though you didn’t have enough credits to wrap them in something nice, it was clear by the look on their faces that they appreciated the gesture.

As they unfolded the garments, Hunter smiled at you. “Did you get us matching pajamas?”

You nodded and gestured to the girl beside you. “Megs is the mastermind behind this one. She wanted to do something special for you boys.”

“Do you like it?” The young girl asked, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

“They’re perfect, Omega,” Echo replied.

“They’ve even got our symbol on ‘em!” Wrecker shouted, glee evident in his voice as he held up the pants. “Looks great!”

Omega smiled and happily retold the story of sewing the symbol on as the boys listened, indulging her in the exaggerated tale. Even Crosshair had a small smile on his face as Omega spoke.

You happily listened along from your spot on the floor when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Looking up, you found Hunter standing above you. Subtly, he tilted his head towards the doorway of the cockpit.

Getting the message, you nodded and stood up, careful not to interrupt Omega’s story as you two made your way to the cockpit.

“What’s up, Hunter?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper as you stood in the doorway.

There was a pause as he considered his next words, fingers twitching as if he was twirling his vibroblade between them.

“I wanted to thank you. For the pants,” he finally said.

“Megs and I just want our boys to be comfortable,” you responded, heat blooming in your chest. “Thanks for not spoiling the surprise.”

A smirk made its way onto his face and he leaned back against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “So you two were hiding Life Day gifts.”

“We weren’t hiding anything. We just evaded your senses,” you lied, smiling innocently at the sergeant.

Hunter clicked his tongue. “Nothing evades my senses, cyar’ika.”

You tensed slightly, wondering if that was true. Could he hear the way your heart was fluttering in your chest? Could he see the way you smiled just a little bit bigger when you saw him? Could he feel how your skin was always warm when he was around?

Hunter opened his mouth, no doubt to tease you again, when Crosshair’s voice rang out through the ship.

“The mistletoe seemed to evade your senses though.”

You glanced at the team’s sniper, brow furrowing before looking above your head.

There it was. A small plant hung from the cockpit’s doorway: the new decoration Omega and Wrecker had hung up a few days prior.

Glancing back at Crosshair, you found that the rest of the team was staring at you.

“What‘s so important about mistletoe?” Omega asked innocently.

“It means they gotta kiss,” Echo explained, a teasing lilt in his voice as he glanced at the two of you.

“Technically—“

Tech was quickly cut off when Wrecker shoved him.

“Shush!”

You turned back to Hunter, slightly confused when you saw the small smirk on his face.

“Hunter…”

One of his hands came up to cradle your jaw, tilting your face towards his.

He leaned in, nose brushing yours. “I told you. Nothing evades my senses.”

Before you could respond, you felt his lips press against yours. It was completely intoxicating, and you grabbed his shoulders to keep yourself steady. The kiss was filled with such precision, every movement careful but filled with such feeling, you felt like you were drowning in him.

As Hunter pulled back from you, the rest of the world came crashing back on you. The cheers of his brothers, the feel of his blacks beneath your fingers, and yet you could only focus on his eyes and how they remained fixed on you.

You, stumbling over yourself as your mind tried to catch up.

Your head spun as you connected the dots, the fact he brought you over here purposely, knowing the mistletoe hung above you.

Just to kiss you?

It seemed surreal, the ghost of Hunter’s lips still on yours. But it was real.

A smirk spread across your lips. “I’m glad you liked the present.”

“That’s all you have to say?” He asked.

“Happy Life Day,” you whispered, before reconnecting your lips, earning another round of hoots and hollers from his brothers and Omega.

And as you two rejoined the group, Hunter’s arm draped across your waist, you smiled to yourself. Happy Life Day indeed.

[captainpains]

Carol of the Cookies (Captain Rex x reader)

For @diviluscorner in the @cloneficgiftexchange. I had so much fun writing this and I hope y'all enjoy it ❤️

