#howzer fluff

[neyswxrld]

of stolen apples and jumping worms

Howzer x reader (gn)

summary: Roasting apples with Howzer!

warnings: none

word count: ~540

advent calendar masterlist

a/n: this is a little bit personal. with that, i mean my dad is a liar.

p.s. english isn't my mother tongue, sorry for misspellings! 

"Okay, you take the apple, and then you just put it on the stick," you explain while doing as you say.

Howzer furrows his eyebrows in concentration, also spearing an apple on the stick.

"Nice! And now you just hold it over the fire!" Again, you do as you say, and he follows.

It was a nice winter evening. You were sitting next to each other on a bonfire, enjoying the heat. Due to the small tree trunk you were sitting on, your legs and shoulders were touching. Although - even if there wasn't that small trunk, you would still be glued to each other's sides.

A blanket was draped over your bodies, providing additional heat.

"Hm... I don't know about that. I still think marshmallows would have been the better choice," he says quietly, looking at the apple a little bit unsurely.

"Wait until you taste it. You'll never want to eat marshmallows ever again," you assure him, but he doesn't look convinced.

"But I like marshmallows. They're perfectly sweet, sticky and unhealthy. And they don't have worms," he instead tries to convince you.

"Worms?" you ask and look at him from the side, a little bit confused at first.

"Yes. Because they're apples from your neighbors' tree. All natural. I bet there are worms in it," Howzer nods with a small smile on his face, not really believing himself.

"Pshh, don't say that too loud! They can't hear that we stole their apples!" you laugh quietly, nudging him a little bit, making him laugh, too.

"When I was younger, my dad always told me that the worms would jump out of the apple because the fire is too hot. We spent hours making baked apples because I always missed the worms," you chuckle, leaning more into him.

Howzer giggles a little bit more, putting his free arm around your shoulder and pulling you into his side.

"I think your dad lied so you would eat his worm apples," he grins, kissing the top of your head.

"How dare you accusing him of lying?" you chuckle, looking at his face again.

"Well, have you ever seen a worm jumping out of an apple?" he asks with raised eyebrows.

"... No," you say, shaking your head a little. Howzer exhales through his nose with a quiet laugh.

"Hush. Just enjoy your baked apple. They look finished," you say, pulling the food out of the flames.

Carefully, you and Howzer blow on your apples, trying to cool them down a bit. After some time, you decide to take your first bite, savoring the sweet and smokey taste of the warm apple on your tongue.

Excited, you watch Howzer take a bite too, looking carefully at the apple.

He chews for a while, many different emotions cross his face before he swallows and looks back at you.

"Tastes like worm."

"What?" you chuckle, looking at him questioningly, "You haven't eaten a worm in your whole life, Howzer. You don't even know how they taste!"

"Well, now I know," he chuckles, too, taking another small bite.

"It tastes okay. I think it would be much better with marshmallows," he says, already reaching for the bag with the white and pink sweets, putting one on top of the baked apple.

TAGLIST:

@isthereanechoinhere96

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

Awww thank you love!

I'm so glad you loved it. I love flashback scenes. They're so much more descriptive than just an outright telling of any story.

You're right. Howzer is a genuine sweetheart. He deserves so many hugs and kisses.

STAR WARS FIC ROULETTE

HELLO LOVELIES,

Okay as promised here is the thank you fic for all of you. First off, thank you to everyone who sent in a request, to everyone who read each fic, who commented, reblogged, and started following me.

I can't say this enough, I love you all sooo much! The overwhelming response I received from this celebration was amazing and absolutely beautiful.

Thank you all for being so amazing.

Special thanks to @firstofficerwiggles for being my amazing sounding board and beta reader.

Also the fic got away from me ending at 2500 plus words.

Love oo,

One More Chance

Warnings: Angst, fluff, hurt, fear, dancing, arguments, misunderstandings, kissing, not ready for next step, cooking, alcohol, apologies, confessions, second chance, modern au!, I think that's it. If I miss anything please let me know.

Italics - Flashback

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Howzer couldn’t stop smiling as he busied himself in the kitchen. Truthfully, he never thought he’d get another chance with you, yet here he was making you dinner. He glanced at the clock on the stove, you’d be arriving shortly, and he wasn’t about to mess this up with you. Not again. 

He danced in the kitchen to some of your favourite songs he had playing in the background. He was getting a little carried away, when he heard you knocking on the door. You were earlier than expected, but that didn’t matter. He was just grateful you showed up. 

“Hey” his smile couldn’t possibly reach any wider as he looked at you.

“Hey, can I come in?” You giggled as he stood there watching you.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, sorry” he moved out of the way inviting you in. 

It was just like old times, he felt his heart flutter as he took your coat hanging it up in the foyer closet. He couldn’t believe you were here, he stood there watching as you walked throughout his condo, like you’d done a million times before. 

“You got rid of the couch I hated.” Your eyes focused on the blue couch that was ten times better than the old green one that was duct taped together, stuffing falling out of it; along with the cushions that sunk in, spraining your back on more than one occasion. 

“Yeah, it … it pissed me off every time I looked at it, after we … “

Howzer stood there glaring at you, “What did you say?”

“I said you’re a coward!”

“I.. I’m a coward!” He slammed his hand against his chest, hurting himself more than actually making the point.

“Well aren’t you!” You raised your hands, “You’re afraid of commitment, of change, I mean look at this couch!” You stood from it pointing to it, “This belonged to your parents! There’s nothing left! If you don’t want to get rid of it for sentimental reasons, then fine. Hire an upholster, get them to fix it!”

“Now you’re complaining about the couch?”

“Now! Now! When have I not complained about this?” You waved your hands in front of your face, letting out a breath, “That’s beside the point. The point is you don’t want me to move in!”

“That’s not true!”

“No! You freaked out because I left a toothbrush! A freaking toothbrush! I thought this was supposed to be going somewhere! Isn’t that what you said when we started this!”

Howzer ran his hands through his hair, “I know what I said!”

“Then! What is the problem!”

“I don’t want you here!” He covered his mouth as soon as the words fell out of his mouth. 

Tears welled up in your eyes, as you looked at him, “What?” Your voice trembled as you looked at him. 

“No. That’s not …”

“You don’t want me here?”

“No, of course I do. It’s just … I’m … I’m not ready …”

You shook your head as you wiped your tears, grabbing your bag and jacket, “I can’t talk to you right now.” 

“No, please! Don’t go. Stay.”

“No. Because if I stay I’m going to say something I’ll regret. I need space, excuse me.” You stormed out that night, not looking back. 

It was a few days later when the two of you actually broke up, but it all started on that stupid couch. If he held back his tongue about your toothbrush, if he had been more honest about his feelings and realizing he wasn’t ready. 

“Well anyway …” he walked into the living room, as he saw you sit in your favourite armchair, “Can I get you anything? I have white wine, chilled, your favourite brand.” He offered, happy to have you back here sitting in your chair, after it had been vacant for almost a year and a half. 

A year and a half without you in his arms, without the scent of your shampoo and conditioner on his pillow, without your laughter filling his home. He still saw you on base, and when you did your training runs, after all you were still a part of his squad, but not to have you here. Not to see your slippers at the entrance, the ones you’d change into as you stepped in. Enough was enough, he couldn’t do without you. It took him too long to realize, but now he knew what it was like to be without and he didn’t want to do it again.

You couldn’t help smirk as you looked at him, “That sounds lovely. I’ll pour myself a glass, it smells like you’re cooking something delicious.” 

You stood admiring his outfit, the way his blue teal dress shirt hugged his shoulders and tapered into his waist. Safely tucked into his light grey dress pants that hugged his rear and thighs. The only thought that popped into your head as he walked off, was that those pants were doing God’s work. 

You cleared your throat and shook your head, focusing on the fact you needed to make sure he had changed like he claimed before you let your heart fall back into the quicksand that was Howzer. 

He always had this way of just encompassing your every breath and thought, and if you let your guard down for even a minute, you would fall headlong into that quicksand that was so warm and comforting, but full of traps and danger. 

You allowed yourself to take a breath, before following him to the kitchen; as soon as you saw the white wine sitting in the ice bucket, you couldn’t help but smile at all the effort he was making. 

“You’re really pulling out all the stops huh?” You giggled as you poured a glass. 

“Well, I figured this was my last chance and I didn’t want to mess it up. I want to show you that I have changed. I want you to see that I’m ready for this, for us.”

 You subtly bit your lower lip, before taking a sip as you watched him cook, you didn’t respond to his statement, just letting it sink in as you played the words over in his head. 

“What are you cooking, anyway?” You sidled up to his side as you looked over his shoulder. 

He smirked as he turned around to look at you, “Here, give this a try and tell me what you think?” He held a spoon out to you, with some red liquid.

Your mouth watered as soon as you saw the red liquid, it couldn’t be what you thought. There was no way he’d learn to make chicken cacciatore for you, after all he said the only thing he ever needed to learn to make was chilli; however, as soon as your mouth tasted the tomato, basil, oregano, and pepper, you already knew.

“You… you learned to cook my favourite meal?”

“Don’t act so surprised. You really thought I wouldn’t remember what you like?  Please, give me a little credit.”

“Well, someone's cranky today.” You giggled, as your smile grew wider.

Howzer laughed as he tilted his head at you, “I’m not cranky. I … I just want you to know…” he turned to look at you face on, “how sorry I am for being an idiot, before.”

You leaned in smiling as you looked at him, “I appreciate that, but it wasn’t just you being an idiot. I was being an idiot too.” There was a look of shock on his face, “I should’ve been more understanding and patient with you. I mean this was your first real relationship, and even though things were going slower than I wanted it wasn’t fair of me to push you to make decisions when you weren’t ready.”

There was a soft smile on his lips, as he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you in, “I want this to work this time. I know I screwed up last time. I wasn’t ready for the commitment of what it actually meant for us to be together, and I know I handled the idea of us living together poorly.”

“It wasn’t just you. We both handled the idea of us living together poorly, well it was more like a natural disaster.”

“Okay, fair point,” he  nodded, smirking. “Anyway, I just want to say that I’m ready to commit. I’m ready for anything and everything life is willing to throw at us.”

You let out a sigh as you wrapped your arms around his neck, “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel forced or pushed into something just because I said so. I want you to be able to express what you’re feeling, to be better at opening up to me. Let me know what you’re feeling here…” you placed your hand on his heart, “that’s all I want.”

