#but i NEEDED to finish this or else i would've imploded
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kibblz-n-bitz · 1 year ago
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Unabashed
Summary: Luffy wants you. He isn't afraid to tell you, either.
Warnings: Needy Luffy, rough sex, biting, breeding, I'm just really horny for this guy ok i'm practically writing this half asleep, NOT beta read
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"I want you."
The statement made you choke on the drink you had lifted to your mouth. You coughed and sputtered as Luffy stared at you. There was no embarrassment or shame laced into his features. He'd said it so casually, as if complimenting the weather or Sanji's cooking.
The two of you had been helping Franky move some supplies into the storage room. You'd just finished moving the last set of boxes and were sitting in the room, relaxing with your captain with a drink Sanji had bought you. He ignored Luffy's pleas for one, so the two of you were sharing the fizzy beverage.
You were giggling at some joke Luffy had made before he paused and stared at you. He had tilted his head, almost as if he was confused, before confessing to you. Without missing a beat, Luffy leaned down to wrap his lips around the straw from the cup that was still in your hand. You blinked, dumbfounded.
"L-Luffy, what do you mean?"
"I feel all funny whenever I'm around ya. Down here." He took your other hand, bringing it to his lower abdomen. You could feel his muscles twitch underneath your palm. He was warm. "And it means that I want ya."
Heat rushed to your cheeks. How your captain was able to say something so bold without batting an eye, you'd never know. But this is Luffy you were talking about. It's not much of a surprise, either. You looked down to where your hand rested on Luffy's stomach. You bit your lip, thinking for a moment.
"Lets... take this somewhere else."
With that, you grabbed his hand and led him to the girls cabin. It was the middle of the day, so luckily Nami and Robin were out on the ship. Luffy giggled as you dragged him into the room, before slamming the door and locking it. The moment you had him in the room, you pushed him up against the door.
"Are you sure?" Your lips were inches away from his. But you needed to hear it. Luffy snorted.
"'Course I am."
You surged forward, planting your lips on his. Luffy grunted into your mouth as you brought a hand to tangle in his hair. It was surprisingly soft. His hands landed on your hips, squeezing ever so slightly. You sighed into his mouth as he led you backward. The back of your knees hit your bed. You pulled away from your captain, placing a gentle hand on his chest.
"W-wait." You pushed him backward, much to Luffy's dismay. He pouted at you and you giggled. "Just lemme get undressed, okay?"
Realization dawned on your captain. He nodded and went to remove his own clothes too, placing his straw hat on your night table. His top was easy to remove (since his shirt was open all the time), but his leg got caught in his denim shorts, causing him to stumble a bit. He finally righted himself with an aha! By the time he looked up, you were already naked, blinking up at him.
"Take what you need from me, Captain."
Luffy grinned like a madman, jumping into bed with you unceremoniously. You laughed as his actions caused the bed to sway and you both ended up in a tangle of limbs. It was silly and so Luffy, you had known getting into bed with a man like him would be fun. You had liked him the moment you'd joined the crew. This felt like a dream come true, in the arms of the man you'd been thirsting over for so long.
With a giggle your hands grabbed Luffy's face, bringing his lips to yours once more. He groaned, rutting his hips into you. He needed to be inside of you so badly. You giggled, taking one of his hands from where it was clenched in the pillow beside your head. You brought it down between your legs.
"Gotta warm me up first, captain."
You weren't sure how experienced your captain was. The man hardly ever showed interest in people, at least not in a sexual way. You'd heard of beautiful women courting him, only to be turned down with a smile and nonchalant, "no thanks!" But regardless, he seemed to get the picture. His eyes lit up and he kissed you, before nuzzling into your face and neck. His index finger swiped through your folds.
"You're so wet, Y/N." Luffy breathed, licking and sucking at your neck. His finger circled you clit a few times, and he giggled as you squirmed. His tongue traced your collarbone as he plunged his finger inside you.
You whined, gripping his hair. He pumped in and out of you for a few moments, curling ever so often. You could tell he was being careful, it was like he would try a different angle and listen for your reaction before continuing. When he added a second finger you let out a whimper.
"M-more, Luffy. please."
Without skipping a beat a mouth sealed over your nipple at the same time his finger curled inside of you. You moaned, squirming against the boy. His fingers fucked you deeper, harder. His other hand came to play with your other nipple. Your head rolled against the pillow and Luffy bit and sucked your chest. God, you couldn't even imagine the way you'd look in the mirror tomorrow. It was too much, and not enough at the same time. You needed more.
"Fuck! Luffy," You panted and tugged his head off of your chest. He had been humping against your leg and drooling all over your chest. You didn't want him losing himself before he had the chance to fuck you.
"C-can I put it inside ya now? Please?" Luffy whined, nuzzling against your face and rutting himself in between your folds. You kissed him, biting his lip and reveling in the whimper he let out.
"Yes captain. Fuck me, please." You sighed against his lips. Luffy groaned and pushed forward, pushing his cock into you. Your moans bounced off the walls of the cabin. Huffing, Luffy withdrew his hips before pushing back into you. His movements were a little stiff, too calculated, like he was trying to gauge your reaction first. He was fighting the urge to bury himself into you over and over, so as to not hurt you.
"I-is this okay, Y/N?"
You smiled, wrapping your legs around the boy hovering over you. You kissed the scar underneath his left eye and took his face in your hands.
"Let go, Luffy. It's okay. I can handle it, I promise" You peppered reassuring kisses to his face, causing him to giggle. He nodded and wrapped his arms around you, angling your hips a little higher. His face buried into your neck as his hips moved faster, deeper, fucking into you like his life depended on it.
You moaned and held onto your captain's shoulders. You were certain that any one of your crewmates walking past the door could tell what was going on inside the cabin by now. Luffy moaned and whined, drooling all over your neck and shoulder. He was moving purely on instinct, length pushing against your cervix with every thrust.
"Ya feel so good Y/N," Luffy had huffed after a particularly harsh thrust. "So- ngh haa- so warm n' wet."
His words made you clench down on him, earning a moan from the both of you. He rutted against you wildly, moving purely on instinct. He would grind against the deepest parts of your body before thrusting, shallow, like he couldn't stand to be outside of you for more than a few seconds.
"C-close- Luffy!" You gasped, writhing in his arms. He whined as you tightened and fluttered around his length. His hand snuck down to rub at your clit, trying so desperately to feel you tighten around him again. You cried out, hands scrabbling at your captain's back and back arching off of the mattress. Your orgasm spurred Luffy into his own, as his thrusts seem to trip and stumble after pressing himself as deep as he possibly could inside of you.
You both gasped for air as you cam down from your highs. Luffy sighed and kissed you again, bringing you back from your daze. It was good. He was definitely slobbery, but you didn't mind. Luffy was passionate and wild and you loved him. So when he rolled off of you to lay beside you, you smiled at him before pressing your body against his. He accepted you happily, wrapping his body around you immediately.
"So, how was it?" You giggled against his lips.
"It felt amazing, Y/N! Can we do it again?" He beamed at you. You smiled.
"Later, Luffy. Right now I just want to hold you."
"OK!"
A few seconds went by in a comfortable silence before you looked up at Luffy to find him looking down at you, a lazy smile spread across his face. You sighed, rolling your eyes. You tried to fight the smile wiggling onto your face as you hooked a leg over your captain before rolling on top of him. Luffy burst out laughing. Once again you rolled your eyes before pressing a kiss to his giggling lips.
"I spoil you too much, y'know that?"
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the-boy-meets-evil · 1 year ago
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can't run away | vernon
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summary: running is the only life you've ever known. running away from your home planet, running away from anyone that gets too close, running away from officials, running from other smugglers. it's not easy but it's better than the pain that comes with staying in place and definitely better than getting caught. everyone has heard of you but nobody actually knows you. the last thing you want is to take on a passenger, especially when that passenger is a robot from one of the most popular groups in the universe. why would you let him stay when nobody else ever has? pairing: ai!vernon x smuggler!afab!reader word count: 15.6k genre: sci-fi au, angst, fluff (?) warnings/content: vernon is an automaton, reader is a smuggler (across the galaxy), references to injury (when vernon escapes, to reader as well), questionable methods of finishing a job (reader), suggestions/implications of sex/hook-ups (reader x unnamed characters), questionable legality on the jobs, exploring emotions for automatons, fights, open/ambiguous ending rating: mature (this is SFW but i prefer only people 18+ interacting with my blog) a/n: thank you so much to @idyllic-ghost for this incredible collab and this banner. i don't think i would've written a sci-fi fic otherwise and it's been so much fun. check out all the other amazing fics here! also thank you to the loml @hot-soop for *volunteering* to read through this fic. you're an angel. finally, thank you to @strawberryya for letting me use your brain and your planet.
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“100 years ago it was thought that the Earth, as we know it, would disintegrate. That the sun would implode and leave everything in darkness. Miraculously, it didn’t. Due to some external force, human scientists still haven’t agreed upon what it exactly was, none of the planets in our former solar system were ever destroyed. The Earth, along with the other planets, were pushed away from each other, and ended up in different parts of the universe. Earth just happened to come to a solar system with alien life. At first, we were cautious, and people were prepared to fight. However, the aliens were welcoming of our planet. Those of us who didn’t die from ‘The Great Journey’ or from trying to fight the aliens, were welcomed into the new solar system. Soon enough, we had integrated completely, and we received materials and assistance from our sister-planets in exchange for human labor. What humans knew of technology was very limited, but with the resources of the aliens we created artificial life forms. We named these robots Automaton, and they served as workers when humans couldn’t. Eventually, there was no need for human labor at all. To pay back for the help the aliens gave us, we used Automatons. With the extensive development of these robots, we eventually managed to create artificial sentient life. These Automatons were human-like in looks and had human consciousness, but they could not bleed and were stronger than we ever could be. At the present time, there are even different levels of Automatons. Level 3 robots are the workers, level 2 robots are the caretakers, and level 1 robots are the celebrities. The Automaton music group 53V3NT33N (SEVENTEEN) is made up of 13 members, all very talented, and all representing two human states of mind.”
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
“Chirron,” you call and wait for his hum to let you know he’s listening, “we have to go. Like 10 minutes ago.”
“Why don’t you try something helpful?” he shoots back at you. 
“The last time I got near the controls, you slapped my hands and shrieked,” you answer.
“I did not, it was not a shriek,” he hisses. He’s not really offended, it’s just how the two of you are. You’ve run hundreds of jobs together at this point and there’s nobody else you’d trust. And certainly nobody that’s better at getting your ship in the air and away from trouble. “And it was for a good reason. You’re a menace to society and to the controls, specifically.”
“Every button looks the same,” you huff.
“Will you just shut it for 2 seconds so I get us off this awful planet?” Chirron asks.
“Hey, this is my home planet!” you protest. You’re not sure why you’re distracting him like this when you want to leave just as badly as he does. Need to for the sake of your job.
“I swear to…” he says and stops to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Just a minute, I’m begging you.”
There’s a retort about begging on the tip of your tongue, something you know will get under Chirron’s skin. Something you know better to say and are going to say anyway. Really, what’s the worst he could do? Except just as you’re about to say it, someone comes rushing in through the open door of your ship.
Chirron seems to register the newcomer, but says nothing. In fact, he goes back to working on one of the control panels that’s currently preventing you from leaving the planet. That leaves you to deal with this new person. Or…no, could he be an automaton? There’s something familiar about him that you can’t quite place. There’s also something that doesn’t scream human about him. Maybe the blue hair or the way he moves through expressions. He looks relieved now even though you’re a complete stranger. 
“Please, help me,” he rushes out, already moving from relief into something else. He reaches out to take your hands in his and you barely have time to register it. “I’m begging you, I’ll do anything.”
Your first instinct is to flatly tell him that you won’t help him, that you can’t. After all, you’re not exactly the type anyone looks to when they need help. A fact Chirron is always quick to point out. But, you also see that this could present an interesting opportunity for someone such as you. And maybe now you can make some begging jokes without getting your head bitten off.
“And just what are you willing to do?” you ask, arch an eyebrow as you watch the expressions cross his face. 
“Oh, well I can…you know, I could…” he sputters along and you laugh. 
Just as you’re about to take pity on him, you see a rush of guards coming through the spaceport. It’s the last thing you want to see. Your papers are solid and you’ve already made the very real excuse of needing to fix one of your systems before leaving the planet. Then again, you’ve had enough close calls for a lifetime and you’re not really looking to add another one to that list.
As you watch, the guards talk to some other people milling about in the spaceport. The man who rudely burst onto your ship seems to catch that you’re watching something and immediately ducks down. If you weren’t a little nervous about the guards coming aboard, it would be comical. He’s literally not even hiding behind anything.
“They lookin’ for you?” you ask quietly and clock the answer in his eyes before he even opens his mouth.
“I think so,” he says. 
