#either way have a bunch of strange men as i avoid my responsibilities

[n4rval]

mystery pile

[neon-junkie]

Five-oh-Thirst

Summary: The 501st boys have finally reached their breaking point; they just HAVE to have you, and Jesse makes it his mission to recruit you into their shenanigans. After a night out at 79's, you're spoilt by a handful of Troopers, and a Captain who's late to the party.

Pairing: Female Jedi Reader x Rex, Jesse, Fives, Kix, Hardcase, Dogma & Tup

Word count: 12k

Tags: Shameless smut, Gangbang, Drinking, Double penetration, Praise kink, Voyeurism, Military names, Aftercare, Morning after pill.

Notes: this is so fucking slutty and i loved writing every second of it >:) sorry if some of the boys are a little OOC, im still new to writing these hotties. Tumblrs formatting is shite, so i’d suggest reading this on AO3 (under the same username.)

To say that you're 'close' with the 501st is an understatement. Close isn't quite the word you could use to describe the bond you have with this boisterous bunch of clones. You may be their Commander, but you're also a friend, and soon to be a lover. You've had your fair share of drunken nights out with the lot, getting rowdy in 79's, dragging each other's asses home, falling asleep in cuddle piles in their barracks. Yes, you shouldn't be mingling like this with your squad, but it's hard to not get so attached.

Anakin has warned you over and over about both your attachment and feelings, but you've seen the way he talks to them, Rex specifically. Anakin has let his emotions lead him whenever his men are hurt or in danger, and maybe that's why he always gives you a wink during his lectures. He knows what it's like, and he's only attempting to follow the Jedi code, teaching you in the process.

Speaking of Jedi codes, apparently rocking up to the Jedi cruiser bridge with a cup of caf in hand is something to be frowned upon. What? you're tired, and it's not like Anakin has asked his men to get him a cup of caf before. Obi-wan has done this exact same thing also! So, because you're a Padawan, you're not allowed to do it? Sheesh. The hypocrisy.

Despite Anakins disproving glare, the briefing continues flawlessly, as does the mission. Luck must have been on your side, or the force, depending on what you believe in. The Separatists crawled away with their tails between their legs, leaving the planet Naboo alone once more.

A course is set for Coruscant, and the Jedi cruiser launches into hyperspace, taking roughly seven hours to return home. That time is yours to do as you please, and you decide that a nap is in order.

Walking to your quarters takes a good ten minutes, seeing as how large this cruiser is. You travel down an array of corridors, having Troopers stop and salute you as you pass. It's a touching gesture, but sometimes you hate being the centre of attention. You understand that, to the clones, it's a sign of respect, one that they hold dearest in their hearts; you tried to get them to stop once, and only insulted them in the process, so you swiftly gave up and let them continue.

One Trooper in particular calls out your name from behind, and you rotate to see ARC Trooper Jesse approaching, his helmet tucked under his arm, and his other hand salutes you as he approaches. "Commander, do you have a minute?"

"For you, Jesse? Always," you say with a smile.

That smile is mirrored right back at you, and Jesse gestures for you to step down a quiet corridor to talk in private. He doesn't speak up at first, scratching the back of his neck nervously, but you allow him to take his time. Whatever's on the tip of his tongue must be really important.

"Commander, this is a... strange request to make," Jesse begins, and looks for your approval before continuing.

"Go on."

"Well, the boys and I were talking... and uh, you know how we like to de-stress by going to 79's?" Jesse mutters, keeping his voice quiet.

"Yes?" you question, nodding at the same time.

"And by de-stress, we like to... you know, pick up women there," Jesse shrugs, avoiding eye contact as he speaks.

Something in your gut informs you that you know what's coming next, and it explains why Jesse is stalling his request so much. You continue nodding as he speaks, squinting your eyes ever so slightly, suspicious of where this is heading.

"We've been uh, wanting to invite... you along, but we're not sure if that follows your erm, codes?" Jesse pulls the most panicked expression as he finally spits the words out. You think you know what he's asking, but you'll need to dig a little deeper, just to be certain.

"Going to 79's in the first place is against my Code... I think?" you reply, uncertain on what the Jedi code says about nightclubs and getting drunk with clones. "I thought you would know by now that I bend the rules in my favour, without others knowing, of course."

"Oh, that's a relief," Jesse sighs, and removes his hand from his neck. "I mean, you shouldn't, but we all break some rules here and there, don't we?"

"Yeah," you say with a shrug. "What exactly are you asking from me, Jesse? Be clear with your words, Trooper," you order in a teasing manner, noticing how the tip of Jesse's ears turn pink at your words.

"How about... the next time we all go out for drinks, we... take you back instead of some random woman?"

Oh.

There's a heated knot in your stomach, twisting and turning at the thought of sleeping not only with Jesse, but a handful of men. They're all attractive in their own unique ways, and you applaud them for how they create their individuality, through hairstyles, facial hair, and tattoo's. Not only does it make them easier to identity, but it really helps express their personality, and how they may act on the battlefield.

And the thought of having a bunch of these handsome men taking care of you? Who would say no to that?

"Who do you mean by 'we'?" you question out of curiosity.

"Uh, well, it depends on who comes out with us. I mean, all the boys have spoken about it, and all of them are down," Jesse shrugs, and rubs the back of his neck once more.

They've spoken about this? All of them? You must be quite the catch.

"Why? Is there someone you want to avoid?" Jesse then questions, and you instantly shake your head in response.

"No, I'm just curious. I... didn't know you all felt that way towards me," you sheepishly reply, and Jesse flashes you a concerned expression.

"You're kidding me, right? Have you noticed the way we all speak to you? The way we are around you? Even General Skywalker has told us multiple times to cool it," Jesse nervously laughs, clutching his helmet tighter.

You laugh with him, your mind replaying many incidents where the boys have let it slip. Kix has made multiple inappropriate jokes as he's been patching you up. Hardcase is always offering his lap as a seat whenever you're at 79's, and that's an offer that you may need to finally take up. Dogma will attempt to follow the code, but you've caught him staring at your ass more than once. Fives is Fives, and that's all that needs to be said. And Tup is too shy to make any bold moves, but you can tell he has a soft spot for you, as his face turns bright red whenever you're within ten feet of him.

As for Rex and Jesse, they flirt when it's appropriate, meaning when they're not in earshot of General Skywalker.

"Now that you mention it..." your words trailing off, thinking about all those moments.

"See," Jesse points. "So, are you in?" he questions, scrunching his face up in fear of rejection.

"As long as you boys can share," you instruct, knowing what they're like. "I'm in."

Jesse fist pumps the air as he lets out a "yesss!" but swiftly attempts to cool it, trying to not let his excitement burst. "I'll let the men know. We were planning on heading out tonight?" Jesse offers.

"I'll be there," you smile. "Make sure you and your men look good for me, Trooper," you playfully order.

"Of course, Commander," Jesse nods, and allows you to end the conversation there. If you're going out later, then you definitely need that nap right now. Jesse lands a cheeky slap on your bum as you turn to walk off, and you flash him a smile over your shoulder, heading down the corridor to your quarters.

----------

Could this be considered a date? or just an arranged hookup with a bunch of men? Either way, you're using the night as an excuse to dress up, not that you need an excuse to begin with.

That nap does wonders for you, although it could be considered more of a sleep, since as you woke up, you were arriving back on Coruscant. It's mid-afternoon, giving you plenty of time to get ready for tonight. Upon arrival, you take a trip downtown to purchase something to wear for tonight, and you have just the right outfit in mind.

The dress is ever-so-slightly out of your price range, but you know it'll be worth it. The 501st take pride in their colour, blue, and you know their jaws will drop when they see you in their colour. The dress fits the way you like it, bold and flashy, enough to turn more than your legion's heads. You pair the dress with some white heels and a bag, Trooper colours all around; you're really milking it, but Maker, don't you look good!

Hours later and you're ready for tonight, checking yourself out in your apartment mirror. You're fortunate to have your own place outside of the Jedi temple; it's tiny and run down, but enough to get you away whenever you need it. Sadly, it's far too small to fit a handful of clones in, so the barracks will have to do.

One taxi later, and you're outside 79's, queueing up to enter the busy club. Happy hour has just begun as you enter, and you remove the comlink from your bag, pressing a button to inform your men that you've arrived.

Nervously, you gaze around the club, ignoring the random sets of eyes on you. You're only after one group of men, and thankfully, one of them approaches you.

"Commander?" Kix calls out. As you turn to look at him, his face lights up, gesturing to the outfit you're wearing. "Oh, Commander!" Kix sighs, gawking over the sight of you in his legions colours.

"Not too much?" you question, gesturing to the outfit.

"No, it's just right," Kix sighs yet again. "And I like the white heels and bag, nice touch!"

Of course Kix has noticed those minor details.

"Where are the others?" you question, and Kix offers you his arm in response. You take it, following Kix through the club, eventually coming across a cosy booth, full to the brim with your boys.

Kix's reaction to your outfit was sweet and wholesome, something you'd expect from him. Fives on the other hand is hollering like a dog as you approach, checking you out with a whistle, doing everything he can to hype you up. "Commander," he purrs, and wraps an arm around your waist. "Here for me?" he jokingly questions, making you laugh at his forwardness.

"She came here for all of us!" Dogma butts in, swatting at Fives's hand around your waist.

"Oh, so you are joining in, Dogma? I didn't think you were one to break the rules," Fives bites back, and gestures for you to take a seat as he talks.

"This is different, Fives," Dogma mutters. You zone out to their bickering as you shuffle around the booth, finding a seat between Hardcase and Tup.

Tup, like the sweetheart he is, quietly tells you "you look beautiful," with flushed cheeks. Only for Hardcase to add "yeah, you look hot!"

It's hard to believe that these men are all clones. Their reactions are so vast, but they all express the same thing - you look good, and no doubt, they're going to be all over you tonight. They look just as good as you do, maybe even better; they've dressed up for tonight, sporting fine button-up shirts, all of them looking clean and tidy, for once, not covered in dirt from the battlefield.

Jesse offers to buy your first round, and insists that you stay at the booth with the others. He probably fears that another batch of clones will latch onto you the second you stand up. Are the men in here aware that you're a Jedi? Or do they assume you're some poor, unfortunate soul, who's been sucked into spending the night with this bunch? You're hoping for the second assumption, as the last thing you want is some tattle-tale clone recognizing you and ratting you out to the Jedi order.

Jesse returns with your drink and a round of shots, and so, the night begins. The shot is surprisingly nice, as is your drink, but the next set of shots? Eh, not so much. It seems that the more you drink, the worst the shots taste, and you have to turn down the fourth one. You're not going to be standing if you continue chugging drinks at this rate; how your men can drink like this is beyond you.

Dogma and Tup have relaxed in their own way, joining in the conversation every so often, although Dogma is still being teased for 'breaking so many rules.' Hardcase and Fives are as loud as each other, and are currently attempting to impress you through a series of arm wrestling matches. Jesse seems content, on a nice, tipsy level, and has had his eyes on you all night. Kix is simply vibing, not visibly drunk, but bubblier than usual.

You continue peering around, questioning who's missing, and then it suddenly dawns on you.

"Wait a minute! Where's Rex?" you yelp, noticing the lack of a certain blonde clone.

"You've got all of us here, and the only man on your mind is the Captain?" Fives tuts, breaking his concentration from the arm wrestling match. Hardcase takes up the opportunity to take victory, slamming Fives's hand down onto the table.

"Yet again, I am victorious!" Hardcase states, and Fives sputters at his remark.

"That's not fair! Our Commander was asking us a question," Fives argues, and the pair begin bickering between themselves.

You decide to intervene, turning to Hardcase and asking "so, what would you like as your prize?"

Your question is met with a sea of "oooh!"'s and "pick something good, Hardcase!" His face alone is priceless, his emotions switching between shocked, flustered, and cheeky. Hardcase then trails into thought, and after barely any thinking time, he settles on his prize. "For you to finally take up my offer and sit on my lap, sweetheart," he replies, patting his thighs as he talks.

A smirk escapes your lips as you stand, shuffling over to sit on the tattooed clones lap. Hands find their way to your waist, and you're almost certain that Hardcase is purring as he cuddles up to you.

"How is she?" Kix questions, as if you're not sitting in earshot of his question.

"Comfiest ass in the galaxy," Hardcase hums, pulling you higher onto his lap as he speaks. He settles his chin on your shoulder, fine stubble pressed against your skin, and from the expressions of those around you, you can tell that they're all jealous. They'll have their time with you eventually, whether it's here, or at the barracks later. The night is still young.

"My turn," Dogma announces out of nowhere, shuffling out of the booth. None of you have any idea what he's on about, until he turns to you and asks "what are you drinking, Commander?"

You tell him your order, followed up with "and stop calling me Commander! We're not at work, you don't need to call me that."

Dogma apologizes with a soft laugh before making his way over to the bar, followed by Jesse and Kix.

"Is it bad that I kinda like calling you it?" Fives questions, and you know exactly what he's implying.

"The only places you should be calling me Commander is on the battlefield, and in the bedroom," you purr, and you're met with a fawning, lustful expression from Fives, who is more than satisfied at your answer.

"Yes, Ma'am," he purrs back, and you take a mental note for later.

"You know, none of you answered my question," you begin, and the rest of the clones look at you in confusion. "Where is Rex?"

"He said he's busy with a meeting, and that he'll meet us at the barracks later," Fives explains, softly shrugging as he speaks. In Fives' eyes, that means one there's one less clone for you to give your attention to, meaning more for him.

"That's a shame," you sigh. The thought of Rex being here right now is a curious topic on your mind; would he attempt to maintain his high-ranking status, remaining professional despite knowing what's going to happen later? Or would he throw all of that out of the window, taking the first opportunity to straddle you onto his hips and remind his men who's in charge?

"Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll take good care of you whilst the Captain's gone," Hardcase smugly comments, placing a gentle kiss to your shoulder as he eyes you up.

Hardcase stays true to his word, as do the rest of your men. Dogma, Jesse, and Kix return shortly after with the next round of drinks, and lo-and-behold, more shots. You have entered the stage of tipsy, sitting on the drunken fence by the time you finish your drink. Hardcase offers to buy the next round, but you brush him off, insisting that it's your turn. "Since you're all taking care of me, the least I can do is return the favour," you explain, and a few of the men chuckle at your reasoning.

Tup, the sweetheart that he is, helps you up and over to the bar. You're able to walk, even in these heels, but you know that Tup's presence is actually a way of telling others clones that you're already taken for. To your surprise, his hand settles around your waist as you prop yourself up against the bar top, waiting for somebody to come and serve you.

"How's your night going?" Tup questions. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, are you?" you reply with a nod, curling up into Tup's side.

"Mhm," Tup nods in agreement. "I just need a few more drinks down me," he adds, and you understand how he feels. If you weren't the centre of attention, then you'd be just as quiet as Tup is, shying away nervously in the cornerless booth.

"Let me get one for you," you offer, and Tup takes you up on it.

"Thank you, Comma- I mean, uh, love." Tup's expression turns sour, blushing at his fumbled reply. You brush the nerves off him by placing a kiss on his cheek, and watch in amazement as his face begins turning a different shade of red.

Tup mutters something to you, and you almost miss his words over the volume of the music. "You missed," he boldly states. Tup's definitely stolen that line from Fives, or has been taught it - either way, it's something Fives would say, and you know how close those two are.

"Oh?" you cheekily sigh. You're about to follow it up, until the bartender arrives, pulling your attention away from the clone.

Once your order is placed, you turn back to Tup, wanting to finish where you left off. He looks at you, then looks away, pulling an embarrassed face. Your fingertips are placed below Tup's chin, gently turning his head to face you, and before Tup can say anything, you lean in to kiss him.

Tup freezes up, before melting into the kiss, moving his head to fit against yours. A hand finds its way to the back of your neck, holding you there, as if to reassure himself that yes, this really is happening. Tup's kisses match his personality, sweet and gentle, but the tongue that slides across your lower lip suggests there's more to him than meets the eye.

You can overhear the sounds of cheering in the background, and you just know that it's coming from your men. You break away, not to be rude, but because you don't want the poor bartender to be stood there awkwardly as you're busy snogging a clone. Thankfully, they arrive moments later, and you two soon return to the booth with drinks and shots in hand.

Fives applauds his vod as Tup sheepishly sits down, and you go to take a seat beside him, until Jesse pulls you onto his lap. "You've had enough fun with him, come and give us some attention!" he playfully nips, and follows his statement up with a kiss on your neck.

"There's plenty of me to go around," you bite back, wiggling your hips slightly, grinding your ass on Jesse's lap. He sighs heavily at your move, wrapping his arms around your waist, holding you there.

You turn your attention to the drinks that you just brought, downing yet another shot, and washing it down with your beverage.

Minutes later, and you're really starting to feel the liquor running through your veins, as well as the undying urge to dance. Jesse is willing, and Hardcase lets you two know that he'll meet you over there, once he's gone and used the refresher. The rest of the clones stay seated, to your surprise, but then again, they don't seem like the type to dance. Well, Fives possibly, but he's barely able to stand, let alone dance, and Kix is nursing him back to soberness with many glasses of water.

Jesse follows you over to the dance floor, your hand in his, and it's busier than you expected. The dance floor is mostly full of clones and their squadrons, all celebrating various victories and whatnot, with a few women lingering about. You understand by now that women only come to this bar to pick up the clones, and can you blame them? Bless the Kaminoans for picking out Jango Fett to be their donor, as his genetics are excelling in all departments.

"My turn with you already?" Jesse questions as he begins dancing with you, swaying in time with the music.

"We've only been here for a few hours. I thought you'd be more patient?" you tease, and Jesse gives you a look.

"I'm patient when I want to be, sweetheart," Jesse shrugs. "But for you? I've been waiting a long time for this," he explains as he pulls you closer, wrapping his arms around your waist.

The tattooed clone smiles down at you, and the glisten in his eyes informs you that his patience truly is running thin. But how long will it be before it runs out? Or how much can you rile him up before he breaks?

"I'm sure you can wait a little longer," you flirt back, trailing your hand along his shirt, fingertips gliding over each of his buttons. You meet his collar and hook a finger over the fabric, gently pulling his head down to your level.

Jesse smirks as he replies "I don't think I can," before pressing his lips to yours. You can tell that Jesse's patience is running thin from the way he kisses you, hungry and lustful, playfully nipping at your lower lip. Your hands wrap around his neck, and you have to remind yourself that you left your bag with the others - that's why your hands are empty.

The hands on your waist trail down to your ass, and Jesse boldly grabs more than a handful, pulling your body tightly against his as he kneads your ass. You break the kiss with a yelp, and remind yourself that you're still in public, thankfully with no eyes set on you. "Jesse!" you playfully swat him, and he chuckles against your skin as his lips trail over your neck.

"You started without me!" A disappointed voice calls out, and warmth appears against your back.

Hardcase has returned from the refresher, pouting because the party has apparently started without him. Jesse moves his hands back to your waist, almost as if he's giving permission for Hardcase to press his crotch against your ass, sandwiching you between the two, tattooed clones. Your cheeks quickly turn red, and you must look more flustered than you feel, as the face that Hardcase and Jesse send each other informs you that they have something planned.

"So," Hardcase begins, his eyes flicking down to yours. "When are we taking you back?"

"Soon?" you nervously reply, questioning your own motives. It's hard to concentrate with an uneven sea turning in your stomach, but the liquor is thankfully helping - you'd be a lot more flustered if you were sober right now.

"Soon?" Jesse repeats, raising a brow at your reply. "Why not now, sweetheart?" he asks.

"Yeah," Hardcase nods, and then dips his head down to kiss along your neck. His kisses trail up to your ear, nipping at that sensitive spot behind it before stating "you look like you need us to fill you up."

A bold, yet true statement, but you're unsure if you want to leave just yet. Do you want to continue your teasing here? Or click your fingers and order your men to take you home and fuck you?

"She's thinkin' about it," Hardcase states, directing his words to Jesse.

"We know what you're thinking, babe, and we think that you've teased us enough already," Jesse says to you, and kneads his hands on your waist, picking and pulling at the fabric of your dress. Bold of him to assume what you're thinking - you're the Jedi here, not him. Either way, his thoughts are true. You have teased them enough, but there's no harm in drawing it out just a little longer, is there?

Jesse steals a kiss from you again, and you can feel him smiling as you let out a soft moan. Hardcase continues kissing up your neck, rutting his semi-hard cock against your ass; his lips wander down below your neckline, and he bites and sucks at your skin, leaving a purple blotch behind. It's in just the right place, an area where your Jedi robes will cover it up, but if you want to tease him on the battlefield, all you need to do is pull back at the thin layer of clothing, revealing his mark.

Just as Hardcase is about to kiss your neck again, a voice calls out "get a room!"

Oh yeah, you're doing all this on the dance floor of 79's. Whoops. Jesse pulls away and chuckles at the strangers remark. "See? Even he thinks we should get going," he states, and you finally agree to make a move.

Jesse leads you off the dance floor, and Hardcase keeps his hand comfortably around your waist. You wander back over to the booth, picking your drink up off the table and finishing it off. "It's time, boys!" Hardcase states, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh?" Fives looks over to you, flashing you a cheeky grin. It seems the many glasses of water on the table have finally brought him back to a stable level; Kudos to Kix for dealing with him.

Tup passes you your bag as he shuffles off the sofas, and you thank him by pulling him down for a quick kiss. You break away with a soft laugh as you hear Fives complain "where's mine, huh?"

"You can get it when we're in the taxi," you explain.

Fives swats Hardcase's arm from around your waist, replacing it with his own, and mouths the words "my turn," to Hardcase, who simply laughs at his eagerness. You and Fives take the lead, exiting the club with your squad following behind.

--------

The ride back to the barracks is... eventful, as is entering the barracks itself. Jesse and Kix walk ahead, pretending to be drunker than they actually are so they can distract the guards with their very existence. The rest of you sneak by, sheltered by a wall of horny clones, and you're ushered into their dorm.

The second you step foot into the room, Fives is all over you. With his hands on your hips, he leads you over to the wall, pushing you up against it and locking his lips with yours. Fives's hand trails up to grab your bag, pulling it from your grasp, and chucking it onto a nearby bed, leaving your hands free to wrap around his neck. He's impatient and needy, hungrily kissing you, his hands struggling to find a single place to rest; they slide over your waist, down your back, and grab at your ass, before trailing up and repeating the process all over again.

"Kriff, calm down. She's not going anywhere," one of his vods comments. Kix possibly?

Fives ignores the comment and continues turning your legs into jelly, making up for all his apparent 'lost time.' When he does finally pull away, he's grinning. His pupils are blown, full of lust, eyeing you up like a piece of meat, until somebody swats him away.

"I'm the one who proposed this to her, so I get first dibs," Jesse intervenes. There's something thrilling about the way they're speaking about you, as if you're not there, as if you're their property. In some ways, you are theirs - you have always been theirs - but only tonight have things finally taken a step forward.

Somebody has dimmed the lights, enough to set the mood, but still light enough that you can see what's happening, and so can everyone else. Everybody's watching as Jesse leads you over to what you assume is his bunk, sitting down and pulling you onto his lap. Your knees fall onto either side of his hips, spreading your legs, your dress hiking up your thighs.

Jesse places his hands on your waist, holding you as his lips take over from where Fives left off. As he kisses you, he pulls down on your waist, grinding you over his semi-hard cock, reminding you of what's to come. You feel the hem of your dress slip up slightly over your ass, and one of the clones sighs at the small teaser.

Jesse knows what his vods are after, so his hands trail up your back, finding the zip. He slowly unzips your dress, taking his time to reveal what lies beneath, and breaks the kiss so he can pull your dress over your head, discarding it on the bunk next to him.

Needless to say, the air is filled with an array of praise, mutters and moans at the sight of you. You're straddling the ARC Trooper in your underwear and heels, now being freed of your bra. Jesse groans as your tits fall free, and moves his lips down your body, along your neck, over your collarbone, until he latches onto a nipple.

You feel something tug at your foot, and peer over your shoulder to see Hardcase removing your heels; he's polite (and sober) enough to place them down neatly, rather than tossing them to the floor, or worse, throwing them at his vods. Hardcase then stands up, peering over you, and prevents your lips from feeling lonely. He keeps your mouth occupied, whilst Jesse flicks between both of your tits, and both of them find their way to your panties.

"Need to get these off you," Hardcase mutters against your lips. Hardcase hooks his fingers around one strap, Jesse has the other, and the pair slowly slide them off you, moving with your body as you shuffle from Jesse's lap to remove them. You're left naked in a room full of your men, the men that have served under you for a few years now, but it seems that Jesse is the one taking the lead tonight.

"C'mere," Jesse mutters as he manhandles you off his lap. He shimmies around and lays down, his head at the foot of the bed, feet resting against his headboard. Jesse pats his shoulders before making grabby motions with his hands, signalling for you to climb aboard.

With one knee on either side of Jesse's face, you straddle him. Despite the alcohol still pumping through your system, you're still nervous, exposing yourself fully to your men. They're all reacting positively, a few of them palming themselves through their smart pants. Your nervousness doesn't stay for long, being brushed away as Jesse pulls your cunt down onto his face.

He licks a firm stripe over your pussy, followed by a few more curious ones, before wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking. You yelp, instinctively grinding down on Jesse's face, and he seems to like it from the hum he lets out. "Kriff," you overhear one of the clones mutter, and you realize it's Fives when he pipes up with "go on, sweetheart. Fuck his face!"

Jesse nods against your cunt, and the squad seems eager for a show, so, why not?

Firm hands hold onto your thighs, steadying you as you begin rocking back and forth over Jesse's tongue. He's flattened it out nicely, and at this angle, you're able to brush your clit over the wet muscle, grinding oh-so-perfectly. The room is filled with soft words of encouragement, "that's it, doll," and "keep going for us!"

You feel bad that Jesse isn't receiving anything in return, so whilst sitting on his face, you begin unfastening his pants, eventually freeing his cock.

Oh, thank the Maker for those yummy Jango Fett genes.

Jesse is thick, leaking with precum, slightly red at the tip. If he's thick, then that means the rest of them are thick... you're in store for quite a treat.

With one hand barely wrapped around Jesse's cock, you begin pumping his already hard length, earning a whimper from the man beneath you. Your hips have slowed in pace, and Jesse urges you to speed up by grabbing your hips and moving them for you. He takes over, fucking you onto his face for a few moments before steadying your hips again, and wrapping his lips around your clit instead.

You yelp, pumping Jesse's cock faster, and he lets out a similar pleasant sound. Another hand appears on your body, and you peer over your shoulder to see Hardcase grabbing your ass, kneading at your cheeks, playing with them. "Got room for one more?" he questions, eyeing you up.

"Uh-huh," you say with a nod.

Hardcase flashes you a cheeky grin before moving his head down to kiss over your cheeks, lightly biting at each mound, moving from one cheek to the other. Every time it feels like he's getting close to your entrance, he moves across to the other cheek, teasing you with a smile on his lips. You're half tempted to push back onto his face, but he beats you to it by running his tongue over your rim, circling your entrance curiously.

Hardcase doesn't hold back, attacking your entrance with his tongue, his hands kneading at each cheek. Jesse continues flicking his tongue against your clit, and a hand is removed from your thigh; fingertips brush over your pussy, slicking themselves up, before a finger slides into you, not stopping until he reaches his knuckle.

Jesse slowly begins working you open, not that you need it much, considering your heavy arousal. Hardcase notices and takes the hint, wetting his finger in his mouth before pressing the pad against your entrance. He circles your ass a few times, relaxing the muscle, before slowly and gently pushing in. Unlike Jesse, Hardcase takes his time, working with your body to slowly open your ass up.

Your hand continues sloppily pumping Jesse's length, just enough to keep him satisfied; you want to do more, but your thoughts and feelings are already occupied. Just when you think you can't take any more, another clone comes into your line of sight, and asks you those exact words as he knees down in front of you.

"Can you take any more?" Kix questions, eyeing you up, reading your body language.

"Uh-huh," you nod once more, and Kix seems content with your approval.

He plants a light kiss on your lips before standing, and works on unfastening his pants, revealing yet another thick cock for your pleasure. You know exactly what Kix is after, so you open your mouth, awaiting him; he lets out a groan at the sight, and slips his cock past your lips, the underside brushing over your tongue.

Both of your hands are occupied, with one propping your weight up, and the other pumping Jesse; so, you make do with your mouth, sucking him to the best of your ability, and despite being slightly sloppy, Kix seems more than satisfied. He's an understanding man who can clearly see how busy you are.

And oh kriff, you sure are busy.

An orgasm is sitting on the fence, waiting for that final push. Jesse slips another finger into you, curling them and searching for that sweet spot. He knows he's found it when he overhears a muffled moan, and your moan seems to echo, as one of the clones groans at the sight of you. Hardcase removes his finger from your ass, slipping his tongue in and tongue-fucking your small gape, slicking you up so he can begin pushing two fingers in. Like before, he goes slow, understanding the stretch and burn that you're feeling right now.

Hardcase, within time, reaches his knuckles, and gently works his fingers in and out of you. That sensation, added with Jesse's fingers in you, and lips around your clit, is more than enough to have you cumming. You have to slip off Kix's cock to let out a shaky moan, thighs and body trembling as your orgasm takes you. Your forehead presses against Kix's thigh, eyes scrunched shut and mouth hanging open, and Kix soothes you by running his fingers through your hair, keeping it off your face.

You overhear Tup gasp, Dogma whine, and Fives cheer you on. "That's it, sweetheart," one of them encourages, but your mind is so hazy that you're not sure who it was. Either way, the words of encouragement are appreciated, as well as the soothing touches that Kix and Jesse are leaving over your body.

You soon come back around, still trembling from the intensity. Your eyes meet Kix's, who places a kiss on your forehead before settling down on the bunk beside you, muttering something about you having your hands full.

Curiously, you peer over your shoulder, and only then do you realize that Hardcase now has three fingers inside your ass. You're ready, and Hardcase flashes you a look that confirms it. "Wanna see what else we can do?" Hardcase questions, and you swiftly nod, accepting their advances.

Hardcase slowly slips his fingers from your ass, and works on removing his clothes. A kiss is planted on your inner thigh before Jesse gives you the signal to roll off, and you do so, letting the clone crawl out from beneath you. His face is soaked - no, drenched - and your juices have dribbled down over his chin, darkening the collar of his shirt.

"How do I look?" Jesse chuckles, before wiping his mouth and chin with his shirt sleeve. Taking Hardcase's idea, he too undresses, leaving you sat on your knees on his bunk.

Hardcase frees himself from his clothes first, and takes a seat beside you. He's about to get into position, until Fives calls out his protest. "You just had a go with her!" he whines.

"We'll be quick," Hardcase winks. He gets comfortable on the bunk, lying on his back, head pressed against the pillow. Hardcase makes a grabbing motion at you whilst mumbling "I want your ass," and with a laugh, you begin getting into position.

At first, you feel awkward and exposed, settling so your back is pressed to Hardcase's tattooed chest. He takes the lead, swinging your legs on either side of his, spreading you wide, and signalling for you to hold your hips up. Hardcase wraps his hand around the base of his cock and begins searching for your entrance, and with your help, he finds your ass.

"Go at your own pace, babe," Hardcase comments, and allows you to take your time sliding down onto his cock. Despite being prepped, Hardcase is still a stretch, slowly working your ass open. A mixture of groans fill the room as you slowly slide onto him, soon reaching his base, a gasp escaping your lips. "Beautiful," Hardcase comments, and reaches around to flick his fingers over your clit, attempting to help you relax.

"You ready for me?" Jesse questions, and all you can do is nod as nothing escapes your lips. Jesse shuffles up the bed, settling between your thighs. He slowly enters you, making a comment under his breath about how soaked your pussy is.

Jesse slides in with ease, holding his cock deep inside you, bottoming out. He awaits your signal before making a move, as does Hardcase, and when you give it, both the clones start slowly.  

Your head rolls back to rest on Hardcase's shoulder, and the tattooed clone places a kiss on your temple before turning his focus to bucking up into your ass. Jesse's speed is slightly faster, considering he's in an easier position, and fucking a looser hole. Either way, you're full to the brim, moaning and groaning for them as Hardcase continues flicking his fingers over your clit.

"Kriff, doesn't she look good?" you overhear Kix comment.

Dogma follows up with, "if only you could see yourself, Commander."

Commander, Kriff. That status somehow slipped your mind - you're their Commander, their superior, and your men are currently watching you be fucked, whilst queueing up to take their turn with you. Let's hope your Jedi training has paid off, as you're going to need an extra stern poker-face the next time you're in their presence, or worse, in the presence of your Master.

Jesse, from the sounds that he's making, doesn't seem like he's going to last long. In his defense, you have been pumping his cock this entire time, despite your handiwork being somewhat sloppy. Hardcase's hand on your clit brushes over the perfect spot, causing you to clench in response, and that is more than enough to bring Jesse to orgasm.

"Where?" he manages to blurt out.

"Inside," you order, and every single clone in the room groans at your reply.

Jesse is about to ask if you're certain, but his body gives up before he can speak. Jesse slides his cock as deep as he can, and fills you up, panting and groaning as he releases. He's a debauched, a sweaty mess, possibly still drunk from earlier. Once he's somewhat stable, he slips his cock from you, slowly shuffling off the bed and collapsing on a nearby bunk.