Prompt: Baking Cookies

Warnings: F reader, kids, family bonding, fluffy, domesticity, everyone lives au, not explicitly holiday but has the vibes

~~~~~~~

“Buir! Buir!”

Rex stopped taking off his snow boots and looked down the hallway to see his little girl, Mariel,  running towards him at full speed. She jumped into his arms, giggling when he caught her. He smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“What have you been up to my little trooper?” He asked her, attempting to remove his snow gear while still holding her.

“We went to the library and mama let us pick out some books!” The 6 year old ecstatically explained.

“Really? I hope you picked out something you really liked.” Rex hummed as he took off his scarf and hat.

“I did. I picked a book about stars!” 

“That sounds great sweetie. Hey, how about you go to mama while I finish taking off my boots?”

Mariel nodded before jumping down and taking off down the hall towards the kitchen. Rex finished taking off his boots as promised, then shrugged off his jacket. He took a moment to look at a picture hung on the wall, a picture of his family, something that he thought that he never had. He then moved down the hall, toward the kitchen, toward you.

You were like a saving grace for him.

 He’d met you at a bar called 79s one blurry night so long ago. You were working the bar and had somehow found his drunk flirting charming enough to give him your com. He remembered sending you an apology the day after, the embarrassment he felt when his brothers recounted what happened was soul crushing. He felt less bad about it when you ended up inviting him for a cup of caf. And the rest, as they say, was history.

The war ended, and he proposed. The two of you moved to Saleucami and got a small farm, trading the food you grew at the market. Then little Mariel was born. 

Rex walked into the kitchen and smiled at what he saw. You were trying to keep Mariel from eating the cookie dough that you were making. He watched as you gently pushed her hand away from the bowl, scolding her for trying to eat it. Rex went over and reached into the, taking just a little bit of the cookie dough and eating it.

“That is not for you either.” You playfully glared at him.

“Well then why is it so delicious?” Mariel refuted, arms crossed and face pouting.

“You can’t eat all the raw cookie dough, sweetie. Or there won’t be anything to decorate, later.” You told her as you took the bowl of cookie dough to another counter to roll it out.

Your daughter gave a gasp at the realization. Rex chuckled at it. It would be absolutely devastating if there were no cookies to decorate. 

“How about you go get your new book to show me?” Rex suggested to her.

“Okay!” Mariel rushed out of the kitchen.

“She was so happy to get that book.” You told your husband as you rolled out the cookie dough.

“I bet.” Rex grinned, then wrapped his arms around you. “So, how was your day?”

“Fine. She was very hyperactive after her nap. How was your trip to the market?”

“Good. Got a great price for those meilooruns.”

You hummed in response. Rex tightened his arms, resting his head on your shoulder. He watched as you rolled the dough, then grabbed one of the many cookie cutters on the counter. 

“I missed you while I was gone, cyare.” Your husband admitted, then placed a kiss on your cheek.

“You were only gone for a few hours, dear.” You mused, cutting a few cookies in the shape of a snowman.

“Yeah, but I still missed you and Mariel.”

“Well, we missed you too.” You smiled and turned your head, giving him a small kiss on the lips before returning to your task.

Mariel came running into the kitchen, her book in hand. She excitedly held it up for her father to see. Rex peeled himself off of you to attend to your daughter. She happily took her father to the living room, where they sat on the couch and she read the book to him. You finished cutting the cookies and put them in the oven. You smiled to yourself as you thought about how

You went to the living room and smiled when you saw your daughter sitting on the sofa reading her book to her father. Rex was paying all his attention to her as she read. He was patient and encouraging as she read, making sure she pronounced every word correctly. You decided to let them have this moment of bonding, going back into the kitchen to start some dishes while Rex kept the little one entertained. 

After around 15 minutes, the cookies were done. Mariel came running in when the timer went off. She pouted when you told she had to wait until the cookies cooled off to decorate them.

“You can decorate the cookies later. Now, how about you get your favorite pajamas on and then you pick out a holo movie to watch. When that’s done, the cookies will be ready to decorate.” You suggested to the 6 year old. 

She seemed content with the idea. She ran off to her room. Rex went into the kitchen to help with the dishes while you set up the holoscreen for Mariel to pick a holomovie to watch. Mariel came back rather quickly, dressed in her blue pajamas. She excitedly picked a film about a magic tooka, then ran to the kitchen to decorate cookies.

You helped her when she wanted it, but all in all left her to her vision of what the snowman should look like. You and your husband decorated about four cookies each, while your daughter decorated the majority of them. She made a colorful mess with the icing but was so happy with how the cookies turned out. 

“Buir! Momma! You have to try one!” Mariel insisted, handing a cookie to each of you. You took a bite, while Rex (with his massive sweet tooth) shoved the whole thing into his mouth.

You praised your daughter for how good the cookies looked and tasted. Rex watched and smiled to himself.

He wouldn’t trade this for anything. 

[loving-the-cambridges]

First winter date - Captain Rex - reader

Life day fic exchange 2023 @cloneficgiftexchange

for @dystopicjumpsuit I hope you'll enjoy this :-)

The police station, with its incessant hum of activity, was a world unto itself – a place where stories unfolded every day, some of hope, others of despair. In this world, Rex moved with a quiet authority, his presence both commanding and reassuring. Among the bustling corridors and busy desks, there was a sense of family, a bond forged in the face of shared challenges. Cody, his brother, was a constant figure, his leadership as steady as it was inspiring. Ponds and Fox, his other siblings, added to the familial atmosphere, each with their own unique strengths. Fives and Echo, his cousins, were the younger, more spirited members of this tight-knit group.

In this hive of activity, (Y/N) was a beacon of calm. As a victim counselor, her role was to mend the unseen wounds, to offer solace in the midst of chaos. (Y/N)'s arrival at the station had brought a new dimension to their work, a reminder of the human element in their often mechanical routine.

Rex had been drawn to her from the start. It wasn't just her compassion that captivated him, but the way she seemed to truly listen, to understand the pain of others and guide them through it. He had seen her soothe frayed nerves with just a few words, seen her bring a semblance of peace to tormented souls. And each time, he found himself admiring her more, the professional respect gradually intertwining with a deeper, more personal affection.

But expressing those feelings was a battle in itself. Rex was a man of action, not words. His emotions were a private affair, often hidden behind a facade of stoicism. Yet, with (Y/N), he felt a desire to open up, to share parts of himself he had kept locked away.

The winter evening was a symphony of crystalline beauty, the snowflakes dancing in the air like a myriad of tiny stars. It was on such an evening that Rex found the courage to ask her out. The ice rink, with its festive lights and the promise of shared laughter, seemed like the perfect place.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Rex started, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the ice rink tonight? Thought it might be a fun way to unwind."

(Y/N) looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes, quickly replaced by a warm smile. "That sounds wonderful, Rex. I'd love to."

The ice rink, aglow with twinkling lights and festive cheer, was a stage set for an evening of clumsy grace and laughter. Rex, with the effortless glide of a seasoned skater, approached (Y/N), who was clinging to the rink's edge like a lifeline. Her determination to spend time with her crush had brought her here, but her skating skills were as untested as a ship's maiden voyage.

"Seems like you've found a new best friend in that railing," Rex quipped, skating up to her with a playful smirk.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, her grip on the railing tightening just a tad. "Well, it's certainly more reliable than my skating skills," she shot back, her tone light but tinged with a hint of nervousness.

Rex chuckled, extending his hand towards her. "How about you ditch the railing for a while? I promise I'm a better partner than cold metal."

Hesitantly, (Y/N) took his hand, her heart skipping a beat. As they slowly moved away from her safety net, she wobbled unsteadily.

"Whoa there, are you trying to skate or are you practicing your penguin impression?" Rex teased, his grip on her hand reassuringly firm.

"Hey, I'll have you know penguins are very graceful creatures... on land," she retorted, trying to mask her anxiety with humor.

Rex laughed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Alright, let's focus on the basics. Just follow my lead and try not to mow down any innocent bystanders."

They began with simple glides, Rex patiently guiding her through the motions. Every time she faltered, he was there, his presence a constant source of support.

"You know, for someone who clings to railings, you're surprisingly adventurous," he noted, as she took a shaky glide forward.

(Y/N) grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. "I have a good teacher," she said, her voice softer, more sincere.

As they continued, Rex's teasing became a comforting rhythm, a playful undercurrent to their conversation. He joked about starting a skating school for the hopelessly uncoordinated, playfully suggesting she could be his first student. She laughed, the sound mingling with the crisp night air, her earlier apprehension melting away like snow in the sun.

They attempted a cautious turn, Rex's instructions interspersed with light-hearted comments. "Okay, now just pivot on your left foot... or just do a wild spin, that works too!"

(Y/N)'s attempt at a pivot ended in a whirl of arms and a near collision, but Rex's quick reflexes saved them both from a tumble. They ended up in a close embrace, her hands on his shoulders, his arms around her waist. For a moment, they just looked at each other, the laughter fading into a moment of silent connection.

"See, you're getting the hang of it. Soon you'll be out-skating me," Rex said, his voice warm, his smile genuine.

(Y/N) felt a rush of warmth, not from the exercise, but from the feeling of being this close to Rex, of being the focus of his playful yet caring attention. The evening was no longer about skating; it had transformed into a dance of words and laughter, a shared experience that spoke of budding feelings and the promise of more.

As they left the ice, their hands still joined, the night seemed to wrap around them, a blanket of stars and possibilities.

The transition from the ice rink to the bustling Christmas market felt seamless, a continuation of the evening's enchantment. Rex, still holding (Y/N)'s hand, felt an unspoken reluctance to let go, their fingers intertwined as they navigated through the vibrant maze of stalls and lights. The market was alive with the spirit of the season, each corner a new discovery, each sound a note in the festive symphony.

(Y/N)'s eyes sparkled under the canopy of Christmas lights, her gaze wandering from one stall to the next with childlike wonder. "Look at these ornaments, Rex! Have you ever seen anything so detailed?" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and excitement.

Rex leaned in to look at the intricate glass baubles she was pointing at. "They're pretty amazing. You have a good eye for these things," he replied, his tone laced with genuine admiration.

As they moved on, (Y/N) couldn't help but shiver slightly, the cold finally catching up with her. Rex immediately noticed, his concern evident. "Getting chilly?" he asked, his hand instinctively rubbing her arm in a comforting gesture.

"Just a little," she admitted, a slight quiver in her voice.

Rex's eyes scanned the nearby stalls, landing on one that promised warmth in a cup. "How about a hot drink to warm you up? What would you like?" he asked, ready to fetch whatever she desired.

"Surprise me," (Y/N) said with a trusting smile, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.

Rex returned shortly, two steaming cups in his hands. He handed her a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, the steam rising like a warm embrace. "Thought you might like this," he said, his eyes searching hers for approval.

(Y/N) took a sip, the warmth of the chocolate spreading through her. "It's perfect. How did you know?" she asked, her smile brightening the already illuminated night.

Rex shrugged modestly. "I just took a wild guess. Glad I got it right," he replied, his own cup of mulled wine warming his hands.

They continued their stroll, sipping their drinks and sharing laughs. Rex pointed to a ring toss game. "Bet you can't get three rings on those bottles," he challenged, his eyes gleaming with playful mischief.

(Y/N) accepted the challenge, her throws missing the mark but eliciting more laughter than disappointment. "Seems I'm as good at this as I am at skating," she joked, her laughter infectious.

Rex joined in, his attempts equally unsuccessful. "Looks like we're both in need of some practice," he conceded, his smile never fading.

Their journey through the market led them to a photo booth adorned with festive props. Rex, ever the instigator of fun, grabbed a Santa hat, placing it on his head with a grin. "Your turn, choose your festive disguise," he said, handing her a pair of reindeer antlers.

(Y/N) put on the antlers, striking a pose. "Ready for our close-up, Santa?" she teased, her eyes shining with mirth.

The photos they took were a series of silly poses and laughter-filled moments, each click capturing the joy and ease of their burgeoning relationship.

As they neared a group of carolers, their voices harmonizing in a timeless Christmas tune, (Y/N) felt a pull towards Rex, a desire to be closer. She leaned against him, her head resting gently on his shoulder. "I love this song," she whispered, her breath visible in the cold air.

Rex's arm found its way around her, pulling her closer. "Me too," he replied, his voice soft, his heart full.

The journey from the vibrant life of the Christmas market to the quiet streets leading to (Y/N)'s place was a mix of comfortable silence and soft conversation. The car ride, with Rex at the wheel, felt like a gentle deceleration from the evening's excitement, a gradual return to reality, yet tinged with a reluctance for the night to end.

(Y/N) sat beside him, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. The evening had unfolded like a chapter from a fairy tale, each moment with Rex adding another layer to her growing feelings. She glanced at him, his profile illuminated by the passing streetlights, a sense of warmth enveloping her.

As they pulled up to her apartment, the car's engine coming to a quiet stop, a sudden nervousness gripped her. She didn’t want the night to end, not yet. "Thanks for tonight, Rex. I had a really great time," she said, her voice laced with sincerity.

"Me too, (Y/N). It was... it was really special," Rex replied, his tone reflecting a depth of emotion that resonated with her own feelings.

There was a pause, a moment suspended in time, as (Y/N) gathered her courage. "Would you like to come in? Maybe watch a Christmas movie or something?" she asked, her heart racing with the boldness of her invitation.

Rex turned to look at her, surprise and happiness mingling in his eyes. "I'd like that," he said, a smile spreading across his face.

Inside her apartment, (Y/N) felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She busied herself with small tasks, turning on the lights, taking off her coat, anything to calm the fluttering in her stomach. Rex followed her in, his presence filling the space with a comforting warmth.

"So, any favorite Christmas movies?" Rex asked, his voice casual but his eyes holding a hint of anticipation.

(Y/N) thought for a moment, wanting to pick something that would set the right tone. "How about 'It's a Wonderful Life'? It's a classic," she suggested, hoping her choice would prolong the warmth and closeness of the evening.

"Perfect choice," Rex agreed, settling onto the couch.

In the cozy confines of (Y/N)'s living room, with the final scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life" painting flickers of light and shadow, Rex and (Y/N) found themselves in a world of their own creation. Their confessions of feelings had woven a new tapestry of emotions, coloring the room with an unspoken promise of something profound and beautiful.

(Y/N) felt a whirlwind of emotions as she leaned into Rex, his arm around her, a gesture of comfort and connection. His heartbeat, steady and reassuring under her ear, was a melody that harmonized perfectly with the rapid beats of her own heart. The air between them was charged with a new energy, an anticipation of what was to come.

Rex, overcome with a sense of rightness and completion, looked down at (Y/N), her eyes lifting to meet his. In her gaze, he found reflections of his own feelings – a mixture of wonder, happiness, and a profound connection that went beyond words. The room, with its soft lighting and the quiet hum of the ending movie, seemed to fade into insignificance, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment that felt as timeless as it was fleeting.

As the closing credits rolled, the music a soft undertone to their shared silence, Rex gently tilted (Y/N)'s chin up towards him. Their eyes locked, conveying depths of emotion that words could never fully capture. The distance between them lessened, the magnetic pull of their mutual affection drawing them closer.

(Y/N)'s heart raced as she realized what was about to happen. Her nervousness was a fluttering bird in her chest, but it was overshadowed by a profound desire, a yearning that had been building throughout the night. She could feel Rex's breath, a warm whisper against her skin, the closeness sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

And then, in a moment that seemed both an eternity and an instant, their lips met. It was a gentle collision, a soft convergence of emotions and desires. The kiss was tentative at first, a careful exploration, but it quickly deepened, fueled by the pent-up feelings and the undeniable connection that had brought them to this point.