“I know, cyare. I know. And yes, I’m sure. I’ve been sure, since the moment you walked out that door. I know it seems when we’re together, we never seem to get it right the first time, after all let’s face it, it took us forever to just be friends and then to become something more, and then when I lost you …” he shook his head as he pressed his forehead against your, “But, I need you in my life, cyare. I want you in my life, forever.”

You chuckled as you listened, “You do have a point. We really never got it right the first time, do you remember that night you and I actually had our first heart-to-heart conversation after I joined your unit? We were in that god-forsaken jungle, everyone was asleep, but the two of us, you decided to keep me company, while I sat for the first watch?”

“Well, can you blame me? After all the beautiful and gorgeous new medic was sitting all alone, I had to keep you company. It was my duty as Captain.”

“Ohhh!” You giggled, holding him closer, “Is  that’s what that was! Here, I thought you were being a gentleman and wanting to get to know me, as the new medic.”

“Well there was that too.” He chuckled, pressing a kiss to your cheek, “But yeah I remember that night, I also remember how I screwed up the first time we had a real conversation too…

“So what unit were you with before?” He asked, keeping his voice down, doing his best to keep watch with you.

“212th, I was under Commander Cody’s jurisdiction. He was an amazing Commander to work for, I really miss them.”

“Sounds like you were really close, why leave?”

“I wanted to do more. The medic I trained under was still part of the 212th and the lead medic. I wanted to be more on the front lines. Do something more with my skills.”

“I see.” He nodded, smirking, “In other words, you became involved with someone and it erupted like Krakatoa, causing death and destruction in your wake?”

You turned to look at him, “Excuse me?”

“What? Am I wrong?”

“Wow. Just … wow.” Your expression was one of shock and disbelief, “Two seconds. That’s all it took, just two seconds and you already imagine first that I’m some drama queen looking to cause issues within my own unit. And secondly, that I simply can’t draw a line between professional and personal when I have an issue with someone in the same unit. Really?”

“Hey, it’s a natural assumption.” He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the jungle in front of them. 

“Oh really? Explain to me how that’s a natural assumption?”

“Well, I mean you’re … you know …”

“No. I don’t know. Explain it to me.” You practically bowled out your last sentence as you glared at him, clenching your jaw. It was in that moment Howzer realized when his eyes locked with yours, how big he screwed up. 

You both sit on the couch after dinner, enjoying the feel of the comfy couch, “You know this is a really nice couch.”

He couldn’t help smiling as you revelled in it, “It is. I must’ve sat on at least fifty before I found this one. I wanted to make sure it was a couch you’d be proud of.”

“I am, you did a very nice job.”

As his eyes scan your face, there is one thought that keeps coming back to haunt him. “Cyare, I have to ask, why are you giving me another chance? I mean I really don’t deserve one. I know that better than anyone else.”

You rest your head against the couch as you lean against him, your head resting on his shoulder, “Do you remember, when we were actually starting to become friends after that disastrous start?”

“Yeah”

“I was frustrated, because I got reamed out by the lead medic on base, when I told her that sometimes I needed to improvise on the field so I brought my own stuff that hadn’t been sanctioned by her.”

“Oh yeah, I remember. She had a huge power trip over controlling everyone. Thank goodness she’s not there anymore. 

“You sat with me, when you found me upset, and got me laughing. You told me that I should keep doing what I need to do, to save lives. Who cares about protocols or sanctions? What matters is the lives we save. The lives I save. Then you told me, as long as she didn’t know, what was the harm? You stood by me, because you knew that what upset me more wasn’t being reamed out, it was the fact that people’s lives could be in danger.”

“I remember” Howzer gently played with your ear, something he loved doing. It was an odd thing, but he really thought your ears were pretty, “I think I also said something along the lines of ‘Do as I say and not as I do. For real, though. You don't want to do what I do. I don't want to do what I do.’ It made you laugh, and in that moment, hearing you laugh, being the one that made you laugh, I realized I wanted to do that for you always.”

You closed your eyes and leaned into his hand, “I hated not waking up next to you. I hated not being able to see you as often as I wanted or kiss you when I wanted. I …” tears welled up in your eyes as you looked at him, “I hated being apart from you. I don’t ever want to be apart from you, ever again.”

Howzer leaned forward, glancing from your eyes to your lips, “I don’t want to be apart from you either,” his other hand came up and gently stroked your cheek, “I love you, cyare. I’m not afraid anymore, I want all of it with you.”

You closed your eyes and pulled him closer, as he rested his forehead against yours, “I love you too. I mean after all you’re the great ‘Captain Howzer’.” You giggled and teased him, “I’m kidding. I love you, because you’re you. Thank you, for making the effort to change. I promise I’ll make an effort to keep changing as well.”

“You don’t have to change, cyare. Just allow me to love you and stay by your side.”

“Forever” as soon as the word came out of your mouth Howzer pressed his lips to yours and kissed you deeply, passionately, and with a longing that he never even realized he had.

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Tag list:

@liadamerondjarin @badbatch-simp24@spicymcnuggies@lady-ren @firstofficerwiggles @darkangel4121 @discofern @kavecika @monako-jinn-stories @ladykatakuri @avathebestx @theroguesully @furyhellfire66 @carodealmeida @ciramaris @sprout-fics @twinkofthedink @dindjarin-mandalorian @ulchabhangorm @littlemisspascal @tortor-mcgee @vodika-vibes @clonethirstingisreal

[rex-meshla]

Stolen Nights and Shared Dreams

Captain Howzer x Reader (fluff)

The knock was soft but unmistakable, sending a little spark of anticipation through me. I didn’t have to wonder who it was. Howzer’s visits were rare, but each one was a balm to my heart. The galaxy’s chaos faded, if only for a few hours, whenever he was around.

I opened the door, and there he was: looking tired yet undeniably handsome. His hair was a bit tousled, and the shadows under his eyes hinted at the day he’d had, yet his gaze softened when he saw me.

“Hey, you” he murmured, his voice low and warm.

“Hey” I replied, unable to keep the grin off my face. I reached out, taking his hand and guiding him inside. As the door clicked shut behind us, it was like we’d stepped into our own little world.

“Rough day?” I asked, gently squeezing his hand as he began peeling off his armor piece by piece.

A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. “Something like that. But I’d rather not think about it right now. I’d rather… just be here. With you” His words were simple, but the way he looked at me made my heart skip a beat. Howzer had this gentle sincerity about him, and when he was with me, it felt like I was the only thing in the galaxy that mattered to him.

“Good” I replied, pulling him into the living room. “Because I made tea, and it’d be a shame if I had to drink it all by myself”

He chuckled, a deep, warm sound that melted away some of the tension in his shoulders. As we settled onto the couch, he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close as he took his tea. “I missed this” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

Leaning into him, I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into his warmth. “I missed you” I whispered back, my hand finding his where it rested on my shoulder, fingers threading together. His grip was gentle but firm, a silent promise that he was here and wasn’t going anywhere tonight.

For a while, we just sat like that, basking in each other’s presence. Just us, sharing a simple, peaceful moment. Howzer leaned his head back, closing his eyes, and I took the opportunity to trace my fingers along the strong lines of his jaw, admiring every detail of his face.

He cracked an eye open, a lazy smile playing at his lips. “Enjoying yourself?”

I chuckled, brushing a kiss against his cheek. “Maybe a little”

His hand came up to cup my face, thumb brushing along my cheek as his eyes softened, gaze filled with a warmth that sent a sweet ache through my chest. “I don’t know what I’d do without you” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He leaned in, his lips meeting mine in a soft, lingering kiss that made the outside world disappear.

The kiss deepened, and when we finally broke apart, we were both breathing a little heavier. His forehead rested against mine, and for a moment, we just stayed like that, wrapped up in each other.

“Stay with me tonight?” I asked softly, fingers tracing the lines of his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my palm.

Howzer’s smile was gentle, but there was a spark in his eyes that told me he felt just as strongly. “Nothing could keep me away”

I pulled him down onto the couch with me, wrapping us both in a blanket. He settled beside me, our legs tangled together as he wrapped an arm around me, holding me close. His hand trailed up and down my back in slow, soothing circles, and I felt myself relax, safe and warm in his embrace.

He kissed my forehead, lips lingering as if to savor every second. “You know, being here with you like this… it’s the only time I really feel at peace” he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur.

My heart swelled, and I snuggled closer, pressing a kiss to his collarbone.

“Do you ever think about what we’ll do once the war is over?” I asked, my voice soft.

A thoughtful look crossed his face, as he considered his answer. “All the time. I think about finding somewhere quiet… maybe a place near the ocean” His lips curved in a small smile. “I don’t know if I’d know what to do with all that quiet, but if you were there…” His voice trailed off, and he looked down at me, eyes full of a longing that made my heart ache. “I think I’d be just fine”

I smiled. “I’d love that. Just the two of us, finally getting a chance to… just be”

He held me a little tighter, his hand tracing the curve of my shoulder. “Maybe we’d have a little garden,” he murmured. “Somewhere we could put down roots. Real roots”

My heart swelled at the thought. “We could have all the time in the world, no more rushing off to fight battles. Just… peace”

His voice was low and tender as he added, “And you’d never have to worry about me leaving. I’d finally be able to be here. Fully” He kissed my forehead, and I felt him press his cheek against my hair, lingering there, breathing me in.

For a while, we spoke of dreams, letting our imaginations run wild with little details—a small home, lazy mornings, and a life filled with quiet moments just like this. We laughed about the little things, like whether he’d actually be able to sleep past sunrise, and whether I’d be able to cook without burning something.

Finally, he sighed, a content, almost sleepy sound. “Thank you… for giving me something to look forward to. Something beyond all of this” He kissed the top of my head, lingering, as if savoring the moment.

“Always” I whispered, resting my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. 

We lay there, wrapped in each other, sharing quiet whispers and gentle touches, each one an unspoken vow to hold on to these moments for as long as we could. I knew in this very moment that no matter what the galaxy threw our way, we’d always have this—our dreams, our little world, and the promise of a life we’d one day build together.

The night passed in a blur of whispered words, tender kisses, and soft laughter, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like the galaxy was exactly as it should be.