Hardcase kisses your neck, as if to remind you that he's still there, or warning you, since he moves his hands to hold beneath your knees, pulling your knees up against your shoulders, and begins fucking up into your ass.

Your legs are spread, displayed for the other clones to watch as Hardcase ensures that you won't be able to walk for weeks. He's a grunting, sputtering mess beneath you, groaning into the curve of your neck as he chases his release.

A few more thrusts and Hardcase is finishing in your ass, holding your body tight against his as he leaves his mark. You're almost certain you heard a few whimpers from him, meaning his orgasm must have been intense. Eventually, a sweaty Hardcase begins slipping himself from you, being gentle as he rolls you off his chest.

Hardcase has barely removed himself off the bunk before another clone calls out "I'm next," and you look in the direction of the voice to see Dogma slipping his clothes off.

"Dogma? You?" Tup questions.

"Yeah, me!" he states, pointing a finger to himself.

"I didn't think you would," Tup shrugs, and in Tup's defence, you agree with him.

"I thought you'd be the type to tell on us," an exhausted Jesse comments, still laying back on a nearby bunk, spread out and panting heavily.

"Even if he did, I don't think anybody would believe him," Fives adds with a laugh.

"Stop being so mean to him, Troopers. Dogma is just as welcome as everybody else," you defend, and the clone thanks you with a smile.

"As welcome as everybody else?" Fives repeats your word. "Kriff, Commander, I didn't realize you were inviting the entire Legion!" he jokes, and you roll your eyes at Fives's comment, twisting your words cheekily.

You ignore Fives's playful remark, turning your attention to Dogma instead, who's just about finished removing his shirt. "How do you want me, handsome?" you question.

Dogma's eyes light up at your little nickname, and he orders you to "get on your front, hands and knees, and face the boys."

Orders are orders, and you follow them without question. Dogma shuffles in behind you, kneading your ass for a few moments before wrapping his hand around his cock. You're already slick enough, with your own release smeared around your thighs, and a release in both holes, so Dogma doesn't bother using his own spit to slick up his cock. Instead, he glides his cock over your pussy, ensuring the tip of his cock flicks over your clit with every thrust, and once he's satisfied, he begins pushing into your ass.

You let out an "oh," as Dogma slides in, letting out a grunt as he bottoms out. With his hands on your hips, and the signal from you to continue, Dogma begins fucking your ass, gawking over the sight of his cock disappearing and reappearing from you. "That's it," he mutters under his breath. "Kriff, you look so good for me."

"For us," Kix intervenes, and Dogma shoots him a grumpy glare.

Dogma is clearly trying to prove his vods wrong, showing them that he wants this, that he won't rat everybody out for breaking so many rules. His thrusts are heavy, the sound of your ass slapping against his pelvis fills up the room, pushing moans from your lips with every thrust. You can feel Hardcase's release slowly being pushed from your ass, settling around your rim, soon to be replaced with Dogmas.

You overhear someone shuffling about, and Kix soon appears in your line of sight. "I'm back," he says with a smile. "Care to continue where we left off?" Kix questions, and lets out a pleasant sigh when you nod in agreement.

This time, you have your hand free, and you wrap it around Kix's cock as the tip slips into your mouth. Dogma's not letting up his thrusts, pushing your head forwards with every roll of his hips, causing you to lightly gag on Kix's length. Kix seems to enjoy it, as do the viewers, and the sensation is alright for you; so, you continue, eventually letting Kix begin thrusting and fucking your mouth, his pace matching Dogmas.

Kix notices the lack of attention on your pussy, and leans forward, hand reaching out to dip beneath your body and help get you off, but Dogma swats his hand away. At first, you're insulted, as is Kix, until Dogma speaks up and explains his actions. "Let's see how long she can last without being touched," he cheekily states, and Kix flashes him a similar smile before looking down at you.

"Sorry, Commander. Orders are orders," Kix shrugs, and returns to fucking your mouth.

You let out a whine, as does Tup, who seems sympathetic at the lack of attention in your key areas. Fives, on the other hand, is hollering, "she won't last long. She'll be begging for it soon!"

Ugh, he's right. Despite already having an orgasm, you're chasing another, eager for that certain-something to help get you off. The more Dogma and Kix fuck you, the more your cunt burns, and when you try to remove your hand from Kix's cock, he wraps his hand around your wrist to prevent you from touching yourself, clicking his tongue with a disapproving "ah-ah!"

"Soon, sweetheart," Dogma says from behind you, and judging from the way his cock is twitching in your ass, you assume he's close.

Dogma picks up his pace, ruining your own pace on Kix's cock - or improving it, as Kix groans when you gag, spit pooling from the corners of your mouth. "So wet," Kix comments under his breath, and returns to fucking your mouth again, grunting and moaning with every thrust.

"Oh, Maker!" Dogma sighs as he pushes his cock as deep as it'll go. With his hands tightly around your hips, he earns his release, filling your ass with hot, sticky cum. Your moan is muffled from Kix's cock, who has slowed his thrusts, almost to a halt. Kix waits for Dogma to finish, and once he's slipped out, he manhandles you into a new position.

Kix rolls you onto your back, legs against the edge of the bed. He's clearly in a rush, his orgasm sitting on the edge, and he hurries to slide his cock into your pussy, one leg up on the bed, the other remaining on the floor.

Kix only thrusts a few times before bottoming out and cumming inside, his load mixing with Jesse's, who has finally perked up after passing out on another bunk. "Good girl," Kix mutters as the pad of his thumb presses to your clit, grinding in circles a few times. He's milking his release, slowly fucking you in a hazy post-orgasm state, biting his lip whenever you clench around his overstimulated cock.

When Kix can't take any more, he pulls out, and your clit is left unattended. You can feel his and Jesse's load leaking from you, and your eyes lock onto Tup, who was just eyeing up your cunt, his cheeks turning red at the sight of your sticky, cum soaked pussy.

"We're up, Tup!" Fives says with a laugh, patting his vod on the shoulder, snapping him out of his fixated state. Fives has the audacity to follow up his rhyme with finger guns, causing you to roll your eyes at the cheek of this man.

Tup lets out a "huh?" before realising that it's his turn to play with you. The pair are quick to strip off; Fives leaves his clothes strung over the floor, whilst Tup leaves his on his bunk. Just like the rest of your squad, they're hung, and your holes are already beginning to feel sore at the sight of them.

Fives motions for you to stand, and with extremely wobbly legs, you manage to get up, clinging onto Fives as you do so. "Tup, c'mere and help me out," Fives playfully orders, before turning his focus to you.

He bends down slightly, arms stretched out, and asks for you to wrap your legs around his waist. "Catch her if she falls, Tup," Fives comment, and you hear a soft "oh, kriff," from behind you.

Well, you don't fall. Your legs are wrapped around Fives's waist, hands around his neck, awaiting the next move. Five pauses, staring out into thin air, before realizing his mistake.

"Wait, I want to fuck your ass... Tup, you pick her up," Fives comments, and gently places you back down on the floor, only to spin you around so you're facing Tup instead.

"Idiot," Jesse mutters under his breath, and Fives glares at him over your shoulder.

Tup wraps his arms around your waist, and on his nod, you jump up into his lap. He moves your legs to wrap around his waist, ankles crossing over, and your hands trail up to settle on his shoulders, fingertips playing with his loose strands of hair. Tup, for some reason, is trembling, and you're uncertain if it's from your weight, or his nerves. A soothing kiss on his nose reveals that it's his nerves, as he begins to relax, and your weight is then shared between the two clones as Fives approaches you from behind.

Fives focuses on slipping his cock into your ass, before taking your weight off Tup, allowing him to slide up into your pussy. The pair bottom out, pulling you down onto their lengths, and find an even way to hold your weight, making it easier on everybody.

At first, the pair are an uneven, a sloppy mess, struggling to find the right rhythm. Despite their lack of sync, you're still enjoying yourself, but the second they finally sync up, it's game over. With your hands desperately clinging onto Tup's shoulders, you roll your head back against Fives's shoulder, moaning and groaning as the fuck you.

Tup lets out a sigh as he comments "you're so good for us," his hands kneading at your thighs around his waist.

"Isn't she just?" Fives smirks, and his hands on your ass give you a squeeze. "Poor Tup here looks like he's going to cum already," Fives bites at his vod, and Tup sends him a disappointed glare.

"Play nice, you two," you softly order, not wanting to be stuck in the middle of their play fight.

They let out a "yes, Commander," as their thrusts continue, the sound of synced up skin against skin echoing around the dorm room.

However, the sound of the door opening makes everybody jump out of their skin, and you all turn with wide eyes to see none other than Captain Rex entering the room. Fives and Tup come to a halt, Jesse sits up on his bunk, and everybody awaits Rex's move.

Rex, with a stern expression, reaches a hand out to press the lock button on the dorms' door. "You forgot to lock it," he states, then tuts and shakes his head, scolding his men for their sloppiness.

Rex is still in uniform, his helmet tucked under his arm. The sound of heavy footsteps slowly approaches you, Tup, and Fives, and all three of you watch as Rex comes to a halt in front of you. You gulp, despite being a higher ranking than Rex, and despite knowing that he is also in on this.

The expression Rex gives you sends a shiver down your spine; he raises a single brow, slowly eyeing all of you up and down, before his lips finally trail into a smirk. A gloved hand reaches out and finds its way between your legs, instantly settling over your clit. Rex begins to slowly rub your clit, the fabric of his gloves giving you that something extra, and he speaks up in his usual, bold, military tone.

"You've got to play with her as you're fucking her, boys," Rex states, smirking as he notices everybody's expressions drop, letting out sighs of relief. "How is she meant to cum if you're not focusing on the right areas?" Rex questions, and gestures for his men to pick up their pace again.

Fives and Tup begin bucking up into you again, still slightly nervous, but lust soon takes over and evens them out. Rex turns his full attention to you, and the deepness of his voice makes your pussy clench. "Have these men served you well?" he questions.

"They have," you mutter, nodding as you speak, eager to express your fondness.

"That's good to hear, Commander," the Captain smirks. His eyes stay glued to yours, and you can't bare to look away. His fingers are working wonders on your clit, and the sensation of Fives and Tup tending to you is swiftly becoming too much. Your breaths become quick and short, and your eyes struggle to stay open. Rex takes not and announces, "she's close, boys."

"Go on, show off for Rex," Fives says against your ear, and Tup nods along in agreement. A few more thrusts and you're clenching around their cocks, both men grunting and moaning as you up their sensation. Rex doesn't stop playing with your clit, at first, until your thighs begin to twitch from overstimulation; only then does he pull away, taking a step back and settling his hands on his hips after placing his helmet down on a nearby bunk.

Tup lets out a whine, and you can feel his cock twitching inside you. "Good boy, Tup," you direct your praise to him, and that alone is enough to make him cum. Tup buries his head into the curve of your neck, groaning against your skin as his load joins the others inside you, most of it oozing out past his cock and dripping to the floor.

"Kriff, guess it's my turn," Fives comments with a light laugh. He buries his head into your other shoulder, kissing and nipping at your skin as he continues fucking your ass. It doesn't take long for Fives to also cum, burying his length up to the base, and groaning when you twitch from overstimulation. "So karking good," Fives mutters, and repeats his compliment as he lifts his head off your shoulder, before kissing your cheek.

Slowly and steadily, the pair lower you, avoiding the slippy patches of cum on the floor that has dripped from both your holes. You're debauched, exhausted in every aspect, and undeniably cock-dumb as Rex approaches and asks "got room for your Captain?"

"Always," you steadily sigh. Rex chuckles at your eagerness, then gestures for you to get comfortable on a bunk.

You pick Jesse's bunk, seeing as it's already a mess, plus it's in the centre of everybody's line of sight. Knowing Rex, he'll want to make a show of this, turning it into some training exercise as a way of covering up what is really going on here.

You sit back on the bed, falling back onto your elbows, and watch as Rex approaches. He unfastens his codpiece, discarding it onto a nearby bunk, and pulls his semi-hard cock out from beneath his blacks. The Captain is clean-shaven, thick and girthy, another cock to add onto your 'reasons why I can't walk this week' list.

Rex slips his gloves off before pumping himself with one hand, the other reaching down to trail over your overly sensitive cunt. Gentle fingertips slide over your wet folds, and Rex spreads you apart, revealing the sticky mess leaking from your entrance. "I see they've been keeping you full," Rex comments as his fingers trail up to glide over your clit, pressing firmly and flicking over the bud.

"Very full," you nod along. Your eyes flick to Rex's cock, which is now hard, precum leaking like crazy. Rex notices the way you're looking at his length, and he stops pumping his shaft, holding at the base instead, as if to present it.

"Is this what you want?" he teasingly questions, causing you to shudder.

"Yes, Captain," you nod, and Rex lets out a satisfied sigh.

"Place the order, Commander," Rex orders in his own way.

You lick your lips, followed by clearing your throat, and keep your eyes locked onto your Captains as you state "your orders are to fuck me, Captain."

"Yes, Ma'am."

You overhear a handful of men groan at your tone of voice, no doubt working themselves up again. "I'll show you boys how it's done," Rex says with a smug laugh as he moves both of his hands to your knees, and slowly pushes them up until they're almost pressing your shoulders, folding your body in half. He keeps one hand on your knee, the other holding the base of his cock as he begins slipping into you.

It isn't until you feel cold plastoid pressing against your body that you realize he's still in uniform.

Rex is fucking you with his armour on? Oh.

The sound that Rex lets out as he bottoms out is one that will forever play on repeat in the back of your mind. He holds himself there, scrunching his eyes shut as he regains focus, enticed by how wet and warm you feel. Once Rex has evened out, he begins thrusting into you, and oh Kriff, this man does not hold back.

With your body folded in half, Rex is able to drive his cock even deeper, his tip brushing over your g-spot with every thrust. Your legs find their way around his upper back, ankles locking over each other, and to encourage Rex, you press your heel against his back, urging him to give you all he's got. Rex's eyes meet yours, a single brow raised, and he makes a brief comment about how needy you are.

You're already a babbling mess, and Rex has only just begun! No doubt, you'll pass out the second he's finished with you, but your men are here to pick up the pieces, labelling you as a war hero for helping them during such desperate times.

"How're you doing, sweetheart?" Rex questions, affectionate eyes locking onto your half-lidded ones.

"G-good," is all you can reply, and Rex chuckles at your cock-dumb mentality.

When words fail, actions speak, and Rex dips his head down to introduce his lips to yours. Despite his heavy thrusts, the kiss is steady, adding to your overstimulation. You've always been fond of your Captain, but you could never quite put your finger on why; now you've got it - it's because he fucks so kriffing good!

As the kiss breaks, you reach around Rex's neck, hands clasping onto his back, attempting to rake your nails into his slippery armour. Rex lets out a soft laugh before kissing along your neck, leaving his mark below where your Jedi robes sit - what a smart man.

"Rex, I'm-" you blurt out.

"I know, sweetheart," Rex replies in a soothing voice, only for his tone to turn stern as he questions "you're going to cum for me, aren't you, Commander?"

Your reply can't seem to leave your lips, so you nod in response. Rex chuckles at your desperation, and to your surprise, he stops what he's doing. His thrusts come to a sharp halt, and he quickly slips his cock from you, leaving you with your mouth hanging open.

Just as you're about to question what he's doing, as are the other clones, he sits on the end of the bed beside you and slips two fingers into your cunt, instantly curling them and fucking you where he left off.

Rex clearly knows something you don't, but you allow him to take the ropes, especially as your orgasm is on the edge. There's a strange sensation in your gut, something you haven't quiet felt before, and judging from the way it's growing with Rex's movements, you assume you'll soon find out.

"Watch and learn, boys," Rex states, but keeps his eyes focused, locked onto yours.

You're putty in his grasp, mewling on the bed, not bothering to hold back on your moans. You're about to cum, any second now, but that foreign sensation takes over instead. Suddenly, everything becomes too much, especially Rex's fingers hitting that soft spot inside you over and over. You yelp as something takes over your body, an orgasm of some kind; on shaky elbows, you rush to prop yourself up, gazing down to watch in amazement as you squirt all over your Captain's arm, the liquid coating his plastoid armour.

"Good girl," Rex coos through gritted teeth, repeating the praise, but doesn't let up just yet. Kriff, you're screaming, even with your hand over your mouth. You fall back onto the bed, clawing at the sheets as this orgasm lasts longer than usual.

Even after you squirt, Rex continues fucking you with his fingers, as if to ensure that you're empty. He eventually calms down, and only then does your volume begin to drop, revealing the vast amount of praise from your troopers.

"That was beautiful, Commander!" Fives calls out.

"Kriff, she's shaking," you overhear Tup comment.

Jesse whines "my karking bed is soaked..." under his breath, which makes you smile to yourself. He was the one to suggest his bed, so he can lie in his wet grave!

A gentle stroke of your hair makes you open your eyes, only to meet Kix, who's gazing down at you. "Are you alright?" he questions.

"Uh-huh," you lazily nod, and he smiles at your exhaustion. Kix slowly props you up, letting you fall back against him. Your eyes trail to Rex, who looks almost as tired as you do. He's wiping something off his thigh, and if your calculations are correct, his thigh was out of your splash zone.

"Did you cum?" you ask Rex, who looks up at you with a tired smile. He nods in confirmation.

"Untouched," Rex states, and you take pride in making him cum in such a way.

You have a sudden burst of energy, and use it to lean forwards and thank your Captain with a kiss. Rex smiles against your lips before playfully nipping at your bottom lip, earning a sarcastic comment of "get a room!" from Jesse.

"I think we should get you into the refresher instead," Rex comments as he breaks the kiss.

"As good as that sounds, I can't walk," you sigh, and attempt to gesture to your jelly-like body, only for your arms to flap about and fall flat at your sides.

Rex laughs at your exhaustion, then informs you that he'll run you a bath instead. You look at him with a surprised expression, to which he states "I know, I wasn't expecting the GAR to treat us to baths, either."

Rex leaves you in the company of Kix, who begins checking over your body whilst asking you over and over if you're alright.

------

A nice, hot bath doesn't take long for Rex to run. Hardcase, now in his blacks, with caution, picks you up and carries you to the dorms' refresher. He's extra gentle as he places your feet on the tile floor, keeping his arm around your waist to steady yourself as you slowly enter the bath.

Hardcase steals a kiss from you, muttering "thanks for tonight, Commander," against your lips before leaving you to it.

Kix enters the second Hardcase exits, bringing you a glass of water and a certain prevention pill. "Let me know if you need anything," he informs you before kissing your forehead and leaving you to relax.

Only for Fives to come barrelling in, instantly blabbering on about how good you were. "I always assumed you'd be quite the slut, but... well, I wasn't expecting that," Fives playfully jabs, and insists that "we should all do it again some time!"

Dogma peers his head around the door and barks at Fives to leave you alone, but the second he shoos Fives out, he replaces the emptiness with himself instead. "Eh, Fives is right," Dogma comments, referring to Fives statement. "But don't tell him I said that," he grumbles as he steals a kiss from you.

You stretch back in the bath, enjoying the GAR assigned bubbles, and just when you think you're alone, Tup appears. "I don't want to smother you..." he sheepishly comments, "but I wanted to thank you for tonight." You can't help but laugh at Tup's kind demeanour, and the smile remains on your lips as Tup offers you a massage.

You accept, under the cheeky condition that Tup joins you in the bath. His cheeks turn pink at your suggestion, and continue turning pink the more he undresses. Tup even attempts to cover himself up as he settles in the bath with you, making you giggle once more.

Tup has your back resting against his chest, tenderly burying his fingertips into your damp skin, softening out those tight areas. You overhear commotion outside, and both of you laugh as it unfolds.

"No fair! Tup's in there having another round with her!" Fives protests, his voice thudding through the thickness of the refresher door.

"Leave her alone, Fives. She's a free woman, she can do what she wants!" Somebody defends, and you're almost certain it's Dogma.

"They're just cuddling, leave them alone," Rex intervenes, and you know it's Rex from his firmness and slight difference in tone.

Following the Captain's orders, you and Tup are left to it, cuddling and lazily washing each other. Once the water turns cold, you both make your exit, drying yourselves off and gawking when Tup lets down his hair, only to refasten it into another, fresh manbun.

A pair of blacks has been left for you on the side, and despite them being a little big, they still fit snugly. As you exit the refresher, the first thing you notice is that Jesse's bed has been completely stripped, bedding in the wash. The dorm is clean, and your clothes and bag have been folded and placed on Jesse's empty bed.

"I guess I'm staying the night," you comment, and gesture to ask who you're bundling up with.

Before anyone can get a word in, the Captain speaks up. "I missed out on most of the night, so I'd like to catch up with you."

You're unsure if 'catch up' means have a chat, or wake up to find Rex spoon-fucking you, but either way, you're down. With a nod of confirmation, you begin settling in for the night, curling up in Rex's bunk as he continues changing from his armour into a fresh pair of blacks to sleep in.

"Wait a minute," Jesse intervenes. "Where am I sleeping?" he questions, setting his hands on his hips with frustration.

"You can go give Tup a cuddle, he loves them, apparently," Fives maliciously comments, sending playful, yet bold daggers at his vod.

"Ah, leave Tup alone," Dogma defends him.

Before Fives can take another jab, Hardcase barks up with "we can spoon!" And Jesse doesn't look too pleased at his suggestion.

"You can join us, Jesse," Rex disgruntledly states.

"You do know these beds are singles, right?" Jesse states as he gestures to the small, single beds, barely big enough for one clone, let alone two, and you.

"Yes, but from what I've seen, the Commander likes it when she has a clone pressed up on either side of her," Rex teases, side-eyeing you as he comments.

An array of laugher fills the air, and Jesse nods in agreement. You remain quiet, as there's no point denying something that is blatantly true!

The lights are soon turned out, and the boys take it in turns to say goodnight to each other. In the dark, you feel Rex join you, manhandling you into position. Your head finds Rex's chest, an arm sprawled out underneath your neck, and your arm wraps around Rex's waist. Jesse then joins, and since your back is free, he decides to spoon you, trapping you perfectly in your 501st sandwich. Before falling asleep, you make a minor comment to Rex, as if to apologize for him not being there tonight. "We'll make sure you come with us next time," you quietly comment, referring to 79's, the venue that lead you here.

Jesse chuckles before mentioning how wild the night went. "You should have seen her, Captain. She's the sluttiest woman in the galaxy, grinding on Hardcase whilst making out with me," Jesse explains, and you lightly elbow him in the ribs for leaking so much information. A few men can be heard giggling in their bunks, if only you could elbow them too.

"Oh really?" Rex responds, his pitch heightening him as he asks. "Well, I'll definitely be there next time, and I'll ensure that I make up for my lack of presence," Rex promises, and knowing Rex, this is a promise he'll keep.

"I can't wait," you reply, softly yawning against Rex's chest.

"Neither can I," Fives comments from across the dorm, earning a giggle from Hardcase.

"Alright, men. That's enough. Go to sleep," Rex orders.

"Yeah, Captain's orders," you playfully comment, earning yet another sea of giggles.

Within time, the bunch calm down, and the air is soon graced with the soothing sounds of snoring clones. It doesn't take long for you to fall asleep, as your exhausted body is begging for some rest. You doze off, sandwiched snugly between an ARC Trooper and the Captain of the 501st.

What a dream!!!!

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

Meeting and Dating Produce Joe

(My gif)(Requested by @westanimagines )

- You and Joe meet when you get a job at the grocery store and are given a tour of the place by your new manager. 

- After being shown around the floor of the shop, he takes you into the backrooms and introduces you to Randy and the ever interesting Joe; who he has to tap on the shoulder in order to make him realize there’s people behind him since his music is playing so loud. 

- The bespectacled boy tries to play it cool but you can tell he’s a little embarrassed; particularly when his eyes fall on you and your manager explains that you’ll be starting work there the next Monday. 

- You give the man a polite hello before you’re ushered out of the room and whisked away to be shown around the rest of the building; leaving Joe flustered yet realistically unhopeful. 

- As I said before, you start work the next Monday and things go smoothly. You make friends with the other girls on shift and you do the mind numbing work that pertains to a job at a grocery store. 

- When you first start working there, you don’t really talk to Joe all that much. You don’t have a reason to be in his portion of the store most days and you’re new to the job so you’re doing whatever you can to look like a picture perfect employee as you figure out the rules of working there. 

- Once you’re a little more comfortable in your position, you do a bit more wandering and are trusted with more tedious jobs that have you going into the back of the store. That's when you actually start making conversation from time to time. 

- Your conversations are always a bit awkward but you come to realize that that’s …sort of just Joe. Which is why you begin to feel a bit bad for him.

- He’s always detached from everyone, always alone, and though you can’t say for sure that he isn’t the one who’s doing the detaching, you figure that it can’t be easy all the same and make it your mission to be friendly and talk with him. And his pleasant response to your interest in him convinces you that you've done the right thing. 

- Soon enough, he’s latched onto you. Not in a creepy way but in a friendly, ‘you’re the only one who I’m comfortable around and who talks to me’ sort of way. 

- It’s easy to see that you just being there makes his day a whole lot better; and that he looks forward to your little interactions, and though your coworkers certainly find him a bit strange, you begin to find him sort of cute. 

- Surprisingly enough, it doesn’t take Joe a ridiculously long time to shoot his shot. He just randomly asks if you’d want to see a movie with him on Saturday and against your better judgement of dating one of your coworkers, you can’t help but agree. 

- Hey, if there was anyone you’d be able to avoid at work and whose offer is dorkily endearing enough to persuade you into accepting, it’s Joe. 

- So you meet up with him that next Saturday and settle in for a date at the cinema, sharing a popcorn and pretending like you aren’t flattered by/don’t notice his glances towards you. 

- He almost kisses you after the movie as the two of you are saying goodbye but he very obviously loses his nerve and plays it off before the two of you call it a night. And as you’re driving yourself home, you’re surprised by how disappointed you are that he didn’t....

- Though you don’t wind up waiting too long for that kiss since you wind up taking it for yourself a few days later when you’re retrieving something from his area of the shop. 

- You figure that it’s best to get it out of the way to show him that you want him to kiss you so, after he hands you the box of things that you’d came there for, you lean up and peck him on the lips, giving him a cheerful thanks before you leave the room; leaving him an ecstatic mess. 

- And just like that, you’ve got yourself the freshest boy at the grocers. 

- Joe likes to pretend like he’s this cool tough guy but at the same time, he knows that he isn’t; which makes you being with him a big accomplishment in his eyes. He’s incredibly proud that you’ve chosen to be his girlfriend and being your boyfriend makes him feel cool so he loves pda and being able to show you off.  

- Him awkwardly throwing his arm around your shoulder while trying to look all macho. He’s a dork and that’s just something you’ll have to get used to. 

- Kiss his cheek! Kiss his cheek! Seriously, he loves it almost as much as he loves you. 

- Clumsy but sweet kisses. 

- Taking his glasses off so that you can kiss him better. I can’t imagine it would be easy to touch lips with those massive frames in the way. 

- The main pet name he uses is babe and it almost always sounds hilarious whenever it leaves his mouth.  

- Most of the time, when you cuddle, he’s the big spoon. He likes nuzzling into the back of your neck and having you pressed up against him; and he’s tall so it works out quite nicely. 

- Laying your head in each others laps. Oftentimes he’ll snuggle into your lap or stomach, wrapping his arms around the small of your back as your fingers card through his hair. 

- Brushing his hair out of his face. It never seems to bother him but every now and again it bothers the hell out of you. 

- Always having the freshest fruit and vegetables. If your boyfriend doesn’t put aside the best of the bunch when your favorite produce comes in, is he even your boyfriend?

- Spitting watermelon seeds and playing other stupid little games.

- Sliding down the grocery shoot every now and again when you know you aren’t gonna get caught; not that your boss really cares 90% of the time. 

- Making faces at each other.

- Goofing off and not taking yourselves too seriously. 

- Occasionally spooking him when you come to visit since he plays his music so loud. It’s become a highlight of your day to make him momentarily jump out of his skin; you consider it to be you avenging his eardrums. 

- Borrowing his Walkman and cassettes. It’ll definitely take some convincing though, that things practically his baby. 

- Dancing to music and lip syncing to songs.

- You can’t tell me that he doesn’t look like a “little” nerd, which is why I’m making him liking Star Wars and Star Trek and all of those geeky interests a thing. 

- Going to conventions and other nerdy events like that.

- Playing different tabletop games. 

- Movie dates. Something tells me he’d be one of those guys who are scared of horror movies but would try to play it off like he wasn’t…up until he’s clutching your hand all tight and refusing to walk down a dark street.

- Arcade dates.

- Carnival dates. 

- Mall dates. 

- He’s adorably willing to indulge in your more “girly” interests and probably secretly likes them himself.

- Taking naps together; though he strikes me as the type of person who barely gets any sleep so you might just be taking naps at his apartment while he does his own thing.

- Playful competitions.

- Him scaring the shit out of you with his chopping and dicing; to the point where you’re compelled to do his work yourself so that you know he isn’t gonna lose a finger. 

- Eating lunch together and sharing food. You spend pretty much all of your lunch breaks in the backrooms with him.

- Talking with Randy every now and again while you wait for Joe. He appreciates the occasional company and the fact that you can save him some trouble and relay messages to your boyfriend for him. 

- Long conversations about nothing in particular. You can rant to him about whatever you want but I can’t guarantee that he’ll be listening too intently; not that he’s purposefully ignoring you or anything.

- He’s kind of the typical oblivious boyfriend but he’s never malicious in his ignorance. He’s just a goofy dork who doesn’t take notice of subtleties and has trouble concentrating. 

- Letting him brag about his accomplishments; even though you probably know that he’s completely making them up. He’ll probably “come clean” later on in your relationship and you'll have to hold back a laugh while trying to sound sincere when you tell him it’s okay. 

- Him trying to act tough yet borderline hiding behind you when things get scary. 

- Most of the time, Joe doesn’t take notice of any flirtation or suggestive interactions between you and other men so he rarely gets jealous of people. You could openly flirt with a dude and he’d be none the wiser. 

- As much as Joe likes to pretend like he can kick peoples asses, he most certainly cannot so don’t expect him to start any fights in your honor. He’s a bit of a coward so he really isn’t all too protective of you. 

- Joe’s a laidback guy and you sort of knew what you were getting yourself into when you started dating him so the two of you really don’t get into too many fights. If you do have them, they’re a quick argument and an even quicker resolution. 

- Both of you sort of just choose to forget about arguments or you bicker until you come up with a quick “fine.” “fine!” sort of agreement and subsequently forget about the problem. Either way, fights never last long. 

- Joe tells you he loves you pretty much every day; usually when you’re saying goodbye or in other circumstances like that. 

- He might give you the occasional headache but you love him nonetheless. He’s a dork but he’s your dork and you’re gonna stay with him for as long as you can. 

[imagineabrighterworld]

Tenya Iida with a Princess S/O

You first meet him as a page

Tenya Iida was the second son of a family of nobles. There was no doubt that he would have a bright future ahead of him. You were the crown princess of the land, your brother instead opting to travel as an ambassador. This meant it was up to you to greet each of the noble families closest to the crown.

Bunching the fabric of your skirts in your hands, you wend your way down the spiralling staircase to the main foyer, your ladies in waiting trailing after you with varying levels of excitement. Today you got to meet the noble families of Florrum! It was scary, but it was also a little exciting. After your brother passed the crown to you, it was now your responsibility to make the people love you. A scary thought, but you were ready for it.

“Ooh this is so fun! I hear the Iidas’s and the Eijiro’s are coming today!” Your best friend and lady in waiting Ochako Uraraka squeals from behind you. “The Todoroki’s are already here too! Shoto was kinda cute don't you think?”

“She knows that silly.” Momo Yaoyorozu chides, pulling Uraraka slightly in order to fix a stray strand of hair out of place. While she didn't speak it, she used the excuse of managing Uraraka's hair to avoid speaking about the young white and red haired noble. "We just met them yesterday.”

You pause your trek down and pull the two girls to hide behind the banister as your father’s voice echoes in the room. Four voices accompanied his own, two of which you didn't recognize. Those must have been the Iida's. The third was a boy who had accompanied Shoto Todoroki, his name was Izuku. So either the fourth was Shoto, or it was the youngest Iida son.

Peeking around the corner, you scan the group of adults before looking at the younger boys following them. It was indeed Izuku Midoriya, and a boy who looked much like the eldest Iida.

His eyes flash to yours upon noticing the three of you crouched like spies. Immediately he rushes to his father’s side, grabbing his hand and chopping the air in your direction with vigor. “There are three strange girls over there!”

With an embarrassed queal, you duck further down and use the top layer of tulle fabric to cover your face. On the other hand, your ladies in waiting stand up to get a better look of the boy.

“So that's Tenya?” Ochako questions while nudging your arm. “He looks kinda serious.”

“ ‘Raka it is not polite to call strangers by their first names.” Yaoyorozu helps you up despite your tremblings. “Come on, my lady, let’s see him.”

He was overbearingly polite, but it was sweet

Standing in front of Tenya Iida you bulster up the courage to look him in the eye after being dragged by your friends to approach him. It wasn't queenly at all, and now you missed your elder brother more than ever. He was good with greeting people. This was still new to you.

The boy bows a perfect right angle, nearly flinging the glasses off of his face. You wouldn't be surprised if they weren't his first pair to go flying. “My apologies Princess! My name is Tenya Iida, from the prominent Iida family! It is an honor to meet you!” 

