#fos allegiances

[mandos-mind-trick]

00:00 (Zero O'Clock)

Summary: On the run from your family, you meet your soulmate after he's sent to retrieve you. Can he offer you what you've been yearning for since your mark first appeared? Or will he turn out to be just like everyone else in your life?

Loosely based on the BTS song of the same name.

Pairing: Hunter x reader Soulmate AU

Warnings: NSFW, smut, unprotected sex, fingering, some brief mention of kink related things, brief mention of a knife kink, canon typical violence, some semi-descriptive mentions of abuse and child abuse, some angst, lots of fluff, as usual reader has a backstory for plot.

A/N: I'm trying a bit of a new format with this one, at least as to how the story progresses. I'm not sure about the beginning, but let me know what you think.

MASTERLIST

Five Minutes.

Your legs are aching almost as much as your lungs, but you don’t stop. 

You can’t stop. 

Tree roots and vines threaten to trip you with every step, but you push onwards. Get to town. You just have to get to town and you can stop. 

Three minutes. 

The timer on your wrist is like some twisted countdown. When it appeared over ten years ago, you were confused. Your soulmate couldn’t be that much younger than you. You had thought perhaps they were a different species, one that matures faster than others. 

Ten years, forty-seven days, six hours, and fifteen minutes. 

That had been the number seared onto your skin one day, the numbers slowly counting down as time went on. You tried to mark the exact day on the calendar, but it was difficult. You went off galactic standard time, as your countdown seemed to match how the hours and days passed for you. 

You daydreamed constantly about your soulmate. You researched species after species, trying to find any sort of answer you could as to why your soulmate mark had shown up so late. 

It wasn’t until the war when things began making sense. 

It wasn’t until the war that things began falling apart for you. 

The sudden appearance of the clone army, millions upon millions of beings created over the ten years before the war started, answered many people’s questions. Millions upon millions of beings in the galaxy that had lived for years without a soulmate link suddenly having theirs appear in the last ten years. 

Your soulmate’s a clone. 

Your father was not pleased. 

Your home planet was not part of the Republic. It had always been independent, and once the war started, the governing body decided to side with the Separatists. Your father was a loyal supporter of this decision, funneling your family’s vast wealth and resources to aiding the Confederacy of Independent Systems. 

You thought the entire war was stupid. Why couldn’t people just be happy with being either part of the Republic or not? 

The first time you spoke out against it in front of your father, he dragged you from the room and beat you with his belt. 

The second time you spoke out against it, at a dinner with several important political figures including your grandfather, he beat you right there in the dining hall. 

When he discovered your soulmate timer, it got worse. 

He tried everything he could to remove it. 

You knew it was useless. Even cutting the skin off with a knife, the mark would only appear again as it healed. Burns, scars, even chopping the limb off wouldn’t work. It would simply appear elsewhere. 

Your father thankfully never went that far. 

Your hatred towards him only deepened as time went on. 

News of your grandfather’s death reaches you shortly before the end of the war. You don’t cry. You barely knew him, and what you knew of him was that he was equally as cruel as your father. 

As the war ends, so does the Republic. 

Shortly after, the Empire is on your doorstep demanding allegiance. They get it, and the occupation begins. 

Six months later, you run away. 

You run and keep running. A month later, the bounty hunters begin appearing. You evade them easily enough, and when you can’t evade them, you make sure they can’t follow you.

It’s been almost a year since the war ended. Your timer is still steadily counting down. Your soulmate is still alive somewhere. You debate trying to find them, but you know finding clones means getting close to the Empire. You know nothing good would come from getting caught by the Empire. Even worse, they might return you home. 

Two minutes. 

Your feet hit solid ground, relieved to be free of the damp mud you had been running through for the past ten minutes. You race into town, hoping to lose him. 

He had appeared an hour ago, your little shack that had been offering you reprieve his target. He’s here for you, sent by the Empire or your father, you’re not sure. Either way, you’re not keen to find out. 

You were gone long before he reached your abandoned hut. You had headed towards town, hoping to reach the spaceport and convince someone to take you to their next stop before he even noticed you weren’t in the hut anymore. 

Except it was a long trek to town, and this wasn’t a normal bounty hunter. 

The first shot had narrowly missed you. 

A warning. 

You had taken off running, zig-zagging through trees as fast as you could. The shots had followed right behind you until they had died out, leaving nothing but the sound of the jungle, and your own heavy breathing. 

He’s right behind you. You know he is. You should have run for it from the start. 

You desperately need to stop. You need air, your lungs beginning to spasm painfully. You’re not going to get much farther without a reprieve. You hope you can lose him in the evening crowd, ducking into an alley. 

You press your back against the wall, putting a hand to your wheezing chest. Your eyes screw shut for a moment, urging air back into your lungs. Your legs are trembling like they may give out under you, but you know you don’t have long. He’s probably already in town. You need to stay ahead of him. Pray you can catch someone leaving at the spaceport and escape. 

One minute. 

Your soulmate is about to appear. Maybe they’ll help you get out of this mess. You can’t reach the spaceport in that short amount of time. You glance at both ends of the alley. There’s no one. So who-

A hand wraps around your throat, slamming your back against the wall behind you. Your hand is quick to grab your knife, aiming it for the throat, but his hand wraps around your wrist, stopping it.

“Give up, kid.” He drawls, tightening his grip around your wrist until you’re forced to drop the knife. “You’re not going to win this.”  

You struggle against his hold, even though you know he’s right. 

30 seconds.

Just thirty more seconds. You can fight that long. 

You drive your knee up into his stomach, but he doesn’t release you. His grip tightens around your throat, black dots beginning to form in your vision. You drive your fist into his elbow, his arm bending awkwardly. His fingers slip from your throat and you inhale sharply, your vision swimming for a moment. 

“Let her go.” 

You both look up in shock at the voice. Modulated by a familiar looking helmet, grey with an orange stripe down the middle. He’s standing at the entry to the alley, blaster drawn and pointed at the bounty hunter. 

“She’s my quarry.” The bounty hunter says, hand dropping to his own blaster. “I found her first.” 

You quickly duck, covering your head as the shots ring out. Your gaze is drawn down to your timer, eyes widening a bit. 

00:00:00:00:00

This is your soulmate? 

You push yourself back up, glancing at the body of the bounty hunter for a moment before your gaze falls on the clone. His armor is pieced together, lacking the normal consistency you associated with clones and their armor. Had you been wrong? Is he not a clone after all? 

“It’s you.” You whisper, dropping the knife from your hand. 

“Give up the fight, kid.” He says, voice distorted by his helmet, blaster trained on you now. 

You make a face. “I’m not a kid. I’m older than you.” You press your back against the wall. “When I pictured us meeting, this wasn’t what I had in mind.” 

He tilts his head, and you can picture the confusion on his face. You hold up your arm, revealing your soulmate timer now at zero. He lowers his head slightly, looking at it. He glances down at his own arm for a moment before lowering his blaster. You watch him fiddle with his vambrace, tugging it down with his sleeve enough to reveal tanned skin underneath. He’s quiet, staring down at his skin for a few moments. 

You could run. You could use his distraction to try and escape.

You don’t want to. You had been destined to meet at this moment. Since your creation, maybe even before. 

Maybe he can help you. 

But he was sent after you. 

He wouldn’t really return you to your father, would he? You had heard about clones being forced to reject their soulmates under the Republic. Was the Empire enforcing that too? He wouldn’t...would he? 

Your legs are shaking still, your body exhausted from running for so long. Always on edge, always watching your back. You slip down the wall, sitting on the ground. You stare up at him, finding him watching you. “Are you with the Empire?” You ask. 

“No.” He says, straightening up a bit. “We were sent after you by a third party.” 

“Oh.” You say, nodding. “Are you...going to take me back to my father?” 

He stares at you quietly for a long time. This was going to complicate things for both of you. Would he still return you to your father, even now knowing you’re his soulmate? Did you try to run, leave behind your soulmate to try and save yourself? You know it’s only going to get harder to be apart from here. Now that you’ve met, the longing will start, the need to be close. 

That’s why the Republic wanted clones to reject their soulmates. Not even the best programming can undo the natural need to be close to one’s soulmate. 

“I’ve caught her.” He speaks into his comm. “Get back to the ship and meet us at the spaceport.” 

“You should just reject me now.” You say, and he looks at you again. You wish you could see his face, read his expressions. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? At least, that’s what the Republic wanted.” You shrug. “It’ll hurt less for you later when my father decides to kill me.” 

“Why would he go through all this trouble to get you back if he’s just going to kill you?” He asks, stepping closer. 

You snort. “You don’t know anything about me, do you?” 

“You’re a runaway rich kid, and your father is willing to pay a lot to get you back.” He says, wrapping a hand around your arm. He hauls you to your feet far too easily, spinning you so you’re pressed against the wall. 

“Moving a bit fast, aren’t we?” You quip, his hands gripping your wrists behind you. 

“Can it, kid.” He grunts, cuffing your arms behind your back. 

“I’m not a kid.” You huff, tugging against his hold, but you quickly give in. 

This wasn’t what you were expecting when you pictured meeting your soulmate. Of course, you’d spent most of the war hearing nothing but propaganda against the Republic and the clone army, so you really didn’t know what to expect. They’re not quite the mindless soldiers like you’d been told, at least that’s what you’d discern since this group was apparently working independently of the Empire. 

“You’re making a mistake.” You say as he takes your arm, tugging you towards the end of the alley. 

“I’m sure you see it that way.” He says, leading you onward. 

You plant your feet, trying to get him to look at you. “No, I’m trying to warn you. If you actually bothered to look into who I am, you never would have taken this job in the first place.” 

He finally stops, turning to look at you. “Why do you care?” 

“You’re deserters, aren’t you? I’ve only heard propaganda, and seen clones in passing once, but I do know most of them are loyal to the Empire now. Most of them aren’t out here playing mercenary and bounty hunter. You received coordinates for a place to drop me off, right? Somewhere in the D’Astan sector? You know what that sector looks like right now? It’s crawling with Imperial troops and ships. The war had barely ended and they were already invading. I ran because my father is a cruel man who spent my whole life beating me to submission. He’s a weak man who can’t stand things not being in his control. The Empire has completely taken over and I’m one of the few things he has left he can control. I don’t want that.” 

He stares at you for a while. You know he’s thinking over your words. He won’t trust you, not completely. If you can just get to him a little, though, you may be able to save your own skin, and maybe his as well. 

“You’re my soulmate.” It feels unreal saying those words. You’d pictured it a thousand times, and yet, none of them had come close. “If nothing else, trust me on that basis. I know you’ve been told your whole life to reject me. I don’t want you to.” 

He stares at you for a moment longer before turning, tugging you along as he makes his way towards the starport. Tears prick your vision. You have no idea what he’s thinking, what he’s feeling. For all you know, he doesn’t believe you and he’ll take the risk returning you to your father. 

He has no reason to trust you. 

For all you know, he’s going to reject you. 

If that’s the case, though, why hasn’t he done it yet? 

“Can I at least know your name?” You ask softly, looking up at him. 

He stays silent, walking you into the starport. Thankfully it’s late enough that it's not very busy. This looks bad, it looks really bad for you. 

“Hunter!” 

Of all things a child runs towards you two. 

“We were getting worried.” The child says as Hunter leads you towards an Omicron-class ship. 

He leads you up the steps, three more clones inside. Well, at least you think they’re clones. None of them quite look the same, at least size and height-wise. One is lankier and is wearing goggles, the other is a giant of a man, and the third has a cybernetic arm and legs. 

Hunter pushes you down into one of the seats rather roughly, pointing his finger in your face. “Don’t move.” He says threateningly, leaving you sitting there.

It’s not like you have much of a choice. There’s not much room to move anyway, as the large one and the child join you. The ship rumbles as it comes to life, forcing you to press back into the seat as it lifts off the ground. Your arms are pressed uncomfortably behind you, hands going numb as the cuffs cut off circulation. 

Your stomach churns with the familiar jump to hyperspace, Hunter not returning until the ship is well on its way to most likely your drop off point. You’re nervous, not just for yourself. Hunter must not have believed you. You’re sad for them, and yourself. 

The large one pulls off his helmet with a sigh. Though he’s very large, his face is unmistakably that of a clone’s. They really must have been hired by a third party. Your father never would have stooped that low. He’s in for one hell of a surprise when they show up to hand you off. 