You sigh and ignore Chirron looking back at you. “Back that way, there’s a door in the wall on your left. Nobody ever knows it’s a door, but run your hand on the wall, you’ll feel it.”
“What?” he asks.
“Go,” you hiss and walk towards the open door.
It’s perfecting timing, too, because two of the guards are approaching. One of them, thankfully, is one you’ve dealt with before. And it’s mostly been positive. At least you know he can’t seem to stay away when you breeze in and out of this part of the planet. With any luck, he’s in a good mood. 
“Thought that was your ship,” he says with a smirk, ignoring the look from the other guard. 
“Guilty,” you smile. “Always nice to see you, Kyun.”
“You two know each other?” the other guard asks skeptically. 
“Sure, she runs cargo,” Changkyun says. You can’t fully fight the smile because you know it means you’re safe after all. The two of you have spent enough time in his bed, post hook-up, for him to know that’s not the whole story.
“And I would be gone already because we’re behind schedule, but we had a little mechanical trouble,” you say, laying on the act a little thick. 
“Need a hand?” Changkyun offers. 
“We’re supposed to be asking about someone,” the other guard reminds him. 
“It’s fine, we’ve got it handled anyway,” you say and send Changkyun a flirty smile before turning to his partner. “Ask away.”
“Have you seen an automaton running through here? Blue hair, about this tall, wearing a plain white shirt,” he asks and you pretend to think for a second. 
“There’s been a lot of people coming through,” you offer apologetically. “I think I did see someone with bright hair rushing off in that direction. Could’ve been blue.”
“You’re sure about the hair color?” the other guard asks. 
“Not really, it happened fast. But it could’ve been blue,” you shrug and then look like you’ve realized something. “Wait, there isn’t a reward is there?”
“Last I heard, you were doing fine,” Changkyun says and you smile as his partner walks off to share your info with a group of guards. 
“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” you say with a wink. 
“Make sure you come by next time you’re here,” Changkyun says with that look you’ve seen before. 
“I will, promise,” you say. 
“Have a safe flight!” he calls. He’s already heading off to join his partner. 
When he looks back, you wave. For good measure, you look over your shoulder like Chirron said something and nod. You’re closing the hatch with a last wave to Changkyun. Once you’ve also made sure the shields to protect anyone from seeing in are activated, you head back to find your new friend. 
“Seems like people are looking for you,” you say when you open the door.
You don’t bother waiting to see if he’s going to follow you when you walk back towards Chirron at the front of the ship. The blue haired man, who still hasn’t introduced himself, follows you instantly and then ducks when he sees the windshield in front of him.
“They can’t see you,” Chirron says in a bored voice. Mostly likely unimpressed by a decision you don’t actually remember making.
“You almost done?” you ask again.
“Yes, actually, that little disruption got you to leave me alone long enough to fix it,” he says with a glare at you. “Now be quiet again.”
“So rude,” you say quietly without any bite.
“Control, Vega Three requesting clearance for take off,” Chirron states over the communication system.
“Clearance granted,” comes an immediate response. 
“Finally,” you say and take your seat next to Chirron. You twist over your shoulder to look at your unexpected guest. “I’d buckle in if I were you, sweetheart.” 
“Are you…are we taking off?” he asks, seemingly unable to sit still.
“Unless you had a different idea when you tried to sneak onto a ship,” you respond. 
“But you don’t…” he begins.
“You’ve got your reasons for wanting to get off this planet, and we’ve got ours, best to discuss those once we’re actually off the planet. So, strap in,” you instruct.
The stranger in question doesn’t need to be told a third time, thankfully. He slides into the seat behind Chirron and buckles himself in. With a sideways glance at you to confirm he’s clear, Chirron uses the recently repaired controls to get you going and safely off this planet. Even though it’s your home planet, and you definitely can linger, this job is a little sensitive. You really can’t afford to be late on the delivery, though your reputation with this buyer is spotless. It only stays spotless as long as you finish your jobs as quickly and discreetly as possible. 
If you expect the stranger to say something as Chirron navigates you out of the spaceport and into the air, you’re left wanting. When you look back, you find him relaxed back into the chair. It’s like he’s completely at ease. Or maybe just feeling a lot of relief that you let him stay on board. Or even relief that you lied to the guards. Something you do often, though he doesn’t know that. His eyes close as Chirron types in the course to autopilot until you get close to your destination. 
While the stranger rests, something kind of surprising to you given that he doesn’t know you at all, you briefly wonder if it’s sleep or just a sort of recharging. Chirron claims your attention and you quietly discuss your plans for once you get to your destination. Salax is known for…discretion. People don’t tend to ask that many questions there because of the types of humans and aliens alike that follow their desires there. But, since it’s a place for your deepest desires, people are also wary of suspicious behavior. You’ve spent plenty of time there, both for your own pleasure or, like now, for a job. 
The downside to this planet, though? It’s the type of place no robot would ever be seen. Certainly not a Level 1. They’re far too pure for that. And judging by the number of guards employed, and the fact that you were on Earth, you’re willing to bet your new passenger is a Level 1. So that’s going to add its own unique set of challenges. Something that has you buzzing with adrenaline, but has Chirron looking sterner than usual. 
“We need to know who he is,” Chirron repeats quietly.
“And we will,” you answer easily.
“If he’s a Level 1…” Chirron starts before trailing off.
“What? You’ll turn me over for the reward you asked about?” the stranger asks. You’re a little startled because you didn’t realize he had woken up. Or stopped resting, whatever.
Chirron scoffs as he takes in your amusement. “No.”
“It’s not a ridiculous question,” he insists.
“It is if you know her,” Chirron says and nods in your direction. 
“Why? You’re wondering if I’m a Level 1 so you know how high the reward is,” he insists and you finally take pity on him.
“No, I have no intention to collect some reward for you, if one even exists,” you confirm. 
“But why?” he asks. He’s fidgeting in his seat like he can’t sit still. It’s interesting to see when he was resting so peacefully without moving.
“Because,” Chirron interjects, clearly intent to take away any fun, “she prefers not to deal in things as meaningless as currency or credits.” 
“How do you live?” he asks, genuine curiosity coloring his face. 
“I’ve got enough credits to keep us going for years,” you answer vaguely.
“What else is there to work for?” the stranger wonders. 
You turn your seat fully so it’s facing him and lean forward, dropping your voice a little. “So many things, sweetheart. Favors, information, gossip…secrets.” 
His eyes go wide, like it’s something he’s never considered before. And he probably hasn’t. If he’s a Level 1, and you’d bet your ship that he is at this point, then this is so wildly out of normality for him. The Level 1s are pristine, like the celebrities of the galaxy living in luxury with someone to help keep them functioning at the highest levels. They’ll never see the types of jobs that Level 3s see, those jobs that nobody else wants to do. They’ll never work the way that Level 2s do, or have to work for humans in that way. Which isn’t to say their lives are perfect. It’s just not the kind of life where they see the dirty types of jobs that you and Chirron are used to. 
“Why don’t you give me a name, sweetheart? Unless you prefer the pet name, which is fine by me,” you say.
He hesitates, before saying, “Vernon.”
You and Chirron look at each other, like you’re both wondering why this automaton seems familiar and why everyone is looking for him.
“Well, V3RN0N actually, from 53V3NT33N,” Vernon adds.
And that makes everything fall into place. Not that you pay much attention to groups of performers like that, it’s kind of hard when you’re constantly on the move, but everyone in the galaxy knows them. Everyone in the galaxy also knows that the members just…disappeared. There isn’t much information, at least not from reputable sources, about what happened. Thankfully for you, you don’t really deal in reputable sources. So you’ve heard your fair share about the escapes, each tale sounding a little wilder than the last. You at least know someone is desperate to find all 13 of the automatons, given how popular the group is. Or maybe it’s because they’ve resorted to asking in places they’d normally never be caught to find information.
When you assure Vernon that your previous statement still stands, that you’re far more interested in your form of currency than any reward you’d get from turning him in, he relaxes a bit again. He’s worried, still, that he admitted to complete strangers who he really is, but you give him your real names. You tell him what you actually do, despite Chirron’s protests. That’s when he starts telling you all about the escape. The way that he got away, the way he doesn’t know what happened to his other members, the way he hopes they’re all okay too. 
It’s a little depressing and a lot too close to home for you to hear what life was actually like for Vernon and the other Automatons in his group. Not that you’ve ever been famous or had people across the galaxy expecting you to perform, but you know a thing or two about someone else making your decisions. Chirron knows it too, knows your story intimately, so he probably also sees where this is going before you do. 
It’s difficult, you think, to listen to Vernon talk about his experiences and why he chose to run. Humans and aliens had worked together to create these new beings. Perfected them until they were indistinguishable from humans and even gave them emotions. Yet beings like Vernon and his group are expected to just perform. To essentially serve at the wishes of the public for entertainment value. Have to uphold the highest standards and can’t ever do something that would look bad. Have to remain pure, whatever that means. 
From there, you come up with a plan. One that will at least give you time to come up with some next steps on Salax. Vernon is restless again when you share your destination. Of course he’s never been there, but he knows all about it. It’s hard to tell if he’s just nervous that he’ll look out of place or if he’s curious about what actually happens there. In either case, you need to make sure he’s prepared for the stop. There isn’t much choice anyway, you’re on a schedule and he’s just an unexpected passenger. Before he can continue protesting, you send him to the back of the ship to look through the clothes and accessories. Anything to hide who he is.
“He’s not you, you know,” Chirron offers.
“I know that,” you answer.
“Do you?” From anyone else, the question might sound accusatory. From Chirron, it only sounds concerned. 
You sigh. “I do, but what they put him through is awful.”
“He’s an Automaton,” Chirron reminds you.
“I’m well aware,” you say with a slight snap to your words. “You heard him, though. And you’ve seen the Automatons we’ve come across. It’s different.”
“Does he know what you’re going to tell them when we get to Salax?” Chirron asks, switching tactics. 
“Do you?” you ask back.
“An overly sheltered Automaton on Salax?” Chirron raises an eyebrow at you. “You’re going to bring him along as your ‘date’ who’s just testing the waters to see if it’s his thing.”
“I am not that predictable,” you retort. But you don’t disagree because you can’t.
“What else would you say?” Chirron asks.
“I don’t know, I just hope it works,” you say.
“Luckily for him, you’re a frequent visitor,” Chirron says with a shrug.
You decide to let that comment lie. Partly because you don’t want to argue with Chirron too loudly and draw Vernon’s attention. Partly because he’s not entirely wrong. You do like to spend time on Salax, looking for things that you can’t find when you’re constantly on the move. Looking for people that don’t expect you to be there when they need you. That’s something you can’t do. Chirron would ask ‘can’t or won’t’, but the difference hardly matters.
After another minute you go and check on Vernon because you really do need to get going. For a number of reasons. He’s dressed and looking like he’ll at least moderately fit in at the club you’re taking him to. It’s clear he still wants to stay on the ship, or to go with Chirron, but you remind him that won’t work. Chirron is leaving the ship to get supplies for after your errands and to make sure you’re ready to leave the planet. Even without Vernon, you don’t want to linger. Not this time. Going with Chirron to run errands would be even more suspicious. He so rarely has anyone around when he’s anywhere, let alone Salax. He keeps to himself so the appearance of a beautiful stranger would be out of character. No, it’s much easier to have Vernon with you. You’re much more likely to have someone around on this planet. And you’re certainly had enough beautiful strangers with you on Salax to blend in. You ignore the way Vernon reacts each time you call him beautiful because, really, it’s just a fact.
Vernon tags along a half step behind you when you leave the ship. You’re considering telling him to walk beside you when you think you might as well sell it. If you’re going to be telling people that he’s your pet, just someone you picked up for the time being, then it makes sense that he wouldn’t walk quite beside you. 
This club is so familiar to you. Once you’re inside, you make your way to one of the back rooms, the same room you always meet your client in every time she hires you. Nobody asks questions as it is, but certainly not of her when she books private rooms. You know she’ll be seeing someone else before or after you. Or both, knowing her. 
Thankfully, Vernon keeps his head down like you told him to while you’re winding your way through. You offer the occasional smile or nod as you see people that you know, people you’ve worked with professionally and people you know personally. Some look at your companion, but nobody says anything. Both you and Chirron were right. Though this puts Vernon in contact with more people, it’s far less conspicuous. Besides, with his hat and clothing, nobody would guess he was a Level 1. 
Circe is waiting in her back room, sprawled out on her lounger when you enter, surprisingly alone. Then again, she probably got word when you landed and then again when you entered the club. As usual, she looks completely stunning in her figure hugging outfit. It’s enough to send anyone’s mind into overdrive.
“My, my, darling,” she says as she takes in both you and your companion. “I would scold you for keeping me waiting, but you’ve brought company.”
“You know I’d never dream of keeping you waiting,” you say with a smile at her. “We were…held up a bit. Had some ship trouble.”
