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ronwestbreeze · 1 year ago

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you're gonna go far | 10

pairing: jake sully x neytiri x tsu'tey x fem!human! reader summary: a scientist arrives on pandora (unwillingly) a year after the exile of the rda. now she must deal with the likes of a clan leader, a great warrior, and a thanator rider. word count: 3.9k

read on AO3

You eventually decided to forget your body for now and leave it to Norm to take care of it. All you were focusing on was burying yourself further into work.

Which included going back to tending to your garden by planting and replanting a few seeds and veggies. Then there was checking up on the baby who was bound to be due soon, you’d spend the last few hours of the day with her until eventually, you forced yourself to sleep in the Avatar Compound.

That was your schedule throughout the next couple of days. Along with that, you took on more work to distract yourself such as restocking more link shacks and taking care of the land along with the other avatars. It was one of the many deals the humans made with the People in exchange for letting them stay instead of going into exile. It kept you busy whenever you didn’t need to tend to your garden. Any free time that you happened to have would’ve been filled up with something else to keep you busy.

The only peace you got was at the end of the day when you were in the tank room.

“I’m sorry I’ve been gone, little one.” You said to her the first night you returned to Hell’s Gate. “I was unfortunately a bit distracted. But now I’m here and I’m never leaving you that long again. That is, until you’re born of course.”

There was a subtle shift in the stomach, bringing you a slight sense of comfort that she still remembered your voice. You didn’t know why it was comforting though. You wouldn’t be the one to hold her in the end. You probably wouldn’t be able to see her much once she was with her rightful parents…

Stop—stop.

Then there was foraging.

You enjoyed wandering around the forest to both discover new things and become well acquainted with the familiar routes. Going to your mother’s grave, finding the shack you had been trapped in, and even venturing further out just to see what was out there. Things you’ve missed.

It would’ve been nice if there was some comfort to all of it. But it made you forget. Made you think less. That was enough for now.

Until you eventually had to return to the clan’s base for Mo’at’s checkups. And not wanting to anger the Tsahik, you went anyway despite your reservations about it. All you could do was pray you didn’t run into Jake during the short visit.

So when you saw Tsu’tey with his brother inside her hut, you were strangely relieved which quickly made your stomach churn at the very thought.

His brother, Arvok, noticed you first as Mo’at was working on his abdomen. Surprisingly, he offered a white yet tired smile your way, “Ah, my savior the dreamwalker! I thought I was dreaming before.”

He ended up sitting up a bit as he spoke but Mo’at forced him to lie back down, “Hold still.”

“No need to thank me. It was nothing.” You mumbled, face impenetrably impassive.

“Nothing?! I heard you died because you saved me. How is that nothing?” Arvok sat up a little again only for his head to be forced back down by an irritated Tsahik.

You tried not to acknowledge the younger male’s words. Tsu’tey watched you for a beat before nudging Arvok’s shoulder gently, “Mawey, tsmukan.”

Not bothering to try and understand what he had said, you muttered again, this time sternly, “As I said, it was nothing—frankly, you should be more worried about yourself and the person who stabbed you.” Finding the new topic, you quickly steered the conversation in that direction. “By the way, who injured you in the first place—”

“That is none of your concern,” Tsu’tey said simply with his face somewhat screwed into his usual scowl.

You nodded expectantly, “Yeah, I thought so.”

Arvok then nudged his arm, hissing at him in Na’vi. Tsu’tey didn’t appear happy but spoke again, “It is clan business. Something that you should not concern yourself with. You have been too involved enough as it is.”

“Ha!” Mo’at huffed earning a glare from the Olo’eyktan. She did not offer more and continued tending to Arvok.

“Well,” You frowned, clenching and unclenching your hands. By then you realized you were still standing while the other three were much closer to the ground. “I did get poisoned by this clan business but you’re right. I suppose it is none of my concern.”

At this, Mo’at finally stood and scowled at the two of you—more specifically Tsu’tey, “If this is how your interactions will be during this time, then I must ask you to leave and come back when you are ready to speak with her correctly.” She gestured for Arvok to sit up—albeit slowly—and dismissed him, “You must continue resting. It will be a long while before you can hunt again.”

“Yes, Tsahik.” With a grumble, Arvok slowly pushed to his feet, the wince clear on his youthful features. But he looked better. Better than you had expected someone to have been stabbed to look. Then again, Mo’at must’ve been working on him while you had been unconscious—dead—so he had time to get better.

He held his abdomen gingerly as he walked past you, sending you a quick nod before he finally left. “You!” At that, your attention turned back to Mo’at who was now pointing at the spot Arvok had been, “Sit. Now.”

Obediently you sunk to the floor and allowed Mo’at to start her work on you. Tsu’tey surprisingly didn’t leave and just lingered in the background much to your dismay. But your body wasn’t tense because of his presence. You were constantly glaring at the doorway, waiting for him to show up at that point, waiting with your guard up, waiting for yet another fight with that damned asshole.

“You shouldn’t be putting so much strain on this arm. You should be resting as well, let yourself get adjusted to your new body.” Mo’at instructed sternly as she applied new green mush to your arm.

You winced, both at the subtle sting in your arm and the easy way she mentioned your transference. As if it was another day. You couldn’t tell whether that pissed you off or made you quite relieved that at least someone was making a huge deal out of it. You’d already cried everything out of your system. Now you just wanted to allow yourself to feel numb.

Just until everything came back up again. If it ever would.

In the corner of your eye, Tsu’tey shifted onto the mat further behind you.

Mo’at pressed her hand against your arm, “Have you buried your former body yet?”

You chewed on the inside of your cheek, “Why are you asking me that now?”

“Some questions will be hard to answer. It is the way of life.” She replied easily as she began unwrapping the bandage on your shoulder. “But it is okay to not be ready. Are you not read, dreamwalker?”

“Sure.” It was all you offered.

You left the body to Norm now. You made him swear not to tell you where he planned on putting it. And you were okay with that.

You were fine—you were fine—you were fine—

Eventually, after enduring a long silence—which you were quite comfortable with—Mo’at finished and stood. You moved to get up as well but she pressed her hand down on your shoulder and shook her head, “You speak with Olo’eyktan first. Then you leave.”

With that, she stepped out of the hut and you, after great reluctance, looked over your shoulder at Tsu’tey to find him slightly sitting hunched over on the ground, playing with something in his fingers.

You weren’t going to speak first. He wanted to speak with you. You would wait for him.

And eventually he did, “When Mo’at brought up the potential—that you could be our fourth mate—what did you think?”

The question startled you. It was the last thing you ever thought he’d ask. And the fact that it was Tsu’tey himself asking you this and not Neytiri or hell, even Jake.

But you remained on guard anyway, “Do you care?”

At that, he raised his gaze from whatever was in his hands to look at you, “Many people have made their opinions known about the matter. All but you. It’s as if your voice is drowned out by an unforgiving storm. I am asking you, dreamwalker. What do you think of it?”

For a moment you considered your words carefully. The conversation wasn’t adversary so you lowered your defense, only by a little bit. And as you thought about your answer, you realized you hadn’t even had the chance to think about what you truly thought about the idea of being their fourth mate. Neytiri had mentioned them looking for one long ago but you never imagined it would be you. You never imagined—

You never imagined you’d be loved.

And because of that, it was simply never in the cards for you. Even if there were moments where you—

“Why does it matter anyway?” You glared down at your fingers, watching as your nails dug into your palms. “Can you honestly imagine us as mates? I mean have you thought about it yourself? Can you even imagine Jake and I as mates? After the other night? Tsu’tey, I think the answer’s pretty clear.” You faced him, jaw tight and your voice quiet despite your steeled spine, “I’m too broken. And it would be cruel—I am not cruel and I’m not selfish enough to allow you three to drag yourselves to the bottom because of me. And that’s what I think. It’s quite simple actually—”

“To your human mind, yes.” Tsu’tey shook his head and stood, turning his back to you. He paced for a moment, eyes searching the room until he finally spoke. “But it is about duty. If Eywa has favored you then I must do my job as Olo’eyktan and honor that. If you are our fourth—”

“You don’t know that.”

“You are right, I do not!” He hissed but stopped, almost as if he were restraining himself.

You clenched your hands together again, glaring down at the matted floor. For a moment, the two of you were silent. This had to be the longest conversation you and Tsu’tey had ever had. And of course, it was about something heavy, something complicated, something difficult to even comprehend. Why couldn’t it have been something simple? Why couldn’t things be simple?

“I have failed my people.”

A beat went by and you looked up, wondering if that was all he had to say only to find his gaze on you. Intense and yellow. Unreadable yet uncomfortable to receive, nonetheless.

But his face was gentle as he spoke. His voice was quieter, “And in some ways, I feel I have failed our Great Mother. I feel I have failed my mates. My son. My unborn children. My mother. My brother. My father. Perhaps you do not understand it, dreamwalker, but it is my sworn duty to do what I must for my clan. To be the leader that they deserve. And I am not.” He stepped forward until he was standing in front of you and dropped something into your hands.

It was pretty. A handwoven string of beads and gems, almost too gorgeous to belong to someone like you. You held it limply in your hands, not wanting to touch it any further.

“I am not a good mate.” He continued, now his face unreadable. You weren’t really sure what yours looked like at the moment but you hoped it didn’t convey what you felt at the moment as he spoke.

Utter dread. Shock. And pity.

“If I had proposed to you, I would have thought that I had done right by the Great Mother.”

He said it so simply. Proposed? Tsu’tey? To you? How come he didn’t appear affected when he said these words? Why was it you that was struck frozen by this revelation?

Perhaps he was good at hiding it. Perhaps you were too.

Tsu’tey knelt in front of you and looked down at the string, his face still a mask. “I would take care of you, just as I do with my other mates. I would treat your children as my own, I would be okay with not being in love with you for the sake of duty.” Unconsciously, your fingers wrapped around the string as you took in his words. Very deliberate, very careful, very real. “But you would have said no. And I would be okay with that too. Because I cannot commit to my duty. Because I am a bad Olo’eyktan. And…” The words seemed difficult to spill out from his mouth but he forced it out anyway. “And I am not cruel enough either, dreamwalker.”

For a moment, you did not say a thing. For a moment, you wondered if you were dreaming. For a moment, you wondered if there could be a world where you and Tsu’tey weren’t hostile to each other like now. You wondered if there could be a world where you’d look at him as something more.

Because in the end, you appreciated his honesty. Frankly, that was one of the best things you liked about the Na’vi. They weren’t like humans. They didn’t hold anything back because they didn’t see a reason to.

And it made your next words clear and firm, “Your search for worthiness isn’t on me, Tsu’tey. And a proposal definitely wouldn’t have been able to fix that.” You frowned and glanced down at the string and then back at him, “That wasn’t a proposal, right?”

Tsu’tey stood then, his tail swishing behind him. “I suppose it was. In a way.” He looked at you expectantly, “And your answer, dreamwalker?”

He held a look that told you he already knew your answer. You stood as well and handed him back the beaded string with yet another impassive mask, “No. That is my answer. But you knew that.”

Wordlessly, he took the beads back, his gaze never leaving it. You stood there for a moment, feeling exhausted once more. And again, Tsu’tey allowed himself to appear the same.

Too tired for this world. Too tired to carry on.

You steeled yourself away and stood straighter, “So you agree. This isn’t what Eywa wanted.”

At that, his ears twitched, “We do not know what she wants. It has always been that way. And it will remain so.”

Nodding, you moved past him and toward the entrance, only to stop short. Your brain was muddled, your emotions were tangled, and yet you spoke clearly. “If your deity is as great as you all say she is, then I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to suffer.”

Without waiting for a response, you left. Not daring to look back. Not daring to ponder questions you’ve never thought about until now.

Enough. Enough of all of it.

“Any day now.” You mumbled, staring bleakly down at the table as Norm was checking the ultrasound. It was weird being several inches taller than him now when in human form he had quite the height over you, “We just have to watch her closely now.”

Norm nodded, “Good, good. That’s great news. I’ll let the parents know. You good staying here for a bit?”

“Always.” You watched over the tank as Norm left the room. Tucking the tablet under your arm, you placed your hand against the class, “Can’t wait to meet you, finally. I wonder if you’re gonna be as quiet when you’re born.”

The silence was suffocating, and So were the tears. They had finally come.

God, you were so angry.

Was this really all you were worth? An obligation? Something so worthless that you needed empty protection? Was that all they saw in you? Was that all you’ll ever be to them?

You sank into a nearby chair, allowing the silent tears to fall.

It wasn’t what you wanted. You didn’t want to be the outsider—the intruder. All you wanted was to save a bunch of trees and now you’re here. A stain. An inconvenience. Blood red on a perfect white canvas.

This baby girl didn’t deserve someone as shattered as you. She deserved the loving parents that claimed her from the beginning. Protected and kept away from your storm.

“I hope this world doesn’t hurt you, little one.” You wiped at your eyes, beaten and bruised already.

Norm eventually came back moments later. You hadn’t gotten up from the chair. He saw your dried tears and cleared his throat, “Jake said he’s already on his way, um,” He appeared careful and gentle as he spoke, “I’ll take over if you need a break.”

“You don’t have to.” Was your attempt at a protest.

But he shook his head adamantly, “No, I will. You’ve—it’s been pretty rough for you. It’s the least I can do for…”

You frowned as he avoided your gaze.

“I could’ve done better—more to save you—”

“Spellman, you're fine,” You shook your head and stood. “I don’t blame you—couldn’t if I wanted to. You’re the only one that has my back here. Well, maybe besides Neytiri.”

“Are you going then?” He asked as you walked passed him.

“Yeah, I’m gonna try to cool off. Maybe go on a walk.”

“You sure? Don’t get another chunk of your skin bitten off again. Or poisoned.”

“Ha-ha.” You responded dryly.

Deciding you wanted fresh air, you left out of Hell’s Gate and went into the forest.

You had marked the places you passed with small white strips in the past, tying them to smaller branches. It allowed you to venture further away from the base this time. And by the time the sun began to set, you found yourself at the waterfall, the same one you were at with Tsu’tey before.

And you stayed there. This time you went toward the waterfalls’ mist surrounding you the closer you got to the waterfall itself. The water moved up toward your waist until you were practically floating above water.

For a while, you stayed like this. Until night came. You stayed like this until your hair stuck to the back of your neck.

Eventually, you passed through the waterfall. Breathing out a long and delicate sigh.

These waters relaxed you. These waters made you forget.

Once you reached the other side of the waterfall, there was a rock large enough for you to hoist yourself on. And sit there. You didn’t know how long you’d stay there and you didn’t care. The world outside of this place didn’t matter to you. For a while, you just wanted to forget. To become stone.

Half alive and half buried in the ground.

That is until the world called for you to come back. Until the world wrapped its grip on you and yanked you back into reality.

Until something whizzed past your face, cutting some of the strands from your unbraided hair.

And now across from you was a spear lodged into the stone. Whoever had thrown it had great strength. Whoever had thrown had meant to kill you.

Instantly, you froze. Heart pounding against your chest, blood rushing to your ears.

“Demon!” AN unfamiliar voice shouted further away—possibly on land away from the waterfall. Quickly, you lowered yourself on the rock. Most of the water from the mountain and mist hid you, so there was a chance that the attacker couldn’t see you. “Come out and I kill you!”

You didn’t move from the rock. From what little you could hear, the voice spoke in Na’vi as if he was giving orders to someone. Which meant this guy wasn’t alone. The many splashes coming toward you only confirmed that.

As quietly as possible, you slid off the rock and toward the spear, yanking it out of the wall with what little strength you had left. A shadow then passed you as you ducked behind the rock just as a figure stepped through the waterfall. He was wearing strange armor and his war paint was different from what you had seen the Omatikaya wear. Which also told you that these warriors that surrounded you were from a different clan. A clan you were sure that weren’t reluctant in having to kill the likes of you for being human.

The warrior had an arrow pointed and ready. Fortunately, he hadn’t seen you yet.

But before you could take your chance at escape, a quicker shadow to the right dived through the falls, aiming another spear at you.

It was so quick, you hadn’t heard the other warrior coming and barely dodged the sharp end of her spear as you slid off the rock and into the deep waters.

The spear didn’t slow and sunk into the water with you. You swam away from the two, going deeper underwater until you weren’t able to be spotted. You continued swimming away from the small enclave and made it to the other side of the waterfalls.

Praying that the mist continued to cover you up, you came up for air and climbed onto a nearby rock. You still had the discarded spear and gripped it in your hands as you hopped onto another rock—not even stopping when you heard a bunch more splashes and shouts in Na’vi coming toward you.

Once you were sure they were far enough away from you, you continued hopping on the rocks until you finally reached land. But you didn’t run, knowing that it would make too much noise. Instead, you clutched the spear to your chest and slinked into the forest, just as how Neytiri had done it when the two of you would travel through the forest together.

Be one with the forest and all that shit.

God, you couldn’t catch one break. First Jake, then Tsu’tey, and now this? It was like the universe hated you for some reason.

As quickly and as quietly as possible, you put some distance between you and the waterfall. When you got far enough, you ducked behind a thick tree, pressing your back against it while taking in shaky breaths. You kept the spear close to your chest as if it were a shield while praying that you had been quiet enough to escape.

Something sharp pressed against the side of your neck, instantly squashing any hope you had left.

“You are loud, demon.” She spoke in Na’vi. It was one of the only sentences you recognized since Neytiri used to say it to you all the time in the beginning.

You remained still, staring at the warrior in the corner of your eye.

She took the spear from your hands and tossed it to the ground, not lowering hers.

“Where is your clan, sawtute?”

Okay, she spoke a little English. Which meant this clan had lived around humans at some point,.

“I don’t have a clan.” You gritted out shakily, “And I’m not trespassing—”

“Demon! All of you!” She hissed, the tip pressing further into your skin. “I kill you and bring your head back to my clan. The rest of you demons will follow!”

You glanced toward the spear on the ground, trying to figure out how fast you’d have to move to get it and escape.

But you nor the warrior didn’t get a chance to do anything as an arrow flew through the trees and hit the warrior in her shoulder.

She stumbled back, you took the chance and grabbed the spear from the ground.

As the warrior fell to her knees, your savior stood further away behind her. Bow raised with another arrow pointed at her.

You breathed out shakily, “It’s you.”

(i'm not adding any more people anymore!)

taglist: @doggyteam2028 @bigbootahjudy @innercreationflower @n7cje @celi-xxmoon @readerofallthingss @sillyblues @saturnhas82moons @1mawh0re @aprosiacperson @loserwithnofriends @garfieldsladybird @slutforsmut4ever @lik0

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legacygirlingreen · 9 months ago

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Easing Tensions

Pairing: Tech x F!Reader

Summary: When introductions go wrong, watch as Tech slowly has to earn back your good graces after he insults your abilities as a mechanic. From friendship to something more, eventually the two of you find some slice of heaven on Ord Mantell despite all odds...

Warning: Smut! Tech and reader are definetly not virgins so not first time (unless you wanna count first time together). Mild dom/sub vibes. Casual/playful spanking. Don't worry Tech's still really sweet. Mentions of Omega being kidnapped by Cad Bane and events of Bracca.

***no use of Y/N!!***

Notes: This is my first time posting for Bad Batch content so I really hope that everything goes okay! I want to thank my awesome friend @strawberrypinky for bearing with me and encouraging me despite her not having watched TBB before! It's so wonderful to have a friend who's so supportive!

Definitely pulled some inspo from some AMAZING fanart that I've seen on here. There's this wonderful image of Tech with tattoos by @cloned-eyes and so many incredible ones by @eggdrawsthings like this who often draws Tech with his cute little undercut!

Word Count: 16.5 words (I apologize for my inability to do porn without a plot!)

Ord Mantell wasn’t the nicest part of the galaxy, but-

It is home..?

It is tolerable..?

It is a steaming pile of bantha shit? Yeah that’s probably as close as you could get to describing it.

No one intends to live in this sketchy city in the mid-rims: you just end up here. That’s how you got here after all. After having a few good years working on Coruscant, designing starships for Senators and the Aristocrats of the Republic. But then the war started. The Republic discovered they had been funding an army of clones, and all those privatized contracts dried up, rent went up and you’d been forced to leave the planet of lights.

After your ship had a malfunction, ending up in the space port just outside Cid’s place, the Trandoshan oddly taking pity on you, allowing you a place to crash in exchange for repairing her arcade machines… and the dish washer… and rewire her a new security system… and so much you lost track before word got around of your mechanical engineering skills.

Rotations kept going and it wasn’t long before you found yourself with a small shop, running jobs within the city on household appliances, droids, ships - you name it. It wasn’t much, just a tiny building full of spare parts, a work space, a front with some small devices to sell. Not to mention the small loft apartment above it - not that you actually made it up there, often falling asleep burning the midnight oil at your desk - but it was still a home.

Only occasionally getting robbed or having some creeps passing through town hitting on you being the few things that threw a damper in what turned out to be a decent enough existence. And as sketchy as Cid might be, or the cast of characters she keeps around, you still kept a soft spot for the lady. Always repairing whatever she claimed needed fixing… it was usually nothing. But you’d let her pour you a drink while you ‘fixed’ the slots for the hundredth time. After being tossed out of the highlight of the galaxy, you were finally at peace with where you wound up.

That was, until they showed up.

Bolo had stopped by in the morning, claiming Cid had broken the slot machine again, to which you said the usual: I’ll stop by after I finish this.

This being a machine for one of the only doctors in town. While most of the folks on Ord Mantell were less than ideal, the few good people made it worth sticking around. The doctor needing a medical device for internal issues fixed being an actual emergency over Cid’s loneliness. However, that rationalization soon would be something you’d regret.

Hours melted away, soldering iron finishing off the last of the repair. Standing from the desk, cracking your back and fingers prodding at the crick in your neck. Soreness being the reward for a hard day’s work. Well that and the small burns and cuts on your fingers. But that was an occupational hazard of doing repairs.

Slipping a coat on with the blaster you kept for protection underneath it was a quick delivery, with a joyful thank you - and a thank you pie courtesy of his lovely wife - and you finally made it to Cid’s.

You recognized the armor immediately. Having heard a few weeks back about the end of the war, you wondered what would happen to them. The clones. The ones that took your job. Took any chance at a promising career as a ship designer, because free labor is better than cheap labor.

Why were clones on Ord Mantell?

All with their helmets removed, one near the bar turned to face you almost immediately. His face half covered in a tattoo as he made eye contact. You scowled, turned away, pushing your unresolved anger onto the man as if he personally was the cause of your misery.

Next to him was a clone that looked more metal than man. What had the Republic done with their clones if he wound up this bad? You thought to yourself, watching as his pale eyes glanced over your frame. The coat rack behind you suddenly reminds you that perhaps it best to remind these men you meant business.

Slipping off the outerwear, holster and gun on full display over the tight, oil stained work suit, you once again turn to examine just how many clones were in the parlor. A very large one, entertaining… a child? You knew for a fact these men were clones. Having been hit on by enough, regretfully having slept with a few before you skipped town - you had seen enough brown eyes to last a lifetime.

Then the joyful call of your name, Bolo and Ketch welcoming you over as Cid emerged from the back with yet another clone.

“Took you long enough,” she said, an almost undetectable smile working on her face as the others watched the interaction.

“Well, some of us had real work to do,” You tell her with a fake annoyed expression, stepping closer to the bar.

“You call tinkering in that dark room, work? When I - a paying customer - requested services,” Cid said. That caused the laugh to burst from your mouth, startling the watchful eyes of the new strangers. Soon Bolo and Ketch joined in, slapping the bar excitedly.

“I think I would be concerned if you did actually pay me,” You say through a chuckle, grabbing a tool off your belt as you turn towards the open room. “So where’s this slot machine that’s broken?” You emphasize the word, knowing it was likely from the one wire she always slightly disconnected to make you feel better for drinking without paying.

“Same one as always, you know the drill. But hold on, I want you to meet my new boys. They are going to be running some jobs for me in order to keep a low profile with everything that’s going on,” Cid said, gesturing to the small squad of clones.

“I thought you said you would keep our business discreet?” Face-Tattoo growled as Cid waved him off.

“She’s a trusted acquaintance. The last stray I took in. Now look at her-” Cid started as Ketch spoke at the same time as her.

“A successful business woman-” Cid said.

“Covered in grease-” Ketch said.

Bolo reacted immediately, laughing till he started coughing. The largest of the clones joining the Ithorian in laughter as you scowled at them.

“Cid it almost sounds as if you like me when you put it that way,” you warn her as she shakes her head, pushing you towards the slot machine.

“Eh don’t get carried away. Anyways, introductions. This is bandana-” she began as he grumpily spouted out, “Hunter”.

“This is muscles,” she pointed to the large one, who said “I’m Wrecker!” offering a smile and a hand, which she awkwardly shook.

“That’s tiny-” Cid pointed to the small girl, lingering near the one she called Wrecker.

“Hi! I’m Omega! You are really pretty-” she said, offering a hand as well. Her compliment catches you off guard from all the time with Cid’s sarcasm.

“Oh, uh… thanks kid. I like your uh… enthusiasm” you try to give her a compliment, the politeness so foreign it came off forced but the kid didn’t notice.

“Not sure what to call that one but he’s more metal than man at this point-” she pointed to the cybernetically enhanced one.

“Echo” he said plainly and you nod, appreciating the simplicity in his response.

“And this is goggles” she said, gesturing to the last one, who didn’t bother to look up from the device he was working on to even acknowledge you.

“Charming,” you reply sarcastically, finally drawing his attention as he watched the tail end of your eye roll. His own eyes fixating over the unique attire you donned along with the tools on your belt, his eyes narrowing as he wondered about your occupation.

“His name is Tech, not Goggles,” giggles Omega.

“Ah, I see you are already acclimated to Cid’s show of affection. She must really like you all. Well, now that the introductions are out of the way, Cid-” You began, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible if there were now going to be clones at the parlor. Despite these one’s looking… vastly different, they still played a role in why you left.

“Fix, then drink. You know the deal,” she explains.

Nodding you quickly sliding on your back, you open the circuit board, quickly locating the same wire that was always ‘altered’ prior to your arrival. Just as you went to reattach it however, a voice near your head startled you, the yelp leaving your lips as the wire’s exposed end shocked you.

“Ah!” filled the parlor, everyone’s attention turning towards the slot machine which Tech had inadvertently shoved himself underneath alongside you as he began troubleshooting the issue.

“Perhaps you should consider replacing the whole circuit board and wiring system if this one machine persists with issues. I am inclined to doubt your mechanic skills if you continually have to come back for repairs on the same device.” He spoke bluntly as you dropped the tool in your hand, anger rising to the surface as he stared at the machine, hands starting to trace the circuit board when you lost it.

“What are you doing?!” You demanded, finally drawing his attention, when Tech realized he had invaded your personal space a bit more than he intended.

“Oh, I was curious if my knowledge of engineering would be helpful given you seem to lack the knowledge in order to fix this devic-” he started but you weren’t hearing it, sliding away from him instantly as you brushed yourself off and stood, angrily stomping in the opposite direction.

Cid called your name but you weren’t hearing it, reaching for your coat, tossing it on despite the many eyes watching your hasty exit. “Clones!” you gritted through clenched teeth, eyes rolling as you started up to street level. Steps on the stairs being the last anyone heard of you as you left a wake of confusion.

“Way to go Goggles” Cid chastised him as he stood, having propped himself up when you stomped away.

“I fail to see the issue. I merely pointed out the flaws in her previous attempts to fix the slot-” Tech began to defend himself.

“I don’t think insulting her was the right move,” Hunter groaned.

“Yeah, why did you make fun of how she fixes stuff? She was really pretty.” Wrecker said, sheepish look.

Echo remained silent, watching as Tech did not grasp what had happened, once again firing into an explanation as to why he believed he was not in the wrong.

“If one continually has to return to fix the same device, I believe it only fair to question the validity of their credentials. Why else would it-” Tech spoke, only to have Omega step towards him, gently placing her hand on his armored shoulder before she said, “Tech, I think that for the two of them, fixing the machine is Cid’s way of asking for her company. That’s why it’s always the same device that’s broken-”

“What you are saying is that the slot machine is a humorous bit of sorts?” He asked, glancing back at the way the panel lacked 2 bolts on its cover. When he looked at the spot, now vacated by you, he noticed you left a wrench on the ground. Walking towards it, he bent at the waist, picking it up and examining it. Carved into the handle were some initials, he assumed must be yours.

“It seems Tiny is smarter than you are Goggles,” Cid said with an eye roll, walking to the backroom, leaving the clones with the two regulars who awkwardly watched the interaction.

“I did not mean to appear rude-” Tech sighed, fingers probing his temples as Omega looked at Ketch.

“You know her don’t you?” Omega asked.

“Yeah… I can take it to her place on the way home. She tends to hole herself up there for days at a time-” Ketch explained only to have Omega shake her head.

“If you could tell us where it is, I can return it.” The small girl informed the group, immediately having Hunter protest, but Echo nudged him, pointing at Tech.

“Fine but take Tech with you,” Hunter realized Echo was alluding to Tech being granted an opportunity to apologize.

“I still believe it best to wait until morning given the nature of this town being less than ideal,” Tech protested.

“It’ll be fine Tech, we can take them!” Omega said enthusiastically, grabbing his hand and her newly acquired bow.

“I’m assuming them to be the metaphorical enemies we may run across?” He sighed, reaching for his helmet but Omega yanked him harder.

“Omega my helm-“ he yelped and she kept dragging.

“It’ll be fine. Besides, if you are going to apologize it’s better to let her see your face when you do so,” omega explained.

“Why does seeing my face matter?” He groaned, the two of them coming to the street as Ketch pointed them in the direction of a street, giving them a piece of paper with your shop logo before leaving.

“Well, I don’t know. Maybe she’ll think you’re handsome,” Omega spoke with a mischievous grin, still tugging her brother along as he stumbled behind her.

“That is rather doubtful,” He told her, sigh passing over his lips as he realized it would likely be the same story he’d known many times at this point. Any time they were on Corrasaunt, they did worse with the presence of Regs, and the few women that glanced their way were always going for Wrecker, Crosshair or Hunter. He had lucked out in some ways, that Echo seemingly did just as bad with women, the two of them only rarely completing the mission so to speak. On the rare instance he did find himself, it usually felt awkward, unsatisfying and with them forgetting his name by morning. Despite being well versed in how to assist women, it always felt forced and against his nature to behave in the more dominant nature most females found appealing. Not that Tech was going to be the one to explain the intricacies of sexual relations to Omega. He was certain via scientific means that she was aware of how the act worked, but beyond that it felt more like a conversation between her and genuinely anyone else.

“I think that’s it!” She pointed out, and he raised the crude drawing on a napkin they had acquired that showed the logo of the shop. Above the shop was a light in what he figured to be a small domicile she occupied.

“I believe you are correct, however it may be best to attempt entry from the back. It appears there is a set of stairs that lead to-” he began, only to have the girl bound off without him for the alleyway, a slight skip in her step.

From within your apartment, you were angrily stomping about, tossing random parts into a crate. Circuit board, wires, tools. Who was he to question your ability to fix the damned machine? Fixing to make your way back to the parlor, you were dead set on proving him wrong.

In the midst of your sharp movements a knock at the apartment door startled you, causing you to stumble and ram your toes into the leg of the nearest table. The expletive ringing through the air as you hobbled towards the door, hand on the gun in case some creep had followed you. Pulling up the image display you had installed for security you saw the girl from the parlor and -

Door sliding open, you leaned against the frame to prevent putting weight on the throbbing extremity.

“Can I help you?” You grumpily scoffed at the pair, the little girl undeterred by your perturbed nature while the Clone, much less confident now glanced around awkwardly, his arms clutching his sides.

“We came to return your wrench,” she smiled up at you, her innocent brown eyes sparkling with the low lighting of your flat reflecting. Dammit.

“Well, that is unexpectedly kind I suppose. I assume Ketch told you where I live, so why not just let him do it?” You ask, still unsure why she sought you out to return something as simple as a wrench. You had hundreds. Still feeling the pain in your foot, you began to worry that you had actually broken or fractured something, given it had lingered, so as you looked down at the young girl you once again shifted weight, a slight hiss exiting your lips, nearly undetectable, but with the way Tech was scrutinizing you he noticed.

“Oh, I just thought that maybe since you and Cid are close, our squad could become friends with you-” Omega began only to have Tech interrupt her, stepping between the two of you.

“You are injured,” he bluntly said, gesturing down to your foot.

“Yes. I do not get visitors, especially this time of night, and certainly not men who have insulted me coming to my door. The knock startled me,” you hissed out as you straightened up, forcing him to maintain eye contact with you as you glared at him.

“Tech did not mean to be rude-” the girl began sensing the shift in hostility between the way you had spoken softly to her and the way tension grew the second Tech spoke up.

“I’m sure Tech-” you cut her off and test the waters by using his name before continuing “-doesn’t need you to apologize on his behalf. He’s a big boy. He can do it himself,” You glance down at her before once again turning to face him, arms crossing over your chest. “Unless of course, he isn’t sorry?” You challenge him to speak up with your tone.

“I-” she spoke after the beat of silence, only to have the man interrupt her once more.

“I believed myself to be perfectly within the bounds of questioning your skillset given the information I had at the time, being your frequent return to the parlor-” He began and you rolled your eyes, back of your head leaning back to meet the frame of the door as you scoffed.

“So you came to further insult me.” You said as he paused momentarily to look at you.

“No, I was-” Tech began and you waved him off, dismissing him.

“Sure sounds that way to me Brown Eyes,” You push off the frame of the door despite the pain in your toe, to get as close to face level as possible, despite his extremely tall frame. “I’ve dealt with enough clones to last a lifetime. And my experience has always been that of arrogant, inconsiderate men who think too highly of themselves and too lowly of me,” you lean in closer to his ear so only he will hear as you whisper, “especially for men who continually failed to finish me off…”

Leaning back you smirk watching the realization, possibly even horror cross his features as the tips of his ears burn red.

“Omega, go back to Cid’s-” he stuttered out as you laughed.

“Not this time of night Tech. Ord Mantell is far from the worst place in the galaxy but that doesn’t mean it's safe for her to navigate alone, especially with what’s on the horizon.” You warned him, eyes glancing up to the sky.

“Whatever do you mea-” Tech began, watching in horror as Omega’s hair began to slightly stand up as she giggled, while a large flash of light overhead.

“Electrical storms. I am surprised you didn’t note them in whatever archives I suspect someone of your calliber to have examined about Ord Mantell before or shortly after arrival,” You mention, looking down at the young girl. If it was just her, you would have no issue letting Omega in. But the extremely tall trooper wasn’t exactly in your best sights currently. Sighing you step aside, gesturing to come inside.

“I have not had proper time to examine known information on-” Tech straightened up as you interrupted him.

“Save it. Just get inside. They get downright nasty. I may not like you very much, but I am also not a monster who’s going to let you get electrocuted in the streets,” you scoffed at him, allowing the pair to pass through your flat’s entryway.

“Wow you have your own room!” Omega joyfully exclaimed, rushing around to look at your sparse belongings and wall decorations. Some random plans, some spare parts, a few drawings, a few photos - nothing abnormal.

“I can’t say I make it up here most nights to actually enjoy it, so apologies about the mess,” you hush out. Tech’s eyes were wide as he had trained them onto the back of your small sofa. Getting closer you realized what caused his nervousness as a bra tossed over the back came into view from where you’d flung it one evening. Crossing ahead of him, you reached for it, shoving it into the cushions.

While Tech commed back to the rest of their team, informing them the plan to wait out the normal evening storm here, you double checked no other artifacts of awkward origins to be lingering about.

The apartment wasn’t much, just a bed in the back corner behind a screen, a small kitchen with one burner and a stove, along side a small refrigeration unit. A refresher behind a door right at the entry way and some sparse furniture. Mostly, the space just spilled over spare parts from downstairs.