Your gaze is pulled away from the big one as Hunter enters the hull, removing his own helmet. He doesn’t look like you expect a clone to. His hair is long, held back by a red bandana. He has the rugged face of a clone, but the left half is covered in a skull tattoo. It’s intimidating, just like his gaze as it burns into you. 

The one with the cybernetics follows him, his helmet removed as well. He’s paler and gaunter than the others, a headset wrapped around his head. He takes a seat at the computer, typing rapidly. 

“If what you said is true, we can’t risk turning you in.” Hunter says. 

“Why would I lie to you?” You ask, though you already know the answer. 

“To save your own skin.” He says. “I believe you, that you were running for a reason. But that could be any reason. Not just the story you told me.” 

“Then by all means.” You say, trying to get comfortable with your hands behind your back. “Research away.” 

It’s quiet for a few moments, part of the screen visible over their heads from where you’re sitting. You are telling the truth to them. You have no reason to lie. Especially not to your soulmate. 

“You’re a Separatist?” Cybernetics asks you. 

You roll your eyes. “You know, just because someone lived on a Separatist planet doesn't mean they were Separatists too. I hated them. I thought the war was stupid. Why couldn’t they just be happy not being part of the Republic and the Republic just leave them alone?” 

“I think it was a bit more complex than that.” Hunter says. 

You roll your eyes again. “Well, it’s not like I was ever getting the truth there. We were fed Separatist propaganda for years, even before the war started.” 

The ship goes quiet again, broken only by the sound of Cybernetics typing at the computer. 

"She's telling the truth." He finally says, breaking the quiet. "Imperial files have that whole sector listed under their control.” 

“We can’t risk revealing ourselves.” Hunter says. “But we need those credits.” 

You resist the urge to roll your eyes once more. “If you bothered to check my bag, you’d see I have plenty of credits in there.” 

Their eyes fall to where your bag has been placed on the chair behind them. Hunter opens your bag, digging through until he finds the box of credits. He opens it, looking inside. 

“That’s far more than we’ll get from Cid for this job.” Cybernetics says. 

“You can have them.” You say. “It’s my dad’s money anyway. I took what he had on hand before I left.” 

“You’d just let us take this.” Hunter asks speculatively. 

“If it means saving both our skins and keeping me from having to see my father ever again, then yes. You can have my whole bag, if you’d like.” 

Hunter stares down at the credits for a moment before heading into the cockpit once more. 

“Hey, Cybernetics.” You call before he can follow Hunter.  

“My name’s Echo.” He says with a frown, obviously offended by your nickname. 

“Okay, how was I supposed to know that? It’s not like you’ve been very hospitable.” You shrug as he disappears into the cockpit too. You nearly jump out of your skin as you turn, finding the child standing next to you. “Oh my, you’re a sneaky little thing.” 

“Sorry.” She laughs. “My name’s Omega. That’s Wrecker.” The giant clone waves. 

You nod back, your arms still cuffed behind your back. “Hello.” 

Hunter reappears, coming to stand in front of you. “If you’re tricking us in any way, I will not hesitate to shoot you.” 

“If you knew the things my dad did to me growing up, the things he would do to me if he ever got his hands on me again, you wouldn’t hesitate to trust me when I say I want absolutely nothing to do with him or the Empire.” You stare into his eyes as he kneels in front of you. “He’s a horrible man and he can waste all of his money and resources looking for me for all I care.” 

Hunter undoes your cuffs, and you rub your sore wrists. “We’ll drop you off on the next inhabited planet we can find.” 

You frown. “So that’s it? We’re not even going to talk about it?” 

“There’s nothing to talk about.” He says, turning his back to you as he sits at the computer. 

“Like hell there isn’t. If you’re that dead set, then just reject me now and get it over with so we can both move on with our lives.” 

“I can’t trust you.” He says over his shoulder. 

“I’m not asking you to trust me.” Your voice wavers a bit. “I’m asking you to talk to me. Either talk to me, or just reject me and get it over with.” 

***

The ship is quiet as it floats aimlessly through space. You gaze out the viewport at the thousands of stars in front of you. Hunter is in the seat across from you, his seat turned to face yours. 

“I have to protect them.” He says. “If anything happens to them...” 

“I know.” You nod, turning to look at him. “They’re lucky to have you. All my life I’ve been wishing for someone to care that much about me. Someone who would protect me. My mother was always too scared he’d turn on her if she said anything. It wasn’t long after the war started that I figured it out, that my soulmate was a clone. My father wasn’t happy about it. He tried everything he could to remove my timer. It never worked.” 

Hunter tenses a bit at your words. It feels good, talking about it finally. Even if he did decide nothing was to come of your link, it still felt good to tell someone about what had happened to you. You’ve never had that chance before. 

“I never thought much about my link.” Hunter says, turning his gaze out the viewport. “I couldn’t. The Kaminoans created the rules about seeking out soulmates and the Republic agreed. I didn’t have time, anyway. We were always moving, always on a mission. I hoped the war would end before the timer reached zero. I’m not sure I could have rejected my soulmate. Most of the clones ignored those rules. They kept their links, secretly keeping contact with their soulmates.” He shakes his head. “I figured it would happen when it happened. I didn’t think it would be like this.” 

“What, that you’d desert the army and wind up bounty hunting your soulmate who was a Separatist?” 

“Something like that.” A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. 

“Where do we go from here, Hunter?” You ask, turning to look at him. You take in his profile. The skull tattoo, the slope of his nose, the line of his jaw. He’s handsome. Ruggedly handsome. Not totally what you would consider your type, but perhaps the link to him was more than just looks. 

You’d been raised with the idea of becoming someone’s trophy. You’d never hold power in your own family. You’d be someone’s pretty little wife who served drinks and made babies and made her husband look good. You’d marry someone just like your father who would beat you with a belt if you spoke out in opposition against him. 

Then your mark had shown up, and with it came the idea of something else. Something more. Something different. 

Hunter is different. 

So very different. 

He turns to look at you, his eyes studying your face. “What is it you want?” 

You smile, leaning back in the seat. “I want to live on a farm on a small planet with kind people that care about each other. I want to care for animals and to play in the dirt. I want a house that’s just the right size. I want to be happy and safe away from politics and war and my family.” You stare into his eyes, deep into the rich depths of them. “I want to be happy with my soulmate.” 

***

You lay in bed, staring out the open window. The cool morning air is blowing in, rustling the curtains. The sun is just starting to rise, painting the sky in yellows and oranges. It’s quiet, the only noise the occasional bird song as the world begins to wake up. It’ll be warm today, the perfect time for you to finish planting your garden for the season. 

An arm wraps around your waist, warm lips pressing kisses to your exposed neck. You smile, leaning back against the broad chest. 

“Morning.” You murmur, biting your lip as his stubble tickles the sensitive skin. 

He murmurs his greeting against your neck, his hand trailing up your bare side. 

“We have to get Omega up for school soon.” You say, his lips working on sucking a mark onto the skin under your ear. “And we should take that milk into town.” His hand slides higher, cupping one of your breasts. “And we need to get the guest room ready for when Crosshair arrives.” 

Hunter hums in your ear, pulling you tighter against his chest. You can feel him, hard against your lower back. “Worry about that later. Right now, I need to make love to my wife.” 

It’s been nearly two years since that fateful day your soulmate hunted you down during your escape from your father. 

Not long after, you had found this place. It was almost exactly what you had imagined, what you had told Hunter you wanted. It had felt too good to be true, at least until you began to settle in. It took some adjusting for the others as well, but they eventually found their places. 

Echo decided to leave with Rex, feeling it was the right choice. You know it hurt the others to let him go, but you felt if he was happier fighting with the rebellion, then he should. You still see them occasionally when they drop by for a quick rest. 

During one of those rests, they had brought a new figure into the house. They had stumbled across Crosshair being held at a facility and had rescued him. That had been a big adjustment, as he dealt with a lot of trauma from his time being controlled by the Empire. 

Eventually he healed, and he grew bored. Echo and Rex offered him a place with them, helping them, but he decided on a different route. 

He became a bounty hunter. 

He still stopped by every so often, spending a few days on the farm before he’d leave, heading out to catch more quarries and get more credits. 

Wrecker and Tech settled into farm life nicely. You had worried Tech might work himself to a coma as he spent endless hours learning everything he could about the planet, its flora and fauna, its weather patterns and seasons, the native cultures. He’d set up the house to best utilize the weather and natural phenomena, picked the best crops to grow and which animals would be the easiest to keep. Wrecker was more than thrilled to help with the actual farm work, tending to the animals and the more heavy-lifting aspects that came with it. 

Omega settled in best of all, making friends in the nearby town and starting school. Hunter’s happy in this domestic life. You can tell just looking at him. He had shared similar dreams with you, settling down on a remote planet so that Omega can just be a kid while she still can. A place that’s safe, far from the reach of the Empire. 

It’s been quiet since you landed here. You haven’t seen or heard anything from the Empire or even a bounty hunter. You had all been a bit on edge at first, waiting for the inevitable arrival. 

It never came. 

You’ve been safe, you’ve all been safe, for the first time ever. 

Marrying Hunter had been an easy decision. There was no legal benefit in it, since he was a clone and you had left your family and its name and its standing behind you. You had done it mostly because you wanted to. Adopting Omega had been the natural next step, of course. It hadn’t been a legal adoption, again for obvious reasons, but it still felt good to put a name to it all. 

You’ve built a new family, one you actually want. 

One you actually love. 

Hunter turns your body just slightly, his hand trailing up to your jaw. He cups it gently, looking down at your face. 

“What?” You ask, your cheeks flushing just a bit. Two years and you still feel a bit sheepish under his gaze. 

“You’re just so beautiful.” He says, leaning down to kiss you. 

“You say that all the time.” You murmur against his lips. 

“Because it’s true.” He murmurs back, deepening the kiss. 

You press your body back against him, touching as much of him as you can. He’s softened a bit in two years, you’ve noticed. With the constant strain of fighting and continuous missions behind them, they’ve all softened a bit. Farm work is hard, but not nearly as demanding as what they had spent their entire lives doing. He’s still just as strong, but the hard ridges of muscle are gone, leaving soft edges in their wake. 

That, and finally getting some real food in them has helped. 

You like him no matter what, but you prefer his soft body. It means he’s well rested and well fed. Something he deserves after everything. 

His lips trail down your neck and shoulders, his deft fingers sliding from your jaw down your body, pausing just to pluck at one of your nipples playfully. You gasp quietly, reaching back to tangle a hand in his hair. 

You’ve had plenty of time to learn each other’s bodies over the years. Your first time together had been rushed and desperate in the fresher on the Marauder. It had been a result of the yearning, the need deep within your souls, your very beings, to be linked together. To be as close as you possibly can to each other. It had been awkward fumbling in a too-small space. 

Once you’d found your home, you both finally had space and privacy to take your time. Testing, trying, playing. A few times you’d allowed his knives in bed, and once you’d reenacted your first meeting, except that time ended with you being fucked handcuffed against a tree on the edge of your property. 

Most of all, though, you enjoyed the quiet moments like this one. The gentle lovemaking on lazy mornings, the quick moments when you can slip away from your responsibilities. The nights when he gets that look in his eye during dinner and you know you’re going to end up tangled in the sheets, moaning his name. 

Twelve years ago you never would have thought this could be real.

Two years ago you never thought this could be real. 

Fate is hardly ever wrong. 

You gasp quietly as his fingers slip between your thighs, finding your slick folds. He licks and nips at your skin, leaving a trail of marks no doubt. He has said more than once he loves your scent and the taste of your skin. It had taken some adjusting to his enhanced senses knowing he could hear and smell everything, and he has a habit of smelling and tasting everything. 

His hand grips your thigh, draping it over his waist. His fingers slip through your folds again, gathering your slick on his fingers before he presses one into you. You’re already wet, anticipating a rather satisfying morning. He runs his thumb over your clit and you jolt a bit, still sensitive from the night before. 

You moan quietly, tugging lightly on his hair. He groans in response, breath fanning across your ear. His scalp is sensitive. You’re able to reduce him to shivers by just raking your nails across it. 

He slips a second finger into you, his pace lazy and slow as you writhe in his arms. You can cum easily just from his fingers, something he’s rather proud of. To you, it’s a testament of just how perfect you are for each other. 

You know he wants you to cum on his cock this morning, yet you can’t help but whine as he pulls his fingers from you. He shushes you, shifting you ever so slightly before the head of his cock slips along your folds. You moan, walls clamping in anticipation. You’ll never get tired of him, of his body, of how perfectly it fits against yours. How perfectly it fits inside yours. 