The world outside, with its cold winter night and silent stars, seemed a universe away. In that kiss, they found a warmth and a rightness that spoke of shared futures and whispered promises. It was a first kiss, but it carried the weight and depth of something much more, a symbol of a bond that had been forged in shared laughter, stolen glances, and unspoken affections.

As they finally pulled away, a breathless moment later, their eyes opened to a world that seemed brighter, more vivid.

In the aftermath of their first kiss, a silence filled the room, profound and comfortable, wrapping Rex and (Y/N) in a cocoon of newfound intimacy. The flickering lights from the TV cast a soft glow on their faces, revealing shared smiles and eyes bright with emotion.

Rex, his heart still pounding from the kiss, felt a clarity he had never experienced before. Looking into (Y/N)'s eyes, he found the courage to give voice to the feelings that the kiss had only begun to express. “(Y/N),” he started, his voice low and filled with emotion, “I need to tell you... I’ve fallen for you. It’s been building for a while, but tonight, everything became so clear.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened slightly, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. Her own emotions, a tangled mix of joy and affection, bubbled to the surface. “Rex, I feel the same way,” she confessed, her voice a whisper of shared sentiment. “I didn’t realize it until tonight, but what I feel for you... it’s more than I ever expected.”

Their confessions hung in the air, simple yet profound, bridging any distance that had once existed between them. In that moment, they understood that what they had was special, a connection that went beyond mere attraction or companionship.

With a newfound boldness, (Y/N) leaned in for another kiss. This one was different from the first – it was a confirmation, a seal on the feelings they had just confessed. Their lips met with a gentle urgency, conveying years of unspoken emotions and desires. It was a kiss that spoke of beginnings, of a journey they were now embarking on together.

Eventually, they pulled apart, their smiles reflections of their inner happiness. (Y/N) suggested, “How about we watch another movie?” Her tone was light, but her eyes held a deeper invitation, a desire to prolong the magic of the evening.

Rex nodded, his heart still soaring from their exchange. “That sounds perfect.”

They settled onto the couch, (Y/N) fetching a cozy blanket which she draped over them. As she snuggled into Rex's side, the warmth of their closeness enveloped them, a physical manifestation of the emotional warmth they were both feeling.

As the opening credits of the new movie rolled, they found themselves less focused on the screen and more on the comfort of being in each other's arms. The movie played on, but their attention was on the soft sound of their breathing, the gentle rhythm of their heartbeats, and the warmth of their entwined hands under the blanket.

In the dimly lit room, with the soft murmur of the movie playing in the background, Rex and (Y/N) lay under the cozy blanket, a sense of complete contentment enveloping them. The outside world, with all its noise and haste, seemed a distant memory, irrelevant to the sanctuary they had created here, in (Y/N)'s living room.

Their confessions of affection still echoed in the space around them, a tender yet powerful admission that had changed the very air they breathed. Now, under the blanket, they found themselves in a world of their own making, a world where every glance, every touch, spoke of the deep connection they shared.

(Y/N) looked up at Rex, her eyes shining with unspoken emotions. In his eyes, she saw a reflection of her own feelings – a mixture of wonder, joy, and a profound sense of rightness. It was as if all the scattered pieces of her life had suddenly clicked into place, forming a picture that was more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

Rex, feeling her gaze, turned to meet her eyes. In that moment, words were unnecessary; everything they needed to say was conveyed in the depth of their look. He leaned down, and their lips met in a gentle kiss, a soft caress that spoke of new beginnings and uncharted futures. The kiss was a whisper of promises, a seal on the feelings they had just shared.

As they pulled away, their smiles were reflections of their inner happiness, a happiness that was as much about the presence of the other as it was about the connection they had forged. They stole another kiss, and then another, each one a celebration, a joyful acknowledgment of the journey they were embarking on together.

Lying there, with Rex's arm around her and her head on his chest, (Y/N) felt a sense of completeness she had never known. The sound of his heartbeat was a steady rhythm that seemed to sync perfectly with her own. Every so often, they would exchange a look or a smile, a silent conversation that spoke of shared joy and the comfort of being understood.

Rex, with (Y/N) nestled against him, felt a sense of peace that was new and profound. The weight of his past, the uncertainties of his future, all seemed to fade away in the face of this simple yet profound happiness. He kissed the top of her head gently, a gesture of affection and protection.

The movie played on, but it was merely a backdrop to their own story, a story that was just beginning. Every touch, every shared laugh, every quiet moment under the blanket was a brushstroke in the masterpiece they were creating together.

As the night deepened, they lay there, wrapped in the warmth of the blanket and the warmth of their newfound love. It was a feeling of complete rightness, a sense that, in this moment, in each other's arms, they were exactly where they were meant to be. The world outside could wait; what mattered was the magic they had found in each other's presence, the promise of all the nights and days to come, filled with laughter, love, and the quiet joy of being together.

[goblininawig]

Life Day on Daiyu

This story is a gift for @imarvelatthestars as part of the @cloneficgiftexchange ! I picked Nax, the Daiyu Veteran, and used these prompts from your list: Reader & clone creating new traditions together || Hand under the chin || Snuggles under a blanket || "Pretty girl"

Summary: Your heart goes out to the begging veteran, so you get him a job at the restaurant you manage. One thing leads to another, and soon he's a fixture of your life, and someone you want to celebrate.

Tags: Nax/f!reader, mild hurt/comfort, family drama, strangers to lovers, sharing a bed, domestic fluff, romantic fluff, Life Day fluff, fix-it of sorts, holiday fic exchange

Words: 4.9k

Rating: T

You saw him there most days, sitting with his painted helmet, empty neck up, hoping for a few credits to be tossed his way. He had long, graying hair and a bushy, grizzled beard to match. He wore the rest of his GAR-issued armor, scratched and scuffed as it was. He sat near the marketplace on your route to and from work. You tried to leave a few credits for him after your shifts, but he was usually gone by then.

“Hey, I was thinking,” you said, casually as possible, to Myndi Emadda, a Chagrian with dark purple horns growing from her elegant head tentacles. She owned the restaurant you managed. “What if we get that veteran from the market in here to wash dishes? Bet he’d be glad of the work.”

“That old bum?” she scoffed, looking briefly up from the datapad where the previous week’s earnings were on display. “What for?”

“I figure he’ll work harder than these other people who barely stick around for a week or two. You know it’s the job with the highest turn-over. A guy like that wouldn’t skip out on his shift,” you shrug.

Myndi rolled her orange eyes. “I guess if it’ll make you happy, let him try. These numbers are worth putting up with my new manager being a secret softie.” She finally made real eye contact with you and smiled. “Just keep the profits up,” she added, sashaying out the office door.

You won’t see her again for another week. But that suits you fine. Having freedom to run things your way is why you left your family’s restaurant business. Also, they never really stopped seeing you as a little kid. Maybe, one day, they’ll come around and actually listen to you, but for now, you’re happy here. Especially since it has given you opportunities to help people like this veteran…assuming he’s interested.

The following rotation, you left for work with plenty of time for a detour to the market. After dropping some credits in the veteran’s helmet, you return his grateful nod with a hesitant smile.

“Any chance you’re looking for work?”

He blinked at you, clearly surprised. Then he shifted uncomfortably on the hard duracrete, stretching his right leg out. He cleared his throat, and said, in a rough voice, “Might be. What’s the work?”

“Nothing much, just dishwashing at Myndi’s Cafe up that way,” you nodded down the street. “But it’s steady work with steady pay, and it’s yours as long as you’d want it.”

He swallows. “I – that’s – I could do that.”

You smiled and held out your hand, kneeling a bit so he wouldn’t have to stand to reach you, introducing yourself as you shook his hand.

“Nax,” he said, completing the introductions.

“I walk this way to work,” you explained. “I can meet you here tomorrow, about this time to walk you there, and talk you through everything. That sound all right, Nax?”

He nods.

“See you then,” you smiled again, then walked away, feeling his eyes on you as you went.

You commed your sometimes overbearing, but favorite cousin during your break, asking him to bring over some of his partner’s old clothes. He showed up with them on the following rotation, shortly before you needed to leave, and you snatched them from him hurriedly.

“Finally,” you complained, shoving them in a bag. “You’re gonna make me late,” you grumbled.

Brenko chuckled and leaned against your doorframe, completely unfazed. “You’re welcome.”

You made a face at him and then let out a reluctant, “Thanks.”

“Anytime, baby cuz,” he smirked. “Who’s the new boyfriend?”

You rolled your eyes as you shoved him out of the doorway. “It’s not like that.” You shut and locked the door. Then you turned and give him a hug. “Good to see ya.”

“Yeah, same. Don’t be a stranger, huh?”

“No promises,” you called behind you as you hurried towards the market.

Nax was waiting for you, helmet in hand, looking uncertain. You greeted him and then guided him to the back entrance of Myndi’s Cafe. There was a staff ‘fresher there with a shower, a few sinks, and several lockers. You pulled out the clothes from your cousin, and set them down on the bench.

“You can shower in here, and change. Hopefully something will fit you. But, uh, you can’t wear armor to work,” you explained, with a shy smile. “There’s soap and stuff on that shelf. Use whatever you need. When you’re ready, head out that way,” you point towards the hallway that connects to the back of the kitchen. “Whoever you find there can tell you where I’m at.”

He agrees with a wordless nod, and you leave him to it.

The next time you saw Nax, he was wearing a button-up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to expose his muscled, bronze forearms, and a pair of soft, black pants. He’d tied back half of his hair and trimmed his beard; it was still full, but no longer looked wild. You had to work hard to control your reaction. He looked incredible, and suddenly staying professional felt like a challenge. But you powered through the moment, and managed to keep yourself to an approving nod and a friendly (you hoped) smile.

“Okay, so this is Kile,” you said, leading him to the dish-washing area where the young human stood with his hip against the sink, looking bored. “He’ll show you through the basic process, and supervise the first few loads that come through. I’ll check back later,” you promised.

At the end of the night, when you locked up, Nax was waiting for you. He was back in his armor; the other clothes were folded up neatly and tucked into his helmet.

“Thank you,” he said gruffly. “Most folk won’t hire clones.”

You shrugged. “Their loss.”

For the first time ever, you saw a hint of a smile on his face, and warmth flooded your chest.

“Same time tomorrow?” you asked.

He nodded. “Mind if I walk with you?” he asked.

“I’d like that,” you replied.

He parted ways with you at the marketplace, and you wondered if he slept there, tucked away in some empty stall. The thought made you sad.

You and Nax easily fell into a routine of walking to and from work together. One rotation, when the weather had turned bitter cold, you knew you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if he had to sleep outside.

“Nax,” you said, shivering in the wind, “do you want to sleep on my couch tonight?”

He frowned. “Sure you’d feel safe with me there?”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “I know I won’t forgive myself if something happens to you in this weather.”

Nax looked genuinely surprised, and touched. His expression softened. “Thank you.”

He followed you to your small rental flat. It was nothing compared to your family’s home, but you’re certain that Nax was the last person who’d judge your simple, and, admittedly, a bit crummy, living space. Your main reasons for staying there were that it had been instantly available and was close to work. Being able to walk to the market and to work was a grounding, simple pleasure you secretly cherished. You had always driven to work in the past.

In the central room, you had a second-hand sofa, a holoprojector, and not much else. Nax looked huge, standing there with his broad shoulders. You offered him a seat, mindful of the limp in his right leg he tried so hard to hide from you. He settled into the sofa, stretching his bad leg out in front of him. 

The kitchenette, to the left of the main entry, was sparsely supplied, but clean. Grabbing a glass of water for each of you, you joined him on the sofa. You sipped your water, feeling awkward.

“Are you hungry?” you thought to ask.

He shook his head, staring down at the glass in his hand.

“Well, if you get nibbly later, there’s stuff in the kitchen. Just poke around. Eat whatever,” you offered. “I’m gonna use the ‘fresher and then I’ll get you a blanket and all that.”

Nax looked at you and nodded, “Thank you.”

You nod back, trying to ignore the blush you feel heating your cheeks. “Sure.”

Washing your face and brushing your teeth gave you time to feel more settled. You left an extra toothbrush out for Nax, who was massaging his thigh when you passed through to your bedroom. 

You dug through a box you never fully unpacked to find your extra bedding. You put a fresh pillow case on a pillow and take it with the blankets to the empty sofa. Nax exited the ‘fresher just as you finished.

“Well,” you said, “good night. Hope you sleep ok.”

“Thank you,” Nax replied in his deep voice.

You smiled at him, and slipped into your room, closing the door behind you. As you laid in bed, you reflected on how risky and stupid your family would say you’re being, to let a man you barely know into your home. But you don’t feel like you made the wrong decision at all.

The following morning, you stumbled out of your room, yawning and rubbing at your eyes. You were getting caf ready to brew when a rumbling, “Good morning,” from behind shocked you. You screeched and jumped around, heart pounding. Then you saw Nax and remembered why he was there. You sagged against the kitchen counter.

“Kriff,” you managed weakly. “I forgot you were here.”

“I’m sorry,” Nax apologized from where he sat, his right leg stretched across the sofa.

You waved his apology away. “No need. I just wasn’t quite awake yet.” 

You smiled sheepishly. Nax looked about as awkward as you felt.

You visited the ‘fresher while the caf brewed, and then poured a cup for yourself and your guest. Nax swung his leg down so you could sit with him, and you silently enjoyed your hot drinks together. When you were more awake, you decided to let yourself pry a little.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You already did,” Nax retorted, face serious, but his dark eyes twinkled with unexpected humor.

You huffed and rolled your eyes. “Okay, can I ask you something else?”

“Go ahead,” he replied. He sipped the last of his caf.

“Where do you usually sleep?”

Nax kept his eyes on his mug. At first you weren’t sure he would answer you, but then he said: “There’s a vendor at the market that lets me stow my extra gear under their booth during the day in exchange for guarding it at night.”

You bit your lower lip to keep yourself from ranting about how the vendor should pay him for guard work, not exploit his desperate situation. You forced yourself to take a few breaths before you reply. 

“Well, if you’d rather, you can stay here. I’m not used to living by myself, so you’d be doing me a favor.” That was only a slight exaggeration. You hadn’t been on your own before you moved here, but it wasn’t all that bad. Still, you’d rather have a roommate than force him back out in the weather. The real cold season hadn’t even hit yet.

When you finally looked up, you saw Nax staring at you. “Why would you want that?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused.

Your heart went out to him. “Besides it just being the right thing to do?” you said at first, deflecting a bit. Then you softened at the look in his eyes, and added, “and I enjoy being around you.”

The grizzled ex-warrior didn’t seem to know what to say to that. He stared at you for a long moment, finally murmuring a soft “thank you.”

Once again, you left for work early to stop at the market, this time accompanied by Nax. The bundle he gathered from the muttering Gran vendor was pathetically small, containing as it did, all his worldly goods. It took all your customer service skills to keep from tearing into the three-eyed Gran and giving them a piece of your mind. Nax didn’t need you to fight his battles for him. And you didn’t need to foster ill will for him in the community. So you kept your mouth shut, and let yourself be silently grateful that he wouldn’t need to go back there again.

You and Nax settled into a cozy routine, starting your days with companionable cups of caf on the sofa. Little by little, you drew closer, physically and emotionally, and you would cuddle up to his warm side as you sat together. He was surprisingly handy, and fixed all the little problems with your flat that you’d been meaning to get around to someday: tightening loose screws and fiddly door panels. He didn’t know much about cooking, but that was your forte and it was a delight to share your knowledge with him. Soon he was surprising you with inventive meals of his own making. Living together put no strain on working together, and it was nice to have a companion.