“Omega stop meddling in belongings that are not yours, it’s rude” Tech warned as he came back from discussing with Hunter. Omega hadn’t sat still, running around your flat as new items of interest took over her young mind.

“She’s fine,” you tell him, leaning against a wall looking at how he shifted slightly under your scrutiny.

“Tech look! It’s our ship!” Omega shouted from near one of the windows and he moved towards her, assuming her to be pointing outside in the direction of the hanger, but as he got closer he saw a small model of the standard ship, along with some drawings on the wall.

“Well, technically Omega we use a heavily modified version and this is the standard model of the-” he started as you chuckled.

“Omicron Class Attack Shuttle,” You tell him, coming to stand on the other side of Tech.

“How do you know have these? They are for military usage only, and I calculate the probability of one ending up here during the war to be quite low,” Tech asked.

“She helped design it.” Omega mentioned very plainly as Tech’s eyes bulged, turning to the young girl in time to see her fingers pointing towards some of your old sketches, signature and date marked many moons ago.

“But that-” he came closer to what Omega pointed out, heart beat picking up as he realized not only had he flown a ship you apparently helped design, but he had just earlier insulted your knowledge of mechanics.

“Was a lifetime ago. But yes. I used to live on Coruscant and worked as an engineer. Until contracts for civilians dried up. When I left, my ship had a malfunction and this was the safest planet to land for repairs. Haven’t left.” You explain to him, shifting the weight back off the injured toe, which you could feel swelling in the confines of your sock.

“These drawings do not match the standard regulation manuels for the shuttle. Why are they different? They closer resemble some of the modifications I have personally installed.” Tech asked you, fingers tracing over the worn schematics as he noted a different configuration for the main compressor and hyperdrive.

“I was only a junior engineer at the time. My supervisor demanded the changes be made no matter how much I protested. That’s why I was surprised to hear you boys fly one, but I suppose your modifications have extended it’s life. The changes my team made were less than ideal. But still, it’s my favorite ship I’ve designed,” you explain, feeling a strange mixture of relief and anxiety to bring up the past like this.

“Fascinating… What other ships have you designed if you don’t mind me asking?” he asked without looking up from the remnants of your old work.

“There’s a data pad right there on the table. Not sure if it’s got enough power to charge up, but it has the schematics of what I worked on. I’ll warn you, it’s mostly shuttles for senators or higher ranking military personale. Not many are military craft,” you explain pointing out the data pad, noting the Omega had disappeared from view, finding her sitting on the sofa as she smiled and waved to you.

Moving across the apartment you sat next to her, curious why 4 clones were traveling with a child.

“So what’s your story kid?” You ask her, watching as Tech poked around your small corner of relics from time spent as an engineer, his fingers picking up some of the small models as he continued to flip through the data pad he got working with a small transportable battery pack, muttering out undistinguishable words ever few moments.

You split your attention between half listening to Omega’s explanation of how she was a clone like the others to watching Tech’s half smile as he glanced over your old work. Strangely enough when he wasn’t insulting you, he was handsome. Different from other clone’s you’d met in the fact his face was more angularly and thin. Hair and skin lighter in color than the others, he looked so familiar and yet so unique.

Suddenly a weight on your shoulder broke you out of the trance you had developed as you stared at Tech, who was still distracted as he propped himself up against the wall. Omega, having fallen asleep, was leaning on you as her breathing evened out.

You knew sleep wouldn’t come with the strange clones in your apartment so you carefully lifted her, as she weighted very little, and began to move her towards your bed. Least you could do was let her sleep on a real bed for the first time in a while. Tech’s eyes flashed when he saw the movement, not saying anying as he watched you carry her. Setting down the datapad he realized you would not be able to move the privacy screen while your arms were occupied, so he adjusted it out of the way as you bent a bit to set the young girl on the bed, pulling the recently washed covers up around her.

Omega’s eyes cracked open slightly as she smiled and snuggled down into the bed before drifting back to sleep, the two of you bearing witness to how sweet she looked as sleep overtook her young body. Nodding your head he stepped aside, allowing you both to leave the designated area for the bed and he once again closed the screen.

“You did not have to do that, my calculations show that the storm is likely to pass within the next few hours,” Tech whispered as you shrugged.

“When was the last time she slept in a real bed?” You challenged.

“Point taken. I do have several questions on various ships I examined while looking through your datapad, but I feel it inappropriate to ask given I insulted you earlier,” He said in a hushed breath as you nodded.

“So how do you plan to rectify that hotshot?” You aren’t sure why you felt the need to shift your tone to playful as you nudged his shoulder, forgetting he had on plastoid as it made contact and immediately stung.

“I am uncertain. I do not have data to base interactions such as this upon in order to determine the best possible course of action,” He whispered out as you sighed, going to put on the kettle.

“It’s as simple as saying you are apologetic,” you explain to him calmly, realizing now that perhaps Tech lacked some social awareness despite that big brain of his. You were used to it in the field of engineers. Kind people who weren’t always the most adept at dealing with emotions.

Tech’s eyes watched as you began to heat up water on the stove, the slight hobble in your step still apparent.

“I apologize for being rude. You are still injured from earlier,” he nodded to your foot.

“I’ll live. But thank you for your apology. Tea? Calf? What’s your poison?” You ask him nodding to the water.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to trouble you with either on my behalf,” he said simply as you rolled your eyes.

“It's no trouble at all. Besides with how nasty those electrical storms are you are going to want to get comfortable. Feel free to take off the plastoid, I can’t imagine it’s pleasant to be in all the time,” you tell him.

He simply stands, not wanting to argue, carefully removing the pieces and stacking them in a neat pile on the floor. You take out two mugs from the cabinet, deciding that he seemed like more of a cheap ration calf man, much like yourself, so you spoon it into the cups and pour the water on top before setting one down in front of him before grabbing the sugar from the pantry and setting it out.

“Thank you,” Tech mentioned, ignoring the sugar and just began to sip it as is.

“No problem, so these questions?” you came to sit on the adjacent barstool, nodding towards the schematics he had pulled up.

Tech felt his stomach drop seeing you so close, leaning over the holopad ready to answer his questions when only an hour ago you were content to ring his neck out. Having someone to discuss his area of expertise with was rare, especially not someone so pretty…

��˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Several rotations and jobs for Cid under the Batch’s belt, you’d formed a very unique relationship with the clone to say the least. When getting along, things were great. However, you still occasionally found yourself frustrated with his affinity for saying things, while true, that came off as callus or dismissive.

Such as the most recent issue. Tech let you poke around the modifications he’d made to their ship in some down time, during which you pointed out a better alternative for the power cufflinks. This led the man to get defensive, jumping to an explanation that once again challenged your expertise. Leading to a speedy exit from the hanger and ignoring his feeble attempts at knocking on your door, Tech left Ord Mantell to meet Rex on Bracca with you still very much angry at him.

He’d sent a message, to which you ignored on the private com channel he set up for you, as you warned the boys that while you adored Cid, she wasn’t particularly known for being trustworthy. Despite your occasional frustration at times with Tech’s less than appealing behavior, you didn’t want anything bad to happen to them.

Going off-world for an unknown amount of time to remove a device that might cause us to lose bodily autonomy and certain cognitive functions that were part of our programming. It is imperative we do so, however there are unknowns with such a procedure. Things may not go according to plan. ~ Tech

You didn’t respond, set in your stubbornness as you ignored his message that matter of factly stated his plans. Your largest complaint about the man, despite his very kind nature overall, was that he struggled admitting he was wrong or had hurt your feelings.

After a few hours you received another ping.

Landed and waiting to meet our contact. ~ Tech

You sigh, continuing to twist the bolt holding together the maintenance droid someone recently allowed you to have, trying to fix the pile of scrap so you could gain some relief with fulfilling projects.

Another ping came in less than an hour later.

I apologize for once again hurting your pride. I am unused to dealing with those who are not my brothers, and they have acclimated themselves to my more undesirable traits. It is not an excuse, but please know that I am attempting to correct such habits in the name of maintaining our friendship, as it is something I am coming to value. ~ Tech

You look at the screen. He was trying his best and you could recognize that. It softened the anger you felt. You weren’t fully ready to discuss with him however, leaving the message open on your tablet, losing yourself in the work in front of you as your mind tried to form a proper response.

[Incoming message from Tech]

Wrecker’s inhibitor chip activated. Things were more intense than I initially anticipated. He did not hesitate to try and harm us. Omega was frightened by his actions, however no one was injured beyond him briefly rendering me unconscious. That being said, I am fine. We are waiting for him to wake up. Still unsure the safety of this procedure as his vitals have not stabilized. I will continue to keep you posted even if you are neglecting to respond. ~ Tech

Staring at the screen the sudden concern for the safety of their team outweighed you silly argument with Tech, fingers forming a response, and hitting send despite the several crafted responses you had spent the last hours mentally cataloging.

From the ruins of the jedi cruiser on Bracca, Tech was surprised as he saw an incoming response from you, sitting up immediately as he read it.

I am sorry for not responding. I needed time to mentally process your apology, as your words do hurt sometimes. That being said, we do not have to discuss things further. I hope Omega is doing better. I cannot imagine how frightening that must have been for her. Tell her she's got a girl's only night when she returns filled with all the street food her heart desires. Let me know when Wrecker wakes up. Please try and stay safe. Drinks are on me when you all get back to Ord Mantell.

Tech smiled down at the message, leaning back some in the seat. He didn’t want to push his luck by responding to you. You were kind enough to offer an olive branch and accept his apology once more.

Soon Wrecker woke up, prompting the others to take turns removing their chips. Tech wasn’t sure why he felt the need to wait to be last. Perhaps he wanted confirmation that things would be alright? Perhaps he was more nervous than he anticipated. But when it was finally his turn to lay down, his last thought before drifting off was of a pretty mechanic back on their new home waiting for him.

₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“This is the Havoc-Marauder - *static* please, come in,” the vocal element of your com began blaring through the otherwise quiet shop as you continued to repair projects. Boosting the signal you reached down to the tablet, pressing the button, trying to figure out why the boys seemed so distressed.

Tech had informed you that they were all able to remove the inhibitor chips successfully and that they were going to attempt to recover valuable assets from the ship before their departure. Not worried about the plan, you were surprised to hear the fear in their voices as you waited for a response.

“The empire showed up and in the chaos of it all, a bounty hunter named Cad Bane took Omega and injured Hunter. We are trying to locate where they may have taken her, since it was off-world. Do you have any contacts who may know more? We can’t get a hold of Cid-” Echo spoke through the coms instead of Tech.

“Actually, I have more information that may be useful” came Tech’s faded voice from the back of the transmission, as you allowed him to speak. “Omega is more valuable than we realized,” Tech spoke, leading a winded Hunter to question why, as you held your breath waiting for information that may be useful.

“I further analyzed Omega’s genetic profile and discovered she has pure, first generation DNA-” Tech spoke, and while you weren’t fully versed in cloning or the Kamino process, you assumed that made her more valuable than the others. As Tech continued to explain for the others to understand, you reached over for the long range transmitter and sent a message to an old friend, who quickly read and began typing.

“If she’s vital to the Kaminoans cloning operation, they must have put the bounty on her-” you heard Echo say, confirming the suspicions you already had.

“So how do we find this bounty Hunter?” Wrecker grumbled just in time for you to speak up.

“I may have an idea, if anyone’s up for it-” you offer, wishing more than anything the boys were in range to see them instead of just hear them. Something about putting eyes on them would’ve been a comfort, but you’d settle for their voices.

“That is why we contacted you, so please,” Hunter mentioned.

“Well, I had a friend back when I was on Coruscant. She worked closely with the cloning operations medical staff, and was transferred to Coruscant at the start of the war. She said there’s several decommissioned Kaminoan facilities throughout the galaxy. If the Kaminoans are the one’s after Omega, shouldn’t they want a secure location that only they are aware of? At the very least, it’s a starting point. She was able to inform me of 3 she knew about. Two in close proximity to your location. The other is closer to Ord Mantell if you wish for me to check it out-” you explain only to have Tech cut you off.

“Negative. With a bounty hunter as dangerous as Cad Bane I do not wish for you to go anywhere near that facility. Transmit the coordinates and we shall examine the closer one’s first-” he said.

“If Omega is at that facility, you all will miss her transfer between the bounty hunter and Kaminoans. That’s not worth chancing it. I can decide what risks I wish to undertake on my own-” your voice raises to accommodate the frustration you feel.

“Regardless it is not a job you should undertake given your skillset is not that of combat,” he tells you, the others growing silent as you dismiss his concerns.

“I am transmitting the coordinates. See you all when you get back. Let me know if something happens.” You state bluntly, and as Tech goes to question you once more, you cut the call, not wanting to hear his concerns. You didn’t want Omega injured or removed from her brothers. He wasn’t going to stop you from looking. That wasn’t Tech’s call to make.

Quickly rushing around the messy flat, you collected what you through you may need before going down to the hanger which held your rusty bucket of bolts. It wasn’t much, but it would do. Rarely having time to work on it, you knew the ship needed a massive overhaul, but that could come after you saved Omega.

It was when you came out of hyperspace in your small shuttle that you received another transmission.

“Omega was able to get away from the bounty hunter but we aren’t sure for how long she’ll be free. She is at the location closer to Ord Mantell, in the Lido system but we are uncertain if we will reach it in time-” Hunter spoke feverishly as you looked down at the planet’s surface.

“Then it’s a good thing I am already here,” you tell them, flying close by to the facility seeing three ships already landed, meaning the transfer was happening or soon to be over, and that a possible third party was involved.

“I thought I cautioned you to stay on Ord Mantell where it was safe,” Tech said, anger laced in his tone as you set the ship down on an abandoned platform, reaching for the baster you kept on you at all times. You may not be the best at fighting, but you did have the ability to cloak, as you developed a small experimental hood that utilized the same technology as your cloaked shuttle. It would have to be enough to locate Omega and hope you all could slip away from the bounty hunter before someone realized you were here.

“You did. But it’s a good thing I elected to ignore it. Do hurry, I will try and find Omega or at the very least stall until you all can reach the system. Over-” you called, turning off the device so that the sound would not give you away and slipped outside.

You didn’t make it very far before you heard shouting and Omega fell onto the platform adjacent to your own after awkwardly riding atop a small droid - possibly a techno service droid but it was too far away to notice. Rushing towards her before she could get very far, you removed the hood disguising your head.

“Omega!” you shouted, drawing her attention as she turned and quickly ran back in your direction, a small limp in her step which must have occurred at some point during her escape.

“You came for me!” she leapt into your arms, as you reached for a small multitool from your belt to cut her binders.

“Of course I did, your brothers aren’t that far behind, we need to get out of her-” you started, only to be cut off as you watched in horror. The droid, which Omega was running from, had activated a panel on the platform your ship was on, causing it to fall into the ocean depths below, preventing your escape.

“I just paid that off,” you cried watching it fall as Omega dragged you down a small set of stairs, noting the pods for escaping the Kaminan facility just ahead.

“I’m sure Tech will help you fix a new one, we need to hurry, the bounty hunter who tried to get me on Pantora is here fighting the one who took me. We don’t have much time” she mentioned, the two of you cramming into the pod before one of the bounty hunters could emerge.

Just as the pod was activated however, the little droid who destroyed your shuttle appeared in the viewport, demanding to know where you were going. Omega didn’t respond, angrily typing until the pod launched, her falling into your lap and you held her tightly and the droid flew out of the view.

“Do we have any control over this thing?” You demanded to know, the little girl turning in your lap as she shook her head no, loud blaring of an emergency alarm filling the pod.

“Alright, we aren’t going to panic. If we survive the landing your brothers will be here soon enough okay? So just hold on-” you try to reassure her, running a gentle hand through her hair as you continue to fall towards the ocean. Not sure if you even believed your attempt at calming her, you didn’t want your final moments to be filled with fear before the unknown of what came after all this.

“I’m scared-” she said quietly, eyes closing as she snuggled into you. You didn’t respond, pulling her close, the scent of blaster fire lingering on her frame. You were going to be okay. The boys weren’t close behind. Everything would be fine-

Suddenly a loud thud came over the top of the pod, stalling the descent. Pulling the blaster you looked up, pushing Omega as far behind you as it would allow in the cramped space, ready to shoot if it was the bounty hunter who’d locked onto the escape pod. When it opened however, and the smoke cleared, Wrecker leaned his face into view.

“Omega?! Are you in there?” He shouted, looking down as his eyes landed on the both of you. Putting the gun back at your side you lifted her into his waiting arms. Once she was being lifted out of the pod, you began climbing the small ladder, as Wrecker welcomed her back.

“Tech your girlfriend is in here too-” he said cheerfully, Echo reaching down to help pull you out as well.

“Wrecker that is inappropriate as we are not courting-” Tech yelled from the cockpit as you found footing inside their ship. Hunter, who was still heavily bandaged turning to you as Omega greeted Echo from within Wrecker’s arms.

“You came to help. Why?” He asked you, pain still evident in his voice from whatever injuries he sustained.

“Because she needed it. I didn’t really do much if I am honest, just covered her exit-” you explained as Omega solemnly looked at you, tears welling in her eyes.

“I am so sorry about your ship,” she said as you shook your head.

“Don’t worry about it kid. Ships are replaceable. You aren’t.” You told her, ruffling her hair as she made her way to Hunter. Suddenly the waterworks started and he checked on her as you moved back, to allow them a reunion. You couldn’t imagine how frightening it must have been for her the last few days.

“Thank you for helping us find her. We would not have been able to do so in a timely manner had it not been for you.” Echo complimented.

“No need to thank me,” you began, only to have a clearing throat behind you prevent you from speaking further. Tech was leaning up against the wall leading into the cockpit, his face turned completely to the side, facing the control panel.

“If you’ll excuse me-” you told Echo, following Tech's stomping footsteps as he led you into the cockpit, promptly shutting the door behind you to allow privacy.

“Before you berate me can you at least-” you started, only to feel arms pull you, quite awkwardly, into a plastoid covered chest.

His helmet was off. You could tell by the way his breath ruffled your hair gently as he leaned his face down along the top of your head. Once the initial shock wore off, your arms moved behind him, tightening around his back in that section between his armor and utility belt, feeling the warmth as his body gave off from beneath the black suit.

Sure he was a bit musky from having gone a few rotations without a refresher to clean up, but he was here, solid and strong. Under the lingering scent of sweat, ash, and grime you could smell that GAR issued soap they kept on board, which always clung to him and became apparent when you leaned in to see the datapad over his shoulder.

“Thank you. Despite being reckless, your actions and intel were able to help us retrieve Omega,” he whispered against your hairline, his lips barely brushing the skin there as he spoke. The featherlike contact, making you shiver, goosebumps raising along your skin.

Not anticipating his gratitude, you didn’t respond initially, soaking up the rare affection as you noticed Tech didn’t often seem to enjoy people in his personal space. Any time you got too close he’d clear his throat, shifting away. Any time you’d accidentally brush your fingers against his own, he’d wipe his gloved palms over his thighs as if to remove any traces of you. This jump to initiating contact catching you off guard.

“I don’t regret anything. She’s safe. That’s all that matters,” you tell him, fingers finding the area just below the chest plate as you rub your hand up and down his back slowly, as if to test the waters. He doesn’t say anything, even if it did bother him, as you remain there for a moment longer.

“While Omega is a large priority of mine, I argue that your safety is also important,” he said, uncertainty laced in his voice.

“Well, that’s good to hear. I am glad you all are safe. I was worried when you said Wrecker temporarily went rogue.” You admit to him, removing your cheek from the harsh chestplate, putting your forehead there instead. Removing your arms from behind him, you prepared to end the embrace, despite not really wanting to.

“We are fine,” he said softly, noticing you pulling back as he dropped his hands slowly.

“Really? All here now? No missing limbs-” you start to tease as you pull away, finally catching a glimpse of him as you chuckle. “Oh. Missing hair though it would seem-” you point up, noticing the way he now sported a shaved patch on almost the entirety of one side of his head, where a small bandage covered a section just back from his temple.

Tech’s gloved fingers immediately sought out the side of his head, grazing the patch as he looked down, almost embarrassingly as his arm fell back to his side.

“Rather unfortunate but it’ll grow back. Although, Echo did take off more than I believe to have been necessary. Small price to pay for the removal of those chips. After seeing what it did to Wrecker, I do not mind having the peace of knowing that it will not affect me in the future-” He began to ramble, only to trail off as he noticed you lean up some, inspecting his hair with an unreadable expression. “Something wrong?” he asked, uneasiness setting in.

Not responding, you looked closer. Reaching your hand up gently, fingertips tracing a similar path that his own had, his eyes growing wide as you inspected the short hairs now on that side of his head, which contradicted the opposing side, where it remained slicked back. Small smile on your face as your hand fell away, but you kept close proximity to his stunned face.

“Not at all. I don’t hate it actually,” you slyly smile as his eyebrows shoot up in response.

“I find that hard to believe-” he states plainly as his eyes drift away momentarily before coming back to search for the truth. A part of him partly expects you to be playfully teasing him, as he’d come to accept that as part of your personality.

“Be that as it may, if I were you, I’d consider keeping it,” you tell him honestly, eyes glancing back to his own from within the confines of his goggles.

“Really?” he pressed, uncertain as he imagined it looked horrid, since he’d only felt around for it with the chaos that persisted after they removed the chips.

“I like it. It’s rugged in a way that is quite handsome,” you tell him honestly, stepping back from the almost trance you were in caused by the change in his appearance. Your cheeks burning red at the honesty you had spoken. The quick departure from his personal space made you miss the mirroring pair of pink tinted cheeks on the soldier.

“Oh,” he said, almost surprised as you turned away to rejoin the others. When you opened the door back to the main hull you barely heard Tech’s soft voice say, “fascinating…” as his fingers once again grazed his short hair with a childlike grin gracing his face.

₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

You were going to kill Cid. That was, assuming the Pykes didn’t kill you first. Not only had she conspired to have the bad batch steal spice to get rid of Roland Durand, who had moved in and taken the city in their absence. Fortunately your shop, not valuable without your knowledge of how to use the spare parts, had been spared, but not Cid’s.

When things had gone south, they lost the spice in an old mine shaft filled with a hive of irlings. Returning to the parlor, Omega were held in order to make the boys co-operate, and yourself to make Cid.

Hands bound next to the Devaronian male who instigated the whole situation, you couldn’t fully fault his anxiety. If the batch wasn’t able to recover the spice, you were as good as dead. So was Omega. Which is why you put your trust in them, praying to the maker Tech could figure out a solution that left you all to walk away.

You tried to remove the image of Tech’s very angry face as the leader of the Pykes told them that Omega and you would remain with them as collateral, his eyes snapping to yours as his hand reached for the pistol on his hip and held it up ready to fire without a second thought. Something about it was so incredibly protective. As someone who’d been on their own for such a long time, it made your stomach swarm with butterflies.

“Don’t try it. They’ll kill you,” Roland warned, your eyes snapping to Omega who was eying an abandoned gun on the floor near where you were all bound.

“I hate to agree but he’s right,” you whispered, gesturing for her to stay put. If there’s one thing you knew, it was to not mess with the Pykes.

“If your friends don’t return with the spice, we’re all dead. That’s what happens when you meddle in other people’s business,” he said very pessimistically.

“Us? You’re the one who took Cid’s parlor from her-” Omega began to argue, and not wishing to participate in their spat, you leaned your head back.

Ever since you all had rescued Omega from the bounty hunter, things had been different with you and Tech. Not incredibly so. He resumed the distance physically he always kept between you. It seemed he truly didn’t wish to invade your space and kept you from doing the same. That being said, there had not been an argument to date. Not even a slip of tongue from him that indicated a lack in your skills.

A part worried that he regretted it, or was possibly trying to keep you from making another advancement. You aren’t sure why you had complimented him, and despite the positive reaction it seemed to warrant, things had gotten somewhat stagnant. More awkward when you were alone, as if he was unsure. At this rate you left it in his court to decide. You made up your mind some time ago in that cockpit that you had feelings for the man, regardless of if he returned them.

You hoped he did. After all, he had decided to keep his hair buzzed down on the sides once it began growing back in, since you mentioned that you found it attractive, the shorter hair accentuating his more prominent features like his sharp jaw or chiseled cheekbones. That’s got to count for something, right? And when they were away on missions, he still messaged when he could check in or chat on long flights. You assumed that was a good sign.

There had also been an uptick in time he spent at your shop or flat. Sure, the others did as well. Omega often came by since she needed escapes from her brothers. Wrecker loving to come pilfer food from your pantry. Echo occasionally needed help with malfunctions in his mechanical arm or legs. Hunter was the one you saw the least, and never alone, but he tended to keep to himself. However Tech was there at seemingly every free moment he had - fixing stuff alongside you in the shop, occasionally reading up on manuals late at night in your flat as you briefly spoke about ideas for projects to help their jobs with Cid.

Just as nightfall began you all were ushered to the hanger, the Marauder visible you were pushed outside, landing on your knees next to Rolland and Omega. The boys exited the ship, Cid on their tails as Wrecker began to unload the spice. Glancing up at Tech’s worried eyes you felt relief knowing that the hard part was over.

Once Wrecker unloaded the last crate, one of the Pyke’s came behind you, knife in hand as you grew nervous. The Pykes weren’t galactically known for playing fair, and with Omega off to the side, you worried that they might punish you for Cid’s rash actions.

Tech watched, fingers reaching for his weapon as he saw the fear in your eyes. You made eye contact with him once more as you waited for whatever outcome may present itself, hoping that they would do their best to take care of you if it got ugly. Feeling movement on your wrists, you were relieved when they cut the bindings, pushing you forward.

“Since the spice has been returned, the matter between us is resolved,” they spoke, as you reached forward, Tech’s hand pulling you next to him as Hunter grabbed Omega. From over Cid’s head, you watched as they weren’t finished with the Devaronian, and you didn’t really care watching him deal with their anger.

“Are you unharmed?” Tech’s eyes found yours as you stabilize yourself, nodding to him. From the corner of your eye the others attempted to defuse the situation, to no avail as Roland had one of his horns shorn and the Pykes left.

The way Cid turned, offering everyone drinks as if she hadn’t looped you all into her mess, angered you. She’d almost gotten you, Omega, and the other’s killed because she wasn’t strong enough to stand up for herself in the face of a gangster.

Fire and brimstone in your blood, you felt your hands shaking as you let go of Tech’s arm. “I just want to go home,” you said, pushing his armored chest and began stomping away from the others, who were heading inside the Parlor, excited things had worked out.

Tech watched your retreating form, understanding your frustration but confused as to why you hadn’t wanted to celebrate with the others. After all, things had worked out, no one was injured. His voice calling your name wasn’t enough to halt your exit from the hanger, as you continued walking away from him.

Tech shot a glance at the others before diverting from their path to follow you back to your apartment, quicking his strides as he attempted to gain on you. You weren’t really sure why you kept on, ignoring his calls for you to wait. Perhaps anger at Cid. Maybe frustration at the situation. Or a feeling you couldn't quite put your finger on - either way you kept walking, rushing up the stairs as he was hot on your heels.

Just as you opened the door to your flat with a shoosh, Tech shoved his foot in the door before you could close it, pushing his way inside before you could lock him out. A bit presumptuous, but a small part of you felt relief seeing him make it in before you shut the world out.

“You heard me calling after you,” he said bluntly.

“I did,” you tell him, catching your breath from running, scowling when you realized that he didn’t have the same issue. Curse those genetically modified lungs.

“So why did you keep going?” He asked you, staring down at you. His helmet still held in his hands as you shifted your weight to the other leg, uncertain how to answer.

“I am not sure,” you tell him honestly. He pauses, before speaking.

“Do you wish for me to leave?”

You shake your head.

“Do you wish for me to stay with you?”

You nod.

He lets out a deep breath, setting the helmet on the table right near the door and probing his temple with his extremely long fingers.

“Should we just sit? Talk? What can I do? I need direction on how you wish to proceed,” he quietly begged as he set down the heavy backpack and removed the utility belt. It wasn’t the first time he’d been here and easily began stripping down to his blacks.

You didn’t respond, using your toes to put pressure on each of your heels as you slipped out of the worn leather boots and made quiet footfalls to your bed, sitting on it as you looked out the window. The electrical storm your devices predicted would be starting any minute. Despite the more destructive tendency they had, you thoroughly enjoyed watching them - even if they knocked out the power temporarily from time to time.

Tech watched you from near the entryway, your legs tucked up near your chest as you stared out the window, chin resting on your knees. Following behind you he made his way to your bed, neglecting how uncertain it felt as he lowered himself onto the comfortable surface. Never having sat on it before, he was surprised the way he sank into the plush material of your duvet. Sitting at the end of the bed, while you had propped yourself up near the wall, there was still a sizable distance between you both.

“We don’t have to talk if you do not wish, but may I try something-” he asked and you nodded, not tearing your eyes away from the first few flashes of light.

Gentle hands pried your shoulders away from where your legs were pushed up, as he pulled you back with ease. Positioning his body between yours and the wall, Tech arranged you between his long legs, leaning you back once more onto his chest. Arms dancing along your waist, he wasn’t sure if he should fully hold you or allow you to just rest against him, but something internal told him that this position was appropriate given the circumstances.

You made the call for him, pulling his arms up across your chest, sinking back into him more, eyes drifting close momentarily as he brushed the hair from your right shoulder to over your left. Soon his nose found the back of your neck as he leaned into your body, picking up the faint hint of the perfume you must’ve applied there hours ago.

“I am sorry that you got caught in the crossfire between Cid, Roland and the Pykes,” he whispered against your skin.

“It’s Cid’s fault, not yours,” you whisper, enjoying the way his exhales felt against the delicate skin of your neck. He doesn’t speak immediately, pulling you tighter to his chest as you feel his heartbeat along your back.

“Had we not agreed to assist in stealing the spice to begin with, none of it would not have occurred the way in which it did,” Tech admitted the error in judgment which nearly cost you and Omega your lives.

“You were trying to help out Cid-” you tried to reason.

“Which would’ve destroyed me if you had gotten hurt due to my poor decision to do so,” he whispered.

“Why is that Tech?” you whisper back, eyes watching the electrical storm pick up outside the window.

Once again he let the silence linger. Nervous to speak or not wanting to hurt your feelings with his response - you couldn’t be quite sure. Turning slightly, so that your shoulder rested against his chest to look at his face for answers. With the reflection of the window you couldn’t see his eyes.

Deciding to be brave if he wasn’t, you lifted your hands, fingers probing the edges of the goggles that always adorned his face as you quietly asked, “may I?” He only nodded as you lifted them very carefully up and over his head, setting them down on the bed next to you. His eyes had closed when you started to lift them, so you had yet to see his eyes unobstructed. Not pushing him you turned back towards the window, allowing him to speak when he gathered the nerve.

“I don’t like the thoughts of you getting hurt because I-” he started to murmur once more, a baited breath entering your lungs and staying there as you waited for him to continue. The air stinging your lungs as you realized he had paused once more, softly blowing it back out past your lips as you repeated the action once more.

Tech gathered as much nerve as humanly possible. He could easily be thrust into high stress scenarios. Battles? No issues. Firefights with gangsters? He always had a plan. But when it came to you? He had no baseline to establish it from. Sure he had been intimate before with strangers when the opportunity presented itself. He found it to usually lead to an unsatisfying place in which he was pretending to be something he wasn’t. Usually forcing himself to touch them despite feeling repulsed at being that close with someone. But when he was in proximity to you things were different.

That spark of electricity often cited as being drawn out by a member of the opposite gender was present, catching him off guard every time your fingers crossed paths. He found your sweet aroma to be so intoxicating. The flash of your smile, utterly adorable. The face you made when you concentrated on a repair - where your tongue darted out of the corner of your full lips - to be nearly stunting. Everything about you he found captivating.

I care for you.

You almost didn’t hear him whisper it, as the volume was so minimal it barely passed over his lips audibly. Turning to face him once more, you saw the nervous eyes of a caged animal, finally unguarded by those yellow frames.

Brown. But not dark and unwavering like Hunters or tinged with the grayish hue of Echo’s. Wreckers one good eye had a more blue undertone and Omega’s were nearly hazel. But Tech - Tech’s resembled honey. His iris illuminated with each flash of lightning from outside the window. And then suddenly, with a bright flash, the power went out, leaving you both in the dark as you continued to remain in his arms. Only sound being the matching pair of unsteady breathing.

“Tech…?” you whispered, while he looked back down at your anticipating face.

“Yes?” Tech questioned, knots in his stomach as you hadn’t responded to his admission of caring for you.

“Would you do something for me?” you posed the question.

Tech was certain you were going to kick him out, despite the storm, or at the very least make him go downstairs to leave you alone. Your silence only told him that you were likely formulating a way to let him down gently because surely someone one like you wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He was a clone. Clones stole your promising future. He frequently was unaware how to speak to you. His frustrations occasionally came out poorly as his jealousy for your knowledge plagued his mind. His blunt nature, often at odds with your proper socialization. You were perfect and he was just a copy of a man who was long gone, and a relic of an army that had been corrupted.

Distracted by his racing mind he almost didn’t hear you whisper it at the conclusion of his small nod.

Kiss me.

Tech did a double take, his attention snapping to you as your eyes locked with his own. He couldn’t stop the lump that formed in his throat as your angelic eyes blinked up at him through your lashes. The distance between you insurmountable as, despite the seated position, he would always tower over you. His gangly limbs and narrow frame creating such a divergence between your sizes.

“You want me to-”

“Kiss me. Please.” You begged, eyes trying to catch his own to reassure him it is what you wanted.

You were growing concerned with the way his mind seemed to still be running astray. Perhaps he meant he cared for you in a similar way that he did Omega. Oh maker, what if he meant it that way. Suddenly you were glad the lights were off. That way he couldn’t see your crumbling self esteem and wavering confidence. You were certain when he spoke the way he had, paired with the many small moments mounting over the last months, that he liked you. Only now to realize he most likely hadn’t meant it in a non romantic way.

“Tech, I am so-” you began only to have his warm, ungloved hand find purchase on the side of your cheek, lips meeting yours in fury.

The first thing you noticed, when the shock wore off, was that his lips were so incredibly soft. How could a soldier, constantly on the run from danger, be this plush and inviting? That sharp wit and wise energy always spilling past these lips - the same ones that insulted you when you first met - now on your own in a heated embrace.

Soft sighs exiting your lips, entering his mouth as Tech opened his own to invite tongues to this lovely endeavor. He had hardly needed to caress your bottom lip with the tip of his tongue before you both fell into that wonderful song and dance of exploring each other’s mouths.

Breaking away due to the unfortunate need for air, you tried to see him the best you could with the limited lighting situation. His hand falling to the side of your neck instead of on your cheek, he pulled your forehead towards his, resting his nose against your own. Eyes searching yours for any sign to end this interaction.

“You are the most enchanting woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting,” he admitted with a small chuckle, almost embarrassed of the words falling out of his mouth. Surely they resembled the words of a love drunken fool, not a soldier and engineer such as himself. Perhaps that is because they came from his heart, not his logical mind.

“Please do that again,” you beg him, a smile working its way on your face as you trail a hand up his chest, finding stability by wrapping it around the back of his neck. Your breathing having leveled out from the heated exchange, just as he instigated another one.

This time, he didn’t wait to request entrance to your mouth, tongue slipping in almost immediately. As soon as he began kissing you once more, your hand traveled up into the brown locks that sat just against his collar, tangling in them, separating the obnoxious gel he insisted on using to keep it from matting inside his helmet. It made you long to see him first thing in the morning or right after getting out of the refresher - when his hair was wild and carefree.