He slides in, in one go, pausing for a moment once he’s seated fully inside you. His arms wrap around you, holding you as close to him as he can. You can still feel it like the first time you had sex, the bond between you. The link tying you together. The energy thrumming through you and into him, and then back like a circle. 

It’s something unexplainable. Something precious and unique and it fills you with warmth every time you think about it. 

“Hunter,” You whisper, walls clamping around him. 

He shushes you, lacing your fingers together. “I’ve got you.” 

He begins to move, slow and steady. Your eyes drift closed, savoring the feel of him, the drag of his hips, the stretch of his cock. The softness of him around you. You feel safe in his arms, like nothing can hurt you, nothing can touch you. Nothing can ruin this moment. 

You’re not going to last long, his fingers slipping between your thighs to circle your clit once more. Your legs shake, walls gripping him like your body is trying to hold onto this moment forever. 

You cum quickly with a quiet cry of his name, his own thrusts getting sloppy as he moans quietly in your ear. He stills as he reaches his own release, his groans vibrating through your back.

You lay there for a moment, clinging to each other, basking in the early morning glow. Neither of you have the will to move, wanting to stay like this forever. 

Alas, that’s not possible as a loud crash is heard from downstairs followed by Omegas giggles and Wrecker’s rather loud apologies. 

“The kids are awake.” He murmurs, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. 

“Yes, it seems they are.” You say, a smile tugging at your lips. 

“We should get up before they destroy the kitchen again.” 

“Agreed.” You say, reluctantly pulling away from him. 

You both dress, preparing to start another busy day. Hunter pauses by the door, leaning down to kiss you softly. 

“I love you.” He says, practically beaming down at you. 

You smile, tracing your fingers over his cheek. “I love you too.” 

And you mean it. 

Taglist:

@stressed-cherry, @6oceansofmoons,  @ladytano420, @spicy-clones, @kaminocasey

[not-so-allegiant-general]

I shoud open an Ao3 just to leave it there, and i shoud work on that more, but for now i will leave it here for your amusment. It's longer than usual but worth it i hope. Let's call it for now:

Play with me the game of treason

When Kylo was leaving Hux was General in command of Finalizer. But when he was back after few months he faced Chancellor Hux. In command of whole FO fleet. Hux was sitting on his throne, smoking and waiting. His coat still black but now with red lining. His stripes gold and his vibro blade visibly placed in the holster on his thigh. A warning and a promise. There was dare in his eyes and confidence in his posture.

"Supreme Leader. We awaited your return." He put out his cigarette. Kylo stared at him with lips pressed together, ready to attack. He grabbed his saber when Hux stood up but Chancellor only smirked and took a sidestep. Kylo came closer slowly and sat down eyeing him. Hux stood before him.

"We successfully took over all rebellious cells. Core worlds are ours. System by system they are pledging their loyalty to First Order."

Kylo was silent  for a brief moment.

"What have you done to Supreme Council?" Hux smiled coldly.

"No need for Supreme Council when Supreme Leader is not around."

"What have you done to them Hux.?"

"Nothing. I forced them to obey. That's all." Kylo snorted.

"Even Pryde?"

"Especially Pryde"

"Supreme Leader!" Pryde stormed into the room "This usurper... "

"That's not a proper way to address your commanding officer Allegiant General." Kylo smiled.

"Indeed." Hux added looking at Pryde. Pryde clenched his jaw and fell silent. "Nor a proper way to behave in presence of a Supreme Leader."

"Indeed." Kylo echoed his words, amused and glanced at Pryde. There was a fight in his eyes but light touch od force quickly ended it. Pryde kneeled down on one knee.

"Supreme Leader. I just wanted to inform you that during your absence General Hux."

"Chancellor. As i have heard. "

"Yes but..."

"If he managed to gain his rank than it's his. It's not my fault that you were too weak to resist. Aren't you going to kneel Chancellor? You did not welcome me properly either."

"I don't kneel." Hux said. Not anymore. Kylo tilted his head and hummed quietly.

"Very well... You can go Allegiant General. I have to talk with Chancellor in private." Pryde stood up and turned around on his heel. When he was in the middle of the room Hux said:

"Did i dismissed you, Allegiant General?" And to Kylo's surprise Pryde froze. The wave of crushing hate flew through the force. "I thought so." Pryde stood there with clenched hands and practically shaking with rage, but waiting "Dismissed." Ren felt shiver, down his spine and tingling in his fingers. The power and confidence was something that he was not used to receiving from Hux. He should be worried that Pryde was willing to listen to Hux's orders more than to his but at that moment he only felt burning want. Hux watched him for a brief moment smiling. "Orders, Supreme Leader?"

"You ask as if you would be willing to follow them."

“Oh I am. Eager to follow.” Kylo sniffed pressing his back to the throne, Hux smiled amused. “So easy to read without this atrocious thing on your face. “ He shook his head.

“What do you want?”

“What do you offer? I already have a title and loyalty of the people. Why would I keep you around.”

Yes. Why Would you.

“To keep appearances."

“Good boy.” Hux grabbed his jaw tightly. “Killing your predecessor brings bad luck.” Kylo lost his ability to think somewhere between words good and boy. He only stared at Hux’s face “ Other than that, I would gladly keep you for my own amusement.”

“As you kept Pryde? What have you done to him?”

“I threatened that I will take Steadfast from him.” Kylo tilted his head.

“Just that?”

“Just that. You have to understand, if Pryde had a wife and genuinely loved her, the threat of taking away Steadfast would still work better than killing said wife.” Ren nodded slowly looking at vile spark in Hux’s eyes. He looked like a cat playing with his prey.

“But you will take if from him.”

“Of course. Not yet. “ Hux let off his jaw “ But I will. Till then, I will let him regain stability, I will let him feel safe. He will thrive under prise, he will think that he was forgiven, that he can have a fresh start, that he is important. I will let him command this ship, gain victories. And when he will be at his top, I will rip it from him, with one order not even delivered by myself personally just send through official channel. As if he was just meaningless, not needed dirt. Which, of course, he is.” Kylo smirked

“So much work and thoughts into this meaningless dirt.” He mocked. Calling Hux out felt good. He saw the movement of Hux’s hand before Hux managed to slap him. Kylo caught his wrist in tight grip so strong that Chancelor squirmed. “I am no Pryde. I won’t play your games, Hux.”

“You already have. And you would like my games, Supreme Leader, you would love them.” He smiled.

“How can you be so sure, Chancellor? “ Kylo mused letting off of his wrist. Hux done everything to hide his obvious pain and put his hands behind his back.

“Just a feeling. But for now if you refrain from participating in my games. Let’s make a deal. I will run your Empire, grant you your power over me. You will secure my position and cooperate. That’s all I want.”

“Cooperate.” Kylo repeated.

“Yes, cooperate. Listen. Acknowledge. Consider. Decide. Like a good Leader you want to be, because you want to be…”

“Enough.” Hux only smiled smugly and fell silent waiting in parade rest. Kylo nodded. “Fine. Let it be your way. I agree.”

“Orders, Supreme Leader?”

“You are dismissed, Chancellor. For now.” Hux pressed his lips together chewing the inner side of his cheek.

“Very well.” He said and spined on his heel. Kylo watched his back. Hux stopped by the door. “You would do wise moving us from this system, Supreme Leader. We should regroup and rethink our future in safer part of galaxy.” Hux glanced at him. Kylo listen in silence, nodded and said.

“I will consider it.” He answered. Hux smiled and bowed his head slightly. Kylo almost could hear words forming in Chancellor mind.

Good boy.

“I will be in my quarters”

He was stating a fact as well as inviting. Kylo nodded again. He found himself before Hux’s quarters few hours later. Chancellor was inside. Hux did not had his uniform on, he was covered in black silk robe. It made him look even paler, etheric even. Ren froze.

“Come in, if you already let yourself in.” Hux murmured from behind his glass. It was filled with wine. “Rude.” He added under his breath taking another sip. Kylo took a few steps.

“Are you drunk?”

“Relaxed.” He sighed putting away the glass. Kylo stood before his desk looking at his almost bare chest where his dog tag was visible. "Rude" Hux repeated almost playfully. He was definitely drunk. Kylo stated.

"What?"

"It is rude to stare. Supreme Leader." Kylo quickly shift his gaze from his chest to his face.

"I decided that we will move from this system. I leave you the decision regarding our destination, Chancellor."

"Wrong" Kylo blinked.

"What did you said ?"

"I said wrong, Ren. That's not how you issue an order." Hux traces edge of the glass with his finger, Kylo found himself staring again. Pale, long fingers gliding smoothly on a wet glass. "Your subordinates don't get to decide. The decision is your privilege. You don’t gave it away, even if it's a burden. What you can do is demand suggestions." Kylo followed Hux hand with his eyes, transfixed. Hux place it flat on his desk. "One more time."

"We will move from this system." Kylo raised his eyes to look at Hux "I expect you to provide information what systems would be the best" he ordered and added "Chancellor" after a brief moment. He could swear that Hux shivered or maybe he imagined that part. But Chancellor's eyes was sparkling either with amusement or something else. Kylo could swear it was lust but he was too scared of thinking he imagined that part too.

"Better. Good. What a... "

"Call me boy one more time Chancellor and you might found yourself breathless." He hissed.

"Is that a threat or a promise, Ren?" Hux tilted his head watching him. "Or both. Perhaps." He smiled.

"You have your orders, Chancellor."

"They will be obeyed. But you didn't come here to give me my orders, Supreme Leader. So why did you came?" He stood up to take another glass from a cupboard. His long legs did things to Kylo. Things that were hidden for a long time, and the fact that Hux was bare foot didn’t help at all. Ren breathed out slowly and Hux placed a glass with wine before him looking at him almost with pity. Kylo already lost this game. He knew that. He knew since he saw the robe. Since he caught a glimpse of Hux's freckled shoulder. There was no need to pretend anymore. So maybe he shouldn’t. Kylo grabbed the glass and came over to sit on a couch. It seemed to surprise Hux but he looked surprised only for a moment. Then he pretended he did not care. And Kylo understood suddenly. Hux was used to people wearing masks, playing games, lying. But he was not used to honesty. Ren dropped his eyes looking at the wine.

"The game you want me to play. Does it includes getting you?" Hux almost choked on his wine as if he wasn't sitting here almost naked flirting with him for at least last seven minutes.

"Excuse me?" And Kylo smiled because Hux really looked taken off guard.

"It was quite simple question Chancellor... "

"It was crude."

"But honest."

"I suppose." Hux said, suddenly looking not even half as drunk as he was a second before. He took a sip of his wine but Kylo knew he is carefully watched, assessed, dissected. "Yes. I get First Order, you get an illusion of power and me. That's the game. No more decisions for you. You keep your title but every step you made, every word you say as a Supreme Leader is planned by me."

Kylo took a sip of his wine.

"Do you come with that robe?" Hux snorted not knowing alone if he is more offended or amused. He shook his head.

"Brute. I come with the robe and much more. I think... " He stood up "I think, you will be found of my taste in clothing." The glass fell on the ground when Hux straddled his legs. "You will clean that carpet personally,  Lord Ren."

Kylo snorted

"It seems you come not only with a robe but with certain attitude too." He felt sharp tug in his hair. He hissed and found Hux's face very close to his own.

"Indeed. But you are too invested to refuse aren't you?" And, force be dammed, he was.

Kylo was used to being someone's puppet. Used to saying words that wasn't his, used to keeping himself in line, watching every step. Used to not being able to understand what is going on around him. But he was not used to intimacy. To Hux in his silk robes and sheer, laced lingerie. To waking up by Hux and to falling asleep watching him working. He got used to it very quickly, though. To his touch, his prise, his sweet, promising words. To his warm, living body. And to certain attitude that Hux had. And oh how blind he was, how deaf and unaware. He should know better, he should really know better. And somehow, deep inside his mind he knew. From the beginning he knew but he pushed this thoughts away.

He will thrive under prise, he will think that he was forgiven, that he can have a fresh start, that he is important. I will let him command this ship, gain victories. And when he will be at his top, I will rip it from him.

But as Kylo said before. He was no Pryde. And yet the feeling of betrayal slipped into his throat, found home in his heart and he knew it will stay there for a while. It took a form of Chancellor Hux, in his black robe, with monomolecular blade in his hand. With the same blade at Kylo's throat. Kylo wanted to scream, he wanted to cry. He wanted to destroy that man and then he wanted to apologize to him. Because as now betrayal, before love found a way to him, slipped unnoticed and silently into his mind and into his body, leaving him desperate and torn.