“And picked up a new toy,” she comments. “Please, sit.”
“Ah yes, well he’s…curious about expanding his horizons,” you say with a glance at him. The two of you sit in front of her.
“Maybe we can share,” Circe offers and you chuckle.
“Circe, love, he’s nowhere near ready for that,” you answer.
“Always keeping your prettiest toys from me,” Circe pouts.
“Now you know that’s not true,” you chastise. “The last time I was here for fun rather than work…”
“Was very fun, that’s true,” Circe concedes. “Should I assume you’re not staying around this time, then?”
“I’m afraid not,” you say and inject as much sincerity as you can.
“Would that happen to be because he’s one of those escaped Automatons?” Circe plays it off like idle curiosity and you only smile fondly.
“If he were, what kind of fool would I be to bring him here?” you wonder.
“The kind that does trust me despite your insistence that you trust nobody other than yourself and Chirron,” she answers without missing a beat.
“Well,” you shrug.
“I thought…” Vernon says quietly to you.
“Relax, whoever you are is no concern of mine. She knows I won’t blow your secret because I know that there’s nobody better in the galaxy than her at what she does,” Circe says softly.
“You flatter me,” you say. This time the sincerity comes in earnest.
Circe waves it off like it’s nothing. You also know she means what she said. “I assume you have what I sent you off for?”
“Of course,” you respond and reach into your bag.
“This is why I protect her,” Circe says, leaning forward like she’s sharing a secret with Vernon. “I’ve never met anyone that can do a sensitive job for me like she can.”
“And have you met a lot of people?” Vernon asks.
Circe’s eyes sparkle. “You may be one of the only ones who can understand when I say thousands, probably.”
You watch the interaction for a moment because it’s so mundane, so simple. Shaking your head to clear the scene, you hand over a small device. Circe takes it and examines it for a second, looking over the markings on the side. Her smile is almost instant.
“This looks full,” she comments.
“It is,” you answer.
“How sensitive is the material?” Circe asks. 
You hesitate and look over at Vernon. “I wouldn’t watch it with just anyone. There’s…well I don’t have to tell you that people get more honest when they’re in compromising situations.” 
This seems to amuse Circe as she watches you form your words. It’s different from how you usually are and it’s entertaining. “Are you in it?” 
“No,” you answer with a little laugh. “Someone owed me a very big favor. Well owes me several favors, actually. He’s not off the hook yet.”
“I’ve known you for years and I still don’t think I understand the extent of your network,” Circe observes. 
“Probably not,” you acknowledge.
“And what about you, my little mystery, what do you owe her?” Circe asks Vernon.
“I’m…” he starts, looks over at you for guidance. “I’m not sure yet.” 
“That’s dangerous,” Circe adds. 
“We haven’t really figured…” Vernon begins, still very nervous. “She got me off Earth.”
“That’s actually part of what I needed to talk to you about. I need to get him an introduction to someone,” you say. Circe’s eyes turn back to you.
“To whom, darling?” she asks.
“I’m not sure,” you admit. “I need a recommendation. Someone that you trust that can help him disappear. Help him reappear as someone new.” 
Circe regards the pair of you for a moment. Probably a moment too long for Vernon’s comfort. “I can’t help you.”
Your frustration gets the better of you before you even consider the why. “Can’t or won’t?” 
“Pumpkin,” Circe says, full of affection and patience that you’re not sure you deserve. “I know the kind of favors you’re offering for something like this. I’d be stupid to turn it down if I could help you, but unfortunately I like you too much to pull the wool over on you.”
“Why can’t you help?” This, at least, comes out calm.
“I’m not sure where to turn, not now at least. There are too many people looking for him,” Circe admits.
You sigh heavily at that. In the seven years that you’ve known Circe, this is a first. It’s the first time you’ve ever presented her with a problem that she couldn’t solve. It leaves you feeling a little helpless, a feeling that you really don’t enjoy. Maybe she takes a little bit of pity on you because she does tell you to see one of her workers before you leave. He can help Vernon look a little different, at least. That’s all she can do, though, and she knows she’s still going to owe you after this. 
So you’re going to have to take Vernon with you, at least for now. You feel some amount of responsibility, even though he jumped onto your ship. But he’s far too sheltered for this life, too innocent, too naive. He isn’t hard around the edges like you, doesn’t know that he can’t trust anyone, hasn’t been hurt by people he depended on. 
You finish up the conversation with Circe and say your goodbyes. It completely slips your notice that Vernon isn’t right behind you when you head out the door.
“Wait a moment,” Circe says, lightly grabbing Vernon’s arm.
He looks down at the place her hand touches his arm before meeting her eyes again. The confusion on his face must be clear.
“Be careful with her,” Circe says. Vernon’s eyebrows only knit further in confusion. “I love her dearly, but it always comes at a price. She’s the kind of girl you’d name one of those hurricanes after back on Earth.”
“I’m not sure…” Vernon tries to begin. Circe waves a hand to quiet him.
“She’s wild and wonderful,” Circe says with a soft smile that only lingers a second. “But she will destroy everything in her path.”
Vernon is about to say something when you pop your head back through the door. “There you are, come on. We should really get going.”
Vernon looks back at Circe, tries to make some kind of sense of what she said. It’s pointless, though, and instead he just follows you out without a word.
If Vernon is expecting you to head straight back to the ship, he’s mistaken. You wind through the hallways like you’ve been through a hundred times before. Which is entirely possible, it’s not like Vernon knows much about you or your history. He just knows he couldn’t navigate back out if he got lost, so he stays close. It’s not that has a bad memory, it’s just that his brain is currently on overdrive. He’s thinking about what Circe said about you. But he’s also just taking in all the things he never even knew existed.
It doesn’t seem like you’re heading anywhere, even when you stop. The room is empty except for a large desk in the center. Vernon wants to ask what it is you’re doing. One look at your face tells him not to. You quickly reach into one of the drawers, like it’s the most normal thing, and pull out another device that looks like the one you gave to Circe. You stow the device in a pocket that Vernon hadn’t even noticed and make your way back out without another word.
In fact, you don’t speak again until you’re back on the ship. Vernon has a second to note that Chirron is missing before you head to the control panel and start pressing buttons. The door closes and something seems to shift with the windshields. It’s like the ship is going into some sort of shut down. You walk back past Vernon to a table and slide into one side of the booth. Vernon takes the cue and slides in across from you.
“So that didn’t exactly go as planned,” you observe. 
“You were expecting her to help,” Vernon says and you nod. 
“Circe knows everyone, has eyes and ears everywhere, so it’s…well I don’t want to scare you, but it’s concerning that she can’t help hide you,” you say.
“Maybe I should just go back,” Vernon wonders out loud.
“Look, you ran away for a reason and I know the kind of desperation it takes to just…run onto some random ship,” you let him know. “I’m not really sure why I’m helping, but I’m going to help. There’s just one rule.”
“What is it?” Vernon asks. He already knows he’s going to agree.
“Whatever I say, you have to follow,” you say. It sounds so simple, Vernon is sure there’s some kind of catch when you continue. “If I say run, you run. If I say hide, you hide. If I say leave me behind, you have to.”
“But…” Vernon starts and you shake your head.
“I’m going to try to find a solution, but I have to keep working too. And this isn’t exactly a safe line of work,” you tell him.
“I’d gathered,” he says before he can stop himself. You chuckle.
“At least you’re observant,” you say.
Since Chirron isn’t back yet, you send off a quick message to him that you’re going off the ship for one more quick stop. That you’ll be back within the hour and ready to go if he is. With that out of the way, you take Vernon to see Circe’s friend about blending in a little better. You’re just hoping that this isn’t going to be a waste. And also hoping that nobody recognizes him in the meantime because the last thing you need is for your name to be plastered next to his.
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
Two hours later, you’re all back on the ship and taking off. With a quick message to Circe, you thank her and request that she keep you updated if she hears anything interesting. Thankfully, she seems to know what that means and there’s nobody better to keep an eye out. Vernon looks different, too. His hair is a different color and style, his eyes are no longer the same shade, his clothing is entirely different, even some of the shape of his face is different. Despite his protests, you also got him a face mask and sunglasses to wear. Although he thinks that it’ll make him stand out, you insist that in your line of work, it’s standard.
Although you know you need to talk, you tell Vernon that it’s time for you all to get at least a little sleep. Chirron put it on the slow track to allow everyone a chance to rest before getting to their next stop. It’s standard practice for the two of you, but entirely foreign to Vernon. 
Once you wake up again, it’s time to talk. “We need a story.” 
You, Chirron, and Vernon are sitting at the table in the main part of the ship. The ship itself is on autopilot to your next stop, which Chirron says will take at least 3 more hours.
“Better late than never, I guess,” Chirron says.
“Would you stop being grumpy?” you fire back.
“No,” Chirron answers without hesitation.
“Uh, a story for what?” Vernon interrupts.
“Who you are and why we’ve let you join our missions.” Chirron gives the straightforward answer before you can be a smartass. 
“Does there need to be a story?” Vernon asks, causing Chirron to sigh.
“Yes, there does,” is all Chirron says.
You shoot him a look. “Our entire livelihood depends on us staying off the wrong radars, which we’ve been good at. But it also depends on our current…clients continuing to trust us. You’re new. And while our reputation is excellent, we tend to deal with a lot of people who value privacy and secrecy over everything.”
“So she can’t just tell them we’ve picked up a rogue celebrity on the run and just go with it,” Chirron says.
“Maybe I should just…” Vernon starts.
“What? Get off the ship and try to hide on your own?” you wonder. 
“I don’t know,” Vernon says.
“Remember what I said when you got on the ship? The one rule is to do what I say?” Vernon nods at your question. “That’s still in effect, sweetheart.”
“So what’s the plan?” Chirron asks you.
“What are you good at? Besides singing and dancing?” You direct this question at Vernon.
“Rapping, not singing,” Vernon corrects quietly. “What?” you ask.
“I rapped, I didn’t sing,” Vernon tells you. “And I produced some of our tracks. In my free time, when I actually got it, I played a lot of games.” 
You’re looking at Vernon like he just handed you the easiest line and he doesn’t realize it. His head is down, he’s not confident about anything he said. But you know better. You know that he just handed you the perfect solution.
“You any good with tech, then?” You try to throw out the question casually. 
Chirron actually approaches a smile then. He knows where this is going and enjoys the way Vernon’s head pops up. It’s almost endearing the way his eyes go wide and he looks innocent again.
“Uh, yeah, I’m decent with it. I, well I used to try and practice any time I could get my hands on any tech. I had to use all the programs to produce the songs, so I got pretty good at it,” Vernon says.
“Chirron, I’d like you to meet our new tech specialist,” you announce and Chirron chuckles. 
“Bout time I didn’t have to stumble my way through reprogramming shit,” Chirron says.
“I don’t know,” Vernon says.
“Look, I’ve got plenty of old tech on the ship that you can practice on. After the next job, we’d planned a break anyway. So, for real, I won’t pick up anything new…” you start to outline.
“Thank fuck,” Chirron whispers, silenced by your look.
“And we can lay low at our place while you figure out if you’re really our new tech guy,” you say. 
“Your place?” Vernon asks.
“Yeah, I mean we’re not always on the move,” you say with a shrug. 
“Okay, might as well try, I guess,” Vernon says.
“That’s the spirit,” you encourage.
Vernon shits in his seat and winces. It’s the first time that you’re actually looking at the way his body moves. You hadn’t even looked when he changed or when he had his appearance worked on, hadn’t checked for injuries or done any of that. You’re not used to having someone new around. For all yours and Chirron’s faults, both of you trust the other and know well enough to admit if you’ve been hurt. This new addition doesn’t.
He winces again and runs a hand over his chest, something he clearly hopes you don’t notice. You do, though. His eyes meet yours and he looks scared, like he’s still not sure if he can trust you. Like he’s still on edge with every move.
“Are you okay?” you ask, voice gentle so you don’t scare him.
“This is all a bit weird to get used to,” Vernon answers.
“That’s not what I meant,” you level. 
“It’s nothing,” he insists. 
“Vernon, if we’re all gonna be in this, then you have to tell us what’s going on,” you say with as much care as you can muster. Certainly more care than Chirron is used to.
“It’s not that bad, it could be a lot worse, it’s just…well it’s the communication device that I used to have. My manager, he had to stay behind, he’d been loosening it for weeks so it wasn’t as painful when it came out but I had to run before he could finish. And I almost got caught trying to have someone fix it for me,” Vernon says. 
“You’re going to need to let us see,” Chirron says. Vernon looks between the two of you before he lifts his shirt over his head. Beneath it, he’s wearing a bandage that wraps around his body. You lean forward to start unwinding the wrapping, needing to get a look. It’s weird, you think, to brush your fingers against his skin and have it feel so much like your own. Weirder still is seeing the partial hole leftover in his chest. You can see where some of the edges need to be smoothed and where he needs to keep it covered. Vernon doesn’t seem nervous under your touch, which reminds you that he’s not actually human, despite how much his upper body seems like he would be. 