That wasn’t the only thing that you wanted to come undone as he effortlessly pulled you from being on the bed in front of him into his lap, legs going around his thighs as you perched yourself against him. Tech’s wandering hands began as soon as your bottom left the bed, his large palm tracing over the skin of your clothed ass, caressing it before his fingers flexed, digging into the roundness as he groaned into your mouth.

Tech, despite his reservations for touching anyone, had always enjoyed the roundness of an ass under his feelings. Especially an unclothed one. His brothers, arguing for a pair of breasts as more appealing, but he would always remain on the team that supported his large hands grabbing the meat of an ass.

For someone so lanky, and much thinner than his brothers, Tech certainly had a hidden strength to his frame that you hadn’t anticipated. Briefly on display as he lifted you into his lap with ease, he continued to further prove his ability as his demanding hands found your hips and squeezed, bicep flexing as your free hand landed on his left arm.

You aren’t sure what possessed you to do it either, but breaking away from his lips as you trailed kisses over his cheekbones until you found the skin of his earlobe, nibbling it between your teeth all while he groaned. Watching the always poised and put together pilot turn to putty under your mouth and body, making that wet spot of arousal in your undergarments grow by the second.

As you continued to trail the nipping to his neck, you mumbled out something about his shirt being in the way, fingers reaching under the top near his lower back as you tried in vain to remove it from his body. Pulling back, since he had developed that unexplainable sense of urgency at your kissing, he stripped it away with skilled ease, tossing it to the floor with reckless abandon.

It was odd. When he normally removed the parts of his armor in your flat, they were carefully and methodically unlatched and organized in a neat pile. Now, rocking into his lap as you stared down into his wild eyes, the dynamic propelled into a direction you never could’ve dreamed. Something in the pair of you had shifted from just awkwardly maneuvering around each other to actively lighting that fuse within your bodies.

He didn’t allow you the chance to examine his unclothed top however, as he quickly reattached your lips to his, pulling you closer as his head tipped ever so slightly to the side, accommodating the clashing of teeth and tongues in the fury. Still anxious to know exactly what he was like under that thick black suit or vest he always wore, you allowed your fingers to act as your eyes in the moment, all while getting such a lovely taste of his mouth while you exhaled through your nose which was harshly pressed against his cheek from the intensity the kisses you’d both developed.

Your hands trailed along his flamed but extremely solid body. Fingers finding purchase along the defined lines of his chest, and the valley that separated two pectorals that were much harsher than you would’ve anticipated given his much thinner frame. Sliding down, that same hand counted six definite sections in his abdomen as well, as you removed your lips from his in hast to such a much needed breath of air while your mind stilled.

Eyes finally seeing just how wonderful tanned skin of a soldier could be, you enjoyed the lovely view of dark hair trailing down just below his navel and into tight pants. The nearly vacant patch of hair along his chest meaning he either removed it or didn’t have it wasn’t a bother - you didn’t really love overly hairy men any way - as you gasp. He was the perfect blend of scars, moles, muscles, and… tattoos?

The chuckle that tore from your throat at the sight of black ink along his skin, was met with that ever so quizzical eyebrow as he flushed at your laugh.

“I must admit that laughter at the sight of one’s nakedness does not instill confidence,” he noted as you shook your head.

“I hadn’t expected you to have tattoos, it was more of a shock than a jest,” you comment, sliding back ever so slightly while remaining on his lap to get a good view.

“Why would you assume I would refrain from body modifications? You have seen Hunter’s face, and you’ve heard me mention our brother Crosshair-” he started as you placed your index finger along the seam of his lip, effectively silencing him with a sultry stare and the simple action.

“You just seem so much more straight laced than your brothers, I hadn’t expected you to cover yourself in something as trivial as artwork. But, that being said, I can’t help but find it so incredibly alluring…” you lean down to the simple ‘99’ tattooed along the same shoulder his armor detailed a similar marking, lips familiarizing yourself with the lines as you pulled back.

“I can assure you, despite my reserved nature, I am hardly straight laced, as you say,” he quipped, relinquishing the time he allowed you to study the marks in his bronze skin. He’d let you examine them some other time, possibly even with explanations of their origins. Right now, he was growing impatient.

Pulling you forward by the back of your neck, he changed his mind at the last moment, deciding that your collar bones sticking out of the shifted top you wore looked delectable, sucking them between his teeth as you squirmed along his lap once more. Satisfied with the mark it left in his wake, Tech found himself in your sex-hazed gaze once more.

“Tell me that you wish for this to continue. Please. I am not sure I can find it in myself to behave like a gentleman if you wish to stop much further than this,” he groaned, voice strained by a tone you had never heard from him. Tech’s voice was quite different from his brothers. The husky tone he now used, reminiscent of a crackling campfire as it came from the back of his throat, and laced itself into a pleasured groan.

“Please. I want this- I want you,” came your whisper into his jaw, lips grazing the sharp bone there.

I want you.

Tech couldn’t remember a time he was truly wanted. Usually his hookups stemmed from mutual boredom or someone realizing his brothers weren’t interested in them. A system of happenstance, of convenience of simple chance and mutual need for release. But to be told that he was desired, and that an intimate connection was wanted with someone he actually cared for on a personal level? A first.

And as for you, you wouldn’t admit it out loud but things certainly got lonely on Ord Mantell. Those friends on Coruscant slowly lost interest once you departed, leaving you with just Cid and acquaintances. The rest of your time alone in a dingy workshop or flat hidden away from the world. That was until Tech and the others came around. He brought a sense of belonging you hadn’t known. He brought company you’d been craving. He made you feel seen, appreciated and cared for.

He brought his hand up under your shirt and bra to cup your breast.

One of the first things you had noticed about him, all those rotations ago, was how long and dexterous his whole body was, but particularly his hands. Fingers so thin and nimble, wound with callouses, scars and distinguishable marks from his times tinkering. It had been rare to see him without gloves, but that barrier’s first time being removed showed just truly how captivating such a mundane body part could be.

These were the hands of a soldier. A man bred specifically for war. These were the hands of a pilot, who’s tight grip upon the steering wheel had saved thousands of lives. These were the hands of a fellow engineer and mechanic who understood the complexities of how your mind worked. These were the hands of a man who cared for you.

And those hands currently were squeezing your nipple with the perfect amount of firmness to make you purr.

Deciding that the only thing in the world you wished for right now was the feeling of his chest on your unclothed one, you pulled back, hands finding the bottom of your top as you flung it just as unceremoniously as he had done with his own. Tech wasted no time in finding the latches on your bra, unhooking the material and tossing it to the side as his hands finally held the weight of both your breasts within him.

Despite his larger than normal hand size, your breasts fit inside his palms like a perfect handful, while his thumbs continue that onslaught along your nipples, his lips finding that wonderful spot below your ear that makes you breathe heavily.

Your own hands, still running through his caramel locks while he worked your body with such expertise, tugging every now and again as he groaned against your neck between kisses and leaving smaller marks that would likely fade in only a few hours.

“Are you adequately protected?” came the husky question into your jaw, followed by another nip.

“Implant…” you hummed out, head falling to the side to accommodate his mouth as he snickered slightly in response.

Lifting you from his lap with no warning, Tech’s fingers found the latches of your pants with no problem, undoing them and tugging them down your legs as you wobbled from where you stood on the floor. Once they were lowered enough, Tech abruptly stood next to you, steading your arm as you stepped out of them, his feet stepping on the trousers in order to help you remove them easily.

Your face turned to meet his own, his body towering over your own as he looked down at you. Despite the full head’s distance between you both, and the darkness of the flat with the power being knocked out, you could still see the way his eyes darted from your full, unclothed breasts to the newly revealed skin of your legs.

One of his hands found purchase along your chin, tipping your face up even higher as you rose along your tiptoes to match his height the best you could. His other hand started along your mid back, trailing down until he found your panty clad rear, rubbing along the now exposed right cheek.

“Would you allow me to take charge here Mesh’la?” He asked gently, his hand still caressing your skin reverently, but despite the unexpected softness of the words and actions, you felt that with the look he gave you there was something more. Something almost predatory in his eyes.

“What does that mean?” you ask, unable to shake the curiosity at his use of the language you presumed to be Mando’a.

“Such an inquisitive mind you have…” he chuckled, using the hand on your chin to move your face to the side. Your eyes drifted close as he pressed a sweet his to the side of your face, trailing down more until he reached your ear. “I can’t get enough of that mind of yours,” he admitted, nibbling your earlobe once before continuing, hand tightening around your ass as the tone shifted. “Beautiful. It means beautiful. Which is exactly what you are, my mirdala girl…” he whispered so gently as he pulled back, hand dropping as he wound them both around your lower back.

“You keep using words I do not understand, and you have to realize I will continue to ask what they mean,” you tease with a small smile, hands finding his shoulders as you lock yourself in the embrace. Tech still had on trousers and you only had on underwear, but something about the stillness of it all, yet with contradictory the electrical storm raging outside, was strangely peaceful. Tearing clothes off one another and jumping into bed was one thing, but this, this was building towards something much more intimate.

“Clever. I called you my clever girl,” he nods your direction, fingers trailing up and down the expanse of your exposed back ever so slightly.

“Ah,” you thrum out as your lips tug at the corner into a small smirk, barely visible in the low lighting. “Your clever girl? I wasn’t aware you had claimed me. Sounds a bit possessive don’t you think?”

“I suppose it could be considered possessive, although I do not see you running away from the notion. I am to assume that not only are you fine with that, but based on the way your grip in my hair has just tightened and your pupils have dilated, that you want that. That you want me to claim you in some way,” he notes, and you realize he is correct. His attunement to your body language is uncanny as you hadn’t realized you had done so. Unable to form a response, you nod gently.

“If you wish for me to stop, at any point, all you need to do is say so. Do you understand,” Tech let one hand fall from your back, reaching for his belt and once again you nodded, causing him to pause.

“Verbally. I want verbal consent. You can do that for me right my clever girl?” he used the phrase once again and you shuttered. Something about the way his voice dribbled with arousal in the fact he found your mind to be brilliant brought forth a surge of confidence.

“Yes. I trust you Tech,” you speak calmly and clearly despite the shaking in your hands. Anticipation building to the point your body could not contain the excitement of what he had planned.

You barely caught the smirk on his thin lips before he gripped your hips and spun you around, pushing your back down as you got the memo, laying yourself across the bed as you heard the sound of the belt buckle being undone and pants abruptly being shoved to the floor.

Once again his hands resumed that gentle and reverant stroking along your backside as a hum spilled from his lips. Looking back over your shoulder you saw such a glorious sight. Tech’s hands wrapped around his length as he stroked it slightly with one hand while holding your ass in the other. He glanced up from your bottom to make eye contact briefly as he took his bottom lip under straight white teeth.

Pausing momentarily he saw the thin scrap of underwear disappearing between your lower cheeks and decided now was a good time to rid you of the offending material, grabbing them and tugging them down slightly until they landed near your knees, allowing you to step out of them.

His hand resumed its position on your body, but this time, it gently nudged you up onto the bed, and you complied with his nonverbal request, positioning your body just slightly up on the bed as you held yourself up on your knees. From behind you could hear the way Tech sucked in a breath between his clenched teeth as his hand found that spot along your backside once more.

You had deduced early in this exchange of kissing that he likely was a man who preferred a bottom to breasts. Most men had a likeness to one over the other, and Tech was no different. The knowledge made you feel proud, arching your back ever so slightly as if to present it to him in the most appealing way you could given the position.

“You look so wonderful like this. I wish you weren’t behaving so nicely, so I would have an excuse to bring my hand down on you and mark you right here. However I would feel guilty doing such actions when you are being so perfect,” he admitted and you smiled at the wall, glancing back over your shoulder at him.

“Who said you can’t anyway. I hardly need to be a brat in order for you to spa-” you began the permission and he quickly resolved himself to take it the second you had granted it. The smack, not nearly as hard as you were anticipating but still firm, filling the air and stopping your sentence midway as you let out a squeak at the contact.

Your biceps flexing as you locked your arms to maintain your position on the bed, holding yourself up as his hand soothed the red flushed skin with care and attention. Tracing the hand up, you felt him rest it along your upper back as his fingers hooked over your shoulder, and near your knees you felt the mattress dip ever so slightly.

Tech covered the expanse of your back with his body, his left arm coming up to the side of you as he braced himself up just hovering over your back, his right hand moving to brush your hair over your shoulder so that his nose could trace along your upper back. You could feel his eyelashes fluttering along the skin of your shoulder blades as he lowered his mouth to kiss your back a few times gently.

“So pliable for me…” he praised as he continued to issue praise in the form of tender kisses that slowly made their way ending with your sweat-dampened temple.

Tech had always had sexual relationships from behind. There was an impersonal attitude that came with engaging in the act similarly to the way animals did. Not seeing the woman’s face, and only focusing on the connection of his body with theirs - it made him feel less awkward about the exchange. But something about the way his body caved around yours felt right. He was touching your body with his own almost completely, and he nearly fainted when he realized that he was enjoying the contact. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the damp nature both your bodies had developed in the precursor to intercourse, he felt delighted knowing he’d caused such reactions. So against every previous metric in his mind for engaging in sexual relations, he manuvored your body to your back, so that you could stare up at him as he lowered himself on top of you.

Tech wasn’t sure how to quantify the way his stomach began to flutter at the way you stared at him, nor the way your velvety skin along his felt, other than bliss. Something about the intimacy shook him to the core. It made him want to come undone and he hadn’t even slid into you yet.

You were surprised as his ability to be tender, as his index finger pushed the hair back from your face, cupping the back of your neck to lift it from the pillow as he pulled the longer strands of your hair - which you’d uncomfortably been laying on - above and around your face like a halo. How he’d realized you were slightly uncomfortable with the tugging caused by your back, you’d never know, but you’d be grateful for long after this exchange nonetheless.

“I’ve never met someone who had made me experience what I am feeling at this present moment,” he admitted, his nose leaning down as he gently caressed your own. Keeping it there, his forehead soon pressed against your own as his eyes searched yours for a reply.

“What are you feeling?” you whisper, eyes focusing on his right iris as the pupil waivered slightly larger before he continued speaking.

“Bliss. Euphoria. Revelry. Perhaps those are words that I could use to quantify it, and yet-” Tech began, hand searching for yours as you allowed him to wrap his fingers around yours while you stared at him expectantly. Your legs widening to accommodate him as you feel his tip slide between your folds and line up expertly with your hole. You are uncertain what he is trying to say, and in all honesty it appears that he is as well. His eyes drift close as, in a rare turn of events, his body wins out over his mind, and he presses within you before completing his thought. You can’t stop the way your eyes flutter shut at the feeling, no point in remaining open if his own are closed anyway.

You had expected him to slide in slowly, as his sweet words and actions leading to this point had been cautious almost, but instead he is direct in the way his cock slides into you as if it’s coming home. As if he’s returning to a place he was always meant to be. The stretch is gone in an instant as he plows into you abruptly at first, but pausing as he reaches the entrance of your womb with his tip. “They do not come close to describing the way I feel right now,” he whispered, making your eyes fly open once more as you stare up at him.

You have died and gone to the afterlife. The Pykes most certainly killed you and left you in an alley on Ord Mantell. That is the only logical explanation for the way you were feeling. The only thing you can do is affectionately tighten your grip on your joined hands as you raise your hips slightly, giving him permission to move.

Tech didn’t need to be encouraged twice, sliding in and out of you with joy as he held himself up with one of his arms. Your head falling back into the pillow as you lose yourself between his calculated thrusts, he decides that not being able to look into your eyes while he continues to make himself at home within your body isn’t what he wants.

You feel his grip slipping from your hand and anticipate it will go to your breasts for a playful tug, but when you feel his fingers on your jaw, pulling your face back you once again look up at him, curiously.

“I. Want. To. See. Your. Eyes. On. Me.” he commands and you feel a shiver that starts near your neck and travels the length of your body as you nod, legs widening even further as he picks up the pace ever so slightly.

His hand abandons your chin as he places it along your side, raising your body at the hips so you can meet his thrusts, your eyes staring deeply into his own. Tech had surprised even himself in demanding to see you staring at him while he plowed into you, but something about watching your face as he pushed you both in the direction of release made him feel a pride he’d never known before. With each lewd noise coming from where you were joined, to each whimper or sigh leaving your lips, to the sweat he felt along his brow from exertion - he felt more of that blossoming heat in his stomach at the passion between your bodies.

You feel similarly, as you wrap your legs around his thin waist, holding him there so that your union is only intensified and he can reach that absolutely tender spot within your walls that becomes electric when he begins to repeatedly stimulate it over and over again with his steady thrusts. “Tech…” you whimpered as he continued his movement, no external indications that he is approaching orgasm, despite the fact it is true.

“Say my name again, please-” he whimpers as you nod, once again saying his name while he pushes inside of you especially hard, a yell tearing from your throat as your hips chant up after his retreat, wanting another harsh thrust. He delivers it immediately, his body pushing you into the bed as he begins frantically diving into you with reckless abandon.

“Where?” he demands, your hips held in his hand as his fingers squeeze harshly. You can tell he’s close now, the fire in his eyes doing nothing to dull the flames of desire that both of your bodies are feeling as he plunges into your warmth.

“Inside-” you give him the permission and once again he does not hesitate to take it, his hand abandoning your waist in order to rub feverish circles upon your clit so that you approach orgasm the same time he does. Your voice calls out his name loudly as you feel every nerve ending within your body set ablaze. He responds to you, chanting yours in response as he pushes his load so deeply within your walls you gasp at the way his tip quivers against the opening of your womb. You feel the throbbing inside until he slows to a stop, body collapsing on top of yours as you both gasp for air.

His breathing, erratic against your neck as you push his now half gelled and half wild hair off his forehead while you slow your heart rate the best you can. He’s growing soft within you, but you can tell that even while flaccid he’s still larger than the average man. Tech eventually pulls back from your neck, eyes searching for yours as his hand cups the side of your face lovingly.

“You are incredible,” he comments kindly as you blush, feeling as he begins to slip from within you, his spill landing somewhere on the covers below you. You don’t really care. You can clean it later.

“So are you,” you return the compliment as he smiles, leaning in to kiss you once more, this time only using his lips in order to show affection not reignite the passion of your endeavor.

“Yes, but I was genetically engineered that way. You have come by your splendor naturally,” Tech replies as you laugh, lights immediately flickering back on as you both startle at the suddenness of seeing each other without the dulled darkness of your flat.

“That is one way to put it. Still doesn’t make you any less wonderful Tech,” you tell him, immediately feeling more self conscious with the added light. This becomes something he notices almost immediately, as he leans up to get a better view of you. Your body was covered in small love bites and a few bruises from where he’d gripped a bit too hard. Lips swollen from his kisses and sweat covering all of you. Hair disheveled and yet - you looked like the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“And I thought you were lovely in the twilight, but my dear you look positively exquisite,” he encourages you as he lowers his mouth to your brow before kisses between your eyebrows and then over each closed eyelid.

“Such a way with words,” you say sweetly and he immediately begins snickering as you blink confused at his outburst.

“If I recall, the first time we met, I insulted your ability to fix Cid’s gambling device” he reminds her. It seemed so long ago he had done that, and from then you had only grown closer. Finding a mutual understanding. Finding friendship. Finding the beginnings of love.

“You did,” you scoff at the memory.

“I remember crawling under the control panel and when you yelped, thinking that I thought I was going to stop breathing,” Tech admits and you are surprised.

“What do you mean?”

“I just couldn’t help but think that I had suddenly found myself in close proximity with a very beautiful woman. And that feeling only intensified once I discovered your love of engineering. Since then it’s grown to a point I find it distracting,” Tech explains and you smile.

“Oh so you really like me then,” you chide, almost childishly as he rolls his eyes at your antics.

“I believe the fact that my seed is actively leaking out of you to be sufficient proof as to my interest in you,” he bluntly states. You grimace looking down at the sheer quantity of said mess. It was more than you realized.

“Would you like to get in the refres-”

“Yes,” he cuts you off abruptly as you laugh. You figured he wouldn’t enjoy being unclean. He lifts his body off of you with ease and holds out a hand to help you rise from the bed.

“I am going to want a full detailed report on all of these,” you tell him, finger tracing one of the tattoos on his shoulder.

“I believe I can arrange that,” he chides with a small peck to your forehead, pulling you along to the small shower stall your flat has.

As he walks just ahead of you, you can’t help but think that this blossoming romance might have been worth the emergency landing on Ord Mantell all those years ago.

The end.

96 notes · View notes

junowritings · 9 months ago

Text

Been going through a bit of a bad batch kick and got inspired by a prompt so I wanted to try my hand at writing a lil something!

Huge thanks to @itscanonfellas for helping me with this and putting up with my rambling!

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A Reprieve

Tech X Reader

Warnings: None, just pure fluff really

Prompt: 1. Firefly outside on a dark night.

prompt list x

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With the Empire a constant threat breathing down your neck, respite was a luxury rarely afforded and often downright ignored for the sake of survival. It was to be expected, you knew what you had signed up for traveling with your wayward band of misfit clones - but with each day of endless running and hiding, it was becoming harder to remember times that you weren’t bunged up in the Marauder for a mission or being chased down on a supposedly ‘safe’ planet.

Whether it was your own wishes spoken into existence, or something out there in the universe had taken mercy, your break finally came in the form of blaster fire.

You were never good with technology, but judging by Echo’s grumbling as he assessed the damage on the monitor, it wasn’t very good, whatever had been hit. Something about being a pain in the shebs to fix, but manageable. You didn’t speak much Mando’an but you felt you could connect the dots on that one.

The ship would have made the journey back to Ord Mantell just fine if a little slower than wanted, but with the job done and no one particularly eager to return to Cid’s parlor, there was no rush to get back planetside just yet.

Instead Hunter had relented, landing the Marauder for a quick pit stop, settling onto the first small planet that was far enough away not to draw unwanted attention.

This temporary stop is probably the most peace you’ve had in months. Dense treelines stretch out as far as you can see on all sides, rich with flora of all kinds that Hunter double checks are safe before he lets anyone even get a foot off the craft.

There are small bodies of water dotted across the grassy terrain and you can’t take a few steps without stepping in one on your path through the grass. They go no deeper than knee-length, a fact quickly discovered when Wrecker had jumped straight into the nearest one - expecting a puddle only to sink straight down to his boots, water flooding through the crevices much to his annoyance.

You and Omega had laughed at his plight, until he’d rounded on you both and you’d scattered, avoiding your own watery fate from the hands of your bomb expert. Once the initial scan of the immediate vicinity flagged no dangers – and the three of you had made a fine show of kicking up water, Hunter had allowed you to take off to - for the lack of a more professional word, play.

It’s nice to see Omega get to be a child, the moments are few and far between and the girl is so clever, it’s hard to remember she’s only been around for 13 cycles.

You allow yourself this moment, splashing around and soaking your fellow teammates whilst the ship is getting fixed. Hunter watches from the sidelines - supervising to make sure they don’t get too out of hand.

At least until Omega catches Hunter in the watery crossfire that was originally meant for you. You both freeze. Wrecker bellows with laughter somewhere behind you all. Hunter slowly turns to face Omega, hair dripping into his face, covering his tattoos so he looks positively menacing.

Omega takes off running first with a cackle, already anticipating when Hunter follows in hot pursuit. It’s an unfair fight, Hunter’s legs are longer and the man’s got unnatural speed, but Omega’s crafty and uses the terrain to her advantage.

Of course, just as you start to cheer Omega on, she trips head first into the puddle at her feet, disappearing in a spray of water. Hunter trudges his way through the marsh and pulls her out by the collar, much like a bedraggled Lothcat.

That signals the end of the battle for the new planet; Hunter tucks Omega under one arm and takes her back to the safety of the Marauder.

From inside the vessel, there are very loud complaints that water should be kept outside of the ship and that included Omega in her current state. This of course is ignored.

“Well, party’s over.” Wrecker wades his way back to dry land, beckoning you to follow which you do - at a much slower pace.

You’re both sopping wet when you reach the grassy bank and you decide you’re not going to risk Echo’s or Tech’s wrath on this one, leave that for Omega and Wrecker. “I’ll just be a few, if you need me you know where to find me.”

Wrecker shrugs, like he doesn’t understand the want to be outside alone, but allows you this piece of solitude “Don’t forget, this ain’t over, next planet we’re on it’s victor against victor.”

Technically, there had been no victor - Maker you weren’t even aware it was a fight for the title, or what this title was. Still, you’ll allow Wrecker to have this. You shoo Wrecker away with a grin. He jabs his two fingers at his eyes and then towards you, which you mimic before he disappears inside the ship.

“Wrecker, for the last time you are not a mop, wring yourself out before you step foot on this ship.”

Even from outside the ship you can hear the impending scolding and you snicker as your own shoes squelch with each step.

The last slivers of sun are gone by the time you flop onto the bank, squeezing out what water you can from your hair and clothes, before splaying out onto the grass.

A chill settles in now that you’re not stomping through puddles, but the cool breeze is welcome after your tussle on the marshy battlefield and you stretch out, breathing deep. The air smells of wet soil and fresh grass and you give yourself a moment to just enjoy something that isn’t stale air and smoke.

Almost on instinct, your eyes flutter closed, basking in the feeling while you have it. Your senses are nowhere near as refined as Hunter’s - which, considering how loud things can get on the Marauder, the poor man must suffer terribly - but like this you catch the little things. The wind simpers, making a low howling sound as it blows softly through the breaks in the treeline, masked only by the dull hum of the ship.

If you strain your ears you can make out the commotion inside - can hear Wrecker arguing that his armor’s still good to wear even though it had been dripping buckets earlier. You catch Omega grumbling something about drying her hair herself and grin, knowing that the kid’s not going to escape Hunter’s grip till she’s not a walking water balloon skulking around the Marauder.

The bickering is playful, void of any of the stress that’s been bubbling among the crew for too long. The batch had needed this excursion even if at first it had been an inconvenience - things were content, relaxed for the first time in a long while.

All too soon, however, this tranquility would be over. No doubt it won’t be long before you get the call to head back and the illusion of peace will shatter. You frown. It’s a sobering thought, an unpleasant reminder of the routine the whole team will fall back into once you leave this planet behind. You want it to last longer - to forget about anything that exists past this planet's atmosphere, so the galaxy doesn’t feel like it’s crumbling apart for once and it’s not your job to try to patch up the cracks. If for just a few more hours.

With a sigh, you run a hand through your hair – damp but thankfully not soaked. With any luck you’ll be able to sneak onboard without catching as much flack as Omega and Wrecker did-

“Have you been banished from the ship for any particular reason?”

If anyone asks, no, you don’t almost jump out of your skin at the sudden noise, and you definitely don’t narrowly avoid slipping down the bank as you dig your heels in and scramble to look up. You have to crane your neck back to see his face, but your blood pressure is still cussing out Tech for the scare the moment you recognize the clone standing behind you.

“Me? Banished? Never.” You mock gasp taking the shock in stride as you clutch your chest - partly for dramatics but also to check that your heart’s still beating. Somehow that doesn’t seem to convince him - not that you have the best track record anyway - so you shrug.

“Thought I’d dry off before getting onboard. Wouldn’t wanna add to the indoor pool Omega and Wrecker have got going on in there.”

Tech looks positively miserable at the reminder of the mess, sighing. “Well the sentiment is appreciated. At least one of you has the sense not to risk waterlogging the ship.”

You go to argue that he’s exaggerating - it wasn’t like they’d been that badly drenched. Until you remember Omega was more water than girl by the time Hunter had carried her back into the ship, and Wrecker wasn’t any better with half the marsh stuffed in his gear. Point taken.

You half expect Tech to herd you back onto the ship. If he’s out here, then that means the Marauder’s patched up and ready to go - Tech’s never one to leave a job half finished. But he doesn’t. Instead he pads over to the space beside you, making sure it’s dry before taking a seat on the bank, unclipping his datapad from his belt and bringing it to his face.

Blinking you roll over to get a better look at him, watching Tech tap away at the screen with no urgency. The wind picks up, ruffling his hair and cutting through the silence that stretches for a moment. When had his hair gotten so long? It had been short and slicked back when you had met so many moons ago, now it curled just past the ear - still kept meticulously out of his face. You supposed there weren’t many options out in deep space, you couldn’t imagine being caught by the Empire with half a head done.

And you weren’t about to trust Wrecker and his clippers either.

The silence is almost comfortable, settling between you until Tech speaks again, not sparing a glance from the machine.

“I suppose statistically there are worse planets to land on.” He muses, almost to himself. You were sure he was until he gave a sideways glance in your direction “Though we won’t be interrupting its tranquility for long, we will be space worthy within the hour.”

“Ah. Done already?” Propping your cheek in your hand, you tilt your head trying to catch a glimpse of his screen - with no luck. You’ve always wondered what he types away on that thing. Maybe it’s his diary.

The image of a teenage Tech writing all his secrets in a data pad, hiding away what he had done that day or who had gained his highest admiration, makes you smile, and you hide it in the palm of your hand.

“They were simply routine repairs” Tech reassures “The blaster fire compromised a few controls. Nothing I could not fix, naturally.” from anyone else that would be bragging, but knowing Tech it’s as easy for him as he makes it sound, probably could have done it in his sleep if he was so inclined. Not that he does, mind you.

A pause, then he glances up from his data pad finally in your direction. “You sound disappointed?” there’s a questioning to his tone, like he’s unsure why exactly you would be disheartened having to leave this little haven.

“Well I don’t think any of us wanna be stranded, Tech.” Absently you run your hand through the grass, tugging a few blades between your fingers. Maker, how long had it been since you’d gotten to touch real grass? “Just a shame is all. I was getting used to it.”

“It?”

“Yknow, this” You gesture around. “The peace and quiet-”

As if on cue, a crash rattles the Marauder, Wrecker’s cackle echoing from inside; making you startle and Tech sigh like he was expecting it. After a moment it settles, the rocking slowing and you turn back to Tech.

“Okay maybe not quiet - you know what I mean.”

Tech gives a hum of acknowledgment. “I understand. Between missions from Cid and maintaining a low profile, there’s been little else. Rest has been difficult.”

For him more so than most, you want to add. You can’t remember a time since joining the crew that Tech’s had more than a Powernap. You’ve found him curled up in the pilot’s seat a few times, or face down on his datapad for a couple clicks when things quiet down. But anything longer than that? Maker, you can't tell if that’s just a Tech thing or if the rest of the batch have the same struggle.

You wouldn’t blame them, not after everything they’ve been through.

“Though the amount of water brought back aboard is less than ideal, this brief excursion has been…” Tech trails off, like he’s trying to find the right word. “It’s…nice.” He decides and you chuckle.

“Eloquently put from a man of many words.”

You catch him rolling his eyes behind his goggles, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips, but he doesn’t comment further on the sarcastic comment.

Conversation lulls so your attention wanders elsewhere. The water around you has settled without several pairs of boots stomping through it. You can see why Wrecker thought they were just puddles - the only indication otherwise is the reeds that sprout up around the marshy underbrush, standing tall and almost glowing against the deep blue reflection of the-

Wait.

There’s a blue light beginning to glow between the reeds, which is new. You change directions; lying flat on your belly so you can peer over the edge into one of the little pools, trying to make out what the source of the light is and where it’s coming from. Tech begins leaning closer as if to pull you back from the edge.

“I wouldn’t advise-“ Tech goes to warn you but you beat him to it with an excited gasp.

“Fireflies!”

“What?”

Sure enough the source of the light is indeed fireflies, or at least, something that resembles them. There’s dozens of them; they weave in and out of the reeds, appearing from small pockets around the pools and slowly rising up into the darkened sky, generating a hazy blue bioluminescent light.

You lean back at the revelation, pushing yourself a safe distance from the waters edge as they begin to emerge and fan out across the terrain, their numbers increasing with every second. What had once been a sea of browns and greens, is now an artwork of azure blue.

There have been many wonders that you have come across exploring the galaxy, only multiplied further by the arrival of the batch. And yet sights like these never get old - little pockets of something far removed from the chaos of the universe just waiting to be discovered.

In another life you could stay here, longer than an hour, longer than a day, if only for the promise of such a sight waiting outside of the ship every night. But with that a distant wish you settle for just now, entranced by the vibrant hues that makes the whole place glow like it’s alive.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen something pretty that hasn’t immediately tried to kill us.” Your sigh is wistful as you pull your legs up to your chest, chin resting on your knees as your eyes trace patterns of the lightshow generated by the myriad of luminescent insects.

“I agree. Though what you have found ‘pretty’ in the past has been notably questionable.”

You clutch your non-existent pearls at the jab, mouth aghast.“Really? Name one time I’ve been questionable!”

“I distinctly remember you calling a rancor ‘adorable”. The quotation marks Tech makes with his free hand earn him a glowering look as you jab an accusatory finger at him.

“Muchi was adorable!”

“Was that decided before or after almost being trampled in her rampage?”

…Fair point. That point of course is promptly ignored as the sky is suddenly far more fascinating than deigning him with a retort that just proves him right again.

With night rolling in, many of the fireflies have wandered from the marshes, meandering overhead and dotting about the skyline above you. They blend into the sky, merging alongside the myriad of stars until you can hardly differentiate the two in a canvas of breathtakingly dark hues. It’s a humbling kind of beauty, and you take your time idling the moments away admiring the sapphire speckles of light buzzing through the air for a while, mesmerized by the simple wonder before you turn to see if Tech’s watching too.

Only to stifle a chuckle.

A firefly has perched itself on the rim of Tech’s goggles, a tiny little thing that casts a soft blue glow over the yellow tint of his lenses. He hasn’t noticed, face still half buried in the datapad in his hands, laser focused on whatever he’s working on.

As much as you’d love to see how long it takes to notice his new companion, as the seconds tick by the urge to point it out is too great and a minute later you cave.

“Tech.” He hums in acknowledgment but doesn’t look up. It’s only by the third call that Tech finally deems it necessary to tear his gaze away from the device, and there's no hiding the little grin on your face when he tilts his head to face you.

“I think you’ve got something there.” you tap a finger beside your temple just above your right eye, mirroring where his goggles rest on his face.

Of course he connects the dots quickly, and on instinct Tech brings a hand up to adjust his goggles. You half expect the firefly to take off the second he does so, and though its wings flutter briskly to keep itself balanced it doesn’t budge. In fact the little bug uses the gesture as a bridge to climb across the frame and onto his glove, pattering delicately down the fabric before coming to settle on one of his knuckles, where it stops with a deciding flutter.

Whether emboldened by their fellow firefly or drawn in by its light reflecting off of Tech’s glove, it doesn’t take long for a few other fireflies to break from the formation above your heads and move to join the insect.

Before you know it, several of the little things have come to rest on the back of his hand, essentially using the clone’s hand as a landing pad. For what it’s worth Tech doesn’t even flinch at the development, even though the glow is now bright enough that he looks blue right up to his wrist.

If Tech wanted to, he could easily ward them off with a shake of his hand. Surprisingly, he doesn’t. Instead he places his datapad onto his lap, maneuvering his hand to better view these miniscule guests who have made his hand their temporary perch.

Fearless little things; they hardly move an inch as he does so. This time your laugh at his plight doesn’t go unnoticed and Tech gives you a side glance at the soft sound, wordlessly questioning what you find so amusing with an arched brow.

“They must like you.” You tease, grin a little squished with how your cheek presses against your knee when you tilt your head.

“Unlikely.” Tech is quick to dissuade you of the notion, no doubt pulling on the well of knowledge knocking around in his brain as he continues.

“It is merely a lack of socialization.” He explains, twisting his hand to allow you a closer look. “This planet would rarely see interference from outside influences, and natural predators are limited in such a way that they lack the reservations for caution. Simply put, they have no reason to fear us.”

You nod sagely, like you understood more than the last third of what he’d just said. You’re more focused on admiring the fireflies now that they’re a little closer. Though there’s some distance between the two of you, you can make out that the light the fireflies admit isn’t one stagnant color. No, they instead seem to cycle through several shades of blue - from azures to royal tints that remind you all too fondly of the tumultuous hues of deep oceans.