He had month to prepare for this meeting. Chancellor Hux had only a day as he was realised from bacta tank. Almost twenty eight broken bones and yet he stood before Kylo without traces of fear. He look tired and sick. But proud, even leaning on a cane. They were alone.

"You wanted to see me. Supreme Leader." Hux said silently.

"You wanted to kill me. Chancellor. You what..? Seduced me? And then struk when i felt safe?"

"That was the initial plan, yes."

"initial." Kylo echoed watching Hux. He had the audacity to look almost ashamed.

"You were a reason of a great deal of pain in my life. It was only fair to return the favour. But i know you knew. Maybe not from the beginning, but you knew. You just choose to ignore that knowledge. You let me hurt you or at least try to. Why?"

"it was only fair. " Kylo whispered " And at the end i was deluding myself that you won't. That sweet, golden cage you placed me in. I was eager to stay. Forever."

Hux nodded staying quiet for a while, he raised his eyes to look at him.

"That's why i had to do it. A cage is not a place for you, Ren. And living in an illusion is not a life for me. Even if i will lose it now."

"You won't. You are to be back to your duties Chancellor." Kylo said what he decided even before Hux raised a blade against him. "But the time you have now. Remember that it is borrowed. I may hesitate to take your life. But my knights won't. Remember that, next time you will be planning treason."

Kylo put knights between them. He told himself it is for the best but the fact was that he was hiding behind them like a scared child. He feared seeing Hux, he feared that he will not want to resist him. But every day without him was a torment and every week a longing. And when he went to Hux's quarters he knew he can't just turned around. Hux opened when he requested entrance and observe him as Kylo walked inside in silence.

"No more games. We've had enough of them." He said carefully. Hux tilted his head and nodded. And when he took out blade from the holster Kylo flinched. Hux froze for a moment and the set it carefully on the table and walking a few steps away.

"No more." He agreed. Kylo breathed out slowly and nodded. His saber flew from his belt and landed next to the blade.

"We could say we are even. I almost killed you, you almost killed me."

"We could say that." Hux sat down slowly on the couch. " What do you want?"

"Honesty, loyalty, respect, autonomy and you. Even if i wanted to forget about you i can't. That you made sure of." Hux smiled. It was a tired smile, lost. "What do you want, Armitage?"

"I want... I though i want you dead. But the second i saw your eyes i knew i made a mistake." He closed his eyes " for a while i thought that i want you to kill me but then i was clinging to life just to see you again. You can lie to me Ren, you can do whatever you want with me, i still have some bones that weren't broken yet. You can lock me in a cage, no matter will it be golden or not." He looked at him. "I just want to be close to you. And don't ask me why i don't know. I can't make any sense out of this."

Kylo sat down next to him touching his hip, Hux hissed. Kylo backed off slowly moving away the robe, there were still bruises on Hux’s body. Deep blue and purple spots staining almost white skin.

“I don’t want to harm you.” Kylo said breathlessly.

“Harm me.” Hux kept his eyes on Ren’s hand. “I deserve it.”

Kylo shook his head “No. Quit provoking me, Hux. No more games.”

Hux hummed quietly raising his eyes to look at him for a moment.

“Harm me because I need it, then.” He said.

Their first alliance was sealed with lies and  broken with blade. The second was sealed with pain, tears and pleasure. It was unstable, shaky, torn and dangerous. But it lasted.

And Kylo soon discovered that not everything about Hux was just a sweet lie. He thought that now Chancellor will drop the appearances. Drop the robes and expensive lingerie. But it seems to be a permanent part of him. As well as his attitude. When Ren asked Hux just smiled amused.

"Best lies are entirely true." He answered stretched on the bed. "And honestly, you think i would buy myself a whole wardrobe of sleepwear just to woo you?"

"Yes."

Hux fell silent.

"Alright, i would but i didn't." Kylo laughed. "I have them for quite a while now. Stop flattering yourself by thinking that I am wearing all of this for you. I don’t. " Hux smiled and his eyes tired. Kylo snorted.

“Sure.”

But something did change. In Hux. He was more humane, more tired, more warm. And Ren could appreciate that. Not just staged, false image of perfection, but the realness and honesty of it all. The fact the he got to see the face of Chancellor that no one ever could. Hux would probably call it a weakness, Kylo did not agreed. And yet there was something dangerously tempting in the knowledge that Hux let himself be weak in his presence.

[hotonhoth]

Aftercare or perhaps a reward?

Imperial officers as caregivers, giving rewards, punishments, and aftercare.

NSFW

D/s relationships

18+ only please

So I did one about punishment, but how do the imperial and fo officers deliver some much needed aftercare or perhaps a reward?

TARKIN

The Grand Moff is a busy man, under a lot of stress, but he will always have time to make his inferior little slut feel better after a harsh cropping. After rubbing your sore behind and giving you a kiss on each cheek, he will order some pudding, and you can work on a desk nearby. Sitting down is mandatory.

KRENNIC

He will tell you how well you handled all those spankies, and what a good little darling you are. He'll hold you in his lap and take his gloves off to collect any tears rolling down your cheeks.

MEERO

After helping her place her belt back, she will stroke your hair, then kiss you all over. And I mean, kisses everywhere. On the desk and open wide, little one.

THRAWN

He'll admire his work, the marks all over your bottom, left from his whip. The Grand Admiral loves to see pleasure as much as he does pain, and will watch you as he licks or sucks you out. Then it is your turn to pleasure him until his cum is all over you. He takes you to a hot shower, and washes you head to toe.

PRYCE

Governor Pryce leads you to the bed gently, nipple clamps on. She is more than happy to go down on you as she loves quick results. By now you have been teased to the point of bursting. Afterwards, she will massage you all over in fragrant oils until you fall asleep.

KALLUS

The Lasan timber has very little pliability, but because you took your punishment so well, he will tease you no more. He will hold you in his lap at his desk and will fuck you until you cum however you like. Afterwards he will stroke your hair and sore bottom.

SLOANE

Once the ropes fall off, Rae Sloane will gently rub over the marks left, then gently kiss you on the shoulders, then up the neck, until meeting your lips. She will spoon you in her bed, and tells you how safe you are.

VEERS

General Veers loves to pamper his princess and takes care of his property. The fluffy collar comes off, and then the cuffs. He draws you a bubble bath, and shampoos your hair. Did you learn your lesson, cupcake?

GIDEON

Moff Gideon makes sure to have his way with you. He reminds you how lucky a whore you are and you nod, cum dripping from every hole. He removes the spreader bar and then carries you to his bed, where he cleans you up with a warm flannel, then tucks you into a blanket. Who do you belong to? That's right. Moff Gideon.

HUX

Hux is very thorough. He strokes where the heart shaped lashes are brandished on your bottom. Gloves on. He will feel how wet you are for him. Hux wants nothing more than to give you your reward. Over his ice blue sofa, he fucks you slowly. He cuddles you afterwards, whispering in your ear what a good pet you are.

ALLEGIANT GENERAL PRYDE

Pryde will have kind words with you after you took your punishment well. "There there, hush, that wasn't so bad was it my dove? Are you going to be good from now on?" Two soft pats to your bottom, and back to work.

[lesbiansandgayssupporttheminers]

School Funding and the Teacher Pay offer

So in the light of the pay offer made to teachers in England, there’s a big debate about whether this offer is actually fully funded and whether it is affordable for schools. On twitter, you may see some headteachers saying yes, it is affordable, and some saying it isn’t for their school. This isn’t just down to political allegiance, or a desire to avert more strikes. Because of the way school funding works, a pay offer can be affordable for one school, and not for another.

To understand this, you have to understand how school funding in England works (I think the rUK is similar, but I’m not confident enough to comment on that).

The vast majority of funding is per pupil funding. For every student that attends a school, the school is given £X of funding. Rather bizarrely, the actual amount given varies from local authority to local authority, but on average in England about £5215 was given to each school per pupil. There are other sources of money, which I’ll try to go into later, but this per pupil funding is supposed to cover the day-to-day running costs of a school. This money does go up a bit year on year, but it hasn’t kept pace with schools’ rising costs and so a lot of schools are really strapped for cash.

For most schools, by far the biggest cost is staffing. This isn’t just teachers, but support staff as well- everyone from the caretaker and the receptionist, right up to the head has to be paid out of this budget. The only slight exception to this is 1:1 teaching assistants, but I’ll come to that later. The key point is that the vast majority of staff, certainly all the teaching staff are paid from one central funding pot. This can have unintended consequences- such as schools preferring to employ cheaper early career teachers over more experienced staff who cost well over £10,000 more a year. It also means if you have a shortfall in your budget, often the only way to deal with it is by cutting staff numbers.

If a member of staff is off sick, and the school pays for a supply teacher, it comes from this pot. If someone’s off on maternity, the school pays their enhanced maternity pay, and the cover teacher from this pot. Which, again, can push schools into making decisions that aren’t great.

Schools then also have to pay energy costs. It’s worth bearing in mind that school aren’t covered by the energy price cap, and so were hammered with huge energy bills this winter. There’s often not much that can be done about this. Yes, the head can remind everyone to switch off computers and lights when not in use- but most schools aim to heat the whole building for about half the year- and that’s expensive!

Then there’s resources. Everything from exercise books to art materials, to chemicals for science- every worksheet that gets photocopied. Any new textbooks the school shells out for. New IT equipment. Footballs and rugby balls for PE. If desks or chairs need to be replaced- it all comes out of the same funding pot. When schools are short of cash, this is often the first budget to be cut. In recent years, in the vast majority of schools, this has been cut back as far as possible. Certainly, in primary schools, towards the end of the financial year, you’ll hear of schools where they’re told no more new glue sticks. Many teachers these days will supply certain basics (like spare pens, their own board pens) from their own pockets. If you’ve got a decent parent teacher association fundraising for the school, this is often where the money their raise goes.

So, those are probably the major day to day costs of running a school- but you can also end up with emergency costs. The boiler breaks. A ceiling springs a leak. A window gets broken. You need to fence off part of your site for safety reasons. All of this usually comes out of the central pot of per pupil money too. Sometimes, there are funding sources available for new buildings, but it’s pretty rare to be able to access additional funding for repairs. And some of our schools are older than others. Some are literally falling down!

Some students will attract additional funding. There’s something called “pupil premium” which is mainly for lower income students. There’s special educational needs funding, for students with additional needs (although honestly this system probably needs a post in itself). There can be additional funding for students who speak English as an additional language, or who have been in care.

In theory, this money is supposed to be spent solely on those students, but equally it can go into a central pot to e.g. pay for a class teaching assistant to help all the students who need some additional help. However, in recent years, a lot of these teaching assistants have been cut to save money. Some students with special educational needs have an education and healthcare plan- which can provide additional funding for a 1:1 teaching assistant. Often, these 1:1s are now used for whole class support to try and save money (technically, this is illegal, but as I say, it’s probably a whole separate post).

So, the 900 million the government has said schools will get towards funding the pay offer will be added on to per pupil funding. The department for education won’t work out which schools have more expensive teachers and give them more funding to pay for the pay increase. They won’t look at which schools have had big bills, relating to building work this year. Everyone will just get a certain increase in per pupil funding, and be told to make it work. This can be especially difficult for very small schools, where class sizes are smaller than about 30.

That’s supposed to fund 3% of the 6.5%. As you can see, it probably won’t for every school. But the other 3.5% is the bigger issue. This was the originally recommended pay rise for teachers for the 23-24 school year, before the strikes. Everyone (the DfE, the unions etc) says schools should have already budgeted for this- but some schools have no money to budget with. To fund this, they’re often cutting teaching assistant hours, cutting pastoral staff, maybe even cutting teacher numbers and having larger class sizes. They may cut additional responsibility payments for teaching staff (which are also going up by 6.5%). Definitely, they will try to avoid paying for supply, by using existing staff including any teaching assistants left for cover. In a few cases, they’re even considering shortening the school day, or the school week to reduce costs.

Overall, what it means is higher workload for teachers, and often a less good experience for students. I don’t usually have much sympathy for bosses, but I know there are heads who absolutely feel they cannot make this pay offer work. They’ve cut everything to the bone. They’ve already sacrificed the quality of education in their schools. And that’s why a lot of people are saying the current funding deal isn’t enough.