_____________________________________________________________

You can find my masterlist here x

[eclec-tech]

🎵 Clone x Reader Song Fic Exchange 🎶

For @ladysongmaster (This was my first time ever writing for Howzer!) 🤞🏼

@cloneficgiftexchange Pairing: Howzer x Reader Words: 3.7K+

"I knew she always worked late on the third Taungsday of the month and told her I would bring by dinner on the next one so we would each have some company while we suffered through our reports. That was going to be the night I finally asked if she wanted to spend some time with me outside our official duties. But I guess the Force had other ideas,” he trailed off sadly. “What happened?” Howzer’s wistful smile disappeared entirely. “That was the night I tried to rally my men to stop hurting the people of Ryloth and got us all arrested.”

[neyswxrld]

lovely! <3

For the bed-sharing prompt...

9. we sat on my bed and talked for hours and eventually we just fall asleep

Howzer

New relationship

(I feel bad, because I'm so predictable and you probably dread my asks...it's just I see lots of fics for my other favorites but not much for Howzer...)

Thanks! And don't feel like you have to!! Only if you're feeling it.

@clonethirstingisreal

I absolutely do NOT dread your asks, especially when they are for my favorite boy!! :D I'm gonna make one little tweak from bed to couch since it's a new relationship and my brain isn't braining any other way, LOL.

A thrill ran through you as his arm brushed against yours when he shifted slightly to pull the lever for the recliner, allowing him to spread out luxuriously next to you on the plush couch. He folded his arms behind his head with a content sigh, tilting his face so he could continue to watch you as you shared about a primary school teacher that had provided you with enough ridiculous stories to last a lifetime.

"So I've got refresher duty, and I'm in there mopping... and she's in the stall, I guess. All of a sudden she calls my name. From the stall. Okay... so I answer, and she asks me if I can give her a big wad of wet paper towels as well as some dry ones," you say, reveling in the adorable wrinkle of his nose as he listened with delight.

"Who asks that?!" he laughed, and you sat up straighter, crossing your legs so you could face him more fully to finish your story with increasingly theatrical arm motions.

"I have no idea... But I have to admit... my response wasn't the nicest. I was kind of an idiot as a kid," you confessed, the glimmer in his eyes hinting that he probably wasn't the most innocent angel either.

"Uh oh."

"Yeah... So I got this HUGE wad of paper towels, like... I'm holding it with two hands, and absolutely SOAKED it under the sink. Then I rushed over to the bathroom... and..." you were dissolving into guilty giggles, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. But you were too far to stop now. "I threw the entire sopping thing over the top of the stall door... and it landed on something with a massive SPLAT... and then I ran away."

"Oh my gosh," Howzer laughed, palming his face. "Was she screaming at you?"

"No!" you said between chortles, "That was the weirdest part -- she was totally silent!"

"Probably rethinking every choice she made in her life that got her to that point," he observed, and you laughed, relaxing into the couch next to him. The recline of his seat tilted the cushions toward him, and you found yourself leaning on him slightly more than before. It gave you tingles, and he didn't seem to mind. Grateful that he wasn't abhorred by your childhood weaselry, you continued with other, more flattering stories in between the ones he was sharing about his own shenanigans as a cadet.

Hours passed in the blink of an eye. You were absolutely in awe of his simultaneous sweetness and mischievousness, his cleverness and integrity. The room was so warm and cozy, with a fire flickering in the hearth and the steady sound of rain tapping against the roof and windows. The rumbling sound his smooth voice made in his chest was lulling you to sleep, and as he talked about the regimented training schedule of his adolescence, your eyelids slowly fluttered closed.

Howzer noticed when your head slowly tilted to the side, the weight of him beside you pulling you toward him, and he carefully pulled his arm out from beneath you, allowing you to slump into his side, face resting on his perfectly broad chest. His own heart was thumping in his chest as he tentatively stretched his arm around you, tucking it snugly along your back as he relaxed his own head back onto the cushion. With a deep, contented sigh, he gazed at the ceiling for a while, lost in thought as he watched the shadows dance gracefully.

You woke a few hours later, coming to with a blissful awareness of being insanely warm and comfortable. As you took in your surroundings, you felt fireworks in your chest at the sight and feeling of Howzer peacefully sleeping next to you, one strong arm holding you gently against him. You didn't know how you'd gotten there, but you weren't about to start asking.

[masterjedilenawrites]

I have a request if you’re feeling up for it :)

I wanted to know what each clone’s S/O does to get them flustered? 🤔 like all blushy, stuttering, etc? Is it words from their S/O? Light touches?(ticklish,sensitive,etc) I was in a fluffy mood and you are a good writer. I shall pay you in llamas pls & thank u ✨🦙 🦙🦙🦙

Ooh hard to pass up a deal for llamas. But first I need to know, are they smelly? Do they get along with cats? And can they survive on a small apartment balcony?

Cody, Wolffe, and Wrecker melt over sweet and kind gestures. Gentle touches are a big one. It sends such pleasant tingles across their skin and they cannot comprehend how they could possibly deserve such softness. Another is being taken care of, such as their armor being cleaned or being cooked a nice meal. They won't be able to find the words to express how such acts make them feel. 

Tup, Dogma, and Thorn will be flushed, stuttering messes over just about anything. Seriously, any kind of attention goes straight to their hearts without a fight, and comes spilling over in the most frazzled and adorable of ways. We're talking compliments, being thanked, brushing arms as they move by, seeing their S/O blush... These three are immediately red as a tomato and utterly helpless.

Hardcase, Tech, and Mayday would need it laid on them real thick before they're even aware. Simple brushes of the hand won't do the trick, they need their head caressed in both hands. Sweet words or silly pet names? No, they need to be taken aside, looked in the eye, and told just how handsome or strong they are. Then they'll start stuttering and blushing.

Fox, Rex, and Echo will get worked into a tizzy any time their S/O shines the spotlight on them in public. Behind closed doors, they are totally fine hearing compliments, holding them close, being doted on. But around others, they cannot function with that attention. It's not even out of embarrassment or anything; the gestures just hit them that much deeper when they're on display.

Fives, Jesse, and Crosshair aren't too easily thrown off their game, but there is one simple thing that will make their brains short circuit: their S/O's smile. They dream about that smile. It is the single most dazzling, beautiful, perfect thing they have ever seen in their entire lives, and it will make them seize up and swoon, without fail, every single time. 

Kix, Hunter, and Gregor are more likely to be flustered over things that are... uh, less than innocent, shall we say. They don't bat an eye at the fluffy stuff. It's still enjoyable, don't get them wrong, but they won't be turning pink just by holding hands. No, their blushes only come out when touched teasingly elsewhere, or at suggestive turns of phrase, or even at flirty winks. 

Every Character Tag: @dangerousstrawberrypie, @justanothersadperson93, @arctrooper69, @sleepycreativewriter, @techie-bear, @theroguesully

Bois, Batch, and Other Clones Tag: @kaijusplotch, @rebel-finn, @lucyysthings, @marvel-starwars-nerd, @nekotaetae, @severalseashellsbytheseashore, @lackofhonor, @flowered-bicycles, @foodmoneyandcats, @nahoney22

✨Join A Tag List Here!✨

💋 Tender Loving Clones Master List | 🌙 Master List of Master Lists

[oceansssblue]

Just make me OMEGAVERSE REQUESTSSSSS its free it can be cute it can be hot it can be platonic just make meeeee workkkkkk

(Reblog)

[squidsponge]

New WIP: Season 7 bodygloves for your off-duty clones

I was rewatching The Bad Batch pilot and realized they were wearing these bodygloves right after Order 66, so I'm considering them to be canon-compliant standard issue from some point after Umbara until the end of the war.

I thought it would add some realism to have an upper bodyglove option to wear with lower body armor, so I've been handpainting these bodygloves for your clones to wear.

Sometimes the MCCC mod let's you down and you can't get Fox to put his blasters down for yoga class. Other times it's because he insists that if you can't do yoga fully armed and in gear, you can't do yoga.

They'll also come in black, even though our favorite never-nude prefers swimming in full armor.

You can follow the squid's cc tag for updates :)

[amberskyyking]

Dying Isn't Very Regulation: Chapter 16

They've all been given a new life and a second chance, but Fives is afraid that might look different for him than the rest of his brothers.

(The conclusion of my fic inspired by Snapback by @toomanyteefs with Fives and Ninety-Nine, because I have emotions about this and they deserves the world! Sequel "Murder Isn't Very Regulation" is in the works, too!)

Fives looked around at his newfound family, gathering around Ninety-Nine now to give him congratulatory pats and hugs and keldabes of their own. Jango was thumping Jaster on the back, quipping about how his buir would adopt all the clones if they’d let him, and Jaster buried his head in his hands at the idea. Omega was wrapped around Ninety-Nine’s waist and Arla was speaking softly to him, probably saying something tender and heartfelt judging by Ninety-Nine’s quivering lip and the way he nodded along with her words. Tech’s expression was bright and delighted, Wrecker impatiently waited behind Arla for a hug of his own, and Crosshair stood guard with his arms crossed and a toothpick between his teeth, Howzer’s hand on his shoulder. Hunter especially seemed to have some trouble composing himself as he took in Ninety-Nine’s happiness. 

He couldn’t imagine they all felt the same way about Mereel, about adoption, about being Mandalorians. Maybe in time he would come to feel a certain way about that himself, but until then, having Echo and the others back was almost enough.

Almost.

Echo grabbed him by the hand to pull him into the gathering, and Fives let himself be dragged into it, but part of his mind was elsewhere. He had come back to find Echo, but he never expected to find him or any of their brothers quite like this. And now he had his twin back, and Ninety-Nine, and…

What if there were more?

What if he had another chance to save his brothers, a chance to stop the war, like he had been trying so desperately to do before it all went wrong?

Full Chapter (And Story!): Together

[gun-roswell]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon), Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Clone Trooper Howzer/CT-7567 | Rex Characters: Clone Trooper Howzer (Star Wars), CT-7567 | Rex Additional Tags: Inspired by Fanart, Inspired by Tumblr, Ficlet, fluff and love, Established Relationship, Missing Scene?, fixit?, Cloneshipping | Clone Trooper/Clone Trooper Relationships (Star Wars) Series: Part 4 of Howzer/Rex Summary:

They’re free now. Part of the Rebellion. And they can share moments like this, whenever they like.