When you look up to point it out you’re surprised to find Tech's attention is solely on you. Warm brown eyes regard you intently through tinted lenses, and you instinctively give yourself a once over to check that you don’t have any bioluminescent plus-ones of your own. Upon finding none you’re puzzled and begin to ask what’s wrong; only to pause when he nods as though resolving an internal matter in his head.

“Very well - come closer.”

“What?” Brows furrowing your expression scrunches up in confusion. What is he-?

He doesn’t explain, instead shifting positions so that his whole body is facing you. “It will only take a moment. Just raise your hand - like so.”

Curiosity wins out and you do as he asks, scooting closer and holding out your hand with the palm facing upwards as Tech demonstrates. Your legs knock against the knee pads of his armor and you have to readjust yourself a few times to get comfortable, but eventually you get settled so you’re sitting face to face.

Satisfied with your cooperation Tech’s free hand moves to catch your wrist. It’s a small gesture, but your whole arm prickles like a shot’s gone through your system as you freeze. His touch is gentler than you’d anticipated but the weathered material of his gloves takes some getting used to as he steadies your hand, the warmth a stark contrast to the cool night air.

“Do I need to ask what you’re doing?”

“You can, though it is far easier to show you if you are patient. Now try not to move.”

Easier said than done when he’s holding your wrist like that, and even more so as he brings both hands to cover yours. Your gaze snaps up to Tech’s face, attempting to gauge what’s going through that brain of his. His expression is frustratingly neutral so you have nothing to clue you in on his train of thought. You’re about to bite the bullet and just ask when-

“There we go.”

“Huh?” blinking, you glance down at your connected hands and finally realize what he’d been doing.

The fireflies have taken advantage of the new connection and transferred from Tech’s hand to your own. They tickle as they pad across the bare skin of your palm, leaving it tingling in the wake of their tiny legs as they fan out along your palm. A faint prickle settles all the way up to your fingertips as they potter about, reminding you vaguely of static - you have to wonder if that’s got anything to do with the electrifying colors that they display.

You giggle, wiggling your fingers slowly and their wings flutter at the motion, that fascinating light flaring up brighter and bathing your fingers bright blue. No doubt your face paints a similar picture of the vibrant hue as you lean in to get a closer look, eyes alight in the dance of the emanating glow with a reverent awe.

“I believe they must like you too.” You catch the amused lilt in Tech’s voice as he speaks, breaking you from your reverie and echoing your own words back to you. You snort at the irony.

“Hey, that’s my line-“ you prepare yourself for another teasing jab, grinning despite yourself when you glance up and-

Oh. Oh. He’s a lot closer than before.

Tech’s hunched forward, assuming the usual posture when studying something of interest - definitely not good for his back, but that complaint has fallen on deaf ears for a few months at least. Now though he’s close enough that your faces are only a couple inches apart, and while Tech is focused on your hands you can’t tear your eyes away from him.

The soft blue glow of your surroundings highlights the sharper edges of Tech’s features, azure running along his cheeks and glinting off of his goggles turning them a deeper hue than the usual yellow. Beautiful, is the first word that comes to mind, eyes running along the curve of his jaw as he speaks.

“While it does not happen often, I must concede that you were right in your assessment.” There’s a hint of praise in his words, and that really doesn’t help your brain from overthinking this gesture.

It takes a second to remember how to breathe - since when has breathing suddenly become a conscious effort? Your inhale is sharp as you will your pulse to stop pounding in your ears - with no luck.

“Uh, Tech?”

“The bioluminescence they generate is both aesthetically pleasing and practical-”

“Tech you’re a bit-”

“-That is to say, yes, they are rather pretty.”

“Tech-”

“Yes?”

You startle at how fast his eyes are back on you, that intent gaze from before settled on you with enough intensity that you feel as though you’re under a damn spotlight. The hand cupping your wrist still holds you with a gentle firmness, and you’re pretty sure that your heart shoots straight up into your throat when you feel Tech brush his thumb along the radial pulse.

What were you even going to ask? Were you going to warn him of the close proximity? If you were you’ve no doubt that Tech would be quick to rectify the issue - but was it really an issue? Somehow the thought alone of him moving an inch away is a disheartening prospect.

You force the lump in your throat down, swallowing hard as your lips part with half formed thoughts before you think twice. “I…Tech, do you think-”

“HEY!”

A calmer person wouldn’t have jumped at the sudden interruption, would have heard the call coming from a mile away. You aren’t that lucky - you shoot up so fast that your head bumps against Tech’s with an audible click. The reaction is immediate, both you and Tech groan in pain; shooting away from each other to avoid any other potential collisions and the fireflies instantly scatter to the wind.

Fucking ouch.

You clutch at your head, the point of impact throbbing beneath your touch. That’s going to leave a mark for sure.

Your attention snaps over to the ship to locate the owner of the voice and cause for your newfound injury, just in time to catch Omega as she pokes her head around the hatch from inside the Marauder. Her hair’s curled thanks to the earlier dunk, messy blonde strands framing her face and slightly frizzed no doubt thanks to Hunter’s attempt to dry her off. The man probably scrubbed every last drop off of her poor kid.

“We’re ready to go!” She waves you over excitedly.

Just as quickly as she appears the young girl vanishes back within the ship’s interior, leaving you staring at the empty space she had just inhabited.

Just like her brothers - causes chaos and leaves just as quickly.

You look back over to Tech who is also clutching his own head; you’d gotten the worst of it, but the bump had clearly caused Tech some discomfort as well. He rubs the spot with a pout, wincing under the touch.

The situation is so silly, like something out of a holofilm and, despite the pain, you can’t help but smile a little. Still you at least have half the mind to make sure your skull hasn’t done any lasting harm to Tech. Once you’re sure there’s no more surprise interruptions imminent you shift to check in on Tech, bringing a hand to cup the side of his face angling his head to survey the damage.

“You okay? Didn’t cause too much damage did I?” His skin is a little rosy from the knock but thankfully there’s no imminent bruising - you don’t think anyone would be particularly happy with you if you’d injured the beloved brains of the group, Tech especially.

Tech waves off your concern with ease, though doesn’t pull away as you tilt his head this way and that. “I am fine, though the impact - while accidental - was less than desirable.”

An understandable sentiment, and an obvious one that makes you chuckle. “Well you can thank your sister for that one.” Saying this you give Tech’s cheek a pat, adding, “Or stay out of headbutting range next time.”

Tech huffs a little at the sarcasm but returns your smile with one of his own. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

“I’m sure you will. Now come on before they decide to fly off without us.”

While you clamber back to your feet on the bank Tech is in no such rush, taking the time to retrieve his datapad before rising to his feet. You move to head back towards the Marauder, taking a few steps before realizing that you’re making the trip alone. Looking back you see Tech staring out over the glowing landscape for a final time, quickly typing something into the datapad now safely back in his hands.

Tech mutters something as he does so but you don’t catch what. A click later he’s seemingly satisfied with the result and clips the datapad back to its rightful place on his belt, catching up and coming into step beside you in a few brisk strides.

The idea of a peaceful walk back to the ship all but goes out of the window the second another shudder rocks the spacecraft, and Tech’s sigh is one of knowing resignation as his pace picks up. Making a beeline to the hatch you can practically see the gears in his head turning, already forming what you’re sure is a warning on why giving the ship more damage than what it landed with isn’t a good idea.

Shaking your head you follow behind, a smile still tugging at your lips as you prepare yourself for what you’ll find the moment you step onto the Marauder. No doubt a new brand of chaos - but you don’t think you’d have it any other way.

#tbb #the bad batch #the bad batch x reader #tbb x reader #tbb tech #tbb tech x reader #tech x reader #the bad batch tech x reader #the bad batch tech #star wars tbb #star wars #star wars x reader #juno writings #this is pure fluff bc i wanted them all to be happy for a bit lmao #gonna try and write one for each of the batch and go from there!

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maggplays · 5 months ago

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Bio? Something like that.

How did I start modding? Literally no one has asked this, but here's my story, don't worry it's not long... I guess that depends on what your definition of “long” is, haha! Hang on, here we go.

On a random day in January, 2024, a few days before my birthday, I might add... I woke up to stars in my right eye. A few days later, I was told I had a very rare injury and it would never heal. Those are not words an artist/gamer wants to hear! Long story short, I am now legally blind in my right eye. If you think, oh that's not a huge deal, you can still see. Humor me, get a cheap pirate eyepatch, put that on, then pour yourself a cup of coffee. Not as easy as you thought, right? Depth perception. It’s a thing. Anyway, on with the story. Suffice it to say, I was depressed. Majorly. Then, through some random conversation somewhere, I found Stardew Valley.

Perfect! 2D animation, cute pixel art, story that's not sugar-coated anime, I love it! Got to year 3, TBH I've never played past year 3 because ADHD, and realized the dialogue was quite lacking. Then I discovered mods. What the-, it's a freakin' goldmine! Downloaded a lot of things, mostly dialogue, and tossed half of them. While playing through a Sebastian run, I saw it. Oh. My. God. It's a coding error glaring at me in my dialogue box. This is NOT acceptable. I tried to ignore it, but then it happened again. Okay, time for some investigation. I opened the folder and found... json files. Interesting, I wasn't entirely clueless since I do know HTML code from back when the internet was a baby, Facebook had no ads, and dinosaurs roamed the earth. Okay, okay, the internet was more like a spoiled toddler. Yes, I'm old. Shut up. But I digress. It didn't take long to discover the misplaced punctuation and go on my merry reality-avoiding way. Until I got bored again.

I looked for more Seb mods, but there were like seven. Three were yandere, not my jam, and only 2 were updated for 1.6 and were dialogue-only. Solution? Make my own mod for myself. I spent six weeks downloading mods, learning code, Googling to very little effect, writing dialogue, learning how to make an event, discovering I knew nothing, and on and on. The perfect distraction from the whole eye thing. I finished a decent draft, loaded it up, and praise Yoba, it worked! And on we play. At some point, I saw a comment complaining about the lack of Sebastian dialogue mods. Huh, yep, they're right. Too bad. Oh. Well, I guess I could load this thing I made, it's really just my own internal story monologue while playing the game, I'm NOT a writer, and most people probably won't get it. But I did spend a lot of time on this, and maybe someone out there will like it. Heck, no skin off my nose since it's free. So I took a deep breath, made peace with my inner demons, and threw it out into the void of Nexus, expecting it to be swallowed up and ignored. That... didn't happen.

In the first few hours, several people downloaded it. Huh, Nexus must have a decent search algorithm. That was literally all I thought about it. The next day, 300 downloads. And comments! Mostly positive with the exception of one wild demand I subsequently ignored. At one week, it had 3,000 unique downloads. I was floored, 3,000 weirdos downloaded my mod. Add to that, people seemed to actually like it! I've never gotten so much positive feedback for anything in my life. Seriously. Apparently, my oddball internal monologue, thanks ADHD, is quite entertaining. Heck, might as well make another one... and here we are. Yes, I've gotten negative comments and unreasonable demands, but I do my best to ignore them and practice staying positive. Trolls be damned! It's a lot harder to do that for yourself than for other people, turns out.

So, bottom line, found something interesting? Try it! Does it make you happy? Keep doing it! Even if it's only for yourself, do the thing and let it make you smile. Share it with the world if you're so inclined. Get out there and kick ass!!

#maggs immersive sebastian #maggs immersive sam #stardew valley #stardew mods #stardew sebastian #creative process #creative writing

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bookishgalaxies · 8 months ago

Note

Hello hello! Really love your blog, it's visually so cute and I love your writing :D if possible may I request Albedo and Kokomi with a gn reader having a tough day? Just looking for a little fluff :')

I’m Here Now

summary: you are having a particularly hard day and are lucky enough to be dating these cool characters that want to make you feel better.

type; headcannons, not proofread

characters: kokomi x gn!reader. albedo x gn!reader

warnings: none (??)

a/n: ANON, you did not just pick my TWO FAVORITE CHARACTERS and ask me to write my FAVORITE THING of all time (comfort fluff). I’ve been in a depressed slump lately so this won’t be tooth rotting fluff but it is the best I could give :)

————————★————————

✧ kokomi

Kokomi saw right through your insistent statements of being “completely okay”. She was one to hide her emotions for the sake of others so she got quite good at noticing it in different people.

She would let you lay on her bed with all her favorite emotional support plushies while getting you something to eat (your favorite snack that she had stored away for times like this).

Kokomi takes pride in being prepared to cuddle you and let you enjoy your favorite snack while you unwind. She understands if you want silence and is completely okay with just running her hand through your hair while you two soak up each other’s presence.

If you wish to hear her talk, she’ll probably start off by telling you about her day, then rambling about military strategy. She gets this really bright smile on her face when she rambles about it but she smiles even brighter when she talks about you.

“Lately, your smile is the main thing that are getting me through these negotiation meetings. For your sake and for my own, I want you to have it back.”

She smelled of fresh ocean waters and it made your jaw unclench and your heart melt. Everything she was doing helping you calm down.

✧ albedo

Albedo didn’t know what breaks were until he met you. Genuinely just getting used to not eating or sleeping when he was experimenting. After he met you and discovered them, he not only implemented them into his own routine but forced others to do so as well.

He knew you were upset by your body language and the tone of voice you kept responding to him with. So, he stopped his work and gathered a few supplied before insisting you follow him.

Taking you out to a nice and peaceful bit of scenery. Depending on the time of day determines the suns location in the sky. However, mid afternoon in some locations looks just as good as a sunset in others.

Albedo would let you lay against his chest as he drew the scenery. Wanting to give you a calming break and let himself draw.

“Care to talk about what is on your mind?”

If you don’t want to, you don’t have to but if you do…he will listen intently. Often giving you logical solutions on how to fix your problems.

Though, he is able to just listen and nod if you tell him you just want to vent.

And if you don’t want to say anything at all? That’s fine too! You two enjoy some nice alone time cuddled up together admiring scenery.

“I hope tomorrow turns out to be much more enjoyable for you.”

————————★————————

#albedo x you #albedo genshin impact #albedo x reader #albedo #genshin impact x reader #genshin x y/n #genshin x you #genshin x reader #kokomi x reader #kokomi #genshin fluff #fluff

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master-of-metal66 · 1 year ago

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I’m alive, finally I crawled out of my coffin. I have to catch up on tumblr 😅

Anyway, here we go with Xavier’s backstory. I’ll probably still work on some details, but generally that’s it, that’s my biker boy, how and why he landed in Santa Carla.

This became much longer (this one part have 5,361 words, let alone the rest) than I planned, so I split it into three parts and some random things about Marko and Xavier relationship. (Sorry for all mistakes I made. I’m not used to writing so long stuff and English isn’t my first language). I think I made Marko a bit ooc here, let me know what you think 😖

Life on the outskirts of Tecate, one of the cities on the border between Mexico and United States sometimes wasn't easy, Xavier knew it from an early age.

Bullied by his peers, the illness of his younger sister, the loss of one of his siblings - it was a lot for a vulnerable and quiet kid like Xavier. But there was one thing that kept him together, his family has always been associated with one of the well-known motorcycle clubs in this area - the Westside Eagles.

Xavier joined the club at the age of fifteen, just like his father and brothers before him. He probably never would have done it had it not been for the death of his older brother Miquel in a shootout with a rival club. That was the hardest time in his life and had the biggest influence on him out of all his family. Back then his desire for revenge changed him from that quiet, soft kid to a cold, careless and irritable teen. While growing up, when he almost went to jail and through his entire path from prospect to full-patched club member, he saw a lot of similar and even worse situations in which people were put. He realized that revenge wouldn’t bring him relief, it only dragged him down, ruining his relationship with loved ones and the club. So he finally accepted it.

Maybe that’s what shaped his character, the amount of experience opened his eyes. He returned to being the person he used to be, starting to prefer to solving problems with his mind rather than with unnecessary violence.

Westside Eagles was one of those ,,motorcycle clubs" that worked on the border, smuggling drugs and weapons mainly for the cartels, Xavier wasn’t always directly involved. He always had a hand in repairing things, especially cars and motorcycles. So it wasn't strange that he became a club mechanic. He enjoyed spending most of his time in peace in the car workshop on the premises of Eagles clubhouse.

That was until one time when he agreed to help his brothers - Diego and Felipe during one of the transfers. It probably saved his siblings’ lives at some point, but put him on the run because, as you might expect, not everything went well.

It was supposed to be some kind of ,,special" delivery ordered for the cartel, the Eagles usually worked for, that was supposed to be a quick job.

So it was… at first glance, entering the tunnel in an old slaughterhouse, overcoming the tunnel, it was easy. Problems began when Xavier, his brothers, and two other club members were already on the other side of the border wall. Tunnel exit was located in one of the warehouses on private property, owned by one of cartel’s associates. It was weird for the whole group that he wasn’t waiting for them as usual. Xavier was the one who discovered why. While men started to unloading crates with drugs, he went to the man's house next to the warehouse, where he found him shot, along with two other cartel members. It must have happened shortly before their arrival. Xavier knew that they were in serious trouble. He ran back, not knowing that someone was watching him.

When he returned to the warehouse and told the others about what he saw, Diego felt an impulse to open one of the crates. It was half empty. At the same moment, the whole group heard footsteps. Everything happened quickly when cops entered the building. Eagles immediately understood what had happened. Someone framed them, and the worst thing was that probably it was someone from their own club since no one on the outside knew where they kept the goods and when or where they entered the tunnel.

The shootout was inevitable, men were able to get rid of cops for now, but in the process Felipe and the prospect were shot. Xavier and Diego knew it wouldn’t end there, they heard more police sirens outside. Their only way out was to go back through the tunnel, there was no time to take the crates especially with two wounded. They had to get them out of there and get to Erasmo -the Westside Eagles president.

Return to Tecate was much longer. Now that the cops were aware of the tunnel they had to choose one of the less frequented branches of the main road. Xavier went through hell during their escape, not because of the cops chasing them and the threat of prison but because of bleeding Felipe. It reminded him of the sight of dying Miquel and he didn’t want to experience it again.

There was no time for a ,,trip’’ to the hospital, besides, they didn't need any unnecessary questions and thus further contact with the cops. As soon as they got out of the tunnel, Diego and Xavier collapsed the entrance to the tunnel giving themselves more time for escape. Although now that the police have found out about the crossings, they probably won't use them anymore.

Group returned to the clubhouse and to the only person who could help them at that moment. Ruben – a former military doctor - despite the late hour, immediately took care of Felipe and the prospect.

Xavier didn’t want to leave his brother, Felipe lost a lot of blood and there was a risk that he would need a transfusion. Xavier stayed with him, trying his best to help Ruben, while Diego and other Eagle went to Erasmo.

There was a fuss in the clubhouse, even though it was the middle of the night, clubhouse salon was boiling. Some of the club members have already heard about the whole action. Diego avoided any questions from his brothers and went straight to Erasmo. Behind the closed doors of the Westside Eagles meeting room, he told everything to the most important members of the club. The tunnel had been discovered, the goods had been seized by cops, they had a traitor in the club and in the worst case they would have DEA agents on their heads. Everyone knew it will be a tough time for the Eagles.

Meanwhile, Ruben finished dressing Felipe’s wound. Fortunately, there was no need for a transfusion, but both he and the prospect needed to rest. Xavier stayed for the rest of the night with his younger brother.

He wasn't happy when an upset Diego woke him up early in the morning a bit brutally throwing backpack at him, telling him that he had to run away. He wanted to argue but Diego forcibly dragged him out of the room, Xavier took one last look at the sleeping Felipe. He was in total shock when his brother explained to him as they ran towards the club's garages that the cartel already knows about the drug theft, they ordered to search the area of the clubhouse first, it was weird as if someone had given them the idea. The worst thing was that they found the missing part of the drugs... in Xavier’s flat above the workshop. Of course none of the club brothers believed Xavier could do it, especially Erasmo and Xavier's father. Xavier had no interest in stealing drugs, most of the time he wasn't even involved in the transfers. Besides, everyone knew that he wouldn't risk hurting anyone from his family in the process.

It was obvious to them, all this time someone’s target was Xavier and someone had framed him, but the cartel wasn't so understanding, especially considering the case of their dead members, that Xavier had found the night before.

Xavier had to run away if he didn't want to get a bullet, he was worried about Diego. It was obvious who helped him to escape, but his brother assured him that Erasmo already working on it. Diego promised him that as soon as something will clarified he would immediately contact him and also personally he will find that ,,rat" who caused all of this. Xavier had no choice but to leave the clubhouse. He have to lie low for some time, until his brother found out who was behind all of this, there wasn't much he could do with the cartel on his head. Thanks to the help of a good friend of the club, he managed to cross the border without being noticed. It was better to deal with the cops, if they were also looking for him, than with men of cartel. It so happened that this same friend had a small cabin in Santa Carla that he had bought for a vacation, but he didn't really use it, so Xavier took the opportunity. Shortly after arriving to town, he found a job in a auto repair shop. All he could do now was wait, if only he knew how his decisions would change his life.

Marko and Xavier met in a bit unusual way, soon after Mexican moved to Santa Carla.

The frequent disappearances in town must have finally attracted someone's attention, unfortunately for the Lost Boys, the attention of someone who will make their (un)lives miserable for the next few months. Because vampire hunters, especially the real ones (not some kids from a comic book store) with crossbows, tons of holy water and stakes can be a real pain in the ass.

Ever since they started showing up in town from time to time, David did his best to keep his pack safe. However, some of the rules he set for the time when hunters were hanging around town didn’t appeal much to the boys, especially Marko. Despite the fact that probably out of all pack, he had the worst luck at running across the hunters. He wasn’t happy with the idea of staying in a group all night. They spent enough time together, sometimes he had to have some time for himself. That night when Xavier and Marko’s paths crossed, the blonde vampire decided to leave Paul and hunt on his own. It wasn’t so hard to split up when his best friend blindly followed a small group of surfers they had been watching since they appeared on the boardwalk. One of them will become his meal, now Marko had to find something tasty for himself. He knew that if David found out he wouldn’t be pleased but well…curly-haired boy rarely followed the rules. It didn't take him long to notice a girl who was about to leave the boardwalk after saying goodbye to her friends. A mischievous smile appeared on his angel face. Hunger took over his body, and he didn’t even notice three pairs of eyes watching him from a distance.

Marko followed the girl for some time. That night he wasn't in the mood to play with his prey as usual. He just wanted to get back to the cave and continue working on the painting he started a few nights ago on one of the last walls of the cave free of his artworks. He hoped to get back before the rest to avoid David's complaints about paint spilled all over the place and to have more time before Caroline (my other oc – David’s mate) and Paul dragged him into some other activity, probably involving testing platinum blonde’s patience, not that he didn't like it.

The girl must have felt that someone was following her, she started to walk faster and looked over her shoulder from time to time. Marko giggled. As soon as the girl heard laughter behind her, she started to run, her choice of way was rather unfortunate. The girl strayed from the road into a more tree-lined one area in hope to lose her pursuer. Marko had her exactly where he wanted, soon they would reach the cliff. When the girl saw emptiness in front of her, she slowed down to enter a more open area, free from bushes and trees. She stopped, there was no escape route. She slowly turned around, but only silence greeted her. The only sounds were her loud breathing, sound of the wind and waves somewhere behind her. For a moment she thought she had done it, she had escaped from who whoever was chasing her. Or maybe it was just her imagination?

‘’Looking for someone?’’

The girl didn’t even have a chance to scream when Marko grabbed her and sank his teeth into her neck. She tried to struggle, but Marko's grip was too strong. She didn’t have a chance, loud sound of snapping neck was like music to Marko’s ears. Blonde vampire sighed contentedly as fresh blood reached his tongue, soon after, limp body fell to the ground. Marko licked his lips in satisfaction, that was what he needed. Getting rid of the body was easy, there was a reason he had drove the girl to this place. A loud splash and then the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, just like that, the end. Traces of blood will disappear. Marko smiled, wiping away the rest of the blood with his hand. He closed eyes and breathed refreshing sea breeze, it was one of those moments he felt kind of alive. But it didn't last long, his vampire senses warned him almost in last moment, he barely dodged an arrow that flew past by, disappearing somewhere below in the rough water. Marko turned around only to see someone he really hoped he wouldn't meet today. A man in a black jacket with cross pin with a crossbow aimed straight at blonde, vampire hissed. Hunter. In his eyes, a man or rather boy couldn't have been older than 19 years old. Good, it could have been worse. Young hunters weren't as dangerous as the more experienced ones. Blonde vampire smiled maliciously, poor thing, it will be quick.

Hunter shot again, but this time, if it wasn’t out of surprise, Marko easily caught an arrow right in front of his chest.

‘’Is that all what you’ve got?’’

Boy growled in irritation as he heard Marko’s laughter , he put away the crossbow and pulled out the stake. Seeing that, for a moment blonde vampire remind himself when he almost got staked by this little fucker from comic book shop, a shiver ran down his spine at the memory, but on the other hand his blood boiled, he saw red.

Everything happened quickly, in one moment hunter was about to strike, the next he was lying on the ground, pinned down by Marko. He didn’t stand a chance against raging vampire, his weapon brutally ripped from his hand, lying somewhere out of his reach. Young hunter screamed in pain as Marko clenched his hand on his shoulder, the sound of the collarbone cracking was delicious, blonde grabbed the boy by the throat, tightening his grip with each passing moment. He watched with vengeful satisfaction as the boy tried to catch his breath, out of the corner of his eye he saw the hunter reaches for a stone lying nearby. He swung, but Marko immediately grabbed his wrist, blonde chuckled, seeing pure terror in boy’s eyes, another scream pierced the silence of the night. He leaned forward, clenching his hand again over the broken wrist bone, the boy underneath him sobbed. He knew what was coming when Marko's fangs gleamed in the moonlight. Blonde smiled, he wasn’t expecting another snack that night.

He was about to sink his teeth into the boy's neck when a sharp pain shot through his arm, this time arrow reached its target. Marko hissed as two men ran out of the trees. Another hunters, but much more older than the one who had just passed out, lying limply beneath him. Marko stood up quickly to avoid silver knife aimed at him, the blade cut the air. Vampire cursed when he saw dagger-shaped medallions on hunters' necks. They won't be so easy to defeat, but he didn’t want to call his brothers, he could handle it on his own. Adrenaline was flowing through his veins, he had to think about how to get rid of the hunters, separate them somehow to finish them off one by one. Marko reached for the arrow, which was stuck slightly below his shoulder, he grimaced as he grabbed the tip and pulled it out. A faint trickle of blood ran down his arm, he was lucky the tip wasn't made of silver like sometimes. The wound would be much worse to heal and it wouldn’t be easy to remove. Blonde growled in irritation as one of the hunters attacked him again while, the other knelt, checking at boy lying on the ground. He easily avoided the blow, kicking hunter in the back of the knee, sending him to the ground. However, the man quickly turned around and took a swing, silver blade missed Marko's leg by a centimeter. The second hunter joined the fight, trying to put Marko in a choke hold with his crossbow. They struggled for a while as Marko tried to break free, finally grabbed hunter by the forearms and almost without an effort threw him at his companion. Men fell to the ground with loud thud, cursing heavily. Marko smiled, came up with an idea how to get rid of hunters, once and for all. He watched how they get up, making sure they could see the direction he would go, he ran through the trees.

Soon he found himself at an old, abandoned summer house near the cliffs, he stopped at the door and looked around. Men were after him, he heard their footsteps. Blonde was about to move when suddenly he heard the door creak. He didn't have time to react when he felt someone grab his waist and cover his mouth with a hand, pulling him into ,,abandoned'' cabin. At first he was sure that he had been captured by one of the hunters he didn't noticed, he tried to break free. Marko was about to bite his attacker's hand but a loud whisper stopped him ‘’Stop it, I won't hurt you. Be quiet or they will find us. '' Hearing this, Marko felt probably weird in this kind of situation, sense of safety. When person behind him felt that he had stopped struggling, the grip on his waist disappeared as did the hand covering his mouth. In the darkness of the room, he clearly saw a tall, long-haired man who quietly closed the door, turning the key in the lock almost at the last moment. Hunters came out from behind the trees, right in front of the house. Marko and the stranger watched through the half-covered window as the men walked around the cabin, checking the area. One of them went to the door, trying to open it, while the other to the window looking inside, Marko felt the man behind him grab his forearm and pull him back to the place where they couldn't be seen from the window. Blonde vampire tensed when the door handle suddenly stopped moving, he was sure that hunters wouldn’t give up so easily. Outside however, there was silence, until blonde heard their voices, Marko, despite the silent protest of the unknown man, went to the window, peeked outside. The hunters were still standing in front of the cabin, but in the hand of one of them there was two-way radio.

Men were talking, Marko clearly saw furious grimace on the face of one of them, he wasn't quite happy about conversation with the person on the other side of device. It didn't take long when the hunters withdrew. They ran back to the place where the young hunter, or rather his body, remained.

‘’That was close amigo.’’

Marko turned around, man was already standing behind him, looking in the direction where the hunters had disappeared. Vampire frowned dissatisfied.

‘’ I could handle it myself.’’

Man didn’t respond to this, so blonde looked out the window again, they both stayed like that, waiting. Hunters could return, but after a long time nothing has happened. Blonde vampire watched in the dark as the man walked over to the switch, turning on the light, illuminating the room. A tall, black-haired man with a slightly darker skin tone, watched him with curiosity. Marko saw fragments of tattoos stick out from under his black shirt and blue worn out vest. Blonde smirked.

‘’ Like what you see, ragazzone?’’

Curly-haired vampire smiled wider seeing the shock and then flustered expression on the man's face, he looked away but his gaze fell on Marko’s arm, he quickly became serious.

‘’ You’re hurt.’’

Marko raised his eyebrows, also looking at the same place where the hunters’ arrow had been stuck earlier. The bleeding stopped, but it still didn’t look good, he knew one nap was enough to heal. As for his jacket, sewing will take a moment. Fucking hunters, ruined his artwork.

‘’ I am fine, I've had worse.’’

Man didn't seem convinced, Marko was ready for tons of questions but they didn’t come. Good for curly-haired vampire at that point, Xavier been through enough shit in his life, that he knew sometimes it’s better not to ask. He was supposed to be hiding here, not right at the beginning, being involved in something he didn't even want to know what it was about. When he saw that men chasing blonde, as he was returning to from work his ,,new home’’, he felt this intense impulse to help him, some kind of strange attraction. Like a moth to the flame. There was one thing that still bothered him, did he really saw crossbows on men's backs?

‘’ Something needs to be done about it, wait here.’’

Marko doesn’t even get a chance to protest when black-haired man disappears behind bathroom door. That was the first time when Marko felt it. That tempting scent floating in the air, overwhelming. It was weird, he had never experienced anything like this earlier. But before he began to think about it more, man came back holding bandage and little bottle, placing them on the table by the window.

"Take off your jacket.’’

Marko smiled, man looked at him questioningly.

‘’ We haven’t been on a first date and you already want me to undress?’’

Black-haired certainly didn't expect such a question, he blinked in surprise. Marko giggled but granted his request. Man looks at his uncovered stomach for a moment, then shook his head and started dress the wound. The only strange thing was that the wound, despite its serious appearance, didn’t bleed too much and why it looked as if something had pierced blonde's arm. Marko looked around the cabin, couple half-unpacked bags was thrown next to the wardrobe, a small box by the bed, a leather jacket thrown carelessly on the chair, a few empty food boxes on the second table. Out of the corner of his eye, the man saw a curious look on Marko's face.

‘’ Yeah, well… I just moved here, I am Xavier’’

Blonde turned his head, watching Xavier wrap his arm in a bandage, it was a strange feeling of being cared in that way, in human way. As vampire he just need sleep to regenerate, no other special treatment.

‘’Marko’’

Black-haired glanced at him and nodded.

‘’ You often act as a nurse?’’

Xavier smiled a bit awkwardly at this term.

‘’ Sometimes. For my younger brother, day without hurting himself is a day wasted. Even though he is already an adult. Done.‘’

Marko looked at his now bandaged arm, not that he really needed it. Xavier went to put down the bandage away while blonde put his jacket back on. Curly-haired vampire got lost in thoughts for a moment, why was Xavier helping him at all and why didn't he ask any questions? Moreover, according to him, hunters gave up too quickly, Marko knew how stubborn they could be when they tracked down a vampire. Was Xavier one of them, just pretending be nice? Normally he could sense something is wrong, but now he felt nothing besides calm. It was strange, of course, he could have tried David's method. Just got into Xavier’s mind, but somehow he didn’t want to. The biggest surprise for him was that he didn’t think, even for a minute to about killing Xavier. He was just another human being in his life, nothing just another potential meal, then why did the thought about that make him really uncomfortable?

‘’ Hey, earth to Marko? You good manito?’’

Xavier went back to room, he had only known Marko for a moment and he could already see that this thoughtful expression didn’t suit him. He was sure that boy had really ,,interesting’’ personality, despite that lovely curls and angel face, he saw that mischievous spark in his eyes. Blonde looked at him and nodded, his face lighten up back to normal state.

‘’ Well…it's quite late and I’m convinced that there aren’t too many houses nearby. Drop you off somewhere?’’

Marko looked at clock on the wall, there wasn’t much time left until dawn. He had to go back and find Paul, his friend has probably already fed and found some entertainment for himself.

‘’ Boardwalk will be fine.’’

Xavier raised an eyebrow, but walked over to a small cabinet by the door, reaching for the keys.

‘’ Let’s go then.’’

They both left the house, Xavier made sure he closed the door properly and went down the stairs, Marko followed him to the back of the house. There were two things, both hidden under gray tilt, Marko was sure there was a car under one of them but under the other? Xavier grabbed the material and pulled it off, curly-haired vampire didn’t expect a motorcycle, a black Harley Davidson.

‘’ Big bike for a big man, huh?’’

Xavier laugh slightly, he shook his head, grabbing the wheel.

‘’ I grew up on them.’’

Blonde noticed a certain nostalgia and some kind of longing in the man's voice, he wanted to ask about it, but Xavier had already got on the motorcycle. The roar of the engine drowned out the silence of the night, Marko smiled widely as he came closer. He’d never gotten on a machine like that, according to his vampire lifestyle he had to have something more agile. His bike was a bit smaller, this thing was big and surely not as easy to drive as his own. Marko slid into the leather seat just behind Xavier, wrapping arms around his waist. Black-haired was probably not used to have a company, Marko smirked as he felt how man tense for a moment. Xavier looked at him over his shoulder, making sure he was sitting comfortably, the motorcycle moved.

The ride ended sooner than Marko could have wanted, Xavier stopped his bike near to boardwalk entrance. Neon sign illuminated them with red and white light. The place wasn't as crowded as it was when Marko left.

‘’Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to your home?’’

Marko shook his head, dismounting from the motorcycle. If he took Xavier to the cave, man would probably never come out again and to be honest blonde didn’t wanted that. He still had to figure out where this strange feeling in Xavier's presence was coming from.

‘’ I have to find my friend. I am 100% sure he’s still hanging around here somewhere, besides I have my own bike. Are you worried about me, bello?’’

Xavier lowered his head, a little ashamed. Marko saw that glimpse of blush on his cheeks. If one simple word did this to Xavier, how would he react to the higher level of his flirting. Marko would be lying if he didn't want to see it.

‘’ I just…I doubt these men was your friends and I'd rather not bandage you again anytime soon.’’

Blonde laughed internally, if only he knew.

‘’ I assure you that if I meet them again, they will need a bandage. ‘’

‘’Or rather coffins’’ thought Marko

‘’ I guess I can't stop you from doing that, now I’m sure we’re both tired and need some rest.’’

Motorcycle engine came to life again, Xavier smiled.

‘’ Take care of yourself, amigo.’’