[dawnfinchh]

i made full "canon" allegiances for the start of forest of secrets: google doc link

this is a part of a series im doing where i've made the full allegiances for the first book of every arc in order. now i'm making allegiances for other main series books. these will not be adherent to the changes with the new graphic novels

here is the masterpost for all the allegiances

"canon" is in quotations because a lot of this is guesswork about who logically would be around at that point in time, but aren't listed in the allegiances or mentioned in the book

this is mainly meant to be a resource for fanworks

general stuff that's still the same as last time:

wiki pages are linked to character's names

med cat = cleric

characters are listed by age. where there are no concrete ages, i make my best guess

tc is the only clan without a "kit" rank as all kits born into or taken into the clan have known parents

like last time, there's a lot of decisions to be made about prequel cats who just stop showing up. i'll be providing insight into why i believe that they're still around or not. check the previous fire and ice allegiances for more insights

thunderclan:

cinderpaw - still listed as fireheart's apprentice

brightkit, thornkit, and cloudkit - still listed as kits

snowkit and mistlekit - listed as mistlekit showed up (unnamed) in fire and ice, tho snowkit doesn't show up until rising storm, after mistlekit is implied to have died (tho she is also implied to have recovered from greencough lol). they probably would have been old enough to become apprentices around the same as like, cloudtail

goldenflower - she has tawnykit and bramblekit this book

shadowclan:

whitethroat, applefur, and ratscar - i have given them all their warrior names due to their appearances in tigerclaw's fury

snowbird - she does not show up in this arc at all but she is stated to be ratscar's littermate

rowankit and cedarkit (and lavenderkit) - rowanclaw is an apprentice in tigerclaw's fury (cedarheart and lavenderkit are not mentioned), so i had darkflower listed as (expecting kits) in the fire and ice allegiances. they do not become warriors until sometime after arc 1 so they were probably born in mid fire and ice, like ashfur and ferncloud. i've also removed their father scorchwind because his job is complete and he hasn't shown up since like, a blackfoot's reckoning flashback set in into the wild

volewhisper - due to continuity issues with blackfoot's reckoning, he needs to die before blackfoot reappears in shadowclan, but given that that doesn't happen until late FoS/early RS, i think it's fine that he's still around

stumpytail - he is one of the shadowclan exiles in tigerclaw's fury and blackfoot's reckoning but he is listed in the shadowclan allegiances for both FaI and FoS (while the shadowclanners are exiled) and appears in FoS as a clan cat, so i still have him listed within the clan. he also, of course, still has an apprentice in brownpaw

brownpaw - he does not show up in either tigerclaw's fury or blackfoot's reckoning, but he is still listed in both the forest of secrets and rising storm allegiances

all their non nightpelt and cinderfur elders are gone. none of them show up in forest of secrets (and really didn't show up in fire and ice) and some of them like featherstorm are shown in starclan during tigerclaw's leader ceremony in the ultimate guide. IF any of them show up alive again in the graphic novel i'll consider adding them back in bc them seemingly dying en masse after they just got their clan back is really weird and sad lol, esp since this is pre carrion sickness

other comments on tigerclaw's ceremony - dawncloud, tallpoppy, and darkflower are all hanging out in starclan beside cinderfur during tigerclaw's leader ceremony. obviously tallpoppy is alive as she is in arcs 2-4, but i guess dawncloud and darkflower could have both like, tripped and died between when they are seen in tigerclaw's fury before he goes to the moonstone and when they appear in his dreams

riverclan:

silverstream - she is tagged with (expecting kits) as she is, obviously, pregnant but is still a warrior as her pregnancy is secret

frogleap, woodkit, and robinkit - they die in the flood this book. mosspelt's litter is not born yet so robinkit and woodkit are never listed in an allegiances but they did briefly exist

mistyfoot - again, reedwhisker is not listed bc i've gone with the tnp timeline for him. her other kits are listed

silverpaw (not silverstream) - likely also dies in the flood? the last time they are ever mentioned, they are trying to keep a den from collapsing alongside shadepaw/shadepelt the first. silverpaw stops showing up in the allegiances after this book while shadepaw and heavypaw continue to do so

greenflower - it's semi-canon that she dies of greencough shortly after giving birth, so she will not reappear again

rippleclaw and emberdawn - disappear after nightstar's first gathering as a leader

windclan:

stagleap and sorrelshine - per onestar's confession, they've rejoined windclan. this could happen later but i just chose to put them back in the clan now. given that pigeonflight does not show back up, he has been disappeared

tawnykit/tawnyfur - like i mentioned in the fire and ice allegiances, she is a kit because she becomes an apprentice in rising storm and a warrior in dangerous path. she is older than gorsepaw, and should definitely be an apprentice already because of the tight timeline between RS and DP, but her mentor tornear still has an apprentice in runningpaw at the start of FoS. it does definitely seem like she's in a background shot in the graphic novel alongside webpaw or runningpaw, but this is just a guess

crowfur - he's an elder who speaks at a gathering but isn't listed in the allegiances. i've listed him

cats outside clans:

shadowclan exiles again get their own group. they return in like, mid rising storm, before whitethroat and littlecloud make a break for it, per tigerclaw's fury

added bailey and retroactively added her to previous allegiances, bc apparently she dies soon before darktail is born

i could probably cut down on the number of kittypets listed, like fireheart & princess' siblings, but ehh. it's a decent reminder that they could, in theory, be encountered in the area

[flying-potato2]

fun fact! It is unlawful for any public institution to require individuals to stand or recite the pledge of allegiance to the united states of america since the 1943 supreme court case of West Virginia Board of Education v Barnette, which ruled that such actions constituted a violation of the first amendment.

The case was started by several Jehovah's Witnesses, who in 1936 were informed that saluting the flag and reciting the pledge would be considered idolatry and baptised JWs who commited such actions would be breaking their covenantry with god. This resulted in a number fo children of JWs being expelled from their schools for refusing to recite the pledge.

In 1942, West Virginia passed a regulation making the pledge mandatory for all schoolchildren, and that refusal to do so could result in jail for the parents for up to thirty days. This resulted in the expulsion of many JWs from schools across the county, including the Barnett family children. The Barnetts soon went to court, claiming that such requirements violated "equal protection" under the 14th amendment and freedom of religion and speech under the 1st amendment. The District Court enjoined the Board's regulation, and they appealed to the supreme court soon after.

The court was required toconsider the precedent they had set just three years prior with Minersville v Gobitis, in which they ruled that the enforcement of saluting the flag in public schools was not in violation of any laws or rights, and further that the enforcement of such displays was necessary for the national unity and continued security of the united states. This time around, seeing that the issue at hand would not infringe on the rights of others, the court ruled that it was an infringement on free speech for the state to compel any individual to take such an oath or perform such actions. The court stated in its opinion,"Those who begin coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters." in reference to the Nazi regime, and that "To believe that patriotism will not flourish if patriotic ceremonies are voluntary and spontaneous instead of a compulsory routine is to make an unflattering estimate of the appeal of our institutions to free minds."

i dont really have a way to end this i just think it's cool. that even in 1943 the supreme court was able to recognize that encouraging "national unity" by removing freedoms was and always will lead directly into facism, even if it took the jehovahs witnesses raising (SEVERAL!) complaints to get them to that point.

[lyrics365]

Trendy

(Verse) I pledge allegiance to the flag wit blood on it Black skin, it’s no luv it’s more slugs drugs on it Casualties are blacker, reality will slap ya We still at the bottom tell that light skinned rapper Genocide is blacker, defensive like the Packers Liberty’s an actor, now this fo’ erry rapper When ya know who dropped that control verse Errybody had a verse in 24 hours But when these cops is…

[talenlee]

Vox Maxima Gallery 5: The Aszyt Uprising

But if an empire happened and the imperial law rolled out, did people just accept it? Like it? No, of course not! No, you can tell that the empire has opponents because of its laws, demanding and refusing to recognise various people and their cultures. For example, the Empire refuses to do trade with the ‘dangerous godless cult’, they assert, of the ‘outsiders’ and ‘barbarians’ that live on the coasts and in deep sea citadels, known as the Aszyt. The emperor even crafted an immense dragon to take wing and defend the skies from the Aszyt’s dreadful sea summons!

But the Aszyt, themselves? They’re proud, wild, and free. They stand at the edges of the empire and day by day, refusing to go away, steadily pick away at its edges. Traders break the law, citizens leave their homes, and every day the Aszyt recruit through convincing words, burning passion and relentless growth.

The Aszyt know that the Empire is run on power, and the Aszyt drink power.

Vox Maxima is a custom magic set created by Talen Lee. It’s composed of 187 cards, with 71 commons, 60 uncommons, 41 rares, and 15 mythic rares. Vox Decima is a custom Magic: The Gathering set, with at least one card spoiled a day, on Cohost, Kind.Social, and the r/custommagic subreddit.

WOTC Employees: This post in full presents unsolicited custom Magic: The Gathering card designs, which I understand current employee practices forbid you from looking at unsolicited. You shouldn’t be here!

The Aszyt are a blue-red-green faction that I wanted to represent the common hunger of those three colours working together. Each of those colours is capable of big, expensive, impressive plays, and that means to my mind the defining thing that holds the Aszyt together is hunger. They are greedy! They are demanding! They want everyone to hear them and they want people to listen to them and they will ignore an empire that tells them to be quiet!

This is where a lot of the character of the Aszyt came from. I made them very nautical, very much a mix of sea monsters, lovecraftian horror, and queer pirate aesthetics. They particularly are prone to their insult ‘thronepig’ which they throw at the people who willingly cede part of their life and will to the emperor. To the Aszyt, independence is the most important thing. This independence comes with a hunger, a rage, that demands to be the centre of attention. Every Aszyt card wants you to tap out for it. They all want more.

This is also where you’re going to see the Laminae – dryads of deepsea kelp forests. They’re like conventional dryads in a lot of ways but they’re tattered and they can seem more ethereal, more quick-growing and replaceable. This is why they’re a type of token you can make – the forest dryads that make you mana are also a way to allow for mana advancement without adding shuffling into the game.

Tide is our fourth Learner. She has learned the story of how the Necrocalypse happened early because all the math about the oceans predicting their rate of damage was in fact, wrong, and once things started to go wrong in the oceans they got worse, very fast. This was actually the origin of the Aszyt – when they saw the problem was exacerbated by the ocean, they fled not away from it, but into it, to become part of the solution to the problem. In the process, they met and engaged with a Great and Ancient thing, something that did not care about the Empire or its solutions, and found their own way.

Brack is a type of character I don’t write much, because I don’t think about it. He’s a trans dude, and while the empire doesn’t hate him because he’s trans, they sure hate him because he’s part of the Aszyt. His willingness to stand up, speak, and shout for his people and their path to the future, through and past the Empire, is what makes the Empire hate him.

Ancient Allegiance originally gave the spell Ravenous. This was hard to word and wound up feeling more cute than good.

Gold-Eyed Deepling is a card I found myself frustrated with because I kept wanting to put more words on it. Eventually I pared it down to this simplest version and had to make sure I was honest with myself about what I wanted. I wanted a common, useful Ravenous creature, and I didn’t need to make it more complicated and make excuses for it.

Shoreside Wayfinder is a reference to Dryad Sophisticate. It’s just meant to be basically ‘unblockable, eventually,’ and it can be, but y’know, it isn’t by default. Otherwise it’s just a big ground pounder.

Salvage Rights // Strange Eddies was a beast to word because I didn’t want to make the card in any way something that could find a place in legacy-style one-on-one Shaw and Tell Decks. this is a real potential problem with any time you subvert costs, and I want to design with that in mind.

The Scrathes are a uniquely made thing – these are the only examples of them in the setting – and I find them delightful as these big, hungry, potentially dangerous walrus-manatee things. The gormless goofy face of the Market Scrathe especially just cracks me up every time I see it.

Javi Dee is another eminence creature, and the thing I kept trying to build them for is that they just don’t work too early on. Javi Dee needs multiple creatures to work, and she rewards everyone for attacking your opponents – so in a three player game, yes, she’ll be giving you cards, but she’ll be giving your opponents cards as well.

I really like Kamesi as a non-complicated Temur commander. She doesn’t do a lot, she isn’t asking you to build a weird deck – she is just a simple value commander for a simple value Temur deck that wants to get on the board and let people do things.

Demersal started her life as just straight up casting Atarka's Command on attack. I’ve done that before, but I like this slightly different version better. She in her most aggressive, serves for 7 the first time and that’s a lot, but also that requires her to be completely uninterrupted doing it.