Inspired by Tumblr posts and fanart of @rexsterss

 Part of Howzer/Rex series

[freesia-writes]

Any of y’all like to draw clones… hey hey heyyyyy. 😉 I’ve got some works for Howzer… Gregor… and whoever else you may fancy! 😍

i used to be too shy to interact w fanfic authors, but after i finally started to do so, that i realised they're the same @ me

[nahoney22]

🌺 Orchids Tech 🌺

Medical Flora

X Female Reader

word count: 1.2k

🌸 💐 Flower Fic Event 💐 🌸

My second fic for the clone flower event 🌸 read my Commander Fox one here 🌺 Check the tag #cloneflowerficevent to see more! 💐

warnings: None, fluff, mutual pining, friends to lovers 🌸💜

Other writers for this event include (will add links to each ficlet once writer has posted):

🌸 Myself - Tech | Fox

🌸 @jedi-hawkins - Kix | Echo | Crosshair

🌸 @moonstrider9904 - Howzer

🌸 @photogirl894 - Hunter | Wrecker | Fives

🌸 @eyecandyeoz - Waxer

🌸 @arctrooper69 🎂- Tup | Rex | Gregor

🌸 @l-lend - Wolffe

🌸 @dragonrider9905 - Hardcase

🌸 @totallyunidentified - 99 | Cody

“I appreciate you coming with me, by the way, Tech. Herbalism isn’t for everyone.” You chuckle as you bend down to inspect some nearby plants, using a scanner to check their properties.

After some members of your group had fallen ill, you asked Tech, quite reluctantly, to accompany you in finding a remedy. With credits scarce, medicine wasn't readily available to any of you.

“I do believe our best choice is to go to Felucia and seek out some Nysillin,” he says, looking around as he follows you. “But you are welcome.”

“We don’t have the time to go all the way to Felucia,” you sigh. While you partly agreed with him, it would take at least three rotations to get there from your current location, and none of you knew if the illness would spread or worsen in the meantime.

You stand up, and the two of you continue walking through the dense foliage, the air humid and slightly sticky. “If you see any flowers, point them out to me.”

Tech adjusts his goggles, scanning the area meticulously. “Understood. Though I must point out that identifying medicinal plants without a proper botanical reference could be inefficient.”

“I know, but we have to try something,” you reply, keeping an eye out for any potential remedies.

Your reluctance to Tech coming with you was simply from a place of feeling, precisely, your feelings for him. He made you both nervous and giddy but you knew nothing would ever come from it. So, instead you just relished in the time alone with him.

A few minutes later, Tech halts, his attention fixed on a cluster of vibrant orchids nestled among the greenery. “There,” he points, “those orchids might have some medicinal properties.”

You walk over to the orchids, marveling at their beauty. “Good eye, Tech. These could be promising.” You carefully gather a few specimens, making sure not to damage the stems and petals. Tech goes ahead and takes your scanner, beginning to analyse their chemical composition.

You crouch down beside him, looking at the scanner, curiosity piqued. “Can you tell me anything about them?”

“It states here that orchids have been known to possess a variety of medicinal compounds. With any luck, these might help mitigate the symptoms the others are experiencing,” he explains. Truthfully, some of his words go in one ear and out the other because you can't help but quietly admire him.

He turns his gaze to you, his eyes curious. “Do you believe these orchids will suffice?”

You snap out of your reverie, clearing your throat and looking down at the pile of scattered petals. “O-Oh, of course,” you say swiftly, helping Tech gather some into his backpack carefully.

You look back at the orchids, the soft mix of pink and purple flowers filling your senses. “These are so beautiful. Seems a shame to pick them.”

Tech looks at the flower and thinks for a moment. “I suppose they are nice on the eyes, yes.”

The next few moments feel like a dream as you watch Tech pluck a small strand from the bush. Your skin grows warm as he takes a hold of your chin with his thumb and index finger, turning your head towards him. Breath catching in your throat, you watch as he brushes your hair behind your ear and tucks an orchid into it. “I hope this will suffice,” he says softly.

You blink at him, taken aback. Where had that come from? Had he hit his head? Your silence lingers, and Tech suddenly realises his gesture was nothing short of flirtatious. “We,” his voice squeaks adorably, and he quickly clears his throat, “we should head back to the ship.”

You nod, still processing what just happened. “Yes, of course.”

As you walk back to the ship, the orchid in your hair has you recalling back to Tech did. His gentle words, his lingering touch on your skin… it was lovely. Tech walks beside you this time rather than behind, his usual composed demeanor slightly rattled, and you can’t help but smile at the thought of the brilliant, logical man having a tender, spontaneous side. Just for you.

You steal a glance at Tech, and your eyes lock. He looks slightly flustered, the tips of his ears turning a deep shade of red. As the Marauder comes into sight, you decide to take a gamble and stop. “Tech?”

He stops too, looking at you with curiosity. “Yes?”

“Thank you for coming with me. I know I already said that before, but I really appreciate your help.” Your voice is soft, and your fingers fidget nervously behind your back. “And for the flower in my hair… it was sweet of you.”

Tech smiles, taking a step closer. “You asked for my help, and I gave it. There is nothing to thank me for,” he says. His eyes flicker to the orchid in your hair and then back to you. “I apologize if this is forward, but I have always secretly favoured orchids. Both for their medicinal properties and, as you said before, they are beautiful and…” He trails off, his fingers flexing as he takes a deep breath, “and so are you.”

Your heart feels like it might burst from your chest, and your eyes glisten with unshed tears at his sweet words. Does this mean he likes you back? The possibility makes your heart race. But it could just be Tech being straightforward, yet you had never seen or heard him act this way with anyone else.

“Really?” you ask, the question sounding silly instead of just thanking him.

“Yes.”

You realize that you both have stepped closer to each other, your chests almost touching as he gazes down at you with gentle eyes. His gaze flickers from your eyes to your lips, but he’s nervous, and truthfully, so are you. Tech isn’t easy to read sometimes, making it hard to decide if he wants to kiss you or not.

You can feel his ragged breath on your face, his posture straight and stiff. So, you take the lead, standing on your toes and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. You let it linger, smirking as you feel him take a sharp inhale of breath.

When you pull back, you gauge his reaction. He’s bewildered and quite in awe. Eventually, he breaks out into a grin, and reading the situation correctly, he places a hand on your cheek and slowly leans in. His nose brushes against yours, and his lips are about to meet yours until…

“Are you two back?” A voice calls from the ship, and you both jolt back, alarmed. You look to see Wrecker coming into view, rubbing his tired eyes. “Any luck?”

A wave of relief washes over you both, thankful that the intimate moment wasn’t fully interrupted, but both a little disappointed it didn’t happen. Tech gives you an apologetic look before following Wrecker, who retreats back inside.

That afternoon, you make a remedy with the orchids and hand cups to each of the batch, making sure they drink it all and monitoring their progress through the rest of the day. By the fourth hour, they are looking better than before, and you feel immense relief.

You and Tech don’t have time to speak about what happened that day, but when he is asleep in his bunk, you notice you still have some leftover petals. So, with a small thought, you retrieve his helmet and begin placing the flowers along the edges of the visor, scattering them along the top.

The next morning, your heart swells and you realise you’re completely smitten with him as you see Tech wearing his helmet, the cute still flowers adorning it. He doesn’t seem to mind them at all.

Tags: @littlefeatherr @Kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @Jesseeka

@theroguesully @ladykatakuri @padawancat97 @staycalmandhugaclone

@ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog

@pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora

@ezras-left-thumb @the-rain-on-kamino @lamiliani

@tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi

@greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur r @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420

@ladyzirkonia @thesith @raevulsix @cw80831 @knightprincess @crosshairlovebot @imalovernotahater r @sithstrings @whore4rex @imperialclaw801 @temple-elder @mysticalgalaxysalad @yunggoblin @the-bad-batch-baroness @lulalovez @thiswitchloves9904

[captn-trex]

angel of small death

Howzer x F!Reader / Twi'lek!Reader 

word count: 7.8k / 24k

part one | part two | part three

description: after the rise of the Empire, Howzer finds his position on Ryloth to be precarious at best, but his attention is drawn from his troubles when he finds himself captivated by a new politician’s arrival

warnings/tags: 18+ !!! strangers to lovers, mutual pining, some angst — political thoughts/discussions throughout, specific reference to clone rights/treatment/autonomy in this part, fluff :) smut in part three

a/n: ok I'm actually very proud of this one. lowkey my magnum opus. It took so fucking long to write though omg. if you get the title you get it, re: français risqué. but also howzer is hozier-coded in my mind and I can't tell you what that means. gentlemanly but not immune to hot women? perhaps? part two in a couple days :)

masterlist | join my taglist | read on ao3

Howzer shifted uncomfortably in his spot. He had never been one to play politics, but the conversations that he had been overhearing of late had him worried.

He stood guard at the door while Cham Syndulla spoke with diplomats of various denominations around a large oval table, and all the talk of the newly risen Empire made his insides twist with an unpleasant feeling. There was something truly sinister in play, he just couldn’t place it. That’s what distressed him the most about it.

He had heard of a new refinery that was situated at the edge of the city, he’d heard the rumours that the Empire’s methods were less than humane, that they were using slave labour. He didn’t want to put stake in false claims, but the whispers were getting louder. He wouldn’t dare speak of it to Cham, especially not now, while tensions were already so high.

He could see the focus on his superior’s face, a displeased expression that he knew all too well; a deep frown on his lips that would turn the tide of any conversation to his favour. The senatorial representatives seemed unphased, however. Howzer presumed they were more familiar with the tactics of politicians, of which Cham wasn’t recognised as by the senate, despite how much harder he had fought for Ryloth’s freedom than Orn Free Taa. The Hammer of Ryloth would fall on anyone in his path eventually, no matter how they were resisting his opening gambit, Howzer knew that.

It was what worried him the most.

There was no way Cham would be allowed to continue partaking in senator-level discussions, not when it was well known how the true senator of Ryloth felt threatened by his mere existence. He worried what Cham would do then. He could never be forced into subservience.

“Captain” the voice of his superior called to him, and he straightened, his gaze shifting over to the Twi’lek who approached, “is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, sir” he replied assuredly, a respectful nod accompanying his words.

The diplomatic guests filed out of the door beside him, and Cham gave him an unsubtle and questioning look.

“Well then” he motioned to the door, “we are now to meet Senator Orn Free Taa in the foyer”

Howzer visibly cringed as he left the room behind Cham. He had never liked the politician. It was clear how little interest he had in his people, and how all of his attention was instead focused on making himself seem more important. Howzer didn’t play politics, but it didn’t take a genius to see that much.