His father smiled crookedly behind you, looking at his son and back to you. He bows his head. “Princess, it is a pleasure to meet the future queen.”

Glancing back at your friends for strength you curtsy to the men in front of you, grateful your hair was blocking their view of your flushed cheeks. “Likewise. I hope you enjoy your stay here. My staff are ready to cater to your every need.” Was there something else you needed to do? Was there a piece of etiquette you were missing? There had to be, why would the young Iida still be bent at the knee if you did say the right words?

Your question is answered as the elder Iida taps his son on the shoulder. “That will be enough Tenya.”

The boy straightens immediately, his face pink with sheepishness. “Right!”

Looking him in the eyes, a smile creeps its way onto your face. 

He was cute. 

“Pardon me Tenya Iida-”

“Yes princess!”

“Would you like to join my friends and I for a game?”

He looks put off, but soon a look of excitement replaces it. 

“I would!”

Now friends, Tenya stayed at the castle to become a squire, and became somewhat of a guard

He was now a decent acquaintance, someone you enjoyed being around. Surprisingly he grew to like your little touches and was accustomed to how you would cling to him when you were afraid. It was endearing. But unfortunately it didn't last after your quirk finally presented itself.

Now at age 14, you couldn't see yourself without your friend by your side. Iida had fully integrated himself into your clique of ladies in waiting and squires. Your shyness seemed like it was finally out of your system, allowing you to bloom and show your potential as Crown Princess! 

Walking in the market place with Tenya by your side, you greet the people by name, having jotted down notes ages ago to help remember the faces of your kingdom. 

“Isn't this wonderful?” You question your friend as you examine a dressmakers shop, peering in through the window before the scent of honey bread pulls you away to the bakery. “Everyone is so lively and peaceful. After the contract with the Todoroki’s, everything has been tranquil.”

Tenya hums in agreement, his eyes glued on the dress you were staring at moments before. He moves along with you after you give his hand a small tug. 

The hand holding was a small rule of yours- of his. Ever since he lost track of you in a market place at the age of 8, he vowed to hold onto you whenever you two went out. He didn't want to risk losing the future queen. And his best friend. 

Suddenly you feel a warmth course through your body. In an instant you jerk your hand away from his and use it to. stable yourself by holding onto the table behind you. 

The baker screams. “Look at what you've done!”

“Princess!” Tenya reaches out to you before halting, looking at something on the ground.

In fear, you look at yourself, wondering if something had spilled onto your clothes, but there was nothing there. Next, you check your arms. It is from your arms that you realize what has happened.

Your quirk, after years of waiting, had finally shown itself. 

What used to be a simple wooden table with baskets of bread on top, was now solid gold. The metal had already begun creeping down to the ground beneath you and up your arms and legs.

You screech and back away, scared to touch anything else around you.

The townsfolk watch in amazement as the creeping gold stops in its tracks, slowly pooling back to the table where it stayed there. 

“Princess-” Tenya attempts to reach out for you only to be waved away. Your heart was beating out of your chest, gold hued tears spilling from your eyes. “Please- don't touch me- I don't want to hurt you.”

Slowly clenching his now empty hand into a fist, he nods. “Lets get you to the castle.” Removing his cloak, he drapes it over your shoulders and guides you back to the castle.

He doesn't touch you.

Your quirk was dubbed the golden touch, a blessing and a curse

Once news spread about your ability to turn normal objects into pure gold, you become the most highly sought royal of the nine kingdoms. This meant you would need even more guards than ever. It was not at all an ideal situation for you, as your parents now were questioning whether finding a suitor with a strong quirk would be better than simply hiring arms. 

You fought against it, not wanting your life to be dictated by a quirk you didn't want. For 14 years you were quirkless, for 14 years you were happy, why now did it choose now to ruin that happiness?

Learning that Tenya was a potential knight of your personal guard left you winded.. Or in your case, glowing

Now at the age of 18, often hiding away from the public and sometimes even your own friends, in fear that your emotions would stir up trouble, you are met with a letter that could potentially change the course of your life. Possibly.. if you could convince your parents. See, you were the Crown Princess, the future Queen. Queens weren't supposed to fawn over their knight.. but maybe you could be the exception?

Tugging open the heavy wooden doors of your room you walk across the lounge area to the staircase leading up the turret. It was from the turret where you sat at the balcony and watched the world from above. You didn't have much say in the matter on when you could leave the castle now that every thief and king knew of your quirk, but this balcony did offer some reprieve from your loneliness. 

“Don't get too close to the railing princess, we've already replaces it twice now.” A familiar groggy tone says from beneath you. You look into the tired eyes of the Captain of the Guard, Aizawa Shota. His scarf was partially bound around his fists as he pulled several of the knight trainees closer to him. “Turn it to gold again and you'll be signaling to every mercenary in the land which room you are in.”

With a sigh you step back and adjust your elbow length gloves to keep your skin from touching the metal bars. “I understand.” 

He mumbles under his breath before turning his attention back to the recruits in front of him. There was around twenty in total, some you recognized from your old travels in the town outside of the castle. But there was one that caught your attention and held on tight.

Tenya Iida. 

The same rush of warmth hits you as you run back into your room, holding the wall as you spiral downstairs. Unbeknownst to you, your golden touch seeped right through the gloves, turning the turret walls and steps pure gold. Only when you were in your room pacing back and forth with cheeks as red as a rose did you see the mess you had made. Nearly everything you came in contact with was gold, even your hands. 

Looking into a mirror, you whisper in horror as gold flecks spread up your neck like an expensive collar. “Why is this happening?”

Always the gentleman, Tenya came to your aid

“Princess?” A knock resonates through the room. “I saw you earlier- I don't mean to intrude but it would be dishonorable of me to leave a girl to cry alone!”

You pull the door open slightly, peering up at him with wet eyelashes and a pink nose. “You saw me cry?”

He halts his prepared speech, his mouth open as he tries to come up with the right words. 

“You.. You looked distressed. So I assumed..”

“You assumed I was going to cry.” You wipe your eyes, a teasing smile on your face. “That’s rather bold of you Sir Iida.”

“I-I-” He bows his head, “I apologize for my bluntness!”

He definitely had potential as a warrior, but you were also focused on something else

You had to admit, as you both grew older, you were more than twitterpated  He was charming and bluntly honest, unlike the suitors you were presented with that would leave you in tears of frustration. Did you need to lower your standards in order to make your family happy? You didn't think so. And beyond that, Tenya was a knight, one who came from a noble family. His pedigree wasn't important to you, but it would definitely help in getting your parents approval.

Observing the trainees from above, you take deep and slow breathes to keep your heart beat steady. With a few months of testing your quirk, you've realized it was emotional based. Rather than golden touch, it was more of a golden aura. It reacted with you. 

But it was difficult to keep your heart at ease when Tenya Iida came into the picture. 

Your heart skips a beat when the sound of his laughter raises to your turret. He was with Midoriya and Ochako, your lady in waiting most definitely there to keep her sights on the green haired knight. How you wished you could join them. Laughing with them. Talking like you had before. 

Tenya looks up at you from his spot below. He didn't have his glasses on, and his hair was slicked back to keep out of his eyes after his long training session with Aizawa. He smiles and waves. “Good evening Princess! How about joining us today? I can assure your safety.”

The tiles underneath you turn a rose gold as your heart stops. 

Could you join him?

Aizawa was the best wingman you could hope for

By some heavenly fortune, the Captain of the Guard saw your struggle and stepped in. Why he did it? He said nothing. Maybe it was because he could smell the desperation rolling of the two of you and grew tired of it.

“Just get down here Princess, I’m going to be here the whole time.” Aizawa motions you down. “If you don't join us he won't focus, and that will cost the head of whoever he spars with.” 

The blood flushes from the face of a blonde knight looking extremely uncomfortable at the prospect of sparring with the young Iida. 

“Ah- Okay, I'll be down soon.” You catch a glimpse of Uraraka giving you a thumbs up, missing the way Tenya watches you with a look of excitement mixed with dread. 

Of course he wanted you to join him and your other friends, but.. He hadn't been as close to you ever since your quirk presented, what if he stumbled or messed up while you were watching? Would you think less of him? Would you kick him off of your guard? Would you be ashamed of being his friend? Or were you no longer friends?!

His engines begin to smoke as he panics, his face blank though his mind was running a mile a minute.

Damn your shyness!

Taking the stairs two at a time, you scramble to your vanity to check your hair and add small touch-ups of makeup before launching yourself out of the room. You barely remember to inform the guards at your door of where you were headed before continuing your journey to the training grounds.

What did you do to deserve such a perfect vantage point to watch them? To have the opportunity to see your knights train? Or rather, to see Tenya, a boy who for the years you've known him, refused to train in front of you. 

And now not only was he inviting you to watch, but even the Captain of the guard agreed to it!

Finally at the front doors of the castle, you brush the tulle layers of your dress and do a once over. Everything was in place, and you had no spots of gold to rat out the thrumming heart in your chest. You looked fine!

Taking the left path to reach the training grounds, you can’t help but pick up the scent of smoke. It was odd, but you knew where the smell was coming from. It had to be Iida. He was the only one with a quirk that gave off the smell of smoking fruit. An odd combination, but you were used to it after all the times he short circuited as a child by bump in trees. 

What was he stressed out about?

Thats what you would ask when you found him, but instead, he found you.

Turns out he was just as shy as you 

Iida had spent a good five minutes pacing in a circle, pressing the fine grass into odd circles. He wasn't ready! He was definitely not ready for you to see him! You were his princess, someone he held in the highest regard, and someone he wanted to protect. Ever since he met you and discovered what kind of person you were, he vowed to become a knight so you could rely on him. You were infinitely precious to him, and so he worked hard every day so he could protect your smile. 

“Aizawa Sensei-” His engines were roaring to life, and he couldn't help but run. Where he was running to? He didn't know. But before his captain could order him back he was already running around the side of the castle to reach the front doors. He assumed you would get to the grounds by the side doors, but life had it out for him as he bumped into you and took a tumble to the ground.

Your golden aura was your second best wingman

When words failed to work, your quirk led the way. It was emotionally activated after all.

Iida’s eyes are as wide as dinner plates as he sees you laying underneath him, excuses were sticking to his tongue, unable to come out as he processed the vulgar situation. 

Which, wasn't as vulgar as he saw it. You were laying on the grass next to him, half underneath him as he used an arm to prop himself up in order to keep from crushing you. 

“Ah-!” He sits up swiftly, bowing until his head was pressed flat against the grassy floor. “My humblest apologies Princess! I didn't mean to hurt you!” 

You slowly sit up, plucking a blade of grass from your hair, seeing it had turned gold under your touch. In fact, gold was already spreading from your body to your clothes and to the earth below.

But this time, you didn't feel embarrassed. 

“Tenya?”

The young knight raises his head to look at you, his face tight with anxiety. 

You reach out your hand and cup his cheek, allowing a golden glow to cover you both. You smile and place a small kiss on the tip of his nose. “Its alright.”

[commander-diomika]

(Click to Read From the Beginning) Part 7 Pairing: Zolf Smith/Oscar Wilde, James Barnes/Howard Carter Word Count: 1600 Rating: Mature Additional Tags: Slow Burn, 18-Month Time Gap (Rusty Quill Gaming), Opposites Attract, Trans Male Character, Barnes and Carter have a mild D/s thing going on but there's nothing explicit in here

Summary: Wilde opened the Campbell. He genuinely tried to read, but like bubbles in a glass, his eyes rose off the page and over the top of the book. He enjoyed this one, truly, but a fictional romance held slightly less fascination for him than the reality of the one relaxing in his sitting room.

It’s been almost a year and they still can’t bear to take their hands off each other, Wilde thought bemusedly.

Barnes lounged on one of the comfy chairs in Wilde’s sitting room, watching the fire, whiskey in one hand. Carter had a pile of knives and complicated-looking tools laid out on the low table, humming softly as he did inventory and repairs. He knelt on the floor practically between Barnes’ uwabaki-clad feet, and as Wilde walked in, Carter reached behind himself almost absently to pat Barnes on the thigh, finishing with an affectionate squeeze before shifting focus back to his work.

The pair of them had just finished up yet another round of quarantine and, post bath and debrief, had seemingly settled in for the evening.

Wilde nodded to Barnes and went to pour himself a drink then settled in opposite the pair with a book. Zolf was away once again, returning to his old network with the Harlequins to see if they had discovered anything on the simulacra since he’d left their employ. He was due back in the next few days, and the fact that Wilde had timed each deployment so that the other men could do the inspections for Zolf… well, it was just good luck, not good management.

Wilde liked sending out Zolf alone about as much as Zolf had liked the reverse. But that was part of the job. They no longer lived in a world with much room for sentimentality. Besides, Wilde was almost accustomed to the underlying hum of anxiety every time one of the team was away. He was adept at neatly packaging up that fear, that preemptive grief, and putting in a quiet corner of his mind to either be unboxed when the worst happened or discarded if it didn’t.

“Thought you’d already read that one,” Barnes said by way of breaking the quiet. This was often how it was after a mission, by unspoken understanding; conversation carved deliberately out of the soft, the easy, questions neatly avoiding the state of the world or the work.

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” Wilde replied. Truth was, between the enforced waiting between missions and the inescapable breakdown of the global market, books he hadn’t read were becoming harder to find.

Barnes gave a non-committal grunt that said he didn’t know the feeling.

Wilde opened the Campbell. He genuinely tried to read, but like bubbles in a glass, his eyes rose off the page and over the top of the book. He enjoyed this one, truly, but a fictional romance held slightly less fascination for him than the reality of the one relaxing in his sitting room.

Barnes reached out with the hand that wasn’t holding the whisky, and without taking his eyes from the fire, gave the back of Carter’s neck a squeeze; strong grip working into the muscle. Carter’s tune transformed into a low hum of pleasure, hands briefly stilling on his tools.

It’s been almost a year and they still can’t bear to take their hands off each other, Wilde thought bemusedly.

This had been the last thing he’d expected when he’d paired them up together. He had honestly been worried they would both crack after the first quarantine, and either quit or demand someone new to work with. At the very least after the umpteenth round of spending a week in a small room together, Wilde thought they’d want a little space. But here they were.

Wilde felt a strange pulse of guilt. If either one of them died whilst out on a mission- he snapped his eyes back to the book. It was a harsh world. As their handler, it could only be viewed as a good thing that they had become, well, devoted to one another. A strategic benefit, he said to himself, wanting ardently to believe it.

Wilde turned a page without having read a word on it.

“Hey sailor,” Carter said softly. He’d finished repairing his thieves’ tools and was pulling out a weapon-care kit. “Grab your sword, I’ll do her first.”

Wilde fought to keep his eyebrows level as Barnes fetched and handed his sword over to Carter. “Use my whetstone; don’t think yours is quite up to the task.” Barnes settled back in his chair, looking like a man without a care in the world.

Wilde swallowed. They really did feel safe here, safe with one another. If only they all could just… stay here. Hope that the war would not come to their doorstep. If only they could be left in peace, if only there was no threat eating away at the world. If there wasn’t a job to do, Wilde felt like he could just stay here; with these two, and the locals, and be happy.

He could put it all down. And Zolf would be there too.

His dreams used to be much bigger than a life of relative safety and obscurity in a tiny Japanese backwater, but the looming decay of a previously ordered world had a way of shifting priorities.

Carter eventually finished his chores, and then successfully watched the fire for three whole quiet minutes before announcing he was going to the kitchen.

“Don’t be a pest,” Barnes said in a well-practised farewell. “When you come back, I’ve got some shirts that need mendin’ too.”

Carter blew air through his teeth. “I’m not your valet, Barnes,” he replied, and Barnes just raised an eyebrow at him. Walking out, Carter muttered something under his breath about buttons that didn’t even get used.

“If you’ve got anythin’ that needs repairing, I’d get Carter to do it to,” Barnes offered, secure that Carter’s departing comments in no way reflected his actual intentions. “He’s a fair hand with a needle.”

Wilde smiled knowingly as he shook his head, and without conscious thought, a question popped out of his mouth.

“How did you two… happen?”

Barnes looked surprised at the question. Not that he felt it inappropriate, Barnes just wasn’t used to Wilde being confused about the obvious. “Well,” he said, brow furrowed as he tried to figure out how to phrase it. “He just needs a firm hand on the rein, y’know. Didn’ take us long to figure out I could be that for ‘im.”

The noise that Carter had made as he came, muffled in said firm hand, was still remarkably fresh in Wilde’s memory. The sound flashed through his mind as if to punctuate Barnes’ comment.

Barnes must have seen the brief rise of heat in Wilde’s cheeks, because his next comment, mildly spoken, was, “You interested in joining us, Wilde?” When Wilde’s only response was a raised brow, Barnes continued. “I don’t mind sharin’.”

Wilde leant back in his chair, considering this surprise twist of in the conversation. It had been quite some time since he’d been openly propositioned, and despite the languid set of his body, he felt his heartbeat speed up and a slight blush heat his cheeks. A younger Wilde, an unshackled Wilde, would have said yes in an instant. He’s fallen into bed with someone, or someones, for less.

Wilde briefly allowed the beast that was his imagination off-leash. He saw himself, besieged with pleasure. Bodies surrounding him, hands and lips on him, stuffed at both ends, absolutely overwhelmed, worshipped, had.

It was a very nice thought.

But it was more complicated now, without his magic. It wasn’t that he felt shy, or that he thought either of his co-conspirators would react poorly to his… unconventional physiology. It was just that sex for the younger version of Wilde didn’t used to be so revealing. It used to be something he could just fold into his performance persona, slide straight from stage to bed without having to play a single open card.

Skies above, Wilde missed those days. He investigated his drink, calm face hiding the stream of images bubbling through his mind. Somewhere amongst the tantalising and lascivious, were the complex and confusing. Barnes and Carter fucking in the cell downstairs, the very same one where Wilde had been pushed to let Zolf in on a secret truth. An expression of conflicted desire on Zolf’s face.

Wilde couldn’t sort those images into a cohesive narrative, so he put them aside with a dark, self-deprecating chuckle. “I thank you, but no. I was merely seeking satisfaction for my curiosity.”

Barnes nodded, unruffled. Wilde had seen the man fight and had heard him fuck. He knew the energy, the potential Barnes contained, and yet in conversation he was such a mild creature. He was a contradiction. It was almost as though he saved up all that vitality, that power, for when it was needed the most. The rest of the time he simply… switched it off.

Wilde pulled his mind back to business with a sigh, “Besides, if we don’t hear from Zolf in about twelve hours, I’m sorry to say you two will be heading out again. It’s a short turnaround, I know. You should spend it together.”

“For sure, I wouldn’t mind a sleep in a proper bed for one.” With that, the two lapsed back into a comfortable silence.

When Carter returned from the kitchen, he had a bottle of sake and a bunch of grapes. He came up behind Barnes, dangling both his prizes into the seated man’s eyeline.

“C’mon, sailor. Let’s get out of Oscar’s hair.”

Barnes smiled slowly, making deliberate eye contact with Wilde. He wasn’t the sort to waggle his eyebrows or leer, but his gaze communicated last chance, offer still stands, as clear as a sunny day.

With a small smile, Wilde waved them off. There was something like envy bubbling in his chest, over the ease which Barnes and Carter shared with each other.

He sighed and picked up his book.

[babyybitchhhwrites]

Mugen x Reader 18+

Title: In the City

Rating:  Explicit/R-18+

Words: 8522

Warnings: cunnilingus, spit swapping, biting, creampie 

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25298812

♥♥♥♥

The rain came suddenly and with the sort of vengeful, punishing force that put an immediate stop to the hustle and bustle of nightlife in the city. It seemed even the floating world of Edo, for as lively and vibrant as it was, could not claim immunity to nature’s unpredictable wrath. 

You’d been lucky enough to secure a relatively dry spot for yourself under the safety of an izakaya’s roof awning. The notion of going inside to warm up with a bottle of sake flitted through your mind, very briefly, but then you remembered that your travel funds had already been greatly depleted on the journey here. You couldn’t afford the extra expense. At least not until you found a job, anyway.

You didn’t anticipate that being much of a problem in the capital though, and your heart gave a little thump when you peered out into the gloomy night. It was odd to see the once crowded streets now completely deserted. Empty, save the quickly flooding potholes in the road. The hazy outline of buildings loomed up out of the shadows all around you, faintly glowing lamps flickering here or there in the distance. You thought it strangely peaceful despite the rain violently hammering down on the earth. 

It was far from quiet though, at least not compared to the small farming village you’d come from. Even the slightest noise sounded like a thunderous clap when everything else was immersed in silence out in the country but here it seemed there was a continuous din coming from every which direction. You could just make out the reverberating notes of a plucked shamisen further down the road. There was a baby crying in one of the adjacent houses, its baleful wails almost poignantly ironic when it bled into the racket coming from the red light district just one street over. A dog was barking somewhere nearby. Behind you, raucous laughter drifted out of the izakaya and brushed your shoulder like a passing stranger stumbling home, only further emphasizing your isolation in a city of thousands.

A shudder raced down your spine and you shivered, feeling strangely alone. You’d expected some amount of homesickness, yes, but it seemed too soon for that just yet. 

There was no helping it when you were standing in the middle of an unfamiliar city full of nameless faces though. Knowing each of them had their own individual lives to lead that had nothing to do with you, a mere outsider, unavoidably made you ache for what you’d left behind. It was like being lost out at sea with no sign of land in sight. Disconcerting, to say the very least. But try as you might, you couldn’t seem to shake the impression of drowning within the expansive Edo landscape and you wordlessly shuffled aside when the door opened up behind you with a soft clack.  

“Man, it’s really coming down.”

You snuck a quick glance at the man who’d stepped out under the awning with you. He turned his head to look at you too. The quiet beat of consideration that passed between two strangers only seemed highlighted by the pounding rain and then you looked away. 

“Guess you don’t have an umbrella then.” He sighed as he moved to lean against the opposite wall. 

“I wouldn’t be standing here if I did.” You said, casually offhand. The disinterested tone of your voice had been purposely constructed so as to discourage further engagement on his part but he either didn’t pick up on it or he didn’t care.

“Well, that makes two of us. Damn. My luck couldn’t get any worse.”

You tried to ignore him, to no avail. He just kept talking, having a one sided conversation with himself no matter how pointedly you stared out at the rain.

“I don’t even have enough to buy another bottle of sake so there’s no point going back inside. I’m not in the mood to get drenched though. Same probably goes for you too, huh, sweetheart?”

Lifting your brows, you turned to regard him with nothing short of scandalized affront. Was this how all men in Edo talked to women? You weren’t convinced of that, particularly when you took a second look at him. His skin gave off the faint impression of copper, ruddy with a cool undertone that seemed to suggest he hailed from the south. There was a slight accent too. Noticeable but hard to place. The realization that he was also an outsider to the decadent world of the capital should have been of some comfort to you, inspiring a sense of solidarity if not camaraderie. Something about him put you on the defensive though and you couldn’t decide if it was the sword strapped to his back or the scruffy, unkempt appearance he was unapologetically touting. Shady. Exactly as you’d been told the people in the city would be.

You narrowed your eyes at him in warning. 

“Scary.” He murmured, clearly more amused than intimidated. “You got a name?”

“That’s none of your business.” 

“I’m Mugen.”

“I didn’t ask.”

Snorting, he dropped his gaze lower and his lopsided grin turned wry. “You a runaway or something? Looks like you got your whole life stuffed in there.”

You turned your attention to the furoshiki sitting at your feet. He wasn’t necessarily wrong in his estimation - you really had shoved as much as you could fit inside and it looked close to bursting - but you didn’t appreciate the insinuation that you were a child simply disobeying their parents. You hadn’t run away so much as you’d snuck out in the middle of the night to avoid a confrontation you knew you’d never win. The farmers in the country were distrustful of the city on principle alone, often citing the gambling houses and pleasure quarters as proof of Edo’s inherent corruption from within. You weren’t about to waste your time trying to explain that to him and risk being labeled a bumpkin though, so you merely offered a delicate sniff in response. 

“Snooty. I like that.”

Your mouth twisted in a scowl. “I am not snooty. You’re just a boorish brute and I’ve got nothing to say to you. That’s all.” 

The stranger who was no longer a stranger in your mind but, rather, a man called Mugen gave an overeffected shrug. “No skin off my nose. How old are you?” 

“What part of ‘I’ve got nothing to say to you’ don’t you understand?” You could feel your face starting to grow hot. 

Laughing in a strikingly boyish manner, he pushed off the wall and stepped closer. The hair on the nape of your neck promptly stood on end and an unseasonable chill raced through your body as he closed the distance on loose, confident strides that spoke volumes about the sort of life he’d led. A predator. That was all you could think to call him and you were apparently the weak, isolated prey animal he’d set his sights on. Something not unlike panic started to claw at your throat but you already knew running would be a futile effort. You were effectively cornered. Trapped. 

Your only option was to stand there, frozen to the spot with your heart pounding a frantic beat against your rib cage. The thought that this is how a hunted rabbit must feel when a half starved fox was closing in for the kill flashed through your mind and then camped there. You were just as helpless as the hare though and, craning your neck back, you met Mugen’s infuriatingly attractive half-mast gaze head on. 

He seemed to like that and hummed in quiet approval. “You’re awfully talkative for someone who claims they’ve got nothing to say. I think we just haven’t found the right topic yet, sweetheart.”

“How arrogant.” It was a real struggle to keep your tone neutral now. “Why do you think I owe you any of my time?” 

Ignoring the question, Mugen reached out and you instinctively flinched. He only grasped your sleeve between lax fingers and listlessly tugged on it though, not at all unlike a child. “This is your nicest kimono, isn’t it?” He asked instead. “It’s well made but old. Even I can see that and you think I give a damn about clothes?” 

He inelegantly snorted and you took that as your cue to jerk out of his hold. “What is your point?” 

Another flippant shrug of his thin shoulders. “Just making an observation. Is that a crime?” You pursed your lips together and he pressed on, satisfied with that. “I bet if I took a look in your bag, the rest of your shit is even more beat up than what you’ve got on now. Not a fancy silk kimono in the bunch.”

“And?” You said archly. “Is that really so condemning?” 

Comfortably slouching, Mugen slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants with a testy sigh. “And it’s obvious you’re not from around here. Not the city, at least. You’re a country girl, aren’t you?” 

The breath caught in your throat. You suddenly couldn’t speak; all of your witty, sharp tongued remarks failing you when you needed them most, but your silence seemed to be answer enough for him. He smirked. 

“Thought so.” Piercing gaze roving down your ramrod stiff body, Mugen regarded the furoshiki at your feet again. “Considering how full you’ve got that bag, it’s not hard to figure out your angle. A sweet little girl from the country who ran away to Edo for something more than a life of farming. I’m right, aren’t I?” 

A tense beat of quiet passed over the spot under the Izakaya awning. 

“I’m not a little girl.” You stammered. It was the only thing you could think to say. 

“Coulda’ fooled me.” 

Hunching his shoulders, Mugen turned on his heel and unhesitatingly stepped out into the late summer downpour. You watched him go, reeling and knocked off course. Buoying in the tumultuous sea of doubts suddenly assaulting your mindscape in a torrential flood that made the rain storm seem a mere drop in the bucket by comparison. He’d come to you like a tsunami, abrupt and without mercy, ravaging your resolve in one fell swoop before receding just as quickly. 

He was a force to be reckoned with, of that you were sure, and he hadn’t even acted in a way that was outwardly aggressive. Mugen simply was what he was. A beast. Perhaps even the most dangerous of them all, because his retreating back sparked a feeling deep inside your gut that could only be described as longing. He was a threat to your person, your entire being. But there was no denying his magnetic pull and you didn’t stop long enough to consider the possible consequences of further engaging him. He hadn't really left you with any other choice. 

You moved to step after him only to trip, stumbling over your bag. 

Swooping down, you hauled the considerable weight of your past life up over your shoulders and stepped out into the rain. It was cold on your flushed skin but a welcome reprieve. Your hair was plastered to your skull in a matter of moments, though you hardly even noticed it as you scampered after him like a naive, hopeful stray.

If asked, you wouldn’t have been able to explain why you did it. You weren’t even entirely sure yourself. Maybe Mugen was simply the closest thing to an acquaintance you could lay claim to here in Edo or, perhaps more likely, he represented a much needed harbor of safety in this floating realm of hedonistic duress. You weren’t sure where to go from here or what to do with your new found freedom. But if he could ground you, even if only for one night, you felt certain you’d be able to face the unfamiliar city in the light of day. That’s what you tried to tell yourself, at least. 

But he didn’t ask. 

*

“Put your stuff wherever.”

Clutching the furoshiki in a death grip, you glanced around at Mugen’s room. It was small, though not exactly cramped. Humble would likely be a good word for it. 

The simple, unadorned inn was surprisingly quaint. It almost reminded you of back home but there was no mistaking the sheer difference in its construction. This was not the simple, economical structure of a farming village but rather the distinct product of an extravagant city that was forever evolving in more and more decadent ways. It only looked modest and unassuming because it had been designed that way. You could see the signs all around you, from the meticulously polished wood to the immaculate state of the tatami mats that were without a fray in sight despite the no doubt heavy foot traffic they were burdened with. It left you feeling decidedly out of place and you awkwardly stood standing by the doorway.

“I don’t want to intrude …”

Mugen scoffed and shot you a flat look over his shoulder. “Little late for that wouldn’t you say?” 

Your cheeks warmed but if he noticed, he paid it no mind. 

Moving further into the room, Mugen pulled the sword strap over his head and somewhat carelessly dropped the weapon onto the floor. His drenched happi came off next, tossed aside without a second thought. The white shirt underneath quickly followed and you squeaked in surprise - not because you were fool enough to have expected anything less staying with a man you’d only just met but because he was skin and bones. Gaunt didn’t even come close to describing it.

You could make out almost every single knob and divot in his spine. The hard lines of his shoulder blades jutted out, stretching the thin layer of skin across his back like brittle rice paper until it seemed as if the bone might rip through it if he wasn’t careful. The grooves of his rib cage were clear as day even from behind and you gulped, swallowing your nerves so forcefully that it left you momentarily lightheaded. You’d never seen someone so skinny before. The apparent fragility of his body was misleading but, even though you would have otherwise assumed him weak and frail, you still recognized that he was actually quite strong. Maybe even stronger than the boys back home who spent their days plowing fields and chopping wood who were twice his size. 

The impression of sharing a space with some mangy, feral dog only grew stronger while you watched him step up to the window facing out over the street and slide it open. You were able to see every muscle in his arm as it flexed with the motion, slight as it was but so densely packed that it appeared to violently bulge under ruddy skin. You quickly realized your initial assumption had been off by some margin. Mugen was all skin and bones and hard muscle, and you were starting to suspect that he was one of the most dangerous men in Edo. 

You abruptly felt some concern about following him here, back to his room at the inn, but then he turned to regard you with an expectant lift of his brows and you relaxed. For the time being, at least, you were safe with him. He was just a mutt looking for some company on a rainy night and he had no reason to harm you. It was fitting, given that you, too, had no place to call your own or anyone to share it with. Birds of a feather and all that.

“Is here fine?” You asked, moving to deposit your overflowing bag in the corner. 

“I don’t give a damn.” 

Mugen lifted his arms over his head in an exaggerated stretch that left his skin pulled so taut it was a miracle it didn’t split open right before your very eyes. The gaps between his ribs made your stomach clench and you quickly looked away, untying the furoshiki with trembling fingers. Everything inside was soaked. Not that it really mattered. His earlier estimation had been absolutely correct and all the clothes you’d brought with you were as good as trash. A glaring sign of your roots up in the mountains, far away from civilization and talented seamstresses. 

Sighing dejectedly, you tied the cloth back up so you wouldn’t have to look at its contents anymore. 

“Something wrong?” 

“Not at all.” Straightening, you turned and walked over to stand next to him in front of the window. It was still pouring outside and the mismatched pitter patter of raindrops on the clay shingle roof provided the room a strangely calming ambiance. It was peaceful here despite the ever present noise of city life. 

Curiously, Mugen peered over at you for a prolonged moment. “Aren’t you cold?” He said at last.

Now it was your turn to shrug. “I don’t have anything dry to change into.”

He clicked his tongue, closing the distance between the two of you in a single step. 

You froze, heart pounding in your ears when his narrow frame brushed up against yours without a hint of pretense or deception. Mugen’s demeanor was honest to a fault as his hands found your hips and settled there, guiding you forward until you were pressed up against him and you could feel the faint warmth of his body bleeding through your wet kimono and into you. A shudder rippled down your back, as anticipatory as it was anxious. You weren’t sure what to do - did he expect submissive compliance or wanton hunger? - and you held your breath when he leaned close to put his mouth next to your ear.

“Neither do I but I know how we can warm each other up.”

You lifted your hands to halfheartedly grasp at his bony wrists. “Isn’t this happening a little fast?”

“Sorry. I don’t like to waste time if I can help it.”

Tilting your head, you warily glanced up at him and whatever he saw in your face made him laugh.

“Don’t look at me like that. We don’t have to if you don’t wanna’. Despite what you think, I’m not actually a brute.” Narrow eyes twinkling with mischief, Mugen used his hold on your hips to steer you around so that your back was facing the open window. “But I can promise you won’t regret it. I’m leagues above those country boys you used to fool around with.” 