Bulging Gwullup is pretty cool – it’s seven mana for a 10/10 that draws two carsd. Of course, for seven mana you could be casting Avenger of Zendikar or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, cards that are very powerful and also win the game on the spot, as opposed to being a Divination on a big dumbdumb.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[lunasmusemenagerie]

Name : Alexei Barinov

Race: Fae blooded human (powered)

type: OC

Faceclaim: Patrick Gibson

Background:

Alexei Barinov, son of Nikita Barinov, was raised at a young age with the knowledge of what he was: a God killer. Nikita, head of the cult tasked with hunting down, killing, and destroying the Cult of Chtulhu and taking down any of the Old Ones that have been awakened or soul bound to vessels, began training Alexei from the time he could walk. Many questioned the brutal and almost inhumane ways Nikita trained his son, as well as the rigorous training he put the rest of the young children through in the cult, but no one could argue it wasn't effective. They were going to be fighting gods after all.

Alexei became one of the best fighters and leaders amongst the younger hunters, establishing himself as the main Heir to the cult if and when his father passed on. He and a girl by the name of Andronika seemed to be the only two that could spar with each other as they provided a challenge for the other. Nika and Alexei were then engaged, fathers planning on strengthening their alliance and allegiance through marriage of the two best warriors. Nika and Alexei had long since become inseparable friends and the marriage proposal was seen more out fo convenience than actual love or want.

However, before anything could take place, Alexei had been sent on one last mission to collect the wavebreecher the weapon fabled to take down the Preist Cthulhu himself. He managed to collect it, but he had exhausted himself in doing so, which proved to he his undoing as he'd been jumped by the cult of Cthulhu and captured, drug back to one of their hubs.

There he was beaten and tortured as the cult tried to coerce him into becoming a vessel, and when he refused time and time again, the found him more suitable to be a blood sacrifice for the upcoming ritual, where they would raise the Priest and bind him to one of their members. They found it ironic and fitting to herald in the new age of man, the blood of treasured son of the cult meant to destroy them all would raise their Priest.

He had the runes carved and burned into him the night before the ritual, just as Sterling and Adonis had gone through a few days prior. He was bled on the altar, and for a moment, when he and Adonis' eyes met, there was a mutual understanding between them, regret and remorse. The last thing he remembers was the gods speaking through Adonis before passing out, most thinking he was dead. Someone, a healer of some kind, found his body, heart barely still breathing and pulled him from the wreckage of the ruined temple, staunching the wounds and hauling him to a hospital where they were able stabilize him. He learned that the cult of Cthulhu had been preparing for an attack at strategic points, and had successfully managed to destroy most of the cult, putting any survivors on the run. His father was dead, body displayed out on a spike outside of their old home.

After recovering, he managed to seek out and find Nika, becoming part of the syndicate's supernatural sector at the request of Robert Abbott. Where in between picking up hunting jobs they spend the tracking down the cult that took away their home, their family and almost their lives.

(Alexei is aged 25-33, where his default age is 27. He is bisexual panromantic)

[janusfranc15]

The Monarchy obviously has a lot wrong with it, but I’m not really following this logic? Whilst the Coronation does glorify the King (and is supposed to emphasise his responsibilities and Oaths- If only they were followed) in Britain at least, it’s struck me as being more of a symbol of continuity and a sign for what’s considered ‘acceptable’.

The fact that we have PoC and other faiths in it at all should be celebrated- it means we’ve moved from a primarily white-centred Christian-focused country into one that’s acknowledging the other faiths and peoples who make it up. (to say- are British Citizens)

As for it being insulting? I’m assuming the representatives of those faiths could refuse if wished.

As for the arguments about the regalia- I know the crown of Edward the Confessor was melted down by Oliver Cromwell, but I didn’t know the chair was recycled. I’ll have to look that up. As for the Crown being filled with stolen Gems?

I definitely know about the Kohinoor (which apparently only female royals can wear?) That should be returned. Though I’m less certain as to who.

From Wikipedia:

“The governments of India, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, as well as the Taliban, have all claimed ownership of the Koh-i-Noor, demanding its return ever since India gained independence from the British Empire in 1947.[15] The British government insists the gem was obtained legally under the terms of the Last Treaty of Lahore and has rejected the claims.”

Thought the fact the stone of scoone from Scotland is still included is still outrageous.

I’ll admit, asking the public personally to pledge their allegiance may not have been the best move. The CoE appeared to realise this.

I should also mention that it was supposedly meant to include the Public in the ceremony- it was not and was never meant to be mandatory.

Though the Royals live lives of privilege, they are still Constitutional- and do so because of the Public.

We should focus on the Conservatives first: especially the biased voting system:

Saying this, if you’re from somewhere hurt by the Monarchy/Have witnessed the still-present Colonialism that has not yet been erased?

Go very much off.

Also, if I am wrong on any of these statements please, tell me. I’ll try to listen.

reading about the coronation ceremony, it's impossible to parody this thing because the actual details are so ridiculous. instead of just having Christian leaders present, charles will make things more inclusive by also having Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders bowing down to him! the chair he will sit on whilst wearing a crown made from plundered gold and jewels is recycled! the sovereign's sceptre will be carried by a black woman! instead of just asking lords to swear their allegiance, the king will demand the allegiance of everyone in the country!

i mean you wouldn't want to feel excluded from a ceremony glorifying britain's long history of colonial domination, murder and plunder, as well as our ongoing inclination towards boot licking during an event to honour one of the UK's biggest landlords at a time of widespread deprivation, would you?

[huynh19nguyen]

Proud To Be A Yankees Hater T-shirt For Boston Baseball Fans - Shibtee Clothing

We suggest ordering one or two sizes up for a fuller fit; Please refer to size chart for actual garment measurements This “Proud To Be A Yankees Hater” t-shirt is the perfect statement piece for any die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. With its bold lettering and unmistakable message, this shirt proudly declares where your allegiance lies in the age-old rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees. Whether you’re wearing it to a game at Fenway Park or just out and about in Boston, this t-shirt is sure to turn heads and spark conversation among baseball fans. As a Boston baseball fan, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of taking down the Yankees. The rivalry between these two powerhouse teams runs deep, and wearing this t-shirt is a way to show your unwavering support for the Red Sox while also poking fun at their biggest rival. It’s a badge of honor to proudly display your disdain fo - 54dmis1ljd

[savagecowboy]

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓

“You’re a disease”. “You’d know. Didn’t you start the plague?”

Homer takes a wild swing at Severen who leans back away from him, dodging the blow, but overbalancing his chair, spilling himself out of it. Splayed on the floor, the cowboy rolls his eyes as Homer over zealously laughs at his expense.

“Eat it up, cause it’s the only thing you’re gettin’ a’night!” Declaration made, Severen sits up and makes to grab his elder. Homer barely succeeds in dashing back out of reach, feeling the close swipe whisk through the air between them.

Homer is usually not one for physical games, especially ones involving the renowned cheat, yet he remains engaged. Staying just out of grasp, he taunts Severen, who becomes more and more agitated when unable to get a grip on the smaller creature. It is difficult to tell if one is indulging the other in these antics; holding back just enough to keep them slightly less than equal. Regardless, it is ended by Severen frustratedly tackling Homer in a bear hug. He digs his rough knuckles into the mess of dirty, chestnut hair, giving the boy-thing a searing noogie. Homer thrashes his legs wildly, kicking one of the table legs. The table jostles violently, nearly tipping the objects upon it, earning the roughhousing miscreants a sharp bark of reproach from Diamondback.

“Hey ! Knock it off !” She snaps, they desist, Severen releasing his quarry who jumps to his feet and dusts himself off; giving Severen a sharp kick in the ribs.

“We was only playin’” the younger of the two grumbles from the ground, massaging his side. He catches the blonde’s narrowed glare and doubles down with an aggressive scowl.

“Severen, ain’t you already grown? Weren’t you raised by the time we met?” Before the addressed can answer, Jesse interjects. “Only thing that raised that boy was hell itself” he says lighting the end of a cigarette. It’s subtle, but he shoots Severen a half smirk of allegiance that drops as soon he pulls the cigarette away to exhale.

“Alright”, the Savage One huffs, rising up and straightening his jacket, “I can tell when I ain’t wanted”. He gives those gathered a dirty look and heads for the door. “If you could tell that, you woulda left hours ago”, Homer retorts, the soft lilt of his boyish voice adding a scathing edge to his words. Severen glares over his shoulder at the youthful seeming creature, curling his lip in a snarl. He grabs the knob of the door, ready to throw it open, pausing just a moment.

“Need anythin’ while I’m out”

Even when playing at being a suffering martyr, it is impossible to shirk his self appointed duty. They each played a role, an irreplaceable part of a united whole. It was what gave them strength, it was what made them invincible.

“No, enjoy yourself Sever’n”. The Silvered One speaks without facing his longtime companion. They say more in quiet ways to one another than out loud. Their’s is a language that goes unspoken, a mutual understanding that is simply known.

“Don’t be out too long” Diamondback issues her customary warning, always the same— if not phrased a little differently for each. Twisting the handle, Severen opens the door a crack before Homer gets in the last word.

“You owe me a new book”.

He dumps the two uneven halves of the ruined text onto the coffee table by the couch he has slumped on. “Ya?” Severen mutters, glancing at the object that had instigated their row, “only if you admit that was a clean kick!” He ducks out the door just as Homer hurls the mangled book at him, the heavy thump followed by Severen’s muffled laughter on the other side.

If he hadn’t believed there was a chance that the indolent cretin would make good on his delivery, Homer would have been more genuinely upset. Not that he wasn’t currently, but there was a part of him— hard as it might be to admit— that knew even as insufferable as the cowboy could be, he owed everything to having been taken in by him and Jesse. That was something he would put up with a thousand Severen’s for. It meant everything to him to have a family again, to be wanted by others. Accepted, maybe loved— though none of them spoke in those words.

For the most part, they didn’t need to. Love was something most admitted to, but they intrinsically knew the bond they shared. There would be nothing to gain and all to lose were it severed. They were pieces of a whole that knew no end— would never know one. So squabble as they might, as families often did, there was no parting ways. Should they—could they—it would be an eternal suffering, perhaps more than that. It would be a death undying. A wound that would never heal, never finish bleeding, one that would be suffered endlessly. It would be better to die alongside the others.

“You want in on this?” Jesse called out from the table.

The repetitious sound of shuffling broke through Homer’s reverie, the eldest of them having gotten lost in his thoughts. Blinking, he stares back at the two remaining, noting the calculating ways in which they watch. They think they are the only ones who are perceptive of their “children’s” emotions, but they too are studied. No action goes unnoticed by any.

“Sure”, he agrees, rising to take the seat offered, listening to the soft shush-shush of the plasticized paper sliding over the table’s surface. He had nothing better to do now, his book a ruin after the show off sliced his spur through it, but he knows it is more the despondent look upon his face that caused the two to call him over.

Homer is aware that he has never quite overcome the overwhelming loneliness that plagued him over the decades he spent on the streets. They have tried to show him patience and companionship, none of it is ever quite enough. He doesn’t know if it ever can be. There is something more he feels he needs. A perfect piece to bridge the gap he feels inside. He doesn’t know if one even exists. Sometimes he’s not sure he wants it to. When one has lived with a particular horror for long enough, it becomes its own strange comfort. Were he to reckon with the vestiges of his past, be whole on his own, would he even need this family then? Would they still be a family were he to have his own…companion?

He must have been drifting again, because he feels The Pale One’s cold fingers wrap around his wrist. She gives him a gentle squeeze and Homer responds with the minutest of grins, sliding his cards toward himself. He doesn’t need to ask what they are playing, it’s always poker with Jesse. Diamondback can sometimes coax the boys into Hearts, or Gin Rummy, hell even Severen took a shine to dice, but Jesse always stuck to one game. At a glance, Homer slides two cards to Jesse, Diamond passing back one. Dutifully, he deals them back fresh cards and they silently study their hands.

“Can I get one’a those?” Homer asks Jesse, putting his Jack by the Queen. Jesse slips another cigarette from the pack and lights it off his own, handing it over as he mulled over his five cards.

“You sure you shuffled these?” Diamondback mutters, her comment seeming calculated, but she of all is the hardest to read. Maybe it was her time as an actress, or perhaps a side effect of her own turning, but neither man can get a good take on if she is bluffing or not. Casually, she tosses in a handful of change, poker chips in short supply. Homer looks at what is piled beside him and matches, though he has a needling feeling that he probably has the worst hand of the three. He takes a long drag on his cigarette and lets the smoke drift from his mouth.