“Chirron, can you go get me my toolkit?” you ask.
“What are you going to do?” Vernon asks suspiciously. 
“I’m going to do everything I can to make it more comfortable while we’re on the ship and then we can figure out next moves once we land,” you say.
“You don’t know what you’re doing,” Vernon protests and you just raise an eyebrow. 
Chirron reappears with a box and stifles a chuckle at the scene. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“How do you know what to do?” Vernon tries a different question.
“She worked as a Automaton mechanic for almost a year,” Chirron answers, taking your fun of torturing him away.
“I thought you were a criminal,” Vernon admits and this does make Chirron laugh. You join in. 
“I’m a lot of things, sweetheart, I’ve lived a very full life,” you say and don’t offer any further explanations. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
Back home, you get settled and suggest you all get some rest before you decide on next moves. You know that Vernon doesn’t actually sleep now, but you also know he has to recharge. Which is all sleep is anyway, so you send him off to his own area to recharge. Once you’re all awake again, Chirron helps you come up with a more permanent solution to the whole where Vernon’s communication device used to be. It’s painful, you know that it’s painful for him and you wish you could help. But you can’t. All you can do is help him through it and know that when you’re done, he shouldn’t be in pain anymore. He takes even longer to recharge after you’re done. When he emerges, though, he does feel a lot better and he’s incredibly thankful.
It’s been just over three weeks since Vernon ran onto your ship without looking back. Just about three weeks since you finished the last job after leaving Salax. Chirron has loved every minute of getting to take the break. In fact, you’ve gone entire days without seeing him while he takes time for himself. It’s one of the longer breaks you’ve taken and he’s actually enjoying it. 
You, on the other hand, don’t like to be still. Don’t like to be stationary. It gives you entirely too much time to think and to remember all the reasons you’re in this position now. For the first few days, you tried to give Vernon his space like Chirron. He had more tech and gadgets than he’d seen in his entire existence, which is good. It seemed like he was enjoying getting to work on them and learn as he went. Annoyingly, he took to it almost immediately.
But then he seemed to realize that you didn’t like to be left to your own devices. That you’re the opposite of Chirron and would probably never stop moving if you had the choice. So he asks if you would be willing to keep him company while he works through things, insists that he doesn’t need silence in order to work. Actually, he thinks that he’s gotten a good handle on it and it would be better having you around. Even though you look skeptical, you take him up on the offer. 
While Vernon works (and occasionally curses at something, using a swear word he learned from you), he asks about your life. Usually you keep all of that to yourself. It’s not really comfortable for you to share the parts of your past. But this isn’t a normal situation. Meeting someone like Vernon isn’t an everyday occurrence. So you find yourself telling him things that it took you months or years to tell Chirron without giving it a second thought. Everything just feels…easy. There’s no other word. Vernon has experienced things you couldn’t ever imagine, but he’s still so new at people and interactions. There’s no fear of judgment with him. It’s almost refreshing. 
Vernon listens intently as you talk about your childhood and how you got to where you are now. It’s hard for him to really imagine having parents like yours that loved you and cared for you. That’s not an experience or relationship he’s had, even as close as he is to his other members. When you start to talk about things getting harder, you pick up a communication device to start fidgeting with it. Something you may not even realize but Vernon has learned enough of human emotion to know you’re uncomfortable. Not so uncomfortable that you stop talking, just unused to talking about this part of your past. The emotion is clear on your face when you talk about losing your parents, even for Vernon to pick out. Although you insist they weren’t perfect, they were all you had and you were way too young to try and make it on your own. Yet that’s exactly what you had to do. Exactly what landed you here. 
It surprises Vernon when you’re equally as interested in hearing about his experiences up until this point. About how others interacted with him, about what his emotions are like, about just generally how he feels. Which catches him off guard. He can’t remember a time in his existence where someone has actually wanted to know how he was doing in that way. Sure, people cared that he was performing at the top level and there were plenty across the galaxy that claimed to care about him. But Vernon could not recall someone asking him how he felt about any of it like he had a choice to feel anything at all. Not until you, that is. 
So that made Vernon want to talk. He started at the easiest place to tell you about performing and about his members. Even with the space and distance from them, he thinks he did genuinely care for them, genuinely enjoy being around them. He realizes that he enjoyed the performing aspect of it too. What he found he didn’t enjoy was the control and the treatment behind the scenes. He was always a commodity, always expected to do as he was told. Never permitted to see other parts of the world, interact with others the way he might want to. None of his time was ever truly free, his every move was watched. It was fine, at the beginning of Vernon’s consciousness, to live that way. 
However, as Vernon became more aware of the universe around him, he began to feel that he was missing something. He wanted to see more, know more, experience more. It made him restless. Sure, he’s not human, or even alien, and he can’t bleed or die the way others can. But he was given consciousness, given the ability to think and move freely, the ability to form bonds with others, the ability to question. With that had come the thought of something more than he currently had. All of that had led him to this moment. 
It’s hard, hearing about the life Vernon led. But you can also see how talking about his feelings with someone that cares changes him. He’s able to sort through feelings that he never considered before. It’s really nice to be able to offer that to him, to be able to support him in such a human way. Whatever else is true about the Automatons, they clearly have enough consciousness that they deserve to be treated far differently. 
It also naturally flows into you sharing what work actually looks like for you and Chirron. And Vernon now that he’s joining the team. You outline the jobs you take, the types of clients you have, the methods that you use to get a job done. Vernon seems a little wide-eyed at some of the jobs you take or how you get them done. But that’s when you remind him that getting a job done by any means necessary is kind of your whole motto. He doesn’t have to worry, you’ll never put him or Chirron in a compromising situation and never ask either of them to do something they’re not comfortable with. If it’s something…compromising, you’ll always do that yourself or call in a favor from your network. Although Vernon doesn’t look like he likes the answer, he accepts it.
Neither you or Vernon notice the moment when your days shift. What started as the two of you going about your days separately before ending up chatting about something turned into being together throughout the day, not even really tracking the last time Chirron had been by. Although you assured Vernon it wasn’t really an issue, both you and Chirron wore bracelets with trackers in them so you’d always know where the other was. That’s a relief, because honestly Vernon likes this comfort between you and him. He does ask if he should get a bracelet too and you say that you’ll get him one as well. 
Finally, though, all good things must come to an end. You manage to call Chirron back so that you can move forward with your plan. Everyone is still looking for Vernon and his other members, but it seems that nobody has reported any sightings. At least not of Vernon. 
“Are you ready to move back out?” you ask Chirron over dinner.
“If we must,” he sighs. Then he turns to Vernon. “Though I should thank you, actually, she’s never stayed still for this long.”
“Not like she’s stayed still while we’ve been here,” Vernon offers. 
“Hey,” you protest. 
“You haven’t,” Vernon doubles down. He’s different now, much more comfortable pushing back against you like an equal rather than someone who just needs to be saved. 
“This is still unprecedented for her,” Chirron says. “I was sure we’d be back on a job within the first week.” 
“Okay, okay,” you interrupt. 
“Do you have a job lined up for us?” Chirron asks.
“Several, just deciding the right one. I’m going to reach out to Circe first, though, on the unsecured line just to plant the first seeds,” you say.
This is part of the plan. You trust Circe, despite your insistence that you don’t trust anyone, but you can never be too careful. So you have two ways to talk. One is the most secure, locked down communicator in the galaxy and it’s strictly for sensitive jobs or when you can’t drop in to see her in person. It’s how she’s been keeping you updated on any rumblings about Vernon. The other is for things that wouldn’t matter so much if someone else saw it. 
You: hey love, just wanted to let you know that we finally expanded the crew beyond chirron and myself Circe: about time, who’s the new addition? You: he goes by sol, caught the fucker trying to hack one of my comms and offered him a job on the spot Circe: only you Circe: so you finally have a tech specialist? You: looks like it Circe: well stop by the next time you’re in the area, first round’s on me
Vernon offered up that he was also called Hansol as an actual name. Though he preferred to keep going by Vernon, Sol would make for a good name to resurface under. Nobody would be able to put those two together, so it seemed safe while still ringing at least partly true. You taught him that the best cover stories or lies had a little bit of truth to them. It made it easier to navigate. 
Predictably, after reaching out to Circe, you got several more job requests. Each one came with a message that they’d heard about the new addition to your team and were looking forward to hiring you even more. Which is exactly what you wanted. Although the other two had initially been skeptical, they had come around. There was undeniable logic in the idea of Vernon hiding in almost plain sight. Nobody in their right mind would go looking for a missing Automaton on a ship of questionable legality that made frequent stops on a planet like Salax. Everything in his programming should have stopped that.
Which just leaves picking a job to start with, something you do all the time. Vernon can tell you’re a bit nervous, and he is too honestly, but it’s going to be okay. It has to be okay.
“I’m just gonna remind you before we head out,” you start, allowing Chirron to go ahead onto the ship, “you can leave any time you want. After the first two jobs, that is.” 
“But you’re still gonna be doing this, right?” Vernon asked.
“Yeah,” you answer quickly.
Vernon shrugs. “I’m with you then.” 
“Vern,” you caution. He only shakes his head.
“I wanna stick by you, you’re the first person that’s ever given a shit about me,” he says. 
That makes your heart skip a beat, which you don’t really have time to consider since you’re supposed to be taking off any minute now. In fact, if you don’t follow Vernon onto the ship, you’re sure that Chirron is going to come storming off to yell at you for holding them up. There are certain windows that you need to operate in. So you file the feeling away to be dealt with later, like so many other things in your life, and get on the ship. You still have a team to run. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
Everything goes fine with Vernon on the team. At least for a while. That’s the good thing about the type of work you do. Nobody really asks that many questions about your team or your backgrounds or where you were before. Nobody really cares, honestly, when your reputation is spotless and you’ve never missed a job. Honestly, you think that this whole situation is pretty perfect. Even Chirron, ever the pessimist, seems satisfied. 
Which is why you don’t see the issue coming. You should, you know it’s your job to see every possible outcome and calculate the likelihood of success, but you don’t see this one. Don’t anticipate something going wrong because of Vernon nearly blowing your cover. Don’t even consider that he might have an issue now, when it’s been weeks, with your methods for getting something done. Don’t think that you have to remind him that the number one rule when it comes to jobs is by any means necessary. 
Yet that’s what happens. He turns remarkably human, even with the restlessness that you’ve come to expect, when the three of you are sitting with an unsuspecting mark. Another human that doesn’t realize you’re on a job rather than just enjoying some drinks on a night out. You’re getting ready to take the mark to a backroom so that you can get the information you need and Vernon seems like he wants to stop you. Actively tries to delay you, actually.
“Baby, it’s getting a little crowded in here, why don’t you go ahead and see about a room reservation,” you say, offering your most seductive smile. The mark hesitates for a moment, thrown off by Vernon’s last comments.
“I would hate to get in the way…” he begins and your hand is on his arm immediately.
“I assure you, you’re not,” you say with eyes only for him. “I promise, I’ll meet you at the desk in just a minute.”
“How can I say no to that?” he asks, enamored with you again. Like too many before him.
The second he’s out of earshot, Vernon exhales and opens his mouth to say something. You’re quick to plaster on the same smile. 
“Chirron, take him back to the ship and wait for me there,” you say quietly, making sure nobody can hear you and nobody realizes you’re unhappy.
“Look, I’m sorry, I just…” Vernon starts.
“Not here,” you respond quickly, keeping the smile in place.
“Okay, but…” Vernon tries again, but Chirron is nudging him out of the booth.
“Let’s get something to eat, I’m starving,” he says without bothering to be quiet. He knows your moves well enough to play along.
“All you think about is food,” you jibe affectionately.
“Don’t take too long, we’ve still got work to do,” Chirron calls over his shoulder as he leads Vernon away.
You watch the two of them disappear into the crowd before you join the mark. Thankfully, he seems so taken by your flirting that he accepts your excuses of your friends being hungry. Everyone gets a little cranky, he sympathizes. The desk attendant offers you the key to one of the private rooms and you lead the way, feeling the mark following you without needing to check. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
It takes a little longer than normal and definitely longer than you’d like before you’re also headed back to the ship. This mark needed a little more foreplay before he was ready to spill the secrets that you need. Or maybe you’re a little off your game from the near issue that Vernon created. You know you’re good, you’ve done this enough times to know that you can be irresistible, but you don’t like unexpected interference. You definitely don’t ever expect that to come from your own team. And you don’t like having to resort to different plans, like you did tonight. Normally, you don’t take it that far. No matter. You got what you needed.