He stalked down the hallway in silence, one step behind Cham, who in turn kept his distance from the senatorial reps.

“What is it Captain?” the Twi’lek asked him in a hushed voice, turning to face him.

Howzer sighed, looking to the floor ahead of him, “nothing sir, it’s just been a long week”

“Hm” Cham seemed unconvinced by his explanation, but he took it anyway, “it has been indeed”

At the start of the week, Howzer was still a soldier of the Republic. He was still a Captain in the Grand Army. Now? He wasn't sure what he was, or what he would become either. His men had been acting exceeding strangely, and he didn't know what to make of it. He figured that if he kept his head down and followed orders, something would come to light eventually.

The elevator ride down to the ground floor was quiet, and Howzer couldn’t have been more uncomfortable. The ping that let them know they had arrived brought a welcome reprieve to the tense atmosphere that surrounded the discontented politicians.

Cham's wife, Eleni, swept down stairs opposite, lifting the hem her gown in one hand. She held herself with the grace of a queen, acting accordingly, and Howzer had the utmost respect for her. He gave her a steady bow of his head, and she smiled warmly at him in return before greeting her husband with a kiss to his cheek.

“Where is our guest, my dear?” Cham spoke, running a hand down her arm.

Eleni chuckled, a pleasant and breathy sound, “Be patient my love”

Howzer kept his distance, hovering at the edge of everything. He preferred not to be involved, it was only his job to stand guard after all, and it was certainly no shame to miss out in conversation with Orn Free Taa.

The grand doors that opened into the square parted, a party of four being ushered in. It was unusual, ordinarily there was only the Senator and two of his aides. Howzer paid it no mind, keeping his gaze on those he was charged with protecting.

That was until his eyes caught the lilac skin of the fourth Twi'lek to enter the room. Her demeanour was a stark contrast to that of her counterparts. She bore a plain expression, and had none of the smug self-importance that the others had so perfected. Her clothes were a little more grandiose than the other aides, robes of rich velvet and silk hanging from her frame, cinched against skin and flowing freely in equal parts. She looked regal, and yet, there was something reserved about her appearance, as if she didn't want to make herself known.

For all that she hadn’t caught the attention of the other people present, Howzer could scarcely take his eyes from her.

“Senator” Cham welcomed him inside, “how wonderful it is to see you”

Howzer could hear how strained his voice was in saying the false words, and in the reply from the Senator even more so. He was not interested in the specifics of the mock flattery between the rival Twi'leks, he instead turned his focus to the woman who insisted on hiding herself behind the Senator.

He trailed his eyes down her lekku, which stretched past her waist and were adorned by pale swirling markings, reaching forwards towards her face and beneath her headdress. Her eyes were darkened by makeup, but when her irises met his, he was struck by the spark of life within them.

Her eyes found his a number of times throughout the exchange, the only two people who were not engaged in conversation. He tried to keep from staring entirely, not wishing to make her uncomfortable or seem improper, but his eyes always found their way back.

Eventually, Eleni addressed her, finally noticing the person who hung back from the Senator.

“What is your name? I don't think we've met before” she asked, taking her hand to shake.

You went to speak, but the Senator beat you to it.

“This is my aide” he explained, giving your name.

You looked at the man with a small amount of contempt before giving a polite nod to Eleni, “it’s a pleasure to meet you ma’am”

The sound was music to Howzer's ears. Your accent was similar to that of the other Twi'leks, though softened slightly, as if you had been off world for a long time.

Eleni smiled graciously, “the pleasure is all mine”

You stepped backwards, your hands folded neatly in front of you, and the conversation shortly dwindled. Cham was finding he had little to say to the pompous Senator, and luckily he was saved by way of his daughter, Hera, invading the room with her droid in toe.

Howzer smiled at the sight, and even more when Orn Free Taa looked visibly uncomfortable at the intrusion. He kept his head down from that point on, for fear of being called out for laughing at the Senator. He instinctively glanced over at you once more, and was pleasantly surprised to see you also having to hide your laughter.

Your lips were twisted in a smirk, your hand coming up to partially cover it, but from the angle, nothing was hidden from the clone. Your eyes met his, and a small moment passed between you, both of you having to try harder to supress your chuckles.

Howzer was convinced by that simple action alone, without having spoken to you himself, that in time he would find you to be the most welcome company.

When Howzer left the barracks the following morning, he was displeased to find that the air outside still felt heavy. It had been this way since the shift in power, an invisible mist that surrounded the people of Ryloth, but specifically his men. He took a deep breath, seeking some of the fresh air that should be present on sunny mornings such as this one, but evidently the powers of the galaxy didn’t see fit to reward him with any relief.

His walk towards the senate bureau was short enough, but Howzer revelled in every moment he could. Before long he’d be holed up inside once more, listening to overzealous politicians discuss the future of the planet, as if they knew the first thing about the inhabitants of it. Howzer couldn't help but feel resentful towards the bureaucrats. They posed as public servants, but being inside their talks, he knew they only cared for themselves. It was the reason that Cham and his freedom fighters had even had to step up during the war.

He tried not to let it weigh on his mind. There was nothing he could do to fix it, after all, and with the Empire on the rise, he wouldn’t presume that anyone else could either. He held back a sigh as he turned the corner into the square that the bureau overlooked, not needing to be questioned on why he looked so utterly defeated. As he strode across the square, his eyes caught on a glimmer of light, shining and dancing in the early morning sun, which he discovered had bounced from your silver headwear.

Howzer didn’t expect to see you again so soon, and he couldn't help but notice how utterly lost and confused you looked, wandering along the edge of the square and glancing all about the place. He smiled softly, adjusting his grip on his helmet, and changed direction to cross in your path.

“Are you alright miss?” he asked softly, not wishing to scare you.

You whirled around nonetheless, evidently a little surprised that someone had approached you. The moment your eyes caught his, he could see the embarrassment flash across them, and you let out a quiet self-deprecating chuckle.

“I appear to be lost” you informed him, though he had already figured that much out.

Instead of telling you that, he asked, “where are you headed?”

“Um… I'm not entirely sure” you admitted, a mauve blush appearing across your cheeks. Howzer gave you a patient smile as you collected yourself, finding it hard not to be instantly enamoured by you. “Might you know where the Senator resides?” you asked him, a hopeful look in your eyes.

He nodded, “I can show you the way if you like”

Your eyes lit up a little at his words, “that would be lovely, though I do hope it's not too far out of your way”

“It's not” Howzer assured with a kind smile, “this way”

You followed the clone trooper silently across the square, and he took stock of you in a flick of his eyes. Your robes were a dark plum colour, a little less formal than the queenly attire you had been wearing the previous day, but exceedingly opulent nonetheless. It was hard not to notice the clothes that you wore, not only because of their sophistication, but also because he himself never changed from the armour that he currently wore on his back.

“How long have you been working for Senator Taa?” he inquired, holding open the door to the building.

He noticed the way you sighed, squaring your jaw before you spoke, “a little over 3 years”

“So… you live on Coruscant?” he prompted, aiming to move the conversation from the imperious senator.

“I did” you looked up at him as you walked in tandem, a sad smile pulling at the corner of your lips.

Howzer instinctively raised his brows a little, “you don't like it here?”

“I do” you confirmed in an assured voice, your hands closing around your robes and lifting them an inch as you began climbing the stairs, “it’s my home planet, it’s just…”

Howzer watched the way your throat tightened as you forced yourself to swallow, burying your words. The action was filled with all the grace and restraint of a politician, though it was obvious that something was bothering you.

You gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes, “I shouldn’t say. It’s not my place”

Howzer nodded with an amiable enough expression, though his eyes observed your movements carefully. Your fingers slotted together as the two of you reached the top of the stairs, hands joined in front of your robes, your gaze ahead of you, fixed and steady, and your mouth a hard line. You were impossible to read, and he found it more than a little unnerving.

“What about you?” you turned your attention to the clone beside you, “do you like it here?”

Howzer was a little startled. Aside from his brothers, no one but Cham or Eleni ever asked him about himself. There was an expectancy in your eyes however, something kind and patient as you waited for him to reply, something that told him you cared to know his answer.

“Oh, well” he began a little inelegantly, “anything is better than Kamino, I suppose”

You chuckled, a charming sound that made Howzer’s heart flutter with pride, “have you always been stationed here?”

“For most of my time in the war, yes” he replied, guiding you through a doorway and towards the office that the two of you had been searching out.

The hall was far more luxurious than those which Howzer usually passed through. There were grand arches and satin curtains which swayed gently in the breeze, the lavish wooden windows thrown open to overlook the city. Your imposing garb didn’t seem so garish here, it just made Howzer feel underdressed.

“Well, this is it” he smiled cordially, gesturing a gloved hand to the door at the end of the hall.

“Thank you” you stopped, squaring your shoulders with his and giving him an apologetic look, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even ask your name”

Howzer couldn’t help but smile at you with more intention. He had never known a politician apologise to him.

“It’s Howzer” he spoke, “and it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma’am”

You let out a breathy laugh, shaking your head slightly and a certain twinkle in your eye, “the pleasure is all mine, as long as you don’t call me that again”

Howzer huffed a small laugh, “certainly, my apologies”

“No need for apologies” you waved him off, “but thanks are in order, I would never have found my way here without you”

You held out your hand, and it took a moment for Howzer to register what was going on. He hesitated for a second longer even so, unsure if it was proper conduct to be touching senate officials, but your gracious expression made him give in. He took your hand and shook it firmly, though not gripping too hard for how delicate it looked wrapped by his fingers.

“Anytime” he bowed his head in respect and let his hand fall from yours as he exited the hallway.

Howzer could now admit that he was entirely fascinated by you. To him, you gave the air of such importance, especially as you were only an aide. Aside from that, you were unlike any of the other senate members he had had the misfortune of crossing. The difference being that you actually seemed pleasant to be around.

He took the route towards Cham’s office, and he had to suppress the grin that threatened to take over his face. He didn’t exactly know what he was grinning about, but he felt anything that could draw such a reaction from him in the troubling times he inhabited surely couldn’t be a bad thing.

The next few days passed in a blur of tedious meetings and rising tensions, and Howzer just kept his head down, staying out of everything. It was a welcome respite from the all-out conflict against the separatists, but he still couldn’t help but find it exceptionally dull.