“Raise” Jesse informs them, tossing in a stack of silver. “Bullshit” Diamondback laughs. Her lover gives her a lopsided grin, and Homer can see a slight awkwardness to it. Diamondback catches the same mistaken tell. They each double down to force him out, but Jesse isn’t ready to be cut short. The card game turns from one of skill to a game of chicken.

And ends with Jesse crashing.

“Shit” he grumbles, “I fold”. Both the boy and the blonde laugh, Homer not even upset about losing his small stash to Diamond, the two merry in their triumph against their leader. It is then that the game is interrupted by the sound of the door reopening.

None had expected Severen back so soon, but there is no doubt of it being any other. Still, Homer sees Jesse’s hand hover near the holster at his hip, caution was never a thing to lose.

The first sound is laughter, loud and boisterous. It has three sources. One of which is indeed their formerly haughty protector, yet he is not the first through the door. It is a middle aged woman who looks fit for the honky-tonk, her friend, dressed similarly follows closely behind. Neither notices the others in the room at first, too busy sharing furtive glances at the man who has led them here. He must have put on quite the show, as they seem truly smitten. Slowly, the women quiet into giggles as Severen closes the door behind him and they catch the faces staring back at them from the table.

The lock clicks.

“Oh, we didn’t know you was with someone”, one of the women uncomfortably titters, it is clear she was expecting they would be getting Severen alone. The other tries to save face by acknowledging the one she assumes is a child.

“Hi there sweetie, you’re up awful late”. Homer doesn’t answer, just exhales a plume of grey smoke. The woman’s smile drops, her hands clutching her purse strap.

“Gee, maybe we best better go” the lady closest to the Savage One says, resting gaudily painted nails on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s a little past all our bedtimes”. “Awh c’mon darlin’” he croons, passing his fingertips over her cheek to cup the side of her face in his palm, “we’re only just gettin’ started”.

He curls his fingers into her hair, close by the root, then yanks it into a tight fist. The sudden shock of pain causes her to jerk and stumble, clinging onto his arm to keep from falling. Her reliance on him is a mistake, he leverages it to push her to her knees, other hand wrapping around the woman’s throat.

Her horrified friend is too bewildered to act. She looks to Homer. It is his experience that adults often think that the presence of a child assures them safety. For what harm would one allow around one so innocent?

It is a naive thought, one he is happy to rid her of. The boy-like creature rises from his chair, slowly walking over to where she is still hunched, jaw slack in disbelief, and jabs his cigarette out in her eye. She wails loudly, but he does not care for her suffering. Homer bites into her cheek, blood burbling up around his teeth. The volume of her scream rises and she strikes at his head, but none of her halfhearted attacks dissuade him. Her friend harmonizes with her own shriek of terror, Severen getting his own teeth wet by the sound of it.

There is a change in the woman’s position and Homer releases his hold. Backing up, he realizes that Diamondback and Jesse have come to either side of the victim, restraining her arms so they each may also have a taste. He gives a small smile, having no issues with sharing. It would be too much for him to finish anyway, and the three feed in silent appreciation.

Severen, on the other hand, makes a mess of his chosen prey. She is bent backward, head at an extreme tilt, his mouth to the woman’s exposed throat, having nearly decapitated her with his wide, deep bites. His loud gulps can be heard over their own, and the three know he is only beginning his carnage. Eventually, the two women grow still, what life they had to give consumed by the monsters amongst them.

Once finished, Jesse and Diamond retire to the bathroom, seeking privacy to clean up, though other activities are likely to take place. It leaves Homer with Severen. The latter is messily licking his fingers and picking skin out of his teeth, looking like he could still go for more; even though the woman he had been dining on is in a ruinous state.

“You can’t do anything simply, can you?” Homer asks, though his only answer is a shrug he fairly expected. Severen never seemed to feel the need to explain any of his actions, whether controlled or reckless. He was a being of pure motivation, and little recourse. Homer nearly respected that, though he doubted he could ever fully disavow the underlying disdain he felt for his fellow immortal.

“Did you even get me a book?” He sighs, disappointment rife in his tone. Severen had never yet broken a promise—even one unspoken— to him, but when in the midst of finding targets to sate himself (and his fellows) it was more than believable that the gluttonous brute would have forgotten. Severen snags the bag that had fallen to the floor during his attack, and tosses it to his companion. Homer cocked a brow, doubting the contents therein could have anything of interest. Should the woman have indeed been carrying something that could be deemed literature, it would most likely have a shirtless man and a bosomy seductress on the cover. His surprise was truly genuine to see a rather thick volume of collected short works by Herman Melville.

“ I dunno if it’s any good” Severen admitted, “but you got your book.” With that he got to his feet and tossed himself onto the couch. Homer could not help the genuine smile on his face, earlier musings resurfacing.

On his own he had led a desolate existence, one that knew only the struggle of basic survival. This pack, this family, though frustrating at times, had shown him what their life could be, the true joys of the night. Something other than hiding in shadows. Severen caught Homer’s absentminded grinning and frowned, suspicion written on his face. “ What ? ”

Homer didn’t answer, instead he crossed over to sit on the other end of the well worn sofa and cracked open the text; leaning back deep into the cushions. “What’re you grinnin’ about?” Severen persisted, but Homer ignored him, turning to the first written page and letting the words roll over his mind. He was happy here, content, if not fully satisfied. Perhaps none of them were completely fulfilled. Not entirely, yet the things they were lacking were minor in spite of everything.

Homer could cope, at least he thought he could, for now, if not forever.

[go-ask-al]

The one I learned in Girl Scouts:

Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank

Singing fee fi fo fum

East side West side ding dang dong

I pledge allegiance to the flag

That Michael Jackson is my dad

Coca-Cola burned his butt

Now we're talking 7-up

7-up has no caffeine

Now we're talking Billie Jean

Billie Jean put up a fight

Now we're talking dynamite

Dynamite blew up the school

Now we're talking pretty cool

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Mickey mouse built a house

Donald duck blew it up

Who will pay the consequences?

Y-O-U spells YOU!

so in grade school i learned this clapping rhyme that went something like “down by the banks of the hanky panky / where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky / singing east side west side east side west side / east side west side dilly dang DONG”

but i asked my girlfriend if she knew it and she remembered completely different lyrics… so now i’m curious how other people learned this rhyme? if you sang something roughly along these lines in school or camp please reblog this and tell me how you think it went (and also where you are from, maybe it’s a regional thing? i’m from north carolina)

[oldwarriors-fireandwater]

ThunderClan Allegiances (Book 2)

Leader: Thistlestar—well-muscled, spiky-furred, dark gray-and-white tabby tom with gray patches mottling his face

Deputy: Tigerclaw—big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

Medicine Cat: Ravenpaw—sleek black tom with a white tail-tip

Warriors:

Bluefur—blue-gray molly with a graying muzzle

Whiteclaw—big white tom (Whitestorm)

Redtail—small tortoiseshell tom, predominantly with ginger markings

Darkstripe—sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Willowpelt—slender, very pale silver-gray molly

Stonefur—stocky, thick-furred, blue-gray tom with battle-scarred ears

Mistyfoot—glossy blue-gray molly

Apprentice, Cinderpaw

Mosstail—brown tabby molly

Addertail—pale brown tabby tom with black stripes (Longtail)

Apprentice, Swiftpaw

Birchfoot—slender, light brown tabby tom (Runningwind)

Mousefur—small dusky brown molly

Apprentice, Brackenpaw

Graystripe—long-haired gray tom with dark tabby markings

Sandwhisker—slender, pale ginger tabby molly

Dustpelt—dark brown tabby tom

Apprentices:

Swiftpaw—black-and-white tom

Cinderpaw—dark gray molly

Brackenpaw—golden-brown tabby tom

Queens:

Brindleface—pretty brown tabby molly

Frostfur—beautiful white molly with blue eyes (Mother of Brightkit and Thornkit)

Goldenflower—sleek, pale ginger tabby molly (Expecting Tigerclaw’s kits.)

Speckletail—old, pale tabby molly (Mother of Snowkit.)

Elders:

Halftail—big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Thrushpelt—sandy-gray tom with a white chest

Patchpelt—small black-and-white tom

One-eye—pale gray molly, oldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail—once-pretty tortoiseshell molly with a lovely dappled coat

[warriorsfireandwater]

Fire and Water: Book Two - Forest of Secrets

Brokenstar is dead, and his followers are in exile. At last, it seems the Clans can finally return peace... but not for long. WindClan is starving, still barely recovered from the ShadowClan raids. Thistlestar is going mad, turning upon his own Clanmates and ordering senseless battles. Crookedstar’s health seems to be failing, and as truths begin to surface, Fireheart starts to question his faith in his deputy, Leopardfur - and as he begins to notice a pretty face across the river, questions his own loyalty to RiverClan. Tensions are rising once more - is there a war on the horizon, or will each Clan simply tear itself apart?

Read it here!

[supernovafeather]

Masks

FO!Poe Dameron x F!Reader

Warnings : enemy to lover, war, blood, death, mention of sexual themes, mention of torture, angst, fluff, secret relationship

Despite the success of your latest mission, you have never been this sure that your life is about to get drastically shortened. Even standing as perfectly still and straight as you can, your eyes as sharp as required for the First Order officers, you picture flaws. An overwhelming number of imperfections that could betray you as General Dameron stares at you, his features perfectly still as he keeps his hands clasped in front of him, his gloved thumbs rubbing against each other. Even with the dark and infinite void behind him, his silhouette covered by his long black coat is visible, his skin paler after so many days spent in this ship. Only ten feet separate the both of you, ten feet he could cross easily to end you.

"And you are telling me you found a loophole ?" He asks quietly, his pupils now weirdly shining for his neutral face.

"I did, General." You answer with a confident nod and a steady voice. "I got lucky enough to get rid off the X-Wings tailing me."

"Lucky ? Yes. Certainly." He purrs in what you know as a threatening tone coming from him. Your eyes are getting dry. "You got lucky their two pilots let you go away after the damages caused to their base."

"They certainly received a message from their General telling them to come back. We sabotaged their comms and they received false information."

You blink a few times as the dark-haired man comes closer to you, his gloved hands now behind his back as the sound of his boots echoes through his office. Everything is quiet and you pray any God, any deity, any spirit from any extincted civilisation to come to your help. But when his subtle cologne reaches your nostrils as he stands behind you, you finally close your eyes for long seconds.

"They certainly did," he says before grasping your shoulders tightly with the fabrics of his gloves ruffling against your uniform. "Yes, they certainly did. How talented are you when it comes to fight them." He ends in a sarcastic tone.

He knows. The Rebel pilots acted too strangely, you were convinced of it at the way they gave up on chasing you down. They had to continue for much longer, but after all your ranks are too empty to afford loosing two good pilots. You understand Leia's decision - if it came from her - but now you can't let any mistake slip from your mouth. General Dameron is almost hurting your shoulders now.

"Do you have anything to tell me, sir ?" You bark in a disgusted tone working so well whenever you have to play the officer with a hurt ego. "I got rid of them pretty well after damaging some parts of their base. My mission is accomplished, like every one of them."

"You sound tense, officer." He says with an audible smirk and his hands leave your shoulders to make you shiver as they run down your back. "I am just delightfully surprised by how well it ended for you. Be careful not to end up like our Supreme Leader. Arrogance is no good. It can be a great tool, but not a good personality trait."

This time you turn around sharply, sending him a deadly glare turning into the only victim of this conflict. Animated arguments are far from being exceptions between General Dameron and you but it always remains under control. Sure, he intimidated you at the beginning, after all he is a General needing to show his authority. And after all if the First Order had an open minded philosophy for its troops, you would know about it. But this proximity between your faces makes you pause.

This man is handsome. You tend to forget it the days you spend together on the bridge, listening and sharing his commands to your own men. But sometimes, it strikes you and you feel this pinch in your heart. Despite your allegiance to the Resistance, to Leia and the Rebels... you can't find words to define the waste it is to see this person rooted so deeply into the First Order. He is clever. An excellent strategist. And what about his insanely good piloting skills ? He is cultivated. Self confident. He could be someone so much more respectful than... than this monster he turned into for personal glory, exterminating your friends without any hesitation.

"Stop frowning," he mumbles as his powerful glare keeps burning yours. "I just told you I was happy to see you coming back alive."

Those words have you narrowing your eyes, trying to understand where he is trying to get you. He must know that you are not his ally... right ? Unless it was some twisted humor for some reason. What a shame that you know he can be a really funny and friendly man whenever he wants to show this side of his. What a shame you started to appreciate some aspects of this General a few months ago.