Once you’re heading back to the ship, you fire off a quick message to Chirron to ask if he’s got any food leftover on the ship. He knows it’s code. You’re asking if he actually went to get something to eat or if they went straight back to the ship. His answer comes immediately. They do have food, he lists off what the leftovers are, but you took too long and it might be cold. A suggestion to get your own food if you’re hungry. And also a suggestion to take an extra beat if you need it before you come back to the situation on the ship. So you take heed and pick up some food from your favorite stand before returning to the ship.
Both Chirron and Vernon are sitting in the booth as soon as you turn around from closing the hatch. Chirron looks tired, like he’s run an entire marathon in the time since you parted ways. Vernon looks restless, like he’s barely able to stay seated. Maybe that’s why Chirron looks so worn out.
“What the fuck, Vernon?” you ask as soon as you’re sitting down and setting out your food.
“What do you mean?” he asks as if it’s a completely unreasonable question.
“You nearly blew our cover!” you retort. 
“Because you were going to…you were taking him, you were going to…” he stutters out.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, I was going to fuck him,” you cut over him.
He blanches at the bluntness of your statement. Even after all the time he’s been around you, he’s still surprised. “Well that’s just…you shouldn’t have to do that.”
Your eyes flick to Chirron, as if you’re asking what he’s been doing the last two hours that you were indisposed. 
“He doesn’t want to hear what I have to say,” Chirron says. Vernon glances between the two of you. It’s still foreign to him that you can communicate without using any words.
“No, I don’t,” Vernon agrees. 
“Well, you should,” you say flatly. “Chirron is just as much in charge as I am. Whatever he says, also goes.”
“Not when it comes to you doing…that,” Vernon says.
“No, that was my choice,” you agree. 
“And you shouldn’t have done it,” Vernon argues.
“According to who, Vern?” you ask. 
“You just shouldn’t have to…use your body like that,” he says and looks down. He’s embarrassed, but you’re not sure why.
“Sweetheart, you knew the game. I told you that jobs get done by whatever means necessary. I told you that I’d never ask you or Chirron to do what I did, but that if it came to it, I would do it,” you explain.
“I didn’t think you were serious,” he says quietly.
“So, what? You thought you’d come in like some Knight to protect my honor and risk blowing the job?” You’re a little incredulous at that.
“I don’t know, I just didn’t like the idea of you and that guy…” Vernon starts and stops. Chirron, thankfully on the edge of the booth, gets up then.
“We need some supplies before we leave here. I’ll go grab them,” he says and leaves before either you or Vernon can object. 
“What was the first rule, Vernon?” you ask when the silence gets too deafening.
“That we finish jobs by any means necessary, I know,” he huffs out.
“No, the real first rule. When I agreed to help you,” you prompt, voice soft. He finally looks up at you. He knows and doesn’t want to say. “That, no matter what, you had to listen to what I told you.”
“I know,” he answers like a defeated man.
“Then why didn’t you?” you press.
“I don’t know,” he admits. “I just…I knew you were about to go into that back room with that guy and I knew how far you’d be willing to go to get what we need and it just…it made me mad.”
“Mad?” you ask. “Why are you mad?” 
Vernon is frustrated, you recognize it immediately. Not because of what you did, or not entirely, at least. He’s frustrated because he’s feeling an emotion that he doesn’t understand and doesn’t know how to describe. This isn’t the first time you’ll have to walk him through sorting it out. But it is the first time you’re not sure if you can. You’re nervous about what he’s feeling and why.  Nervous about what he’s going to say. Nervous about what he’s actually feeling. 
“I don’t know,” he admits. He’s frustrated. He doesn’t like not understanding how he’s feeling. “I just, I had this feeling in my stomach when you started making plans with that guy and I didn’t like it.”
“That’s understandable,” you offer.
“Is it?” His question comes quickly. “I wanted to, I don’t know, I wanted to tell him to get lost or just tell us what we needed to know but stop looking at you like you’re a meal. Or like you’re something to win. You’re not a thing, you’re a person.”
You’re relieved, mostly, because you think you can identify this emotion in a way that doesn’t complicate an already overly complicated situation. Your smile at him is soft, sofer than he’s seen on you since you left the break between jobs. Softer than you give to anyone on jobs and far more genuine. “Yeah, it is understandable. It just means you care, you’re protective over me.”
Vernon seems to consider this for a second like he’s not entirely sure that’s it. Seems to want to say something else. “I do care about you.”
“I know you do,” you say.
“I don’t like feeling like this, like I want to protect you and I know that I can’t,” he admits. 
“It’s tough,” you agree and then decide to admit something. “I feel that way about you, too.”
“You do?” Vernon looks hopeful, like you understand.
“Course I do,” you say easily. “I feel, I’m not sure, responsible for you, I guess. Like I threw you into this life without much choice and I worry that I’m putting you in more danger than when you ran onto the ship in the first place.”
“You’re not.” He’s quick to reassure you. “Life in the last month or two with you has been better than my entire existence up to meeting you.”
That shouldn’t warm your heart, shouldn’t make it beat irregularly, shouldn’t make you feel something more than just the care you mentioned. It does, though. It’s making you feel a lot of things that you really don’t need to be feeling.
In contrast, Vernon seems much lighter. It seems like he’s relieved by understanding the care he feels for you is normal and relieved he could let you know how good things have been since he met you. It doesn’t go deeper for him, at least not now. Not when you gave him a simple name for the emotion. You don’t think he realizes that you’re in your head about the entire conversation and what this means for the two of you going forward. You don’t think he realizes that there’s another emotional explanation for his reaction and you’re not going to tell him. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
Vernon thinks about that conversation with you a lot over the next several weeks of missions. He thinks about how he felt watching you make plans to go somewhere private with a person that you called a mark. He thinks about the feelings that boiled up inside of him that he described as anger when they felt like much more. He thinks of the way you react to him almost ruining a mission and how you reacted to him after you got back. He tries not to think about what you did while he waited in too much silence on the ship with Chirron. 
He spends the most time thinking about what you didn’t say. Even though he’s not sure what it was, he knows there’s something. Your face can be really expressive when your guard is down, as it usually is around him and Chirron. Part of him wants to think he reacted the way he did only because he cares about you in the same way that Chirron does. That you’re a team, some kind of weird version of a family that protects each other. But then he remembers how you went quiet after he accepted, with relief, the idea that it was only caring about you. Too many times, he finds himself wanting to ask what you didn’t say.
The three of you all agree that he should stay on the ship more during those kinds of missions. There’s really no reason for you all to be off the ship, anyway. You’re usually the only one that interacts with people like that, the only one that seems comfortable putting yourself out there like that. Vernon hates that you feel like you have to take those jobs, hates that you’re willing to go to those lengths. Although you tell him a lot, he doesn’t know that you don’t mind that part of it. That you don’t see yourself as someone that forms actual romantic attachments, that sex is just sex for you. Just another part of life. 
It’s another mission where you think you may need to get close to a mark, another mission where you think you may need a back room without prying eyes. Whatever that means. This time, Chirron offers to stay on the ship with Vernon. He says it’s because there’s some things he needs to work on, but Vernon sees it for what it is. He doesn’t want to leave the newest team member alone. Chirron is much more perceptive than anyone gives him credit for.
“You know, I never asked you,” Chirron starts, causing Vernon to look up from the transponder he’s fiddling with. “What were you hoping for when you ran onto our ship?”
Vernon considers this for a moment. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet also feels like it was just yesterday. “I’m not sure. I think I just hoped that I could catch my breath long enough to figure out my next move.”
“Not join a team that takes on illegal jobs across the galaxy?” Chirron asks, that dry humor surfacing again.
“No,” Vernon agrees with a small chuckle.
“Why do you stay?” Chirron wonders.
“Trying to get rid of me?” Vernon asks in response.
“No,” Chirron answers immediately. “No, having you around has been good for her. For both of us, really. I’m just curious about why you stay when you don’t have to. Is it just because you don’t have anywhere else to go?”
Vernon, thankfully, is used to Chirron’s way of speaking. So he knows there’s nothing malicious behind the question, only curiosity. 
“No, it’s not that. Not that I have some idea of where to go beyond that one sanctuary planet I’ve heard of,” Vernon says. “I like being around both of you. It feels like I belong? I haven’t felt like this before. It’s nice. Kind of like a feeling of being warm all over.”
“I’m glad,” Chirron says genuinely. 
“I don’t like this part though,” Vernon says and shifts in his seat again.
“The waiting?” Chirron wonders, but there’s something on his face that Vernon can’t place. Thankfully, he carries on. “Or the waiting when you know what she’s doing?” 
Vernon frowns at that. He’s still not sure he has the right name for this feeling. “Why does she put herself in positions like this?”
Chirron shrugs. “Don’t know. I’ve tried to tell her that some jobs aren’t worth it, but it’s like she has to prove something. To who, I’m not sure.”
“You don’t stop her, though,” Vernon observes.
“No, I don’t,” he agrees. 
“Why?” Vernon presses.
“Because, as you saw on that mission a few weeks ago when she sent us away, she’s going to do it anyway. I know the difference between when something is actually dangerous and when it’s just not what I would do. So I let her go unless it’s actually dangerous,” Chirron says. 
“It still doesn’t feel good,” Vernon admits. 
“No, because you care about her,” Chirron says like it’s the simplest thing in the world.
“Of course I do, I care about both of you,” Vernon says. “You care about her too.”
“I do,” Chirron agrees and that look is back, “but not the same way as you do, I don’t think.”
“Are there multiple ways to care for someone?” Vernon asks. 
Chirron chuckles, a low, comforting sound. “Of course. There’s the way her and I care about each other, like family. Like someone that could drive you absolutely insane, but you still love them and you’d still be there for them in a friendly way.”
“And what’s the other way?” Vernon wonders.
“Caring about them like you have feelings for them. Like they’re the first one on your mind when you wake up or the last one on your mind before you go to sleep. Like you just want to be around them and feel a little empty when you’re not. Like you’re not entirely sure what you’d do if one day they just weren’t there anymore,” Chirron explains.
“Oh,” is all Vernon can say. 
“I don’t know how you feel, or how she feels, but it doesn’t seem like just the kind of caring like it is between her and I,” Chirron says. “I love her and I’d do anything to protect her, but I don’t have feelings for her.”
“Do I?” Vernon asks quietly.
“I don’t know, only you can figure that out,” Chirron says. 
Feelings are difficult, Vernon thinks as he contemplates Chirron’s explanation. Every time he thinks that he’s got a handle on them, something else comes up to throw him for a loop. His body almost relaxes to help the fact that his mind is going entirely too fast. Chirron, seeming to sense that he gave Vernon a lot to think about, goes back to what he was working on before the conversation. 
It’s easy to be around Chirron, something Vernon has known since the beginning. But now he realizes that it’s easy in an entirely different way than being around you. With Chirron, there’s a comfort and a familiarity and definitely a care. Just like he describes feeling about you. With you, it’s entirely different. Vernon finds himself wondering about your past, wanting to know every detail even though you’ve shared a lot. He wants to know what you think, especially when you go silent. What thoughts are you keeping to yourself and why don’t you want to share them? 
The worst, though, is easily the way Vernon feels when you’re off on your own like this. He’s not sure how to put it into words or how to even Chirron about it. Or if he even wants to ask Chirron about it. He just knows that he doesn’t like it, that it makes him feel unsteady and unfocused. That he makes mistakes on whatever he’s working on when he thinks of this aspect of the jobs. It’s like he wants to lash out at the marks or the clients that hire them in the first place. He wants to let these people know that you’re not actually interested in them. That it’s only for work. But is that true? 
“Chirron, can I ask you something?” Vernon finally asks.
“Sure,” Chirron says. He’s much more relaxed around Vernon, probably because he doesn’t try to rile Chirron up.
“I’ve got this feeling that I’m not sure about, it pops up when we’re on missions like these,” Vernon begins before outlining just how he feels when he thinks about what you’re doing.
Chirron is quiet, thoughtful as he listens, giving Vernon his full attention. He lets Vernon finish uninterrupted before he’s quiet for a second. “Well, it sounds like jealousy.”
“Jealous of who? Of her?” Vernon asks. He knows what jealousy is, just like every other emotion, because it’s simply knowledge of the existence of emotions. He doesn’t know how it feels though, not really. Like every other emotion, it’s something he’s had to learn as he goes.
“Of the people she’s with,” Chirron answers, amused.
“Why would I be jealous of them?” Vernon asks. 
“I can’t tell you the why, Vernon, you know that,” Chirron says without any hint of frustration. “I can just say what it sounds like. Which is that you’re jealous she’s behind closed doors with someone other than you.”
“You think I want…to do that, I don’t even know…I’m not sure how something like that would even work,” Vernon splutters, tripping over his words worse than he’s done in a while. 