“How modest.”

That was all you managed to get out when he abruptly tightened his hold and hefted you up into the air. You yelped, surprised, and he plopped you back down almost immediately. Realizing he’d set you on the window sill, you fixed him with a disgruntled scowl as you huffily attempted to right yourself. The ease with which he’d plucked you off the ground had affected you more than you were willing to let on though, your insides vibrating at the casual display of strength while you struggled to find your orientation again. 

“A warning would have -”

Mugen silenced you with his mouth.

You jolted, fuzzy surprise washing over you at the sensation of coarse lips working against yours. He wasn’t gentle or slow. The exact opposite of every other kiss you’d ever been on the receiving end of. His ministrations were conversely demanding and rough, bordering on sloppy as he forcibly pried your mouth open so he could taste you. 

Gut clenching, you acquiesced with a muted groan. Mugen swallowed the sound and tilted his head so your lips were slotted more firmly together and he could delve the wet, sticky heat of his tongue past your teeth. It brushed yours in a slow, languid lick towards the back of your throat, making you swallow on reflex. He smirked into the kiss and you shuddered. This was as foreign to you as the city. Brash and formidable where you’d only ever experienced tentative, coaxing pecks before. It had you burning up in a matter of moments, your chilled nipples pebbling against the innermost layer of your kimono until you had no choice but to squirm at the heady sensation. 

It was like being lit on fire, you were sure of it, and you gratefully tipped your face towards the ceiling when he leaned back to regard your dazed expression. Smug and confident. Pleased. 

“It’s been a long time since I was last with a girl as honest as you.” He husked, the sly note in his voice not escaping your notice. 

“I am not honest.” You fixed him with a frazzled look of warning. Mugen didn’t seem to buy it though, continuing to hover over you with his hands bracketing your thighs against the window sill, and you irritably huffed. “What would make you say that, anyway?”

“The better question is what wouldn’t.” Reaching up, he grazed the rough pad of his thumb over your bottom lip which parted for him as if on command. “You’re not a virgin, are you, sweetheart?” 

You hesitated, thoroughly caught off guard by that question. “No.” You said at last. It wasn’t a lie. You’d just never been with someone like him before.

The corner of his mouth twitched higher. “Good. I won’t have to hold back then.” 

Mugen dipped his thumb into your mouth before you could draw a breath of protest, effectively silencing you again. Noising a weak complaint around the intrusion, you shot him a plaintive look but he remained as undeterred as ever. The pad of his finger pressed down on your tongue, making it writhe under the pressure in a tantalizing dance that had him drawing a slow breath of excitement. His other hand lifted and cupped your breast through the soaked cotton, giving it an experimental squeeze. Static zapped through you at the indelicate friction and you sat up a little straighter, pushing your chest further into his palm. He was still focused entirely on your mouth though, leaving you with no choice but to seal your lips around the base of the digit and obediently suckle.  

He offered you a quiet sound of approval. It wasn’t hard to figure out what he wanted, but you found it difficult to shake the feeling that your childish trysts with the village boys down by the creek had not properly prepared you for what Mugen had to offer. He was an entirely different breed. His own animal, as dangerous as he was gangly. The little voice in the back of your mind tried to insist that you weren’t ready for this - whatever this was - but your body seemed to have a mind of its own. When he slipped his hand inside the folds of your kimono, you readily arched into the touch. When his fingers found your stiff nipple you writhed and when he unceremoniously tweaked it, you gasped. You’d never felt so desperate from such simple, tactless attention before but you couldn’t deny what it was doing to you even if you’d tried.

Had it been anyone else pinching your nipple hard enough to draw a groaning whine from the back of your throat, you would have smacked them across the face. He was far too rough with you, insensitive and unnecessarily crude in the way he handled your body. You were ashamed to realize just how much you actually liked it though and when your pussy fluttered eagerly at the rough treatment, you subconsciously squirmed again. 

Mugen released a soft moan at the sight of you falling apart right before him, pushing down with his thumb and manually prying your jaw open until he could look straight down your throat. “Shit …” He paused to lick his lips, and you tracked the motion with your eyes. “You ever had a cock in your mouth, sweetheart?”

You jolted, molten heat flooding your guts when the mental image of what that must be like overwhelmed your thoughts. The notion had never crossed your mind before. The boys back home hadn’t been presumptuous enough to ask. You would have called such an act dirty if they had, adamantly refusing to put your mouth on the eager pricks they just as happily rutted into you with. They weren’t deserving of such dutiful submission. But it was different with Mugen. Not only did you want to do it but you could all too easily see yourself taking him as far as you could, right to the limit of your gag reflex, and it was enough to have you subtly grinding on the window sill underneath you. 

The dizzying magnitude of your arousal brought tears to your eyes as you shook your head, numb and quietly keening for him.

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” He murmured, pulling on your lower jaw when you tried to close your mouth. “I don’t think it’s very popular outside of the brothels. Guess you’ve probably never had anyone go down on you either, huh?”

Your eyes widened when you realized what he was suggesting. “Thash dirhi!” 

Lazily smirking, Mugen curled his fingers under your chin and tugged you up straighter with his hold on your mouth. “Hey, don’t knock it til’ you try it. You probably won’t get this chance very often so you should be happy. Stick your tongue out, baby.”

Hesitantly, you obeyed. Your tongue slowly unfurled and tentatively slipped over his thumb even though your instincts were going haywire, screaming in protest to this degrading humiliation. The curious arousal searing your veins was all but palpable though and you watched, mesmerized, as he leaned close to hover over your face. Those thin, coarse lips parted, oozing a bubbling wad of saliva that dripped down towards your outstretched tongue at a tauntingly staggered speed. You whined, realizing too late what he was doing but not having the presence of mind to try and fight it. All you could do was observe its gradual descent and when the cooling spit touched its mark, you shook.

The glistening string that connected the two of you broke apart when he straightened to admire his handiwork, an expression of deep satisfaction flashing across his narrow face. “Now swallow it. Tell me how that tastes.”

His thumb retreated from your mouth, allowing you to do just that. The distinct flavor of his mouth clung to your taste buds as you choked down Mugen’s spit but it was, surprisingly, not half as repulsive as you would have guessed it to be. 

Dazedly, you swayed on top of the window sill and croaked out “It wasn’t terrible …” 

“Putting your mouth on someone's cock isn’t much different. Not dirty at all.” Looking quite smug, Mugen withdrew entirely and sunk down on his knees. You watched him with your heart in your throat, weakly trembling when he palmed your thighs so he could spread them wide. “Pussy, on the other hand, can get a bit messy. If you know what I mean.”

“I d - don’t know what you mean …”

He hummed as if he’d expected as much. Anticipated that response. Your mind was running a mile a minute as you followed the motion of his hand when he reached for the lower half of your kimono, hardly daring to breathe. It was almost impossible to wrap your mind around what was happening and even harder to grasp the fact that you were letting him do whatever he wanted with you. There was some kind of disconnect here. 

But you couldn’t find it in yourself to complain as he parted the cotton and shoved it aside so that it bunched around the obi circling your middle. You were suddenly exposed from the waist down and you shuddered so hard that your eyes seemed to vibrate in their sockets. Mugen was attentively inspecting your bare cunt, his nose a little too close to the curling tuft of hair for your liking, and you instinctively tensed when he reached up to touch you. 

“Calm down.” He huffed. “If you really don’t like it, I’ll stop. I don’t think that’ll be a problem though.”

“But it's so - ah!” 

His fingers found your slit, spreading the puffy little lips open without pause, and you rocked back against the edge of the window. Your face felt like it was on fire as you gaped down at him, the unmistakable sensation of beading sweat on your brow only adding to the damp quality of your skin after walking through the rain. No one had ever looked at you with such plain hunger before - at least not down there, when your core was inches from their face and they could see all of you and smell your cloying arousal in the air.

Whimpering, you twisted on the sill and tried to close your legs. The high strung embarrassment making your pulse pound was too much. You couldn’t stand to have Mugen, this stranger, unobstructedly staring at the core of your body like this but he was positioned in such a way that you couldn’t shut him out. Your knees merely knocked against his arms, the attempt seeming to spur him on rather than dissuade him. 

He grunted and shouldered his way further between your thighs so he could dip his face close. You drew a sharp breath to object but the sound puffed out of you in a frazzled squeal when his tongue darted out to trace the length of your labia from bottom to top. Wolf-like gray eyes roved up the length of your body to fix on your slack face. He looked like something wild and untameable. Something savage, particularly with his open mouth hovering over your cunt. You could just make out the glint of flat, blocky teeth in the sparse light that was stretching from the burning paper lamp off to the side. It made him appear almost inhuman and for the first time since stepping into this room, you felt the tickle of genuine fear at the back of your mind. 

Mugen was going to eat you, both figuratively and literally. God, why did that excite you so much? 

“Please …” You blubbered, not knowing what else to say. 

Dark lashes fluttered as he turned his focus to your defenseless pussy again. “It’s a little too early to start begging for it, sweetheart.” He muttered, chuckling darkly when the puff of hot breath on your exposed clit made you twitch. “I haven’t even started yet and you already look like you’re gonna’ cry.” 

Pausing, he pressed the rough texture of his lips against the gummy meat of your petal soft inner folds and mouthed at you. A strange choking sound erupted from your throat, prompting him to press into you tighter until you could feel the rough scratch of chin stubble teasing your cunt. The room began to swim as you rocked against the window, throwing your head back with a half stifled wail. You caught the sound of him swallowing the taste of you, his jaw opening wide to encompass your tingling clit in hot, wet warmth and then suckling. Spine snapping ramrod stiff, you lurched under him and blindly kicked out, your lips parting on a silent scream. 

The intensity of the sensation was too much. It was difficult just to draw breath when your cunt was lighting up in brilliant, overwhelming sparks of pleasure you’d never so much as fathomed before. You realized, in a far off, dreamy sort of way, that you’d been correct in your earlier estimation. Mugen was nothing at all like the boys from the village who only knew how to fumble and stab at you with their pricks. This was something else altogether. Heady and intoxicating, and your toes curled in delight when he lapped at you with his tongue. Another lick passed over the thrumming pleasure button nestled between your folds and then another. He abruptly pulled off you with a rough suck that made your soul feel like it was slipping out of your body, the accompanying masculine grunt of satisfaction he issued rushing straight to your loins. You could hardly stomach the sheer magnitude of arousal you were all but suffocating under because of him. 

“Mugen …!” You gasped, fumbling to grab hold of him. His fingers, his wrist, the haphazard shock of hair atop of his head. It didn’t matter. You just needed to feel him under your hands. 

“I knew you’d like it.” He rasped, self-satisfied and confident as he grinned up at you from his spot between your legs. “Aren’t you glad you trusted me?”

You managed to snag a fistful of his brown hair and you arched, presenting your slick cunt to him. “Trusting you might have been the worst mistake of my life.” You hissed. “Please don’t stop …”

Softly groaning when you tugged on the strands between your fingers to encourage him back into action, Mugen shot a smolderingly fierce look up the length of your body. “Awfully demanding for someone who didn’t even want me to do this, aren’t you?”

“I'm sorry.” It sounded like a plaintive sob. 

Noising a pleased hum, he relented at last and lowered his mouth to your cunt again. The fingers on your labia spread, pulling you further open for him, and you seethed when he tauntingly flicked at your clit with just the tip of his tongue. Thighs twitching, you pulled on his hair again but he refused to budge. He seemed content just to roll the meaty little nub back and forth, side to side, occasionally crisscross to keep you on alert. Never too much pressure though, nothing too direct and satisfying enough to send you over the edge. It was maddening and you keened, not caring who might hear when you were half hanging out the window. The only thing you could focus on was how all the sensation in your body seemed to have funneled down into a fine, pulsating pinprick of static electricity and he was relentlessly toying with that vibrating cluster of nerves like he was getting paid to do it. You’d never felt such dizzying desperation in all your life.

“Mugen! Please! Stop teasing me! I can’t ta - aaake it!”

He was watching you writhe from under the hooded fall of his lashes, sallow cheeks hollowing out when he deigned to suck at you again. You almost came up off the sill, that’s how hard you arched when the tension in your loins doubled and then tripled. Delirious, you jutted your pelvis up and humped his mouth in a lewd display of carnal distress that would surely embarrass you later when you remembered this moment. But for the time being at least, all sense of dignity had been thrown to the wayside. Thoroughly useless to you when he was making you feel so good. You just wanted release and you wanted it now. But, much to your groaning disappointment, he pulled back when it became apparent that you were getting close, leaving you to sob brokenly at the loss of his tongue. 

“I’ve got one rule.” He intoned, his voice thick and guttural. “I’ll go down on you as much as you want but you’ll always cum on my cock. No exceptions.” 

Feeling hysterical, you sat up straight and fixed him with a wild eyed look. “Then do it!” 

Mugen snorted. “Bossy now that you’ve got a taste of it, huh?”

You wanted to reach out and choke the life right out of him. You suspected he’d probably like that though, hesitating when you saw him reach for his pants. A new wave of anxiety washed over you, uncertain and nervous. He was so different than any other man you’d ever known that you couldn’t help wondering if this would be very different too. You’d only seen a handful in your short life, after all, but the breath still caught in your throat when he shoved the baggy material down his legs and his cock sprung up into the air. Ruddy, like the rest of him, but a shade or two darker. The mess of curly dark hair at the base looked more fluffy than coarse and you suddenly realized that the hair on his head was the same way. It had felt like an impossibly thick mass of silk between your fingers and you wondered if the strands crowning his dick were just as smooth to the touch.

Your mouth started to water and you swallowed hard, wondering if he’d let you return the favor later. He probably would.

“C’mere, sweetheart.” 

Starting, you jerked your attention up from his crotch. Mugen was already reaching out to grab you around the waist and when he pulled, you let him drag you down onto the floor with him. You trembled with jittery anticipation as he sat back on his haunches and guided you into his lap. Hands finding his bony, narrow shoulders, you squirmed over top of him while he took a moment to glide his finger through the mess he’d made between your legs. Each brief, fleeting touch to your throbbing clit made you jump but he was apparently serious about wanting you to cum with his prick wedged inside you. He was purposely avoiding the sensitive pearl, focusing most of his attention on your slick entrance. You sincerely hoped you’d be able to find release like this.

“You’re soaked.” He laughed, the humor in his voice anything but innocent. 

“Because of you.” You snipped back halfheartedly.

“That’s right. Because of me.” Drawing a slow inhale, Mugen used his hand on your hip to push you down while the other guided himself to your dripping hole. “And don’t you ever forget that.”

A gasp caught in your throat when you felt the glans touch your sticky labia and you jolted, rising up on your knees a fraction of an inch. He merely squeezed your doughy soft flesh all the harder, forcing you down until the tip of him was pressing into you. Forcibly spreading the meaty lips apart in daunting slow motion. Breaching your body at such a staggered pace that you had no choice but to comprehend every individual blinding wave of pleasure that washed over you, one right after another. 

You keened, digging your nails into Mugen’s flesh as you gradually sunk down onto his hard length. Reflexive tears sprung up in your eyes while you reveled in the sensation of being stretched out around him, seemingly right to the absolute limit. It was overwhelming and somehow not enough at the same time. You could hardly think straight anymore, your once frantic mind now grinding to a complete standstill. Every ridge, every vein, the slight curve of him. You felt it all. Such acute hyper awareness was foreign to you but you basked in it, groaning deep in your chest when you finally settled on top of his thighs a small eternity later. 

The stuffed full sear of penetration was exquisite. 

“Gods, you’re tight.” 

Grunting, Mugen wrapped his long arms around you and shoved his face into your neck. You inhaled a sharp, faltering breath as you curled your arms around his shoulders. With a weak, experimental bounce, you rocked into him. He groaned, squeezing you so tightly that there were sure to be blooming purple splotches in the shape of his fingers come morning. You didn’t care though. The promise of absolution spurred you on and you repeated the motion, dazedly moaning when his cock exerted a delightful amount of pressure on your upper wall. 

“Little minx.” He all but growled, taking a playful nip at your pulse. 

Mugen leaned forward then, using his iron like hold around your middle to keep you seated on his lap so he could lazily thrust up into you. The tension in your guts increased and you wailed. His pubic hair tickled your clit, sending tingling shockwaves spider webbing all throughout your cunt and making you clench down around him. That seemed to punch the air out of his lungs and he wheezed. The slight but powerful muscles in his arms trembled slightly with the effort of holding himself back as he flexed up into you, working your contracting passage loose with a steady patience you hadn’t exactly expected from him. 

It was driving you mad, the exact opposite of what you’d wanted. Seething through your teeth, you clutched at him all the harder as you struggled to get one of your legs out from underneath you. A triumphant spark lit up inside your chest when you managed to brace your foot on the tatami, the angle all wrong and sure to leave you sore the next few days, but you didn’t care. All you could bring yourself to care about was chasing that promise of release with him and you used your newfound leverage to bounce in time with his thrusts. The steady clap of skin on skin gradually rose in the air, blending almost seamlessly into the ever present patter of pouring rain. You could just make out the sticky wet squelch coming from between your thighs every time your pussy sucked him in deep on every downward thrust and that, too, would likely embarrass you later. 

In the heat of the moment it was one of the hottest sounds you’d ever heard though and you gasped in delight as you clawed at his back. The worryingly pronounced ridges of his spine that had alarmed you not all that long ago now only added to the appeal of his lithe frame driving into you, over and over again with increasingly powerful thrusts. It didn’t take long at all for his tempo to pick up as your squeezing walls relaxed around him, driving into you hard enough to knock the air right out of your lungs. 

You couldn’t seem to catch your breath any longer, the heaving grunts and groans bursting out of your mouth only making it all the harder to pull in oxygen. He was panting too, though not as labored despite the physical exertion he was putting his body through. It was in many ways astounding that someone who looked so horribly malnourished could keep up this kind of effort for so long and his stamina was far greater than you’d been prepared for. All of your previous encounters with the opposite sex had ended within minutes after starting but this was much more intense. Prolonged and drawn out. Mugen showed no signs of stopping any time soon and your leg quickly grew tired in this awkward position, aching almost as badly as your pussy. 

With a frustrated wail, you went limp in his arms and let him ragdoll you for an extended beat. You caught the sound of him chuckling breathlessly against your neck but you were no match for him. That much had been obvious right from the start though, and you didn’t care. The driving force of his smoothly gliding thrusts was satisfying enough now that he’d picked up the pace and you chose to focus on that instead. Cumming like this did not seem like such an impossibility any more.

“Muh - Mugen …! You feel so - oooh good!”

“Yeah? You like that, baby?” 

You jerkily nodded and buried your hand in his hair, gripping tight at the scalp. A faltering groan rose up out of him, rewarding for your trouble, and you choked when he changed the angle of his thrusts. He seemed to be hitting deeper and reaching further into your body than before. The head of his cock tickled your cervix and you jerked on top of him when the jolts of pleasure made starbursts erupt across your rapidly blurring vision. It lit every nerve ending in your body on fire, swallowing you in a rush of carnal bliss. 

Mouth hanging wide open, you flung your head back. Mugen tightened his arms around you, threatening to suffocate you right on the spot if you weren’t careful, and tipped forward on his knees. Your back hit the wall just under the window sill with a solid thump, causing you to cry out with renewed desperation. His unruly hair was sticking to his face as he bent over your trembling body and slammed into your squelching cunt at the perfect angle to attack the dense, thrumming cluster of nerves just on the other side of your inner wall. Your trembling leg flew up into the air and curled around his narrow waist, squeezing him as tight as the tired muscle would allow. You were so close you could practically taste it on your tongue and he seemed to recognize the distant, doped out look pinching your expression for exactly what it was.

“You gonna’ cum for me, baby?” He said, struggling to get the words out.

Your response bordered on hysterical and the words came out so scrambled that even you had no idea what you were trying to say anymore. 

Mugen didn’t seem to mind though and, baring his teeth in a leering smirk, he shoved you further up against the wall until your neck started to scream in protest. “Yeah, I got you all figured out now. That sweet spot is mine. This pussy is mine.” Ducking his head, he latched his mouth onto the swell of your breast where the kimono had slid open and bit down. Hard.

You shrieked, the pain meshing so suddenly with the pleasure that you forgot how to breathe for a split second. Your cunt spasmed and squeezed, but he remained undeterred as he continued to fuck into you while he animalistically marked you as his. Every muscle in your body instantly locked up in dizzying tension and, with a strangled groan, the coil snapped. 

Coming up off your breast with a triumphant groan, Mugen watched you spasm and writhe throughout your hard won orgasm. It was intense - easily the most intense sensation you’d ever experienced - and you felt like something wild as you shook on his cock. You couldn’t see. Couldn’t hear. Only feel, and it threatened to bowl you right over the longer it wracked your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. His thrusts never faltered though, continuing to drive into your creamy cunt until you were sure you couldn’t stand much more. Sensitized and raw, you were like freshly wrought clay in his arms while he chased his own release, looking like some heaving, half starved beast above you. 

“Fuck, you feel so good!” He practically snarled. “Keep squeezing me like that! I’m getting close!” 

A high pitched, overstimulated whine clawed its way up your throat as you clung to him all the more fervently. Mugen’s hard, bony shoulders started to tremble under your palms, the only outward sign that he was telling the truth, and your helpless bleating quickly took on a more dire tinge when his hips began slamming into you even harder. Faster. His pace was quickly losing its rhythmic push and pull, becoming increasingly more frantic with each passing second. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head from the sheer force of his thrusts, an unseemly dribble of saliva creeping from the corner of your mouth. You couldn’t have been less concerned about it though. All of your limited brain power was focused on one thing and one thing only. 

Mugen was going to cum inside of you. 

“Shit,” He sounded winded. Like he’d been sucker punched. “Did you just get even tighter?”

You wordlessly groaned, unable to form a coherent sentence even if you’d wanted to. 

The coarse sound of pleasure that rumbled inside his chest had your pussy lighting up all over again and you subconsciously clamped down around him. Mugen lurched over top of you, slamming into your aching pussy with all his might once, twice and then a third time. A full bodied shudder rippled down the length of his spine, you could feel the power behind it as the roiling wave systematically worked its way down to his groin. Hips stuttering, he let loose a seething howl that made your toes curl in response and then you felt the hot, sticky mess of seed flooding your cervix in the next heartbeat. You gasped when it kept coming, one spurt after another, all of it settling in heavy clumps against your palpitating inner walls. 

Stunned, you didn’t dare move while he tried to catch his breath. The thick, viscous discharge seemed to bubble inside of you, quickly adjusting to your body’s temperature as if to blend in, but it was still painfully noticeable. You’d have to remember to buy some contraceptive herbs first thing in the morning. 

Hissing, Mugen slowly detached you from his cock and lowered you down onto the floor just a brief moment later. His arms were shaking, apparently tired in the aftermath. “Damn.”

You shifted so that your neck wasn’t all bent up, keenly aware of the sloppy mess oozing out of your well fucked hole without him there to stopper it. This wasn’t the time to complain about that just yet though and instead you settled on “You curse a lot.” 

He grunted a humorless laugh and looked up at you from under the fringe of hair that had fallen over his brow. “You gonna’ wash my mouth out or something?”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Scoffing, Mugen reached out to grab the meat of your arm. You tensed, the inexplicable thought that he was going to kick you out of his room now that he’d gotten what he wanted flitting through your mind. A tinge of disappointment sparked to life in your chest, unbidden, but he merely pulled you against him and flopped down onto the floor. The resulting thump seemed to rattle the walls, though neither of you paid it any mind. You were far more concerned with figuring out what he was doing, eying the man suspiciously, whereas he appeared intent on catching a nap. His eyes were closed and the labored canter of his breath slowly evened out while you watched him, studying the subtle signs of relaxation on his face. He was quite handsome when you looked at him like this. 

It was too good to last though and his brows furrowed after a quiet beat. “Are you planning to watch me or sleep?”

You cocked a brow at that. “The beds over there.”

Clicking his tongue, Mugen rolled over and half sprawled himself out on top of you. His topmost leg thrown over yours, arm stretching across your middle, yours and his clothes still all askew. You couldn’t help thinking it was the most unfriendly bear hug you’d ever received. A mangy stray right down to the letter, it seemed. 

“The floor will do just as fine. Trust me.” He yawned. “I’ve slept on much worse.”

“But the bed -” You futilely tried to reason.

“Sleep now. I’ll fuck you nice and slow in the morning. Promise. Just be quiet.”

You huffed. “At least let me take off my kimono then. It’s soaked!”

Mugen lifted his head and cracked an eye open so he could peer over the length of your body, the interest in his half asleep face undeniable. “Alright, deal.”

[alfredosauce50]

What makes me human [Cyberpunk! America x reader 10]

Wordcount: 5,809 Rating: T for strong language and mild violence “Can’t you see that none of this is real? You’re living in the past, dumbass! It’s all a dream! If you don’t wake up soon, you’ll regret it!” Chapter synopsis: Half-dead, Allen falls into a strange realm of existence. It's nothing he's seen before, but it feels awfully familiar. He soon learns he's stuck in the past, and it's all in his head. He'll do whatever it takes to wake up and save Alfred from his demise he once played a part in. The reader is referred to as she/her.

Songs to listen to while you read (in order as found in playlist): 2049, Ghost in the shell - Original mix, Something about us, Cloudy day, L, The voice in my head. I have indented song titles throughout the chapter so you can change accordingly. Starting now:

2049, Ghost in the Shell - Original mix

“His condition is stable. He’s in a coma, but he’s gonna be fine.”

“A coma? For how long?”

Where were the voices coming from? Was there one person or two people speaking? He couldn’t tell. But his interest quickly changed to another subject.

Am I dead?  

With whatever brain activity he had left, that question was the only thing he heard repeating in his head like a broken record. 

He couldn’t see anything, let alone feel anything as he drifted into an abyss of nothingness. In fact, it was so empty, he couldn’t even say it was darkness he was engulfed in. Just nothingness. Was this what people experienced before walking over to the other side? Or was he going to be stuck here forever? Allen couldn’t tell. Not when there was no concept of time in this strange realm of existence, anyway. 

His eyes shot open. It took a few moments for his vision to adjust, but he came to realize he was sitting in his car. Huh. Was that all a dream? Whatever it was, it had escaped his mind so seamlessly, he couldn’t remember anything. Leaning forward to peer out the window, he was greeted with an onslaught of neon lights. Neon signs, holograms, and posters surrounded him from all angles and heights. At least that told him he wasn’t far from home. Turning to the front, he attached his hands to the wheel. Now, to get back. 

If he drove around for a few minutes, he’d surely pinpoint his location relative to Arthur’s auto shop. Revving up the engine, he heard it purr to life. As a small grin stretched over his lips, he pulled out of the cul-de-sac to move to the main street. “I missed you too.” He murmured, never letting his gaze stray from the road. Eventually, he made it to a familiar intersection. Before he could pass through it, he stopped and found himself staring at what looked like a police chase coming to an end. 

A helicopter hovered over a car stopped in the center. Over the fierce thumping of its blades, he heard a grungy voice barking out orders through a loudspeaker. He couldn’t make out what it was, but it didn’t look like they were followed. Not when the occupants in the vehicle were immediately shot upon stepping out–collapsing to the ground after a rain of machine gunfire blew them apart. 

“Jesus Christ…” He mumbled under a frown. “Poor bastards.” 

After they all dropped like flies, the helicopter took off in another direction. And just like that, they were gone. 

The police in Twilight city were ruthless as always. Quick to action, and yet, just as dismissive. But it wasn’t his business. So long as he played his cards right, he wouldn’t have to deal with them. Making a right turn, he breathed out a sigh as he made a detour. He never liked using alleyways. There was no saying if he’d run into a couple of weirdos in places like these. Speaking of weirdos, there was a couple of men huddling around a corner.  It piqued his curiosity to see them so interested in whatever it was they surrounded. Or more accurately put, who they surrounded. A girl. Slowing to a stop behind a tall bundle of crates, he leaned over to the right to get a better look. She was shaking in her boots, and her lips were trembling as she struggled to respond to the questions thrown at her. And how old was she anyway? 10? 11?

“That doesn’t look good.” Allen narrowed his eyes.

He climbed out of his car.  

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket, he approached the group slowly. But when one of the men took a hold of her shoulder, adrenaline surged through his veins and he burst into a sprint. When he got close enough, he grabbed said man’s shoulder before throwing his fist back. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” Punching him square in the face, he sent him hurtling towards the ground. 

Immediately, his cronies responded by pouncing on the newcomer for giving one of their buddies a black eye. After a few minutes of violent tousling, he managed to beat them all into submission. 

Leaving them groaning and wincing in the dirt, he gave his hand a rough shake. Phew. He hadn’t had a good fight in ages. Giving his bottom lip a light tap to find a small blotch of red on his fingertip. And he won against three people too,  escaping with only a busted lip. Before he could gloat about it, he glanced around to find the girl. Where did she go? 

Assuming she ran away, he shrugged and moved back to his car. If she wasn’t here, then he wouldn’t be obliged to help her any more than that. But upon nearing his vehicle, he spotted a small pair of feet poking out from the back. Then, they proceeded to shuffle back to become completely concealed. Breathing out a chuckle at that, he rested his hands on his hips. 

“I can see you.” 

No response. 

“You can come out now.” Making his way around the trunk, the child buried her face into her knees upon realizing she had been discovered. A light frown downturned his features at the sight of her shaking like a leaf. “Man, am I that scary?” He murmured, lowering himself to his knees. “Hey, kid. I’m not gonna hurt ya. I was just passing by. I promise I won’t do anything.” 

She kept her face hidden, but her trembling seemed to calm. 

“Well, if you’re not gonna say anything, I’ll be on my way. Just make sure to move out of the way so I don’t run you over.” Standing up on his feet, he turned his back to her. Before his fingers could do so little as graze over the car handles, a faint voice piped up. 

“Wait!” 

Allen grinned and spun on his heel. “Yes?”

She stood up slowly, but kept her head low to avoid his gaze. Without removing her hands from her pants, which she was clenching at, she opened her mouth again. “Could you maybe… Tell me where the train station is? I got kinda lost.” The way she spoke was soft, breathless even, and more so than Allen’s who just beat up a bunch of no-good-doers. 

“The train station?” The redhead questioned. Not that he didn’t know where it was. In fact, it was only a few blocks down, but he had to think twice about sending a ten-year-old off to wander the streets around here. The same streets a police shootout just took place, and the same streets where she was approached by a couple of hooligans. “How about I drop you off? I’m not in a hurry. I dunno if you wanna walk around by yourself after what happened.” 

He said it before, and he’d say it again. This city was an absolute shithole. 

“R-really? But I’m not sure…” The enthusiasm faded as quickly as she lit up. “I don’t know you.” 

“And I don’t know you either.” Allen hummed. “So you’re just as dangerous to me as I am to you. Sound fair?” 

The girl furrowed her brows. 

“That doesn’t make sense. You’re way older than me.”

“Oh yeah? I’m only eighteen though. Lemme guess, ten? Twelve?”

“Thirteen.” She answered, relaxing just a touch at the sound of his age. At first glance, one would have assumed he was in his early twenties, but she was relieved to know she was wrong. “Are you still in high school?”

The man blinked. Was she warming up already? “Nope. I finished nearly a year ago. But that doesn’t mean I sit around all day with nothing to do.” He opened the car door to the driver’s seat. “You’re lucky I was out and about to get your ass out of trouble. So what do you say we keep it that way?” 

The ride there didn’t take long, much to Allen’s surprise. By the time his GPS revealed that they had arrived, he had slowed down near the curb in front of one of the tallest skyscrapers in Twilight city. Sliding the window down, he poked his head out to give his surroundings a gander. The blinding lights of the liveliest commercial center forced him to squint, but he could still tell this was the city center. And that only meant the residential lots were a little further down. 

“You sure this is the right address? There’s nothing but malls and stuff around here.” He shouted over the bustle of people crossing the streets and pounding of music. 

“No, this it the right place. I live right there in that building!” Climbing over to the side, she pointed at Matsumoto Optics. 

Exchanging glances with the said building, then the girl, he gave his head a light shake. “What do you mean, you live right there? Nobody–” He paused, feeling dread settle in his stomach. “Wait a sec. What was your name again, kid?”

“(F/N) Matsumoto. My dad actually owns the whole plaza.” 

He paled. 

“Holy shit.”

Why did it feel like a gun was pointing at him?

Because there was one. 

Whipping his head to the window next to him, he found himself staring straight down the barrel of a gun. While his heart broke out into a pounding frenzy, he came to notice that his whole car was surrounded by men in suits. Bringing out every kind of shootable weapon that existed, his blood ran cold at the sound of more than twenty firearms cocking at once. From every angle there was, he was aimed at by something. “Fuck.” 

“Put your hands where I can see them!” One of the men demanded.

Allen threw his arms up. “Alright, alright!”

Glass shattered. A hand shot through the broken window and hit him in the back of the neck, hard. “Gh-!” It knocked him out immediately. Then, his unconscious body was dragged out of the car with next to no grace.

So much for following orders. 

When he finally came to, all he knew was the throbbing pain in his neck, and the rope burns around his arms and wrists. Since they were tightly bound together, he could only blink away the fuzz in his vision. This day had to be the longest yet. All he remembered was waking up in his car completely disoriented, then saving a middle-schooler from a bunch of creeps. Where was this place? An office of some sort? How did he wind up here again? All he could do was speculate as he continued to kneel on the carpeted ground. 