You woke up shivering. The cold season had fully arrived, and the heat in your flat wasn’t working. Grumbling to yourself, you reached for your commlink, and sent a message to the building supervisor. But you only received an automated response: that the power had gone out for the entire block, and would be out until the city repaired the grid. Which meant you were in for a very bitter night.

Getting up, a blanket around yourself, you shuffled into the other room. “Nax?” you whispered, unwilling to disturb him if he was still asleep.

But he answered immediately, “Yes?”

“The power is out, so the heat’s out. Would you..wanna come shar my bed with me? I’m too cold to sleep.”

Nax didn’t hesitate. He stood and brought his blankets along to layer over yours. You smiled to yourself in the darkness and went back to bed. Nax joined you, his body heat instantly warming the little pocket of air trapped beneath the blankets. You gave a little contented sigh, and moved closer to rest your head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around your back, holding you gently. As you drifted back to sleep, you wondered why you hadn’t done this sooner.

When you woke up again, it was in a much more pleasant way. Nax was curled on his side, and you were spooned up against his broad back and thighs, one arm flung around his waist. The cocoon of blankets was warm with your shared body heat. Nax smelt like musk and shampoo when you nuzzled into the hair at the nape of his neck. He brought a hand up to cover yours, gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Good morning,” came his sleep-roughened voice.

“Mmm-hmm,” you hummed in agreement. “I could get used to waking up like this.”

He squeezed your hand again, tighter this time, and you squeezed back. 

Every day you spent with Nax made you care for him more deeply. But you weren’t quite sure he really let himself acknowledge your affection for him. He seemed to assume others would find him worthless, which you couldn’t blame him, after he’d been discarded by the Galactic Republic-turned-Empire, and treated like a soulless being by the very people he’d spent his life fighting to protect. It was awful. You hoped that one day, he would see himself for the loveable man you knew him to be.

“Want to go somewhere we can take hot showers?” you asked.

“Stars, yes,” he sighed.

You hired a transport to get to your cousin’s place. Brenko had eagerly agreed when you’d invited yourself and Nax over. You knew he’d be a pain about it, but the amenities, you hoped, would be worth the trouble.

“Come in! Come in!” he waved you and Nax through the doorway of the home he shared with his partner. Brenko pushed you towards the bedroom, “you can take the master ‘fresher. And I’ll show your friend here,” he paused to look over Nax’s impressive form, “to the guest ‘fresher.”

“Don’t tell him any stories about our childhood,” you called out to their retreating backs.

“No promises,” Brenko sing-songed, making you roll your eyes.

You found Brenko in the kitchen later, after you’d cleaned up and changed. He was making a huge breakfast. “Where’s the hubs?” you asked, tossing some chopped fruit into your mouth.

“He’s been at work for hours, dear cuz,” Brenko replied, stirring something on the stove. “He manages all the before-open prep these days.”

“Oh yeah? Uncle Brice finally let him take that on?”

“Well, he had too. He threw his back out and finally admitted he can’t keep up anymore. Honestly, it was a relief.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Think you and your friend will be at the Life Day party this year?”

You grimaced, but were saved from answering by Nax entering the room. Your cousin must’ve loaned him more of his partner’s clothes, because he was wearing a green asymmetric v-neck sweater that showed off his neck and as well as a glimpse of his impressive pectorals. You tried not to stare at all the exposed brown skin. Nax was looking down at himself in consternation.

“You’re sure your husband won’t mind me taking these?” he asked, apparently not for the first time by the way Brenko waved it off.

“I told you, it’s fine. I’ve been trying to get him to clear out his closet for cycles. You’re doing me a favor.”

He turned and winked at you. You pursed your lips into a frown to hide your smile. You really shouldn’t encourage him to dress up your roommate in ways he knows will pique your interest, should you?

Nax sat down at the large kitchen island beside you, and Brenko slid a couple of steaming cups over. You inhaled the caf scent deeply, appreciative of the excellent blend your cousin used.

“Almost ready with this food here,” Brenko noted. “Go set the table, will you?”

You grumbled, just because, but set out the necessary objects. Nax moved to help, but you pushed him back down to the stool. “Rest,” you asserted gently. “You have to stand at work all day, I don’t.”

Nax sat back down without protest, which meant his leg was probably hurting him, because of the cold. You really needed to find some salve or something that would help take the edge off for him, you mused as you readied the table.

Brenko sat down and ate with you. It was nice to see how well he and Nax took to each other. They bonded easily over work stories of kitchen drama and talking about you like you weren’t there. It would’ve been annoying if it wasn’t so endearing. You left feeling full from more than just a meal.

The power had been restored by the time you and Nax walked home from work that evening. When it was time to sleep, Nax came into your room to retrieve his bedding. Before he laid a hand on anything, you blurted out, “You don’t have to sleep on the sofa, if you don’t want to.”

Feeling hopeful, but also shy and a bit embarrassed by your lack of finesse, you bit your lip and looked down at the floor. You could feel Nax looking at you. Then you heard him step closer to you, saw his feet and legs appear in your line of sight, and then one large, strong hand was lifting your chin up. 

You looked into his deep soulful eyes as he rumbled, “Are you sure?”

You swallowed, shifted closer to put your hands on his waist. “Yes.”

His hand left your chin to caress your cheek, and you leaned into the touch. “Alright.”

That night you fell asleep in his arms for the second time.

You stared at the invitation in your hand, hot tears burning your eyes. Every year, your family threw a lavish Life Day celebration to which they’d invite anyone they wanted to impress, or do business with, as well as the entire extended family and close personal friends. The event was scheduled so that the least important guests were asked to come midday, the more important ones towards evening, with family and friends ending the night together at whatever late hour they chose. This year, since you’d decided to strike out on your own, you’d been relegated to the midday crowd. You had been dreading this event, thinking you’d be obliged to go, but now you’ve changed your mind. If they don’t want you around, you’ll just stay away.

“Nax, have you ever celebrated Life Day?”

The clone shook his long hair back as he answered, “No. The Kamanoans would’ve seen that as a meaningless distraction and expense. Besides, what’s the use of celebrating something with life in its name when you were created to be droid fodder?” he continued darkly.

You frowned slightly, saddened by what Nax has suffered in his short, accelerated life. But then you shrugged. “Well, you’re not a soldier now. Wanna celebrate it with me this cycle?”

Nax stroked a hand through his gray-streaked beard, “Like how..?”

You shrugged again. “Like whatever we want.”

Myndi’s Cafe was closed on Life Day since it was an unofficial planet-wide celebration. Which left you and Nax free to sleep in. You woke up in his arms and snuggled closer, resting your head over his chest to listen to his solid heartbeat. You couldn’t think of a better way to start any day, especially this one.

“I’m looking forward to spending the day with you,” you murmured once you knew he was awake by the way he squeezed you softly to say good morning.

He chuckled. The sound of it rumbled under you as you lay against him. “We spend every day together.”

“Hmm.. lucky me,” you purred.

Nax reached a large, calloused hand to your cheek. You blinked up at his dark-eyed countenance. “I’m the lucky one,” he declared solemnly.

His hand moved to your nape, and you leaned forward, bracing yourself against his broad chest. You pressed your lips to his. Nax held you and kissed you softly. You thrilled at the feel of his lips on yours. You’d kissed him before, on the cheek or forehead, but this was so much better. You smiled and curled back into his chest.

“That’s my new favorite way to begin Life Day,” you declared.

Nax’s chuckle rumbled beneath your ear. “Is that a new tradition then?”

“I think it must be,” you sighed happily.

“Hmm.. then may I suggest we get our traditional cup of caf and sit on the traditional sofa?”

You snorted out a laugh. “Sure, Nax. Sounds perfect.”

He snuggled beneath a blanket with you as you sipped steaming cups of caf, watching reports about Life Day celebrations across the galaxy on the HoloNet News. You sighed contentedly. Not even all the glittering displays of lights and decorations in glamorous places you’d never go could compare to the simple pleasure of being with Nax.

But the peaceful moment was broken by a knock at the door.

“Are you expecting someone?” Nax asked.

“No,” you said, standing and pulling your coat over your sleep clothes. You peek through the peephole. “It’s my cousin!”

You hit the control panel and the door swooshed open. You stepped back and let in Brenko and Corr, who wrestled a pine tree through the too-small doorway.

“What’s this?” you asked in amazement, looking from Brenko to Corr for an explanation.

“Well, you told me you didn’t have a tree for Life Day,” Brenko said, as if it should be obvious. “And we decided that was not okay.”

“Plus, I brought homemade puffcake and hot cider,” his husband added, going to the door to retrieve the box of pastries, a thermos, and a large cloth bag.

You smiled at him. “Well, you do make the best puffcake in the galaxy.”

“I do,” Corr affirmed with a broad grin. “Now, I believe you’ve yet to introduce me to your man.”

You blushed furiously at his phrasing.

Nax saved you from answering by stepping over to shake hands with Corr. “Nax,” he said. “Pleased to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Corr smiled. “I’ve heard good things about you.”

“Love the outfit,” Brenko snarked gently, propping the tree against the sofa.

You rolled your eyes at him, but then gave him a hug. “Thanks for this. It’s sweet of you. Intrusive and obnoxious, but sweet.”

He just laughed and hugged you back. “Anytime, dear cousin. You know you’re my favorite. I wasn’t about to let this day go without seeing you.”

“Kriff, guess I’m stuck with you,” you smiled, feeling like the day couldn’t possibly get any better.

But it did. Brenko, Corr, and Nax got along splendidly as you all decorated the tree with the bag of supplies your cousin had brought along. It wasn’t anything particularly fancy: just lights and some old home-made decorations from when you were children that Brenko had pulled out of storage. To you it was the most perfect Life Day tree ever.

When they left, both of them hugged you fiercely and whispered how much they would miss you at the family party later. Whether or not it was true, it did your heart good to hear it.

Nax began to gather the dirty cups and plates, and you watched his easy movements, heart warmed by how comfortable he was here with you. It reminded you, with a jolt, of the surprise you’d planned for him, and you slipped into the bedroom. 

You pulled out a box from the corner of the closet, and caught up Nax’s trooper helmet from where it sat on a table. Then you took it all into the other room and sat beneath the glowing Life Day tree. While Nax was busy in the kitchen, you started with the turquoise-accented helmet, centering it under the tree. Then you pulled a wide satin ribbon, also turquoise, from the box. You’d carefully lettered ‘Brothers fall but are never forgotten’ on the ribbon in Aurebesh. You draped it artfully over the helmet. Then you pulled out the little electric candles you’d bought, switched each of them on, and arranged them in a semi-circle around the helmet. Finally, you pulled the soft, gift-wrapped package from the box and set it beneath the tree branches to one side.

Stepping back to admire your work, you were joined by Nax, who had finished cleaning up. He wrapped his arms around you from behind as you leaned against his strong, broad chest. “Is this for me?” he asked, voice gruff with emotion.

You nodded and hugged his arms to you. “Life Day is for celebrating the people we love,” you said softly, “even if they’re not with us.”

Nax bent to place a kiss on the top of your head. “Thank you for always thinking of me.”

You twisted in his arms, looking up into his dark brown eyes. “I really care about you, you know.”

Nax lifted a hand to your chin, and pulled you into a gentle kiss. One led to another, and you pressed against him hungrily as his hand slipped around to the back of your neck to thread through your hair. You pulled him close, holding onto his shoulders, returning his kisses with eager affection. Nax pulled back to brush his thumbs over your cheeks, resting his forehead against yours. 

When you’d caught your breath, you said, “That’s not your only surprise, you know.”

“Oh?” His eyebrows raised slightly and his smile grew. “That so?”

Rather than answer, you smiled mysteriously and stepped backwards, tugging him along with you. You bent down, and lifted up the package you’d wrapped for him.

Nax’s eyes grew wide. “This is for me, pretty girl?” he asked.

“Of course, silly,” you grinned. “Who else? Open it up.”

He made quick work of the wrapping, tearing through it with ease. Then he unfolded a sweater. To the untrained eye, the design might look abstract. But it was made to resemble his armor, and Nax immediately recognized it. “My – my armor. You made this?”

You shook your head. “No, I had to commission it. I’m not good at that sort of thing. Do you like it?”

He crushed you to his chest, the sweater pressed between you. “I love it,” he said in your ear.

You gripped him tightly in return. “I’m glad.”

“I have something for you too,” he added.

“Really!” Your heart leapt. You hadn’t expected anything.

Nax smiled, pressed a kiss to your forehead, and then went into the kitchen. From a high cupboard you never used (because you couldn’t easily reach it), he pulled something wrapped in a towel. Looking sheepish, he handed it to you.

You took it with two hands, and pulled the towel away. It was a plate from Myndi’s Cafe – one of the chipped ones that were always thrown out. On it was painted the evening sky as the sunset faded into true night, and the stars were coming out. In the center were deep violet silhouettes of yourself and Nax, walking hand in hand. Tears pricked your eyes at the love and effort he’d put into the gift.

“It’s beautiful,” you said, voice hoarse with emotion. “Thank you.”

“Happy Life Day, pretty girl,” Nax said, lifting your chin with his hand.

You blinked away happy tears and replied, “Happy Life Day, Nax.”

He captured your lips in a warm kiss, and you melted into him.

Hope you enjoyed the story! (You can also find it on a03 here.)

Happy Holidays! 💚❤️💙

[ghostofskywalker]

First Life Day

Crosshair/Reader

Words: 1,618

Summary: It's the Bad Batch's first Life Day on Pabu, and you want to get something special for one of them. The only problem is that you have absolutely no idea what.

Note: this is a @cloneficgiftexchange gift for @starrylothcat! You will likely get another gift at some point in the future, but i am assisting your original gifter by making sure that you get a little something extra in this exchange :)

Clone Troopers Masterlist

What should one purchase a slightly reclusive, often sarcastic, ex-Empire clone sniper for Life Day? Kriff if you knew.

And to make the stakes that much higher, you had feelings for him. If this gift didn’t go over perfectly you faced the potential of losing the friendship you had spent so much time cultivating, and that was not a fate you wanted to experience.

Ever.

But the issue was, you were completely stumped on a gift, and you couldn’t just go up to Crosshair and ask him what he wanted for Life Day. Best case scenario, he looks at you with a confused expression before muttering something tiny. Worst case scenario, he tells you that he doesn’t want anything from you, and that you had misread every interaction you’ve ever had with him. Neither of them were really great, if you were weighing the options here.

You couldn’t even ask his brothers for ideas, because they were all brand new to the concept of Life Day as well. That, and you didn’t really want to admit why you were so stressed out about what to get Crosshair. The things you had purchased for Hunter, Echo, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega were all simple and functional, nice things that you hoped they would be able to utilize in their daily lives but still would have never purchased for themselves. But in your mind, Crosshair’s gift had to be different, had to be perfect for him in a way that he would never forget.

You had first spoken to him a few months ago, after spending ages watching the stoic newcomer sit on the docks to watch the sun rise and set. Because fishing was your primary trade, the odd hours you kept made it so you crossed paths with him quite a few times, and eventually you mustered up the courage to greet him kindly and make sure that he knew he could come to you if he needed anything.

It took a few more interactions for you to really get through to him, but soon you were at the point where you considered him a friend. And since he would sometimes seek you out at random points in the day to talk or ask questions about whatever was troubling about his new way of life, you liked to think that he considered you a friend as well. And as you walked through Pabu’s open-air market, you could feel the pressure of getting the perfect gift only growing in your mind.

Some of the options were purely functional, and that was an option, but you weren’t sure if that would really communicate to him what you were trying to get across. Some things were purely aesthetic, and as much as you believed that he deserved to own nice things, you weren’t sure if he would want those either. Earlier this year you had given a home decoration to Hunter just because you thought he and Omega would like it, and it took a moment for him to really understand what the purpose of it was. Crosshair seemed like the type of person who might value something more if it was some combination of pretty and useful. But even then, what should you get him?

A fishing rod would be functional, but would he enjoy it? You enjoyed fishing, but of course there were certainly people on the island whose skills and interest lay in other areas, and maybe that was the case for Crosshair. His eyesight was keen, but what if he wanted to move away from that kind of activity and start something more artistic?