"If you wanted to compliment me, General, you could have said a simple thank you instead of accusing me of working with those Rebels." You answer with this same despising tone.

He likes your answer as showed by this slight motion on the corner of his mouth, his ravagingly pretty eyes lightening up with this playful glint. Dameron even nods slowly and you notice for some reason the smell of his aftershave. He must have woken up recently, in the middle of the night if he still has this scent.

"Thank you sounded too basic compared to your achievement."

This is definitely suspect to your ears and eyes and your shields go back into place as you let anything distracting out of your mind. He is clever. He knows how to manipulate. He is in the military first, but in politics too. Flattering is nothing uncommon for someone like him. He is a part of the kind of those who order to exterminate entire planets because he needs to prove his point. But you feel trapped. His words were too weird previously.

"Please tell me you don't have any bad news to announce me General." You say slowly as the man only widens his smile the slightest. "We got promised a raise in our military budget and I can't do anything if we don't..."

A simple tilt of his head to the side makes you stop, coupled with the suddenly softer pupils looking at you. Nothing much, after all this man is known for being charming whenever he needs to. There is a reason to why the Supreme Leader choses him in diplomatic visits to welcome the future allies - or future submitted people - depending on how you see things. This is also what makes him so unique in this cold First Order. Warmth. Something that makes you want to trust this man at least a little bit despite his crimes. After all you forget more and more what humanity is. A year without any physical contact with the other rebels is getting on your nerves. You are afraid you are becoming like your current subordinates to some extent, your mask melting enough to fusion with your skin underneath.

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd like - and if you'd have the time - to spend your lunch time with me today. In my office, with fresh food and a better view on the nearest planets."

What is happening with him today ? Paranoia is a part of your life as you have been living every second of the past year in the monster's belly. Leia always made it clear : be careful. Having someone so well-placed in the First Order hierarchy is precious. But no one never evoked the possibility that... this kind of thing could happen. What are you supposed to do if your superior - one of the most loyal men - would try to get closer to you ? Using sex to get to a potential target got barely discussed about. But maybe it is time to take a bold decision all by yourself. Getting closer to him could mean even more information. And if General Dameron himself could lower his guard around you... in pure hypothesis he would want something more than sex. You are playing with fire, but after all you plunge into battle every month, having to find a balance in your emotions. This arson is not something that will stop you.

"I... I am surprised to say the least." You articulate with a flattered smile convincing him enough as his grin widens a bit more. "Maybe tomorrow then ? I have to spend my day elsewhere onboard."

"I guess you must be curious if you dropped the attitude for this smile." He taunts you with a lower voice and a flirty glint in his eyes that makes you think that maybe you were right to follow your instincts on this one.

"I will never drop it, General." You answer by emphasizing the last word playfully.

"Perfect answer as usual."

The day goes by... strangely and you feel out of touch with everything and everyone surrounding you. You feel an unsettling mix between excitement and fear. What are you even doing ? And what if you get caught ? What if it is a trap ? What if the Supreme Leader interrogates you until you can't bare it any longer ? You know how they proceed, you know it, stupid spy yet here you are, running straight into danger because... because what ? The Resistance already gets enough information to survive, have you acted by greed ? Will it consume all your efforts ? Maybe this will be the end ?

Or maybe Poe Dameron just wants to know you better, getting his good time with a female subordinate just to have fun, then go back to his everyday life without thinking much of it. But if it ends up in his chambers, will you get access to some important documents ? Would you have the opportunity to steal something or to notice some precious detail ? And during the dinner what if you drink too much and some unfortunate incorrect claim leaves you mouth ? And if it turns out he is a man easy to seduce... what will you do ? After all yes you could get access to more of his work. But so does he to yours. It would mean spend more time with him. Maybe you got too ambitious.

"I thought I liked your attitude the most, but I admit it may have an opponent now."

You are in deep trouble, you think as you do chuckle at his words, looking down at his sweaty forehead and your hands running through his hair. The combination of his words, bliss and how well your dinner went feels beyond incredible. Earlier you were just eating and talking naturally. Naturally. Like no restriction existed. Alchemy. You found each other more common points than you would have thought. A more playful Poe Dameron that reignited some light in your eyes.

"How could you not ?" You taunt him as you let arrogance flood your veins when your General eyes you up and down, his hands running up your hips to your breasts, then down back to your thighs.

"Good question." He admits with a cheeky smile.

He is a man of good company once in a private environment. And you feel relieved to see this night together seemed more like a one time thing. Nothing intrusive from him. Just a playful wink from time to time when no one else watches you. He is still professional. Same as you. This interaction was... interesting. You were afraid he could be some sort of rough guy only wanting his release for egoistical reasons, but he was a passionate lover. He knows how to kiss and shows it, he knows how to use his voice and shows it, and likes to let you control if you want to and shows it. He listened to your desires and... it makes you doubt.

It happens a second time a month later. You went to his office to transfer a file about the upcoming ammunition delivery. Compassion is the guilty feeling you felt as you noticed his dark bags under his eyes. You kept talking like nothing happened. But it didn't take you long to notice his lack of attention. He is irritated, shifting on his seat and his teeth clenched. It's like he was thinking about murdering someone. He stood up suddenly, and once again you tried to keep your cool. You learnt that Ren Force chocked him after some serious failure caused by a sabotage. Not even on the ship but General Dameron was nearby. His dark eyes were conflicted, the same anxious glint you see in your mirror the days you think too much about your mission. So you tried to make him think about something else, taking the risk to kiss his plump lips as he was standing straight like the feared and ruthless General he is. You got a bit carried away afterwards.

"I hate that shit. It's the most stupid thing to do." Mumbles a fellow officer low enough not to risk anything too big. "You can feel it. Even the dumbest Stormtrooper can feel it, and it's not good."

You nod quietly as you swallow the lump in your throat. Three months later, the cordiality - if you can even call that cordiality - between Ren and General Dameron got burned to ashes. They had been arguing more and more often, and never before you had witnessed your superior losing his temper like this. To you he was always a sarcastic jerk knowing to use words wisely enough to find his way through the storm fragilizing the First Order. You should have been ecstatic to see him getting almost choked to death in public, right ? The most feared General put out of order by his immature and impulsive leader. But it was so unbearable to watch that you looked away as you had to listen to Dameron suffocating to be the perfect example. And it only pushed most of the officers to feel more distant from Ren. Dameron is respected here. Ren ? Not much.

"Sometimes I just wish I never had this stupid ambition."

After a silence of several long minutes, you turn away from the window, looking down at Poe sitting behind his desk. You can only see his back and his dishevelled hair but you can guess his elbows are on the documents spilled on the surface out of rage after another humiliation from Ren.

"What are you talking about ?" You ask in a low voice as you walk closer to him, your hands rubbing his shoulders to soothe him.

"Being in the First Order."

His words are enough to stop your motions suddenly. He doesn't add anything for a while, maybe trying to find the right ones to explain his feeling.

"I sacrificed many things. You understand ?" He mumbles as his gloved fingers now fold and unfold the right sleeve of his uniform. "I sacrificed so many kriffing things to be where I am today. And now just because some stupid wannabe-leader got upset by the rebels, I have to risk my life just by walking in the wrong hallway at the wrong time."

"I don't know if we can expect a mutiny but... officers are having enough of this idiot as well." You sigh as you scratch his scalp just above his nape. "No one trusts Ren. Not even the slightest."

"I joined this Order because I wanted power. The power of protecting myself and those I would learn to trust through the years. I could feel something was going to happen even during my teenagehood. People getting nostalgic of influences from the past. Darth Vader. Power. Strength. Ancient religions, orders, technology. They were fantasizing this past they never experienced. They wanted to mold it into the way they desired. They united without expecting the result and the disasters even though it was right in front of their eyes. Of their nose. Them, so eager to repeat the past, haven't learned from their idol's mistakes. They refused to acknowledge how stupid their idea was. And look at us. Look at that nonsense."

Poe sighs, and you sit on his desk, your hands clasped on your thighs as he looks up at you, his forehead, right temple and cheeks covered by bruises. His bottom lip got split a bit while he was talking and you take a tissue, holding his sharp jaw with your other hand as you get rid of this little blood tear that was going to run down his tan skin. You are lost. You don't know what to do. You thought you had everything under control. You got encouraged to escape as soon as possible by a crypted message. But you didn't. You just froze in front of this stupid machine, unable to answer. You didn't have any contact with the Resistance in three months. They tried. But you... you didn't want to lose Poe. You hate yourself for this.

"Everyone is still following orders." You say saddly as your thumb brushes his cheek, his exhausted eyes closing themselves. "They are afraid. They have some kind of protection from their master. Some money. Food. People they know."

"As a General I shouldn't consider deserters as braver than I."

"Don't say that, everyone does as they can."

"No they don't." He snarls before brutally leaning back in his char, making it creak under his weight as he becomes agitated, pointing his finger at you, his elbow on his armrest and a deadly glare. "Don't pity them. Everyone is complicit in that shit. I am guilty. More than guilty even. But the regular Stormtrooper obeying blindly without thinking twice is guilty. The people leading interrogations are guilty. The bounty hunters helping the First Order are guilty. Random citizens betraying their planet are guilty."

"Don't try to raise your voice at me, General Poe Dameron." You warn him in a low voice cold enough to make him stop. "What are you suggesting then ? That we all blow this ship up ?"

"Call your friends." He says seriously.

You blink and you hate this sensation of loneliness. You don't even know what he means by "friends". It's not like healthy relationships were encouraged. Kriff. Stormtroopers certainly had a sense of companionship you forgot a long time ago. It must be one of the reasons why you and Poe found each other. Then you think you get what he means.

"The officers are not ready for a mutiny, we won't take over this ship easily. Ren and his Knights are..."

"No. The other ones."

Then it hits you. The seriousness in his face. This tense body. This insistence to secret. He knows. And it makes you look away in shame and guilty of this fear. Are you afraid of Poe ? Really ?

"Poe... I..."

He is so fast that you can barely react as he rests his hands on both sides of your thighs, his eyes begging you.

"Just listen to me. Please." He sets his palms on your cheeks as you sigh to keep your calm. "We have to go away. We have to. You have the contacts to do such a thing. I erased some of the suspect connections on your devices, our security system can't find you."

"When have you..."

"Please I'm not stupid." He says with such offense he sounds like a child protesting against an unfair parent. "The time you got rid off those pilots so easily that even on radars it was obvious ? And your lie about damaging their comms ? I got the proof it didn't happen, you're lucky you improvised that part with me only and that it didn't end up in the report."

"And you... you didn't make me pay for that ? I..."

"No and trust me it's not the right moment to talk about it." He says quickly. "Please tell me you are still in contact with them."

"Yes. Not in a while but yes."

"We will have to get separated. For a long while. Make it like you crash landed or got kidnapped the next time you go on a planet - please listen to me - but don't even tell me where nor when I want to act as natural as I can the time you..."

"You are Ren's target." You argue, rubbing his cheeks with your hands as you try not to give anything up. "You are the one to get out of there. I'm just an officer there, I can keep a low profile and..."

"No he has an eye on you, that's why I erased any proof behind you. And I'm a General who mever got any contact with them. I am their target as much as I am Ren's."

And he is being serious, holding your head to prevent you from looking away. After all... he is right. Well. Not exactly.

"Leia Organa can protect you." You claim as he raises a confused eyebrow. "Yea trust me she will. I won't promise you won't get interrogated. But our methods are not the same as here. We don't torture people. They will just make sure you cooperate and..."

You interrupt your sentence as a pair of lips collide with yours. Poe groans before pulling back, holding his damaged jaw with one hand.

"Then... contact your General. Tell her to kidnap me. In two weeks I'll be on Naboo. Nothing official but I'll be there."

"I don't know if we have two weeks."

"Rebels won't infiltrate our ship. It's impossible. We will have to do it from outside."

You nod as your mind races against time, too numb to even feel the kiss on your temple. You will have to act fast. You will try as soon as possible to go on a mission elsewhere. Get "mysteriously" lost in the middle of nowhere. Or kidnapped, like Poe.

"I love you. Keep it in mind please." You say as you hug him tightly, his hands rubbing your back.

"I love you too sweetheart. We have to do it to live, and we will do it. Let's plan where to begin with, we don't have much time."

- - - -

Thanks for reading, please comment and reblog if you liked it ! 😊

@abelslittlebunny @ophelialoveshandsomemen @salome-c @anetteaneta @dilfoscarisaac @letoatreiides @huxdameron @amneris21 @lady-targaryen @lavenderluna