“My daughter told me you saved her from a group of ruffians.” A low voice began, forcing him to look up. My daughter? Did that mean he was Matsumoto? The Takahiro Matsumoto? The most powerful person on the planet? The person whose name he heard every minute of the day from slogans? His suspicions were confirmed when he found himself gawking at a beast of a man, who stood a little over six feet with a long gray beard. 

Wait a minute, this guy was old? And this… Built? “If she hadn’t, you wouldn’t have woken up.” 

Allen tensed. 

“… Right. Well, I’m sorry for whatever I did. I didn’t know she was… A Matsumoto.” He breathed. “If I did, I would’ve let her ride the train herself. Didn’t think putting her in my car warranted a death sentence.” 

“But you are alive, boy. And she is too, thanks to you.” The older man graciously responded, giving his head a firm pat. Then, he lowered his gaze to meet the other’s eyes. “I see an unwavering sense of justice from you. There were three men you had to fend off to keep her safe, and you only managed to let them hit you once.”

“…”

“You have talent.” 

“… Thanks.”

“If you haven’t noticed already, I want to recruit you.” 

The redhead had to do a double-take. Were his ears playing tricks on him, or did he actually say– 

“You wanna… Hire me?” 

Matsumoto nodded. “Like I just said. You have the skills to be a bodyguard, and we are in urgent need of one.” An ominous light glinted in his dark eyes as he opened his mouth again. “Did you ever wonder why there was a job opening?”

Allen gave a nervous laugh. On second thoughts, maybe laying low in Arthur’s auto shop was the better option. “Thanks, but no thanks. I was just lucky today, and I’m not a pro. I think you’re better off hiring somebody else–” 

The other hardened his stare at him. “We have an elaborate training program to prepare you for your duties. I see no reason for you to reject.” With a swift flick of his wrist, he beckoned over a few men who had been standing on the sidelines. “These gentlemen weren’t half as good as you when they began. Now, they are the best any secret service has to offer. Their combat skills are impeccable, and their instincts refined to perfection.” 

When he sensed he had fallen right into a trap, he wasn’t wrong. 

“I wouldn’t imagine it to be hard for them to locate anybody residing in this city. Even your friend, Arthur, the British mechanic.” 

Seeing that Allen was now at loss for words, he smiled. 

“I believe it would be in your best interest to work for me, Jekyll.”

That same day he was recruited, his induction took place. And boy, was it a lot. By the time they had finished, night had fallen. Fortunately, he could treat himself to a hot dinner in the dining court before retiring to his room. He couldn’t say being given his own condo was unexpected, but when he stepped inside to become completely immersed in luxury, he was faced with a rude awakening. Up here where the air stretched thin over the blinking lights of Twilight city, he was reminded how out of place he was.

All his life, he was at the bottom. He grew up a street rat before he was taken in by a kind mechanic. And he taught him everything he knew. Never did he imagine he would ever be this high up in the clouds, working in a high-ranking position under a man comparable to God. And the longer he lingered on this reality, thrusted to him without his say, the hotter his eyes felt. There was no saying if he could go home again.

And that meant he wouldn’t be seeing Arthur anytime soon.

The next morning, he woke up the groggiest he’d ever felt in his life. Squinting at the window that happened to take up his whole wall, he was graced with a hot orange sunrise. It cast a pinkish haze over everything in his sight like a filter, but he was far too exhausted to appreciate the scenery. He checked his phone. 6:23 AM. Twenty missed calls and twelve text messages. Crap. He’d call him later. He needed to figure himself out first.

Giving his face a cold splash of water, he rubbed his eyes clean. Lifting his head to the mirror, he found himself staring at his reflection, which of course, stared right back. Did he always look this young? He snorted. What was he thinking? Of course he did. He was only eighteen, after all. Sliding himself in a dress shirt and pants, he finished off the look by throwing on a black blazer. Then, he gave his appearance a hard stare. “… Nope. This looks stupid.” Leaving the bathroom in a white tank and bomber jacket, he ventured out into empty morning halls to find the elevator.

Once he made it to the third floor, he began his journey to the training dojo. The walls were a beige white, the floors a polished wood, and there were shoji screens everywhere. He was washed over with a strange sense of déjà vu. But considering this was his first time here, that couldn’t be the right phrase. Jamais vu was more like it. He was here with the impression he’d never been before, but he somehow knew that was a lie.

And it was a gut feeling so strong, it was kind of eerie.

He couldn’t understand why he was feeling this way. And not being the thinking type, he chose to brush it off. He had enough to worry about already, so the last thing he wanted was to overthink a foreign environment. Maybe some exercise could clear his head— and that was exactly what he’d be doing today. His rigorous training program.

Entering a spacious room, he stepped inside to feel his shoes sink into soft tatami mats.

“Don’t even think about taking another step in here with those shoes on, Jekyll.”

A very rigorous training program.

***

Something about us, L

It had only been a few days since arriving here at Arthur’s, but you were slowly regaining your strength. With every new morning, you awakened with more energy than the last. Perhaps the small light of hope of seeing Allen do the same was what urged you to become an early riser. But like yesterday, and the day before, that hope was shattered at the sight of him unconscious in bed. He didn’t even move an inch.

Nearing his side, you lowered yourself to your knees and reached out to his cheek. Talking to him while he slept had become routine to you. You’d tell him about your day, everything you did, and all your conversations you ever had. If not, you’d reminisce the past so he wouldn’t feel left out. He never interrupted, and let you run off on tangents until you were sick of talking. “I really hope you wake up soon, Allen. I feel like… I’m talking to myself here.” Your voice was soft with a heart-wrenching kind of sadness, but you refused to linger on it.

After all, how could you expect him to wake so soon? You knew how strong he was, but it would be selfish to want something impossible. So you forced yourself to leave the room, figuring you would feel better if you focused on something else. Little did you know, someone had been lurking in the halls during your visit.

Alfred had his back pressed up to the wall outside while you dropped by, and he heard everything. And not even from just this morning. Everything you ever told Allen, he listened in on too. 

He knew better than to infringe on your privacy, and hear things that were better off left unheard. But he kept finding himself hiding outside in the hall, doing it again and again—even Arthur had caught wind of it. 

He heard footsteps clunking against the metal floor, but he never bothered to turn to it. Usually, Arthur would’ve kept on walking. But not today he didn’t. “If you like her so much, you should just tell her.” He’d murmur. 

Alfred whipped his head to him with his eyes widened ever so slightly. But he visibly eased seeing it was just him. And rather than denying his claims, he tore his gaze away. “I can’t.” His brows were furrowed for creases to form between them. Arthur was almost taken aback, having never seen him so frustrated. 

“Why not?” The Brit responded, resting his back against the wall beside the man. “It’s painful seeing you loiter out here all day. I’d say I felt sorry for you, but you’ve been eavesdropping on her for a while.” At the sound of that, the other’s cheeks flushed red. So his guess was right on the mark, after all. “She’s coming out right now. Might wanna make a run for it while you still can.” 

“Guys?” Another voice joined, forcing the two men to spin around. 

The mechanic bit back a snort. “Too late. I’ll be in the garage.” He whispered. Shooting you a brief smile, he turned on his heels to leave. “You two have fun now. I have lots of work to do today.” With that said, he disappeared to do exactly that, but not without a few chuckles under his breath. For the many years he knew the guy, he never found anything he wasn’t good at. There was nothing he couldn’t do. Looking over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of Alfred with a hand on his neck, laughing nervously. 

That perfect track record was finally ending, it seemed. 

At least he wouldn’t have to watch him fumble around with his feelings for long. You and Alfred were planning to leave in a few days to God knows where, to do God knows what. Frankly speaking, he didn’t know what you were doing, hanging around such a shady guy like him. That was right. You two arrived with your bodyguard Allen, who was half-dead then, and barely clinging to life now. What the hell happened? Wouldn’t your father be concerned?

Maybe he’d ask Allen himself, if he’d awaken anytime soon, that was. For now, he’d stay on the sidelines and help Alfred repair his missing Mantis blades as he’d requested. He was restless without them, frequently interrupting his work with, “Are you done yet?” until he finished for the day. Arthur narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue, shutting the garage door behind him. Whatever you two had planned, he couldn’t imagine it to be legal. 

***

Cloudy day

A few months had gone by, and he was finally getting settled in his new workplace. But there was no saying when he’d ever be forgiven for it. Not that he could even explain himself. What was he even supposed to say? I saved a girl from a bunch of creeps and put her in my car to take her home but she wasn’t just any girl and turned out to be the daughter of Matsumoto himself and now I’m being threatened to work for them because they know where you live. That surely wouldn’t fly. Especially when he went through all that just to be a glorified babysitter. 

He just knew Arthur was buried up to the neck with work, now that he was alone. Breathing out a sigh at the thought, he rolled his head to the said girl sitting by a cherry wood coffee table, whose nose was buried in a book. 

“You ever get bored reading stuff all day?” He began, stretching his arms across the backrest of the couch. 

She shrugged. “Sometimes. But I have to study, otherwise I’ll fall behind.” 

Allen nodded, stretching his lips into a flat line. “Fair enough. Well, I did just graduate high school, so if you need any help with… Math or whatever, just let me know.” Surely, seventh-grade level wouldn’t be too difficult for him.

“Mm… Thanks, but I don’t think you can help me with what I’m doing. This is like… College level stuff.” You gave him a sheepish smile, to where he gawked at you in response. 

“Wow, you a genius or something?” 

“I don’t think I am.” 

“You’re just being humble, kid. It’s fine to be proud of yourself, ya know. ‘Specially now, cuz it gets kinda annoying when adults do it.” Allen grinned, hopping up from his spot to give her hair a ruffle. She could only hang her head to hide the embarrassed pout on her lips. Fortunately, their height difference let her do so. 

“Thanks, I guess…” It was only when he pulled his hand away did she look up again. In her line of vision was a chest of drawers, and she reached out to point towards it. “Also, could you mind checking if my USB’s in there? I think I left it in one of the drawers yesterday.” 

The redhead spun around. “Sure, no prob.” 

Pulling out one of the compartments, he rummaged around random bits and bobs until he caught sight of said USB. Besides the connecter, the storage disk was fairly long and flat. This thing could’ve stored hundreds of terabytes of data if it could. That translated to hundreds of computers’ worth of information. Picking it up, he held it in his fingers to give it a brief study. Before he called over to you with his lips separated ajar, he found himself entranced by it. 

But what was so interesting about something as common as a storage disk? For some reason, the small object in his hand resonated with him. It was… So familiar. As if he’d seen something like this before. Or perhaps, it reminded him of something he forgot about. Problem was, he didn’t know what. And it was a gut feeling so strong, he couldn’t seem to shake it off. 

The voice in my head

That night, he was called to his superior’s office for a security briefing. Appearing through the tall double door, he walked in with his hands in his pockets. Situated deep in the room, and just by the window overlooking the blinking lights of the city, was his desk, and the man Matsumoto himself. His chair spun around to reveal a bearded man well into his seventies with a light scowl on his face. “I expect you to wear the uniform suitable for these occasions, Jekyll.” 

Allen blinked before rubbing his neck. “Right, sorry. Forgot.” In all honesty, he considered showing up in a black tie and all, but it wasn’t the most comfortable fit in the world. “So, what’dya call me in for?”

The other clasped his hands together and gave him a firm stare. “Even in my company, you have moments of… Stepping out of line. Breaches of discipline.” He gestured to his attire, letting it do the speaking. “I may overlook some inconsistencies in exchange for your services, but there is one rule you must not break under any circumstances.” 

Silence fell in the room so you could hear a pin drop. It gave Allen some room to think–to guess what his superior was going to warn him about. A secret basement that locked up human guinea pigs he wasn’t supposed to stumble into, perhaps? But that was ridiculous. So he stayed quiet, prepared to listen intently to the man. Surely, his guess was far from reality. 

“There is a… Basement a few floors beneath the lobby.” 

Allen froze. He’d heard this before. 

Otherwise, how else could he guess that he’d say this? 

“I keep my most prized possessions in there. Personal vehicles and upgrades. Nothing goes in and out undetected. So don’t even think about stepping inside.” He couldn’t believe a word he said, as calm and convincing his tone was. 

Allen had an idea why. 

He sensed something was off the minute he came here. It was all so obvious–the familiarity of the dojo halls, the USB, and even his face in the mirror. He’d seen it all before. Previously, he’d brushed it all off. But he couldn’t deny it any longer now that he had this conversation, a conversation he already had. So if his intuition was right, that meant he could guess what was actually in the basement. And there were no fancy sports cars to speak of. 

He gritted his teeth as his tanned complexion began to pale. Then, his stomach began to churn. 

“… Are you unwell?” 

He lifted his head and shook it. “Nah. Just lost in thought.” 

“You may lose yourself in the emptiness in your head as much as you desire, but not in my presence. If you don’t have any questions, you are dismissed.” 

“Yessir.” 

Turning on the spot to leave, a deep frown downturned his features now that he wasn’t facing him anymore. Something was terribly wrong. And he was about to confirm it. A couple of hours later when the whole building fell quiet, he snuck down to the basement floor through the elevator. And while he ran through the pitch-black halls to the door in the end, he couldn’t get this thought out of his mind. He’d definitely done this before, too. 

Swinging the door open, he was greeted with a familiar stench of death. But he didn’t have time to gag. Running to the two pods, he never bothered turning on his night vision. He trusted his body and his muscle memories to guide the way. And it was the right call, because he found himself standing by the pods in no time. Lifting up one of the hatches to find a mummified corpse, he stared with an unreadable expression. 

He wasn’t even surprised. And that was really telling, considering he would’ve vomited at the sight. But this only solidified his suspicions. This wasn’t new.

Nothing was. 

Turning to the other pod, he fiddled around the latches for a minute or so before giving in. This one couldn’t be opened, not without proper authorization. Okay, this was new. He didn’t remember this pod being locked. So he jabbed his fingers into a couple of buttons, unable to resist his curiosity. He couldn’t leave any stones unturned. Thankfully, his rapid button smashing eventually did do something to reveal what was inside. 

The glass that was previously fogged up cleared. 

Inside lay a man. A blonde. His skin was flawless in save for the outlines of removable plates. He was a cybernetically enhanced individual, but not one he wasn’t already acquainted with. 

“We put him to sleep for fifty years…” 

“By the time he gained his consciousness, we turned him into a killing machine.”

 “Even to this day, he remains my greatest creation.“

Fragments of his memory began to play in his head. All until he could remember the name of the sleeping figure. It was Alfred. And he had yet to wake up to go on a killing rampage, or in other words, the first time they’d ever meet.

Allen eventually retreated back to his condo. The first thing he did was go to the bathroom and splash cold water to his face. If he wanted to figure out what the hell was going on, he needed to clear his convoluted mind first. Either he was a psychic or stuck in another reality. But he wasn’t bright enough to be a psychic. And interdimensional travel wasn’t invented. Yet. So what could it be?

While he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his wet fingers, his train of thought was interrupted by a voice. And it sounded just like his, but deeper. 

Glancing up to the source, he found himself staring at his own reflection in his mirror. But he came to realize it wasn’t him–rather, it was an older version of him. They had the same face, eye color, and hair, but the person who glared back at him had sharper features, and a more defined jawline. Unbeknownst to him, it was the subconscious of his present self.

“What the hell are you doing?” He hissed.

Slamming his hands against the mirror, the loud bang caused Allen to jump. “Can’t you see that none of this is real? You’re living in the past, dumbass! It’s all a dream! If you don’t wake up soon, you’ll regret it!” 

Allen dug his hands through his hair, and before he could even question him, panic overwhelmed his system. Not that he needed to, because everything he was just told made perfect sense. “W-Wake up? But… But how?”

“What do you think genius? You have to die!” The other screamed. “If you don’t wake up soon, Alfred and (F/N) are gonna get away with the chip! You can’t let him put it in his head! The Soulkiller will destroy him!” 

Fuck. 

He felt himself tense up in all reality as more memories flowed back to him. That was right. He was in a coma after being stabbed by a katana. He remembered how desperate he was as he fought to stay awake, all so he could warn Alfred he was falling into a trap. But he failed, and wound up in another realm of reality. His dreams. And if he didn’t wake up soon, there was going to be hell to pay. 

Shoving his hand into his jacket, he pulled out a gun. 

Then, he exchanged wary glances with his subconscious, who nodded at him. 

He cocked it. “If you’re wrong… And I die in real life…” It wasn’t like he had anything to threaten him with, though. “Let’s hope I don’t.” Sliding the gun into his mouth, he screwed his eyes shut. Then, he pulled the trigger.

Shooting up with a loud gasp, he finally awakened from the longest trauma-induced sleep he’d ever had. Almost immediately, he heard somebody else let out a scream of genuine fear. “Ah–!” By the foot of the bed he was laying in was Arthur, and he’d fallen right out of his chair. “Jesus fucking Christ! If I’d known you’d wake up like that, I would’ve sat further away!”

Standing back onto his feet, he was never fast enough to stop Allen from sliding himself off the bed. “Hey– watch it! You can’t move right away!” 

“How did I get here?” 

Arthur stepped back as his friend loomed over him. “Well–I’m not sure how you fell into a coma, but it was Alfred and (F/N) who brought you in.” 

Thank god.  “And where are they now?”

The other shrugged with a look of defeat. “I don’t know, honestly. All I know is they’re doing something dangerous. Alfred wouldn’t leave before I helped him install a new set of mantis blades.” 

“Fuck!” He hissed, feeling his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. Bile was even rising in his throat as he reflected on the possibility that Alfred was already dead. “I was too late. I was too fucking late.” Shaking his head as heat accumulated behind his eyes, he paused for a moment, letting hot tears of frustration run down his face. Then, he gripped Arthur’s shoulders when he was hit with an epiphany. With the slim chance they only left recently, he still had time. 

“How long have they been gone for?”

The blonde pondered for a moment, but the concern in his eyes never faded. “Only a week, give or take. Why? What’s wrong?” 

Before Allen could breathe out a sigh of relief, he was gripped with a panic-inducing sense of urgency. “That means I can still save him!” If he remembered correctly, the Soulkiller virus needed at least two weeks before the damage became permanent. So if he could somehow find you both in seven days, he could save Alfred. “No questions. I’ll explain in the car! We have to find them as soon as possible!” 

He would’ve been dead if it weren’t for him. 

So in return for saving his life, he’d do anything to save his too. 

[ma-gic-gay]

Death had always been a finite concept. For both of them, presumably, but especially for Carly. Death was something she had to deal with far too regularly for her tastes (comes with the territory when you have a habit of marrying mobsters), despite her hatred of it.

Shootings, she could handle. And did, shockingly well. Despite the fact she couldn't handle being in a stable situation for more than a day, she was great in a crisis.

Of course, the fact she had Jason there was helpful. She felt unsafe, she called him and it was like she had her own personal body guard. It was, in a very strange way, nice to know he wouldn't hesitate to kill for her and has done it repeatedly in the past.

The deaths of the people who tried to kill her (or him, especially him- she prayed those bastards got the worst treatment they could) were the only ones she could handle.

It's a bit ironic she got killed from a shooting, three hours and twenty three minutes after Jason died, in a weird way. She always said she'd kill for him (realistically she knew he'd lose his shit if she ever did that because he's overprotective and hasn't taught her how to use a gun), and that's exactly what she did. He got shot right in front of her, she grabbed his gun while he was yelling at her not to and shot the person.

Slight problem though, she too got shot. Whoopsie daisies.

Getting shot fucking hurt. She was in and out of consciousness when she was at the hospital and no one would tell her about Jason's condition. They were married, for fuck's sakes, why the fuck wasn't anyone telling her how her husband was doing?!

Eventually, someone (probably Monica, she can't remember) told her he was dead. They got to him too late, they said, he'd been doa and their best efforts hadn't revived him.

After hearing that, she couldn't live with herself. He got shot because Vince was trying to shoot her and off he went to be her hero and make everything okay and he got killed. One phone call and he was at the Metro Court, hanging out with her and keeping watch when he noticed Vince in the parking lot and went out there to confront him. Vince pointed a gun at Carly and, of course, since Jason's a self sacrificing person, he died.

Which meant she was directly responsible for his death and that rocked her to her very core. She'd failed him. After twenty five years, she failed him. Even he'd have to admit this one. There was no spin on this (and she'd heard some strange ones over the years) for how she'd be able to live with herself after she failed him. It wasn't like she'd done something stupid, no, she got him killed. Carly knew he'd do something, especially since Vince was a dick, and she told him. Did he deserve to know? Yes. But only after she'd reassured his overprotective streak she'd be fine and he didn't have to kill anyone else for her.

According to something she'd heard from the doctors, in whatever fucking limbo this was, Carly had died of a heart attack. Likely brought on by stress. Bullets were fine but hearing of Jason's death killed her.

Yup, makes sense. Well, she'll be able to apologize for all of eternity once she gets to wherever she's going. Even after he forgives her (which, she's being honest, will happen as soon as they see each other), she's going to apologize and apologize.

Ooh, she gets to see Sonny and Morgan too! Her son and husband and best friend for all of eternity. What could be better?

There's something that vaguely looks like an angel and she notices it drags her up. Huh, guess she's going to heaven. Makes sense, Carly's a fairly good person. She's not a terrible one.

Except when she gets there she only finds Morgan and Courtney (Courtney, oh how she missed her), no Jason anywhere. Where the hell was he? Avoiding a party, probably. She has got to get him to go out more, especially now that nothing can probably happen. What are the rules of death?

"Where's Jason?" Carly asks after greeting the pair. They stare blankly until she asks again, "Where is he? He's here, right? I was told he's dead!"

Courtney's the first one to be stunned out of her shock. "Carly, he, um, didn't make the cut."

"For what? Give me that list, I'm adding his name at the very top. Where the fuck is he?" She exclaims. He's here, he's got to be here.

"You're aware of his job, right?" Is she aware of his job, of course she is!

"Yes, Courtney, it's why we got married. Where the hell is he? Or Sonny, or Mike!"

"Mike's taking a nap and Sonny's not dead." What?! "Or, if he is, he didn't make the cut either." Didn't make the cut for what? Carly will scheme, steal, seduce, lie and cheat go get those two up here with her, where the fuck are they?

"Because of Jason's job and the amount of people he killed, he didn't make the cut to heaven. He's in hell." Is it possible to die twice? She might just do that. He's in hell, which is a place for bad people! Her hero is in hell.

She's gonna kill someone. "I'm not perfect! None of us are perfect, I killed someone! Why the hell aren't we down there? He died defending me!"

"Shocking," Morgan says dryly. "Jason killed people for a living. He was a mobster."

"And I'm an accessory to all of that! I lead the mob for a week or two!" Carly exclaims. "He's a good person, we know that."

"We're not in charge of the decisions, Carly," Courtney attempts to comfort her best friend. It's a nice attempt. "That's for people with a lot more clout than us. If it was up to either of us, I promise he'd be here but you'll never see him again."

Never see him again? Oh hell no. "Is there any way to get sent down to hell with him?" This is impulsive and reckless and Jason wouldn't encourage it but she's got less care. She needs to see her best friend again, goddammit."Some paperwork I can file, some people's husband's I can seduce?"

"Someone can submit you for reevaluation."

"Great! Is Emily here?" Emily hates her, she'll surely want to help!

"Somewhere, yeah. Why?"

"Emily hates me. Can't blame her. Anyways, look, I want to help her write my reevaluation. I've ruined a lot of lives."

"Which Jason has always helped you feel better about."

"That's because he's my best friend, Morgan."

The next few weeks are spent making sure every single one of her transgressions is on the list and resubmitting her,,, whatever the hell it's called, Emily never gave details.

So it's really not a surprise when she's dragged down to hell by some gross creature, waving goodbye to her son and Courtney and sister in law (that's a weird thing to think about).

And when she gets there, it's just like a darker version of heaven. It's the same fucking place (away from the fire), just more her color palette. Weird.

"Excuse me, where's Jason Morgan?" She asks the creature who dragged her down here. "I was informed he'd be down here."

A shrug is all she gets in response. Well then, she's able to roll with the punches and searches up and down for him, eventually finding him in a room without decorations or anything but basic necessities.

She's got some decorating on her hands.

Carly walks right through the half opened door (he really didn't lock it? Weirdo) and gets the response of, "Get out."

"Don't expect me to start knocking just because we're dead," she quips, a smile on her face. Knocking is overrated. He looks normal and as he registers what's going on, he gets all squinty.

Once he actually realizes it's her, she's already half attacked him in a hug that he reciprocates. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Little bit of bargaining, Emily's assistance and voila! You'd be amazed at how many bad things I've done. Everyone sends their love, of course. Are there any stores down here? This room is so boring," she changes the subject.

"No, I mean why are you dead? You're supposed to be alive."

"I died three hours and twenty three minutes after you. Heart attack. Monica told me about you dying. No one else would." That was a very bad time when he was dead and she wasn't.

"Does this mean-"

"No, you are not responsible for my death. If anything, I'm responsible for yours. I'm sorry, more than you'll ever know," Carly tells him, eyes welling up with tears.

"You're not responsible. I got shot. It happens." Way too nonchalant for death.

"Because you were defending me, like always. Seriously, take a nice vacation off of that and start using your survival instincts. I don't have Emily to help me this time if I need to transfer afterlives."

"I was defending the business."

"Bullshit. I told you Vince threatened me and you already planned to kill him. You saw your opportunity and instead of shooting him, you got shot and died. This is my fault, 100%, and I will not let you make me feel better about this. You could've patched things up with Britt, hung out with a bunch of people but no, you had to die protecting me. Take a week off of being my hero, please."

"I'm not going to do that. The last time I thought about it, you took over the business."

"Well I can't just ask you to forgive me, so take a day off."

"You'll get kidnapped. And I don't hold you responsible because it was my choice to defend you and my choice to want to kill Vince."

"You're overprotective and it's nice but not when it kills you."

"You spent twenty five years running off every woman in my life because you were convinced they'd hurt me, you hated a ton of people because they did something to me and you almost committed several felonies. And I'm overprotective," he rolls his eyes.

"Not the point, first off and second, you've killed and kidnapped for me. In a very fucked up way, it's sweet. And you totally ran off the men in my life!"

"How did I do that?"

"By being the only person I can depend on. I don't know, look, they've all- except for Sonny, most of the time- hated you because you intimidated them. So you did the same thing, just not on purpose."

"Then it's not the same thing."

"How did we get so off topic? I'm sorry for being the reason you're dead. Do you forgive me?" Strange sentences.

"You're not why I'm dead, I made that choice-"

"You chose to die?"

"I meant the choice to jump in front of you."

"Which was instinctual, you've always protected me."

"Might have to do that even more down here. There's some real creeps."

"I really don't think they'll care that much. But okay."

"Vince is here."

"No revenge."

"He killed you and I'm just supposed to sit here and ignore that he did that?!"

"Maybe we can talk this all out."

"Carly, what part of this aren't you understanding? He killed you. I hurt him, that's how this works, so he knows better than to mess with you."

"Or we could go shop for decor. I'll pick out nice stuff, come on let's go!"

"I'm not going shopping. I'm planning revenge."

"It'll be safer if you're there with me."

"I hate it when you're right."

"Love you too."

"Love you."

The end fuckers :)

oh it's beautiful. thank you for this

[jawritter]

Promised

Chapter 8

**Series Warnings!! ** ABO dynamics! Smut, unprotected smut, knotting, claiming, mating, heat, rut, language, overly protective Jensen, age gap! 19-year-old reader, 41-year-old Jensen, virgin reader, loss of virginity, sort of an arranged marriage, hint at possible mob type settings.

Story Description:

In a world where your presentation can be a blessing or a curse, a newly presented Omega will come face to face with the harsh reality of Alphas, Omegas, and pack alliances that are expected to be upheld with the union of your two families…

A/N: Pt.8!!! Please don’t copy my stuff! Feedback is welcomed! If you want to be added to the series tag list, or just my tag list in general let me know! Cross-posted on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy it!! This is my first ABO series so be nice lmao!

Word Count: 1863

Pairing: Jensen x Reader, OCF Uncle David x Read, OCF Uncle David x Jensen, Jensen x Siser, Jensen x other unnamed/mentioned FC.

Missed it so far? Catch up!!

**********MASTERLIST***********

Nervous was NOT an adequate word to describe what you were right now. Terrified was more appropriate. You felt like your heart was literally going to beat out of your chest, you had a knot in your stomach that made you feel like you wanted to vomit. You were shaking as you tried to apply your makeup standing in the Dallas hotel room that Jensen had rented so that you both could get ready for the ceremony. It also helped in prolonging your arrival time to get to the Ackles Estate.

Jensen wasn't in much better shape. You took Jared's private jet from Austin to Dallas so that you could fly home directly from the ceremony tonight. Jensen was in pre-rut. He had to knot you twice once you got to the hotel room before you could even get up and get ready for tonight. His anxiety was high. You could feel it. He was being way overprotective and couldn't turn it off.

After showering, you stood on one side of the mirror putting the finishing touches on your makeup, and Jensen was leaning against the counter watching your every move like some imminent danger was going to come through the door at any moment and try and hurt you if he got too far away for too long. 

The box that he hated more than you thought hating something was even possible, containing your matting collar, sat on the counter between the two of you waiting for your Alpha to put it on you like it was his right to.

When you zipped the bag and put it away, you turned to look at your Alpha. The lines were showing around his eyes a little more tonight than you ever saw them. His shoulders were stiff, and he looked every bit of on edge as you felt.

Taking your finger you slide the box toward him, and his green eyes drift down to look at it before running his fingers over the outside of the box.

You knew he hated this. You knew that he wanted nothing more than to run back to the plane, get on it, and never look back; but alas you knew, just like he knew, this appearance was mandatory, and if you didn't show your faces the 'civil war' as he called it would break out with vengeance.

Yes, this ceremony was about the transfer of responsibility from Jensen to Josh, but it was also so the families could see that you were indeed mated and that Jensen had claimed you, and there was no denying it.

Opening the box without a word, Jensen pulled out the collar and turned your back to him so that he could slip it around your neck. You felt him hesitate before he finally slipped it around your neck, closing the clasp as you dropped your hair, as you turned to face him again.

"I hate this, Y/N. I hate this thing, I hate this ceremony, I hate these stupid packs, I hate everything about this," Jensen said, his voice deep and low as he pulled you close to him as possible.

"One night Alpha, just a few hours, and then we're flying home. It will be over before we know it, just go through the motions. Keep the peace for the last time. Then for us, it's all over. We can go home."

Jensen took a deep breath like he was trying to pull you scent into his very soul.

"I'll keep you safe tonight Omega, you don't have anything to worry about. If your father tries anything stupid I'm going to rip his throat out with my teeth." 

You could feel the growl building in his chest before the sound made its way to his lips.

"Promised?" you asked him, fear settled deep in you as you heard Jensen's phone buzz in his pocket, letting you know that Clif was there to give you a ride to the Ackles Estate.

"Promised," he said, crashing your lips to his in a bruising kiss. Stealing your breath away from you, and making your heart momentarily still in your chest. You never seemed to get used to the way he could make you weak with just a kiss.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later you found yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of Alpha men, all you assumed were part of the Ackles pack and their Omegas. All adorned collars that were very similar to yours.

At the small podium that almost looked like a preacher's pulpit, Mr. Ackles had given a speech explaining the change in headship of your father's pack, who you had yet to see; but you assumed that he was around there somewhere, angry and avoiding you, and the change in his pack as well.

Everyone seemed to expect the information with grace. The other Alpha's at the table kept the conversation lite as the dinner was served, brought out on plates, and sat in front of everyone while they ate.

Josh and his Omega, the new airs to the Ackles Estate, sat at the same table as Jensen and yourself. His Omega seemed nice, they seemed to be genuinely happy together, they were true mates though, and you were starting to think that made all the difference in the world. Josh was a lot like Jensen in a lot of ways, quiet, mild-mannered for an Alpha. He treated his Omega with a lot of respect compared to some of the other Alphas, who you could tell were highly mistreating their Omega's; but what could you do? It wasn't your place to say anything. Your mate forfeited his position in the pack as a pack leader. So you no longer had a say.

So you did the only thing you could, sat quietly next to your Alpha, waiting for the chance to get the hell away from this place, and these packs, and their strange rules, and oppressive lifestyles.

Jensen never took his hand off of you in one way or another. He either had a death grip on your hand, or he had his hand on your thigh. Either way, he never was not touching you. Possession reeking off of him in waves. His scent letting every Alpha around him know not to get to close to his mate. Which you didn't mind at all. It honestly made you feel better knowing that they all kept their distance.

Just when dinner was winding down, things were starting to wrap up. Alan had come to chat and left. Wishing you and Jensen well, Josh and his Omega had a line of people running at them, everyone wanting to get their name in good with the someday to be Alpha in charge.

You heard someone calling your name. Turning around like someone might attack you, you looked and saw your Uncle David standing there, a few feet away. His eyes locked on you.

Jensen saw him, his shoulders stiffened, a growl low in his throat.

"Jensen? Is it okay if I at least tell my niece goodbye before I go?" he approached with his head down, and his hands raised like Jensen had a loaded gun on him or something. Jensen nodded tightly, but never let go of your hand. Your Uncle came up to you, wrapping you up in a hug the best that he could.

"You know I was worried about you kiddo, but you look good, you really do."