Chirron takes pity on him and only gives him a sympathetic look. It allows Vernon to gather his thoughts before he says anything else. A blessing, actually, because a minute later, the door opens to allow you back onto the ship. You look a little like you’ve been up to something that Vernon doesn’t really want to consider. Like you tried to straighten yourself out again, but couldn’t quite get everything. Thankfully, you don’t seem to notice the tension in the air and just immediately go to pull out something to eat. Life moves on for you like nothing else happened.
Thankfully, Vernon can pretend he’s working on reprogramming a communicator, something he needs to do for a job anyway, and stay back away from the cockpit of the ship. He also knows that you’ll eat up there with Chirron to talk about how things went. To talk through the finer details of the information you were able to extract. You don’t talk to Vernon about those details and he doesn’t stop to think about why. He’s just glad you don’t. Not that you go into explicit detail with Chirron. It’s just…well maybe Chirron is right. Maybe Vernon is jealous because he’s got deeper feelings for you. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
It’s supposed to be easy. That’s what you say. You don’t take on jobs that would put the team at too much of a risk and you don’t ask them to do anything they don’t want to do. You haven’t even taken on a job recently where you’d have to leave Vernon and Chirron on the ship while you entertained a mark. This is an exception, you say, too good of a job to pass up given that it should be simple. So simple.
Vernon makes it back to the ship before Chirron does, which makes sense. All Vernon had to do was meet with one of your contacts to swap out some tech he’d been using. After all this time, Vernon isn’t entirely sure what Chirron does when he’s off the ship. He asked once and didn’t get a straight answer. You shrugged it off and said that Chirron does a lot of things, some of which you don’t even know or understand. When you didn’t seem concerned, Vernon let it go as well.
Once Chirron gets back, Vernon pays more attention to the feeling in his stomach since you agreed to this mission. Something just feels…off. Not right. He’s trying not to dwell too much on it because he’s very aware it might be, at least in part, due to his feelings for you. Feelings that he now very much recognizes are real. Whatever that means for him. He hates watching you walk away when he thinks about what you’ll be doing. And he agrees it’s best for him to stay on the ship rather than risk blowing the mission. 
Except…well now he’s actually getting worried. It’s been too long since you left the ship, longer than usual. Long enough that even Chirron doesn’t shoot Vernon down when he brings up his concern. Which only serves to concern Vernon more because Chirron is almost always level. Even now, only his eyes give anything away when Vernon mentions just how long it’s been since you left the ship. After several minutes of back and forth, Chirron agrees that it should be Vernon that leaves the ship to try and find anything out about you. As much as Chirron tries to stay in the shadows, he’s been working with you for years now and people automatically associate him with you. 
So Vernon enters the building, manages to figure out where you had gone without raising any suspicions. After all, your reputation for chasing after pleasure proceeds you. Something Vernon is cursing himself for even considering. The thought flies out as soon as he’s in the room and he sees you lying on the couch, covered in cuts and bruises, only half-dressed. He’s beside you in what feels like a second, checking to make sure he feels a pulse. But, up close he can hear your slightly labored breaths. It could be worse, he reminds himself, as he gets you dressed and wraps you up. He doesn’t want it to be obvious just how beaten up you are before he’s had time to think. Or to consider what you’d do in this situation. Everything in him shuts down apart from the need to get you out a back door and onto the ship as quickly as possible.
Back on the ship, Vernon collapses into the booth while Chirron takes over and takes you into the sleeping cabin. Thankfully, Chirron knows enough basic First Aid that he’ll be able to patch you up before taking you to see a professional. Someone that you and Chirron trust enough to take you there. But, for now, he’s cleaning your wounds and wrapping you up as best he can. Vernon knows he should be helping, knows that an extra set of hands would help. He just…can’t. Can’t seem to find the strength to see you in this condition. He’s just amazed he got you back to the ship without losing it or without anyone seeing you. And thankful, so very thankful, that Chirron is keeping it together. 
Without a word, Chirron emerges from the sleep cabin and heads straight for the front of the ship. Vernon’s barely even sat down in your usual seat before the ship takes off. Chirron doesn’t fly too high, he’s just going to a different part of the planet. That’s what he said when he said that you and him knew someone that could help. It both feels like an eternity and no time at all when the ship lands again. Vernon expects to help you off the ship. Instead, Chirron tells him to stay put, that he’ll be back. 
Doc, that’s what Chirron calls him, looks like a man that’s aged beyond his actual years. He looks like he’s seen more than most people would over several lifetimes. Yet, he seems kind. Seems like he could be anyone’s father or uncle. This time, Vernon does actually follow them back to the sleep cabin, careful to stay out of the way. Doc starts taking stock of you and attaching a number of devices to various parts of your body. They start beeping and it should calm Vernon, because at least something is happening. They don’t, though. All he can think is that you shouldn’t have been in this position in the first place. This was the wrong job to take. 
Vernon’s learned a lot about emotions during the time with you and Chirron, a lot more than he learned in all his time before. He knows, now more than ever, that he cares about you far beyond just being friends. He knows that he’s never felt this kind of fear. Knows that he can’t be still, even for a second. It’s always been like this, Vernon has always suffered from restlessness. It’s a million times worse now. And it’s getting in the way of your care. Somewhere in his pacing and mumbling, something he doesn’t even realize he’s doing, Chirron sends him away. Doc gives him a sympathetic look, like he understands, before turning back to you. 
It’s not any easier to be outside of the sleep cabin because Vernon can still hear everything that’s happening. The entire ship is silent except for the work Doc is doing. Not seeing what’s happening is even worse and Vernon’s restlessness turns into something more like anxiety. He can’t imagine going on without you. Not that anyone has said that would be a possibility. In fact, Doc seems to think you’ll be fine in no time. Most of the injuries are merely surface level. Chirron comes back out with a list of things that they need and tells Vernon to go take care of it. It’ll help you and help him in the process. He’s not doing anyone any good in the state he’s in now. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
It takes a few days, but you’re mostly back to your normal self. The worst part, for you, is that you fractured one of your ribs. So that means rest, Doc’s orders. Vernon was happy to hear it because it meant that you had no choice but to take a break. Chirron seemed pleased as well, saying once Doc was off the ship, he’d take you back to the homebase. 
You, however, wake up back home and seem irritated. Remind both Vernon and Chirron that you still have a job to do. Can’t seem to wrap your head around your injuries or the severity of the situation. That’s the first time that Vernon sees Chirron raise his voice with you. It’s the first time he sees the usually calm force standing firm in his position. You’re on bedrest for now so that you can actually heal. Together, you can all figure out what to tell the client. But your health is most important or it’ll be a lot longer than a matter of weeks that you’re out of commission. 
Vernon doesn’t get to listen in on the conversation about what happened. It’s Chirron’s decision, saying that he thinks it’ll just be easier. So Vernon doesn’t know what happened, not really. Sure, he can guess and probably paint at least a picture. Does he really want to know, though? He’s not sure. He doesn’t want the details of just how you were going to get the information, so maybe it’s better like this. What he does need, though, is to talk to you. Chirron gives him that chance as soon as he can, which Vernon is thankful for.
“You look better,” Vernon says after a light knock on your door frame. 
You laugh lightly and Vernon worries for a second, but you seem fine. “Wow, you really know how to butter a girl up.”
“I was worried about you,” Vernon says as he crosses to sit in the chair next to your bed.
“It takes a lot more than that guy to take me down for real, sweetheart,” you offer. 
Vernon’s jaw clenches. “Still.” 
“Hey,” you say and reach out to take his hand. “I’m really okay. I’ve had worse than this, I promise.” 
“You think that makes me feel better?” Vernon wonders with a shake of his head. 
“This is a dangerous line of work,” you say.
“I’m aware of that,” Vernon answers. 
“What’s really on your mind? Chirron’s worried about you,” you admit. 
“We could have lost you,” Vernon says, barely more than a whisper. “I could have lost you.” 
“But you didn’t,” you say gently.
“But I could have and it’s like,” Vernon presses, pausing to think of the right word. “It’s like you don’t even care. Like it’s all a joke.”
“Of course I care, Nonie,” you say. Vernon tries, and fails, to stop his heart from skipping over the nickname that falls so easily from your lips. “This is the job, I know you and Chirron were worried about what was going to happen to me…”
“This isn’t about Chirron,” Vernon snaps and you pull your hand away from his. 
“What is it about?” you ask, guard up. 
“It’s about me almost losing you. About me feeling something that I didn’t even think I was capable of feeling and then worrying I’d lose you before I ever got to tell you,” Vernon says. 
“Vernon, I don’t think…” you start again, only to fall silent at whatever look you see in his eyes. 
“I know it sounds crazy, I know what I am,” Vernon says without meeting your gaze. “We were never supposed to be more than robots. I’ve heard it all. Nobody ever could have predicted that we’d get a consciousness. Nobody seems to know what that even means or what it is. I just know that I ran from the only other beings that I’ve ever known straight onto your ship. And I thought it’d be scary or I’d regret it, but I don’t. You taught me and guided me without making me feel less than. I was teetering on the edge of way too much…whatever this restlessness is. You were like a balm for that.” “I’m glad,” you say, voice just as quiet. “It’s easy to be around you, Vernon. I’m glad you feel at ease here.”
“I don’t understand how…feelings work or what they mean, not when it comes to what I feel for you,” Vernon says. He looks at you, so hopeful. “Maybe we can figure it out together.”
“Vernon, I’m not…I don’t think I’m built for something like that,” you say, pleading for him to understand.
“You don’t care about me?” Vernon wonders.
“No, of course I do,” you disagree. “I just…I don’t know what I really feel either. I just know relationships, they’ve never been what I sought out. They get too complicated in this line of work where anything can happen.”
“So leave,” Vernon offers, like it’s so easy.
“Leave?” you question.
“Yes, quit doing this kind of work. Leave and start a new life away from all of this,” Vernon pleads.
“And what? Just abandon Chirron?” you ask angrily.
“Of course not,” Vernon retorts. “You and I both know that he only stays because you’re family to him. He doesn’t want to do this forever.”
“Is that what you and him talk about when I’m off the ship getting information?” You’re angry now, but Vernon thinks he’s a little annoyed too.
“No,” Vernon says. “The only time we’ve talked about you is when he helped me process what I was feeling. I just, it doesn’t take some kind of genius to see he stays because he cares about you.” 
“This is the only life I’ve ever known,” you say, anger subsiding to be replaced by you looking smaller than ever before.
“No it’s not,” Vernon disagrees. “You told me about your family.”
“Don’t bring them up,” you caution.
“It doesn’t have to be like this, surely you see that,” Vernon pleads again.
“If I say no, will you stay? Or are you asking me to choose between you and this entire network I’ve built over years?” As soon as you say it, Vernon knows he’s lost. Knows that you’ve already made up your mind.
“I’m not asking you to choose anything,” Vernon says. “But I’m not going to continue to watch someone that I care this deeply about put herself in so much danger. So you don’t have to leave this life. I’m done, though.”
“What?” You look like you’ve been smacked.
“I’m done,” Vernon repeats. “I can’t go on like this. I can’t feel the way I do every time you leave the ship. I can’t keep wondering if I’m going to find you in an even worse position. So, I’m leaving. I’d love for you to come with me, but you’ve made your position clear.”
“So, that’s it?” you ask.
“That’s it,” Vernon confirms.
He leaves the room for long enough to say his goodbyes to Chirron, who doesn’t seem surprised that it’s going like this. He’s sad, for sure. Vernon knows what he said was true, Chirron would leave if he could, but he won’t leave you alone. The two of you are family and Vernon’s thankful that you’ll still have someone to depend on. 
There’s nothing left to say to you, nothing but all the things left unsaid. Things that he wishes he could say and things he knows you want to say. Things neither of you will say to the other. Which is fine. It has to be. Vernon has gotten a crash course in humanity, so he tries to squash down the disappointment when he says goodbye to Chirron and you don’t even bother trying to stop him. Barely registers Chirron asking where he’s going. Truthfully, he doesn’t have a plan, so he blurts out the first thing to come to mind. He’s heard of another planet, he thinks it’s called Lumen, that’s something of a sanctuary planet. He’s going to need time to get things together before he can depart. This isn’t something he’d really thought would happen. For the time being, he’s going to stay with another of your contacts that he’s worked closely with since joining the team. One of the only other beings that he trusts apart from you and Chirron.
Just like that, he’s out the door without a backward glance to see that you got as far as your door. Without seeing the way your face falls at him leaving. Without seeing the way Chirron shakes his head at the situation. But you don’t call out, don’t try to stop him. You just let him go like there aren’t any other options. 
*+:★:+━━━+:★:+━━━+:★:+*
It takes a couple weeks to arrange the transport (and Chirron helping Vernon out by sending credits and outstanding favors to cash in along without you knowing) to Lumen. He stays with a contact he met while working with you that knows someone named San. That’s where the idea of Lumen comes up. It seems like there’s a chance Vernon’s other members are there. And if Vernon has a chance to see them again, he has to take it. Even though he wants to see them all, he really hopes Seungcheol is there. If not for the leader, none of them would have been able to escape.