You passed by all sorts of trinkets and treasures, wondering the whole time about what he might want, when eventually you laid eyes on a simple black bag. It looked unassuming at first, similar to the satchel you had purchased for Echo, but a smile crossed your face when you saw what was inside.

A deep blue blanket, made of the softest material you’ve ever felt, appeared in your vision, and you instantly knew that this was a perfect gift. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t as useful as the things you had for his brothers, but there was no doubt in your mind that he deserved it. You’ve been to the house where they were staying, you knew that Crosshair had taken to sleeping on the couch (despite the fact that his brothers always offered to procure a bed for him), and maybe this would help make that experience just a little more comfortable. You could see that he sometimes struggled to allow himself simple comforts, and maybe if you handed one directly to him, he would be more apt to relax.

After talking with the seller and purchasing the blanket, you walked back to your home, content in the fact that you were going to (hopefully) play in important role in making sure that Crosshair’s first Life Day was as wonderful as it should be.

***

Despite its origins as a Wookie holiday, the people of Pabu always went all out when it came to Life Day, especially in the last few years. It was a source of happiness in a time where things often looked bleak, and spending time with one’s loved ones while sharing gifts and a meal certainly helped stave off some of the mounting dread about the Empire’s growing reach and inevitable dominion.

And this year, you had certainly gone all out. Anything you could put on the walls to make the inside of your home brighter, you did. By the time the Bad Batch were knocking on your door, you had put up so many sparkly decorations that you wondered if you would be blinding them as they arrived.

But of course, it was all worth it to see the reaction you got from Omega as she stepped inside. “Wow! This is amazing!”

She raced over to you, and you gave her a hug. “I know, right? And this isn’t even the best part!”

Her eyes got wider, something you didn’t even think was possible. “Really?”

You nodded, telling her to wait right there while you got something from another room. Gift usually came around after the meal was finished, but sometimes traditions were made to be broken.

The rest of the Batch had just finished settling down in your living room as you stepped back into the room, arms laden with bags and wrapped gifts. “I have something for all of you.”

Echo’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

“Part of Life Day is giving presents,” you said brightly. “And I wanted to make sure you guys got the whole experience.”

“But we didn’t get you anything,” said Omega, and you could see worry start to form in her eyes.

“I don’t mind,” you said. “But I’ve always liked giving gifts better anyway.”

You could see most of that worry evaporate from her face, and you handed out the bags and boxes to each of the recipients. You watched with a smile on your face as everyone opened their gifts, and you were overjoyed knowing that everyone liked them. Omega gave you a big hug as she opened the small fishing rod, because she had been begging you to teach her to fish for some time, and she couldn’t stop hugging the small plush creature you had wrapped alongside it.

You watched Crosshair out of the corner of your eye, wanting to see his reaction when he opened the blanket, and your nerves were soothed as you watched him smile when he took the blanket out of the bag. He didn’t put it down, and you really hoped that meant you had picked the right gift for him.

Hunter, Tech, and Echo refused to let you finish cooking the meal (which you weren’t really complaining about), and Wrecker was playing with Omega somewhere outside, which meant that you and Crosshair were by yourselves in your living room. As you sat next to him on the couch, you wondered if you were going to be the one to speak first, and what you would even say.

But surprisingly, he was the one who broke the silence. “Thank you, for all the gifts.”

“You all deserve to have a nice Life Day,” you said. “And I hope I succeeded in making that happen.”

“You certainly did,” he said softly. “I don’t think I can ever repay you for the kindness you’ve shown me since I arrived.”

“I don’t need to be repaid,” you responded. “You will always deserve kindness Crosshair, no matter what you think about yourself.” Your words were a little more personal than usual, but you had talked to Hunter enough about his past, and seen him out in the middle of the night too many times to not realize what was going through his head sometimes.

If he was surprised about what you said, he hid it well. “Thank you,” he said, and you knew that this tiny gesture was coming from a place of sincerity. He fluffed the blanket out so that it covered both of you, and you couldn’t help but smile at the way he couldn't stop running his fingers across the soft material.

You didn’t need a confession of love or some kind of grand gesture from him, especially not when he was still working on healing his own troubles and adjusting to his new life. The smile on his face and the clear happiness he was feeling was worth so much more to you anyway.

Maybe things would change between you in the near future, but at this moment in time, you couldn’t help but believe that you were exactly where you’re supposed to be. 

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[dragonrider9905]

It's Officially Christmas

Merry Christmas @toomanybandstocare!!!! I'm your secret santa for @ghostofskywalker's Life Day Exchange for the @cloneficgiftexchange! Ironically, it also works out for the @clonexreaderbingo because Cody was on my card as well as one you requested :D I really hope you like it. It wasn't quite how I wanted it, because I love love love expanding stories so they go one forever but I ran out of time. This is just a bit of fluff and happiness for the Christmas season!!! Hope you're having a good one!

Cody sighed with an exhale, rubbing circles on his forehead, just tracing the scar around his eye he had gotten during his active military duty. Highly decorated, Colonel “Commander” Cody of the Armed Forces was currently struggling to complete his college semester still holding onto his sanity intact. Christmas was close, which meant fun and freedom were just in sight.

And to be honest, he could use some. It had been quite some time since he’d felt either of those things. 

Just the previous year, he’d been discharged early from the military due to family hardships. His adoptive father, Ninety-Nine, had fallen seriously ill which resulted in much limited mobility and flagging health, though he was stubbornly holding on. Ninety-Nine was tough in his own way and not easily knocked down and never let his disabilities limit him. He honestly was one of Cody’s biggest heroes for just that fact alone. No one was more inspiring than Ninety-Nine. 

To top off the struggle, his half-brother, Fives, was killed in action, while his other half-brother, Echo, was seriously wounded. This had dampened (but not destroyed) Ninety-nine’s spirits which slowed his healing. Cody had come back to take care of the family broken by loss.

The family. 

And what a family it was: a mix-matched group of boys and a sickly older man but they belonged together. 

Ninety-nine had taken care of all the Fett boys in some way or another after they’d been abandoned by their father Jango. He’d been the one to find Plo Koon who fostered and eventually adopted Wolffe, Sinker and Boost—but he’d raised under his own roof a rowdy bunch which included himself, Rex, Fives, Echo, and the Quadruplets (Cody didn’t know if technically Se or Fett was more accurate for them) soon nicknamed ‘the bad batch’.

And it was these that Cody called family. Home. It wouldn’t be complete totally again, but they could heal — and he’d do whatever he could, nay, he wouldn’t rest, until they did.

More than anything Cody wanted to take care of Ninety-nine, especially in the beginning. And that he did, but because Cody was an overachiever—he’d signed up for college classes as well. Then he added a job on the side to match; a small part of him regretted it. It was getting to be a lot, but joining the military right out of high school wasn’t easy either, so if he could make it then, he could do this now, he reasoned. 

That was a year ago now, and Ninety-Nine was finally on the mend. 

This year would be special, since everyone—well almost everyone—was going to be home. The first year since they’d all left, that they’d be back. 

They’d be back. Home, and together again.

Like they should be.

Echo was finally released from the hospital, healing from his extensive injuries and adjusting to his prothstetics, and the quadruplets’ tour was finally over. Though none of them were injured, it wasn’t without repercussions either.   

“Hurry up, Cody, or we’ll be late!” a shout broke him from his musings. “And don’t forget the basket!”

The Fetts were on their way to a dance—a Christmas dance—hosted by their longtime family friends the Jetti’s, and there was going to be an auction for charity, sleigh rides, and everything, as they did every year. Ninety-Nine insisted on bringing something to join the auction every year and this was no exception. Even when they couldn’t make it to the dances, Ninety-Nine was giving something.  

Cody wasn’t much of a dancer. He never cared to go to them much. But for some reason he was really looking forward to it this year. Perhaps because it was Christmas, and magic had a way of creeping into people’s ordinary lives, transforming into something beautiful and new. 

And it was this Christmas hope that kindled something warm inside his heart, and excitement. 

— — — — — 

The room was alive with flashes of color and the sound of music, laughing and cheering. The pitter pattering of feet was just as loud as the happiness of those in the room excitedly making known to each other through various conversations and well wishes. Quick steps made their own rhythm and stories which echoed off the dance floor. 

It was at this moment you felt beautiful, standing under the Christmas lights and bathing in the general glee and spirit of the room. Your throat squeezed as if holding in a laugh and a smile pulled at your lips so much your mouth hurt, but in a good way. The Christmas magic worked its way through your veins. The tingling of invincible tinsel tickled your fingertips, an energy flowing through you which was contagious. Smiles you sent to others were easily returned and frowns turned upside down. 

It was at this particular moment, the Fett family walked in. 

The name wouldn’t have meant much to you in normal circumstances. Why would that name stick out among so many others who were there? 

But you had a reason for knowing it, and his name was Cody. 

You saw him leading his train of brothers in through the door, guiding the old man by the arm. He flashed his charming smile to the host and exchanged hands. 

The music started up again and your sister grabbed your hand, dragging you into the ring or people forming a group dance with interchanging partners. You had to focus, otherwise you’d lose your step. 

It was only two seconds, but in those two, the entire Fett family was dispersed throughout the room and you lost all track of where Cody had gone. 

— — — 

Moving lithley, you kept up with the music and the people twirling and leaping around you. The dance went in a circular motion and patterns were interchanged. You clapped and danced and laughed along with everyone else, pushing yourself to go faster and faster as the song was ending.

Twirling and twirling you finished with a bang.

You looked up and saw you were in Cody’s arms, who looked just as shocked as you did to see you there. 

Then he froze there, mouth slightly agape. His eyes danced across your face and his slight panting may have been more than just catching his breath from the dance. He swallowed nervously.

“Um, hello.” He stuttered nervously.

“Hello yourself,” you smiled  back reassuringly, “nice to run into you.”

Cody chuckled a little at that, then a silence fell between the two of you. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare! It’s just...you look so beautiful underneath the holiday lights.” 

You chuckled at his embarrassed realization. Cody turned pink and looked like he wanted to cave in on himself, which you had to say was really adorable and made you laugh harder. The thought of the brave warrior being startled into a stuttering school boy because of you.

The sound of your laughter filled the air with a contagious glint of mirth. Soon, Cody found himself laughing too. 

The music started up again and people took their places all around the two of you. 

“Would you, um, care to go again?” he asked, holding out his hand. 

“Gladly!” 

Not just one song but two that soon turned into three. When you were tired, you headed off to the corner to drink hot cocoa and watch the others. You were so caught up in talking to each other that you hadn’t realized that the time ran late into the night. It was near midnight when you sighed and looked at your watch. 

“Well, I’ll see you around.” You finally said a little sadly. Just because Christmas was around the corner didn’t mean all the work was done. You had one more paper to write before you were free. 

“I hope so!” He responded genuinely which just made you laugh again.

“Oh you definitely will. I sit two rows behind you and three seats to your left in class.” 

Cody gawked. 

You couldn’t have?! He’d surely have noticed you?!

“I even asked you for notes once. And, you also asked me for notes once too.”

His mind was racing, trying to think back to those times to verify the claims with his memory. 

You chuckled lightly. 

“I don’t expect you to remember though. You were always very preoccupied, with good reason. Your cousin, Waxer, told me the whole story.”

Big mouth Waxer. Could have counted on him to blab the whole story to everyone (though in this case Cody was grateful he did, not that he would admit that.)

“I have to say, I would have done anything for you. You had to just give me a chance.” 

“Oh, you don’t have to be so drastic, darling,” he smirked, “I’m here now, and I’m all yours. After class tomorrow, would you want to go skating?”

"It's a date!"

Now, it was officially Christmas.

[melliejellybellybean]

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

Echo/Fem!Reader

Word Count: 5.3k, this was not supposed to happen

Warnings: none that I can think of?

When Echo is invited to your Life Day celebration, he's elated. That is, until he learns about gift-giving aspect of Life Day. But it's okay, he's a trained soldier with six men who will always have his back. Together, surely they can figure out the perfect gift to give you. Right?

So, I decided to participate in another @cloneficgiftexchange, Life Day edition, and this time, I was lucky enough to be able to write a fic for @ghostofskywalker herself. I was very excited to write this one, and the prompt "tell me I'm crazy" - "you're crazy" coupled with "agonizing over whether or not the gift character a got character b was something they'd like" seemed like they'd be so much fun to write.

ghostofskywalker, I love your fics literally so much, so I'm very excited and nervous to give this one to you! I hope you love it, happy holidays!!!

Echo liked his routine. He liked knowing exactly what he was going to do, when he was going to do it, and in what order it was going to be done. For example, once the transport touches down on Coruscant, Fives is going to throw his arm around Echo and shout something about “hitting every single club on Coruscant,” which really only meant 79s. Echo will laugh, shove his brother’s arm off his shoulder, and tell him that it didn’t matter how many clubs he went to, no one would want to dance with any one with a face as ugly as Fives’. They’ll go back and forth, with a few more brothers piping in every here and there, but once those doors open, Echo’s gone. His legs take him, almost as if they have a mind of their own, straight to a little shop on a level slightly lower than planetside. Without even really thinking about it, his legs take him straight to you. 

Echo will walk into the shop, a little bell announcing his presence from above the door, and be hit with the smell of freshly baked pastries, cakes, and cookies. Although glass display cases attempt to draw his attention with colorful examples of the sugar-filled desserts the shop offers, Echo will glue his eyes to the person behind the counter. When you look up, your lips will break out into a blinding grin and his will have no choice but to follow. And for the first time since being shipped off the battlefield, Echo will feel peace. 

Which is why it was twice as jarring for Echo when not only were you not at your post by the register, but there were green plants, candles, streamers, and hanging lights covering almost every surface with a cinnamon spice scent dancing in the air. 

“Echo!” A voice to his right called, and as he turned, he finally saw you. On a ladder. Hanging another one of those circular lights. You quickly finished mounting the decoration and then scrambled off the ladder, faster than Echo thought safe, before throwing yourself at him in an embrace. 

That was new. 

Echo felt his face heat up as he lightly returned the hug, but he wasn’t able to fully pull his thoughts away from the drastic change in interior decor. “What happened in here?” 

You stepped back and smirked, “Well, it’s great to see you too, Echo.” 

“It’s everywhere.” He murmured. “Did you get pranked?”

“No!” You laughed. “It’s Life Day!” 

Your voice held a lightness that made Echo’s gaze snap back to you, like a magnet. He noticed the joy that shone in your eyes and almost radiated from you. Stars, you were beautiful.

“Life Day?” Echo questioned, “Does Coruscant have an extra day in its standard week?” 

Your eyes widened, “You don’t know what Life Day is? It’s my favorite holiday!” 

Echo shook his head, “We don’t exactly celebrate a lot of holidays on Kamino. I think any sense of joy would make the long necks roll over and die.” 

“Life Day is a Wookie tradition, although by now most of the galaxy has adopted it, it’s a huge celebration of family, joy, and harmony.” Echo listened to your explanation and heard the compassion in your voice. Compassion, not pity. Never pity. You never pitied his loss of childhood and normal life experience. It was one of the things on the, admittedly very long, list of things he loved about you. “Most people spend it with the people they love. They’ll make food, spend time together, give gifts, and some cultures even have little mythological figures to go along with it. There’s this one planet who believes that a fat man breaks into their house every Life Day to–” 