"Thanks," was all you could manage to get out. Your nerves all the sudden on high alert again.

"Where's my father?" you asked, your voice low, afraid of what the answer might be.

"Opped not to come. I think he's still ashamed that he was demoted, but honestly, I'm glad you got out kiddo. You got a good man here, he's going to take good care of you. You deserve better than the life these packs have to offer, and he can give you that. Don't worry about your dad. He will survive."

You nod your head and hug your Uncle one more time. Relaxing a little when you found out that your dad wasn't at the ceremony tonight. You felt a little safer. Jensen seemed to relax some too.

"You know this is virtually over. Let's go home. I think we can slip out now without being seen, or questioned too much."

You nodded your head in agreement, giving your Alpha a peck on the lips as you leaned in.

"That sounds good to me. Let me just run to the little girl's room before we take off, and we can head to the airport. I'm ready to get out of here too."

Jensen nodded his head tightly. He knew he couldn't follow you into the bathroom without people talking, but he also knew that he didn't like you leaving his sight.

"Okay, but hurry please," he whispered as a man you didn't know came up and got his attention, asking him about some project that Jensen was rumored to be working on while you made your way down the busy hallway toward the women's room.

You thought you saw one of your dad's old bodyguards hanging out by the door, but assumed that he was here with your uncles and you brushed it off.

Walking into the bathroom you stood at the sink and started to check your makeup, Freshen up before you were stuck on a plane for an hour, you knew your Alpha would be ready for you again when the plane landed, just since arriving at the ceremony his sent was even stronger, and you knew he'd be in full blow rut before long.

You thought you heard the bathroom door open. Before you could turn to see who it was entering the bathroom there was a sharp sting in the back of your neck, right at your hairline. You felt the room spin around you. The edges of your vision are getting darker. The last thing you remember seeing as you hit the cold bathroom floor was a pair of nice black ack dress shoes and slacks that did not belong to your Alpha, then it all went black...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jensen's POV:

Where is she? What the hell is taking so long? She should have been out of the bathroom by now? What's taking her so long?

A high pitched whine fell from the back of his throat as he waited at the end of the hallway for his Omega to emerge from the bathroom. Some idiot fanboy wanted to talk about shit that was just rumor, and now he didn't know where you were. He was about ready to pull his hair out. Frustration from his rut, plus the panic that was starting to settle in was more than he could handle.

He saw an Omega emerge from the women's room. One that he knew. Thank God. Reaching out he grabbed his sister by the arm. Stopping her in her tracks.

"Hey! Was y/n still in there? I can't find her!"

Mackenzie stopped in her tracks. Looking at her brother like he was crazy.

"No Jay. I was the only one in there."  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tag List:

@deanwanddamons @imabitch4jensen @rvgrsbrns @bi-danvers0

Series Tag List:

@spnfamily-j2 

@stoneyggirl 

@onethirstyunicorn

@bloo-moon-freak

@musiclovinchic93​

@perpetualabsurdity​

@theoneandonlymelol​

@xhannahbananax03​

@xcastielbabyangelface​

@leahnicole1219​

[mediaevalmusereads]

Brazen and the Beast. By Sarah MacLean. New York: Avon, 2019.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Part of a Series? Yes, Bareknuckle Bastards #2

Summary: When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly... until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun. When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure... on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires... for a price. Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power... and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything... including their hearts

***Full review under the cut.***

Content Warnings: explicit sexual content, blood, violence, references to child abuse, threat of bodily harm

Overview: I enjoyed the first book of this series, Wicked and the Wallflower, so I decided to keep going and see what else MacLean had in store for the Bareknuckle Bastards. Overall, I don’t think MacLean did anything wrong in Brazen and the Beast; the characters were fine, and the plot was ok. Romance readers will probably enjoy this story. But personally, I didn’t find it quite as emotionally fulfilling as Wicked, primarily because I thought MacLean repeated too many plot points and didn’t use her themes quite as well. Thus, this book only gets 3 stars from me.

Writing: MacLean’s prose isn’t wildly different from her previous book. It’s fairly simple, easy to get through, and communicates her points without weighing the reader down with a bunch of figurative speech. MacLean also has some nice statements concerning feminism and the type of choices that are taken away from women, which is always appreciated.

Unlike Wicked, however, I don’t think MacLean used her themes quite as well. Felicity had her lockpicking quirk that turned out to be both a metaphor for her personal desires and integral to the final phase of the plot, and the story of Janus turned out to be a nice commentary on Devil’s arc; however, Hattie’s head for business or her story about the sirens in The Odyssey aren’t integrated nearly as well, nor is Beast’s compulsive need to carry two watches. Whereas both Felicity and Devil had to help one another find value in themselves, it didn’t feel like Hattie’s and Beast’s arcs paralleled one another, even though one could argue that Hattie’s struggle to be seen as an equal is a counter-arc to Beast’s struggle to let her make decisions for herself (rather than positioning himself as her protector and thus the one with the power or authority in the relationship). It could have worked - the kernels were definitely there - but I think there just wasn’t enough surrounding material to tie the two together quite as well.

Plot: Most of my frustration with this book is the fact that the plot (aside from the romance) doesn’t seem to be sustained or given much shape from beginning to end. Whereas Wicked had a central conflict between the brothers with Felicity as a pawn, Brazen had different issues that seemed to pop up and get squashed at seemingly random points. We start with Hattie finding Beast in her carriage while she’s on her way to a brothel (which I found awkward - more on that below). From there, we learn that Hattie’s brother was involved in a slight against the Bareknuckle Bastards, stealing from them to avoid revealing that he had lost an entire shipment and needed to make up for the lost income. Hattie, who has always been better at running her family’s shipping business than her brother, has to balance keeping her brother safe and keeping the business afloat.

I think I would have enjoyed this plot if the tension between business and family/revenge had been more sustained. The business aspects only seem to be a real issue for maybe 1/3 of the book. Beast doesn’t really have any problem finding out that Hattie’s brother is responsible for robbing him and tying him up and Hattie negotiates a deal with him in a page or two. I did appreciate the way Hattie used her business acumen to temper Beast’s desire for vengeance, but I ultimately wished there had been more of a rivalry between them. I kind of wished Hattie and her family were also smugglers, and maybe her desire to succeed leads to a kind of turf war between her and Beast, with her success cutting into his profits. But alas, what we got instead was a vengeance plot that fizzled out the second Hattie offered to pay Beast back with interest, which gave rise to the “real” conflict, which was Marwick’s threat to harm Hattie if Beast didn’t give her up.

After Beast falls for Hattie, his bastard brother, the Duke of Marwick (who we meet in Wicked) shows up seemingly out of thin air. He’s supposed to be gone at this point, so when he turns up, it’s quite abrupt. Once Marwick sees that Beast has found someone to love, we basically get a rehashing of the plot as Wicked. This is where my rating went from around 4 stars to a solid 3. While I don’t think readers will be too disappointed if they haven’t read Wicked, readers who read the whole series might be a bit bored. I was tired at this point of Marwick being the constant boogeyman in the background, and I wish he had taken a backseat for this installation in the series.

My last complaint about the plot is personal preference, so take the following with a grain of salt. I mentioned earlier that Hattie finds Beast in her carriage while she is on her way to a bordello. It’s the bordello owned by the Bastards’ sister, the one which services female clients rather than male ones. While I have nothing against sex work, I found the recurring elements that came out of this plot point a bit awkward. Hattie resolves to go to the bordello to rid herself of her virginity, thinking that if she’s well and truly “ruined,” her father will stop trying to make her marry and instead be forced to consider other options (like giving her control of the family business). While Hattie does make it to the bordello, she doesn’t rid herself of her virginity because Beast catches up with her (Hattie tosses him out of her carriage before heading to the brothel). They make a deal that Beast will ruin Hattie in exchange for Hattie giving up her brother/returning what he stole from the Bastards. However, they never actually have sex at the time because Hattie’s ride home arrives, and she can’t stay longer. From there, the “deal” is used primarily as a way to create sexual tension between the two, sometimes a little angst and insecurity (as Hattie thinks Beast isn’t really attracted to her, he just wants to keep his end of the bargain). Personally, I found this scene strange, and while I understood Hattie’s motivations, I would have much preferred a scene where she was interacting with her father’s employees or something that showed her passion for the business. Instead of going to the bordello, maybe Hattie could have been on her way to check on something in a warehouse or on the docks. Then, the business rivalry could have kicked off on a more solid foundation, and we could have gotten a more immediate look at Hattie’s core desires.

Characters: Hattie, our heroine, is fairly likeable in that she knows her worth as a businesswoman. I really enjoyed her speeches about being good at what she does, her frustrations at not being taken seriously because of her gender, and the ruthlessness with which she pursues her goals. The main thing I didn’t like about her, however, was her insecurity over her looks. Hattie is about as insecure as Felicity, believing herself to be an old spinster without an ounce of physical beauty. While it made sense for Felicity to be so focused on looks (as she was a “wallflower” and was actively pursuing marriage), I felt like Hattie’s insecurity was just a repeat of Wicked. I would have preferred if Hattie wasn’t interested in looks, but maybe her insecurity came from self-doubt about her business abilities. That way, when Beast assures her that she is brilliant and smart and clever, Hattie’s arc could have either been about valuing herself as a competent businesswoman or about something external, like the glass ceiling.

Beast, our hero, is somewhat less of an edge lord than his brother, Devil, but is still self-hating enough where it felt like we were repeating things from Wicked. He constantly says he’s not deserving of Hattie because of his background, which is ok to an extent, but I think I would have liked to see something different from Devil’s main hang-up. For example, if Beast had been rather proud of the way he built a smuggling empire, even though his determination was born out of a desire to overcompensate for the ways in which he failed his siblings and his mother as a child - something just to differentiate him a little more. The fact that he doesn’t share a mother with Devil helped, but when much of his trauma comes from events which we explored in Wicked, it didn’t quite feel fresh or new. Admittedly, I did like that his central character flaw is his obsessive need to protect others; it took something that would normally be considered a good trait and twisted it into something problematic. But even so, I think this flaw could have been explored over the whole course of the book, like if we had gotten scenes of him being overprotective of his men or of his siblings to the point where Hattie’s presence forces him to reckon with his flaws (not just his protectiveness of her, but everyone, if that makes sense).

Side characters were mostly fine, serving much of the same purpose as in the previous book. I liked that Hattie had a female friend, Nora, who has a sharp tongue and enriches Hattie’s life, rather than being a shell of a character. I liked that Nora was explicitly attracted to women, and that MacLean hints at a relationship between her and Nik - I just wish we had gotten a side plot where that queer relationship is not relegated to the margins, something in the vein of The Suffragette Scandal.

I did think, however, that some side characters were underutilized. Hattie’s family, for example, didn’t seem to be present unless convenient, and though they treat her poorly, there’s not really any reckoning like there was in Wicked. Personally, I would have liked to see some sort of heart-to-heart between Hattie and her father, maybe after some event in which Hattie’s business acumen saves them from ruin or something, and the father sees his daughter the way she wants to be seen.

I also though Marwick had no real function in this book, and to be frank, I wish he wasn’t in it at all. He’s not really integral in the same way he was in Wicked, so he served more as a boogeyman in the background than a real threat. If we had to have him in Brazen, I think it would have been much more productive to have Beast be paranoid about his brother coming back, and part of Beast’s arc be about letting go of that paranoia. That way, we could have kept the obsessive need to keep people safe from his brother, while also having Beast grow and learning not to live in constant fear.

Romance: I’ll be honest, I didn’t find Hattie and Beast’s romance as emotionally fulfilling as Felicity and Devil’s. There were some things I liked: consent was clear, and much of Beast’s focus was on Hattie’s pleasure and comfort. I also liked that Beast supported Hattie and told her how brilliant she was, and that her father (and men in general) not realizing that was a travesty.

However, I also think MacLean could have done more to make their connection unique. In Wicked, Felicity and Devil had a lot of banter, which helped create chemistry; while there is some banter in Brazen, Beast is also not a very talkative person, so chemistry has to be built up in other ways. While I liked that we’re told that Beast enjoys hearing Hattie talk (the chatterbox/quiet person dynamic works pretty well), I think I would have liked to see MacLean expand on a seemingly throwaway line, where Hattie says that she’s learning to interpret Beast’s grunts and growls. Maybe over time, Hattie goes from being frustrated with Beast’s silence to learning how to be comfortable with it and even know what he’s thinking/feeling, even with so few words. That way, when he becomes more vocal when the two are together in private, his decision to become more talkative could be a sign of their emotional intimacy.

I also think the business rival dynamic could have been more of a central component, as both Beast and Hattie are characters determined to get what they want. I would have liked to see them constantly try to one-up each other or go head-to-head more often in ways that weren’t toxic, but led to mutual admiration. That way, when Beast betrays Hattie by buying her father’s business, the blow would have been more devastating to the reader.

TL;DR: Despite having its moments, Brazen and the Beast rehashes too many plot points and characterizations from Wicked and the Wallflower, making it a middling novel in the Bareknuckle Bastards series.

[anistarrose]

Man, can you imagine all the possible shenanigans that could result from Gravity Falls and TAZ Amnesty existing in the same universe? It would be great.

Ned’s Bigfoot video doesn’t attract any FBI agents in this timeline — there’s just not enough resources to investigate all the alleged cryptid sightings these days, even the plausible ones. (Their whole department has been constantly scorned, and their funding slashed, ever since the that disaster in Oregon back in 2012.)

However, it does catch the eye of two old men who just happen to be sailing along the Virginia coast when the video is forwarded to them by their nephew, and they almost immediately make a beeline inland to Kepler. It takes the Pine Guard an embarrassingly long time to realize that there’s actually two of them — identical twins, one of which seems to be a scientist of some sort and the other of which is... well, they’re not sure what his deal is, but he definitely doesn’t give off scientist vibes like his brother. Strangely, the scientist twin seems to be a firm believer in Bigfoot and other assorted supernatural occurrences, while the other just laughs off the idea whenever it comes up. 

For their part, Stan and Ford aren’t sure what to think of Kepler, either.

On their way there, they’re still both mildly skeptical (they’ve both seen plenty of hoaxes in their day, no matter how promising this specific video looks), but Ford’s instruments quickly pick up on an oddly familiar feature of the town: a perfectly circular “barrier” of sorts that extends around Kepler and has a radius of exactly one mile. If the readings and Ford’s calculations are to be believed, it could potentially trap magical creatures inside that radius, at least for a short time — an uncanny similarity to Gravity Falls and its weirdness magnetism.

When they travel to the exact center of the circle, they find a strange object in a clearing that they can touch, but not see. They deduce it to be in the shape of an archway, but no matter what they try, it remains invisible to them.

Now, it’s settled beyond any doubt that something strange is going on in Kepler, but at this rate, they’re only stumbling across more questions than answers. It’s especially strange that all of Kepler’s weirdness seems to have manifested only in the last thirty years or so — when Ford was choosing where to do his research after college, he cataloged anomaly sightings across the US, but there was nothing even remotely suspicious in this region of West Virginia back in the early 70s.

If they want to figure out the truth of this town, they'll have to have to figure out which citizens of Kepler know the truth. In order to avoid attracting too much suspicion themselves, they decide to pretend that Ford is a fairly normal, slightly gullible scientist who’s never actually encountered proof of the supernatural before, and that Stan is his more responsible brother/chaperone who’s much more skeptical about Bigfoot and other cryptids. Most people they meet seem to buy into the act without a second thought... except some of those people from Amnesty Lodge. The twins haven’t quite gotten a read on that whole group yet.

Despite their respective businesses being on opposite sides of the country, and despite not officially being in the tourist trap game anymore, Stan develops a rivalry with Ned almost the second he walks into the Cryptonomica. Hijinks ensue — Stan somehow talks his way into renting out an abandoned hotel at a criminally low price, and converts it into an impromptu tourist trap of his own. All the contents are fake, of course, but he succeeds at his apparent goal: drawing business away from Ned. After all, there’s plenty of people in Kepler who are no fans of Ned, but this new attraction? Run by a charming and mysterious pair of identical twins, including one that actually seems to know a thing or two about theoretical cryptid biology? Only in town for a limited time? Now that might just be worth checking out.

(Unbeknownst to everyone but Ford, Stan’s true motive is a bit deeper than spite. He’s always suspected Ned of knowing the truth, and is hoping to pressure Ned into showing off something actually supernatural in order to swing public opinion back in favor of the Cryptonomica — but Barclay has given Ned a stern talking-to about this sort of thing, so it hasn’t worked. Yet.)

Something else that no one realizes for an embarrassingly long time is that Stan and Ned actually worked together on a couple different heists in the late ‘70s. Of course, both of them were going by completely different identities at the time, so when they run into each other again in Kepler they don’t think anything besides “hey, that guy looks kinda familiar... I’m gonna antagonize the shit out of him while our rival tourist traps compete for business.”

Other interactions that definitely happen at some point:

Stan, making genuinely innocent conversation: so, Bigfoot, huh?

Duck, growing increasingly panicked with every word: what? Bigfoot? what about ‘em?! I haven’t seen any Bigfoots around here, and look, if you want my, uh — my professional, uh — my park ranger opinion, all the sightings, they’re just... opossums! a bunch of opossums, standing on each other’s shoulders, ‘cause, uh... ‘cause you know, opossums always carry their babies, but — but here in West Virginia, the babies don’t... always... grow... grow out of it, you know? and — and then, uh, their babies have babies, and they just stack higher and higher until it’s — it’s opossums all the way down, and there’s these big ol’ possum columns wandering the forest and people look at ‘em and think “hey! that’s a — a tall, furry thing, kinda looks like a big hairy ape! better alert the presses!” and there you have it, Bigfoot!

Stan: ...

Stan, later: Ford, you’re not gonna believe this but I found someone who’s worse at lying than you.

***

Ford: I heard you were hanging around the H2Whoa waterpark the day before its destruction. did you see any suspicious behavior? and what brought you there in the first place?

Aubrey: well, I shouldn’t really be giving out this information, but you seem pretty trustworthy, so... I work undercover as a federal pool inspector — we’re called the FPI, you see — but I’m proud to report that the investigation that day was fairly routine! no signs of anything corrupt in the management of our good Kepler waterparks, but I unfortunately have no idea what happened that night. sorry I couldn’t help you more!

Ford: ah, of course. thank you anyways.

Ford, later: Stan, I need you to be honest with me. are federal pool inspectors a thing in this dimension now

Stan: okay, one — you’ve been back for like six years, and two — who the fuck told you that

***

Indrid: so, you’re here because you think I can help you stop the disasters occurring all around town?

Ford: yes, pretty much. also, your cousin owes me fifteen dollars.

Stan: how do you know they’re related? don’t be moth racist, Ford.

***

Ford: you three adopted a monster with yellow eyes and named it Billy? really???? has this whole fucking town with all these fucking monsters just been the setup for a massive joke to be played on me specifically?!?!?!

[leahxx129]

The Last Descendant (Sam Winchester x Reader) pt.4

Disclaimer: Tumblr is being weird again so if you’re using the app, the ‘Keep Reading’ cut off line may not be visible inspite of the fact that I always insert one.

Summary for pt.4.: You split up into two search parties to look for Dark Kaia in order to obtain the spear and your teammate turns out to be an outstanding company. When you find her an unexpected turn of events ensues.

Warnings: cursing, some really awful smut (sorry for that)

Word count: 2.820-ish

PART 1.  PART 2.  PART 3.

The car ride to the location is pretty much the epitome of awkward. Dean drives, Sam sits by him and you and Cas have to share the backseat. He sits as far away from you as possible, which you guess is the normal reaction to almost being stabbed to death by you. Nobody utters a single word. You are kind of still pissed at Sam a little for expecting you to just fess up and of course for keeping a teeny-tiny bit of an information from you such as Lucifer has a son. Once you catch him staring in the rearview mirror at you, but as he realizes he’s caught, he looks away. You’re thankful when the car finally starts to slow down and then stops. You leave every belonging of yours in it. When you get out you notice a police car just a few meters away, a lady is leaning to the side of it. Her face lights up when she sees the boys and starts off in their direction.

„Sam, Dean!” she hugs Sam first, then Dean, but her eyes widen when she reaches Castiel. „Oh my God, Cas, what happened to you?!”

„She did.” he points towards you and you shoot a smile to the astounded lady.

„Oookay?” she looks at them confused but as none of them seems to be keen on offering explanation, she turns to you with an extended hand. „I’m Jody by the way.”

You look at Sam.

„So, you say she can be trusted?”

„Absolutely.” he nods in reassurance.

„Very well then. I’m Nat. Nat…Colt.” you take her hand and squeeze it. It feels a bit strange to use your real name again after all those years.

She suddenly appears to be thinking hard.

„Why does this name sound familiar to me…? Hey – isn’t your omni-killing gun called Colt?”

„Yeah, it is. It’s named after its creator, Samuel Colt. You just met his last living descendant. But I should warn you, her identity is not quite public and she can get stabby so… ” Dean shoots you a sarcastic look.

„Oh, wow, okay. Got it. I’m keeping my mouth shut.” she jabbers.

„So, how are we going to team up?” Cas takes the chance to speak up.

„You and Jody are with me ’cause I doubt that Little Miss Trust Issues over here is gonna go with anyone else but Sam.” Dean replies.

You roll your eyes as a response.

„So, Jody, where did your men see Dark Kaia?” Sam clears his throat and asks to switch the subject.

„They saw her west of here, but she’s been moving around, so basically the whole area is ground we need to cover.”

„Fan-freaking-tastic.” Dean pulls a face.

„I suggest we start moving. The sooner we find her, the better.” Castiel speaks on everyone’s behalf and so you all do as he says so.

The other bunch starts off to the direction Jody has mentioned and you and Sam take the other way. You’re a little bit ahead of Sam, trying to avoid any interactions at all costs. You really don’t feel like doing a heart-to-heart in the middle of the woods. Whenever he catches up with you, you start walking even faster. You probably keep on doing this for about a good twenty minutes when he finally grabs your wrist and turns you to face him.

„Okay, that’s enough! I know I screwed up by not telling you everything - and I’m sorry for that – but you haven’t been the most honest either so I don’t exactly think I deserve the silent treatment.” he bursts out, looking intensly in your eyes. You hold his gaze.

„I’d let go of me if I were you and wanted to keep my hand.” you say calmly.

He lets out a breathless laugh.

„Right. Empty threats. Your speciality.”

He’s crossed a certain line and before you know it, your free fist is on its way to collide with his jawline, but he catches it mid-air. Only a couple of seconds pass and he lets go of both your hands just to grab your face and crash his lips onto yours. You totally freeze because of his unexpected actions and forget to kiss him back. He pulls away, visibly puzzled from your lack of response. You realize your mistake and immediately yank him back by his plaidshirt. Your positive reinforcement really escalates things. In just a fraction of time he pins you against the nearest tree with his body, kissing you passionately. You bury your hands into his hair, getting entirely lost in the moment. His kiss is hot and wet and everything you imagined it would be like. He tears off your shirt, leaving you in your bra and that’s when you get back to reality.

„Sam…Sam! We…” he kisses your neck and it takes everything within your power to suppress a moan. „We… we can’t! Okay? Just – just stop!”

He pulls away just enough to be able to look in your eyes.

„We can. And we will.” he says out of breath and returns to kissing your neck. „You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this – how long I’ve wanted you!” he growles against your skin while his hands are traveling all over your body, making his argument even more valid.

„But..but what if the others stumble upon us, huh?” you give rationality one last try.

„Well, Dean’s a big boy, he can handle it and Cas is not as innocent as he seems. As for Jody… she’ll look away. I want you. Now.”

You don’t need to hear anything more to be convinced – the probabilty of an unwanted pregnancy equals zero, your pill makes sure of that. And as for other concerns…you hope for the best. Sam doesn’t strike you as the sleeping around type.

You take off his jacket and start to unbuckle his belt. He does the same for you and as a final step of the process, he yanks down your jeans as far as he can. You can see the lust clouding his eyes as he looks at your black lace panties. Soon enough he pulls it to the side, caressing you with his index and middle finger. Despite all your best efforts, now you’re not able to withhold a moan. He grabs you under your thighs and lifts you up gently so you would be at the same level he is.

„So wet…” he whispers against your lips and he pulls out his length to push into you. The first couple of thrusts hurt a little, but then it’s just pure pleasure.

You both know exactly that this is not a romantic act. It’s an act of passion and longing and displaying feelings – everything that have been held back for a long time now. His movements are fast, but gentle at the same time and you can’t help moaning his name. He moans yours in return before he starts moving even faster and it’s not long before you both reach bliss. Even though he’s released into you, you stay like that for a moment or two, panting. He kisses you one more time before putting you down. You take your torn shirt and use it to clean yourself up. In approximately three minutes both of you are dressed fully – well, almost fully. Your upper body’s single coverage is your bra thanks to the younger Winchester.

„Here! Take this.” he chuckles as he hands you his plaidshirt. ”I’ve got a t-shirt under this.”

„Oh yeah? And what should I do with it? It’s at least three times my size.”

„I don’t know… Put your belt around your waist, it’ll look like a dress.” he suggests.

„Dress on jeans? Sam, I hate to break it to you but we’re not in the eighties anymore.”

„Relax a bit, Nat. You’d even look smokin’ in a potato sack, a little dress on jeans won’t make you any less attractive.” he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear and gives you a long kiss, which earns him a warm smile from you.

After you’re both ready, you continue your journey of looking for Dark Kaia, walking hand in hand.

„Jesus, Sam, you’ve been smiling for three consequtive minutes, are you alright? I think this is a new record for you, by the way.” you tease him.

„Very funny, Nat. I’m-I’m just happy, that’s all.”

„Really? And why is that?”

„Because of you.” he admits shyly. „I’ve been waitig for someone like you for a while now. You know, I used to think I can only have healthy relationships with women if I get out of this life. Been there, done that, got back in and I thought I could never have anything that even remotely resembles to it. But then you appeared in my life and messed up everything I believed in.”

„Same here, Sam. Same here.” you confess as well, squeezing his hand harder. Since the death of your family, Sam’s the only person who’s managed to break through to you, demolishing each and every one of the walls you built to protect yourself.

You stand on your toes and kiss him. As a result, he pulls you flush against his body, but both of you freeze upon hearing the horrible screams that – judging by the volume - come from a frighteningly short distance.

You both start running in the direction you think they come from and soon enough arrive at a small glade. The scene playing out in front of you is anything but encouraging – Jody is laying on the ground unconscious, blood trickling from her forehead; Castiel is kneeling next to her attempting to heal her wound, but you weakened him significantly in the diner so it’s going a lot slower than usual; and Dean is getting his ass kicked by a girl prominently smaller than him. Based on the stories Sam would tell you about him before you fell asleep together in the bunker, you imagine this is gonna shatter his ego.

The girl they referred to as Kaia is about to stab Dean with her spear, but she stops when Sam yells at her. Instead she just quickly delivers a punch to the older Winchester and turns to hurl the weapon at Sam.

“NO!” you scream and push him out of the way just in time, but consequently your left shoulder gets grazed by the pointed head before it settles in a tree trunk.

“Well, you’ve just ruined my shirt.” you exclaim indignantly, while you examine the hole that the weapon ripped into the fabric. Slowly, blood begins to soak the frayed ends. “Agh, and blood, too?? You can’t wash that out! Now it’s personal.”

You both start running at each other and upon colliding, you both manage to take in a hit. A long, tiresome combat ensues between the two of you – the others are too mesmerized by both of your grace and all the beautifully executed motions to join. A busted lip and several bruises later you see an opportunity to render her harmless by bringing her to the ground and you go for it. In a blink of an eye she’s down in the grass and you’re on top of her, holding her in a way that’s impossible to escape without obtaining serious injuries.

“Would you just stop it already?!” you hiss into hear ear, panting heavily. You consider yourself fit, but this little match made you sweat like a pig. “We don’t want to take that stupid spear of yours for good, girly! We’d just like to borrow it for replication so that we could kill an archangel named Michael with it! He’s gonna eradicate every reality you’ve ever known if we don’t stop him. And right now, it looks like our best bet at doing so is your pointy stick.”

“Well, your friends kind of failed to bring all of this to my attention!” she hisses back just as equally out of breath as you.

You let out a frustrated sigh.

“Alright. Promise me you’ll stay calm and I’ll let you go.” her lack of response makes you motivate her into cooperation by pulling back her arm just a bit more, making her scream out in pain.

“Alright, alright! I promise!”

You let go and both of you jump to your feet. When Kaia realizes Sam is holding the weapon, she goes over and takes it from him then brings it to you. Judging by her facial expression, she would have gladly punched Sam in the face for touching it, but a promise is a promise.

“That man you mentioned has sent his minions to get this from me. They’ve almost killed me twice now. If what your saying is true, take it. Make a copy then get the original back to me. Although I’m uncertain if it’s replicable. “ she says, handing the spear to you.

“Well, this is kind of my job, so I’ll try my best to replicate it.” you say as you take it. Sam, Dean and a now-conscious Jody with the help of Castiel all come closer to take a look.

“Your job is replicating weaponry?” she inquires, curiosity taking over her.

“Well creating and replicating. Whatever the customer pays for. But I make things for myself as well, just look at this ring.” you touch the ring on your right middle finger with your thumb. “This has angel grace in it. It glows when it comes in contact with angels. All I need is a handshake and I’ll know if the person is an asshat from upstairs or not. See?” you touch Castiel’s shoulder and the ring starts glowing with a bright blue light. “But when I touch Dean for example, it’s not glow-“ the words freeze in your throath as the ring burns brighter than ever.

Everybody stares at Dean expectantly, who seems utterly shocked for a minute, but then the mask falls off - he rolls his eyes and a look of indifference appears on his face. He straightens himself, even the tone of his voice changes when he speaks up.

“Alright! I must admit I did not expect such turn of events that would lead to my untimely exposure... I planned on pretending to be Dean for a much longer period to get what I want.”

“Michael…” Sam breathes out.

“In the flesh and bone.” he smiles coldly as he raises his arms and an invisible power pushes each of you against a different surrounding tree. Before your back collides with the trunk and the air gets pushed out of your lungs, you manage to throw the spear into the tall grass. If he wants it, he might as well just look for it.

To the biggest surprise of everyone present, the weapon is not the thing he opts for.

It’s you.

He calmly strolls over to you.

“My, my…” he says as he grabs your chin and scrutinizes your face. “You look just like her. Tell me, Nat, what is your story.”

Your eyes snap to Dean’s green ones, though he’s unmistakably not the person looking back.

“My story?!” you almost can’t contain the rage rising within you “You slaughtered my family when I was a kid, asshole, and I’ve been on the run ever since! That’s my story!”

“Interesting. In my dimension, I murdered your family, but you did not escape. You chose to serve me instead.”

“No!” you feel tears starting to sting.

“Oh, yes...” he tucks a lock of hair behind your ear. “In fact, your services covered a much broader area in life, including warming my bed. I have to admit, I felt a pang of jealousy when you appeared here in Samuel’s flanel.” he whispers the last sentence, his breath fanning your face.

“DEAN!” Sam’s voice rips trough the air all of a sudden. “I know you’re in there! Fight it, man!”

Michael appears to be a bit irritated by this and turns to walk in Sam’s direction. Your thoughts are racing, so it takes a couple of seconds to realize that what Sam’s doing is distraction. While Michael is set on him, he would concentrate on restraining the others less. It takes all your physical power to move your hand, but you succeed. You are able to dip your fingers into your bleeding shoulder wound and start drawing the angel banishing sign on the tree.

“Samuel. You know, your brother is pushed back so far in his own mind, that he cannot hear you. You might as well just stop talking.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Then I’ll make you.” with a snap of his fingers Sam’s begins choking on thin air.

Your heart rate rises seeing Sam in agony. You swiftly dip your fingers one last time to finish the sign.

“Hey, Michael!” you scream, immediately earning a head turn from him. “This isn’t over, asshole!”

You slap your palm against the sign and both him and Castiel disappear.

[orengjijyuusu]

A Story of Me and You

A Ren x Kat fic (self insert)

(Sidenote: Inspired from the Sweet Dreams/Be my Partner photo shoot in SL. And in honor of Jinguji Ren's birthday. Happy birthday, you flirty orange ♡ Enjoy~)

Kat felt seriously out of place in this magical realm of bubbles and...magic. All throughout the dance hall, ball goers were casually mingling in their fancy attire, either on the dance floor or scattered around the vicinity. 

Compared to her, everyone looked so refined, bright, and many other captivating adjectives she couldn't form off the top of her head. She wasn't exactly sure how she got here in the first place. One minute she finds an invitation to a party and the next she suddenly finds herself in this world.

Kat stands off to the side as she watches everyone dance. She grips the skirt of her dress, not sure what to do. Should she dance? Should she go outside? CAN she go outside? Needless to say, Kat wasn't very good at partying. Especially at fancy galas such as this one.

Overtime, she catches glimpses of the 11 hosts who graciously held the party for the guests. There were some floating on bubbles, standing on chandeliers, and others simply overseeing the party from the balconies.

Occasionally they would start dancing with some of the ladies on the floor when a certain song from the orchestra began to play.

They all look so graceful, Kat thinks, trying her best to balance in her own shoes, makes me wish I took dancing lessons beforehand.

She looks up at the grand staircase to see if she can make her way to another level. However, her attention is drawn to the man leaning against the railing.