Marko nodded, smiled back. He stayed in place for a moment, watching the motorcycle disappear into darkness of the night.

Curly-haired blonde didn’t tell his brothers what happened. He knew that David would be furious if he find out that he had disobeyed him, Marko wasn't in the mood to listen to complaints. Anyway he was 100% sure that Paul kept his mouth shut, that they split up, otherwise bleached blonde would immediately expressed his dissatisfaction.

When Marko returned to the cave, he felt again that weird feeling he had experienced earlier that night. But now it was some kind of longing. Marko shook his head as he returned to his thoughts from Xavier's cabin. After all, he decided to be careful towards him, for now trying to drown out that voice calling him back.

Before Caroline or Paul noticed, he managed to sneak to his nest in the higher parts of the cave. He wanted to sew up his jacket, but before he could begin, his gaze paused for a moment on the bandage. An involuntary smile appeared on his lips.

David, Dwayne, Paul and Caroline saw that Marko was thinking intensely about something, but none of them asked what it was about. It could have been something from Marko's pigeons to which one of surf nazis pissed Marko off enough to be on the missing poster next night. They were convinced that if something serious happened to Marko, he would definitely share it with them…

Marko and Xavier met again two days later on a boardwalk.

Marko was just chilling with Paul near the Arcades after feeding, looking for some entertainment for the rest of the night. Just then, Marko spotted Xavier entering one of the small boardwalk shops. That feeling came again, leading him to the same store. This time, he didn't even try to fight it, leaving Paul again. His friend didn’t even notice, flirting with some girl. Xavier almost jumped out of his skin when Marko suddenly appeared behind him, but he had to admit he was glad to see blonde again. He had been thinking about curly-haired boy before, he was curious. He heard Marko’s Italian accent and wanted to know more about him. Luckily for Xavier, blonde vampire after two nights of trying to reject his feelings, gave up. He asked Xavier if he wanted to hang out together, biker agreed. Marko showed Xavier around Santa Carla, he didn't even notice when it was almost down and they spent whole night together.

He was surprised how well they got along, despite the visible differences between their personalities, as if they complemented each other. Xavier told him a bit about himself, however Marko saw that the Mexican was hiding something. Blonde knew he would eventually find out what was going on, it was only a matter of time. The only thorn in the night was when Xavier asked Marko about his wound. It’s was nice that he cared but how was Marko supposed to tell him that there wasn't even a trace left from the shot? He was glad he sewn up the cut in his jacket before he went to rest, so Xavier couldn't see his arm. Marko just mumbled something like ‘’It’s fine’’, man looked at him unconvinced but he didn’t ask about it again.

Soon after Xavier drove away, back to his cabin, on his way to find Paul, Marko still thought about black-haired Mexican who refused to leave his thoughts, making himself in his mind like at home with every next second. Blonde vampire just couldn't get those honey-colored eyes out of his head.

And then Marko suddenly stopped. The realization hit him hard, at that moment he understand this warm feeling that had accompanied him since they met, probably the same feeling that David had experienced when he met Caroline. Marko never thought about it, never believed he’d get one. That was it, he found his mate.

#the lost boys 1987 #tlb 1987 #masterocs #xavier🇲🇽#tlb marko #the lost boys #oc x canon #david tlb #the lost boys oc #tlb paul #the lost boys marko

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medea10 · 1 year ago

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My Review of Rurouni Kenshin (2023)

If you grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s, chances are you’ve come across this title.

Rurouni Kenshin’s original anime aired in Japan from 1996-1998. It managed to make it out west with being licensed by Media Blasters and aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block in the early 2000s. With 95 episodes to its name, Rurouni Kenshin was pretty popular everywhere. In later years, a couple of OVA’s were released. One of them was a prequel that was never seen outside of the manga. The second one was a sequel to the main series that goes in a different route from the manga. And the third was a retelling of one of the series best moments.

And just laying it out there, yes, this series is sadly also known as “Samurai X”. I say “sadly” due to what was done to the series with that name. What with the bastardization of people’s names and what have you! The name of the series is Rurouni Kenshin. If you see that other name, turn around and don’t look back.

Now, does this series live up to the hype? Yes and no. While this was one of Japan’s most rewatched animes of all time, the series could have been better. Pretty much everything after what is known as the Kyoto Arc is seen as garbage to many. In some cases, they’re not wrong. It’s just a sea of fillers until the series ended in 1998. I guess some of the blame could be that they changed studio hands during the run of the original anime. Studio Deen has such a lousy reputation for messing with a good thing.

Case and point, Rozen Maiden 2013!

It’s just that when Kenshin gets into the swing of things, it’s a thrill to watch. So, having a retelling of the story and have it be faithful to the manga is welcoming for long-time fans and curious newbies.

Just. One. Thing. Though.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: Nobuhiro Watsuki is the creator of Rurouni Kenshin. Back in late 2017 while he was releasing more Rurouni Kenshin in manga form, it was discovered that he was in possession of child pornography. This news alone is an immediate red flag, drop everything, cancel this bro right stat now kind of thing. What happened was he was arrested, paid a fine, and went back to releasing his manga after a several-month hiatus.

Obviously, everything about the story is disgusting. I’m not sure how much child porn was removed from this man’s place but I feel like it was somewhere between what Jared Fogle had and a fuck-ton. And now every fan is having this moral dilemma of watching this anime if it’s supporting this man. When it comes to me, fuck yeah, I’m still watching it. Do you have any idea how many things I still watch where the original creator is a fuck-bucket? And don’t lie, you probably do the same. Ren and Stimpy, The Loud House, Rick & Morty, Earthworm Jim, all of these and more are the product of some sick ass-banana. Just keep that in mind before tossing stones. You all know who you are and you all aren’t squeaky clean in what you watch. None of us are.

In the end, it’s your call to make on watching this or reading anything else that comes from Watsuki. Certain companies have made their call already when it comes to Rurouni Kenshin. Weekly Shounen Jump still prints whatever Watsuki puts out. Viz Media however has put an end to the latest Rurouni Kenshin manga that’s been put out in the last few years, but has kept the original manga up.

OKAY, NOW LET’S ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE ANIME: I know it’s a lot to go over, I just felt it necessary to do the frank discussion before I talk about the anime. This anime is a full reboot. That means, it’ll be a different studio animating it, it will supposedly take after the manga instead of diverting into a different path like the original series, and yes, the cast will be different. Which cast? All of them!

Rurouni Kenshin goes like this. It has been well over a decade since the end of a brutal war. With the entering of the Meiji era, peace was assumed as weapons like swords are banned. Of course, that won’t stop people from killing. And the never-ending fight with the government can cause this peaceful time…it was never really peaceful. Kenshin Himura is a wandering rurouni. He carries with him a double-edged sword despite the sword ban law put in place. Prior to this moment, Kenshin was known as “Hitokiri Battosai”, a ruthless killer. But after certain events, Kenshin swears to never kill again.

One day, he meets a young girl named Kaoru Kamiya. She’s the owner of a dojo that specializes in a certain style. At first, she confronts Kenshin thinking he is the dreaded Hitokiri Battosai. Most of it was a misunderstanding because yes, Kenshin is that, but he’s not the one using the name in vain and using Kaoru’s fighting style. After several incidents between the characters, Kenshin decided to set up shop and stay with Kaoru at her dojo. Eventually, two other characters join along. Yahiko, an orphaned boy who is training to be a great swordsman one day. And Sano, who once served during the brutal war is now a bit of a drifter. But he’ll have Kenshin’s back when they’re in a battle.

BETWEEN THE NEW SUB AND THE NEW DUB…AND EVERYTHING ELSE: I’ve gone on in length about the dubs to Rurouni Kenshin in the past. Prior to the 2023 remake, there were a total of three English dubs. The first one was for the original television run featuring Richard Cansino, Dorothy Elias-Fahn, and Wendee Lee. This was dubbed by Media Blasters. The second one consisted of the OVA’s featuring folks like Shannon Weaver, Gray Haddock, and Katherine Catmull. These were dubbed by ADV films and later Sentai Filmworks. And as for the third dub, that would be Sony’s sad attempt at redubbing Rurouni Kenshin filled with bastard names, a bastard name title, and new voices.

In the beginning, I was hoping for the absolute best-case scenario when it came to an English dub for this retelling. When it comes to me, I will always pick the first dub and that is for one big freakin’ thing. Steven Blum voicing Makoto Shishio. That and I always thought Richard Cansino was the best Kenshin. I’ve already been disappointed when Sentai didn’t reunite the original cast when retelling the Kyoto Arc several years ago and that’s why my skepticism is in play here. Plus, I’m pretty sure some of the original dub cast has already retired from voice acting. Sadly, the original voice for Misao (Philece Sampler) passed away in 2021. Much to my dismay, there was a new cast alright. Who they are was the bigger question.

Crunchyroll dropped the episodes without warning three months after the premier and without stating who would be in the cast. That’s certainly out of character for them. They get chatty when showering the masses who is going to be in an English dub cast everywhere they can including all social media platforms. I would have chalked it up to the SAG-AFTRA strike. But then I remembered, Crunchyroll has a conniption when it comes to that certain union. Plus, it never stopped them before as they’ve been whoring other English lists that same week this dropped. So, the obvious reason has got to be fear of having the audience badger the cast for being in Rurouni Kenshin after what the creator did. Only Kenshin’s voice actor came forward a week after the actor’s strike. The rest, most of us had to guess. Except for Yahiko, he just sounded like an angrier Gon. So, it’s Erica Mendez.

Just so you know, Aniplex had a live festival with seiyuus promoting the shows they’re on back in September of 2023. And what do you know, Souma Saitou and Rie Takahashi were on stage promoting Rurouni Kenshin. Out and about, no one getting doxxed, threatened, hate-mailed, or anything of the sort. I have a few scattered thoughts here. First of all, if there’s any bad-mouthing of Rie Takahashi of any kind, you and I are going to have a problem. Second of all, American fan-bases are fucking toxic and would harass the voice actors relentlessly to the point of no return. And third, why couldn’t they just come up with some fake-ass alias names for the English cast? On the other hand, I’ve seen how people on social media has harassed voice actors over trivial bullshit and it’s only getting worse. So, I kinda understand why this happened.

As for the sub, yes, the voices here have changed. So, when I originally watched Rurouni Kenshin, I watched nearly everything dubbed. It wasn’t until much later when I stumbled upon the sub, I discovered that Kenshin was voiced by a woman. Now, I’m getting another case of whiplash as I’m getting used to hearing Kenshin having more of a manlier voice. With all of that said, here’s the cast of Rurouni Kenshin 2023!

JAPANESE CAST: *Kenshin is now played by Souma Saitou (known for Diavolo on Jojo’s Pt. 5, Yamaguchi on Haikyuu, Kain on Rinne, and Miyano on Sasaki to Miyano)

*Kaoru is now played by Rie Takahashi (known for Ai on Oshi no Ko, Megumin on Konosuba, Emilia on Re:Zero, Sumi on Rent-A-Girlfriend, Ena on Laid-Back Camp, Mash on Fate/Grand Order, and Tomo on Tomo-chan is a Girl)

*Yahiko is now played by Makoto Koichi (known for Elza on Interspecies Reviewers, Young Jun on Tomo-chan is a Girl, Sumika on Yuri is my Job, and Sakura on Lycoris Recoil)

*Sanosuke is now played by Taku Yashiro (known for Friede on Pokemon Horizons, Natsuo on Domestic Girlfriend, Kouichi on Horimiya, Vulcan on Fire Force, and Arai on Chainsaw Man)

ENGLISH CAST: *Kenshin is now played by Howard Wang (known for Piers on Pokemon Journeys, Anastasia on Jojo’s Pt. 6, Kokonoi on Tokyo Revengers, Atsushi on Lovely Complex, Goshiki on Haikyuu, and Chuusaku on Komi-san)

*Kaoru is now played by Risa Mei (known for Futaba on My Senpai is Annoying)

*Yahiko is now played by Erica Mendez (known for Gon on Hunter x Hunter, Haruka/Uranus on Sailor Moon [redub], Ryuko on Kill la Kill, Raphtalia on Shield Hero, Retsuko on Aggretsuko, and Megumin on Konosuba)

*Sanosuke is now played by Darius Johnson

SHIPPING: Can I delve into this topic without going off the deep end and bringing up spoilers?

No, not really. These spoilers are over 30 years old. Deal with it.

Kenshin x Kaoru is a ship that has set sailed into the sea. No matter how much sex appeal Megumi can throw at it! Trust me on the matter, it’s a signed deal. I know that it almost seems one-sided in these 24 episodes, but that’s how it is.

WHAT TO COVER: In a reboot, you’ve gotta see what this version kept and what they didn’t and if it’s all in the right part of the story. Of course, we get the stories everyone is used to with this series like Kaoru being duped by that old creep and the debuts of Sano and Yahiko. Near the halfway mark, we’re already introduced to Aoshi and watched Kenshin and Sano take on the drug lords that were using Megumi. There have been a couple of episodes dedicated to some familiar storylines like Sano’s old comrade and the young lad Yutarou who wound up on the wrong side of the blade. Meanwhile, I’m squirming around in my seat waiting to hear something from a certain awesome villain. I have made no secret to loving the Kyoto arc and its main villain, Makoto Shishio.

Come episode 19, I heard his name uttered and know that it’s coming up.

Wait a sec! There are only 5 episodes left in the season. If this studio dares to even cram the whole Kyoto arc in that short amount of time, I’m throwing this entire media out the window. There’s gotta be a second season. Even if it’s only like 12 episodes that covers the span of the Kyoto arc, it’s better than the worst-case scenario. Thankfully, they did not cram the entire Kyoto arc into an episode. No mad man would ever do…Studio Deen would do that.

Case and point, Rozen Maiden 2013!

I am now being informed that I have already insulted Studio Deen’s attempt with Rozen Maiden twice now in this review. Let me get back to what I was saying. Thank the great good lord those guys are not in charge of Rurouni Kenshin again.

Actually, two of these episodes were a flashback episode that was originally an extra chapter to the manga. And if you’re wondering if this flashback episode contains Kenshin back when he was the legendary manslayer, it does not. It’s a story of Kenshin a couple of months prior to meeting Kaoru and the rest. For Kenshin’s past…just watch the OVA’s from 30 years ago.

The final episodes of the season set the stage up for the Kyoto arc with the introduction to Hajime Saito. Ten years prior, he was a bit of a rival to Kenshin back when he was the noted manslayer. Now, Hajime is part of the Shinsengumi. Kenshin and Hajime end up facing off like back in the day and he wound up reverting back to his manslayer mode.

Apparently, Kenshin can turn off that mode with a punch in the face.

As one does! The last time Kenshin was in that mode was when Kaoru was kidnapped earlier in the series. This time, Kaoru’s voice had no effect. This moment leads to Kenshin’s crucial decision at the end of the season. After the spar, he is confronted by Okubo Toshimichi, the man who has been trying to make the Meiji era a more peaceful time. He asks Kenshin for help of taking out a certain someone. Yes, it’s Makoto Shishio. Also known as, the man who just won’t die. Case and point, he’s been stabbed, knocked unconscious, and even set on fire. He’s still standing! Hell, he’s even known as the new Hitokiri Battosai manslayer. Kenshin gave this a lot of thought as he wants to remain peaceful and never kill again. Unfortunately, he’s given no choice when Okubo…well, he…

He fucked around and found out!

One of Shishio’s commrades (Soujiro Seta) murdered Okubo and sent a stark warning to Kenshin about going forward with anything brash. Kenshin truly wants for a peaceful nation and doesn’t want to kill again. In the final moments, we see him have a few precious moments with Kaoru before proceeding to leave her.

DON’T CRY, FANS! HE AIN’T GONE FOREVER! But a season two must, must, must, must, MUST COME!

Thankfully, two days after the finale we get the announcement that Rurouni Kenshin is indeed getting a sequel in 2024. Unknown to when in 2024, if the same studio will be doing it, how many episodes it’s going to be, or if Steven Blum is going to return as the voice of Shishio. Seeing as NO ONE from the original English cast has returned to do this project, I’ll shut up about it...

For now.

Was this a great reboot? That’s your call to make. For me, it’s too early to tell as there’s only been 24 episodes and none of them are the classic Kyoto arc. It’s too preliminary to call it a masterpiece or trash. Manga readers are somewhat split as they will always find fault with everything. Not every anime adaptation is going to do everything by the book and that’s their conniption. I read the manga too and I wasn’t picky about the adaptation. It’s not like they skipped 50 chapters and went right into unknown territory.

And before you say, “Oh, there goes Medea again bashing Rozen Maiden 2013”. NO! I was actually poking at The Promised Neverland this time.

Thankfully, Rurouni Kenshin was done well. The art was beautiful. LIDENFILMS did a spectacular job. If you’re not familiar with the studio, they have recently done Call of the Night and Tokyo Revengers. The music was great. Every opening and ending were bangers. Reol was the real stand-out star in that department. They kept the language Kenshin uses when he speaks, that they did. I’m satisfied. I know more fans would want to see some more footage of Kenshin back when he was the notorious Battosai. I’m just going to say to be patient. You’ll see some stuff soon enough. And if you’re an impatient fuck, the OVA’s are around. Trust & Betrayal will give you what you want.

Can I recommend this? Not without having a giant elephant sitting on my shoulders.

For now, Crunchyroll has Rurouni Kenshin 2023 available for streaming.

Now then, for those who are looking for the original series, OVA, and even the live-action movies, here’s where to find them.

The original 96-episode series is currently on Hulu. The recent live-action movies are currently available on Netflix. All of the OVA’s (Trust & Betrayal, Reflections, and Kyoto-arc retelling), I can’t seem to find them streaming wise. Also, unsure if the hard copies are out of print or not.

#rurouni kenshin #himura kenshin #kaoru kamiya #sanosuke sagara #yahiko myojin #makoto shishio #soujirou seta

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sciencestyled · 3 months ago

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Helen of Troy’s Magnetic Personality: A Tale of Attraction, Repulsion, and Viral Video Fame

Let me tell you something, dear reader: being the "Face that Launched a Thousand Ships" is exhausting. They make it sound glamorous in epic poems, but nobody writes about the sheer monotony of always being blamed for a decade-long war. The truth? It wasn’t even my idea to run off with Paris—it was Aphrodite’s, and she didn’t even offer health insurance for the fallout. But I digress.

After the war, I retired from public life. “No more mortals or melodrama,” I declared, retreating to a lovely island that promised peace, quiet, and Wi-Fi. I thought I’d live a simple life, binge-watching reality shows and debating online about whether Odysseus or Achilles would win in a dance-off. But fate, dear reader, had other plans. Fate—and an extraordinarily persistent refrigerator magnet.

It all began on a Tuesday. I had just received a delivery of figs (organic, obviously; do I look like someone who eats pesticide-laden produce?) when I noticed the delivery boy struggling to stick his shipping manifest to my enchanted bronze fridge. The magnet he was using—an obnoxiously gaudy Trojan horse souvenir—kept sliding off.

“Excuse me,” I said, sashaying over. “That’s supposed to stick. It’s magnetism. Ever heard of it?”

He shrugged, muttered something about influencers being too smart for their own good, and left. Naturally, I was incensed. Me? Influencer? The nerve! I decided right then and there that the world needed to understand the mysteries of magnetism—partly to correct that boy’s ignorance, but mostly to prove I could be more than a pretty face on a Grecian urn.

But what did I actually know about magnetism? I mean, sure, I had a basic understanding: opposites attract, like repels like, and Zeus would probably use magnets to swipe right on Tinder if Hera weren’t watching. Still, the finer details eluded me. So, I turned to humanity’s oracle of wisdom: YouTube tutorials.

What I discovered was breathtaking. Magnets weren’t just practical—they were deeply philosophical! Invisible forces that can draw objects together or tear them apart? Sounds like every romantic relationship I’ve ever had. But even more fascinating was the fact that these forces operated on strict laws, unlike, say, the Greek gods, whose moral compass spins faster than a fidget spinner at Coachella.

Inspired, I decided to experiment. First, I tried sticking magnets to various objects around the house—vases, shields, Paris’s old hairbrush (don’t ask why I still had it). Then, I moved on to practical applications, like using magnets to keep my scrolls organized. My greatest triumph? Using a neodymium magnet to retrieve a gold anklet from the bottom of my hot tub without breaking a nail. Practical and fabulous.

Soon, word spread. Neighbors started dropping by to ask why their amphorae didn’t stick to their chariots. Someone even asked if magnets could cure headaches caused by their in-laws. “That’s not how it works,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Magnets aren’t magical—they’re science!”

But that’s when it hit me. Most people don’t know the difference between magic and science. And who better to educate them than the woman who’s been called both a goddess and a scapegoat? If I could explain magnetism to a room full of toga-wearing gossips, I could explain it to anyone.

I decided to create a video, one that would blend charm, wit, and actual science. My first attempt was... less than stellar. Turns out, explaining magnetic domains while lounging on a chaise in a silk robe doesn’t scream “educator.” My second try involved a lot of yelling about electromagnetism into a conch shell, which terrified my dog and broke the shell. It wasn’t until I enlisted my friend Aristotle—yes, that Aristotle—that things began to take shape.

“Keep it simple, Helen,” he said, between bites of baklava. “The people want humor, not another Iliad.” So I added some jokes, made sure the visuals were snappy, and—because this is me we’re talking about—slipped in a few sly jabs at modern obsessions. (Who needs a thousand ships when a single Instagram post can cause a war of comments?)

The final product? A video that makes magnetism not only comprehensible but downright seductive. Think TED Talk meets toga party, with a side of shade thrown at every ex who ever ghosted me. It’s a magnetic masterpiece, if I do say so myself.

Why did I do it? To show that even Helen of Troy has depth, darling. I’m not just the face that launched a thousand ships—I’m the mind that launched a thousand magnetic fields. And maybe, just maybe, to prove that science, like beauty, can attract anyone who dares to look a little closer.

youtube

#magnetism #science #science education #education #helen of troy #Youtube

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anxiouslyfred · 8 months ago

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Discovering Red Pandas

Summary: How Remy found the red panda cafe in the imagination, and how Roman some indeterminate amount of time later found out about anxcietmusleep

Author's note: I did not want to write today, but I said I would for each day of July so meh. This is part of the Vampiceit au I have with @lostcephalopods (formerly loveceit) I swear there's more of it than I could find searching my blog today but tired brain is not digging for it.

My Idea note for today: Vampiceit - How did Remy discover the red panda cafe? What happened when Roman did? Do any of his datemates have their own unique date locations?

/\/\

Of the people who spent the most time in the imagination, Remy was probably the one to understand it best and that was still very little. If he tried to explain it, the sides often tried to correct them that they’d asked about the imagination not Remus.

Logan especially had once grown very frustrated over it, even though Roman agreed. The imagination isn’t predictable and often forms places or characters completely randomly.

For Roman and Remus, it wasn’t as unpredictable because they had some measure of control over it the other sides would struggle to manage, but that never meant they knew everything that happened within. They’d often be surprised by a new area or adventure to go on and half of Remus’s exclamations could be copied from occurrences within.

Remy didn’t get, or want, to control the imagination, but often found himself stuck there while Thomas slept or daydreamed. He could focus on the dreams of individual sides if he wanted, or be made to if they were especially loud or worried, but many nights were spent wandering Thomas’s dreams through the imagination.

It was a night like that that Remy found his cafe. He’d later learn about a planned trip to the zoo but right then he just saw the little red pandas climbing along branches and the tables scattered around.

That week had been one of disturbed nights for Remy. Janus was concerned over Virgil’s continuing love of vampires again, and Roman had been in a state of bouncing between ideas. The only thing going for Remy actually resting was that Remus hadn’t started causing any more chaos than the usual low amount.

Having coffee surrounded by the cute creatures seemed at least peaceful, if not somewhere he might just drift of to sleep themself.

/\/\

“When did we get a cat cafe?” Roman’s voice woke Remy, realising he was curled into a sofa still in the red panda area and that Thomas, along with all the sides, was awake now.

They sat up, stretching and calling over their shoulder, “Might want to look at the cuddly creatures again, Princey. Also, you’re keeping this place for me. I refuse all arguments to say otherwise.”

“I don’t know what they are then, but fine, you can keep your teddy bears picnic area. At least until I get Logan here and he explains why this is unhealthy for them.” Roman heaved a sigh, looking Remy over again. “Why haven’t you been sleeping this week?”

“Disturbances in the force. Which will be small compared to what I’ll do if you bring Logan here for that purpose.” Remy snarked. “They’re red pandas and I’ve decided this is their Cafe Extravaganza. Now I just need a date to bring here and amaze.”

Roman nodded, “Indeed, the pursuit of true love is ever emboldened by prime date locations. Very well, I shall allow your request, but you must enlighten me if ever you find true love.”

“Sure babes, Moment it happens I’ll run out to tell you.”

/\/\

Roman’s screech made them all freeze momentarily, before Remus was screeching back, unbothered by his nudity as he raced towards the other Creativity.

“I said tell me! Not let me walk in on whatever orgy this is!” Roman dodged around, pointing angrily at Remy.

Remus leapt onto his back at being ignored, also looking at the function. “Tell him what?”

“If I ever got a date, Sugar. He said that when he found my cafe.” Remy called over, snickering when that resulted in Remus now dragging Roman to the bed.

“Okay, so Remy is definitely our boyfriend, first it was just Virgil if Sleep had paid more attention to him and it was dullsville in how slow they went, so Jailbait and I joined in to kick them into hyperspeed. Just wait till I tell you all the kinks we’ve tried and have yet to try.” Remus was happily sharing, avoiding all attempts from Roman to escape.

#remy sanders #roman sanders #anxceitmusleep #remus sanders #vampiceit #red panda cafe

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creepychan08 · 4 years ago

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Yandere Oikawa x reader

It was a known fact that Oikawa always get what he wants. Be it in sports, academics, or girls he always come out at the top and he relishes in the attention that he gets. With his smooth words and gestures, he managed to get the hearts of everyone he met- teachers, classmates, the trust of his teammates and even the principal himself.

Oh and did I mention?

Oikawa Tooru is the great Alpha of Aoba Johsai.

In this world, werewolves exist and the population is divided into three class- alphas, betas, and the omegas.

There is also a predestined mate for each one of them. Usually, werewolves find their mate during their high school days where there bodies started releasing pheromones that catch the attention of their specific mates.

Despite of this however, unmated werewolves can still flirt with anyone as long as they were still not taken to just generally waste their youth.

You were one of the people who are against that. You believed that since everyone has their own mates, they must remain pure and untouched until they meet the one destined for them. That way even before meeting them, it shows their loyalty in waiting for their partner.

Yes, and that's why you kind of despise Oikawa Tooru. Unfortunately, he is your classmate so you have to suffer everyday in just being near his presence. His huge ego doesn't help as well.

"Omg, look, look!! He's sitting over there! I wanna talk to him!"

"Oikawa-senpai looks so hot today!!"

"Gosh, I wonder if he will accept this lunch I prepared for him!"

"Notice me, Oikawa!!!"

The shrieks of girl flocking outside your classroom caused another headache in your already throbbing head. Closing your eyes in distressed, you buried your head in your desk trying to drown out the sounds. Some of your classmates surrounded Oikawa and were eagerly shoving letters and foods on his desk as he laughed and winked flirtatiously at them.

You sighed and took out your bento, figuring that it would be better to eat somewhere quiet. Standing up, you didn't notice the gaze that followed your form as you exit your classroom.

Timeskip

It was the end of the last period and you walked out of the school when you forgot your textbook underneath your desk. Heaving a sigh of irritation, you turned around and went back only to see two people talking in your classroom.

With the light from the sunset coating the room in a soft orange glow, you squint your eyes to see Oikawa with his hand tilting the chin of another girl as he moved his face forward and from where you can see, softly press his lips to the pair of awaiting ones. Feeling your face burn in embarassment from the scene, you gasped and quickly hide when you saw him turn towards you.

Disgusting. Fucking disgusting.

Is the thought going in your head. You know he's a playboy but you couldn't help the shivers of disgust that runs in your body as you saw his display. How could he do that?? And the girl as well?? Yes, they were unmated but still! Haven't they ever thought how their mates would feel when they discover how their mates acted before meeting them? First kiss, first hug, first date. Wouldn't it be better to reserve that for your mate when you finally meet them?

Shaking your head in defeat you kind of pitied whoever ends up as Oikawa's mate. Oh well none of your business.

As you decided to forego your earlier plan of picking up your book, you turned to walk back down again when you feel a cold hand tightly gripping your arm.

"Yn-chan~" an eerie voice sounded loud in your ears as you shuddered in response. Turning around you saw Oikawa with the usual grin on his face but there was something dangerous in his eyes.

"Its bad to watch a confession, you know?"

"I-" you felt the words stuck in your throat but you took a deep breath and faced him properly.

"I apologized for that Oikawa-san. I didn't meant to watch. I was just getting my book- I left it behind but seeing as you two were busy, I decided to just leave it there." You explained.

"Oh and please don't call me by my given name. We are not close. It's Ln-san to you."

Oh? One of Oikawa's eyebrows raised at your statement before he dramatically bowed at you as he pulled the door to the classroom open.

"By all means, please take what you need, Ln-san." It wasn't much but you feel uncomfortable in his presence so you quickly entered the room to find the girl crying where she stood. Trying to get out of the place at once, you took your book and immediately flee the scene only to hear Oikawa giggling at you from behind.

"Don't worry Ln-san, I didn't kiss her~ Take care!"

You scoffed in return. Who the fuck cares about that? That egoistic bastard!

A week has passed after that and you'd gladly say that everything return to normal but unfortunately it did not. After that encounter, Oikawa started acting different around you. He seems to bother you at any chance he could. Like suddenly talking to you in class and asking to be partners for activities. Occasionally asking to have lunch with you as well.

Needless to say, you gather a lot of hatred from his fangirls who started harassing you. You heaved another sigh. Well.. there goes your plan for a quiet school year. Inwardly you curse him in your mind as you trudge towards your club activity. Hopefully, seeing your friends in the club can help dampen your negative mood.

It was night time when you finish in the school. Your friends waved goodbye to you and you return the notion as you slowly walked behind them. You took the time and just admire your surroundings. You always love watching the stars and moon. It makes you feel peaceful and relaxed.

Weirdly though, you felt something unusual in your body. There was a tingling sensation and you felt light headed. Fortunately there was a bench near the gates of the school so you decided to rest there for a couple of minutes.

Breathing in the clean air around you,you try to relax when you suddenly pick up the scent of the most wonderful aroma you've ever smell. A group of footsteps soon followed and you watch a small crowd of volleyball players come out of the gym and towards the exit of the school.

You froze as you realized that wonderful smell is coming from their direction.

You feel your heart stopped. Is your mate a part of the Aoba Johsai volleyball club!?? Who is it??

Your answer soon came when you saw a lone pair of shoes stopped a distance before you. His friends unknowingly leaving him behind.

"Yeah, don't you agree, Shittykawa?" you heard a guy said before realizing they left their friend behind.

"Oi, what are you standing there for? Hurry up Oikawa!"

Your eyes twitched as it slowly goes up to see the owner of the pair of shoes that stop a distance from you and the group.

Oikawa Tooru.

He's your fucking mate!!??

Your mind couldn't grasp the info as you stared dumbly at him. At his awestruck look as well. His teammates seems to piece the picture and they immediately left, bidding him farewell.

"You're my mate..." Oikawa whispers, and you saw how he look at you as if you're the most precious thing in the world. You wish you could say the same. But its not because he's fucking Oikawa! The one who played around and break a lot of girl's hearts. The one who probably had sex with a lot of girls before you.

And it broke your heart.

"Why is it you?" you asked, seeing him walk nearer towards you.

He stopped and looked at you like you shot him.

"What?"

"I've been waiting for this moment all my life and now... " You turn to hide your tears, ashamed to let him see your appearance.

"Don't!" Oikawa shouted, grasping your face with both of his face as he turn your face towards him.

"I always wondered why am I drawn to you in the past days.. what is it with you? And why have you caught my interest. I thought its because of what happened back then in that afternoon when you saw me with her." Then he shook his head, "But I guess its not so. You see Yn-chan even before I knew you were my mate, it seems my body already knows its you. You're mine!" And with a strong force he pulled you towards him in a crushing embrace.

You stiffened. The words he uttered must be romantic to others but it only made shivers run down your spine. You don't know why but when he pulled back to look at you and you stared at those golden eyes of his, both pupils dilated, a rush of fight and flight kick in. He is dangerous. Your mind screamed at you. Get away from him!

You pushed him back and started running down past the school gates towards the empty street. You looked back to see his astonished face before it morph to a feral look and he smiled widely at you.

"Oh Yn-chan, don't run away~"

A set of footsteps soon followed and you gasped as you hear it coming nearer and nearer you.

"No! Please stop! Don't follow me!!!" You screamed as you continued running, panting for breath. You knew there was something dangerous about him and with him acting like that it only proves your point.

"No!! Can't you see you're mine and mine alone!! I'm your alpha!! " He yelled and with one lunge he pounced at you, grabbing you as you fall to the cement floor. Twisting his body so he take the blunt fall, you both finally skidded to stop. With you on top of him.

Opening your eyes, you breath heavily as you realized you were lying on top of someone breathing as hard as you. That and you felt arms tightly wrapped around your waist was enough to jolt you back to reality.

Eh?

From below, you saw Oikawa grin madly at you.

"I catched you now babe~ So don't try to escape me, your one and only alpha~"

Fin

#haikyuu #oikawa tooru #haikyu #oikawa x reader #alpha oikawa #omega reader #mate #yandere #yandere oikawa x reader #anime #readerinsert #reader #tooru #possessive oikawa #yandere oikawa x mate reader #aobajohsai

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loving-all-for-loki · 4 years ago

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How about a Loki x reader.. Tony moves his baby sister into the compound after something happens to her but he won’t tell anyone what. She refuses to leave her room until everyone is in bed. She comes out one night and is caught by Loki. She immediately apologizes and becomes so shaken up that she drops her things and breaks a glass. Then it hits him why she was secretly moved in. Tony had discovered his little sister living in a bad situation with her now ex and suffered years of abuse. Loki decides then to take his time to make her feel safe again and they eventually fall for each other.

A/N: I hope this works! I got really sappy at the end, but I also don’t know how to end these one shots. This is a bit of a lengthy one, so bear with me.

He’s Not Him

Summary: Tony Stark has enough of his sister’s ex and moves her into the Avengers Tower. After taking notice of her shy and timid behavior, Loki digs deep at her past, making him want to make her feel safe.

Pairing: Loki x Stark!reader, Tony Stark x Sister!Reader

Word Count: 2993

Warnings: fluff, angst, mentions of domestic abuse, language

Forever Tags: @mm2305

Y/E/N - your ex’s name

*If you or someone you know is being domestically abused, please reach out to 911 or call 800.799.SAFE (7233) for help. Love you all*

Tony storms into his sister's apartment. After standing outside of her door for a half hour, he bashed in the door at the the sound of a scream from inside. Frantically, he pushes his way around the furniture and bursts into your bedroom. His eyes go wide at the sight of you on the floor in a ball and your ex boyfriend above you with a fist out. Stark grabs your ex’s fist and rips him away from you, pushing him into your dresser.

“Get the fuck out!” Tony screams.

“Oh, the great Tony Stark is here. What are you going to do? Drop a bomb on me?”

You’ve never seen Tony’s skin turn so red. He storms forward and punches your ex square in the nose, sending him down on the ground. Tony unleashes all his energy until the man is left with a broken nose and multiple bruises.

“Get. Out.”

Your ex runs out of your room, without missing the chance to break a few things, and out of your apartment. You look up out of your ball to see Tony rushing to your side with panic in his eyes. He lifts up your head as you climb into his lap.

“Come here, darling. You’re okay. You’re safe now.” He coos.