As he had hoped, he had crossed paths with you reasonably often. He came to realise that you didn't speak an awful lot, or that you only spoke when you had something notable to say. You were practically silent in senate discussions, though you had a seat at the table. It only made Howzer more intrigued and confused, since the other aides stood behind the Senator, whereas your place was beside him.

You were always engaged, though it was clear that you aimed to keep to yourself. A number of times he could see you holding back, and he came to recognise the tick in your jaw when someone said something you disapproved of. It was fascinating to watch you work. You were the only one that took notes in meetings, the only one that seemed entirely immersed, and yet, you said so few words.

He couldn't fully understand the way you went on, and it only made him think that there was more to you than met the eye. The way you carried yourself was something curious to him. You were elegance incarnate, unaffected by your heavy robes and gliding around almost as if you were a ghost, hauntingly beautiful.

The most thrilling thing of all was that you made sure to speak with him every time you passed him by. It was always a simple ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’, but he couldn't ignore the way it sent a shiver running down his spine, especially as your words were always accompanied by an affectionate smile, your eyes sparkling.

He found you entirely charming, and even more so when he often saw you sat outside of an evening, under a tree that the barracks overlooked, a flimsibook in hand and stylus working furiously against it. He greatly desired to know what you were writing. The scene was like something from a painting, similar to the ones he'd seen in the more grandiose corners of the senate bureau; your robes fanned out around you at the bottom of a tall whiptree, your expression thoughtful as you scribbled words down onto the pages of the leatherbound book. The dying light hit your skin in a similar fashion as those brush strokes, a warm glow that made you look ethereal, as if you had been someone's muse.

Howzer had even caught himself leaning on the window ledge, watching you write, and then internally scolded himself when he realised what he was doing. It was entirely improper to be fawning over a senate official, he knew that. There was just something about you he couldn't quite figure out, and he was determined to know what it was.

It was around midday when Cham addressed the people of Ryloth, Orn Free Taa at his side, with a speech that he had been preparing for a number of days now. You hung back from him, standing beside Eleni, and Howzer found himself edging forwards so he was in earshot of your conversation. His ears perked up the sound of your laugh. It was something he hadn’t heard since your first encounter.

“I couldn’t say” you replied to whatever Eleni had asked, “ordinarily I don't accompany Senator Taa to meetings”

“Oh? How come”

Howzer watched the way your shoulders sagged as a sigh escaped you, “Truth be told, we don’t usually work so closely. I represent him in the senate when he’s… otherwise engaged”

“You’re a senate representative?” Eleni asked, her tone surprised, “I could have sworn the Senator introduced you as his aide”

“Yes, well…” you jaw ticked with indignance, your voice becoming hushed, “the Senator doesn’t really seem to understand the work I do in his stead”

“I see” Eleni matched your quiet tone, “Though… if you represent him in his absence, why are you here on Ryloth? Shouldn't you have remained on Coruscant”

You didn't answer for a moment, and Howzer tried to gauge your thoughts. You gave nothing away, as always. His eyes followed the movement of your arms as you slotted your hands together behind your back, disappearing beneath your robes. It was clear that whatever you were about to divulge was not for the ears of everyone, so you must have trusted Eleni more than he realised.

“The Emperor saw fit to… relocate me” you admitted.

Howzer's eyebrows raised in surprise.

“The Emperor?” Eleni asked, her tone incredulous, “why does the Emperor want you here?”

You swallowed, glancing behind you, and Howzer averted his eyes as to not get caught listening in.

“I think it was more about me not being on Coruscant” you said lowly, your voice dripping with unease, though carefully measured.

Howzer was alarmed. What did you mean? What possible reason could the Emperor have for getting rid of you?

In any case, Eleni's own questions died on her lips as the Senator and her husband returned from the front of the room. Orn Free Taa addressed you, your name sharp on his tongue as he instructed you to accompany him to his office without so much as looking in your direction. You nodded and said a courteous goodbye to Eleni as you turned to follow him with Cham on your heels.

Your eyes flicked towards Howzer as you passed by him, and you gave a warm smile. There was a certain glint in your eyes, a small flicker of repressed amusement that didn't go unnoticed by him. He gave you a respectful nod, taking his place one step behind Cham as the four of you walked towards the Senator's office.

The session that followed was hard to sit through. It felt like a mutiny against Cham, whilst dancing around the fact that that's what was going on. The bureaucrats that had travelled from Coruscant rallied behind whatever the Senator was saying, and Howzer could feel his own anger and irritation bubbling up on Cham's behalf.

As if that wasn't enough, the session ran late, and the sun began to set as the heated discussion continued. Howzer kept half an eye on you, and though you stayed quiet, he could see the way your jaw was set. He felt that if you tensed it any harder then it would snap. He couldn't help but wonder why you wouldn't speak up if you so clearly didn't agree, and especially now knowing that you had more authority than most of the people in the room.

By the time some form of conclusion had been reached, the sun had fully sunk beneath the horizon. The senate members filed out of the room, but he saw you pull Cham aside. You spoke in a soft voice, and he couldn't hear what was being said, but the deep crease in your brow gave away the seriousness of your words. Cham nodded along, and then sighed, replying with a comforting hand on your shoulder. Howzer stood at attention until it was just you three left, and gripped his helmet a little tighter when your gaze wandered his way. You straightened, stepping back from the other Twi'lek with a gracious smile.

“Well, anyway, I should be getting back to my residence” you said, your voice raised from the hushed tone.

“Of course” Cham gestured to the exit, “Though, I would ask you to take extra caution, with it being darker than usual”

“I will” you nodded, making your way over to where Howzer was stationed at the door.

“Ah” Cham said suddenly, his eyes landing on the clone, “you know Captain Howzer, correct?”

Your eyebrows raised slightly as your eyes moved from the Twi’lek and over to Howzer, and he kept his expression as neutral as possible, despite being cautiously optimistic about your reaction.

“I do” you smiled at him, the slight tip of your head as you added, “Captain”

The inflection made it difficult for Howzer to keep a straight face, but he managed to supress his smirk nonetheless.

“Howzer, if you could escort the our guest here home, I would be very grateful” Cham addressed him.

“Certainly, sir” Howzer obliged, and followed the pair out of the room.

“Perhaps we can continue our conversation tomorrow?” You suggested to Cham as you descended the stairs, your voice airy and light, feigning innocence to anyone listening in.

“Yes, I was thinking the same thing” Cham replied, a glance in your direction that was not as subtle as your calculated demeanour.

Howzer trailed behind, keeping his distance and standing by the large doors while you said your goodbyes. You turned back towards him as Cham's receding footsteps rang out in the grand entrance hall, a tired smile gracing your lips.

“Shall we?” you asked, and Howzer promptly opened up the door, escorting you outside.

The air outside was cool, a light breeze gently rustling and scattering leaves along the stone floor of the town square. The feint scent of lavender hung in the air, and despite the amount of people moving about, civilians and clones alike, it felt still, calm.

“I didn't realise you were a Captain” you commented, looking up at him with a wry smile curving your lips.

Howzer couldn't hold back his smirk any longer, “I suppose we were both downplaying our roles then”

A soft laugh escaped you, and you shook your head at him, “I knew you were listening to that”

He shrugged, not sure what else to say for himself. He knew it wasn’t necessarily appropriate to be listening in on private conversations, no less private conversations that concerned the senate, but your expression told him you didn't mind all that much.

“So what do you usually do on Coruscant then?” he asked, taking his helmet in his other hand so he could inch marginally closer and hear you clearer.

You took a breath before you spoke, “for the most part, I attended senate sessions in his stead”

“How often did he have you doing that?” he questioned, lifting the branch of a tree as you passed underneath.

“Well…” you began, looking back ahead of you, “if I'm being honest, probably nine times out of ten”

Howzer's eyebrows raised, “you're essentially a Senator then”

You shook your head, a pessimistic chuckle leaving your lips, “whatever I was, it doesn't matter anymore”

Howzer knew when to keep quiet, and with the way your mask of stoicism swiftly covered your features again, he held his tongue. He had endless questions he wanted to ask you, and it took everything within him to keep his mouth shut.

Soon enough, you stopped outside a dwelling, a ground floor apartment with very little affluence to its outward appearance. If he had passed it by on his own, he never would have thought it belonged to a Senator, as he was now coming to think of you as.

“Thank you for the escort, Captain” you smiled up at him, “it seems I'm making a habit of dragging you around”

Howzer chuckled, especially as it didn’t seem like you were all that sorry about it, “I don't mind, I couldn't say it's really an inconvenience”

“I'm glad” you replied with a simper that set something alive inside of him.

He observed you for a moment. You were a little shorter than him, but your presence dwarfed him all the same, and he could feel the tips of his ears burning at your steady gaze. For all that you lived in Orn Free Taa's shadow, more literally than figuratively, you seemed exceptionally sure of yourself. It was a quiet confidence, where your imposing nature came from rationality and restraint, rather than in seeking unabashed dominance, like some other politicians. If you'd been raised in a different setting, he thought that you'd make a good soldier because of it.

“Well, thank you again” you spoke a little quieter, your hand raising to the control panel beside the door.

Howzer gave you a polite nod as he stepped back, “anytime”

You shortly disappeared behind the door, and Howzer turned to make his way to the barracks for the night. He rolled his neck, feeling the soreness that lingered there after a full day of keeping at attention.

His body still wasn't used to standing around all day, and neither was his mind, despite the fact that he felt he should be at peace. It was odd, really. He was in his element when in battle, and without it, he didn't know that he'd ever truly feel like himself again.

The following week passed without much consequence, but the mounting pressure was beginning to feel stifling.

Howzer had been stuck inside all morning with Cham, going over and rethinking the defence of the refinery just outside the city. It wasn't entirely clear to Howzer why it was so pertinent to guard the refinery so closely, but he wasn't in the mood for asking questions anymore. It was more for the fear of the answers he would get, especially from the Empire.

Finally, Cham dismissed him for lunch, and as it was far later than his usual lunch hour, he allowed him to take the rest of the day off as well. Howzer fully intended to join him again after he had replenished himself, but those plans were scrapped when he walked into the mess hall and saw you sitting in the back corner.

You looked so out of place. Your luxurious navy robe and silver jewellery only made you more noticeable, not to mention your pale lilac skin and lekku, but you were also the only other person in the room. You looked forlorn, and more outwardly emotional than he had ever seen you before. Your chin rested in your hand, your gaze fixed out of the window, and your lips were turned down in a frown.