He is one of the hosts, Ren, as Kat recalls. Definitely one of the pretty boys of the bunch, alright.

His blue eyes scan the ballroom a couple of times before his gaze settles on Kat. He obviously catches her staring and throws a playful wink her way.

She bashfully looks away as to not be rude and leans against a pillar. Great, it totally looked like I was gawking just now, she thinks and pinches the bridge of her nose.

Kat looks up again at the staircase and sees that the host was no longer there. "I scared him off. Way to go..." she grimaces quietly to herself.

"Quite the opposite, my lady." A voice hums right beside her ear.

Kat nearly jumps out of her skin and whirls around to find Ren peering out from the other side of the pillar. She places a hand over her chest and exhales, "Ahaha...you scared me."

The princely host frowns, "My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you." He takes her hand, "I just had to come and rescue this lovely lady standing all by herself." Ren raises her hand to his lips and places a tender kiss on her fingers.

Kat gulps nervously and tucks some hair behind her ear, "It's fine, really. Erm, not being lonely I mean--about the scaring thing. Um...I was-I was daydreaming."

Ren releases her hand and smiles, "About what?"

She blinks, trying to think of an answer that would make sense, "The party...I think. How great would it be to dance so beautifully. The irony of handsome men being your dance partner." She laughs nervously at her last sentence, "Oh, I should not have said that..."

Ren's smile turns into laughter, "You're hilarious. But it sounds to me like you need to get out more."

Kat fidgets in place, "Well I--Yeah pretty much. I just...I don't know how to party...ballroom style."

She nervously looks back out at the dancefloor to avoid any awkward eye contact.

Ren hums in amusement before extending his arm, "Would YOU care to be my dance partner, lady?"

Kat's pulse quickens at the offer, "Oh I uh... I can't- I mean I can!" She reaches out and hooks her arm under his. He pulls her toward the dance floor for a moment until she recoils and jerks back. 

"But I suck!" Kat fumbles with her words, "I mean I-I can't move in heels that well and..."

Ren looks back at her in surprise before giving her a strangely devious smile, "I... never did ask for your name, lady~"

She blinks at the sudden change in topic, "Well, my name is Kat. I mean--unless you want my real name. Ah! But we just met. So uh...just Kat for now." Ahah kill me! Kat cries in her head, why am I so awkward!?

Ren's smile grows, "You're adorable. But I'll take that invite as a challenge."

Kat's eyes flash over to her strangely attractive host, "...You what?"

"I'll guess your real name. I'm confident I can."

"Tch, bet." She scoffs under her breath, barely hiding an amused expression.

"Alright." Ren chuckles.

Kat freezes, "Oh wait, I didn't mean-"

"If I guess your name before the end of this party, then you have to dance with me, in front of everyone." The idol says with a devious grin.

Kat feels her cheeks flare at the thought, "Oh no. I don't-"

"I won't force you." Ren's gaze softens slightly, "Not very gentlemanly of me to treat a lady as such. And everyone else will be minding their own business. But I do encourage it."

Kat feels her heart thud in her chest, "Why do you want me to dance so badly?"

The host glances at the dancefloor for what seems like the umpteenth time since the two began conversing, "Hm, I DO wonder why." He muses, "Maybe I see something hiding behind those pretty eyes." Ren leans in and gives her a pressing smirk. "Such as a secret desire to dance with the way your foot is tapping the floor." 

Kat purses her lips together in embarrassment before sighing, "You're right, I do." 

Ren holds out his hand, "Then we understand our little game. Besides," his eyes shadow over slightly, "You won't be seeing any of these people anytime soon after the party, so go with no regrets."

Kat oversees this expression and gives him a firm handshake, "You are a very persuasive man, you know that?"

Ren lingers his gaze on her with an unreadable expression before smiling, "I get that a lot. But for you," his voice lowers an octave with a strange yet exciting look in his eye, "it's a challenge. And I DO love a challenge."

His words send goosebumps up her arms. Dammit! He got me again! She screams at herself. Why is he so good at this?!

"To start," Ren chirps to change the mood, "why don't we take this somewhere a little quieter, eh?" Ren turns on his heel and leads his guest by the arm to the grand staircase.

Kat stumbles a couple of times as they go up each step, "Uh, where are we going? Hold up I can't keep...up..." Her voice fades when Ren releases her arm once they reach the top.

He walks towards a pair of double doors and opens them to reveal the night sky. Then he turns to Kat and beckons her to join him outside.

As if charmed by a spell, or by the gorgeous blue color in his eyes, she walks to him without a second thought.

She obviously wasn't doing a very good job hiding her flushed facial expression when Ren cups her cheek with one hand to prompt a reaction out of her.

"Well aren't you as red as a strawberry. It's a cute look for you, lady~." He says as she shyly averts her gaze. Ren chuckles amusingly and gives her head a small pat.

Why am I allowing this to happen? Kat questions, He's a total stranger but...I feel like I can trust him. I feel like logic has taken a backseat because of it.

The two walk out onto a spacious balcony, away from the bustling party and under an endless starlit sky. Ren turns to Kat expectantly, as if waiting for some kind of answer to a question he never asked.

She crosses her arms, "If you think I'm going to tell you my name just like that, you're sorely mistaken."

Ren shrugs with a smug grin, "Worth a shot, Katlynn."

"Nope."

He snaps his fingers in frustration, "Ah I'll get it at some point." Ren glances over towards the orchestra playing inside. Almost immediately, he gets that same scheming look on his face, "And I know the perfect way to start thinking about it."

Approaching Kat, he extends his hand, "Want to practice a bit before you lose, lady~?"

She raises an eyebrow,"You are awfully cocky, you know that?" The only response she gets is a wink, "Plus what about our deal?"

"I don't intend on losing. And I said in front of everyone." Ren slips his left hand around Kat's waist and pulls her close, "Out here, it's just you..." He gently takes her other hand in his, "and me. I promise."

Kat makes eye contact upon hearing the insistent tone in her escort's voice. 

Quite clearly, for the first time, his gaze comes across as earnestly kind and soft; completely the opposite of that flirtatious front he had on earlier. She almost feels compelled to do anything he says with a look like that. 

Something about him, at this moment, allowed Kat to trust him. She didn't know what kind of voodoo charm-like hypnosis Ren was using on her, but damn it! His tactics were working too well. In response, all she can do is nod in agreement. She places her free hand over his shoulder.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ren hums as he begins to sway her back and forth, "Don't worry, we'll take this nice and slow." He nudges her foot carefully, "This is typically the simplest kind of dance. Left, right, left..."

Kat's eyes drop down to her feet as she tries to follow Ren's instructions to the best of her ability.

"Now let's try turning in a circle." Ren guides her back as they advance from just stepping left to right, "Just go back and forth, like a rocking chair."

Kat sees the pattern rather quickly, however she fumbles in her heels and nearly trips over her dance partner. 

"Ah, I'm sorry." She abruptly stops their movement, "I just can't do it right in these shoes. I'll lose my balance."

Upon saying that, Kat starts noticing the growing soreness in her soles from standing too long.

"You CAN do it." Ren calmly places his hands on her shoulders, "Just without the shoes."

Kat blinks, "You want me to dance barefoot?"

"If it helps you, then yes."

Staring down at her feet, she slowly replies with, "Well, I suppose..."

"Do you want me to take them off for you?" Ren asks teasingly. He stifles a laugh when Kat sputters out her objections.

"I can do it myself." She huffs and kicks her shoes off. Immediately, the soreness in her heels almost dissipates completely. Her feet feel much better than before. In fact, she felt better in general...also shorter.

With the shoes, the heel portion added 3 extra inches to Kat's overall height. Now, she had to slightly crane her neck up to look at Ren.

"You are...tall..." she mutters.

"You forgot exceedingly charming." He replies before resuming the dancing position they were in before.

While Ren continues to lead, Kat significantly notices her dancing becoming more fluid and confident. Much better than that stagnant stilt dance she was doing earlier. Not to mention, she was...also enjoying herself.

After a moment of silent dancing, Ren clears his throat, "My lady, I know you are trying to watch where you step, but try looking up at me."

"I don't think I'm confident enough to look away yet."

"I won't step on your feet." He pleads.

Kat keeps her eyes glued to the ground, "I know YOU won't."

Ren let's out something along the sound of a whine, "Please? I won't be mad if you do."

After a bit of prodding, Kat pries her eyes from the ground...and nearly ends up bumping foreheads with her dance partner. She yanks her head back, face completely flushed, "Ah shi- I'm sorry! I wasn't concentrating."

But all he does is smile. "Don't be," Ren spins Kat out gracefully, "I'm quite the fan of-" he pulls her hand to reel her flush against his chest, "close proximity."

"You know the flirty remarks you keep making are only throwing me off." She mutters through gritted teeth.

"Oh? Would you like me to stop, Katrina?"

"No that's not it either. I mean No...maybe? It's complicated."

Ren stops their dancing, "How so?"

I should have kept my mouth shut, Kat thinks as she clicks her tongue, "I uh, well..."

"Again, if my nosy-ness rubbed you the wrong way, I'm not forcing you to admit anything." The host responds, removing his leading hand from her back. 

The second he let go, Kat could feel a cool spot spreading in place of his warm fingers. Honestly, she wished he hadn't done that.

C'mon, be bold for once, she urges herself, adrenaline now, breakdown later. Her left hand lurches forward and catches Ren by the retreating arm.

"No, you're okay!" She blurts, allowing her brain to block off any feeling of regret she might have later. With a nervous gulp, she looks up into her captivator's eyes and tightens her grip on his arm. "I just, I tend to take flirts rather seriously and if that's not the kind of guy you are I don't want to assume-"

"But I am being serious."

"But why me?" Kat fires on instinct, "What makes me so special? You're this," she gestures to his entire body, "beautiful hunk of a man and I'm...I seem like a nobody compared to you."

"That's just it, lady." Kat feels the warmth of his hands place themselves on her shoulders. Ren squeezes them lightly for reassurance.

"That's the reason we held this event. At this party, no lady or gentleman should have to feel like a nobody." He lifts a hand and smooths down flyaways on her head, "You're always somebody to someone, regardless if it's here, or where you come from." One of his hands travels downward to cup her cheek, "And tonight, you're someone to me."

Kat feels a strong pang strike her heart, a feeling of affection. She forces it down by enveloping Ren in a hug and buries her face in his tuxedo.

"I...didn't think I'd need to hear that from someone like you." She mutters, voice slightly muffled through the fabric, "Thank you."

Ren's arms wrap themselves around her shoulders as he returns the embrace with a squeeze. "When we go back in and dance, I'm going to make it look like I'M the nobody compared to you."

"Now let's not get ahead of ourselves." Kat pulls away with a hard-to-contain smirk, "Bear in mind you are still far more attractive than I am."

"Au contraire," Ren notches a brow and bends down to meet her at eye level, "I have to argue that you are even lovelier than what you say about me..." He leans into her left ear and says a name. Her name.

Kat's mouth goes agape with confusion. But before she can question anything, Ren darts forward and plants a kiss on her cheek, "Mwah!" He vocalises so she can be extra embarrassed.

Kat's cheeks flare like fire, "Ahaha...how the-the...my name...wha...??" She chokes out, completely flustered beyond comprehension.

Ren pulls out a small placement card from his jacket pocket, "I saw the table you sat at, before I met you, I happened to take a glance."

"So you were just...PLAYING with me?" Kat's flushed face snaps to shock, no longer embarrassed. Traitor! "Well then what was the point of this game?" She exclaims.

"Nothing, I just wanted to spend more time with you. You're fun, Kat." He smiles gently, "And I want to get to know you more."

Kat shifts awkwardly, "I assume you decided this after I neglected to dance with you."

Ren shrugs, "Like I said, I do love a challenge."

"Well," Kat exhales, "You did it, that's for sure. So…"

"So…?" The host repeats with a teasing undertone. She knew what was coming next so might as well get it over with.

"So I'll hold up my end of the deal." She throws her hands up and makes her way to the door, "Whisk me to the dancefloor, good sir."

Ren moves in front of her, momentarily blocking her from going inside, "You don't sound too enthusiastic about it. What about our dance lessons together? Didn't they help?" He asks, surprisingly worried.

Kat stops abruptly from maneuvering around him but doesn't look at his face, "No they did! And I'm so grateful you helped me. I'm just...nervous. But I don't want your lessons to be for nothing. So…" Her voice catches, "I want to get out there with the confidence I have right now. Before I burn out."

Kat gulps and clutches Ren's arm, "Tonight, if I don't dance, then I have a feeling I will regret it for the rest of my li-wah!!"

Before she can get the last syllable out, Ren kicks her feet up and catches her in a bridal hold. "Then I suggest we get to the dance floor before it's too late. Are you ready, lady~?" His face holds a fiery look of determination.

"I'm going to have a nosebleed with all the stunts you are pulling, I swear." Kat wraps her arms around his neck, "But, yes. As I'll ever be."

Ren smiles and moves briskly towards the staircase. Before Kat can question why he wasn't slowing down to descend the staircase, Ren hops onto the railing and slides down with her balanced on his arm.

Kat inhales sharply and tightens her grip around Ren's neck, not noticing that she was also pressing her bosom right into the side of his face. But HE wasn't about to tell her that.

When they reach the bottom, he places her on her feet with a slight pink hue over his cheeks. "That was fun." He says while dusting his tuxedo from the back.

"I think my soul just left my body." Kat squeaks hysterically.

"Oi! Ren, don't be playing extra with the guests!" Yells another host, the one with silver hair. Kat kept forgetting names.

Off to the side, a host with blue hair, Masa...Masa-something could be seen rolling his eyes at them.

"Don't listen to them, I'll go all out to impress a pretty lady~" Ren retorts, pulling Kat to the dance floor where other people could be seen mingling and dancing to the orchestra.

They stop in the center of the dance floor and face each other. Ren bows to her with a smile and proceeds to hold his hand out expectantly. "May I have this dance?"

Kat takes his hand without hesitation and does an awkward, yet rather adorable curtsey to Ren, "Just like we practiced, right?" She asks, voice trying to hold steady.

"Just like we practiced." He repeats, taking her by the waist. This prompts her to position her hands appropriately, and then they begin to move. 

For a while, they do simple back and forth movements to get Kat comfortable with the setting. Then, she notices something horribly wrong...and lacking.

"Ren, I-I forgot my shoes!" She whispers frantically, trying to stop their movement. But Ren doesn't budge.

Instead, he pulls her hand to his lips and presses a sweet kiss to the back, arm tightening around her waist. "Kat, you don't need them." He says reassuringly, "Just look at me, and only me. Don't worry about anything or anyone else."

Kat's cheeks flush for about the billionth time, eyes helplessly locked on to his blue ones.

"This...may be selfish of me," Ren says hesitantly, "but I wanted you to show me, and only me, that special side of yourself. The side no one gets to see." They carefully switch into a swaying dance when the music changes, arms wrapped around each other's neck or waist. "I want you to be mine, just for a moment." His forehead comes into contact with hers, a warm spot that brought comfort with their slow dance.

As their faces come dangerously closer to each other, Kat mutters out, "Ren...thank you. For everything."

Ren shakes his head slightly, "No, thank you. For giving me the opportunity to dance with you…" His lips press themselves against hers. Gently, Kat can feel a soft yet passionate feeling embed itself into their kiss. She loses all awareness of her surroundings, even after they part.

Kat, utterly entranced by her prince of the evening, reaches up to stroke his cheek and searches his eyes. Then she realizes something after a moment,  "I-I'm not going to see you after tonight, am I?" She asks quietly.

Ren nuzzles into her touch with a sad look in his eyes, "I am uncertain…time works strangely in this realm. And that's what makes me long for more of it. With you..." His eyes suddenly turn fierce, "But I'm NEVER going to forget this night. The night I got to spend getting to know you."

He presses a kiss to her forehead gingerly, "It's time to go, my princess. Let's meet next time in a dream."

Kat envelops him in an embrace, "Stay like this...please. For as long as possible." She whispers with tears in her eyes.

Ren holds her tightly as the world of magic begins to glow white all around. Despite the ballroom, the people, and the hosts disappearing, Kat could still feel his arms around her until the very end. And that was all the comfort she needed to know that he would be with her. Someday.

[chyrstis]

With your hand in mine (it’s going to be fine)

Far Cry 5 Week -  Day 3: The Resistance

This was supposed to be completed way back on Tuesday, but it would’ve been much weaker (and shorter!) overall if I’d chosen to post then. Either way, this was a fun chance to focus on what happens around the Widowmaker mission, get in more Sharky time, and get in some time with Mary May as well.

Pairing: F!Dep x Sharky Boshaw (pre-ship but the feelings are there) Rating: T Word Count: 6.2K

Link to AO3!

___

The Widowmaker’s brought back to Fall’s End, and with its arrival comes a need to celebrate.

______________

“Over here.”

Hana followed close behind, keeping her gun nearby as Kat lead her towards the back of the garage. She wasn’t sure what to expect after seeing the severe look cross the older woman’s face, but when they turned the corner, Hana felt both of her eyebrows fly up.

Standing with their faces pressed to the wall were three Peggies, two men and one woman.  All of them had their hands bound behind their backs, and the resistance member posted nearby gave them a small nod before fixing his rifle back on them.

The minute she came into sight, the group as a whole tensed visibly. One even spat at her, missing her by a good two feet, but they got points for hutzpah.  

“Two of the three were jumped, but not shot, and the third threw down his arms. Ended up catching him on the way to the truck himself, and managed to fish this out of his pockets.” She dropped a large key into Hana’s hand. “Guess he thought he’d be able to make a break for it, but we intercepted him right after the remote bombs went off.”

“Ooh, the tricky dick,” she said, and let out a low whistle. “That was a small window to sneak through.”

Sharky’s roundabout trap hadn’t given the cultists many options to escape when the tide had started to turn, but when a few cut back to the trucks, that avenue was cut off with the push of a single button. She’d been close enough to shield her eyes from the flash of light, only to scramble away seconds later to avoid the falling, flaming debris that pelted her hiding place. Those that had been well-within range – like the four trying to clamber inside – hadn’t been as lucky.

It was tough to say if the three standing before them understood just how well they had fared in comparison to the others. She wasn’t a bad shot, Sharky’s shotgun shells tended to light up everything within two to three feet of him, and Hurk hadn’t been shy about using the rockets he’d dug up from Fall’s End’s surplus. Odds for any stray Peggies to make it through that were low to start, but here they were, waiting to see if the other shoe was about to drop.

“Figured it’d be bad sport to just shoot ‘em, but…I was tempted.”

Kat looked set on shooting one of them now, her attention set on the person that kept giving them all the raging stink eye, and Hana held up her hand. “I get that. It’s not like they were holding back any when we rolled up on them, but let’s work with this. Any good with knots?”

“Knots?” Kat ran a hand through her short blonde hair, and shrugged. “I can do a mean trucker’s hitch. Unless you were thinking knots meant to restrain, in which case I could probably go back to the ones my ex liked-“

Hana shook her head fast. “Uh, no. I mean, we need them all tied together, but not like…that?”

“Oh, then I think I’ve got you covered, ma’am.”

It took a few minutes to wrangle the group together, but once they were finished, the three were tied together in a circle, their hands still kept behind them as they each faced outward. The bonds were tight, but not enough to injure, and Hana honestly gave them less than a day tops before being discovered provided the loss of the Widowmaker didn’t put them all on high alert.

John hadn’t come after her yet for the sign – a fact that honestly still shocked her after how badly their conversation had gone - but at the first sign of trouble elsewhere she knew he’d swoop in. Even if he didn’t have a slew of comments waiting for her, he’d find other ways to retaliate, using that mouth of his to do what he did best.

Cloth rags had been wedged into their mouths as a means of keeping them silent, and she’d nearly lost a finger when one tried snapping at her.

Once they finished, she crouched down in front of a cultist with a large cross tattooed onto his left cheek, and propped her chin up on the backs of her folded hands.

“Hi. Hope you’re all feeling comfortable. No one’s going to harm you, I hope we’ve well established that by now, but I thought I’d make that clear just in case there’s any ambiguity going on. We’re about to roll on out of here with something that’s near and dear to one of our own’s heart, so as long as you sit pretty and do nothing, everything’ll go just fine. But before we leave, I’d like you all to do me a huge favor, just in the spirit of cooperation we’re trying to foster here. Nod once for yes, or shake your head for no.”

Daggers would’ve cut less, judging from the look she was receiving.

“…Okay. I can understand the resentment, but work with me here. When you get back to John, I want you all to give him a nice, big hello. I want you to greet him, I want you to tell him what we’ve done, and you can even embellish a little from there if you’re feeling creative and want to talk me up a little. Straight from the Deputy herself,” Hana said, making sure to draw out the syllables to the word like he would’ve. “You got it?”

The one that spat at her earlier mumbled-yelled a single word against their gag in response.

“Huh.” She lowered her sunglasses to look at them directly. “Hey, Kat? Did that sound like it was jam-packed full of the Power of Yes?”

She couldn’t see her, but there was no mistaking the snort she stifled. “Nope, not even a little.”

“Well, damn. I think John would be disappointed to hear that, but don’t worry. I’d have done the same,” she said, her lips twisting into a grin. “Because between you and me, I think I thrive off of his disappointment.”

---

With them wrangled and left as a parting gift for John, it was time to focus on the main event. The Widowmaker. With the keys in her hand, Hana made her way back around to the front, seeking her two main partners in crime.  It’d been a good ten to fifteen since she’d heard from them, which meant something was keeping them occupied, the only question was what?

…And could she get in on it too, if she was quick enough. Hopefully, the answer was a ‘hell, yes’.

Sure enough, she heard their voices as she walked up the side of the garage, and found them both standing right by the side entrance to it. Hurk stood nearby as Sharky was crouched down low beside the doorknob, fiddling with something in his hands, and their voices carried right over to her.

“-you’re right. We did try this once before, but I think it was using…”

“Dude, your dad’s older waterlogged shit was a pain to use. You gotta nail the right mix or you’ll get more pfft and less bang, and that’s just a letdown in every way.”

Sharky fiddled with the lock again, shoving something into it, and she was almost sad to step in. It was always interesting watching him work, even from a distance, and the end result was always worth it.

“Hey!” She whistled at them, and dangled the keys from her hand as she approached. “Much as I love MacGuyver and the whole jerryrigging a bomb out of chewing gum, a toothpick, and hope thing you’ve got going on, we need to get the hell out of dodge. We’ve probably got fifteen to twenty minutes max before someone tries to radio in, and I know we’ll be in trouble when the group back there finally gets free.”

“Shit, so much for that,” Sharky said, dusting off his jeans as he stood up. “Just when I was ready to call you over, and get the others to gather round too.”

“I mean, if you still want to pop that thing, I won’t stop you. After all of that hard work, it’d be a shame not to.”

Flashing him a wry grin, her attention drifted to the right as she turned away, and she nearly did a double-take. This wasn’t her first pass by the place, but this was her first with the liberty to pay full attention to her surroundings, and the poster was honestly pretty hard to miss given she was the subject.

“…Huh.”

This was supposed to be her, with her hair tied back, her sunglasses absent, and an interesting glint in her eye. The kind that usually came right before she decided to fuck someone up. For a rough representation of her, it wasn’t half bad. They had even nailed the freckles and the small scar on her chin, and she posed next to it as she considered it further.

But the real kicker, like with all of the others, was seeing stamped in large red letters below her face, the word ‘SINNER’. Like that was enough justification for wanting her taken in alone.

How old were these anyway? Had they been made shortly after losing her after the crash? After John took her? Hell, after Faith or Jacob’s turns?

It was tough to put a real timeframe on it, but the posters were in circulation now, just as they had been for the other key players in the Resistance, and she didn’t know how to feel. Either strangely honored to be enough of an annoyance to warrant it, or annoyed in general for them having to explicitly state it.

“They really do get off on the whole sinner thing, don’t they?”

“Everyone left running in the county’s got a poster, and some of us, even two.” Hurk said, patting his chest with pride. “I tried using a bunch of mine to get word about Hurk’s Gate out, but the giant banner saying ‘we won’t judge’ didn’t get a lot of flying before it was torched to the ground.”

“Killjoys. They clearly didn’t want the competition.”

“You’re telling me. It still kills me that they’ve got as many people signed up as they do, what with the ‘no fornication’ thing going on. Isn’t that just a recipe for bad feelings left to marinate when people can’t live, and love a little? I know I’d be harder than a diamond with some of those ladies I’ve seen walking around.”

Judging from Sharky’s solemn nod, he was firmly in that camp too, and she gave them both a knowing look. “I’m pretty sure there’s still fornicating. Get enough people together in close quarters long enough, many of which are just as pretty as the people leading them, and they’ll find a way.”

Thankfully she hadn’t had the awkward moment of stumbling onto anyone mid-screw, but if she did, she could only hope she’d handle the situation as tastefully as anyone in her position would. With carefully positioned eye contact, and any of the last shreds of her professionalism that she could scramble to apply.

“So, what do you two think? Is it a good likeness?”

Sharky turned, looking at her closely as she leaned against the wall. The poster was right between them, so he didn’t need to look far to make a comparison, but she could see his focus, and felt his gaze as he gave it some serious thought. Scanning every part of her face, she felt him concentrate on some parts more than others, and as her grin grew, she waited for him to make eye contact again.

“You know at first it, uh…“ He paused, drawing out the sound as she batted her eyes at him, and it took a good fifteen seconds for him to snap out of it. “Well, it looked like they got most of it minus the eyes.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he said, giving Hana a small smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. His attention had skittered away from her, but with the next few words it came back in full. “Looking at that versus the real deal’s just not the same. Like with you here, right in front of me? Most of it’s right enough, but when we talk about your eyes, Dep? Well, yours are the kind that are all deep and dark, and easy to get lost in.”

Her breath left her in a rush. “…Uh, come again?”

“Like give me five, and I’ll be able to break away, but it’s rough going knowing that you have to when you don’t want to. Cause you need me to be a badass out there, not someone thinking ‘man, it’s sweet knowing you’ve got an amigo whose eyes are like a really cool cave you could stumble into when you’re lost in the woods’.”

He was definitely shooting a sweet look at her now, there was no mistaking it.

“The deep and dark that you could curl up in, knowing it’d keep you safe overnight, and you could even build a fire and roast some marshmallows in it. Like get some real good s’mores going. Not the deep and dark that’ll get you killed by bears out in the middle of nowhere. Cause that shit’s what gets you. No poster’s going to catch that.”

Even drowning in metaphors and pseudo-bears, she could tell he meant it, and that made her immediately go three shades darker. “Oh.”

“…He’s got a point,” Hurk said, after looking between the two of them. “Caves and bears, aside. You, I can tell you’re a person. This here’s an approximation and one scary lady you won’t want to cross. Like your evil twin or the clone growing in the basement.”

Sharky crossed his arms, looking pleased. “See? Couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Oh, God. They needed to get off of this topic now. “So, Sharky, are you going to blow that thing, or do you just want me to cut whatever’s left of this suspense with a knife?”

“Oh! You seriously want me to…?”

She nodded, and tried not to think about the key digging into her hand.

His lighter was out in an instant. “You’ll love this, H. Promise.”

---

Her vehicles of choice over the years had always been on the small side. Sedans, coupes, compacts, motorcycles, she loved them all, and had at one point even tried to cram herself into a friend’s Smart Car just to see what it was like.

The Widowmaker was a literal force in comparison. It was a battering ram on wheels, her foot a lead weight on the gas as it took on speeds that allowed it to punch through barriers without even giving too much of a shake. With the horn blowing, and Barracuda coming in loud and clear through the radio, nothing stood in their way as they sped straight towards Fall’s End.

It was nothing short of incredible, and she could easily see why Mary May and her father loved it so much. There was no obstacle too great, or too strong to hold them all back.

When the last fell and Mary May radioed in, she let out the breath she’d been holding. The guys, plus Kat and the other Resistance members, had chosen to cover the rear, turning their little troupe into a veritable convoy. It wasn’t subtle, but a massive truck with a flaming paint job wasn’t about to fly under anyone’s radar for long.

But it was back at home where it belonged, and that was the first step.

“Well, look at that!” Mary May said as they rolled up. “One hell of a sight for sore eyes. You don’t even know how it feels to see those colors again, Deputy, but it’s good. Mind giving that a pull one more time just to let them know what they’ve lost?”

The expression she wore was a mix of proud, fond, and elated, and Hana hit the horn one last time with gusto before leaning out of the window to better speak to her. “Where’d you like this?”

“Out over here. Follow me.”

Guiding her, Mary May helped her park the truck in space tucked next to the Spread Eagle. Whistling nervously as she guided the thing around, Hana kept her eyes locked on Mary May’s position until she was able to maneuver it safely into place.

“I could the hear the horn coming all the way into town.”

Hana glanced down at Mary May and the growing grin she wore, and found herself wanting to match it. “Well, it was one pull for every roadblock hit, but I might’ve also pulled it for every truck, so…”

“Good. I hope you hit every last fucking one of them.” Mary May let out a long sigh, her shoulders relaxing as she stared over at the truck. “This feels right. Like I can finally welcome back what never should’ve left to begin with. It’s home.” The next few words were quieter, but Hana saw her lips move to form them. “He’s home.”

Hana settled in next to Mary May, the two looking up at the Widowmaker, as the others pulled up in their vehicles around them.  Screeching to a stop, the small group burst into a round of cheers, slapping their hands on the doors of their vehicles as the sound rose in volume.

Hana joined in, giving Mary May a wide grin as an impromptu drum roll started – hers done right on her thighs - and the group started chanting, “Speech!” over and over.

Mary May eyed them all with mild exasperation, letting them continue for a solid minute before gesturing for them to stop.

“All right, all right! That’s enough out of you all. Today, you’ve all proven why the Resistance as a whole is going to win this thing. By banding together to pull off what they’ve tried to tell us is impossible. You brought home and helped to honor the memory of a good man today. A great one, that would’ve paid good money to see you give every last member of Eden’s Gate hell. This one’s for you, and later on tonight, I’d better see you all down at the Eagle so we can celebrate this right!”

The whoops and hollers were louder than ever this time around, ending in them all pumping the air with their fists. Shaking her head, but with a broad grin, Mary May finally waved hem all off.

“Okay, now get on out of here! We’ve got work to do before tonight, and I know those roads won’t be left clear for long.”

A few of the trucks drove off, waving at the two before zipping down the street, while other members of the Resistance hopped out to help in town. She caught Sharky’s eye as he and Hurk popped out of the truck bed nearby, and he ran up to her, trying and failing to put a lid on his excitement.

“Yo, they’re looking to head off some supply trucks headed south of here. Cracking one of those open’s kind of like Christmas come early, so…”

“We totally want to hop on that while we can,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “Sign me the hell up, but you two go on ahead for now. I’ll be right behind you.”

Sharky looked disappointed for a flash until Hurk slapped his arm and gestured for him to follow. The two tailed Kat as she launched into a story about the silo they had blown along the way, and Hana watched them head in the direction of the general store before turning back to Mary May.

“You know, he’d like this.”

“…This?” Hana asked, jabbing her thumb back at the Widowmaker.

Mary May waved her off. “If you’d brought it back in flawless shape, I’d have doubted half of what you got up to on the way.”

“Either way, you want this spit-shined back to perfection, I’ll do it myself. Repairs and labor, I’ll make it happen,” Hana said, ticking off each on her fingers.

“Deputy, you’re welcome to the Widowmaker whenever you’d want it. After what you’ve done to bring it back home, I know my father would want us to keep its spirit alive. Not through keeping it here, locked up and safe, but out there doing what it does best.”

She turned to Hana, and lightly tapped her arm before heading off towards the Spread Eagle.

“And I know you’d have an idea or two that would suit it just fine.”

---

Things had changed in Fall’s End.

It had been a gradual change. Slow, and steady as the buildings formerly left empty and hollow took on a different kind of life.

The colors of the Resistance flew high as the last of the cult’s banners and influence were torn down and destroyed. Trucks cruised in and out, many of them bringing in family and friends formerly thought lost as word spread throughout the region that it was safe to come back. Others walked the streets, armed still, but no longer afraid of what that might cost them.

And there was no place she felt it more keenly than at the Spread Eagle.

The bar buzzed with activity, far beyond those early days when she’d shared a beer with Jerome and Mary May. Back then, it felt like a toast welcoming better days. A spoken and unspoken promise that they would all get there somehow, and this honest to God, felt like progress. Actual, possible progress.

Hana basked in it as she leaned against the bar, letting her eyes fall shut. She’d always been a city girl, used to crowds and people more than the silence the country offered, and having the chance to feel that energy again was exhilarating. She never wanted that feeling to fade.

“Hey, you doing good so far?”

Her eyes snapped open, and she turned to better face Mary May. “I’m good. Working on getting better, but it’s a decent start.”

“What’ll help?” she asked, leaning against the bar. “It’s my job to ask while you’re up here.”

Hana shrugged, and played with one of the loose strands of hair that had escaped her bun. “Well…I was eying the special for a little while.”

“And?”

“You don’t actually mention what’s in it.”

Mary May shrugged. “I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but for that one I recommend giving it a shot before you do. It’s got a punch to it, but one that I haven’t heard too many complaints about.”

“Yet?” That got her a look, and Hana chuckled. “Don’t worry. I doubt you’ll get any from me.”