You cry into the crook of his shoulder as he rocks you back and forth, his hand on your back.

“I’m getting you out of here,” He says, placing you on your bed, “I’m taking you to the tower with us.”

Tony leaves you on your bed as he gets a suitcase and packs your things. He gathers all of your clothes and some of your possessions like books, drawings, and others. You can feel the tears starting to dry on your skin as you stop crying. Tony doesn’t miss the way you start to uncurl and the bruises on your neck show up. His face drops to see the choking marks on your neck.

“I’m… so sorry, Y/N. I should have been here to protect you.”

You shake your head at him as he joins you on the bed. Tony reaches around your head to undo your ponytail and cover the bruises.

“There, now no one will ask you about them.”

You give him a gentle smile which eases him a little. He leans forward and kisses your forehead before taking your hand and helping you up. Tony and you walk out of your building and into the garage where Happy is in the car. He drops you off for five minutes to go talk to your landlord about you leaving.

“You’re going to be okay,” Happy reassures you.

“Thanks,” you manage to get out.

He gives you a warm smile. He has always made you smile throughout the years. Tony comes back, joins you in the car, and takes off to the tower.

Upon arrival, you look up at the large tower in awe. You’ve visited a couple of times, but that was a year ago since your ex didn’t allow you to see Tony much. It’s always been impressive. You were thankful for Tony letting you live on your own and make something of your own life instead of letting you mooch off of his fortune, but you do regret sometimes not letting him support you more. You were always so proud of him.

Tony carries your luggage as he leads you to the elevators. He looks down at you every so often, noticing the anxious way you bite your nails.

“You’re safe here. We have the best security and you’ll be surrounded by trained assassins and heroes. They’ll protect you, I promise.”

You nod your head at Tony’s words. As much as they help you, you don’t really want to see or talk to anyone. After having your ex break into your house every day for two weeks, you want to be alone except for the occasional visit from Tony.

The elevator doors open and reveal you and your brother to the Avengers who are all lounging in the living area. They turn to look at you with puzzled faces, making you nervous and hide behind Tony’s arm. He lets you stay behind him instead of forcing you to say hi as you exit the elevator.

“Everyone, this is my sister, Y/N. She’s going to stay here from now on so be nice to her,” Tony announces.

Everyone says hi to you but you stay silent behind Tony. He doesn’t question it even though the others look at one another in concern. Steve thinks to himself that you can’t be that rude, but given the way you look, everything must be very different to you from the rest of your life. You look shocked and scared.

Looking at the Avengers, you take in each and everyone’s appearance. Bucky and Nat look the scariest in your opinion and you make a mental note to stay away from them. Sam, Steve, and Clint look nice, but Wanda looks like the sweetest lady in the universe. She has a smile that warms your heart. Turning to your right, you see two very tall men standing and staring at you.

The taller one has blonde hair and a big grin on his face. He has a large stature, but he does not look intimidating. He has a golden retriever energy to him, but the man next to him is a different story. With his pitch black hair and powerful stand, the other man stares at you with daggers in his eyes. He sends shivers down your spine without saying anything.

You drag your eyes away from the intimidating man and follow Tony down the hallway. He leads you to your room where you get settled in, unpacking your clothes and putting away your things. Laying in the bed, you take a big nap which is needed. You feel as if you let out a breath you’ve been holding for days. The idea of being away from your ex finally settles in and you feel the wave of relief wash over your body, letting you drift away into sleep.

You’re woken up by Tony letting you know dinner is being served. He lets you know that you’re not being expected to come out and eat with everyone, which you appreciate. Ten minutes later, he comes by your room and slips a plate of food in your room as he opens the door, letting you eat alone.

Tony returns to the living room by the other Avengers eating and gathered around the couch. He takes his plate and sits next to Pepper who has her own food, smiling at him as he joins.

“So, your sister?” Sam asks.

“Don’t even think about it. She is not to date any of you.”

“Woah, I didn’t say that,” Sam laughs.

“But we know what you meant,” Steve chuckles, rolling his eyes, “She seems shy.”

“She is. You probably won’t get a lot out of her.”

“Can I ask why she’s staying her?”

“No.”

Steve shares a look with Bucky. The elevator door opens and Peter walks into the living room.

“You guys started dinner without me?” He asks, jokingly.

“Early birds get the worm,” Steve laughs.

The group chuckles and keeps eating their food.

“Is Y/N a new Avenger?” Steve asks.

Tony sighs and rolls his eyes at the question. Everyone notices the annoyance in Tony with talking about you and collectively decide to stop asking questions. It’s clear he doesn’t want to talk about you much.

“No, she’s not.”

“Who’s Y/N?” Peter asks.

“I’ll fill you in later,” Nat replies.

The day goes by fast and you find yourself staring out at New York in the moonlight. You have always enjoyed the night time. They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but you’ve always found peace and warmth in the New York night. Everyone goes out to party or to bed. It’s a time of joy and relaxment.

You hear the last door shut for the night, signally everyone going to bed. Looking outside of your door, you don’t spot anyone so you sprint outside to the kitchen with your empty dinner plate. Upon entering it, you search the walls for the light switch for about five minutes. There’s no other light than that except for the over. You finally find it and switch it on. As you turn around, you’re startled by the frightening black haired man standing there.

Scared, you drop your plate, shattering it on the tile floor. Your eyes go wide as you start to back up against the wall. Without saying anything, the man takes a step forward, scaring you half to death. Your mind plays tricks on you and all you can think about is your ex breaking into your home. You start to have a panic attack, sliding down against the wall, and curling up into a ball.

You miss the way Loki’s eyes go wide. He watches you descend into an anxiety attack and doesn’t know what to do, knowing he’s who caused it. Quickly, he rushes down the hallways and bangs on Tony’s doors.

“What do you want, Reindeer Games?” He groans.

“Your sister…”

Tony doesn’t wait for another word for following Loki down the corridor. He spots you panicking in the corner of the kitchen and grabs you, lifting you into his lap. You grab onto his neck and pull him close, crying into him. He lifts you up and carries you off to your room without saying a word to Loki, leaving him standing in the kitchen agape.

Not knowing what to do and unable to relax, Loki makes his way to his room and opens up an old laptop Thor had gotten him. After spending thirty minutes just to figure out how to work it, he starts googling things about you. He starts with your name and finds multiple articles on you and Tony, the Stark Industry Golden Children. You left when you were eighteen, wanting to make your own life and not follow in the family’s footsteps. He gives you credit for being yourself, something he had struggled with. He knows the feeling, not wanting to be your family.

Then a certain website catches his eye, Facebook. He finds a profile of you filled with photos and text. There are some of you with friends in the town, a couple of old coworkers wishing you a happy birthday, then there’s a photo of you with a man. There are no other photos of you with him other than this one a couple months ago. He keeps scrolling to find more photos of you with him, but they all stop after that first one. Clicking on something tagged in the caption, another profile pops up.

Y/E/N’s profile. Filled with photos of drunk nights at the club, shirtless gym time, and quotes from misogynistic authors, Loki finds himself despising this man he does not know. He scrolls through finding very little of you in his account, as if you don’t matter as much to him as he does to you. Closing his computer, Loki decided to go check on you. He’s frustrated by whoever this man is, not knowing whether he’s important or not.

Loki peeks into your room to see Tony laying next to you, brushing through your hair with his fingers. Tony looks up and meets him in the eyes. There’s slight anger, but Loki doesn’t feel pushed away. He takes a step in before Tony leans into your ear and whispers. You look up and over to Loki, but you don’t ask him to leave. Loki continues to walk into your bedroom quietly, but with a small gentle smile on his face.

“I’m sorry for scaring you earlier,” he says, “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. Thanks,” you mutter.

Your voice is small and timid like a mouse. He can hear the hesitation in your voice, not knowing whether he should talk to you or not.

“Are… you okay?”

“Yes.”

Another awkward pregnant pause erupts between the two of you. Loki looks around your room as Tony continues to hold you. He whispers into your ear again before leaving.

“I’m going to go back to my room,” he says, “call me if you need me okay?”

“Thanks, Tony.”

“Of course, anything for my little sister.”

He kisses your forehead and heads out of your room, leaving you and Loki alone. You don’t mind his presence anymore. After Tony tells you that Loki isn’t your ex and you’re okay, you’ve accepted him.

“I have to ask… who is that man on Facebook?”

Loki gives you a quizzical look. You think for a moment about how Loki got on Facebook and what guy he’s talking about.

“His name is Y/E/N.”

Your body clenches at the sound of his name and Loki takes a step back, looking at you. He’s never seen anyone physically close up just from a name. It may be some Midgardians thing he doesn’t understand, but the way that you are shaking, he thinks otherwise. He sits down next to you and wraps his arms around your shoulders. You lean into his touch as you attempt to calm down.

He’s not here. I’m safe. He’s not here. I’m safe.

You keep repeating that in your head, reminding yourself that you’re safe in the tower like Tony said. Looking up at Loki, you see his concerned face. He cares. This man you barely know cares about you.

He’s not him. He’s not him. He’s not him.

“I don’t think I properly introduced myself. I’m being quite an ass asking you these questions without manners. I’m Loki.”

Loki, not Y/E/N. He’s not him. He’s not him.

“Well, L-Loki,” you say with a stutter, “He’s uh… my ex. Ex boyfriend.”

“Ah.”

He nods as he takes in the information at hand. Your ex, who makes you quiver in fear even over people who have done nothing to her, has no photos of you. He shares his lavish lifestyle that most would presume belongs to a single man. Loki looks back at your depressed ridden face. The color in your skin has drained from you and you’re staring blank cold at the wooden floors under your bed. Loki places a hand on your neck to move your hair and give you a light massage, but you flinch away from him before he is able.

Loki’s never seen so much fear and worry in someone’s eyes before. You jerk away from him muttering yourself, as if it were taking everything in you to not scream. He looks over you to see bruises along your neck where your hair had moved from when you moved. A wave of anger runs through his body, infuriating him. He did that to you. That’s why you’re so afraid of him.

“Did he-”

“Yes.”

Loki rises from your bed and clenches his fists. You see the anger pouring from him and rush to his side before he can storm off. You grab his arms and force him to look at you.

“Please, don’t… don’t do anything.”

“Why shouldn’t I? No man should ever do that to a woman, especially you.”

“Just let it be.”

He releases his fist but the fury in his eyes doesn't. You pull him towards you to make him sit again. Moving in closer, you lean into him. Loki wraps his arms around you and pulls you into his lap. The two of you lay down in your bed, you curled up on him as he held you, running his fingers in your hair.

For some reason, Loki feels as if he has to protect you. The way you ball up gives him this sense of innocence about you. You haven’t done anything to deserve those injuries, just live your life and try to find love. Loki always knew there was a good reason to hate Midgardians, not just for their stupidity and now he’s found it.

The two of you fall asleep without realizing it. The light from the sun peaking in the windows wakes you. Stirring in bed, you look up to see Loki under you, his arms holding you against him by your waist. You're cradled into his chest as his chin barely rests on the top of your head. Loki’s eyes flutter open at the feeling of you moving on top of him. He looks down at you and smiles.

The way the light shines on your face makes you look angelic. Your smile warms his heart and the warmth of your body against him makes his heart jump. You turn over to face him, leaning up on your shoulders over his head.

“Hi.”

“Hello, darling.”

“You slept here.”

“Both of us did, actually,” he laughs.

You drop your head laughing. Loki’s sweet laugh fills the room and blesses your ears. He’s not too bad to be around. He’s quite kind and sweet.

“Thank you for last night.”

“For what? If I remember correctly, I gave you a panic attack.”

“I mean the way you calmed me down and held me. It was needed.”

“Well, I’m glad I could do that for you.”

Loki means it when he says it. Looking at you now, there’s not much he wouldn’t do for you. You don’t deserve what the world gives you, especially that asshole Y/E/N. He would hold you for the rest of time if that meant keeping you safe.

You won’t lie either when you tell Loki he makes you feel safe. Every day before he sneaks off to his room so the others don’t know he spends the night with you, you tell him that he makes you safe. He never believes you. He’s shocked that anyone could feel safe with a monster like him, but after all to you, Loki is not him.

#loki x reader #loki fanfic #loki #loki x reader fluff #tony stark x sister!reader #tony stark x reader sister #loki x stark!reader #loki x reader stark #loki laufeyson #loki laufeyson fluff #marvel x reader #loki oneshot

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jeonsweetpea · 3 years ago

Text

Moonstruck 10

Werewolf & Vampire Hybrid!AU, Supernatural!AU | Hybrid!Jungkook x Hybrid!Reader | Werewolf!Taehyung x Hybrid!Reader (ft. BTS)

genre: smut, angst, e2l, supernatural, thriller, slow burn

rating: mature

description: You and Jungkook return back to campus and discover new information that will aid in your investigation.

word count: 9.4k

warnings: contains SPOILERS! Cussing, mentions of murder/betrayal, nightmare, talks of infertility, heartbreak, spying. no smut this chapter

a/n: It’s been forever, I know! But thank you to those who are still keeping up with my series. I seriously love you all. Please know that. Thank you for giving me and my writing a chance on this platform. 💕

Professor Min met your gaze when you called out his name. Despite his dark raincoat, black face mask, and matching cap, you recognized his slight musky scent and soft gaze. For a moment, he stood there and observed you and Jungkook, who were still holding each other in a protective embrace.

You were relieved to see a familiar face, but his brooding appearance sent shivers down your spine.

“Professor Min?” Jungkook said warily. The booming thunder and bright flash of lightning didn’t help quell your worries as it illuminated the professor’s dark figure. It wasn’t long when he began to charge towards you both.

You squeezed Jungkook’s arm instinctively, wanting to run. But then he stopped a couple feet away, his eyebrows raised with anticipation. Pulling his face mask down, he asked, “Are you two… back to normal?”

Jungkook and you looked at each other before letting go.

“Yes. It’s us,” you answered. Professor Min let out a huge sigh of relief before tackling you both in a group hug. Your eyes widened, not expecting such affection from him.

“Thank goodness,” he whispered, trying his best not to choke on his words. “I’m so glad.”

“Are you crying?” Jungkook asked, letting a chuckle slip past his lips. You giggled when Yoongi made sniffling sounds.

“N-No. Just hush and let me hug y’all for a moment.”

Now in the safe confines of Professor Min’s car, the three of you were on your way back to campus. Luckily for you the professor came prepared and had a spare change of clothes and blankets to keep you warm. He also returned your phone, which was the key in finding your whereabouts.

When the device was turned on at the pawn shop, a ping was sent to his phone and he immediately set out looking for you. After locating your lost phone, he wandered around town in hopes of finding you next. News had spread like wildfire about a “loose rampaging beast”, so he followed the hysteria and it led him straight to you and Jungkook.

(And he might have run into the same cops who tried to shoot you but it’s okay, he erased their memories with a potion spray after interrogating them.)

There were many things he wished to discuss, but you asked him to hold off until your energy was replenished. 20 minutes later, the vibrations of the car had lulled you into a peaceful sleep.

“[Y/N]?” Yoongi took a glance in the rearview mirror to see your head drooping onto Jungkook’s shoulder. “[Y/N].”

“She’s asleep,” Jungkook informed. “Probably exhausted from all she’s been through.”

“You’ve been through a lot too. Are you going to sleep?”

“No,” he covered you up some more with the blanket, “not yet.”

“Hmm,” Yoongi murmured, keeping his eyes on the road. “There’s something I wanted to discuss with you. That is, if you’re up for it.”

“Sure. Should [Y/N] hear this too?”

“No. Not yet. I don’t want to upset her.”

It was quiet for a moment as Jungkook peered down to look at you. For once you seemed so at peace that he didn’t have the heart to disturb you anyway. Whatever the professor had to say, he could always tell you later.

“Okay. What is it?”

Yoongi gripped the steering wheel tighter and then cleared his throat to speak,

“While you were gone, I’ve been doing some research on my own about H.O.P.E. Let me ask you this. Don’t you feel like there’s something off about everything that’s happened so far?”

“I’m not following.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is… do you have any reason to believe maybe Hoseok wasn’t behind everything that’s happened?” Jungkook froze, his lips parted open in shock but no words were able to come out. Yoongi met his wide doe eyes in the rearview mirror. “You do. You think Hoseok might be innocent.”

“No, no. Hold on a second,” Jungkook muttered, quite flustered as shame overcame him. “I saw him kill [Y/N]. He stabbed her right in front of me. He’s a murderer and a liar and—”

“He could have been framed. Blackmailed. Possessed, I don’t know.”

“There’s no proof!” You stirred a bit in your sleep and Jungkook shut his mouth until you settled down.

“I’ve been trying to find proof,” Yoongi informed in a hushed voice, being cautious of his volume level. “I feel like I’ve been missing something, so I went back to Hoseok’s house. There was this sewing room.”

“I don’t understand, what’s the significance of that?”

“Mr. and Mrs. Jung used to sew clothes for a living. After they got new jobs, they had enough money to fund H.O.P.E. But! They didn’t buy their masks from somewhere else. They handmade them.”

“So?”

“Some of their old sketches were left behind. Look at the designs I found versus the one Hoseok had.”

Yoongi reached over to the passenger’s seat, grabbed an item, and handed it back to Jungkook. The boy took the worn-out journal and flipped it open.

“Page 13,” Yoongi informed. “That’s the final sketch for the masks.”

Jungkook went to the page immediately and stared at the design, searching for anything out of the ordinary. The symbol on the mask was the same as he remembered it—two arrows intersecting each other with a full moon on top. Inside the moon were small letters that spelled out H.O.P.E.

“This looks like the mask we found at the school…” Jungkook said, unsure of what revelation he was supposed to have.

“It’s not obvious at first, but there is a clear difference between what you see there and what I have here,” Yoongi slipped his hand in his pocket but then bit his lip. “I have the mask with me, but I don’t want to trigger anything by showing you it.”

Jungkook peered down at you once again, hearing your soft snores as you slept soundly for the first time in weeks. He owed it to you to find out the truth, whatever that may be.

“I’ll be okay. Let me see it.”

With his consent, the professor pulled out the mask from his pocket and handed it back to the boy, making sure to keep his eyes on the road. Jungkook held his breath upon having the item in his possession. The black fabric, the slits where the eyes and mouth go, the symbol on the forehead—all of it brought flashbacks of the scavenger hunt.

“Jungkook, are you okay? Focus,” Yoongi urged. The boy snapped out of his daze. His mind couldn’t be a hindrance to him. Not now.

“Sorry,” he said, taking a moment to clear his head. After closer inspection, he managed to pick up on the differences between the original and the sketch. “Hold on… the font for H.O.P.E. is different here. And the moon’s craters aren’t in the same place. Even the arrows are in a different style.”

“Exactly. From far away, you would never be able to tell, but the mask from Hoseok’s room is not the same as the original sketches. If his family was behind what happened at the scavenger hunt, why would they send someone who didn’t wear their custom mask?”

“I don’t know…”

“This proves whoever was at the scavenger hunt wasn’t sent by H.O.P.E. As cruel as they are, I don’t think it was them. I think someone tried to replicate the mask from memory to shift blame.”

The longer Jungkook stared at the mask, the more his grip tightened on it. Hoseok still stabbed you. Killed you. Even if the professor’s suspicions were right, there was no excuse for his actions. Hoseok had betrayed everyone.

“Okay. Defending Hoseok and his family is one thing, but how can you be so confident in suggesting H.O.P.E. as a whole had absolutely nothing to do with this? Mr. Yang tried to continue their mission, no?”

“But Mr. Yang didn’t have any resources. The Jungs took back everything. You can see in the back of the journal there’s an inventory page that includes weapons and masks. All of it was burned, according to Mrs. Jung’s notes. Seems like they left in a rush and wanted to start fresh.”

“I’m not convinced. Or I’m not sure what this all means. How did you even find this book?”

“It was behind a loose brick on the wall.”

“Why didn’t you find it the first time? Why go back now? Why weren’t you thorough? Are you hiding something?”

“Jungkook, why are you being so defensive? The house is massive. Professor Jin searched that room, I didn’t.”

“Pfft… Professor Jin. Of course,” the boy sneered. “Explains a lot. Can’t trust no one.”

“I think he’s also innocent,” Yoongi said, slowly braking to a full stop at the red light. “And before you doubt me, you should consider this: Jin has zero no motive. He would never want to hurt [Y/N].”

“Never want to doesn’t mean never will. She’s been through so much. How can I tell her any of the bullshit you’re spewing when the professor revealed something so personal that sent her over the edge? And Hoseok killed her right in front of me.”

“Listen—”

“No, you listen. You expect me to believe Hoseok and his family and fuck, even those bastards at H.O.P.E might be innocent? Give me something solid. I’ve had enough of these wild theories.”

The light turned green, so Yoongi resumed driving and realized he was low on gas.

“Alright. Hoseok said there was a mole,” he said in a soft voice. “And I intend to find out who it is. I want you to look inside the mask I gave you.”

The boy was confused at the odd request but flipped the mask inside-out to find nothing. “I don’t see anything.”

“Feel around for a different texture with your fingers.”

“This is stupid…” Jungkook muttered, running his fingers across the cotton to feel for something out of the ordinary. Towards the bottom of the mask, he did encounter something with a slightly bumpy texture. “What is that?”

Upon closer inspection, he finally saw there was a small embroidery of some logo. The thread was black, so it was difficult to see but not to feel.

“It’s two S’s shaped like a heart. I looked it up on the web and found out it’s the logo of a small shop called ‘Sweet Seams’,” Yoongi informed. “It’s run by a middle-aged couple, who teach others how to sew, knit, and crochet. They take commissions. I want you to listen to this phone call I had with one of the owners.”

Yoongi pulled into a nearby gas station and parked the car before pulling out his phone. He found the audio file of the recorded conversation, pressed play, and turned around to let Jungkook hear it on speaker.

“Hello, this is Mrs. Yoo from Sweet Seams! How may I help you?” a cheery woman’s voice asked, kicking off the conversation.

“Hi, I heard you take commissions. Is that right?” Yoongi replied.

“That is correct. We can sew, knit, or crochet whatever you like as long as it’s within our means. How did you hear about us?”

“I have this ski mask you made for uh… my friend. And I saw your logo on the inside.”

“My goodness, you are observant! My husband and I like to embed our company name in all our products. Like a little secret… isn’t that fun? Also because a lot of people cut off the tags. Those who mention it get a 5% discount!”

“That’s really nice.”

“We’re a small shop still trying to get more recognition, so we do whatever we can! You asked for a commission, correct?”

“Yes, I was wondering if you could make me the same thing you made my friend. It’s this ski mask with two arrows intersecting and a full moon on top and—”

“The word ‘hope’ in the center? I very much remember that request!” Mrs. Yoo giggled. “It was quite peculiar, but who am I to judge? I think your friend said it was for a costume party or something? I’ll never understand youngsters.”

Mrs. Yoo’s laugh over the phone became more obnoxious and hearing Yoongi’s fake laughter blend in with hers made Jungkook snort because it was too amusing.

“Yeah… costume party… haha.”

“I saved the pattern from last time. It’s somewhere in our shop… I think. I’ll find it later. Would you like me to make it the exact same way? Same size, same colors, same everything?”

“Yes please.”

“Okay, let me put in your request on the computer,” The slow click-clack of her keyboard filled the silence of the call for a couple minutes. “It will cost $12.00. But shipping will be $5.00 more unless you want to come pick it up in a few days.”

“Did my friend pick it up in person?”

“Hm? No, I believe he had it shipped to him or uh, she had it shipped. Is your friend a boy or a girl because on the phone, I couldn’t tell.”

“Can you confirm for me if it was my friend who you sold the mask to? A lot of us wanted this particular mask.”

“Really? Then why didn’t they order more than one?”

“... Well, what was the name on the order?”

“I can’t disclose that information, hun. Besides, the mask was made so long ago and my memory is foggy.”

“You remember the design but not who bought it? Do you not have records kept?”

“The mask was made when we were first starting out. We didn’t even have a website or anything back then. Technology is so gosh darn difficult… We’re still trying to find new hires too. I’m really not good with names. Sorry hun. Do you still want to order the mask?”

Yoongi sighed, disappointed at how the interrogation was going. He needed another tactic. “Sure. You can deliver it to where my friend had it sent.”

“I don’t remember your friend’s address,” she said with a chortle. “Can I have a name for the order?”

“Min Yoongi.”

*Click clack, click clack*

“Is there a specific address you can tell me to deliver it to?”

“Hmm, okay, um, you can deliver it to my workplace. BTS University at XXXX Street in XXXX City, XXXXX.

“BTS University at XXXX Street in XXXX City, XXXXX,” she repeated, typing the information into the system.

“BTS University?” a gruff man’s voice said in the background. “Isn’t that where we sent that ridiculous ski mask design months ago?”

“Honey, you’re home!” Mrs. Yoo exclaimed. “I’m on the phone with a customer.”

“Does your husband remember who ordered it?!” Yoongi asked with urgency, ultimately blowing his cover. “Please, I need to know.”

There were some hushed whispers and mumbling voices for a moment until Mr. Yoo took the phone away from his wife.

“Hi, Mr. Min? We can’t disclose customer information over the phone even if it’s your friend. You’ve made my wife very uncomfortable with all these questions.”

“I understand that. It wasn’t my intention, but I just need confirmation. I’ll pay for the mask.”

“We don’t remember because our systems back then were very old and outdated. Our shop has grown since then and we didn’t start keeping track of customer’s information online until a month ago.”

“But you remembered it was sent to my university?”

“I guess I let that slip, yes.”

“Sir, if you could just tell me the name of who ordered the mask, I’d really appreciate it.”

“I told you. We don’t remember. Have a good day.”

END CALL

Jungkook’s eyes widened in alarm. “So this mask really wasn’t from the hunters… someone from our school ordered it and had it delivered there.”

Yoongi put his phone away. “I’m afraid so. The mole is real. Hoseok is telling the truth.”

“We should go to the shop. They might be lying and I can compel them.”

The professor shook his head. “I think they were telling the truth. My priority is getting you and [Y/N] back to the university first.”

“Where a dangerous criminal mastermind walks among us? No.”

“Here me out. The shop is very far from us and I don’t want to involve the owners any more than I already have. They’re innocent. I fear who we’re after will hurt them if we investigate.”

“What about us? Your students? We’ve suffered enough.”

“But I can’t shake this feeling that something has happened to Jin, Hoseok, and his family. I haven’t been able to contact him since he left and the fact that I can’t track down Hoseok’s parents after they moved bothers me.”

The frustration Jungkook was experiencing was unbelievable. His hand quickly found yours underneath the blanket and he held it tight, your warmth soothing his mood.

“I want to catch this bastard.”

“I may already know who it could be.”

His mouth parted into an ‘o’ shape. “Who?!”

“First of all… has [Y/N] told you about Jimin?”

“... What about Jimin? Is he…? Is it him?!”

Professor Min looked away. “Maybe. I need to fill up on gas.”

“Wait, you need to explain.”

You stirred in your sleep and squeezed Jungkook’s arm, letting out a small whine. Yoongi put a finger to his lips.

“Hush. Has [Y/N] told you about Jimin and her mother?”

“What? No.”

“I thought so. Look, her mother told me some things and it’s not my place to share right now. If you want to know more, I suggest you ask [Y/N] about it once she wakes up. For now, let’s get ourselves home.”

You, Jungkook, and Yoongi arrived back on campus at the crack of dawn. The professor advised you two to get some rest before retreating to his room, unable to refrain from yawning himself. You were still half-asleep and used Jungkook as a crutch to hold you up as he walked you back to your dorm.

“Will you stay with me?” you asked softly.

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” Jungkook replied, kissing the top of your head. You smiled and unlocked your dorm room, finding it to be empty. Aside from your side of the room, the dorm was unusually clean. Almost as if it had been abandoned for weeks. Ari’s absence was clear and you assumed she had been staying with Jimin.

It didn’t matter though because all you craved was to lay in bed with the love of your life. You took his hand and led him to the soft mattress. Once you got under the covers, you patted the spot next to you and he happily joined. He was the big spoon this time, wrapping his arm over you in a protective embrace. You relaxed and so did he as you both passed out into sweet slumber.

“Where am I?”

It was pure darkness for one second, but then you heard it. A blaring alarm coming from behind you, painting your body in a red glow. You quickly turned around to see a dark figure was storming your way.

“Come on!” Your head spun around to the front to see Ari, who left no time for you to react as she grabbed your hand and forced you to run.

“Ari? What’s going on?” you cried, feeling the adrenaline in you spike.

“We can’t let her get us!”

“Who?! Where are we going?!”

You turned your head back to see the dark figure extend out her hand, shooting a bolt of lightning your way. Your quick reflexes allowed you to duck in time, but the attacks kept coming. Ari screamed when it scorched her leg, falling down with a loud thud. You stopped running.

“[Y/N], go!” She held her palm out towards you and used her powers to push you far away with a strong gust of air. As the dark figure approached her, the red glow followed and Ari defended herself by launching attacks based on the 4 elements. Whoever this person was, they deflected all her attacks and grew in size. Their shadow expanded like a thick fog about to consume Ari.

You couldn’t sit still. Even in your dreams, you had your speed and used it to your advantage. Despite everything that’s happened so far, you didn’t have the heart to leave Ari behind. You got in front of her and hugged her, closing your eyes.

“[Y/N]...” she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

“I’m not leaving you.”

Her arms wrapped around you as she closed her eyes as well, accepting her fate alongside you. The darkness enveloped your bodies but not for long. A powerful white glow prevented it from prevailing. You opened your eyes in confusion to see your necklace fired up. The shadow couldn’t beat the light as it pierced through the darkness with such intensity.

You heard a wild screech as the shadow shrunk back to its regular size. The dark figure was flung back as the radiant energy from your necklace expanded exponentially.

“Ari, we got to go,” you said, grunting from pulling her up onto her feet.

“Ow, ow, ow, my leg,” she whined, stumbling in place. You threw her arm over your shoulder and held her waist.

“I’ve got you.”

“[Y/N], you can’t trust her!” a deep, yet somewhat familiar voice shouted at you. You turned around, forcing Ari to hop on her leg and face the same way. Staring at the figure as it got up from the ground, you managed to make out the silhouette. That body shape… that height…

The dark figure walked towards you both, but you didn’t feel compelled to run away.

“No. You can’t trust her!” Ari argued.

“That’s rich coming from you,” The mysterious figure stepped closer, allowing the light from your necklace to illuminate her face. You dropped your jaw in disbelief. “Considering that you’re me.”

“Ari…? You’re… how…?”

Two Aris. Impossible.

The one in front of you was painfully cliche in terms of “evil.” Dark lipstick, black veins bulging from her neck and temples, heavy eyeliner, a devilish smirk. A stark contrast from the Ari you were protecting.

“She’s right…” Ari said, her voice weak and defeated. “Don’t trust me. But don’t trust her either. Avoid me! And especially avoid—”

A dark appendage wrapped around her mouth, preventing her from saying any more. Her muffled screams were the last thing you heard as she was ripped away from you.

“ARI!!!”

You woke up in a cold sweat. “Ari!”

Jungkook was sitting at your desk working on something but immediately ran to your side once he heard you wake up.

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong?” He rubbed your back soothingly, coaching you to breathe in and out.

“It was awful, Ari was taken away from me and she was trying to warn me and I just—I couldn’t save her!” you blurted out.

“Slow down, I can’t understand you.” You tried your best to gather your thoughts and then shared some more details about your dream with him. “So… there were two Aris in your dream and one was evil?”

“Yeah. But she told me not to trust her or the evil-looking one. And I think she was about to warn me about someone else when she was taken away from me. It was scary. I’ve never seen so much… darkness. Her aura was terrifying. Like she had no soul left.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. Last time you two talked, it wasn’t all that pleasant. Maybe your dream was reflecting that?”

“About how our friendship is falling apart?” You scoffed. “She said some messed up things to me before I left, yet I still care about her. Sucks.”

“What did she say? I remember how she treated you when Jimin got his room searched.”

“Ugh… Jimin,” you muttered. “Ever since she started dating him, she’s changed a lot. We got into this fight when I tried to warn her about Jimin’s blood addiction. He’s a ripper, you know. I… Um…”

You hesitated to go on because a realization dawned on you. Jungkook didn’t know a thing about Jimin’s past, your mother’s past, how you read his file, and more. What would he think of you?

“Hey…” he said in a gentle voice. He caressed the side of your face with a feather-like touch. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

You grabbed his hand and kissed the back of it. “I know but… I’m afraid.”

“Is it because Jimin and your mother are somehow connected?” Your eyes widened and you dove for your nightstand, alarming the boy. Grabbing a lighter, you lit the privacy candle and sealed your room in a purple glow as the calming scent of lavender spread through the air. “Whoa, what’s happening?”

You went back to your original position on the bed. “Without Ari here, I’m not sure how private our room is. So I lit the candle to be safe. How do you know about my mother and Jimin?”

“I-I don’t,” he answered, worried he had struck a nerve. Your glare intimidated him into feeling deep regret for even asking. “Professor Min said your mother told him some things. And he told me it wasn’t his place to share and to ask you once you were awake…”

“What? My mom… told him? Is Professor Min trustworthy?”

“I don’t know.”

You let out a heavy sigh. “I knew I would have to tell you about this eventually, but it’s a lot. Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be. And only if you want to tell me.”

“Will you hold me?”

He wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you in closer, so that your head would rest on his shoulder. Gently rocking you back and forth, he squeezed your shoulder. “Always.”

You proceeded to explain everything from the very beginning. Your family’s history, your mother’s affair, how Jimin had been dessicated, anything you could think of. Somewhere along the way you lost control and kept word-vomiting until there was nothing left to reveal.

Jungkook hung onto every word, furrowing his eyebrows at some parts and gasping at others. His mind was racing a mile a minute as he processed the overload of information.

“... Please say something. You’re scaring me.” You waved your hand in front of Jungkook’s face until he snapped out of his thoughts.

“Sorry. I’m at a loss for words…” You clutched onto your blanket tightly, fearing the worst. He was going to leave you. And who could blame him with a messed up family history like yours? “I had no idea what you were going through this whole time. God, I’m so stupid.”

You lifted your head up to meet his gaze. “What?”

“You’ve endured so much…” He balled his fist and slammed it on the nightstand, causing it to shake. You flinched at the sudden action. “That bastard is a fucking liar.”

“Who…?”

“Do you still have the photos of Jimin’s file on your phone?”

“Uh, yeah. I think.” You pulled it out of your pocket, unlocked it, and went to your gallery. Jungkook swiped the device from you as soon as you tapped on the correct photo. He glossed over the unimportant parts and zoomed in on a particular section.

“It says here he doesn’t remember who turned him. But he does. He told me.”

“Jimin did?”

“Yes. The night of the banquet he told me about his past and how his babysitter turned him and how much he loved her.”

“This whole time… he knew who my mother was. He remembers. Oh god.” You were trembling, placing a hand on your chest to calm yourself with deep breaths. Jungkook got off the bed, went to your desk to grab something, and came straight back.

“You need to listen to me and take a look at this.” He handed you the ski mask, noticing how your demeanor changed to a serious one.

“Is this…?”

“Look at that mask and look at this sketch.” He flipped Mrs. Jung’s journal to a certain page.

“But I don’t understand.” You cross-referenced the hunter mask with the picture like he asked and didn’t see what the big deal was. “They look the same?”

“Okay… please hear me out. It’s going to be unpleasant.”

“I’m already far past uncomfortable. Spill.”

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated groan. “On the car ride here, Professor Min and I talked. He’s been trying to find proof as to who’s behind everything that’s happened so far. And… he thinks Hoseok and his family might be innocent.”

“... You’re kidding.”

“Please don’t be upset.”

You got out from under the covers and off the bed, crossing one arm over the other. “Hoseok betrayed us. He murdered me. He’s the reason why I can’t ever have a family! His family were a group of hunters who went after us!”