Vernon gets a last message to Chirron to let him know that he’s leaving in two days. Somewhere in the back of his brain, Vernon hopes that Chirron will share the message with you and maybe you’ll say goodbye. You don’t. Even though Vernon wants to be upset, and he is, he’s still thankful that Chirron helped in the first place. He knows that without that help, he wouldn’t be able to get on a ship to Lumen. 
The journey itself is uneventful. Vernon’s spent enough time on your ship to be used to the travel, but he’s still worried initially that something will go wrong. It’s got him a bit on edge, to say the least. Until he realizes that this isn’t one of your jobs, this is just a regularly scheduled trip to Lumen that the ship was taking anyway. The only difference is one extra passenger. It’s not until they approach the planet’s atmosphere that he starts to get nervous again. The crew agreed that Lumen seems to be a sanctuary planet, and that’s great. It’s just, well Vernon hasn’t really considered what to do when they land. 
The planet is beautiful, like what it seems like Earth looked like before, at least from pictures he’s seen. There’s so much life and color everywhere that immediately puts him at ease. He’s still skeptical, how could he not be? But there’s also a sense of immediate relief that washes over him. WIthout even realizing it, he thinks that this is home. At the dock, he inquires about a place to stay, hesitantly admits that he’s a level 1 automaton, and says he doesn’t have many credits to barter with. What he’s not prepared for is the smiles that form instantly. Someone tells him about a house that he might be interested in and gives him directions. 
It’s not long before he’s approaching the large house, far bigger than he’s expecting it to be. This is definitely too much for him to stay in when he’s not sure how he’s going to afford anything. It’s then that he notices someone working in a garden, tending to plants. They look up and smile the second they see Vernon. He can’t quite hear what they say when they turn to look over their shoulder.
And that’s when Vernon’s entire world shifts. The very one he’d been hoping to see comes out from behind the house and erupts into a smile. They’re both moving towards each other, neither quite believing the sight before their eyes. 
“Vernon?” he asks.
“Seungcheol,” Vernon says with so much affection for his leader. 
“Welcome home,” Seungcheol says and hugs him. 
Home. This can be home. Maybe it’ll all be okay. Maybe this is where Vernon was meant to end up all along and maybe working with you and Chirron had just been a stop along the way. 
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i'm sorry for leaving it open like that at the end, but it's kind of what felt the most realistic for them. i hope you enjoyed it and check out all the amazing fics 💕
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smaller-comfort · 3 months ago
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In conclusion:
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On the one hand, I do have a lot to say about this story. On the other, it's been a weird few weeks and I probably need to take a break from the internet for a while, in general. (Am I going to? Probably not.)
All things considered, my notes are a lot less hysterical than I was expecting. Here we go!
The expanding text was a last minute addition, but I'm glad people had fun with it. I certainly had fun with it. The "Pause" at the top of chapter 6 probably makes me laugh the most, but the ones in chapters 3 and 4 were what made me stick the cuts in there to begin with.
I really wasn't expecting to actually finish and/or post this one any time soon (or ever???) but, like I said- a weird few weeks. I don't usually hyperfocus on a single project like this, and lately my brain feels like it's going to implode. Anyway!
Who is the second person narrator in the expanding text? I leave that as an exercise for the reader.
Death of the author and all that, but here's some of the background stuff that probably ought to be in the story but isn't:
It's really only a few months between Dreaming Still and Save Scumming; Aephorul wasn't actually lying about the spell being a rush job, and Resh'an absolutely did not do his due diligence before he opened that vial.
They're idiots! That's it, that's the real theme; they make each other stupid, and they mirror each other's poor decision making constantly.
(I'm not trying to be like...a subtle writer. I have these themes and ideas nailed to a two-by-four. I am going to beat someone to death with them. At least, that's how it feels to me, but I realize that may not necessarily translate as well as I think it does.)
After not speaking to each other for a thousand years and then getting thrown back together- however briefly- during the events of the game and Loser Takes All, they're both desperate for any excuse to see each other again. They just have to make things complicated for themselves.
Aephorul really could have just sent a letter, like "hey wanna grab coffee somewhere neutral sometime and ~not argue~ for a little while less-than-three winky face winky face?" (He dictates.) And Resh'an would've replied back, "I don't drink coffee anymore" along with a location and time. (He does still drink coffee; Aephorul swings by Sea of Starbucks and gets him his favorite latte.)
Resh'an intended the time loop to be insurance, in case something did go wrong. Whoops. He can't help it, but he's really only playing twelve dimensional chess with himself. Aephorul, meanwhile, is playing poker. I could torture this metaphor a little more, if you want.
Pure, organic, unfounded headcanon territory! Aephorul can't manipulate time the way Resh'an can- but he does know more about time magic and alchemy than anyone else in the universe except Resh'an. When he's paying attention, he's able to see what Resh'an is doing, and he's on hyper alert after his embarrassing lapse in Dreaming Still.
He doesn't have a clear sense of the events of those other loops, but he does get a pretty clear idea of the emotions he's experiencing. Anger tends to compound itself.
Hokay so. In the game, Resh'an splits himself into 3 "clones" during Garl's borrowed time. Those aren't empty puppets; my theory is he made a time loop, iterated himself, and then reintegrated those loops into the main timeline. That's sort of what happened here. The time loops are separate and concurrent, so my cutesy framing device is slightly misleading; technically no one is going back to restart the loop.
Okay, technically some of them do. There were probably more iterations than just the three in the story. They're not really important, except one of them is going to be a standalone story at some point (no happy ending).
It's not linear. Don't worry about it.
There are some fucked up implications here! This is not Resh'an's first rodeo/orgy/extremely ill-advised gangbang. It's also not the first time Aephorul has sexually assaulted him. It might be the first time those things happen in conjunction with each other, but Resh'an is being fairly literal when he says none of this is new to him.
Does this even rate in the top 10 of horrific things Aephorul has done to Resh'an? It might be like...8th or 9th place. Definitely not in the top 5, in Resh'an's opinion. (He and Aephorul have very different opinions about this.)
The fact that he and Resh'an now have wildly different ideas of what constitutes "fun" is also difficult for him. He'll get there eventually. Maybe.
Aephorul really wants to pretend things between them haven't changed; before they began fighting, they would've gotten up to all kinds of weird and horrifying shit with each other, because it was fun and they were bored. (What's the point of being immortal if you can't use it to spend a few centuries inventing bizarre recreational drugs and weird sex acts? No point at all.) He's not used to asking for permission when he could always just take it for granted that Resh'an would ultimately enjoy whatever he had planned. The fact that Resh'an no longer appreciates his fun little surprises is difficult for him to deal with.
One thing I really hope comes through is the way Aephorul's actions are him being extremely reactive to Resh'an's level of vulnerability. He can be gentle when Resh'an is willing to show that he's in pain. If Resh'an had begged him not to go through with it, chapter 3 wouldn't have happened; if chapter 3 didn't happen, then chapter 4 couldn't happen. It takes Resh'an being completely broken for Aephorul to be willing to show his face. Even then, he can't help responding to Resh'an's initial anger like a complete fucking asshole, before his 'wait, shit, I fucked up' instincts kick in.
It doesn't matter in any meaningful sense- what Aephorul does is inexcusable on every level- but he does erase the memories of everyone who participated in the gang rape, and most of the audience was illusionary. There's a few plot hooks in there that I may or may not pick up in a future story.
But really, I'm done with plot for a while. I think most of what's going to follow this will just be more snarsty porn. Enthusiastically consensual snarsty porn, but snarsty porn all the same.
(Since I'm apparently not done experiencing the mortifying ordeal of being known, I do intend to finish the oviposition story. Someday. Probably.)
I feel like I can summarize a lot of their relationship at this point like this:
Resh'an, face completely neutral and voice pleasant: Say one more word and I am going to mcfucking lose it.
Aephorul: one more word
Resh'an: *mcfucking loses it*
Aephorul: *shocked Pikachu face*
I listened to Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) by Florence and the Machine so many times while editing this that I think I'm now stuck with that as my Resh'an song. Embarrassing.
(Aephorul's song is, unfortunately, still Where's the Girl from The Scarlet Pimpernel.) ("We were cut from the same surly star" come on, how can I not.) (...okay also Bad Touch by The Bloodhound Gang.)
Resh'an literally broke the space-time continuum because he couldn't bring himself to kill Aephorul. This story was, in part, me wanting to work through why. I have apparently decided that it's because they're in a horrifically toxic codependent relationship that most likely will end with them destroying the universe and each other.
...okay, and honestly, when I wrote the end of Dreaming Still I was kind of like "shit, I can't just write the same scenario as Loser Takes All again." I mean. I could. But I had to do something a little different. Then it got out of hand, as things so often tend to.
This is the longest thing I've ever finished! I am actually quite proud of it! It is probably going to be at least a month before I can stand to look at it again. *sighs, and walks into the lake*
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ignisnocturnalia · 4 years ago
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I think I've figured out how I want to write these (Exposition/mini story, when relationship is established HCs actually start) based on a previous statement I made, also ANOTHER REQUEST! All headcanons are placed at the back of the story part. Let's get this ball rolling!
Crow x Reader
"Now, if he ever flies too far from the nest?" Spider leans forward, "Boom." Your stomach made a flip at the kingpin's explanation, and you've never been more uncomfortable to have your Ghost out in the open. Some part of your mind is saying 'Who cares? That's the man that killed Cayde', but another half is saying 'He has no idea. It isn't fair to judge him for something he can't remember'.
That meeting had happened an hour ago and you couldn't get his dumb gray face out of your head. He looked so.. sad. Regardless, having a Ghost rigged with explosives did not sit right with you at all. Spider wanted you to help him with his Wrathborn problem? Sure, alright. When all of this was over, you knew exactly what you wanted your payment to be.
One large change about the new light that you've found impossible to ignore is diminutive he is. His commentary after successful hunts and small chats after a lure upgrade is administered are curt. Even more surprising is his willingness to present mercy to the corrupted Fallen. He is nothing like Uldren.
Acknowledging this division between his past and present self is when you start to realize that you like working with him. A lot. Probably more than just work, but will you admit it? No. Besides, you tell yourself, he really doesn't look like he's searching for a relationship while figuring himself out.
Petra often asks why you've taken to visiting the Tangled Shore so frequently now, and everytime you scramble to spit out an answer, something stupid like "Spider has a good deal running right now". In some part, it's true, since when you're not hunting Wrathborn you're showing Crow how to do Guardian stuff and explaining Last City life to him. His calm and curious demeanor is extremely cute, and the velvet sound of his voice does not help.
When Spider has both of you run point on a mission you always look to the rafters of the building to try and see him or listen for his steps. He's annoyingly good at stealth. The only time you ever had to be stealthy was in the Gorgon's lair and the Pleasure Gardens. You wish you could speak to him unfiltered; if Spider ever discovered your crush he wouldn't let you hear or see the end of it.
As the months dragged on and you came closer to catching the High Celebrant, you caught yourself anxiously wondering what lie at the end of it all. What if Spider didn't let you take him? And if he did, would Crow stay with you or do his own thing? Greedy little thoughts ran through your head as you thought of all the times you shared together, both of you visibly happy in your eyes.
As much as you'd like to live a runaway life with him and hope he felt the same, you knew it was wrong. He'd get restless, and you'd start fighting. Whatever he chose to do, is what you would let him do. Osiris has taken notice of your feelings, and the knowing glances he gives when no one else is looking sets your face on fire, acting like he doesn't have a thing for Saint always writing those letters when he's on death's doorstep; dramatic is what you say.
Soon enough, all of your close friends can tell you like someone, but they simply can't figure out who. Ironically, the day you work up enough courage to ask him to be your partner is the same day he pins the location of the High Celebrant. The morning is tense, and just getting ready for the big fight is sending energy through your body. Crow, on the other hand, seems much more grim. It makes sense, really; you're the one who's been slaying gods over the years.
You're guard is quickly brought up when Spider summons you for a talk in the main room. You listen to his next words with a fierce intensity.
"Do not let him so close, or spoil him with pretty dreams. Kill the High Celebrant. Break Xivu Arath's hold over my Shore, and you can claim any prise in my lair as your reward. You'll have earned it."
Hiding a smile, you nod and make your way to disembark on your mission; looks like you won't have to ask.
The Dreaming City was as mystical as ever, and you vaguely wondered if Petra had seen you come in. Making quick work of the scarce Hive, you found yourself in Harbinger's Seclude. The massive Cryptolith was impossible to miss, and a full body shiver racked you as you approached it. This was it.
Stabbing the lure into the roots, Crow's voice filled your comm channel.