She looked over her shoulder and took in the atmosphere of the bar again, the low music playing off to the side, and the two waiting for her nearby. They got a quick wave from her – she really hadn’t meant to linger this long, but her pursuit of a drink had taken a backseat to fun conversation instead – and she  turned back to Mary May.

“Was this close to it? One of the usual nights at the Eagle before things went…you know?”

“Went straight to hell? Not always, but this is a small town. Out of all of the things you can get up to here that’s legal, drinking and dancing’s one of the better ones.” She pulled out a glass and reached for a nearby bottle of vodka. “Probably would’ve seen you here before long too,” she said with a smile.

“Either for drinking, or dancing?”

“Why choose?” Mary May added a few other things to the drink as Hana watched, liking the sunset shade that bloomed from it. “Though I think you’re a dancer.”

Hana snorted. “Really? I mean, you’re not wrong, I just didn’t think it’d be that easy of a guess.”

The drink was garnished with a cherry and Mary May slid it towards her. “You hardly sit still for long, so sticking close to the bar to keep on filling her up until you’re blind just didn’t seem like the right pick for you.”

“No, I do love finding great ways to burn that buzz off. I’ll give you that too.”

Hana picked up the glass, and gave the liquid inside a small swirl before trying it. Damn. Mary May was on point tonight. Taking another longer drink, she slid a few bills across the counter and found herself trying to follow the rhythm of the song playing on the jukebox.

“But do you dance?” She swayed her hips a bit before leaning back against the counter, her smile definitely bordering on flirtatious.

“Not on my shift,” Mary May replied without missing a beat. “But ask me again when it’s over, and I might have a different answer for you.”

Hana bit back an awkward laugh as the other woman smiled at her, and when it grew into a legitimate grin, she tapped her fingers on the counter before retreating. “Maybe I will…?”

“We’ll see in a few hours won’t we? You better come back to check!” she called out after her.

Burying her face in her drink, Hana took a large gulp of it, and hoped no one caught any of that. Lucky for her, both Sharky and Hurk were plenty distracted when she approached, both of them pointing over at the group bordering the dance floor. Only a few were attempting to dance at this point, but the others were crowding right by the old arcade machine, yelling loudly for every success and failure the person playing encountered.

That was the primary draw of the spot at the moment, not the little jukebox in the back.

“That’s pretty damn sad, man,” Hurk said with a sigh. “When even the dancing’s taking a backseat to that-“

“It’s a fucking crime, right?”

Hurk turned towards her in surprise, both of them lighting up at seeing her, but his eyebrows went up when she quickly placed the drink down and started digging around in her pocket. Pulling out a twenty dollar bill, she unrolled it and tugged it between her hands.

“This place does need more dancing, but to do that we need the right music. You make this magic happen, and I’ll gladly pony up the funds for it.”

The surprise faded in a heartbeat, as Hurk’s expression went serious. “Done and done, Deputy V. It’ll be my civic duty, because no one’s out there doing so much as a drunken do-si-do, and that’s just insulting.”

Her face scrunched up at the nickname, but once Hurk had taken the cash and all but sprinted towards the dance floor, her sour expression faded fast.

Plopping down in the chair next to Sharky, she let out a contented sigh. “Ah, now the relaxing can begin. Taking any bets on how much longer they’ll last?”

“Dude’s some kinda wizard at it. I can’t think of a time when he isn’t up there messing around with the game, which sucks, because what if someone else puts a quarter up there hoping to get in a turn? So much for common courtesy and the gamer code, man. Shit’s falling apart.”

He took a drink, aiming his glare right over at the arcade machine, and Hana idly wondered just how many turns he would’ve taken with it otherwise. At the very least two, judging from the way he kept on watching, and she lightly nudged his arm to help him focus on something else.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“Now?” Sharky put his beer down and gave her a funny look. “I’m gearing up to hit that dance floor in fifteen to twenty. Gotta get good and buzzed before dishing it out, though, cause these moves are certified deadly without easing in all gentle-like.”

Hana coughed into her drink. “No, not that. I mean tomorrow. Or hell, within the next few days. I figured I’d cut you loose, and let you go back to doing your own thing.”

“Uh, that’s…you were?”

There was hurt there. Just for a second, as he buried it back down, and she frowned. “Yeah, I figured you’d be sick of running around with me, and wanted to, you know. Go back home, help Addie, or work on that antifreeze problem that’s been bugging you.”

“Nah, man,” he said, giving her an easy smile. “With you, it’s a fucking party every day of the week, and I don’t know what’ll come up tomorrow. I can burn shit all day any day back there outside, pants-free, and drunker than a skunk. Here it’s after taking a motherfucking joyride through Peggie roadblocks, while hurling molotovs in an action hero’s dream ride. I haven’t had this much fun in…” He paused, ticking it off on his fingers, then waved it off. “Years, easy.”

“Sharky, seriously-“

“I’m being serious! And someone’s gotta watch your back. I’m here with you right now, so that’s covered, and should’ve been covered the other three times they came in, took you, and somehow did it without anyone noticing.” He crossed his arms, and gave an aggravated huff. “Which, I guess I gotta get on their level next time to stop that shit, or we both start doing everything back to back which is weird-“

“Just a little,” she said, hiding her smile behind her hand.

“Especially since I know you don't want to see what goes down when I wake with a problem. Like a hard one that really only a hands-on solution’ll fix. …But it’d take only take ten to fifteen minutes max to crank it out, so I could tell you when to start looking my way again so you won’t see my dick hanging out. Who’s gonna do that when I’m gone?”

She chewed on her lip, thinking every last bit of that over – some parts more than others - and started chuckling. “Geez, that’s…I really don’t know. It’s a pretty compelling argument.”

“Hell, yeah it is.”

He was serious. At least as serious as she’d ever seen him, and she leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table between them. “I guess I’m just stuck with you then. Or, actually on the flip side, you’re just stuck with me. Sure you’re ready for that?”

Mirroring her, he leaned forward too, except he held out his right hand to her. “Ride or die, H. That’s how I roll.”

It took her a minute to react, split between what he’d said and the fact that she didn’t doubt him. Not in the slightest.

She clapped her hand against his, held it, and couldn’t quite stop the shy smile that crossed her face. “Because, how’d it go? We shoulder each other’s burdens and shit?”

“From one amigo to another.” He pointed at her and winked, keeping her hand in his.  “Ain’t any other way I know it.”

A tray hit the table right by her elbow, making her jump in her seat.

“Fucking finally,” Hurk said, swiping a hand across his forehead. “Took me fifty years to make my way back, but there was one hell of a line at Miss Mary May’s so…”

He looked between them, and raised an eyebrow.

She quickly let go, and spoke up before Hurk could. “Still looking to hit that dance floor later?”

“If it’s the last thing I do tonight. This place’s starting to act like the party up and died, and I just can’t abide by that.” Hurk pushed the drinks towards them. “Get on this, and we’ll get-“ he pointed towards the empty spot in front of the jukebox – “on reviving that.”

“Cool, let me actually grab something guaranteed to speed up that process.”

She slipped out of her chair, walking way too fast for it be subtle, but made her way over to Mary May again and hoped her face wasn’t as red as she feared it was. “There’s no limit on the special, right?”

Mary May was wiping down a glass, and gave her a curious glance. “Nope, long as you’re paying, and not spraying.”

She slid the cash across the counter. “I’ll take two.”

---

Both drinks had been for her, and both were shot shortly after being poured. She then proceeded to make her way back over to the guys, both of which had soundly put a dent in Hurk’s pre-dance offerings.

Coming straight from Mary May the next day, what she witnessed happen on that dance floor was some of the worst dancing she’d seen in a long while. Which seemed a little unfair considering she had tried to at last bring her B-game with some solid 80’s and 90’s moves to keep things lively.

It had felt good and pretty coordinated in the moment, she’d figured. She was also certain she’d kept her limbs from knocking against Sharky’s too much as he lead her through the next disco move he demonstrated, and hadn’t collided with Hurk more than once, maximum. She’d swear on it the next day, even with Mary May shaking her head at her.

At some point the music had changed. Their playlist had run out only for someone else to feed the jukebox, and the new tune meant a shift in mood. So, the softer thing made sense for a waltz or slow-dance, and she grabbed for one of the guys to get with it.

She had been promised dancing, dammit, and right now, silly and drunk as she was, this was the first happy and carefree thing she’d been able to do in weeks.

Hurk was first, and let her take the lead. He even let her keep it too, with her half-stepping on his feet, and mid-way through she was sure he attempted to make it a tango. Complete with the cocktail stirrer between his teeth, and who knew when the hell he’d grabbed it. Only that his eyebrows were going into overdrive, and she was going to laugh herself into a pile on the floor.

When she came out of it, still giggle-snorting, Sharky took his turn, and she nearly smacked him in the face with her elbow when she stumbled into him.  He steadied her, giving her something solid to hold onto, and took her hand in his as he placed the other on his shoulder – both of his hands surprisingly steady for how many drinks along he was.

Once she was in place, he nodded when he was ready. She nodded back, her chin tilted up to meet his eyes, and let him take her around. It was the kind of dancing she hadn’t done since her prom, but it felt right as the older tunes from the jukebox kept on playing behind them.  

He concentrated hard on this, watching both of their feet, and she knew she was swaying too much for him to make up for all of it. In, out, he was the one balancing her as they turned, and her forehead bumped into his chin, making them both hang in place as they rubbed at the sore spots that smack earned.

An idea hit as she held onto him, at times almost flush against him, and she got it out while she could still verbalize it. “Hey,” she said, leaning up on her toes to whisper in his ear. “Dip me.”

He gave her one hell of a strange look. “Dip what?”

“Dip me. You know. Like hold onto me, and lean me back? Like in those old classic ballroom dancing movies?”

“Uh, don’t think I’ve seen too many of those, chica.” He turned towards her, their faces a lot closer than before, and he grinned. “I kinda got an idea of what you mean, though, so let me know if this does it for you.”

The dip after nearly threw her off, making her squeak as he attempted it, but she held on. And when he pulled her back up, the rush left her feeling giddy all over.  

It was on dip number two that she felt a jolt. An uncomfortable lurch, lingering somewhere between her stomach and her chest that he could read right from the position he was holding her.

“You losing it, Dep?”

She swallowed, and cringed. “I am totally losing it.”

Hoisting her up, she sprinted for the door, and barely made it to the Spread Eagle’s curb outside before vomiting.

“I think I’m done here, hon,” she croaked. She held on tight to Sharky’s arm as she wobbled in place, spitting a few more times to get the taste out, and let him pull her up. “Is this-“ she gestured towards her face, “pretty gross, or?”

“Nah, you ain’t gross. Just feeling close to it, right?”

He handed her a handkerchief, and she swiped it across her mouth. “Yeah. So gross.”

When she was sure she was decent, she leaned her head against his chest, and felt his arms wrap around her. Being held like that, close and warm, made her eyes slip shut, and she hummed contently as they stood there together.

“Where you staying at?”

He had to ask the question twice, likely because her first answer was mumbled directly into the material of his hoodie. “Upstairs. Mary May’s got the details.”

“I’ll get you there, shorty. Don’t worry.”

Holding onto him tight, she followed him as he guided her back inside.

[i-cant-believe-its-v]

Captain Marvel

Alright I'm probably gonna piss people off with this so let's get this outta the way.

I am not the smartest person, so I don't usually get most details.

I'm not a hardcore marvel fanatic. I'm a casual fan that's only really watched the movies.

I do believe women should get equal rights and responsibilities as men.

I understand that all this coming from me, a cis male, is very likely biased to some point. I'll try my best to avoid bias but it's an opinion, it's most likely gonna be biased to some bit.

Understanding that this is an opinion, I am very open to responses and I want to hear what people think, as long as it is civil and you respect my opinion and me as a person.

There are Endgame Spoilers, so scroll past if you haven't watched it yet.

Alright lets go.

In my opinion, Captain Marvel was very poorly written. Her standalone movie was purely about making her the focus of a "strong female character".

Yes, they got the toxic masculinity scene right, and she was justified in retaliating against the biker coming after her.

Yes, they showed how female figures are unfairly put down.

What I don't like is that there is no character development.

I'm gonna use other avengers as examples/parallels here.

From the very beginning, she is shown as having unfathomable amounts of power, cocky, and determined. Tony, Stephen, and Thor are also very much like this.

However, those other characters are put into very humbling moments, sometimes over several movies, sometimes in their own:

Tony gets shrapnel from his own bomb and he's forced to come to terms with the fact that he's only human. He stops being a weapons dealer and decides to do some good with his tech (Iron Man)

Stephen is a super cocky, critically acclaimed, award winning Neuro Surgeon. He even wants to pass up on saving a life to "keep his perfect record". An accident makes him lose his hands. Eventually he reaches the Ancient One, and he's extremely cocky, trying to figure out the science behind it, and calling her a scam artist, after which she promptly shows him how little he knows with that psychedelic sequence. After being humbled, he proceeds to learn as much as he can. He becomes somewhat cocky again, but then his character develops: he becomes more understanding, and even willing to do whatever it takes to save the Earth from Dormammu, even if it meant dying over and over and over and over.

Thor begins as an almighty God, rich with power and fame and charm. He swaggers on down to the frost Giants and fights them (foolishly, not considering other ramifications). Odin banished him to earth, stripping him of his powers. But in the end, he's grown as a character, sacrificing himself to try and save his friends. He becomes worthy of being Thor again.

Hell, even Loki. Would y'all have done so back when Thor first came out? No. He was the horrid villain, so manipulative and cunning. Double crossing his own family just to get power (Odin wasn't all that great of a father either but that's a different discussion). Yet here we are now. Loki is a hero. And he deserves to be called so because of everything the MCU has put him through, and how he turned out.

All the above are (yes, male) examples of well written characters

But there's also Wanda.

She's strong, extremely powerful, and an utter badass

But unlike Captian Marvel, she's empathetic. She's someone who the audience can relate to. She's lost her brother, her lover, and 5 years of her life.

She was able to fend off Thanos with ONE HAND in IW, WHILE HE HAD THE INFINITY GAUNTLET WITH 5 STONES

She single handedly made Thanos basically shit his pants in Endgame, where he was willing to sacrifice his own troops just to get Wanda off of him (he was able to easily punch away captain marvel).

Not only his Wanda a better "strong female character" overall, she's very arguably the strongest avenger, period.

She could have been written extremely well, even if it was just to make her the "standard strong female lead". Wanda had a solid background in the MCU, had emotional depth to her, and had a solid character arc.

Captain Marvel started strong, remained strong, went through some hijinks, solved some problems, reconnected with an old friend, made a new one, beat up a bunch of bad guys, and then left. When she came back, when asked how they lost to Thanos before, she simply says "you didn't have me".

Now, yes, captain marvel could have been written better. But snarky by itself is only a pleasant personality when being used for comedic purposes.

And yes, other snarky male MCU characters exist. And they were annoying. But that was not their only personality traits (unless they were written as a villain, like Ultron, or Loki in Phase 1).

Dr. Strange was insufferably cocky before being trained by the ancient one. Tony was insufferably cocky before getting blown up by one of his own bombs and being forces to craft a suit in a cave. Rocket is an asshole but underneath that it's shown that he does have compassion for his closest compatriots. Yondu undoes him in GotG 2 and he's emotionally there for Thor in IW and Endgame. Rhodey gives Tony a lot of sass but that's because that's how their friendship dynamic works. Tony is visibly heartbroken when Rhodes goes down.

All because they were all written well.

Captain Marvel (in the MCU) was not written well.

Her movie was good, in the sense that most action movies are good. But as a marvel movie, it left me wanting more character development from her.

Wanda was well written but she was squandered, being put aside as a supporting hero rather than a main hero.

And that is why I'm not quite fond of captain marvel.

Im hopeful for future movies (undoubtedly there will be sequels) to flesh her out better as a character, similar to what Taika Watiti did with Thor, Loki and Hulk in Ragnarok.

P.S. please don't confuse this with misogyny. I still think Brie Larson is a good actor, just fed bad lines.

P.P.S. The reason there are so many examples of male characters and not female characters is because that's all I could think of in the moment.

P.P.P.S. like I mentioned before, I am not a perfect person. Feel free to correct me, as long as it's civil. You can persuade me to change my opinion, but over civil discourse, not internet hate or shaming.

[hobiheavenly]

Karma’s Cravings (part 2)/ MYG

✧ Min Yoongi x Reader

✧ Multichapter, Coffee Shop AU, E2L

✧ Warning: Min Yoongi’s throbbing hard on

✧Word count: 3.8k

✧ Summary: Your life is going idyllically with your business with the exception of having to work with Min Yoongi who disapproves of your comercial tactics. but when one day a medium tells you he is to be the love of your life you are quick to shut her down but running away from fate can come with cause consequences.

✧A.N: and finally part 2! I had this ready since Thursday and I know I normally post on Sunday’s but I really don’t mind having it out now, I promise there will be more action next time son bear with me I wanna build up the sexual tension. Please let me know what y’all think.

Parqt 1 / Part 2 /

It was almost midnight when you closed the doors of "Constant Cravings" and crossed the garden to go to the parking lot that consisted of a building with many floors to reach. The smell of the rain was still in the air because of the sudden storm that had appeared out of nowhere. You began to curse those stupid weather reporters for lying. "Cloudy with low chances of rain MY ASS!" You thought bitterly . Lucky for you, it rained just when the party had started reaching its end. Actually, the rain helped the sales since everyone went to the shops at the space to shelter from the rain, so they went to "Constant Cravings" for both shelter and a hot cup of coffee.

Even as your feet felt sore and your back was aching like hell, it was all worth it! You had a made sales record and had three jobs lined up for next week. By 10 o'clock, after putting the "CLOSED" sign on the door, you had begun to make the materials for the batch of cookies you had to bake tomorrow morning and after looked into the paperwork you had piled up in your office. It might not be the most romantic way to spend a night on Valentines Day, but at least it was less troublesome than men usually gave.

By the time you had finished it was close to midnight so you decide to call it a day. After closing shop and locking the door, you went to the elevator of the parking structure and pushed the button to call the elevator. It was then when you heard a car turning on and seconds later a red sports car pass by you on his way to the exit. Once the car passed you immediately saw the driver, Min Yoongi.

“Good night to you too” you said sarcastically when he had already passed. It was more than obvious that he had spent the night of Valentines Day in his office. It didn't really surprise you that a man like him didn't have a date on the most romantic night of the year. "You don't have a date either missy!" a voice in your mind coldly reminded.

So what if you didn't have a man! You were sure that Seokjin would have gone boy-crazy trying to find you a date and the guy would be a total weirdo or too self-centered. You were sick of first dates and having to put up with them. "I guess my hopes have just disappeared with the time" you thought.

What the hell was happening to the elevator? By now 5 minutes had passed and you didn’t see any response. You pushed the button again but still no answer.

“JUST GREAT!” you yelled, no choice but to carry your purse and walk up the stairs. Fuck! Six flights of stairs were enough work out for a year! Finally you see salvation as you get to the floor where your car is at and placed the key in the ignition. You twisted the key, but no answer. You tried it one more time and still no answer. Stuck with a car with a dead battery, at midnight, and on a parking lot! just. Your. Luck! You took out your cell phone and wouldn’t you know it your phone battery was dead as well. Now that's odd coincidence because you had made sure to have it fully loaded in the morning and you had not used it all day so it should be at least at mid charge. "FUCK! CAN THIS GET ANY WORSE!"

And it could! Because you had to go down the six flights of stairs and once in the ground floor you saw the universe’s answer to your question. The shining red sports car was stuck in the entrance way, Min Yoongi standing outside of it passing his fingers through his hair in evident frustration. He was all messy, with his shirt untucked, his tie loosened, and without his jacket. He almost seemed human!

“What are you doing here?” You both asked at the same time.

“The battery of my car is dead, what's your story?”

“My car has no gasoline. Which is odd since I filled it last night. I'm guessing those Gas Robbers I heard on the news who did it! GOD! I have a car that won’t work, my cell phone battery died as well and I'm stuck here!”

“Calm the Grump Hump, dude! We’re on the same boat here” As much as you enjoyed annoying Yoongi you could also understand his frustration, you were too tired and annoyed to even fight back or retort.

“I'm sorry” Yoongi sighed and rubbed his temples, “I'm tired, it's been a long night, and it just gets longer and longer.”

“I also have a deceased cell phone. Isn't that a coincidence” you said sarcastically.

“Coincidence indeed.” He agreed slowly looking at you with stern eyes. Deep in thought as he was getting a realization.

“Yeah, it's almost as if we were cursed…”

You remembered Madame Karma's words. "Karma doesn't lie. Plus, you can't escape Karma. If you try to escape from it, you will be forever cursed. And trust me, you don't want that to happen"

"Ridiculous!" You thought. It was ridiculous to think that Yoongi was the man of your life. You looked at him and noticed he kept looking at you strangely.

“Is something wrong?” You asked.

“No. I was only thinking of something the medium to me earlier” he shook his head, “It doesn't matter.”

Something Madame Karma told him? Holy god. Did she tell Yoongi the same things she told you? That you were the woman of his life? It couldn't be true. That was way humiliating. Even when you knew the answer, you just had to ask…..

“Yoongi, did Madame Karma mention me when she read the cards?”

He looked at her cautiously, confirming your suspicion.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because she mentioned you in my future. She said something about matching Auras and things like that…”

“Things like that? What do you mean by "Things like that"?”

“Gibberish. That we are compatible.” You scoffed using air quotes.

“Perfect for one another?”

“Exactly!”

“Now that's silly!” He scoffed to giving a half laugh and rolling his eyes

“Yeah! The greatest silliness I've heard in years.”

“Exactly. Did she tell you that if you fight against it you were going to be cursed?”

“Yeah” You said as you tried to smile but just couldn't.

“Do you think that the broken down cars and the dead cell phones are because of the curse?”

Yoongi was lost in thought for a moment even just a fraction of a second but came back and laughed it off, “Of course not. I don't believe on that silliness. Shit happens. I don't believe in that medium either. I bet she is just a hoax.”

“I read an article in the New York Times, and it says she has been very certain with many couples and she has helped the police in many cases. But when she talked about me I just didn't believe her.”

“Me neither” he smiled weakly, trying to convince himself that was true.

“Look, I'm going to go to the store to call for car assistance, if you want you can come to the store too.”

“I was going to offer you to come to the office.”

“But in the shop there is hot coffee and I have cookies” you insisted and rubbed the bridge of your nose, “Don't argue with me. The night is horrible without you and me arguing.”

“You're right. I'm sorry.” He said avoiding your eyes.

“Damn, you're not sorry, you are lame at lying” you laughed.

You walked through the garden and took a shortcut through the grass. Suddenly a click. Both of you stood still a second.

“What was that?” asked Yoongi.

“ No clue” you said. Suddenly a bunch of tubes came from the ground and began to come out water “Goddamit the sprinklers! Great! My ass is wet! Can anything worse happen?”

“Don't say that because I've discovered that many worse things can happen. Well, might as well get out of this water” He grabbed your wrist and dragged you out of the garden. You did your best to keep up, Yoongi just pulled you even closer trying to help cover you as much as possible with his body to no avail. When you reached "Constant Cravings" just before getting to the door, you fell and grabbed herself to Yoongi. It was supposed to keep you in balanced but it made you both fall causing him landed just on top of you.

As you looked up, you were able to see Yoongi's face more closely. During a couple of seconds you could have sworn you felt as if the oxygen was being taken away. It actually felt...nice to have him on you.

“____” he incorporated himself with his forearms and the inferior part of his body was brushing against yours “Are you ok?”

"No I’m not! I’m horny and wet and it's all your fault!" You thought. You tried to move but when you noticed how your wet body just slipped under Yoongi, you froze completely. He kept looking at you and stayed completely still, but a part of his body was moving independently.

Oh My God! Wasn't cold water supposed to have a calming effect on men? Either Yoongi had a huge pickle in his pants or your theory was completely wrong! He got off and pressed his teeth.

“Are you alright?”

You just nodded and sat up, “I'm ok, wet and cold, but otherwise ok.”

“I'm glad. Now let's get out of here before we need a raft to get out.”

You tried to get up but felt a sudden a pain in your ankle.

“OW!” You shouted “I think I twisted my ankle.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Hell yeah! Or I wouldn't have shouted”

Suddenly Yoongi bent down and grabbed you as he carried you bridal style.

“What are you doing?” The evident blush ringing your cheeks.

“I think it's obvious” he said “I'm taking you in my arms to the store.”

“I can walk!” You said defending yourself as Yoongi raised an eyebrow in disbelief “or at least I can jump on one foot till I get there”

“Yeah but it would take you a week to get to the door” he laughed, heading directly to "Constant Cravings".

“Not bad for a guy that spends his days behind a desk” you said smiling.

“I do not spend all day behind a desk!”

“ Yoongi you gotta start learning to take a joke” you giggled.

“You're so…..”he shut up in the last minute and looked at you up and down. He tightened his teeth and looked at her eyes, avoiding thinking about any part of your body that seemed to affect him with just the slightest touch “Where is your key?”

“In my bag…..that I left when I fell down!”

“Why didn't you pick it up?”

“I would have, but you carried me like a sack of potatoes all the way here” you smirked.

“Well, I'm sorry for helping you” he said ironically “next time I will let you soak yourself in the ground.”

“Alright, you're right. I'm sorry and I thank you for your help.”

“Did you hit your head when you fell” he raised an eyebrow.

“Ha, ha! No. But I know when to say I'm sorry when I'm wrong.”

“Apology accepted. Now going back to the topic of your purse...” he turned around and saw the little lump that was getting wet.

“DAMN! That purse was new!” You moaned in discontent over the loss of your new purse

“Moan later. I have to go for it and that means I have to leave you in the ground” he gently placed you down being careful not to touch any skin or dangerous areas but once you were down still held you close “Did I hurt you?

His gaze was paralyzing. And his voice, so deep like he had just woken up from a long night of passionate sex. You felt his breath so warm on your lips and noticed how close those lips were. You experimented a extracorporeal sensation as you were getting closer and closer to his lips. But as soon as you blinked, the image went away.

“_____ , did I hurt you?” He asked again, hearing the tone of concern in his voice that sent you back to reality. You shook your head in response.

“I'm fine, go” you said as you tried to get up and incorporated yourself against the wall “Go!”

"Yeah, go before I put my arms around your neck. Oh god how I wanted to touch your chest and abs to see if they are as spectacular as they seem! And I also wanted to see inside your pants to see if what I felt back there was true!" You thought.

He sighed, nodded, and went back to the garden for your purse. There was no doubt that Min Yoongi had an awesome body but Madame Karma was crazy if she thought he was the man of her life.

"WOW!"

Why were you even affected by this? It was way to just ignore it pass off the tension as just creative differences but now you couldn’t stop seeing Yoongi in a different light.

Yoongi was on his way top grab your purse as he thanked the cold shower that the sprinklers were giving him. What the hell was he doing? It was a ridiculous question since he knew exactly what was going on. The problem was that he could still feel the sensation of your body on him. He could still see the expression on your face and the erotic sensation of your body slipping underneath his. He could remember the scent of sugar on your wet skin, a mixture of sugar and flowers that shouldn't seem so attractive, but it seemed to be the sexiest perfume ever.

He couldn't remember the last time he was so ecstatic over a woman so easily. With just one the look into your eyes and just one look at your sexy, wet lips he went from zero to a hundred in just one second. A physical reaction you noticed right away. That he couldn't stop. And that he couldn't understand nor explain. Without a doubt you were an attractive woman. But why was this woman that made him so angry all the time the one that was making him feel this way?

He tightened his teeth. All this was the medium's fault! Ever since she read his future, he wasn't able to forget her words. It was madness, because he didn't believe in those things. He supposed she googled him to know about his professional life or maybe Hoseok told her about his personal life. But what she said about his future, that he had the love of his life all long right in front of him.

You.

A strange sensation overpowered him when the medium said your name. He had told the medium she was wrong, but she just focused her dark eyes and kept on about how his and your auras matched and some things like that. A load of gibberish!

He went down to pick up the purse and ran back to "Constant Cravings", where you were still waiting for him. From where he was he could see how your white blouse was now stuck to your body almost like it were a second skin. Under the moonlight you had a hot and sexy aspect that seemed to fire up Yoongi and make the situation even worse than what it already was.

When was he ever going to stop thinking about that? He was thinking of taking your wet clothes off and kissing your sexy lips. Although to be sincere, he had those thoughts even before he went to seeing the medium. Ever since the day you offered him a "Slow Trip to Pleasure". Luckily, in that moment he could set aside that thought most of the day. Maybe his thoughts were going wild just because you were wet. A wet woman can make a man fantasize a lot. Once you got dry everything was going to go back to normal. Hopefully.

He went to you and handed the wet purse.

“Thanks” you mumbled.

Once you opened the door of the shop, he carried you again in his arms taking you inside the store, trying hard not to think about how wonderful it felt to have you in his arms.

“It’s not necessary for you to take me in your arms” you whispered, but your protest was not sincere. Actually, the way your voice came out was much deeper and sexy than you had intended to but still sparked a chill in Yoongi’s body.

He looked as your huge ayes, your luscious lips, your long hair, and felt captivated. He did a huge effort to stop looking at you as he entered the store and closing the door with his foot.

“It may not be necessary taking you in my arms, but I brought you here and I'm not going to die if I take a couple more steps” That wasn't all true, because having your body so close to his WAS, in fact, going to kill him. “Come on, Let me check that ankle, then you can talk about if you need help to walk or not.”

He headed to the sofa that was placed in the left side of the store but you stopped him in the act.

“Not there, I don't want to ruin the sofa. Take me to the counter, I can manage there.”

Yoongi obeyed and took you to the counter as you sat by the cash register.

“Where is the light switch?” he asked.

“Next to the door, in the right side.”

Yoongi went back to the door and switched the light on. When he went back he saw you with her leg pulled out and making circular movement with her ankle. Drat! Even that looked hot! He forced himself to look away but his eyes were glued on you. That dreaded white blouse was stuck to your body like cellophane paper. "No, STOP! Stop thinking about it and don't look at her directly"!

“So how is it?” He asked.

"Hard and painful" a voice in his mind answered his own question but tried to ignore it.

“Its ok, look, I can move it!” You continued to make circular movements “ I think it was only the pain of the moment. At least I'm glad I wasn't wearing a skirt when I fell.”

-“Oh really?” he said softly, "Cause I would have seen your ass" he thought. Then his mind wandered off, what underwear was she wearing? Would she be wearing a combination with her bra or maybe she wasn't wearing anything at all….

“ Yoongi, are you ok?” You woke him up from his train of thought.

"No" “Yes!”

“You look rather red.”

“It's the light…..and the fact that I'm a bit tired after carrying you through the garden.”

“Are you saying I'm fat?” You pouted.

“No, why do women always ask that?”

“Because men always make commentaries that are interpreted to believe so.”

“Well, just so you know I wasn't calling you fat, you're…”

“What?” You smirked waiting for him to make his usual snarky remark.

"Great, sexy, you make my heart pound so fast and so hard that I think my heart is going to fall" his mind was at a full buzz trying to contain himself, luckly he had always been one for self restraint

“Are you looking for a compliment Ms. ______?”

“A compliment? From you? I highly doubt that! I would be completely silent if I ever heard you say a compliment from you.”

“Well if it's the only way to get you to close your mouth, I'll try it. You have great curves.”

“Wow, thanks. You must get a lot of women with that phrase” you said sarcastically, “Well, thank you, I suppose. I should get some ice.”

“Ice. Yeah. That's a good idea. Something cold is what I, I mean, you, need” Yoongi saw how you almost came down from the counter to look for ice but he stopped you on your tracks “You, young lady, stay right here and let me take a look at your ankle”

Yoongi was regretting those words as soon as he left. If he looked at you ankle, that would mean he would be very close to your body. And that was the last thing he needed. But even though he was denying getting close to you, he still came back and grabbed your ankle softly.

“May I?”

You put her hands on the counter and extended your leg a little. The image of you reclining on the counter like that burning a hot flame inside him.

“I never thought you would be the polite boy that would ask permission before he could touch.”

“I guess you don't know much about me. Now let me see your ankle” Yoongi tried to stay steady and press the ice on your ankle. He was surprised by his great skill of auto control. You continued to have your eyes glued on Yoongi with a lot of curiosity, like a cat.

“So what does a manager know about broken ankles?” You asked to break the ice.

“I stayed at a camp as a monitor and in a rescue team for many summers. It’s been a long time since that happened, but I can still remember how to fix a broken ankle” he made slow circular movements with your ankle “Does it hurt when I do this?”

“No”

He could feel the weight of your stare as he was moving your ankle. A beautiful ankle he had to let go. He looked up and saw you face as you smiled.

“So?”

“So what?” Yoongi asked in a daze.

“So what's the situation?”

"I'm guilty of having a huge desire as a cause of a transitional mental derivation. And I don't know how long I can last without having to explode"

“My ankle?” You asked as you saw that he wasn't answering your question.

“Oh… yeah it’s alright” he said, coming back to reality. He began to massage your feet “There's no need to call a surgeon.”

“That's….” You moved her ankle in Yoongi's hand “Ohh! What a joy!” she closed her eyes and made a moan, that made Yoongi become hard again “What a joy!” You screamed in pleasure

Yoongi stood still again and he could see the excitement in your eyes.

“Yoongi….I think we should take our clothes off.”