“I know, I know, I know.”

“No, you don’t. Otherwise you would not even consider the professor’s words. He can’t be trusted. Great. Who’s left? Who can I trust? Has everyone gone mad?” You threw your arms up with a huff and headed towards the door. Jungkook sprinted to block the exit just in time with both objects in hand. “Get out of my way.”

“I can’t. You have to listen to this. Professor Min went back to Hoseok’s house and found this journal. The Jungs handmade every single mask for H.O.P.E. and this has the original designs. It doesn’t match the mask from the scavenger hunt.”

“So what?”

“Look at them closely. Why would they send a hunter the day of the scavenger hunt with a mask that wasn’t their own? Why suddenly a new design? Hoseok told you there was a mole, right? Whoever the mole was, they ordered a new mask from a small shop and the professor called them. They confirmed the mask was shipped to our campus a few months ago.”

You let his words sink in. There was no way you could let this go when the nightmare was far from over. Jungkook urged you to take another look at the items in his hand, so you gave in and inspected them closely. Now that you were calmer, you did notice some key differences.

“The font is slightly off…” you admitted. “The arrows are different here and so is the moon. It’s a nice fake.”

“See? From far away, it’s hard to tell. But the details aren’t perfect. That means whoever ordered it based it off memory. H.O.P.E. didn’t come after us the second time. Someone from the school did. Hoseok was telling the truth…”

“Okay,” you said, taking a seat at your desk. “Let’s say there’s a chance you’re right. And that’s considering if Professor Min is telling the truth. Who ordered the mask? Did the owners at the shop say?”

“No. They said they don’t remember. But after what you told me, it has to be Jimin. He’s known this entire time who your mother is, who you were. He has a motive.”

“How are we going to prove this?”

He sat in the extra chair next to yours, placing the journal down and flipping to another page. “I’ve been drawing since I woke up.”

“Flowers...?”

“Yes. I remembered something about the hunter. When we were fighting, I caught a glimpse of his body. He has a tattoo under his right nipple near his rib cage.”

You stared at the design in awe. It was a simple pencil sketch, but the amount of detail he was able to put into it was incredible. “It’s quite beautiful. You’re really talented.”

“Thank you, but can we admire my skills later?” You pressed your lips into a straight line at his impatient attitude.

“Right. Go on.”

“This is the forget-me-not flower. This is what I’ve been suppressing. It’s a major clue and if Jimin has this tattoo, then we can be sure it’s him.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then we keep looking. But I’m sure he has one because when I slept in his room, there was one time I spilled water on him and he full-on panicked. I never understood why but thinking about it now, it’s probably because of the white shirt he had on.”

“Was it see-through?”

“Yes, and he was quick to rush to the bathroom. It was weird.”

“I don’t know about this… last time I shot the dude. No way I can get close to him. In fact, I kind of feel bad for him even though I don’t like him.” You closed your eyes, trying your best not to break down. “Hoseok really hurt me… this is painful.”

“I know he hurt you. Fucked up big time. But if there’s even the smallest chance he was coerced, we have to see this through. Don’t you think his behavior was odd?”

You nodded slowly and opened your eyes. “He did say some weird things before he… you know.” You made the stabbing motion into your stomach. “We just got back… I’m scared. I’m tired. I don’t want to suffer anymore.”

Jungkook pulled you into his embrace and you rested your chin on his shoulder. “I know. I’m scared too. But we have to put an end to this. If Jimin is the culprit, we have to stop him.”

“What if…” Your voice became shaky, “he tries to kill me?”

“I’m not letting that happen. I promise you. He’ll have to kill me first.”

The thought of Jungkook getting hurt in the slightest terrified you. You threw your arms around him and hugged him so tight, he could barely breathe. “Please don’t say that.”

“Baby, it’s okay. We’ll get through this.”

Baby. The first time he ever called you that. “Will you stay with me a while longer? I want to rest some more.”

“Sure.”

Jungkook left your room once you were comfortable enough to be by yourself. It was time for him to go turn in the mountains and as silent as his footsteps were, he could never escape the chances of running into someone else.

“Jungkook? JUNGKOOK?!” He was attacked by his roommate in an unexpected embrace. “You’re back, holy shit! I was so worried.”

Jungkook patted Taehyung’s back in an awkward manner until he let go of him. “You were worried… about me?”

“Well… yeah. Why wouldn’t I be? If you were hurt, I’d be hurt too. You’re my friend. You good?”

“Uh… yes.”

“No wounds? Everything normal? Because if you’re not feeling well, you should tell me.”

“I’m fine. I’m surprised you’re not asking about—”

“Is [Y/N] back? I have to see her!”

“... No. She isn’t. Professor MIn found me and we gave up trying to find her.”

The slight shift in his eyes gave the boy more than enough reason for doubt. “You’re lying to me. She’s back! I’m going to see her.”

Jungkook blocked him. “No. Leave her alone. She’s tired.”

Taehyung couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh. “Is that so? What, are you going to stop me? You don’t get to order me around. Not after taking off like that.”

“I had my reasons.”

The werewolf scoffed, maintaining a stoic face while using his hands to animate his words. “Sure~. Running off to go find [Y/N] despite the professor’s strict orders to stay put.”

“You wanted to run off too.”

“But I didn’t. While you were gone, things got worse around here. I don’t know if you’ve noticed”—he made a grand gesture to the empty lobby— “but almost everyone has left campus.”

Jungkook took a look around. “Now that you mention it, it has been pretty quiet around here. What happened?”

“Professor Kim let most students take their winter break early. But honestly it’s because their parents kept complaining about the lack of safety at school, especially after what happened with [Y/N]. Not many chose to stay.”

“I see…”

“They fear her, but I don’t. I need to talk to her.”

“And I said leave her alone,” Taehyung met his threatening glare but held his composure. He didn’t snap back but merely stared deep into Jungkook’s eyes with a straight face. That infuriated him even more. “As your alpha, I’m giving you an order.”

A smile broke onto Taehyung’s face. “It’s cute how you think you’re still alpha. Most of the wolves are gone. Without a pack, your word means nothing.”

Jungkook snatched his wrist when he tried to walk around him but in a matter of seconds, Taehyung managed to turn the situation around. He twisted Jungkook’s arm behind his back, kicked the back of his knees, and forced him down to the ground. It all happened so fast; Jungkook was still processing his defeat.

“Ow, ow, ow, what the fuck? Let go!”

Taehyung locked him in that position with no intention of listening. “I’m not someone to mess with, Kook. I learned how to defend myself while you were gone. I want [Y/N] to know I’m here for her. That I love her.”

“Well she loves me!”

That was when Taehyung finally let go. Jungkook rolled his shoulder to ease the pain before standing up.

“What?” Taehyung clenched his fist and refrained from grinding his teeth inside his mouth out of anger.

“She loves me. She wants to be with me. I understand you and her have history, but I know more than ever that she is who I want to be with for the rest of my life. And I hope you can respect that.”

“She told me she loved me first. Before you guys ever left. Is she your girlfriend? Did she call you her boyfriend?”

“Well… no but labels don’t matter. We bonded.”

“No. You’re deluding yourself. That’s just the sire bond making you both think you have a connection. Once that’s gone, will you still feel the same for her?”

“Yeah. I know I will.”

“How many days do you have left? Around 10?”

“Yeah… exactly 10. Are you keeping track?”

“Why wouldn’t I? As soon as the bond is broken, you and her will realize it was the only thing keeping you together. It’s temporary. You’re temporary. And I know you fear my words being true.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s inevitable and you know it.”

“Shut up!” Jungkook roared as he grabbed him by the collar.

“Go ahead. Hit me. You never could control your temper. What will [Y/N] think?”

The staring contest between them lasted for what seemed like a few minutes before Jungkook finally let him go. “I have to go turn anyway. You’re not worth it.”

Jungkook headed towards the door but didn’t fully exit before Taehyung spoke up again,

“When that day comes—the day you and her are no longer connected—there will be a time when she needs you the most and you won’t be there for her. You won’t know when she’s in danger. You won’t know when she’s sad. You won’t know at all and it’ll drive you crazy. And that’s when I’ll step in. I don’t need to have a bond to know what she’s feeling. Anyway, I’ll let her be for now.”

You slept in for a while longer but as soon as you regained some energy, you made your way to Professor Min’s office. Wasting no time, you confronted him on what he told Jungkook and learned more about the severity of the situation. Jimin was a prime suspect, but you still had your doubts.

Could you really trust Professor Min? Out of all the professors, he was the one you’ve interacted with the least. However, you weren’t blind to his contributions to the school. Namjoon may have been the headmaster, but he heavily relied on Yoongi for almost everything.

Years ago, his vast knowledge of the supernatural and occult was what earned him an internship at the school. Now he was a professor, research assistant, and historian all in one. He was quiet but extremely attentive to all his students. The type to show he cared through his actions rather than words.

Today was the first time you’ve heard him speak for an extended period of time other than when he’s giving a lecture in class. You asked him questions and he answered them, offering full transparency.

“You told Jungkook about my mother?”

“I told him he’d have to ask you about that. It wasn’t my place to say more.”

“Well, thank you…” You gave him a small smile. “For respecting me and allowing me to tell him myself. If my mother has told you about her past, that must mean you’re trustworthy. Unless you’re not.”

“You can doubt me if you want. But I won’t stop until the person responsible for all this madness is caught. And I think we both know who that is.”

He leaned forward to rest his arms on his desk as you sat up straight. “Jimin. Yeah. Jungkook told me all about what you found out. It turns out Jimin does remember my mother.”

Yoongi’s eyebrows raised in alarm. “See?! I’m right!”

“But we need definitive proof. I want you to stay out of it and let Jungkook and I take care of this.”

“No. I’m done with my school falling apart. Professor Jin is gone. Hoseok is gone. More than half the school is gone.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that? I noticed on my way here there was barely anyone.”

“Well…” he shifted his eyes away from yours for a second, hesitant on telling you the truth. “They’re on winter break early. Due to… safety concerns from parents.”

“I see. So they’re afraid of me.”

“It’s not your fault. We have to stop Jimin. Ever since he started training and patrolling with Professor Kim, I’ve been worried. The professor hasn’t been acting like himself and he knows everything that I know. It’s like he doesn’t care.”

“Do you think Jimin did something to him?”

“I’m not sure. There was a time when they went out searching for you right after you left and they didn’t come back right away. Said something about running into you up north and fighting them.

An incredulous gasp escaped you. “I never ran into them. I never even saw them. What?!”

“So you’re telling me you never encountered them? That means Namjoon lied…”

Your breath became shaky and soon, you were hyperventilating. Yoongi managed to calm you down and you realized you had no choice but to trust him. It was a risk you had to take, considering Namjoon had lied. Professor Min was all you had left in terms of an authority figure.

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine. But there’s something you should know. The mole has a tattoo. Here, I took a picture of it on my phone. Jungkook dreamed about it and drew it. And he’s investigating it now.”

“What? We need to come up with a solid plan together. What is he even doing?”

“I don’t know… but I trust him. He’ll find out what we need. And if not, I think I’ve got an idea.”

Taehyung was sitting outside with a yoga mat beneath him. Back tall, legs crossed, and eyes closed, he took a deep breath in as he raised his hands up slowly. Then he let go of the tension and brought his hands back down. Ever since you left, meditating has kept him sane.

“Taehyung.” Mostly sane. The first few times he did this your voice was all he could hear. Took him a while to realize you were truly gone. “Kim Taehyung.”

His eyes fluttered open to see he wasn’t imagining things for once. Instead of him coming to you, you had come to him.

“[Y/N]...” He looked up at you, eyes were wide and pure. The way his mouth was parted open slightly in awe was endearing.

“Hey. I’m back…” He was still in shock, unable to utter a word. “It’s really me.”

“I knew you were back.”

“And you didn’t come looking for me straight away?” you asked in a joking manner. He couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head and making his fluffy hair bounce.

“Jungkook told me you wanted to rest.”

“I did… but I’m better now. May I take a seat next to you?”

“Go ahead.”

You sat down next to him on the yoga mat, realizing what you had to do next was like ripping off a bandaid. The sooner you did it, the better. “I need to talk to you.”

“Me too. Let me go first.”

“I really think I should go first,” you insisted. But Taehyung was impatient.

“[Y/N], I don’t care what happened between you and Jungkook,” he turned his body towards you, “I love you and that is never gonna change.”

“Tae…”

He grabbed both your hands with a sense of urgency. “You love me too. You told me before you left. And once the sire bond between you and Jungkook ends, you’ll realize it was the only thing keeping you two together.”

You retracted your hands at lightning speed. “That’s not true. You don’t know anything. The sire bond only affects actions, not feelings. Our feelings are amplified through the bond because we truly care about each other.”

“How do you know that for sure? There’s not much research that’s been done on it. Face it. If the sire bond wasn’t a thing, you and Jungkook would have never been forced to deal with each other.”

“You don’t know that. I can be myself with Jungkook,” you said, patting your chest with one hand as you spoke from your heart. “He knows everything about me and accepts me as I am.”

“Because you’ve told him everything! You always hold back with me even though I’ve never pushed you!” he shouted, practically popping a vein.

“Don’t raise your voice at me…” you breathed, startled from his sudden raise in volume. His dark aura faded when he saw the scared expression on your face, making sure to center himself and count to ten in his head before speaking again.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He tried reaching for your hand again, but you refused to let him touch you.

“No. Don’t.” You scoffed and directed your gaze somewhere else. “I’ll admit I haven’t told you enough. And I appreciate you not forcing me to share. But there is so much about me and my past I couldn't bring myself to tell you. It’s fucked up. I’m the definition of fucked up.”

“Well tell me now then. All of it. Let me hear it.”

“It’s not that simple. Look, my very first boyfriend found out something about me and left me. I don’t share my past with just anyone.”

“But you told Jungkook everything, didn’t you?”

“I wanted to.”

“Damn it, [Y/N]. I thought you could tell me anything. We used to be so close.”

“Yes. Used to.”

“Just tell me!” he exclaimed, desperate for you to open up. You stared at him, bewildered as to why he was being so pushy.

“What’s the matter with you? I don’t know where to start!” you shouted back.

“Maybe start with the fact that you’re sterile!” You dropped your jaw in shock and Taehyung scoffed, thinking he was so clever for exposing your secret. “Yeah. That’s right. I know. And I don’t fucking care if you are. I still want to be with you.”

“Who told you…” you said in a hushed voice. Taehyung didn’t reply, which prompted you to unleash your anger. “WHO TOLD YOU?!”

“... I read your file,” he answered in a calm manner. “You read mine.”

“What? I never did!”

“You told Ari you did.”

“When did you hear that?!”

“Before you left!”

“Look, I lied to Ari and told her I read your file because I was busy investigating someone else. Not you.”

“Investigating who?”

“… A lead. Do you know anyone who has a tattoo at our school?”

“What? Stop changing the subject. You don’t have to lie anymore.”

“But I’m not lying.”

“I’m not mad you read my file. Now you know my past and I know yours. We’re even.”

“I never read your file!” you exclaimed, exasperated as hell.

“Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter! I still want to be with you. And I can give you something Jungkook never would.”

“What are you even on about?”

“Let me be sired to you.”

Your face twisted into one of disgust, abhorred at him spewing such a bogus request. “No.”

“Why not? I’m offering you my loyalty for life. You never have to worry about me cheating on you. I’ll do whatever you want without question.”

“Are you serious?”

“More than I’ve ever been about anything. Turn me into a hybrid too. Make me yours.”

You were appalled that he could suggest something so easily. What’s worse was how sincere he was with his request too as if turning him was a simple task that didn’t involve dying. He kept staring at you with a certain glint in his eyes, hopeful you’d say yes.

But that was never going to happen. You stood up and balled your fists by your sides.

“No. I don’t wanna ‘make’ you do anything. That’s not love. I believe in free will. You should be able to make your own choices at all times. And being bound to me will not bring you happiness and it definitely isn’t what I want either.”

Taehyung got up from the mat too, wetting his lips in preparation for his rebuttal. “I am giving you consent.”

“Consent to what? Killing you?! Tae, stop. This is insane. I turned Jungkook out of necessity to save his life. It’s not something to be taken lightly.”

“And look at how he repaid you! Treating you like a thorn in his side, making you sad, and seeing the sire bond as a hindrance. Then there’s me who wants everything he wants to throw away. Why can’t you see that? Why can’t you accept me?”

“Because it’s not right. I care about you, but I love Jungkook,” He could no longer keep a hopeful smile on his face. “This back and forth between us has to stop. I’ve chosen who I want to be with.”

“He’s going to betray you. Once the sire bond ends, he’s not going to love you anymore.”

“Tae, just because you’re hurt doesn’t mean you can say mean things.”

“It’s true! And then you’ll come back to me.” He grabbed you by the shoulders. “You’ll love me.”

“You’re freaking me out…” you whispered. “Please let me go.”

He put his face so close to yours that you could feel his hot breath fan your face. “Never.”

“Let. Me. Go,” you said sternly.

“Jimin was right… you were never going to choose me.”

“What?”

“I was so stupid. You led me on.”

He was gripping your shoulders so tight that his nails dug deep into the fabric of your shirt, enough to bruise your skin.

“You’re hurting me…” you whispered. That seemed to bring him back to his senses because he finally released you.

“You hurt me first. It doesn’t matter what I say, does it? Even if I don’t care about you being sterile… it doesn’t fucking matter.”

“So what? Were you just saying whatever to hear what you want to hear? I know you, Tae. You want kids of your own. So don’t fucking lie to me and say you’re okay with it. I’m not okay with it. I died… do you understand?”

Your emotions were getting the best of you as your breathing grew uneven and your eyes watered.

“I fucking died and it sucks,” you said, so broken and beaten down. “I’m sorry to break your heart, but everything that’s happened so far is bigger than you and I. I have a mission I need to focus on.”

“Okay,” he said in a gentle voice. You barely got out all those words without choking up, so he gave you a hug and patted your back in an attempt to calm you down. “I get it. We’ll talk about this later.”

You pushed him away. “No! You don’t get it. Look at me.”

That’s all he was doing. “I am—”

“No, look at me!” He shut his mouth and stared at you, too startled by your behavior to say much else. “This is what I’ll look like forever. I’ll never age, never grow old with you. And that’s all you’ve ever talked about with me back then. And having kids. So I know you are not okay with this and if you say you are, I know you’re lying.”

“... We can always adopt.”

“Please don’t make this any more difficult. I know that. But I want my own child who resembles me.”

“Don’t you think Jungkook wants that too? How do you know he’ll stay?”

“Because Jungkook can’t lie to me and never has.”

You got him there. “So there’s not a chance for us at all?”

“Not anymore.”

He could no longer bear to look at you. Instead, he bent down to roll up his yoga mat before tucking under his arm and walking away. His head was hung low and you heard his quiet sobs no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Having your humanity back was not worth it in moments like these. The point of talking to Taehyung was to let him down easy and also ask him about Jimin’s possible tattoo. In the end, you were only reminded of all you had lost. Your life, your fertility, and possibly Taehyung for good now.

*Bzz*

Your phone kept you from dwelling on the situation any longer. When you saw it was your mother calling, flashbacks of how you left things with her ran through your mind. Guilt weighed your heart down, so you had to make things right.

“Hey Mom,” you said in the sweetest voice you could muster. No need to let her know you were feeling like shit.

“Sweetheart, are you alright?” Her voice was frail, like she was on the verge of tears.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“Yoongi told me he found you and Jungkook. I texted you.”

“Sorry, it’s been crazy… I wanted to rest.”

“I understand. It’s really, really nice to hear your voice again. I was so worried.”

“I know.”

“I knew you could take care of yourself, but without your humanity on I was worried that—”

“Mom.”

“Sorry. I’m smothering you, aren’t I?”

“It’s okay. I’m back to normal.”

“Good. I’m on my break right now and…” You heard a child’s voice in the background. “Hey sweetheart. What’s wrong? Oh, you spilled milk on your wolf plush? It’s okay, I’ll wash it for you.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Is that Sarang?”

“Huh? Oh yes! Sarang is here,” Your mother stepped out of the classroom, carrying the soiled plushie with only her thumb and index finger like it had some disease. She twisted her face into one of disgust as milk leaked all over the tile floor. “One of our teachers is out and we couldn’t find a substitute. I’m watching the class until we do get one. This is the fifth time Sarang has spilled something, I swear.”

You couldn’t help but smile. “She’s precious. How is she by the way? How are all the kids? … Do they hate me?”

The laugh you added on afterwards was forced in an attempt to make things seem not so serious, but you truly feared the worst.

“I explained to the kids what was happening to you and why you did what you did. They’re very forgiving, you know. And they don’t hate you. All they kept saying was how they wanted you to come back safe and sound.”

“Aw… that’s so sweet.”

“I’ll talk to you some more later. Right now I gotta go clean this plush or Sarang will be pouty all day. I will never understand why she loves shoving beverages into it.”

“What? How can she shove anything into it? It’s a plushie.”

“There’s a secret pocket on the bottom.”

“Huh???”

“Got to go, love you.”

A wild thought crossed your mind at that moment. Your gut was screaming for you to not ignore it, so you found yourself back in your dorm room in a flash. Your wolf plush was sitting on the shelf above your bed, staring at you with its beady little eyes.

You climbed on your bed and approached it cautiously. Reaching your hand out, you grabbed it and checked the bottom. Your fingers glided across the soft material until you found a hidden slit.

‘There really is a secret pocket underneath,’ you thought to yourself. You dug your fingers in and held your breath when you grazed something smooth and tiny.

After pulling the tiny object out slowly, you stared at it in horror.

It was a listening device.

#bts #bts fanfic #bts smut #bangtan scenarios #jungkook #taehyung #jungkook fic #taehyung fic #bangtan smut #bts fic #my scenarios #moonstruck

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jiminzfilter · 4 years ago

Text

slow dancing in the night

→ Pairing. Taehyung x reader

→ Genre. established relationship, fluff, slice of life, model!taehyung, model!reader, taehyung missed you a lot, he is starving (his words not mine), gets a bit hot by the last 40 lines, mentions of oral (f) so I guess this counts as mature content, implied smut, making out (kinda), there is a bit of swearing

→ Summary. what could possibly be better than coming home after a long day of work to someone you love and missed a lot ?

→ Word count. 3.2k (!!!)

→ because I wrote this over a year ago when I still didn't know what I was doing with my writing, I had to go through a deep process of editing and re-writing before posting it. This might not be my best work but it's still a fic that I really really like :,)

→ song rec. slow dancing in the dark, Joji// still with you, Jungkook

Fridays have always been exhausting days for both you and your boyfriend, especially on runways weeks. As models, you were put under a lot of pressure.

Pressure to be perfect, to smile but never smile too much, to look good, to not fall on stage.

Falling has to be the most tragic thing that can happen to your carreer as a model, the hungry stares of thousands of photographers and reporters ready to share the latest news to the press.

Yeah, it was exhausting.

This week was no exception... or maybe it was since, this time, you were the only one working until late.

It’s four in the morning and you’re already on your way out - kind of running late, oBviOusLy - quietly wishing your boyfriend a good day.

He is not working today.

That lucky bastard.

He gets to enjoy his free day in bed, lazing around, while you work your ass off all day. He mumbles something that you assume is a sort of goodbye. He is still asleep.

You look at him one last time before leaving the room and smile. He looks so peaceful.

You still remember the day you met, by pure luck even though you both call that fate. That was 5 years ago, when you just debuted your career as a model and were not that comfortable around high heels.

Okay no. Let’s be real.

You hated wearing them because you couldn’t walk in heels higher than 5 cm.

It’s still a wonder how you managed to make it in the first place.

Were you wearing flat shoes for the audition ? Damn you really must’ve done an impression on the judges if they made you pass without the heels try-on.

Your first day at the agency was chaotic to say the least. Your manager made you walk around the building, to visit she said. She made you wear heels. HEELS. That devilish person.

But, thank to that, you got to meet Taehyung. Your eyes landed on him as you were visiting the lounge and couldn’t tear them away from his figure. The poor man had to witness you fall down because you weren’t watching your steps anymore.

I mean.

Who could blame you ??

That was Kim frEaking Taehyung

!!!

He even came to help you get back on your feet and asked if you were alright, kind of amused.

It’s not everyday you see someone falling down in here, let alone a newbie

Let’s be honest, you were so embarrassed.

First day of work and you’re already failing falling.

That night when you came home, you spent the night wearing heels and prayed really hard you’d never have to face him again. After all, the building was big enough and there were enough workers that you could avoid Taehyung easily

If only

The NeXt day, you were told that you had a couple shooting, with none other that Kim Taehyung.

GreaT

He would occasionally tease you about your fall and check on you to see if everything was alright. He watched you carefully as you were walking around with heels.

From up close he looked even more handsome.... :)

After this day, you started talking with Taehyung more and more. He introduced you to everyone around the agency. You met outside of work, got to know each other. You both became regally good friends but there was something lingering in the air, in the way you’d look at each other or stood so close to him after a couple glasses of wine that you could breathe his air.

So what was bound to happen happened and you went from friends a to lovers without really noticing it.

He was still your best friend...somehow

Eventually, you took things to the next level and moved in together... maybe a half and a year ago or so ? You’ve never been happier in your life

And, well, you’d actually be happier if you could spend the day with boyfriend instead of running around trying to find god knows which accessories you need for the rehearsal.

8 in the morning is noT a time to be doing cardio.

Especially while wearing heels

Become a model they said, it’ll be fun they said

“Y/n! Come here please I need you to try on this dress before you go!” Your personal stylist calls “I made sure to fix it yesterday so it’d be a perfect fit for the show”

You stop your tracks and go to her “make this quick i have to go get changed before 9 otherwise I’m screwed. Why did they even decide to do the rehearsals so early today ?” You sigh, frustrated, and put on the dress she’s handing you “thank you”

“Okayyy...it looks great. Gold looks amazing on you.” She smoothes the dress and gives an approving nod, visibly satisfied ; “You’ll look perfect for the Grand Finale. Oh god it’s already 8:30 you better go before Mr.Kim throws a fit because you’re late”

You both giggle ; “thank you for fixing the dress Naeun, see you later today. Well, probably tonight. Byeeee”

The rehearsal seems to never end. You’re squeezed in dozens of different outfits, gorgeous for sure but sO tight. Mr. Kim, the one who organised the runway, is such a perfectionist that you have to re-do some things multiple times before he’s satisfied. One time the lighting isn’t right, the other the models are walking too fast, not on beat and so on.

Everyone hates him for that but he always makes the best shows so you just follow.

After multiple tries, the rehearsal finally comes to an end. It’s already 4PM. You barely get time to breathe and go pee before you’re back into the ‘running-around-to-find-my-dress-and-fix-my-makeup-oh-god-i-gotta-be-on-stage’ crazy mess.

Walking on the runway feels amazing, running backstage is terrible.

It’s so hot and small back there you can hardly move around well.

It takes 2 hours for the whole fashion show to be over, one more for pictures outside the catwalk and chat with reporters. Since you’re kind of a famous model now, you get invited to the afterparty and spend few extra hours interacting with some celebrities that attended the show. Other models were invited and you’re happy to see familiar faces amongst them. Jimin, an old colleague and friend of yours, comes your way and compliments you. You chat with him for a while before deciding you’ve had enough for the day and leave the party. A few more people greet you on your way out.

A taxi takes you back to you company, where you left your stuff in the morning. You spend an extra thirty minutes getting rid of your heavy makeup and striping off that gorgeous but awfully tight golden dress you’ve been wearing ever since the end of the runway.

Now, you can FinaLLy go home. yassssss

It’s almost 12am when you leave the agency and climb into yet another taxi. The ride is quiet, background music playing over the car’s radio, and you take some time to look at what you were gifted for your performance : fancy makeup products, accessories, pieces of clothing-but not those from the runway, you sadly never get to keep those. Being kinda famous has its perks :,)

You then decide it’s time to warn Taehyung you’ll arrive soon and send him a few texts. As if he was waiting for them, he instantly replies saying he’ll be waiting for you and proceeds to spam you with heart emojis. Sometimes, it looks like this man just discovered what emojis were and is trying to use them as much as possible. What a child…

It’s way past midnight when you finally step into your duplex and the first thing you notice is that the place is way too quiet.

Maybe Tae went back to sleep, who knows, it’s super late after all…

You remove shoes and jacket and drop your bags in the entrance before going further and you call out quietly “anyone here? Tae, you sleeping?”

There is a faint glow from the tv on your right but the sound has been muted.

Weird…

“Taehyung ?" You call one last time

Suddenly, two strong arms wrap themselves around your waist and you’re pulled into someone’s chest. You gasp, almost scream, but soften up when you feel the warmth on your back

“Hi baby” a deep voice says in your ear, sending chills down your spine “I missed you”

You turn around and are very pleased to see a handsome face and a warm exposed chest your boyfriend smiling at you.

“Mhm, missed you too” You wrap your arms around him and rest your head against his chest, happy to hear his heartbeat. Taehyung places his head atop of yours and gently strokes your hair. You tighten your grasp around him and hum.

Few seconds later, he lifts your chin up and gently lays a kiss on your lips.

“How are you doing?” He asks, his right hand cupping your cheek. The warmth of it is comforting.

“Exhausted, but you know how it goes” You shrug and he smiles

“Not too tired for dinner ? I could cook something if you want”

“Mhm... let me just go shower and put something else on” You sadly let go of him

“Sure, go ahead” he whispers and you give him a kiss before regretfully tearing yourself away from him.

You walk up the stairs to your bedroom, where you find the bed undone. You smile, Taehyung never really liked making the bed and, very honestly, neither did you. You slump onto the mattress and bury your face into the pillows, inhaling his scent. Lavender. Relaxing. Just like he is.

After a warm shower, you find a t-shirt Taehyung left on a chair in the room and wear it. It’s big enough to reach your thighs and, if you were more energised, you’d probably stay like this. You grab large pants and put them on.

Once again, you smell lavender all around you.

When you’re back in the living area, you see Taehyung busying himself in the kitchen. He hears your steps and his eyes find yours as a smile appears on his face when he notices that you’re wearing his shirt

“My shirt looks better on you than it’d ever do on me” He teases, his gaze longing on your frame.

“maybe I should keep it then” you smile and ask ; ”Do you need any help?”

“no no no no no, you’ve worked enough already. Go and have some rest. I'll call you when everything’s ready okay?”

Too tired to argue on this anyways -and thankful for the given rest-, you go lay down on the couch, your body oriented to let you look at Taehyung.

As he hums and moves to the chill music that was playing in the background, you start to detail his beautiful figure. From the curl of his dark hair (which you knoW are so so soft to the touch) to his beautiful profile and his nose you love so much down to his broad shoulder and then his tanned abs you see from time to time when the opened shirt of his pyjama moves according to his steps.

oH! Let’s not forget his perfect hands gripping at the pan’s handle while he cooks… vegetables? Something like that yeah.

Taehyung is giving his best into what he’s cooking. Vegetables with rice, that’s the only thing he could do quickly.

Quickly as in less than half an hour, unlike his friend Namjoon who’d take this time just to cook the rice.

The music he put earlier is slowly starting to bore him. After washing his hands, he reaches out for his phone and plays a different playlist. It’s one you name yourself when the two of you were still friends (aka not dating yet). “Taetae fm” because you once joked he should have his own broadcasting channel on the radio. He’d always criticise the music playing so why not have his own channel 👀

“You know Y/n, I actually watched the fashion show live this afternoon. I mean, of course you know because I always do that haha. Anyways, you really were the highlight of the runway tonight. And I’m not saying this in a biased point of view. Okay I might be a bit biased as your boyfriend but I swear that it’s true!! You literally shone back there, especially in that gold dress you were wearing and even the audience was impressed by your looks maybe you didn’t see it on stage but some cameras filmed their reactions and everyone was looking at you. Really, you were so gorge-oh” Taehyung looks at you and smile fondly “Of course you’re asleep, baby”

He lets his phone aside and checks the now cooked food before making his way to the couch. There’s a blanket on the sofa, he covers you with it, scared you might get cold. Taehyung put a loose strand of hair behind your ear and places a kiss on your chin.

You slowly open your eyes and find yourself face to face with him. You both smile.

“Hi there beautiful” He whispers

“what time is it? Did I sleep until the morning?” You’re scared of having slept through the entire nap without realising

“almost 1:20am, I just finished cooking. I thought you might be cold so I went to cover you with the blanket. You should go enjoy the food while it’s still hot, imma go to the toilet”

You nod as an answer and watch him leave upstairs. Getting up from the warmth of the couch is the hardest part so you keep the soft blanket draped around your shoulders and walk towards the kitchen. You grab two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks that you place on the counter along with glasses and a bottle of water.

You then go take care of the rice and the vegetables, which you mix in the pan. The song playing changes and your favourite nighttime tune starts.

“I don’t want a friend, I want my life in two” you sing along

“Waiting to get there, waiting for you” Taehyung’s voice startles you as he grabs your wrists and pulls your back close to him. You smile as he makes the both of you dance slowly. You put his arms around you so it’s like he’s hugging you from the back. You swing around for a little while, enjoying the close proximity as you both softly hum the song, making your body vibrate against each other, moving in perfect coordination.

“I love you” he whispers in your ear and then kisses it, sending chills down your spine, before lifting one of your arm up to make you turn so that you’re now facing him “did my baby sleep well?” You nod as you place your arms around his waist, paying attention to go under the shirt so you’re touching as much skin as possible.

Taehyung chuckles before asking you in that same, chill-sending, low deep voice ; “Still hungry? Because I’m starving”

If you didn’t just wake up, you would’ve definitely caught that lust in his eyes and also the fact that this wasn’t as innocent as it seemed.

As an answer, your stomach growls pretty loudly, making Taehyung laugh . “I’ll take that as a yes. Sit down, princess. Let me take care of you”

You do as he says, jumping on a stool, detailing all of his moves. You only realise how hungry you actually were when you start eating. Rice with vegetables has never tastes better. You eat everything in less than 5 minutes when you’d usually take your time to finish your plate.

“Damn, that was a well needed dinner! Thank you Tae” you mess a bit with his soft locks

“Imagine me who was waiting for you all evening!! I was hungry too” He pouts.

“Oh come on, I was working today. Cardio in heels isn’t the best way to wake up, let alone spend the whole day standing in tight clothes. When I think you has a day off… pfff. I saw the bed, I’m sure you stayed there all day, you lazyyyyyyyyy ass.”

He mumbles some gibberish and you giggle, knowing that you're right. He looks away, crossing his arms and obviously sulking. You leave your stool and stand behind him, wrapping your arms around his neck. You leave a few kisses on his cheek and neck

“- Don’t be such a babyy. You know I love you.

- You do?

- of course, you dummy” you bop his nose "Sooo, what do we have for desert?

- You. Uh I mean!! Yoghurt, fruits, cakes, fruits…anything” he clears his throat

“Great! What do you prefer?” You open the fridge

“ I’d very happily eat you out honestly but an apple sounds good”

“Oh sur- wait whaT!?” You snap your head to him, eyes wide open

what did he sayyyyyyyy?????

whaT am I even supposed to say noW oh my goddddd

You close the fridge’s door, suddenly not so yogurt-hungry.

There’s a sudden silence between the two of you, only disturbed by the music still playing in the background.

“Mhm? What is it?” He turns around to face you, asking so innocently “did I say something wrong ?”

This man knows what he is doing for sure. Has he ever been that straightforward before ?

Taehyung stands and closes the distance between your bodies, now towering over you.

He lowers himself slightly to speak in your ear “what is it baby? Mhm?” You feel his smile on your cheek when he lays a kiss on it “what happened to my all proud and fierce y/n who was so confident telling me I was being lazy all day, huh? Tell me” He lays another kiss on your temple

OkaY

now he’s being a tease

Great

1 A.M. fluffy and bare chested teaser Taehyung

gReAT

Anyhow, it’s a good turn on.