“There you are, vod!” The little bell on the door rang out followed very closely by Fives’ irritating, grating voice, “I was starting to think you deserted, almost called the General to get a manhunt going.” 

Echo turned, opening his mouth to respond, but Fives caught sight of you and his face lit up. His eyes bounced back and forth mischievously between you and Echo, “Oh… so this is where you disappear to whenever we’re on Coruscant.”

“Fives…” Echo warned, but it was useless. 

“I never thought I’d see the day when a woman tolerated my brother’s company.” Fives pushed Echo aside, smoothly catching your hand and placing a kiss on it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss, the name’s Fives. I’m sure you’ve heard all about me.”

Echo knocked Fives’ hand out of yours and glared at him. Fives just raised his arms in surrender. “What? I’m the light of your life, what else would you have to talk about?” 

Before Echo could hit him, you laughed, “Oh, I have heard about you, Fives. It’s nice to meet the man who loves my snickerdoodles so much. That actually reminds me.” 

You ran into the back of the bakery, returning with a paper bag that seemed stuffed to the brim. “I added some extra pastries that I think you’d enjoy, Echo. And tell Hardcase that I ran out of poppy seeds, so he’ll just have to settle for lemon muffins.” 

Fives’ jaw dropped. “This is where you get these from? Vod, you’d better keep her!” 

“She’s not a massiff, stop talking about her like she is!” Echo snapped, but Fives turned to you and started gushing. 

“Never in my life have I eaten anything as good as the things you make. Your hands must be blessed by whatever it is that’s out there in the galaxy. If this one ever gives you any trouble, you let me know, or any of our brothers in the 501st, and we’ll knock some sense into him.” 

“Time to go!” Echo interjected, grabbing Fives’ by the shoulder and shoving him towards the door. “So many baked goods to hand out, so many clubs for you to hit, remember Fives?” Fives continued blabbering and Echo continued talking over him, but you were laughing too hard to understand anything either of them were saying anymore. 

“Echo,” you called out, right before he was about to step out of the door, “you can totally say no, if you want, but would you want to spend Life Day with me?” 

Echo wasn’t sure if the sudden silence that fell was real or just his imagination, but it felt as if time had stopped. He glanced back at you, and seeing you standing there, surrounded by your silly and over-the-top decorations, he knew there was no place he’d rather be. “I’d really like that.” He nodded. 

Then he stepped away from the door and let it close. He sighed, disappointed that his time with you had been cut so short, then turned and came face to face with his brother, who was wiggling his eyebrows at him. 

This time Echo really did hit him. 

…

“So…” Fives spoke around his mouthful of snickerdoodle, breaking the collective silence in the 501st barracks as everyone ate their pastries, “the baker?”

Echo sighed. It was his fault really for assuming that Fives could mind his business and drop it. “What about her?” 

“She’s cute.” Fives shrugged. 

“You met her?” Jesse blurted from his bunk across the room. If everyone wasn’t listening then, they sure were now. 

“Yeah, I followed Echo after we landed and caught him with her. Someone’s,” Fives gave Echo a pointed look, “been hiding her from us. Can’t imagine why.” 

“Maybe it’s because I value her sanity.” Echo mumbled into his fudge. 

“What was that?” 

“Nothing.” 

Fives nudged his brother. “Look, if you want alone time with your girlfriend, just say that.” 

“Girlfriend?!” Hardcase yelled, accusingly looking at Echo. 

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Echo defended, before any more of his brothers got any ideas. 

“But you want her to be.” Fives countered. 

“Well, ye–no!” The truth had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop, and now that it was out, there was no turning back. Gasps erupted throughout the room. Jesse had to sit down, Tup dropped his piece of pie, even Dogma looked over with interest. 

Fives cheered triumphantly. “What’s stopping you then? Go get her!” 

“She’s not into me.” Echo slumped in defeat. “She’s brilliant and talented and beautiful. And she deserves so much more than a guy who’s not sure if he’ll make it back every day.” 

A thicker silence fell over the room. Every man in it knew about their reality. They were bred, born, and raised to fight in a war that was not theirs, for a galaxy that was not theirs, for people who were not theirs. Many clones turned to sunny, loud personalities to hide the pain and loss they felt after every battle. There was this unspoken rule that each clone had to live out his life to the absolute fullest while he could, because he didn’t know when it might end. Now that Echo had verbalized it, the entire barracks was reminded of the injustice of their own existence. 

“Vod,” Fives broke the silence again, this time with a seriousness in his eyes that looked foreign on his face, “we don’t get many chances to connect with someone like you have. Most guys would desert if it meant getting your opportunity. You can’t let her get away. At least let us know if any of us have a chance with her, if you don’t want it.” 

His joke released the tension in the room, each brother chimed in with their own eagerness to date Echo’s baker. 

“Even if I wanted to, she’s not into me.” Echo repeated. Groans erupted from all over the room, Jesse even threw a pillow at his brother. “What? I’m telling the truth!” 

Fives’ voice rose above the noise, “Echo, di’kut, that is the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. She’s so into you, it kind of hurt to be in the same room as you both.” 

Echo rolled his eyes, but Fives kept going. “Look, tell me I’m crazy, but–”

“You’re crazy.” 

“She gives you free food, every time you go to meet her–”

“She’s a generous person.” 

“She had her eyes glued on you the whole time–” 

“Well, maybe you were scaring her. 

“She invited you to spend Life Day with her–”

“She what?!” Kix was the one who interrupted this time. “You’re going right?” 

“Well, of course, I told her I would. Why would I accept if I wasn’t going to go?” Echo sputtered. “Should I not have? Is that a bad idea? Should I tell her I’m not coming?” 

“No!” The entire room shouted. 

“You have to.” Kix got up and started pacing. “This is perfect, confessing on holidays is so much more romantic than confessing on your random Zhellday. Just give her something for Life Day, declare your love, and bam! Mission accomplished!” 

“That’s ridiculous.” Echo groaned, “Even if I wanted to, I don’t know the first thing about telling a girl you’re in love with her.” 

“Well, you’re lucky that you have six brothers right here that will do all the work for you!” Jesse gestured to the occupants of the room, all of whom had their own versions of their scheming faces on. 

Echo glanced at Fives, hoping that he would say something to put an end to this madness for once, but when Fives looked back at him, Echo could see the mischievous glimmer in his eyes. 

“Vod, we’re going to get you your cyare.” 

… 

It was Echo’s own fault. He really should’ve done something, anything this morning instead of blindly following his brothers across the Coruscant shopping district. Anything would be better than standing, in front of this very judgemental old man, in a jewelry shop meant for anyone but him. 

“I’m sure this piece is out of your budget, young man.” The shopkeeper barely glanced at the necklace Echo was asking about. “Perhaps you’d be better looking elsewhere?” 

“Aw, come on, how much is it?” Fives argued, “It can’t be that bad.” 

Echo had not been aware that jewelry was even sold at a price as high as the one that came out of the old man’s mouth, much less jewelry that was sold at a shop on one of the lower, dingier levels of Coruscant. 

“That place is a scam.” Fives quipped, the moment the old man had shut the door in their faces. “Let’s try somewhere else.” 

Echo glanced around. “I get the feeling that we’ll run into similar problems everywhere. The GAR doesn’t exactly pay well, where would we even find jewelry that any of us could afford?” 

“Nonsense. The way to a woman’s heart is through expensive things.” Fives was already looking for a new place to try. “Especially shiny, expensive things. Necklaces, rings, bracelets, girls go crazy for that stuff.” 

“I don’t know…” Echo trailed off as he thought about you. You were kind, funny, loving, and selfless. He didn’t take you as the type to get carried away with shine and credits. 

“Echo might be right.” Jesse piped in, “There’s only so much we can do in the expensive-jewelry department. But that doesn’t mean we’re completely down for the count. We’ll think of something else.” 

Fives slumped his shoulders, but didn’t say anything in his defense. All six of the men began looking around, wondering which one would give the next idea. 

“What about…” Tup shyly started, “flowers? Girls like flowers, right?” 

“Yeah!” Hardcase nodded, “That way Echo can still buy something for his baker and not have to spend too much money.” 

“What’s her favorite flower?” Kix asked, pulling the attention in the conversation back to Echo. 

Echo felt his face warm. How was it that in all the hours he spent in your company, all the attention he gave to every detail about you, he didn’t know what your favorite flower was? His brothers looked at him with expectant faces. Would they make fun of him if he told them that he didn’t know? Fives would have asked a girl immediately what her favorite flower was. 

“I’ll know it when I see it.” Maybe Echo didn’t lie. Maybe you had a vase that held a certain type of flower all the time in your shop and Echo had never fully noticed it. Maybe you mentioned it in passing a few times. Maybe Echo would see a flower that he would be dying to put behind your ear. 

As it turned out, Echo underestimated how many flowers there were in the world. And some of them looked so similar, he couldn’t even begin to guess which one you’d be partial to. This whole gift-giving thing was a lot harder than he thought. 

“What about this one?” Jesse emerged from behind a wall of flora, holding a giant, yellow flower. 

Echo winced. “I think that one’s too obnoxious.” 

“I found one!” Kix shouted from across the flower shop. Looking up, Echo could just see a black-gloved hand holding a dainty, purple flower above the shelves. 

That one was better, but it still didn’t speak to Echo in any way that reminded him of you. “I’m not so sure.” 

Fives groaned and tossed the bouquet he was about to offer Echo over his shoulder. “You’re impossible. She’s got to like something from here. Where’s Tup? This was all his idea.” 

“He’s flirting with the cashier.” Dogma pointed towards the entrance. To his credit, Tup didn’t burst into a noticeable blush, but his shoulders tightened in a subtle motion that told his brothers that Tup heard them call him out. Nonetheless, the flower shop cashier was giggling at whatever he had said. 

“At least someone here is striking gold.” Hardcase grumbled. “Now if only Echo could take a page out of Tup’s book. Tup’s book of all people!” 

Echo knew his brother’s frustration wasn’t entirely on him. They would die before they admitted it, but none of them really knew anything about women, and this experience was showcasing that for all of them. His brothers huddled together, brainstorming the next plan while Echo ran his eyes over the shelves once again. 

It felt like the millionth time he looked at this wall of flowers, but this time, one flower stuck out to him. It was elegant, but simple. Echo knew the petals would bring out your eyes in the best way. 

“That one.” Echo pointed to it. His brothers stopped bickering almost immediately. 

Fives hopped into motion first, “Perfect! Let’s go.” He marched Echo, who now held the bouquet in his hands, straight to the cashier. “Move over, Tup, you can flirt later.” 

This time a blush did erupt on Tup’s face. He turned away to hide it, but the cashier just laughed lightly before turning to Echo and Fives, a more professional mask slipping over her features. “I take it you’re Echo?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Echo nodded, “Just this one please.” 

The cashier nodded and began to ring up the bouquet. “I couldn’t help but overhear some of your situation, and Tup filled in a little bit. I just wanted to let you know that these flowers are commonly allergenic. Most people are pretty mildly allergic, but it’s not uncommon for a person to have a pretty severe allergy to them.” 

Echo froze. “I can’t give that to her then! What if I put her in the hospital?!” 

“Hospitals are not romantic.” Hardcase agreed, wisely. 

“I’ll try something else.” Echo sighed, “Thank you for all your help.” 

The cashier sympathetically nodded at him, and began to open her mouth to offer more help, but Echo was already being ushered out the doors of the shop by his brothers. 

“It’s alright. Shake it off.” Fives assured, “The guys and I have already talked, and we’ve got a plan that’s a sure winner this time.” 

… 

“I can’t do this.” Echo threw up his hands. 

Dogma glanced up from his own project. “Sure you can. There’s nothing that screams ‘Life Day’ more than a pair of mittens, and nothing says ‘I’ll be here to protect and provide for you’ more than the honorable discipline of knitting. Ow-” 

Throwing the ball of yarn at Dogma probably wouldn’t help him learn to knit, but it did make Echo feel sort of better. 

The plan that his brothers cooked up after the flower shop had not worked. And neither had the next. Or this one, apparently. 

In Hardcase’s defense, Echo hadn’t even attempted to put together a 60-piece marching band to parade down the bakery’s street for Life Day. But he had attempted to learn to play the guitar because, according to Jesse, every woman dreams of the day a man plays a guitar and sings for them as they awkwardly avoid eye contact and shuffle in their seats for lack of better things to do. While he was sure the love songs he had tried to learn were beautiful, Echo found out that he didn’t have the musical ability to portray them in any flattering manner. 

He was getting so desperate for a good plan, he’d even asked Rex one day, “Captain, if you were a beautiful baker, who was completely out of my league, what would you want for Life Day?” 

“For you to leave me alone, probably.” Was the only response he got. 

It had been weeks since he last met with her, weeks since she invited him to spend Life Day with her and started this whole mess. He knew that he couldn’t look her in the eyes until he had the perfect Life Day gift for her, but now that was Life Day Eve, Echo was getting hopeless.

Dogma glared at his brother. “You’re going to make me roll that ball back up, aren’t you?.” 

“Yup.” Echo met his glare. 

“Okay! New plan!” Kix jumped in. The entire room groaned in protest. “Shut it, all of you. I’ve listened to all of your awful ideas, I apologize to the woman you fool with them by the way, but I’ve got something you all don’t: a working brain.” More yarn balls got tossed in Kix’s direction along with insults that drowned out Dogma’s protests. 

“Echo,” Kix ignored them, “this girl seems like she’s really special. And really special girls aren’t going to be swayed by things. She’s probably already into you and just needs to know that you’re in love with her. All you need to do is tell her, and the best way to do that is with love letters. They’re simple, heartfelt, and genuine. Three things that women love.” The men in the room had quieted over Kix’s speech, and all seemed to be absentmindedly nodding as they thought this new plan over. 

“You’re right.” Echo stood up. “This is ridiculous. I just need to get it off my chest and tell her how I feel. A love letter is the perfect way to gift that.” Cheers erupted from the room this time. 

I’m proud of him. Fives thought as Echo sat down and began writing. This was really important to him, but he could probably give her a rock off the ground and she’d kiss him.

Good for him. Jesse thought as Echo threw away his first draft of his love letter. He’s really thinking about what he’s going to say. He’s making sure it comes out just right.

He’s dedicated, I’ll give him that. Dogma thought as he laid down to go to sleep, Echo still writing. It’s not his fault that he can’t understand the value of knitting, but I guess this is the next best thing.

That must be some letter. Tup thought when he rolled over a few hours later, Echo’s pile of discarded letters getting taller and taller. I hope she likes it.

What time even is it? Hardcase thought when he woke up in the very early hours of the morning, Has he been writing this whole time?

I’ve created a monster. Kix realized when he got up the next morning, seeing no trace of Echo, but a huge pile of crumpled up pieces of flimsi next to the desk that he had sat at all night long. Maker help that Baker. 

… 

“Happy Life Day, Echo!” You greeted the clone standing outside your door. He returned your grin with a smaller one. You noticed that he looked slightly disheveled and he seemed to be breathing a bit heavier than normal. Instead of pointing it out, you decided to politely ask, “How has your morning been?” 

“Awful.” Echo blurted before hastily correcting himself, “-ly great. I’ve had an awfully great morning. How about you?” 

“I guess my morning has been awfully great too.” You awkwardly shuffled aside, “Would you like to come in or…?” 

“Oh!” Echo quickly walked past you, and you noticed as he did so that he was carrying a large sack with him. It was made of dark green cloth and looked suspiciously like something you had seen other clones use to carry their gear. You found it odd, but decided not to mention it. Maybe clones had a regulation that stated they couldn’t go anywhere without their gear, and if him being able to wear the very flattering civilian clothes that he currently had on meant he had to carry around a giant sack everywhere, who were you to complain about it? 

“Thank you so much for coming. I know I kind of sprung the invitation on you.” You gestured to your table, which you had set for two people with a candle in the middle. You blushed as you realized that you just presented him with a candle light breakfast, but continued on. “I made a sort of late breakfast for us, and then I have a full day of Life Day activities planned for us. I really wanted to make sure you have the full experience for your first Life Day.” 

Echo prided himself in being a very observant and aware man, but he had not heard a word you had said after looking at the table. “It’s only us today?” 

Your smile faltered, “Yeah, I had planned the day for just the two of us, is that okay?”

“Yes!” Echo coughed to clear the eagerness out of his tone. “Yeah, that’s fine.” 