"Ha! Tagged it! It's bleeding energy and on its way back to you." Your heart jumped at his excited tone. Nobody had any business being that cute. The trademark screech of a Hive portal drowned out all noise, and your next big fight ensued.
The next period of time was spent chasing the Celebrant through realms, until, that is, it sealed the last portal. Osiris had given weak condolences, but you weren't going to give up on Crow. Not today! The blight high above you twinkled teasingly as frustrated tears swam over your eyes as you attempted scrambling up the large Awoken statue, just barely missing the hand and falling back to the ground uselessly.
The silence was becoming overwhelming, deafening, even. Osiris continued to tell you to return to fight another day, but he was too important for you to just leave behind.
"Maybe there's enough Hive magic left in the lure to find another way through!" For once, your Ghost didn't parrot the obvious; you almost wanted to kiss him. Turning around with a new fire, you thrusted your lure into the crystalline floor over the last trace of the High Celebrant's blood. Sure enough, platforms much like those of the Dreadnaught revealed themselves over the edge of the bridge.
You wasted no time, racing over every gap and closing in on the blight. Palpitations overtook your heart when Crow's voice returned to the feed, spewing some kind of death message. Death wouldn't take him. Especially not if you had anything to say about it.
Jumping through the portal, you recognize the bitter feelings of anguish. This is exactly how you felt when Sundance's light washed over the Prison of Elders. Not again.
By the time you see the High Celebrant, all you're seeing is red. Faintly, you remember how Drifter said the Hive in the system were scared of you; good. They should be.
Bullets fly and the ether sings with each corrupted Fallen whose head flies by your gun. If you weren't so pressed for time, you would've strangled the Wizard that had your sought after stolen Light. Standing in the pool of green magic, you turn a furious glare on to the Celebrant and unload your heavy straight into its bony head. Something inside of you lurched in desperation to finish the kill when it summons a portal, trying to make for a retreat and trapping you at the center of the room.
"Crow! The portal!"
"I see it! Now finish it!" Just as he says those words, the trap falls and the portal across the room implodes, sending the High Celebrant to its knees. Your body erupts with power as you descend upon the Hive that killed Sagira and nearly killed Crow, sending it off with your super into the abyss.
Heaving a sigh, your brain finally has a chance to clear with no more present danger. In fact, your chest swells with affection as your Ghost confidently speaks of his trust in Crow followed by his reply.
"It's been an honor, Guardian."
Finally leaving the location, Celebrant head included, you decide to sleep on your short trip back. Your Ghost wakes you up before you land, and when you transmat your eyes immediately fall on Crow, who is safe and sound. Behind your helmet, you smile wearily at the former prince.
The moment you step into the Spider's lair, the air is thick with tension. You can tell the kingpin is pleased to have the Shore cleansed of Hive corruption, but also upset that he has to give up one of his prizes.
"It's done." You say firmly.
"So it is... so it is," he leans forward in his seat with a leer, "All right, Guardian. As promised, you can have a prized bauble from my lair as compensation for your... heroics." The last word rolls off his tongue with a quiet distaste, and you have no problem returning the feeling.
"I want... him." Jerking your head in Crow's direction, you can feel the energy crack through the room.
"Cute. Real funny." Your brows crease in impatience at his dismissive snicker.
"You said anything in the room." You do your best to keep your eyes off of Crow; a distraction now could be bad news. Spider lets out a terrible laugh as his guards step forward, readying their spears.
"Oh... You really want my little bird," he puts an uncomfortable amount of importance on the words "really want", "Fine. You can have him." The large Fallen turns his gaze to Crow, mockingly waving his arm upward.
"Fly away," he looks back down at you, "and get the hell out of my lair."
No further instruction is needed as you and Crow make your leave. As you exit the safehouse, both Glint and your Ghost come out.
"Now what?" Glint looks to Crow for an answer. The reality of the event settles on the Awoken, and he looks at you in a way he hasn't before.
"Why would you do this for us?"
As a formality, you've never taken off your helmet around Crow. He'd never seen, or even had an idea about your face, until... now. The tear streaks from the mission are still on your face, slightly visible in the dim light. Walking over to him, you slowly bring your eyes up to his. He doesn't move away, but you do notice with a flash of hope that a blush is starting to grace his cheeks at your proximity. Clenching your eyes shut, you close the gap between you two and press a kiss to his lips.
He freezes for a moment before placing his hands on your shoulders, and you pull back afraid that you've just made the wrong move.
"I... uh." His eyes dart here and there before settling back on yours. His face straightens out, and then he hesitantly leans forward into your range again. This time, he's the one kissing you.
Both of you leave the Tangled Shore together.
Relationship HCs
He never fails to pick you up during your special brand of greeting, which is running straight at him and jumping into his arms. You even do the little spin around like those movie couples
He's okay with subtle PDA like handholding, but nothing too extreme such as kissing in front of others; he prefers to keep more intimate moments between you and him
Surprisingly eager for cuddles with you at the end of the day
He will let you indulge yourself by doing stupid things every once in a while, like seeing how much whipped cream you can put in his mouth before he can't take anymore
There are times when you just talk about random stuff because he knows you like the sound of his voice
He usually has to calm you down whenever another Guardian stares too long. You see it as a threat, and you're ready to defend your glowing boyfriend with your life
When you're not busy with Vanguard tasks, you're bringing him to the planets that weren't swallowed by the Darkness and showing him the layout, along with whatever endemic life is present
He becomes enamored with Earth's crows, which you had expected
Whenever he has visions of his past, he'll tell you and you do your best to fill in with rudimentary details such as location or time; you hope he never remembers the moment when you had to kill him
You especially love playing with his hair, it's nearly softer than silk and you are intrigued by the white streaks at the front of his cut
Both of you will decide to sit down every once in a while and just touch each other's face; you prefer running your hands along his jawline and cheekbones while he'll brush just under your eyes and along your temples
Dates can range from a quiet, romantic dinner to hunting down large and difficult quarry
Whenever you find a Golden Age waltz piece, you bring it to him and give it a listen; these sessions always end with you two dancing and swaying with each other
Truly, a couple of many talents
NSFW 👁👄👁
The first time you get anywhere close to the act he's so unsure of himself you both stop and instead explore each other at the surface level
No matter how many times he sees you nude his face is a blushing mess everytime
The first few times you take the lead, but once you both get over the fact that you've exchanged pleasantries he's the one who figures out he likes to be dominant in bed
He's vocal to an extent, mostly heavy breathing/moaning and grunts to let you know exactly how good you feel
He's super into bondage (who would've known?) whenever you're the one tying him up
He always prefers the ability to see your face, and whether it's because he can see your face contort in pleasure or because he can lock with you in a heated kiss, you can't tell
His sides are usually ticklish, but they act more like erogenous zones when both of you are deep into it
He starts out rough since he isn't used to this kind of activity at all, but over time he finds a balance between being gentle and absolutely blowing your back out
He's likely to caress your arms and waist the whole time to add another sensitive layer to your already overstimulated body
He also likes draping his body over yours, and with how hot his chest is and the press of his lower body? You're not arguing
Once you finish, he either goes straight to sleep while huddling against you or you convince him to get up so you can shower together
I have 2 asks for Drifter HCs, but I'm implementing a personal/request system so I can keep my monsterfucker train going. The next HCs I'm releasing are for Nokris, then I'll do Drifter HCs, and for now my last personal writing will be for Ghaul
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youngbugandtonystank · 4 years ago
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Hi. Do u have a list of when the CW, HC, IW, Endgame, and FFH happened? The MCU timeline is an utter mess. HC happened around Sep 2016. If it started 2 months after CW, it means CW took place in June (before Peter's birthday that's why Tony thought he was still 14 in HC). The school year would've already ended atm, but why did Peter say he had homework? Then IW happened in 2018, but which months? All I know it's; 1) before Aug, bcs Tony said his wedding decoy date was Aug 27, (cont.)
(cont.) 2) after Jan, bcs Betty said they already took their midterm test before The Snap. And then Endgame happened 5 years later (2023). Was that exactly 5 years or 5 years and few months? We know FFH happened during summer (June 2024). If it took place 8 months after The 2nd Snap, it means Endgame took place in Oct 2023? But how long it took for the Avengers to build the time travel machine? When did exactly Scott return? Sept? Ugh. Please help me clear my mind or I might implode. Thanks!
Hi!
I answered something similar to this here and here. In one of those, I posted the official timeline Marvel created after Homecoming.
1942 - 1945: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 1995: Captain Marvel (2019) 2009: Iron Man (2008) 2010: Iron Man 2 (2010), The Incredible Hulk (2011), Thor (2011) 2012: The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013) 2013: Thor: The Dark World (2013) 2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015) 2016: Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Black Panther (2018) 2016 - 2017: Doctor Stranger (2016) 2017: Thor: Ragnarok (2017) 2018: Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man & the Wasp (2018) 2019: Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
The years on the left are the MCU timeline and the years between parentheses is the release date of the movies.
Civil War and Homecoming happened in 2016. Peter says he has homework in CW because as established in the timeline site, in June 2019, which has the same days of the week as June 2024, New York high schools finished on June 26th. And Tony met Peter on May 23, 2016. 
 Infinity War took place two years after CW and HOCO. Endgame started on October 3rd 
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Scott returns this day. Endgame begins in mid-2018 then the five years later jump happens, making it 2023. In the movie they confirm this, Ebony Maw from 2014 says that Nebula has come from ‘9 years in the future’. On October 9, they start working on the time travel theory Scott told them about, so between the 9th and the 16th, they’re working on the time machine/time heist.  
In Infinity War, they reveal the decoy date for Tony and Pepper’s wedding: August 27th. And Infinity War starts mid-to-late May 2018, late April-early May 2018.
Here’s the MCU timeline with detailed facts and events from 2016. If you want to see more years, just change the year in the ‘timeline’ tag. 
In FFH, Betty references the last day of their school before summer in June, and it’s mentioned that they were brought back 8 months ago. So you’re absolutely right, Endgame took place in October 2023. On October 27th, Peter comes back to school to reunite with Ned.
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I don’t know why but it’s always the Spider-Man movies making the mistakes when it comes to dates. Here’s an example: they showed that the decathlon competition was on October 13-15, 2016 and then later they changed that to September 14, 2016.
In the first image, you can see the poster at the beginning of the movie and the second one was when Peter was about to ask if he could come back to the decathlon team before the competition. So you’re right when you say CW took place in June. Between May and June. The events of the airport happened in June 2016 and Tony visited Peter in May 2016 because that’s when he got Peter’s passport. 
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And yes, you’re right when you say Tony thought Peter was still 14 because Peter’s birthday is on August 10 and Tony met him on May 23, 2016. 
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lmao
If you don’t mind, I’m going to answer another ask that is similar to yours, this is for the anon asking for more details about the timeline and facts they could use for their irondad fics regarding said timeline:
1. Peter quits the school band on his birthday because of Spider-Man and his extra-curricular activities. He quit band expecting a call from Happy or Tony. But Tony was probably too heartbroken to even remember Peter’s birthday or something else. 
2. Mysterio's crew learn Tony left an inheritance for Peter on June 27th, 2024 and Peter gets that inheritance on June 28th. 
3. Peter’s identity is revealed on July 10th. 
4. On July 17th, Coney Island reopens eight years after what happened between Peter and Toomes. That means Toomes has been in prison (maybe, we still don’t know because of the snap, he could’ve died and then after the blip escaped) for around eight years. 
5. Flash is now famous lmao given that the Daily Bugle gave everyone his real name and nickname thanks to the video he provided of the attack on the bridge tower. 
6. Ned is also famous too since he gave a statement to the news about Night Monkey lmao a very funny one: “He’s like some kind of European knock-off, I guess? Which is cool, I mean, Spider-Man is awesome and other countries probably need their own spider-power-based heroes just in case, but I’ve seen Spider-Man before and that definitely wasn’t him. He was all in black. Spider-Man doesn’t wear black. So, like, case closed.”
7. The raid on Area 51 is canon in the MCU lmao 
8. The Daily Bugle reached out to some of the teachers at Midtown High School for more background on Peter but they declined to comment.
9. On October 17th Tony sees Peter again after 5 years and dies the same day.
10. Tony's funeral was on October 29th. So that means Peter returned to school and then had to grieve his father-figure and then attend his funeral on October 29th. Talk about traumatic life events...
11. On May 30th, 2018 Tony was discussing his wedding plans with Pepper on Central Park, and Peter was on a field trip to the Museum of Modern Art.
12. Happy is the only one that could’ve informed Nick Fury that Tony made Peter an Avenger, this means Tony and Happy talked about the kid while Peter was dead. These are just crumbs lmao but we have a little confirmation that Tony talked about Peter during those five years with someone other than Pepper.  someone send your ‘happy and tony talk about peter and tony suffers a mental breakdown’ fics asap 
13. Peter Parker died on May 31st, 2018. 
:D only happy facts here 
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