Really.good.freaking.turn.on

Being tired and turned on was definitely not a good mix for you. You could feel the heat rising in your body and hear your heart pounding in your ears.

“Tae…”

He laughs gently seeing you silently begging for more, brushing your face with his lips, teasing another kiss.

“Tsk tsk, you gotta speak darling, I cannot guess”

You should calm down and go to sleep, it’s 1am and you have work tomorrow you should definitely-

“Fuck-“ You sigh and grab his face, sealing your lips together while closing your eyes.

It doesn’t take long for that kiss to turn into a heated make out session.

You grab and pull some of his dark curls while his hands travels under his your shirt.

You break the kiss just a second to catch your breath.

“Have i ever told you you have the perfect body?” Taehyung asks

“Did I ever tell you how perfect you are??” You reply

He laughs, deep raspy laugh.

You’re too tired for this

And because you’re tired, you’re even more horny :D

Taehyung puts his hands behind your thighs and you jump, locking your legs around his waist, hands still in his hair, lips against his while carries you to the bedroom.

He leaves your lips to travel down your jaw and then collarbone. You throw your head back.

Taehyung gently lays you on the mattress of your king sized bed and makes it his personal mission to pleasure you tonight.

#taehyung fics #taehyung fanfic #kim taehyung au #taehyung fluff #bts fanfic #taehyung #taehyung ff #fluff #implied smut #model taehyung #bts fics #taehyung oneshot #taehyung one shots #taehyung one-shots #taehyung smut #kim taehyung x reader #taehyung au #it's 2am what am I doing #slow dancing in the night

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mrpenguinpants · 4 years ago

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Xiao and Diluc: Opposites Attract HCs

Minor spoilers for Xiao’s and Diluc’s backstory.

Yes, more xiao content. Oh and Diluc. Diluc is there too. I wonder who my favourite child is? Honestly, it’s probably Childe. Every time I write “child” I end up misspelling it to “childe”. It’s consumed me. But yes anon I love the opposites attract trope. It’s so nice having person A be this cute cinnamon roll and person B is the ew don’t touch me go away I hate you, just mwah 💕

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Today’s appreciation post goes to imlikemoony. My entire reblog notifications have just been you and thanks for the spam haha. I love seeing new people go through my work and enjoy it so thank you^^ Please don’t feel like this is a callout post I swear it isn’t 💕💕

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Xiao Semi Series

[ Friendship ] [ Falling in Love ] [ Cuddles ] [ Protective ] [ Affection ] [ Jealously ]

Diluc HCs

[ Comfort HCs ] [ Relationship HCs ] [ Being Fathers HCs ] [ Jealously HCs ] [ Unrequited Love HCs ] [ String of Fate [Soulmate] ] [ Fainting ]

[Masterlist]

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[taglist] <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji @mikeysbike @unionwitch @musekala @twistedsunnshiii @stanzastic @akaasea @xoneaboveallx @adoring-ghost @asheseiler @childelover @dilucsz @dai-tsukki-desu @youaskedfurret @snowy224 @mayumintsu @tigerpriestess @yuu-yuukurotsuki @legionqueensav

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Xiao and Diluc: Opposites Attract HCs

Xiao

It occurs to Xiao one day that despite being alive for centuries, he doesn’t know a lot of people. Xiao has only known Rex Lapis and his fellow adepti and only just recently introduced this life to others such as Verr and Ming. It never bothered him and still doesn’t, he prefers his life to be peaceful and in solitude since it’s safer that way, but when you crash into his life with all your unrestrained energy. He’s a bit of a loss for words. The only other person he knows that acts similar is Guizhong, but it’s still a bit of a troubling memory but either then that, he’s never interacted with someone so...open with their feelings. Though he supposes that Hu Tao was somewhat similar but in a different way. Unlike the craziness and exasperated actions that Hu Tao brought, your presence was a breath of fresh air and sometimes he found himself caught up in your antics.

When Xiao thinks about it, if he were to ever find love he suspected he would prefer someone who was calm and independent. He wasn’t the most affectionate so he wouldn’t want a partner that relied on that and he liked the peace and quiet the inn provided. That was until he saved you one day and you felt it was your absolute responsibility to return the favour, even though he told you many times that you really did not need to. If you wanted to return the favour you could leave him alone. Simple as that. Which didn’t work and in hindsight he was glad you were so stubborn to hang around until you managed to find out his favourite food was almond tofu.

The moment that set in stone Xiao’s love for you is when he told you his past. When he was named Atalus. How he had been possessed and forced to kill against his will. How he devoured dreams and lived in agony before he was saved by Rex Lapis. He was scared that you would fear and leave him, only for you to slowly lace your hands with his and wept for his own misfortune. He’s never had someone cry for him and he realized that he never wanted to see you upset like this again.

At first your larger than life personality put him off a bit, how could someone run through life as if nothing was wrong? What would happen if you finally faced loss? Wouldn’t that make things worse? It wasn’t until he spent more time with you that he saw your point of view, that while he couldn’t adopt the same idea, he respected it and began to appreciate it. It was nice having some sort of solace in his day even if it was just for a few minutes. Something to get his mind of the darker things while you start chatting about this really nice old lady with a domain sized teapot.

Though, there was a bit of a downside to this. Since you bared your heart on your sleeve, perhaps in Mondstadt it would seem normal but here in Liyue, everyone hid behind some kind of mask so people found you a bit naïve and would try and hassle you. It always sent Xiao into a worried state when you left the inn to go out on your next adventure. Verr likes to compare him to a cat waiting for it’s owner at the door, but as soon as they return he acts so moody as if he wasn’t waiting at the balcony trying to see if he could see your clothing peak over the hill. He has no idea how she comes up with these ridiculous ideas.

Another “downside” Xiao discovers is that you have mini bursts of affection. You describe it as a those anemo slimes that pop when you shoot them, morbid as that description is, you’re not wrong. Your bursts of affection always manage to startle and embarrass Xiao, especially when he was with others. He wasn’t going to tell you to change yourself, never will he do that, but when you clasp his hands and tell him with all your love and shining eyes that he’s “doing such a good job” and “you’re so proud of him”. He wants to melt because wow, he never noticed how much he values your praise and how it sends his heart flying. But he can’t because Childe and Zhongli are right there.

Zhongli smiles pleasantly while Childe looses his absolute shit, which causes Xiao to kick his spear at Childe because he refuses to let go of your hands and hisses at him. Even when you try and scold him it doesn’t last long because this has become a weekly occurrence. Only now Xiao will give you a quick kiss before he goes off to gut Childe while you and Zhongli wave pleasantly and talk about how the weather is faring. Everyone that isn’t a native to Liyue think’s you’re all insane as they hear Childe’s screams as Xiao attempts first degree murder.

It interesting to see you both interact to outsiders. Xiao has his piercing yellow eyes and reserved demeanor while you’re this sweet and bright person. Before Xiao met you, people could never get a good look at the mysterious man that stays in the top balcony of the Wangshu Inn. But now if they came at the right time, they could spot a soft smiled man in green listening to a very animated talk with someone else, using their hands with a dramatic flair. That is until the man notices them trying to eavesdrop and the softness in his eyes drops and goes to irritation as he glares at them, curling a hand around his partner’s waist, and he let’s off a warning growl. His partner never seems bothered, only turning around to give a small wave in greeting, smiling as if the dangerous aura radiating behind them didn’t exist, before giving the man a small kiss as they go back to their conversation.

While you live a larger than life way, you also enjoy the small moments with Xiao. Xiao prefers to spend his time sitting above the inn and overlooking Liyue which you enjoy too. Resting near each other as you watch the sun go down is calming and takes the stress of life away. But sometimes you just want to bring Xiao out and have some fun.

Which ends up with you dragging him off to the pond near the Wangshuu inn, you wanted to catch frogs for whatever reason. Weren’t you both a bit too old to be playing with frogs? But he stands by and watch's you chase around the poor animals, tracking mud all over your clothing and skin, he can’t help but let a small smile slip. It isn’t until you end up falling into the pond after slipping that he’s on alert mode that he runs over worried.

Only for you to pop up and start bursting out into laughter. Xiao is stunned for a few moment as he watches you laugh at your own mistake, mud scrapped all over your face and clothes, the fact that you’re still in the pond with a frog on your head. He can’t help but feel his face fall as his mouth twitches into a smile as he chuckles along with you. He reaches over to try and scrub the dirt off your face but it only ends up smearing it more but you appreciate the effort. He carefully lifts you up as he carries you back to the inn. He thinks back to when you both first met, how he spent so much time worrying over his life as an adeptis and you as a human, but now those thoughts have been flung out of his mind. He wants to take your approach, that why worry over the little details of the future when you can enjoy the bigger moments you have now.

Diluc

On days that Diluc works as the bartender for Angel Share, if you come at just the right time when the sun was still high in the sky, you might be able to catch the ever distant man smiling and engaged with a conversation with one specific patron. Of course, this silly “rumour” was made up by the ladies of Mondstadt with too much free time on their hands but given Diluc’s reputation and demeanor it did make some travelers curious. Only for them to write it off as this special patron to be a green bard or cunning captain. One that Diluc surely did not crack a smile at. In fact it seemed to be the opposite. But the tavern isn’t so bad, there’s this nice individual that will listen to all your sorrows with kind eyes and a gentle heart.

As soon as the last customer leaves and Diluc locks the door, does he let his shoulder drop and he breathes a sigh of relief. Before turning and walking to you as he let’s himself relax in your embrace. He listens as you re-tell on the woes of a jewelry saleswoman from Liyue to how Venti is still getting ID checked at the Cat’s Tail as he basks in your warmth. He’s glad that this is what’s troubling the people of Mondstadt and not anything incredibly dangerous relating to the Fatui or the Abyss Order. He asks if you’re doing alright to which you grin and nod that everything was perfect, before placing a small kiss on your forehead and he leads you out back and into the night and ready to return home.

Kaeya finds a lot of enjoyment going to up to you and discussing his “concerns” about Diluc. It always leads to you fretting over his health and if he was working too hard and he should take a break. Diluc is whipped and cannot say no to you so he always begrudgingly let’s you lead him away as Kaeya smiles and waves him off. It’s gotten to the point that no matter what Diluc is in the middle of, unless it’s of the upmost importance, if he catches Kaeya anywhere near you he’s swooping in and leading you away.

Diluc has always been straight to the point, non-nonsense idle talk, but when you drag him away to simply lie down at Starsnatch Cliff just because you were worried about him, he can’t help but feel his heart warm. Watching you blow on dandelions and enjoy the peaceful winds of Mondstadt does he let his hectic life standstill.

When Diluc first met you, it was during his three year long journey to discover the truth of his father and the Delusions. You had saved him during his escape from a Fatui stronghold and explained you were apart of a third-party observer from the North. A vast underground intelligence network that approved of his actions and wanted him to join. Diluc, still deep in his anger and untrustworthy state of anyone, declined the offer but you still hanged around him. He didn’t understand why, and frankly did not want you anywhere near him, but you did save him. Something you very much liked to bring up, even after returning to Mondstadt. He couldn’t necessarily push you away and despite leaving the Knights of Favonius, he still maintained the same chivalry that all knights had.

From then on it had just been the two of you, him looking for the next Fatui base while you travelled with him as an “observer” despite helping him and being overly chatty. Asking where the next destination is like you’re some sort of overeager kid. At first, he really disliked your presence. A lot. In his mind you were a second Kaeya and after the events of what had happened, he might have been far colder to you than he should have been. He thought you were hiding behind the same kind of mask Kaeya did and that you were secretly some Fatui agent sent to kill him. But that never seemed to deter you, even making fun of the idea that the Fatui would seriously try and send an agent to con him rather than try and kill him outright with all the information he had on them.

You both had your clashes when it came to certain things, especially when it came to taking breaks and sightseeing. He felt that you were way too relaxed for something so important and you felt he was way to uptight and needed to stop running through life. But overtime, he found that he actually somewhat enjoyed your personality and quirks. While you could kick a Fatui’s guard head off if you tried hard enough, you would also drag him to feed the ducks by a pond. He had come to learn that you and Kaeya were different, you didn’t wear a mask and bared your heart to the world. He thought you were a bit foolish for doing that since you can never really trust anyone but you instead offered that not everyone was a bad person, that if he spent every waking moment trying to backstab someone would that really be a life worth living?

It’s during the lantern festival in Liyue does he really come to understand his goals in life. Writing down wishes for the new year to send off in paper lanterns is when he acknowledges his shortcomings and finally agrees to join the underground intelligence network. You offer him a bright grin as you cheer that he finally finally got off his stubborn self and you’re now officially partners in not-really-but-still-technically crime. For the first time since Diluc started his journey, he gives a small smile and let’s himself relax as he watched the golden lanterns fly through the sky beside you.

When he decides it’s time to return to Mondstadt and take up his position as Diluc Ragnvindr, he tries to not so subtly ask if you would want to join him. He knows that you still have ties to that secret organization and you probably have your own agenda but Diluc has gotten used to your bubbly personality, he doesn’t want to live without you. But his worries are quickly squashed when you tease him for a bit but slip your hand in his and ask where the next destination is.

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Gripping my writing hand, I went overboard and ran with it. I really want to write pre-hcs of how you met Xiao and a continuation of young Diluc and you. But I must finish my inbox. Also my joke of Xiao beating things into submission started all the way back to my first Xiao HCs of friendship. I did not know this lol. I just think it’s funny to imagine xiao doing it. I’m about to high five my past self.

By the way, should I break up my hcs more? I feel like they are actual paragraphs and that might be annoying to read.

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vampiregirl1797 · 4 years ago

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The Starlight Stone

GIF not mine.

Rhysand x Reader

Word Count: 4,898

Summary: Y/N comes from a different reality, where the characters and world she’s now living in, exist in a series of books. Rhysand takes her in, and she learns how to do something she’s never managed before… live.

Warnings: Can’t think of any? If I’ve missed anything, let me know.

Masterlist Here :)

Falling in love with new characters was as easy as breathing for me. In fact it was so easy, that before I realised it, I was only falling for them. Reading became an escape for me, a teenage girl without a shred of self-confidence, used to being the overlooked one in a group of friends, used to not attracting any kind of male attention. It was perfect, because the men I fell in love with always loved me back, never hurt me with the crushing pain of rejection, never thought I wasn’t pretty enough, or skinny enough. They loved me for me.

I just never imagined I’d wake up in one of the fictional world’s I’d read about, and come face to face with the High Lord I’d most recently falling for. I’d arrived several months ago, and of course hadn’t been able to keep a thing from the High Lord of the Night Court who’d found me trespassing on his lands. He’d gone into my head, not too far, but far enough to assess whether I was a threat to him or his people. He discovered pretty quickly that I had absolutely no skill set to be a threat, and that I absolutely was not from his world.

He’d found the concept of Prynthian being presented in a series of books both interesting and amusing, as well as him and his friends existing as characters within the novels. I was just glad he hadn’t gone far enough to find how invested I got in each of the books I read, and those who existed within them, him being one of those people. It would have been mortifying and I had wondered on more than one occasion what his reaction would be. But coming face to face with a man who had been fictional to me, and then become real overnight… it had thrown me into my insecurities. Into taking my feelings for the High Lord and shoving them down as far as I could.

‘Y/N?’ I was snapped out of my thoughts by Cassian popping his head into my room. Rhys had offered me a room at his town house when I first got here, and I’d never left. He’d offered the money to buy my own place, but I hadn’t been comfortable with the idea of that at the time, and now I had a place on his court, along with a wage of my own, but this had become my home.

‘Hey Cass, what’s up?’ I smiled, patting the empty space beside me on the enormous bed; in my world I’d never had bigger than a single, and this was about three singles put together.

‘Not much, I was gonna go into town for a little while, do you want to come with?’ His hazel eyes studied me with warmth and kindness, which was probably what had made me comfortable around him so quickly. He’d never looked at me with the disinterest I was used to being on the receiving end of from men; he saw me as a person and I appreciated him for it.

‘Sure. Anything in particular you’re after?’ I wondered letting my hair down from the messy bun I’d pulled it up onto when I’d come to relax in my room.

He shrugged, trying and failing to be nonchalant, ‘not really. Just felt like getting out.’

I sighed, shuffling to the edge of the bed to slip on my boots, ‘Rhys sent you to check up on me didn’t he? Let me guess, he thinks I’m becoming a depressed recluse?’

Cass gave me a look that was a mixture of concern and exasperation, ‘Rhys worries about you because you never leave the house. He doesn’t think you’re depressed, but he worries you’re not living either. You lose yourself in books, and you barely speak to anyone, even me.’

I turned away, pretending to busy myself with lacing up my shoes to hide the tear that slid down my cheek. Rhys was more observant than I gave him credit for. The truth was, since I’d gotten here, I’d basically been living the same as I had before; reading, sleeping, eating and more reading. I ate meals with everyone sometimes, but more often than not, I allowed the new fictional worlds offered to me here to consume me. I’d never been called out on it before. No one had ever cared enough to notice that I wasn’t just reading because I loved it, I was reading to escape the life I didn’t know how to live.

‘I-I’ I stuttered, forcing myself to stop and take a breath.

‘Hey,’ Cassian’s voice softened and he shuffled beside me on the bed to sling a muscular arm over my shoulder. My head went to his chest, not even trying to hold back my tears anymore, it seemed pointless when he could probably scent them anyway, ‘I didn’t say this to upset you, just to let you know that you’re family to us now, Y/N, and we care about you. We want you to live and enjoy life, not to fall solely in love with fictional places.’

‘This place was just a fictional place to me once.’ I murmured quietly.

‘And now you get to be here, and still choose to read yourself to death.’ He teased, chuckling softly.

I smiled, wiping away the moisture from my cheeks, because he was right. Rhys was right. I had been blessed with the opportunity to live in a reality I’d once yearned for with all my heart, and I’d been wasting it. Why? Because I was afraid to face the feelings I had for a certain High Lord, feelings that had only blossomed since coming here, despite my best efforts to avoid him. I’d been throwing myself into reading because I wanted to live in the fantasy that he would return my feelings for a little longer. But that had to stop. I wasn’t immortal here—at least I didn’t think so, I didn’t have Fae characteristics and I didn’t have any powers—and it was time to stop squandering my life being a scaredy cat.

‘You’re right. Rhys is right.’ I moved away from Cassian’s chest, wiping all evidence of my tears away, ‘lets go into Velaris. I’ve always wanted to stroll through the City and take everything in. It looks so beautiful from up here.’

Cassian grinned, and allowed me to pull him from the bed, and just like that we left the town house and were swallowed by the life of Velaris.

Six Months Later

‘I don’t think so.’ I shook my head, levelling the Shadowsinger with a no-nonsense glare, ‘it’s the Winter Solstice, which is the first one I’m spending here, it’s basically Christmas, and it’s a family holiday. You’re not flying off to wherever the heck you’re planning to go, with only your shadows for company.’

His hazel eyes were blank but he visibly stiffened. I sighed, realising that telling Azriel what he could and couldn’t do was not my place, and it definitely wasn’t the best approach.

‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to act like I’m your keeper or anything.’ I stood from the couch where I’d been sitting, to move to where he stood in front of the fire. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and relaxed a little when he didn’t shrug me off, ‘it’s just… this means something to me. Back in my old reality, we had Christmas, which was something similar. We’d all gather, exchange presents, decorate a tree, hang decorations… but what made it special to me was the time spent with the people I loved. With the people I considered family. You’re my family now, Azriel. You, Cass, Ameren, Mor… and Rhys. Obviously it’s your choice, but if you could afford to, please don’t leave until after the holiday.’

I thought his eyes had softened at my words, but honestly it was hard to tell with the Shadowsinger. I left him alone to think over my words, kissing his cheek as I made my way outside; I still had some things left to buy for everyone. I’d gone a little overboard, but I couldn’t help it. I’d pretty much finished Mor and Ameren, I had a few last things to pick up for Cassian and Azriel, and the majority I’d left to buy were for Rhys. I already knew what I was going to get him, and most were already purchased and wrapped at each store, I’d just waited until now to get them, because while Rhys was trusted with everyone else’s presents… well giving him his own gifts just didn’t seem right. It might just have been me, but I felt like it took away the surprise, at least a little bit.

I smiled as I walked through the city, nodding in greeting to a few friendly people. Since that talk Cassian had with me six months ago, I’d started venturing out of the townhouse more and more. I still read, but it was for the fun of it now, rather than the escape from reality. I’d fallen in love with Velaris. The city was beautiful, and teeming with life and acceptance and peace… seeing it first hand really made me appreciate the efforts Rhys and everyone had gone through to protect this place, to make it a home.

‘Hey girl!’ Ameren’s voice had me looking to my right, to see her running across the cobblestone street to catch up to me, ‘you wouldn’t be out to purchase my Winter Solstice presents now would you?’ she grinned, her silver eyes sparkling with more life than usual.

I playfully rolled my eyes, ‘even if I was, I wouldn’t tell you. Your otherworld intimidation doesn’t work on me, Ren.’

She huffed, but I could see the amusement swirling in her silver irises, ‘fine. It amazes me sometimes though,’ she mused, going on to explain, ‘Cassian cracked like an egg in two seconds, told me what he’d got me straight away. But you’re immune to what makes me scary to people around here.’

I chuckled, being able to picture Cassian folding perfectly, ‘I wouldn’t say I’m the only one. And Cassian doesn’t prove anything, he’s like a big kid with this stuff. I’ve had to actually shush him to keep him from telling me about my presents, I think the excitement just gets to him. Now if you told me you’d broken Azriel, I’d be impressed.’

She huffed a laugh and tilted her head in acknowledgement of my words, ‘yeah, you might be right. He didn’t only tell me what he’d gotten me, he told me about everyone else’s too.’

I rolled my eyes affectionately, ‘that boy.’

‘Indeed.’ She shook her head, but when she met my eyes again the wicked glint in them made me brace myself slightly, ‘so what are you getting our High Lord?’

‘I’m on my way to pick up Rhys’ presents now. You can come with me if you want, so long as you don’t spoil anything.’ I gave her a pointed look and grinned at her offended look.

‘I’m not the gossip Cassian is, thank you very much, girl,’ she waved her hand dismissively, ‘anyway, I was just wondering if you were finally going to gift him with the truth.’

‘Who?’ I frowned, pulling open the door to the blacksmith’s—I’d requested a few specific weapons for Azriel, Cassian and Rhys, each custom made and fit to them specifically, ‘what truth?’

She opened her mouth to reply, but was had to wait until the blacksmith had handed over the three weapons he’d perfectly made for me. Azriel and Cassian had plenty of swords and knives and daggers, but their abundance in bows and arrows was clear. I’d seen them practice with the same one, and I doubted they had any specific for battle, which seemed a waste when they could both fly. So I’d asked the blacksmith to create some custom for them, and both now had their own bow, plenty of arrows and a quiver. Their names were engraved inside the buttery leather of their quivers, and each were made to be lightweight and able to be worn whilst flying without losing any arrows.

For Rhys I’d asked for a pair of daggers to be crafted. I’d seen him with a couple of swords, and I was sure he already had daggers too, but picking this particular weapon had just felt right, even if I knew it was likely he possessed some already. Each was pure silver, one held an amethyst stone at the hilt, while the other held an onyx stone. One for his eyes, the other for his court.

It was when we exited the shop that Ameren decided to resume her train of thought that I’d almost forgotten about, ‘the truth that you are in love with Rhys.’

It took a lot of effort not to stumble from shock, ‘what?’

‘Don’t play dumb. It’s obvious. Has been for months,’ she smirked, ‘we have bets on when you’re going to tell him. I have over the Solstice, so if you could do a girl a favour and tell him already, the winnings will be mine.’

‘Not to put a damper on your betting habits,’ I pulled her hand towards another shop I needed to go into, ‘but I’ve not got any “truth” to reveal to Rhys.’

She swore under her breath, ‘I knew I should have had spring, but there’s me being the optimist thinking you would have grown some balls and realised what we’ve all already seen by now.’

I frowned, ‘what the hell are you talking about Ameren?’

‘Rhys loves you just as much as you love him. Actually knowing him, he probably loves you even more, but he’s as much of a coward as you.’ She rolled her eyes, tucking her onyx hair behind her ear as I accepted another bag full of pre-wrapped presents for Rhys.

‘You can’t be serious.’ I didn’t know what else to say… the idea of him feeling a fraction of the love I had for him made my heart pound in my chest. I couldn’t fathom it.

‘Honestly, you’re both blind.’ She shook her head, but let the subject drop, and I was glad. Talking any more might have launched me into a full-blown panic attack.

I’d admitted to myself that fallen in love with the High Lord three months ago—for a long time I’d fought it, convincing myself I was just in love with the fictional version of him. But that theory had gone down the toilet when he’d laughed—really laughed—at a joke Cassian made, and I’d been powerless to stop myself from being overwhelmed with happiness at his happiness. It was then I accepted I was an idiot in love with a man I’d never have. But Ameren saying he did feel the same, well it made me panic because I’d never considered it a possibility before—I’d never had a man interested in me before, and the idea of it, the unfamiliarity, made me panic. So I forced it down and made myself focus on collecting the rest of my gifts.

The morning of Winter Solstice saw me rising bright and early, eager as a kid on Christmas morning. I realised that we wouldn’t be exchanging presents until the evening, after we’d all eaten, but I couldn’t tamper my excitement. So after I’d showered and dressed in leggings and a white woolly jumper, I headed to the living room to put the finishing touches on the decorations. Everything was basically done, but Rhys had found an eight-foot pine tree; I’d been telling him about the traditions of Christmas in my old reality, and he’d surprised me yesterday with a real tree. I’d hugged him tightly for it, unable to hold back my tears of gratitude at his thoughtfulness, and declared we’d have to decorate it tomorrow, after it had time to settle in the room overnight. A part of me wondered if he’d remember, but my doubt floated away upon the sight of him standing in the living room, observing the tree like he was sizing up an opponent on the battlefield. The thought made me chuckle, and he looked up to me with a smile.

‘Good morning.’ I murmured, coming over to join him, ‘is there a reason you seem to be sizing up this poor, defenceless tree?’

He grinned, his violet eyes sparkling with mirth, ‘well, other than the fact that it’s bigger than me and has an unfair advantage size-wise,’ I missed his soft smile as I laughed again, ‘I was simply wondering exactly how we’re going to decorate it.’

I softened with understanding, ‘well, lucky for you, I’m ridiculously prepared.’ I moved to pull out the box I’d stored behind the tree last night, after retrieving it from one of the shops in the art district. Magic was such a blessing here, and after I’d explained what I’d needed, and demonstrated with some awful drawings, they’d had everything made within a few hours. I pulled a few ornaments out, marvelling at the craftsmen’s ship for a moment before hanging them on the tree; there was a mixture of circular shapes and stars, in amethyst, silver, blue and black. They’d also crafted a silver star to go on top of the tree, fashioned after the star that always shone the brightest in the night sky of Velaris on the first night of Winter Solstice. It was so well made, I’d been struck speechless by how realistic it looked; as if they had plucked the star straight from the sky.

I nudged the box closer to Rhys with my foot, ‘just hang them however you want, like this.’ I gestured to the few I’d put on and smiled when he reached in and immediately followed instructions.

‘You know, if I used my magic I could have this done in under a minute.’ He commented, looking at me from the corner of his eye as if he knew my reaction before I voiced it.

‘Absolutely not! Decorating by hand is part of the fun, and the tradition.’ I protested, flicking his shoulder when I noticed his smirk, ‘if you use a flicker of magic, then there will be no presents for you.’

I frowned at the look of surprise in his eyes and he must have noticed my confusion because he said, his voice soft, ‘I didn’t think you’d gotten me anything. I didn’t mind, of course, I’m just surprised.’

‘Why would you think that?’ I turned to face him fully, ignoring the task of decorating for the moment.

‘Because you didn’t give them to me to hide.’ He shrugged, carefully placing another ornament onto the tree, ‘and I never expect gifts, from anyone regardless. I went a long time being consumed by disappointment after my mother and sister died, because my father never cared for the holiday before. But after their deaths, it bore a reminder of another year of them being gone. Then he and I enacted our revenge, and it was a while before Morrigan, Cassian and I were able to spend the Solstice together.’

I pulled him into a hug, winding my arms around his neck and not flinching at the appearance of his wings. They didn’t often appear without purpose unless he was feeling a strong emotion, but I didn’t question it when they cocooned us, his warmth radiating all around me.

‘I didn’t give you any to hide because I felt like it took away from the surprise of the holiday if I was asking you to keep your own presents.’ I murmured into his neck, missing the small shiver that passed through him, ‘I’m sorry, that you had to spend so many Solstice’s alone, Rhys. But you have a family now, one that would sooner die than leave you.’

He held me a little tighter, and I returned the gesture, burrowing further into his neck and wondering if I was imagining the increased heartbeat I could feel against my chest, or if I were perhaps mistaking it for my own.

I smiled from my seat in the armchair, enjoying the warmth emanating from the fire, and from the mug of hot chocolate I held in my hands. We had just had Winter Solstice dinner, and were taking it in turns to open our presents.

Ameren had gone first, and was grinning so wide it was almost scary at all of the jewels everyone had bought for her. Cassian had mostly been gifted weapons from everyone but Mor and me—she’d given him a sweater in the brightest green I’d ever seen, and I’d also gifted him some of his favourite liquor, a box of chocolates that Rhys had mentioned his mother got the General every year for solstice, some new books on war strategy, a new set of Illyrian leathers, and the bow and arrows I’d gotten him.

Azriel had also gained an abundance of weapons, along with a startlingly bright pair of purple socks from Mor, and some of his favourite liquor, a series of books on adventure and war I had a feeling he would enjoy, and a new set of Illyrian leathers and his new bow and arrows, from me. Mor had been given high quality clothing from everyone, and some of her favourite chocolates, wine, bath foams and salts from me. Rhys had been given a set of old leather bound books from Ameren, a Hawaiian themed shirt from Mor—mother knew where she found that—, what looked like a six-pack of beer from Cassian that had Rhys shaking his head with a reluctant smile, and a new set of Illyrian leathers from Azriel. I’d given him his new set of daggers, some of the chocolates Cassian had mentioned his mother and sister gifted him every Solstice, a painting that captured the beauty of Velaris perfectly, and something else I hadn’t yet presented to him.

I’d actually left the other gift in his room, on his pillow; it was a pendant that had caught my eye when I was buying Ameren’s Solstice gifts. The shop attendant had noticed my stare and pulled it out from beneath the glass—it wasn’t overly huge; about the size of a bottle cap. It was antique silver, with a stone at the centre that was so beautiful I’d been unable to look away from it. It reminded me of the night sky, to put it plainly. It was so blue I thought it was sapphire, but the flashes of pure light that I saw when I turned it reminded me of shooting stars. The attendant had explained it was a pendant often presented to a perspective partner as a way of showing your intentions—as a way of showing your love for them. It was often the step before the mating bond sparked, to acknowledge what you already felt for them. She mentioned that it was an out dated tradition, and many only bought the Starlight stone now purely because it was beautiful.

I didn’t know what possessed me to buy it. Maybe it was the possibility that he wouldn’t even know what it meant, maybe it was because a part of me wanted to tell him, and this was the only way I could muster the courage to do it. Either way, I’d left the small wrapped present on his black silk pillow before I’d joined the party tonight. And I’d had knots in my stomach about it since. A part of me wanted to excuse myself and take it back, but I forced that anxious part of my brain to shut up, because as much as it terrified me… I had to tell Rhys how I felt somehow, even if it meant that he didn’t feel the same way.

After the events of the evening, I decided to have a bath before I went to bed; Cassian and Azriel had passed out in the living room, one on the floor, the other on the sofa, but both were snoring loudly. Mor had made it to her room on the first floor, and Ameren had returned to her apartment. Rhys had said something about flying over the city before he turned in, and I was too awake with nerves to just slip straight into bed. So I ran some warm water into the gigantic tub that looked as if it would overflow onto the mountain below, and added some of my favourite bath foams that scented of lavender and honey—a gift from Az. I forced myself to breathe and just not think, and when my eyes started to droop I climbed out of the cooling water to dry off. I changed into the new silk gown Mor had gifted me for Solstice, and entered my bedroom only to stop short.

My heart stopped at the sight of Rhys sitting on the edge of my bed… and then picked up triple speed. He was wearing loose pyjama pants, and no shirt… and he was holding the gift box I’d left on his pillow. The lid was missing and he was staring at the pendant inside. I took a deep breath and crossed my arms over my chest to hide how my hands shook.

‘Hey.’ I bit my lip, unsure about what to do. Should I sit next to him? Stay standing in front of the fire about three feet away from him? Ask him if he liked the gift? Ask him if he knew what it meant?

His violet eyes lifted to meet mine, and I felt a wave of uncertainty wash over me at the guarded look in them, ‘do you know what this stone means?’ he asked, his voice quiet as he carefully held up the box, as if its contents were precious to him, ‘are you aware of the tradition that exists in Velaris? About what it means when someone presents this stone to another person?’

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding even faster now, and I was pretty sure I was starting to sweat. I wished I could read him better, wished I could know if he was hoping I knew, or hoping I didn’t. But he was a master of hiding his emotions, so I decided to go with the truth.

‘Yes, I know what it means.’ I admitted quietly, and knew if he didn’t have advanced hearing he wouldn’t have been able to make out the words; I could barely hear myself say them.

‘No, tell me. Tell me why you gave this to me.’ His eyes were still guarded, but his voice held a tinge of desperation, a tone I couldn’t resist from him.

‘I gave you that stone because the attendant at the jewellery store told me that the Starlight stone is what you give to a perspective partner, to acknowledge what you already feel for them, before the mating bond has sparked.’ I could feel the wariness on my face as he stood from the edge of the bed, stopping right in front of me.

He tilted my chin up to meet his eyes with his index finger and whispered, ‘and what is it you feel for me, Y/N?’

‘I love you Rhys.’ I admitted softly, missing the way his eyes softened as my gaze fell to his lips.

His hand caressed my cheek, his thumb moving back and forth across my cheekbone. I was powerless to stop myself melting into his touch, and felt my eyes sheen with tears when I saw the affectionate look in his eyes. I watched as the dark mist of his magic swirled around the pendant, and lifted it from the box to secure it around his neck. My hand went to rest against his chest, where the pendant lay against his skin.

‘I love you too, Y/N darling.’ He murmured, wiping away the tears that fell silently down my cheeks.

I vaguely heard the gift box fall to the floor, his free hand now landing on my hip and pulling me flush against his body. My arms wound around his neck, my fingers going to his silky soft hair as his mouth covered mine.

One Year Later

‘I’m just saying, Cassian is a great name for a tiny warrior.’ Cass grinned from the sofa, across from where Rhys and I sat in the love seat he’d bought for us about a year ago.

‘Absolutely not.’ Rhys drawled, his hand gently moving back and forth across my swollen belly.

‘Do you have names picked out?’ Mor asked, her face holding the beaming expression that was always present when we were talking about the baby.

‘We do,’ I murmured, Rhys and I shared a secret smile at Mor’s squeal of excitement.

‘We’re not revealing anything until the baby is born.’ Rhys grinned at the sounds of disapproval from his cousin and Cassian.

‘You’re boring.’ The war General grumbled.

We all chuckled at his childish behaviour and I felt my expression soften with affection when Rhys leaned over to kiss my baby bump, murmuring words about how his uncle Cassian would always be the biggest baby in the family. Cassian grumbled louder, much to our amusement. My hand fell to Rhys hair, idly playing with the strands. He kissed my forehead and my eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of contentment that washed over me.

Home. This was home.

#ACOTAR #ACOMAF #ACOWAR #ACOSF #Rhysand x Reader

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