Echo had never been to your apartment, and so when he first got the comm asking him to meet you there, he got even more nervous than he already was. But his nerves were calmed as he looked around the room during breakfast. Your unique fingerprints were everywhere. Just like the bakery, every inch of this house was decked out in Life Day decorations. Little replicas of a decorated Tree of Life were scattered over various shelves and counters, garlands were hung with Life Day orbs, candles and other decorations covering everything. You even had a larger Tree of Life replica set up in your living room, also decorated to the nines. The entire house screamed the passion and love that you put into all things you care about, and the knot in Echo’s stomach loosened more and more with every minute he spent with you. 

Breakfast was amazing. You were a great baker, Echo already knew that, but you were excited to show him that you were an almost better cook. While the day had started off on a bit of a stumbling foot, conversation began to flow easily between the two of you as more time passed. It was nice to see Echo relaxed and smiling. You don’t really know when it started, but these days, your life seemed to revolve around the little moments you were able to spend with Echo. He was sweet and gentle with you, but you knew that he was also brave and courageous. You adored every aspect of him. You hoped that one day, you’d be able to openly show the depths of that adoration. The rest of the day seemed to fly by. The two of you decorated cookies, built orgabread houses, played games, and before you know it, you were snuggled up on the couch, large mugs of wroshyr louse syrup cocoa in hand, watching the third Life Day holofilm of the night. At some point between the start of the second holofilm and now, Echo had managed to sneak his arm across your shoulders, allowing you to bury yourself into his side. His warmth seeped to you, and you were well on your way to falling asleep when he mumbled, “Cyar’ika?”  

“Hm?” You didn’t know what the word meant, but you somehow knew he was referring to you. Lifting your head up, you met his gaze. How long had he been staring?

“When you first invited me over, I had no idea what Life Day was, but I did some research, and my brothers yelled at me, and now I think I have a pretty good idea of what it means. You’re really special to me, and my brothers told me that you give special people gifts on Life Day. So I spent the past few weeks, losing my mind, trying to find the perfect gift to give you.” A blush started to creep up his face, but he didn’t let that deter him, “I tried many things, and each one didn’t work, so I tried something else.” He carefully untangled himself from you and left the room. Before you were able to fully wonder where he went, he returned with the sack. “I couldn’t decide on one thing to get you. Each place I went to had something that reminded me of something that I like about you, but I like so much more than one thing about you and choosing which one to show you was impossible.”

He opened the sack and pulled out a necklace. It wasn’t anything big or flashy, but the chain was decorated with little pearls, “This isn’t the original necklace I looked at, the GAR doesn’t pay enough for that one,” Echo joked, “but it represents my point a little better, I think. When I looked at this, I saw all the little kindnesses that you do. Not just for me, but my brothers, other customers at your bakery, sometimes even just strangers off the street. I see a world that is mean and cruel everyday, but when I’m with you, I’m reminded of all the beauty and good that’s in it too.” A lump had formed in your throat, so the only thing that you could do was reach out and take the necklace. 

When you looked back up at him, he was holding out a single, purple flower, slightly crumpled from being held in a sack all day long. “I searched a flower shop for hours to find this. I don’t know what it’s called or where it’s from, but when I saw it, I knew exactly where it belonged.” He reached out and gently brushed your cheek as he settled the flower behind your ear. “Right there.” 

“Echo,” You smiled, starting to see where this was going, “thank you, I–” 

“I’m not finished.” Echo reached into the sack and started pulling out item after item. “I bought you mittens, sorry they’re not homemade, a music box, I didn’t have time to put together a 60 piece band, I even brought Jesse’s guitar!” Your eyes widened as he pulled the instrument out of the sack, along with pages and pages of flimsi with music written on it. “I wanted to find the perfect way to tell you how much you meant to me, but all I did was drive myself crazy and waste so much time. Because none of these things can possibly show how much I look forward to every moment that I spend with you, and every smile of yours that I get to see, and how much I love everything about you. I love you.”

A beat of silence fell over the both of you as you both processed the weight of Echo’s words. “I have a Life Day gift for you too. But you have to close your eyes before I give it to you.” Echo’s shock displayed on his face for a moment, but he nodded and dutifully closed his eyes. 

You took a deep breath. Echo’s leap of courage inspired you to take your own. You slowly leaned closer and closer into Echo, allowing yourself all the time you wanted to observe his features. His strong brow, sharp jawline, and full lips. You were most focused on those lips right now. Echo stiffened when you placed a hand on his shoulder for balance and when he began to feel your breath ghost over his lips. “I love you too.” You whispered, and then closed the gap.

Echo still had one gift that he hadn’t given you, but something told him he wouldn’t need that letter anymore. 

…

Echo loved his routine. He knew exactly what he was going to do, when he was going to do it, and what order it was going to be done. Once this transport touches down on Coruscant, Fives is going to throw his arm around Echo and shout something about “making sure that the pretty baker sets aside the good stuff for me.” Echo is going to laugh, shove his brother’s arm off his shoulder, and tell him that it didn’t matter what he brought back with him, anything from that bakery is “the good stuff.” They’ll go back and forth, with a few more brothers piping in here and there, but once those doors open, Echo’s gone. His legs take him straight to a little shop on a level slightly lower than planetside, straight to you, but now, he’s thinking about it a whole lot. 

Echo will walk into the shop, a little bell announcing his presence from above the door, and be hit with his favorite smell in the world, but now, a pair of eyes is already looking back at him. The baker will leave her post behind the counter, as fast as she can, and throw herself into his arms. And for the first time since he left you, Echo will feel like he’s home. 

[star-wars-writing]

First Winter Date

This was written for the Life Day Fic exchange for Tumblr Cloneficexchange for dystopicjumpsuit. Rex and OFC have feelings for each other, Rex asks her out to the Christmas market, they haven't put a name to it but anything can happen. first posted on @loving-the-cambridges

The police station, with its incessant hum of activity, was a world unto itself – a place where stories unfolded every day, some of hope, others of despair. In this world, Rex moved with a quiet authority, his presence both commanding and reassuring. Among the bustling corridors and busy desks, there was a sense of family, a bond forged in the face of shared challenges. Cody, his brother, was a constant figure, his leadership as steady as it was inspiring. Ponds and Fox, his other siblings, added to the familial atmosphere, each with their own unique strengths. Fives and Echo, his cousins, were the younger, more spirited members of this tight-knit group.

In this hive of activity, (Y/N) was a beacon of calm. As a victim counselor, her role was to mend the unseen wounds, to offer solace in the midst of chaos. (Y/N)'s arrival at the station had brought a new dimension to their work, a reminder of the human element in their often mechanical routine.

Rex had been drawn to her from the start. It wasn't just her compassion that captivated him, but the way she seemed to truly listen, to understand the pain of others and guide them through it. He had seen her soothe frayed nerves with just a few words, seen her bring a semblance of peace to tormented souls. And each time, he found himself admiring her more, the professional respect gradually intertwining with a deeper, more personal affection.

But expressing those feelings was a battle in itself. Rex was a man of action, not words. His emotions were a private affair, often hidden behind a facade of stoicism. Yet, with (Y/N), he felt a desire to open up, to share parts of himself he had kept locked away.

The winter evening was a symphony of crystalline beauty, the snowflakes dancing in the air like a myriad of tiny stars. It was on such an evening that Rex found the courage to ask her out. The ice rink, with its festive lights and the promise of shared laughter, seemed like the perfect place.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Rex started, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the ice rink tonight? Thought it might be a fun way to unwind."

(Y/N) looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes, quickly replaced by a warm smile. "That sounds wonderful, Rex. I'd love to."

The ice rink, aglow with twinkling lights and festive cheer, was a stage set for an evening of clumsy grace and laughter. Rex, with the effortless glide of a seasoned skater, approached (Y/N), who was clinging to the rink's edge like a lifeline. Her determination to spend time with her crush had brought her here, but her skating skills were as untested as a ship's maiden voyage.

"Seems like you've found a new best friend in that railing," Rex quipped, skating up to her with a playful smirk.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, her grip on the railing tightening just a tad. "Well, it's certainly more reliable than my skating skills," she shot back, her tone light but tinged with a hint of nervousness.

Rex chuckled, extending his hand towards her. "How about you ditch the railing for a while? I promise I'm a better partner than cold metal."

Hesitantly, (Y/N) took his hand, her heart skipping a beat. As they slowly moved away from her safety net, she wobbled unsteadily.

"Whoa there, are you trying to skate or are you practicing your penguin impression?" Rex teased, his grip on her hand reassuringly firm.

"Hey, I'll have you know penguins are very graceful creatures... on land," she retorted, trying to mask her anxiety with humor.

Rex laughed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Alright, let's focus on the basics. Just follow my lead and try not to mow down any innocent bystanders."

They began with simple glides, Rex patiently guiding her through the motions. Every time she faltered, he was there, his presence a constant source of support.

"You know, for someone who clings to railings, you're surprisingly adventurous," he noted, as she took a shaky glide forward.

(Y/N) grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. "I have a good teacher," she said, her voice softer, more sincere.

As they continued, Rex's teasing became a comforting rhythm, a playful undercurrent to their conversation. He joked about starting a skating school for the hopelessly uncoordinated, playfully suggesting she could be his first student. She laughed, the sound mingling with the crisp night air, her earlier apprehension melting away like snow in the sun.

They attempted a cautious turn, Rex's instructions interspersed with light-hearted comments. "Okay, now just pivot on your left foot... or just do a wild spin, that works too!"

(Y/N)'s attempt at a pivot ended in a whirl of arms and a near collision, but Rex's quick reflexes saved them both from a tumble. They ended up in a close embrace, her hands on his shoulders, his arms around her waist. For a moment, they just looked at each other, the laughter fading into a moment of silent connection.

"See, you're getting the hang of it. Soon you'll be out-skating me," Rex said, his voice warm, his smile genuine.

(Y/N) felt a rush of warmth, not from the exercise, but from the feeling of being this close to Rex, of being the focus of his playful yet caring attention. The evening was no longer about skating; it had transformed into a dance of words and laughter, a shared experience that spoke of budding feelings and the promise of more.

As they left the ice, their hands still joined, the night seemed to wrap around them, a blanket of stars and possibilities.

The transition from the ice rink to the bustling Christmas market felt seamless, a continuation of the evening's enchantment. Rex, still holding (Y/N)'s hand, felt an unspoken reluctance to let go, their fingers intertwined as they navigated through the vibrant maze of stalls and lights. The market was alive with the spirit of the season, each corner a new discovery, each sound a note in the festive symphony.

(Y/N)'s eyes sparkled under the canopy of Christmas lights, her gaze wandering from one stall to the next with childlike wonder. "Look at these ornaments, Rex! Have you ever seen anything so detailed?" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and excitement.

Rex leaned in to look at the intricate glass baubles she was pointing at. "They're pretty amazing. You have a good eye for these things," he replied, his tone laced with genuine admiration.

As they moved on, (Y/N) couldn't help but shiver slightly, the cold finally catching up with her. Rex immediately noticed, his concern evident. "Getting chilly?" he asked, his hand instinctively rubbing her arm in a comforting gesture.

"Just a little," she admitted, a slight quiver in her voice.

Rex's eyes scanned the nearby stalls, landing on one that promised warmth in a cup. "How about a hot drink to warm you up? What would you like?" he asked, ready to fetch whatever she desired.

"Surprise me," (Y/N) said with a trusting smile, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.

Rex returned shortly, two steaming cups in his hands. He handed her a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, the steam rising like a warm embrace. "Thought you might like this," he said, his eyes searching hers for approval.

(Y/N) took a sip, the warmth of the chocolate spreading through her. "It's perfect. How did you know?" she asked, her smile brightening the already illuminated night.

Rex shrugged modestly. "I just took a wild guess. Glad I got it right," he replied, his own cup of mulled wine warming his hands.

They continued their stroll, sipping their drinks and sharing laughs. Rex pointed to a ring toss game. "Bet you can't get three rings on those bottles," he challenged, his eyes gleaming with playful mischief.

(Y/N) accepted the challenge, her throws missing the mark but eliciting more laughter than disappointment. "Seems I'm as good at this as I am at skating," she joked, her laughter infectious.

Rex joined in, his attempts equally unsuccessful. "Looks like we're both in need of some practice," he conceded, his smile never fading.

Their journey through the market led them to a photo booth adorned with festive props. Rex, ever the instigator of fun, grabbed a Santa hat, placing it on his head with a grin. "Your turn, choose your festive disguise," he said, handing her a pair of reindeer antlers.

(Y/N) put on the antlers, striking a pose. "Ready for our close-up, Santa?" she teased, her eyes shining with mirth.

The photos they took were a series of silly poses and laughter-filled moments, each click capturing the joy and ease of their burgeoning relationship.

As they neared a group of carolers, their voices harmonizing in a timeless Christmas tune, (Y/N) felt a pull towards Rex, a desire to be closer. She leaned against him, her head resting gently on his shoulder. "I love this song," she whispered, her breath visible in the cold air.

Rex's arm found its way around her, pulling her closer. "Me too," he replied, his voice soft, his heart full.

The journey from the vibrant life of the Christmas market to the quiet streets leading to (Y/N)'s place was a mix of comfortable silence and soft conversation. The car ride, with Rex at the wheel, felt like a gentle deceleration from the evening's excitement, a gradual return to reality, yet tinged with a reluctance for the night to end.

(Y/N) sat beside him, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. The evening had unfolded like a chapter from a fairy tale, each moment with Rex adding another layer to her growing feelings. She glanced at him, his profile illuminated by the passing streetlights, a sense of warmth enveloping her.

As they pulled up to her apartment, the car's engine coming to a quiet stop, a sudden nervousness gripped her. She didn’t want the night to end, not yet. "Thanks for tonight, Rex. I had a really great time," she said, her voice laced with sincerity.

"Me too, (Y/N). It was... it was really special," Rex replied, his tone reflecting a depth of emotion that resonated with her own feelings.

There was a pause, a moment suspended in time, as (Y/N) gathered her courage. "Would you like to come in? Maybe watch a Christmas movie or something?" she asked, her heart racing with the boldness of her invitation.

Rex turned to look at her, surprise and happiness mingling in his eyes. "I'd like that," he said, a smile spreading across his face.

Inside her apartment, (Y/N) felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She busied herself with small tasks, turning on the lights, taking off her coat, anything to calm the fluttering in her stomach. Rex followed her in, his presence filling the space with a comforting warmth.

"So, any favorite Christmas movies?" Rex asked, his voice casual but his eyes holding a hint of anticipation.

(Y/N) thought for a moment, wanting to pick something that would set the right tone. "How about 'It's a Wonderful Life'? It's a classic," she suggested, hoping her choice would prolong the warmth and closeness of the evening.

"Perfect choice," Rex agreed, settling onto the couch.

In the cozy confines of (Y/N)'s living room, with the final scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life" painting flickers of light and shadow, Rex and (Y/N) found themselves in a world of their own creation. Their confessions of feelings had woven a new tapestry of emotions, coloring the room with an unspoken promise of something profound and beautiful.

(Y/N) felt a whirlwind of emotions as she leaned into Rex, his arm around her, a gesture of comfort and connection. His heartbeat, steady and reassuring under her ear, was a melody that harmonized perfectly with the rapid beats of her own heart. The air between them was charged with a new energy, an anticipation of what was to come.