Howzer called your name as he approached the table, and you whipped your head over to him, evidently having been lost in your thoughts. You gave him your best attempt at a smile, “Captain, how are you?”

Howzer brushed past the question, barely even registering it as he took the seat opposite you, “what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with the Senator?”

“Ah, yes. Well…” you trailed off for a moment, your eyes wandering back outside, “he dismissed me for the rest of the day”

Howzer frowned, “why? isn't that a good thing?”

You let out a humourless laugh, and your shoulders slumped in defeat. “He doesn't like when people speak out against him” you shrugged with a nonchalance that Howzer didn't quite believe, “I should know better really”

You hid your affliction well, but for Howzer, who had grown accustomed to your usual impassive expression, it was obvious that you were upset.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked, lowering his voice to what he hoped was a comforting tone.

“I didn't want to be around the other aides” you said, then glanced back at him with one side of your lips quirked up, “and I thought no one would be in here at this time”

Howzer huffed a laugh, “I'm sorry for disturbing you then”

“Don’t be” you smiled, genuinely this time, “I'm not”

Howzer’s eyebrows raised instinctively, a little taken aback by your candour. He supposed that you had never been anything but honest, so it shouldn't surprise him that much. You had withheld things, even obviously so, but you had never not made your opinion known when speaking truthfully.

“As it happens” he began, watching your reaction carefully, “I have the rest of the day off as well”

Your head tilted, almost imperceptibly, and you raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to go on.

“I could keep you company, if you'd like” he suggested.

Your lips lifted at his words, “I'd like that”

“Alright then…” Howzer smiled, looking out the window and then back to you, “have you eaten yet?”

You shook your head.

Howzer stood from his seat, “Let's go then”

Your eyebrows raised as you followed suit, stepping out of the bench and readjusting your robes, “let's go where?”

“I know a place” he shrugged, struggling to hold back his grin at your cautious expression.

You rolled your eyes in a playful manner as you fell into step beside him, “I didn't take you as one for clichés, Captain”

“Sorry” Howzer chuckled as he held open the door to the corridor, “it'll be worth it, I promise”

“Alright” you conceded with the ghost of a smirk crossing your face.

Soon enough the two of you were making your way through the marketplace, vendors and civilians alike milling about around you. There was a sense of joy in this area of the city that Howzer rarely got to see, an innocence, as if the war had never even happened. Children played together, chasing after each other while their parents watched on with bright smiles, eyes full of love.

“This way” Howzer said, gently guiding you down a side street, his hand accidently brushing your lower back as he placed a protective arm around you body to shield you from the hustle and bustle.

“You don't need to do that, Captain” you told him, “I'm not made of glass”

“Sorry, just doing my job” he insisted.

“By bringing me to some secret lunch spot?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

Howzer huffed a laugh and his hand instinctively curled around the back of his neck, “I— uh, perhaps not”

“I’m just teasing” you smiled, “I don't expect you to do your job while you're not on duty”

“Then perhaps you can stop calling me Captain” he suggested, his heart beating a little faster, hoping you wouldn't see the request as improper.

Thankfully, you let out a small chuckle, “I suppose that makes sense”

Shortly, you came upon a stand that smelled divine, and the vendor's eyes shone as she saw Howzer approaching.

“Captain” she beamed, “it's been too long”

“It has” Howzer smiled back politely, “we'll just get two of the regular”

“Of course” the Twi'lek then cast her eyes to you, sweeping her gaze down your regal attire, “who's this?”

Howzer was going to answer, but you beat him to it, giving your name, and nothing else. He raised an eyebrow at you, wondering why you were so adverse to admit your importance, but you just glanced at him and subtly shook your head.

“Well, it's a pleasure” the vendor smiled, eyes darting between the two of you “never known the Captain here to bring anyone else with him”

“Is that so?” you asked, a wry smile curling your lips as you tilted your head to him.

Howzer could feel himself blushing, his cheeks burning as he looked down, “yeah, I guess not”

“Sorry Captain” the vendor chuckled, handing over two small boxes of food, “that'll be 15 credits”

Howzer busied himself with digging through the pouches in his belt, and pulling out the credits to hand over. Before the vendor could take them, you placed your hand on his arm to stop him.

“Please, let me” you insisted, pulling out your own credits from your pocket.

Howzer said your name in an aporetic tone, “you can't expect me to let you pay when I'm the one who brought you here”

“That's exactly what I expect” you spared him a glance as you counted your credits, and you looked startlingly serious.

“No” he shook his head, trying to hand over the credits again, “I won't let you”

You grabbed his arm and this time tugged it down, your gaze stern, “you will”

Howzer was more than a little confused by your actions, but he wasn't going to refuse what felt eerily like an order. A force of habit, perhaps, but the look in your eye was something fierce that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of again.

He let you hand over the credits to the vendor, whose lips were twisted in an amused smirk, an eyebrow raised at him. He waved it off, and led the two of you away, throwing a thank you over his shoulder as you left.

“Sorry” you looked up at him with more bashfulness than he’d ever seen from you, “I didn't mean to be rude”

“Don't worry about it” he smiled reassuringly, choosing not to dwell on it too much.

You mirrored his gesture back to him and then looked towards where he was leading you.

“So” you began, “where are you taking me now?”

Howzer's lips twitched with a smirk, “I told you, I know a place”

A genuine laugh escaped you, and Howzer's heart sang at the sound, “you're really talking it up”

“Trust me, it's worth the mystery” he claimed.

“Alright” you smiled with a light shake of your head, “I'll trust you”

Howzer led you out of the city, the streets becoming increasingly empty as you strolled, and the cheerful cries of children playing were exchanged for birdsong. The edge of the city gave way to a forest, tall whiptrees casting spindly shadows onto the outer buildings and scattering the floor with leaves.

As you made your way between the trees, you lifted the hem of your robes, an instinctual move on your part, but Howzer could only think about how graceful the action was. Your head was angled towards the ground, taking in the way the afternoon sun shone through the leaves and spread shadows across the forest floor.

Before long, the forest path opened up and you came upon a lake, the water a deep blue colour and glittering as it gently swayed in the breeze. Half of it was cast in shadow as a part of the cliff face above jutted out and hung over the body of water. Your eyes were full of wonder looking upon it, and he couldn’t take his own eyes away from your awe-struck expression.

“This is…” you failed to complete your sentence as you looked up at him with a wide grin, something of childlike wonder and pleasant surprise.

“It’s nice, right?” he said, taking a seat on a soft patch of grass by the side of the lake, gesturing for you to do the same.

“Yeah, you weren’t kidding” you laughed, your eyes dancing with amusement as you took your seat across from him, “this is some place you know”

Howzer allowed himself a smug look, a shrug to soften it, “told you”

He passed your food over, and popped the lid from his as you did the same. You inhaled through your nose, taking in the sweet yet spicy scent of the meal, and his lips lifted as you looked pleased by it. You both dug in using the utensil provided, and Howzer felt his shoulders relax as you let out a contented noise, your eyes closing for a moment to savour the taste.

“Good?” he prompted.

“Very” you nodded, opening your eyes, “you sure know how to spoil a girl”

Howzer could feel his cheeks burning as he chuckled and turned his attention down to his food. Your wry smile and the teasing glint in your eye was frankly too much for him to deal with if he wanted to maintain an air of professionalism, so he kept his head down for the remainder of the meal. It wasn't hard, the food was delicious after all.

“Howzer” your voice called to him, using his given name for the first time, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course” he said, placing his empty box down next to where you had left yours and giving you all of his attention again.

“Why is it that you're stationed in the senate bureau? If you're a Captain, I would have thought you might be elsewhere” you clarified.

“Oh” he looked past you for a moment, searching for the right words, “well, now that the war is over, I don't serve the same purpose. Cham trusts me, I suppose — we work well together, so for the time being, I'm stationed with him”

You nodded as he spoke, taking a moment to understand the information before you spoke up again. It was the very practiced act of a politician, and Howzer noted the concentration in your eyes that he only usually saw in meetings.

“Cham isn't a fan of the Senator, is he?”

Howzer hesitated, giving you a dubious look.

“I'm just curious, I'm not going to speak of it with anyone else” you assured him, and he relaxed a touch.

“No, we're not big fans of him, really” he admitted.

Your lips curled into a smirk instantly, “we?”

Howzer realised his slip up, a nervous laugh escaping him, “uh— yeah, I'm not a fan of politicians in general I suppose”

This time your eyebrow raised, and Howzer realised the error of his ways before you even spoke.

“I mean— no, I didn't mean it like that—” he tried to explain himself.

“Relax” you laughed, interrupting his ramblings with a hand over his forearm, “I don't like them either”

The weight of your hand delicately placed over his vambrace was surprising, but that's not what made Howzer raise his brows.

“Why not? You work with them”

“Exactly” you huffed, drawing back from him.

He watched on as you turned towards the lake and stretched out your legs, a brown pair of boots emerging from beneath your robes. They looked out of place poking out from the rich navy material, oddly comfortable among all the opulence. He supposed that they weren't usually visible, and it felt like a strange look into your psyche, who you were beneath all of the political propriety.

“It's odd, being back on Ryloth” you mused quietly, you eyes trailing the cliff which hung over the lake, leaning back on your palms.

“How so?” Howzer asked, slumping forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“Well, I'm not from around here. It's like being home, but not really” you paused, tilting your head a little “and I suppose I'm more used to being on Coruscant now.” A small crease formed in your brow as you continued to speak candidly, “I've just— I've been so busy, for years, and now… well, I'm back to being a shadow”

Howzer frowned, “you want to be… important?”

“No” you said straight away, shaking your head, “I don't need to be important, I just want to be useful”

Howzer heard how defeated you sounded, but he saw it even more in the look on your face. Your mouth turned downwards in a frown and your eyes flicked towards your feet as you kicked your heel into the ground. He called your name gently, and your head snapped over to him.

“Why did the Emperor send you away?”

You sighed as you turned your body towards him again, you legs curled up beside you, “I can't know for sure, but… it's most likely because I was too vocal”

“Vocal?” Howzer asked in surprise. You were so quiet in the sessions he had attended that it seemed out of the question.

You chuckled, “yes, even when he was the Supreme Chancellor, he didn't like that I was one of very few who actually called for change within the senate”

“What kind of change?”