Rex, overcome with a sense of rightness and completion, looked down at (Y/N), her eyes lifting to meet his. In her gaze, he found reflections of his own feelings – a mixture of wonder, happiness, and a profound connection that went beyond words. The room, with its soft lighting and the quiet hum of the ending movie, seemed to fade into insignificance, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment that felt as timeless as it was fleeting.

As the closing credits rolled, the music a soft undertone to their shared silence, Rex gently tilted (Y/N)'s chin up towards him. Their eyes locked, conveying depths of emotion that words could never fully capture. The distance between them lessened, the magnetic pull of their mutual affection drawing them closer.

(Y/N)'s heart raced as she realized what was about to happen. Her nervousness was a fluttering bird in her chest, but it was overshadowed by a profound desire, a yearning that had been building throughout the night. She could feel Rex's breath, a warm whisper against her skin, the closeness sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

And then, in a moment that seemed both an eternity and an instant, their lips met. It was a gentle collision, a soft convergence of emotions and desires. The kiss was tentative at first, a careful exploration, but it quickly deepened, fueled by the pent-up feelings and the undeniable connection that had brought them to this point.

The world outside, with its cold winter night and silent stars, seemed a universe away. In that kiss, they found a warmth and a rightness that spoke of shared futures and whispered promises. It was a first kiss, but it carried the weight and depth of something much more, a symbol of a bond that had been forged in shared laughter, stolen glances, and unspoken affections.

As they finally pulled away, a breathless moment later, their eyes opened to a world that seemed brighter, more vivid.

In the aftermath of their first kiss, a silence filled the room, profound and comfortable, wrapping Rex and (Y/N) in a cocoon of newfound intimacy. The flickering lights from the TV cast a soft glow on their faces, revealing shared smiles and eyes bright with emotion.

Rex, his heart still pounding from the kiss, felt a clarity he had never experienced before. Looking into (Y/N)'s eyes, he found the courage to give voice to the feelings that the kiss had only begun to express. “(Y/N),” he started, his voice low and filled with emotion, “I need to tell you... I’ve fallen for you. It’s been building for a while, but tonight, everything became so clear.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened slightly, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. Her own emotions, a tangled mix of joy and affection, bubbled to the surface. “Rex, I feel the same way,” she confessed, her voice a whisper of shared sentiment. “I didn’t realize it until tonight, but what I feel for you... it’s more than I ever expected.”

Their confessions hung in the air, simple yet profound, bridging any distance that had once existed between them. In that moment, they understood that what they had was special, a connection that went beyond mere attraction or companionship.

With a newfound boldness, (Y/N) leaned in for another kiss. This one was different from the first – it was a confirmation, a seal on the feelings they had just confessed. Their lips met with a gentle urgency, conveying years of unspoken emotions and desires. It was a kiss that spoke of beginnings, of a journey they were now embarking on together.

Eventually, they pulled apart, their smiles reflections of their inner happiness. (Y/N) suggested, “How about we watch another movie?” Her tone was light, but her eyes held a deeper invitation, a desire to prolong the magic of the evening.

Rex nodded, his heart still soaring from their exchange. “That sounds perfect.”

They settled onto the couch, (Y/N) fetching a cozy blanket which she draped over them. As she snuggled into Rex's side, the warmth of their closeness enveloped them, a physical manifestation of the emotional warmth they were both feeling.

As the opening credits of the new movie rolled, they found themselves less focused on the screen and more on the comfort of being in each other's arms. The movie played on, but their attention was on the soft sound of their breathing, the gentle rhythm of their heartbeats, and the warmth of their entwined hands under the blanket.

In the dimly lit room, with the soft murmur of the movie playing in the background, Rex and (Y/N) lay under the cozy blanket, a sense of complete contentment enveloping them. The outside world, with all its noise and haste, seemed a distant memory, irrelevant to the sanctuary they had created here, in (Y/N)'s living room.

Their confessions of affection still echoed in the space around them, a tender yet powerful admission that had changed the very air they breathed. Now, under the blanket, they found themselves in a world of their own making, a world where every glance, every touch, spoke of the deep connection they shared.

(Y/N) looked up at Rex, her eyes shining with unspoken emotions. In his eyes, she saw a reflection of her own feelings – a mixture of wonder, joy, and a profound sense of rightness. It was as if all the scattered pieces of her life had suddenly clicked into place, forming a picture that was more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

Rex, feeling her gaze, turned to meet her eyes. In that moment, words were unnecessary; everything they needed to say was conveyed in the depth of their look. He leaned down, and their lips met in a gentle kiss, a soft caress that spoke of new beginnings and uncharted futures. The kiss was a whisper of promises, a seal on the feelings they had just shared.

As they pulled away, their smiles were reflections of their inner happiness, a happiness that was as much about the presence of the other as it was about the connection they had forged. They stole another kiss, and then another, each one a celebration, a joyful acknowledgment of the journey they were embarking on together.

Lying there, with Rex's arm around her and her head on his chest, (Y/N) felt a sense of completeness she had never known. The sound of his heartbeat was a steady rhythm that seemed to sync perfectly with her own. Every so often, they would exchange a look or a smile, a silent conversation that spoke of shared joy and the comfort of being understood.

Rex, with (Y/N) nestled against him, felt a sense of peace that was new and profound. The weight of his past, the uncertainties of his future, all seemed to fade away in the face of this simple yet profound happiness. He kissed the top of her head gently, a gesture of affection and protection.

The movie played on, but it was merely a backdrop to their own story, a story that was just beginning. Every touch, every shared laugh, every quiet moment under the blanket was a brushstroke in the masterpiece they were creating together.

As the night deepened, they lay there, wrapped in the warmth of the blanket and the warmth of their newfound love. It was a feeling of complete rightness, a sense that, in this moment, in each other's arms, they were exactly where they were meant to be. The world outside could wait; what mattered was the magic they had found in each other's presence, the promise of all the nights and days to come, filled with laughter, love, and the quiet joy of being together.

[cloneficgiftexchange]

clone xreader life day fic exchange - announcement

hello everyone!! on october 19th, the sign up for the clone xreader life day exchange will drop! if you like xreader fics and the many wonderful clones of star wars, then this is the exchange for you! 

a lot more information will be given on the sign up post, but here are the basics: 

When you sign up, you will need to give a list of the clones that you would be okay to receive a fic for, and one or two short prompts that the person who gets you will use to write your fic.

You will be more than welcome to ask for life day/holiday themed prompts, but it will not be a requirement. i'll also be putting together some information on what life day is and how its themes and values can show up in fics :)

This exchange is random, so i ask that participants be comfortable writing and reading for at least Captain Rex this way no one gets a list of characters they don’t write when it comes time to match.

You’ll have a little over 6 weeks to write, and the word minimum will be 800 words. I’m looking to host the “exchange day” (the day everyone posts their fics) on December 16th. 

anyone is welcome to join these exchanges, whether it’s your first fic or you’re an already established writer!

If you’d like me to tag you in the post with the sign up link so you don’t miss it, please let me know! 

[ghostofskywalker]

Deep Space Delicacies

Echo/Reader

Words: 1,756

Summary: In the midst of the war, you manage to find the time to bring about a different, more welcome kind of chaos: teaching the clones how to bake. The 501st take the opportunity to force you and Echo to admit how you feel about each other.

Prompts: "don't want to bother you, but you have chocolate on your cheek" (from the exchange) and stuck (from my @clonexreaderbingo card)

Note: this fic is part of the @cloneficgiftexchange Life Day Exchange, which I ran! this prompt is from @flyiingsly and i had so much fun writing it! i hope you enjoy it :)

Clone Troopers Masterlist

When you first agreed to help some of your friends in the 501st bake something to help pass the time on the ship, you expected it to be low key. You were on a flagship in the middle of the galaxy, the battalion wasn’t technically on shore leave yet, and the Resolute’s kitchens weren’t exactly made for this kind of thing. But of course, you should have known better than to expect anything but utter chaos from your current company.

“Hey, what kind of eggs are these anyway?” Jesse asked, inspecting the container like he was trying to diffuse a bomb.

Kix looked up from his datapad, where he was reading the recipe. “Why do you care?”

“Because if they’re tooka eggs I don’t want to eat them!”

Fives cut in, yelling across the room to enter the conversation. “Tookas don’t lay eggs you di’kut!”

“Oh yeah, then what laid these?”

It was then that Hardcase decided to add his two credits, and of course you couldn’t expect anything less. “No, a gundark laid these!”

“These are definitely not gundark eggs,” you said, turning to the group as you spoke. “They come from a small bird that’s native to Naboo, but now they can be found on a lot of different planets.”

Jesse nodded. “Because people like to eat them?”

You nodded. “Yeah, both the bird and their eggs have grown to become part of several different planets’ cuisines. We’re very lucky that Coruscant is one of those planets, or we might not be able to do this right now.”

Once the ingredients were all organized (though you knew it wouldn’t last long), it was time to bake. “I think we have enough room and ingredients so that we all don’t have to hover over the same mixing bowl,” you said.

You expected a nod to your words, maybe a joke about turning this into a competition, but instead you were greeted by Jesse practically jumping up from his seat. “Do we have enough for three teams?” Jesse asked.

“I think so, why?”

“Great, then Kix and I-”

But before he could finish his sentence, Fives decided to speak. “Jesse and Kix, me and Hardcase, and you and Echo!” he said, looking around at everyone. “Sounds good!”

You watched Kix’s face as Fives spoke, and there was a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that they all knew something you didn’t. “Is everyone okay with that?” you asked, trying to look at everyone’s faces.

The chorus of agreements you received as a response only strengthened the idea that there was something at play you didn’t understand, but you didn’t know enough to even begin questioning it yet.

After confirming that everyone else was all set to start baking (and making sure Fives and Hardcase knew that you were keeping a very close eye on them), you and Echo began to measure the ingredients for your little batch.

If anyone had asked, you would have been fine working with any one of the men here, but you were (secretly) very glad that you were with Echo right now. And if by chance the secret did come out that you were playing favorites, you would simply defend yourself by saying that by working with Echo, your baking was most likely to succeed, since he was the most careful of the bunch. But in reality, it was more than that.

Your friendship with Echo was very quickly blossoming into full-blown feelings, and you would take any chance you got to be near him. You couldn’t help but fall for the kind and gentle ARC trooper, and every single time the 501st went out on a mission you worried about what might happen. Right now though, those thoughts were far from your mind, and you shared a smile with him as you worked together.

***

Despite your fears about accidentally blowing up one of the Republic’s prized flagships, the actual baking process wasn’t too painful. Sure, there were small mountains of flour all over the floor and somehow Fives managed to get eggs in his hair, but with this group, that could have happened on any given Taungsday.

Once the cookies were finally cooled off, and the space having been (mostly) cleaned up, you began to set out all the different frostings, sprinkles, sugars, and candies that you had hidden away to decorate with. You had to keep this step a secret from the boys because you knew all of your fun ingredients would have been eaten before you knew it, and now it was finally time to have some fun.

Which of course, given your current company, meant that it was time to make another big mess.

This time you weren’t exempt from the chaos, as much as you tried to be careful. But there was always something more endearing about decorated cookies that looked just a little bit wrong, so you had no issues with the mess. And there was less of a chance that major injuries would be sustained during this step of the process as the others, so you weren’t as watchful over everyone.

When Fives had pulled out a vibroblade and proceeded to cut some of the cookies into different shapes before baking, you had almost had a heart attack. Thankfully, you intercepted that quickly and handed out (slightly safer) cooking knives so everyone could busy themselves with creating different shapes. Some of them (like Kix’s carefully carved out tree) turned out better than others (like Jesse’s attempt to make a cookie in the shape of the flagship, which now looked like a misshapen blob).

You and Echo had stuck with simple designs, and were now decorating a fleet of circles, hearts, and stars. You worked together like a well-oiled machine, wordlessly handing each other exactly the candy or decorating implement that you needed at that given moment.

Your focus was razor sharp as you tried to arrange the small candies on top of the frosting, and you jumped slightly when someone tapped your shoulder. When you realized it was just Echo, you relaxed. “I don’t want to bother you, but you have some chocolate on your cheek,” he said.

“Oh,” you breathed, completely frozen in place as Echo reached up and gently swiped the tiny glob of frosting off your cheek. Internally, you were screaming. The two of you were so close, and his hands were so warm, this had to be some kind of dream. You moved apart after the small moment, but the smile on your face never went away, and soon the background noise of the others laughing faded away too.

Which is why it was such a surprise when you looked up to see the room completely empty (except for you and Echo). It was still an absolute mess, but Jesse, Kix, Fives, and Hardcase were nowhere to be found.

The two of you shared a confused look, and Echo moved towards the doorway, only to turn back after a moment. “The door’s locked.”

“What?” Reaching out towards the panel, you found out that he was right. These types of doors didn’t usually lock, but there was an override programmed on the datapads of high-ranking officers just in case something came up where it was a necessity. The possibility of having a situation that would require it was rare, so even as the battalion’s auxiliary support officer, you didn’t have that capability. “How would they have locked it?”

“Someone must have swiped Rex’s datapad,” Echo said. “Because the ARC ones don’t have this command.”

“Why would they want to lock us in here?” You’ve always had a suspicion that Jesse knew about your crush on Echo, but you could never truly confirm it. You would not be surprised if this whole thing was his idea, and that he was trying to move things forward.

“Oh I am going to kill them,” Echo muttered. “This has Fives’ sticky fingers all over it, that-”

“Echo, you said softly, reaching out to tap his hand. “It’s going to be okay. I can send a comm to General Skywalker, and we’ll be out of here in no time.”

“It’s not that,” he said, and the look on his face certainly piqued your attention. “They’re trying to get me to admit how I feel about you, and somehow it’s working.”

Everything stopped in your brain. For the briefest moment, all your thoughts were static, completely unable to register what had just been said.

Echo must have seen the look of sheer shock on your face, because he stepped forward. “You don’t need to do or say anything if you don’t want to,” he said. “But I guess my brothers are right in that you deserve to know how wonderful I think you truly are.”

By some miracle, after a moment of silence you were able to respond in a coherent way. “But Echo, I think you’re wonderful too.”

You’ve seen Echo smile on multiple occasions before, but the look on his face after you spoke was something so much more special. The two of you were close enough that he could easily reach out and take your hand, and you could have sworn you felt sparks fly as you touched. You so desperately wanted to kiss him, and it seemed he wanted something similar, because moments later your lips were on his.

But of course, perfection can’t always last forever, because the door to the room opened, and the two of you sprang apart. You should have known that it would be Fives who was standing in the doorway, a look of pure joy on his face. “Kix owes me 10 credits!” he yelled, and the sound of whoops and cheers echoed through the halls. Clearly, their little plan had succeeded.

But Echo did not look as amused as his twin, so you took his hand again, pulling him out of the room and into the hallway of the ship. “Wait, where are you going?” Jesse asked.

“We’ve got things to do,” you said simply, and you could see Echo’s eyes widen as he took in your implication. “And if any of you disturb us, or the kitchen isn’t sparkling clean by the time we get back, I’ll tell Rex that you’re the ones who swiped his datapad.”

Your threat had the intended effect, and you leaned in to place a kiss on Echo’s cheek while his brothers rushed back into the kitchen. “Come on,” you said with a smile. “We deserve some privacy.” 

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!