“It was things such as… improved spending policy, advocating for clone rights, fair distribution of relief supplies among—”

“Clone rights?” he interrupted, “what do you mean?”

“Well, I'm sure you're well aware that the clone army aren't recognised within the senate, you're—” you paused, “you're property, for want of a better term, to the Republic, and now the Empire. You don't get a choice in whether you serve or not, and you're not paid for it, it's essentially slave labour”

Howzer didn't know how to feel about it being put so bluntly. They were things he'd considered before, especially since the birth of the Empire, but to hear it so concisely described, it put a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to—”

“No, you’re right” he said, dragging his eyes away from you.

“But that's why it's important; a bill put forward against it would seek to give you the option to serve, and a wage should you choose to”

“Do you think it would pass?” he asked.

The sigh that left your lips gave him his answer, “truthfully, I don't know. There's a lot of vile people in this galaxy, people who would see to it that you aren't given what you're owed”

“And what am I owed?” Howzer questioned, a hint of mirth in his voice.

“To be treated like a person” you said simply.

Howzer was taken aback by how easily your mouth formed those words. He had no idea that there were a number of people in the senate that were advocating for him and his brothers, but the fact that you were one of them made his head spin. It just made him respect you more, a newfound reverence for you washing over him.

“I've kind of always operated under the belief that you've just got to do what you can, but the things within my reach have significantly decreased, and now… I don't know whether a bill like that would pass under the Empire, if it was contested when we were still a Republic”

Howzer nodded. He could understand that reasoning, however bleak it was.

“Is this why you wouldn't let me pay for the food earlier?” he then asked, one side of his lips curling up.

You chuckled slightly, looking down to the grass that you both sat upon, “Yeah, it was”

An unfamiliar warmth spread throughout Howzer’s chest, spilling throughout his veins and begging to reach out and tip your head back up to look at him.

“I probably shouldn’t have told you all that” you murmured, looking up at him through your lashes with a particularly sheepish expression which he couldn't help but find extremely endearing.

He offered you a smile, “your secrets are safe with me”

You returned the kind expression and sat up straight, a thoughtfulness about you that stoked the warmth inside of him.

“You're a good man, Howzer” you told him, eyes shining with something vulnerable, “you've been nothing but kind to me ever since I got here, and I just have to thank you for that”

Every word you spoke only sought to make him more enamoured by you, and he could feel the way a violent blush was creeping up the back of his neck, threatening to take over his face.

“You don't need to thank me” he replied, “you've made it very easy”

taglist: @darthnihila @cdblake1565 @heidnspeak @mae-lou-ron

[alegendoftomorrow]

I may have to make this man a permanent addition to my husband list because he is slowly winning my heart over with every story you write. I just adore him here so much it feel like I’m melting into a puddle of goo on the floor. His tears and their banter *grips my heart* these two are just so obviously in love that it hurts. There is just so much warmth and love soaked into every word here that of really feels like the song was playing in the background as they danced. I love the ending too, Maker he’s just so husband

Hi,

This is such a cute idea.

I’d like to request Howzer with At Last by Etta James. It’s a classic.

Please and thank you. 💕

Ok literally I was just talking to my godparents and apparently this was their first dance song so, of course I had to write a wedding fic with our Baja Blast man.

Warnings: crying Howzer (happy tears ofc) fluff. Fluff. Fluff. FLUFF.

At Last (Howzer x Wife!Reader)

Laughter bubbled up from your chest as you swayed with your new husband. Howzer’s eyes gleamed with so much joy at the sight of you in his arms.

“We made it.” You giggled, pressing up against his chest.

He smiled and kissed you for what seemed like the millionth time that night.

“How did I ever get so lucky with you, cyare?” He breathed, kissing your temple.

He had been crying all day since he first laid eyes on you, bathed in the soft light that radiated off your wedding dress.

“I got lucky with you, captain.”

He nudged your nose with his, lips hovering over yours in a well planned tease.

“Oh, now we didn’t get married just for you to call me Captain?”

You smirked. “Let’s see. Darling husband, hot stuff, love of my life. Pick your favorite.”

A chuckle fell from his lips. “And what am I to call you, Mesh’la? My light? My love? The prettiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on? Ooh...Mrs. Captain?”

You blushed with a giggle.

“Mrs. Captain has a nice ring to it. But only for introductions.”

The two of you were blissfully unaware of the people watching your first dance, for you were so enraptured in the love you’d found with Howzer. Never in a million years did you think that a clone trooper would come bounding into your life and sweep you off your feet, but here you were, practically in heaven.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” you whispered. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.”

Your husband looked ready to cry again. “You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to spending life by your side. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of since we met.”

Tears pricked your own eyes. “If we don’t stop we’re both going to turn into a crying mess in front of all of these people.” You chuckled.

Howzer leaned his forehead against yours. “Let them see us. I don’t care who knows how much I love you. This is the best day of my life and I will make sure that everyone knows that before I keel over and die.”

You let out a shaky breath and tightened your arms around his neck, resting your chin on his shoulder. You were vaguely aware of the song ending when He whispered into your ear.

“Trust me and hold on tight, Mesh’la.”

Before you could react he picked you up and spun you around. A squeal came from your lips as he set you back down and dipped quite impressively. You had no idea he knew how to dance like that.

You beamed. “Aren’t you just full of surprises, husband.”

He smirked. “Oh there’s so much more in store, wife.”

[photogirl894]

Hello my beautiful, kind friend! Congratulations on 1,300 INSANE! 🤩 🎉

Please may I request some Hunter fluff with a female reader with the prompt:

“A life without you isn’t one I want to live.”

Perhaps Hunter accidentally confesses his true feelings to reader & then follows up with that cute line? Up to you if you’d want to do of course but I feel like you’d love to write for your Clone Hubby! Love you so much 🥰🩵

Thank you so much, Alanah!! Your friendship and support all these years has meant the world to me! 💜

Ohhhh you are far too kind with this request, my dear! 🥰🥰

**Putting a spoiler warning in case, but spoilers for Bad Batch s3 ep7**

"Chasing Waterfalls"

4. "A life without you isn't one I want to live."

Pairing: Hunter x fem reader

***

The escape from the Empire on Teth hadn't been easy for you and all the Clones, but you'd all managed to get away nonetheless. It definitely hadn't been without its challenges.

Not only had the Empire managed to find everyone there and blow up the Clones' secret base, but they'd tracked you through the jungle and there had been an assassin on your trail. You had told everyone that you and Crosshair would draw his fire while everyone got to the rendezvous point to meet with Echo and you both pursued the assassin. However, he had attacked the both of you and, to protect Crosshair, you had tackled the assailant over a cliff's edge into a swiftly flowing river, which connected to a series of large waterfalls. You'd gone over one and fell into a rocky landing where the assassin tried going for you again. With a vibroblade drawn, he'd attacked you, but luckily, Hunter had trained you not only in hand-to-hand combat, but with a blade, as well. How to use it and how to fight against an opponent with one. You'd held your own, but only barely. The assassin was strong and highly-trained. Eventually, he'd forced your head under the water and you found your breath being driven quickly from your body. Lucky for you, Crosshair had caught up with you and stunned the assassin, which made him fall into the river and be taken with the next waterfall. Crosshair and also Howzer had been quick to grab you before you could fall over, as well, and saved your life. Hunter soon followed and you could tell, even with his helmet on, that he was worried about you. You figured you falling over the cliff had frightened him and he was trying to reassure himself that you were okay.

After that, you had been stopped at the rendezvous point by a battalion of Clones, but Rex knew their Commander; Commander Wolffe, and he had been willing to let you all go. Once all of you boarded Echo's ship, you were safe for the time being.

The entire ride back to Pabu, Hunter said nothing to you, which was very unlike him. The two of you were very close and talked all the time. He knew you better than you even knew yourself and the same could be said for you about him. What was wrong? Was he worried about Omega, since the Empire had nearly caught them? Was he reconsidering their options?

Or...was he angry at you for what you had done?

It wasn't until you got to Pabu that finally you decided to break the longstanding silence between you two.

While the others returned to the Marauder, you pulled Hunter aside by the big tree on the collanade. "Hunter...what's wrong? You didn't talk to me the whole trek back. That's not like you."

He turned away, his brow furrowed with conflicted emotions. You could tell he wanted to say something, but was fighting against it.

"If you're mad at me for what I did on Teth, I'm sorry. I was just trying to--"

"Don't ever do that again."

He had interrupted you so abruptly that it almost made you choke on the remainder of your words.

Then he looked back at you, his brown eyes radiating with pain, but not of physical nature. He kept going, his voice firm yet nearly shaking, "Do you have any idea what it did to me to see you disappear over the cliff and the waterfall like that? Do you know how terrified I was thinking that you had been killed and that I'd lost you forever?"

"Hunter...."

His hands came up to your arms, clutching you tightly. "I never want you to do anything like that again! Do you hear me? I can't lose you, (Y/N)! You mean everything to me and I care too much for you to even dare imagine my days without you!"

You blinked in surprise. This wasn't anything you were expecting to hear from him. While you had suspected for some time that he harbored feelings for you, just as you did for him, you hadn't expected him to say anything like this nor did you think his feelings ran that deep.

As you struggled to find the words to respond, he lifted his hands to your face and brought his forehead to yours, his eyes squeezing shut to try and hold himself together. "A life without you isn't one I want to live," he then said to you, now a more present trembling in his voice.

The fear in his words was unmistakable and it made you realize how reckless your actions on Teth had been. Not only just in regards to your own life, but to the lives of your squad; to Hunter's life. You had been thinking of their safety, but hadn't considered how your possible demise would affect them, especially Hunter. It was never your intention to frighten him and hearing how scared he sounded broke your heart. It had apparently scared him so much that it caused him to confess to you, which you hadn't anticipated.

You reached up and took one of his hands on your cheek, leaning into his gentle touch. "I'm so sorry," you whispered. "I...I never meant to scare you like that. I was only thinking of keeping you and the others safe."

"You can keep us safe, but please...not at the cost of your life," he replied. "I would never survive if you were no longer at my side. I need you. I...I love you."

As soon as those three words left his mouth, his hands grasped the back of your head and his lips came upon yours, kissing you softly but with evident yearning. Your heart soared within you as you kissed him in return, knowing now that your life was no longer your own to trifle with.

Your life was his and his life was yours...and neither of you would ever live without the other.

Photogirl894's Fluff/Romance prompts

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