#i just wanted to say i haven't disappeared for good i am simply existing and loving jungkook offline right now

[userkoo]

really sucks that i got hit with the ‘enjoying things offline’ urge right when jungkook started dropping his stuff but just know i am streaming seven and watching/loving it all, just not posting about it rn heheh. sometimes i feel a little useless on tumblr if i’m not making gifs (which i know is very silly) so i haven’t been around bc i haven’t had the motivation to open photoshop. but i shall be back soon to reblog all the lovely content that’s been released for us lately :D

[cyberdragoninfinity]

Hm, I see you like yuri and aporia quite a bit.. :3 how do you think they'd react to each other? (It can be in your au too if you want :33)

The boy has eyes like a greedy dragon and a smile like a maddened cannibal as he examines Aporia's claws with delighted fascination. "So this is what it looks like to become one." The smile grows wider, hungrier. "We really are the same."

"I fail to see the similarity." Aporia huffs, recoiling his hand. The child simply snickers in reply, disappearing into the tangled curtain of wires and cables plugged into his back and arm ports. He reemerges a moment later on the other side, having to crane his neck to meet Aporia's gaze, even with the great and powerful Embodiment of Despair sitting ever so gingerly on the ground.

"Then maybe you should look harder, Aporia. We may as well be twins!" says the boy, leaning against Aporia's knee and giving him a fiendish little grin. "Metaphorically speaking, of course. We've both been parts of a whole, haven't we? Well, I suppose I still am, unfortunately I'm still trying to collect all of my pieces, but you… you did it. You reunited as one and unlocked your true power. I have to admire the efficiency! You make it look so easy." His smile twitches, sliding into a grimace as he glances at the cables and cords around them. "I would admire the rejection of humanity too, if you weren't so dedicated to being a machine." A disgusted sniff. "Why on earth would you want to become some cold metal Thing when you could just embrace your divine flesh and become a creature of true organic destruction instead?"

Aporia narrows his eyes. "You cannot fathom the divine touch that's had its hand in making me," he rumbles, a warning tone. "A holy machine is an existence beyond your very comprehension, little one. I exist unbound by useless, distracting emotions; I have no need to be a slave to things like your juvenile yearning for chaos and destruction!"

That earns him a nasty little glare. "Come now. My name is Yuri."

Something flickers in the corner of Aporia's mind. He pushes it back, hastily. Leans down as much as he can to bare his ever-sharp fangs at the boy. "Hmph. Another thing then, Yuri--you and I are nothing alike. Our goals and situations are night and day." He speaks slowly, syllables taking a particularly prickly edge. "The Three Emperors of Iliaster were made to become me. They're androids. They were built from my despair, built with reunification intended… and I stand as the sum of their parts. They merged into one by their own accord, for the good of completing the Circuit and saving the future. It was their decision. They wanted it."

Yuri matches his bared teeth with the lazy glint of his own devilish fangs. "And you think we don't?" he purrs. "Please. I know how badly the others are yearning to be one. They're desperate for it! I'm just the only piece ambitious enough to make it happen."

"Ambitious." Aporia snorts. Ambitious the way a vampire sinks its teeth into your neck, sure. "Perhaps that's the crux of how we differ, Yuri. My pieces weren't hunting each other."

"My, my. That's an awfully accusatory tone you're taking."

Aporia has had enough feelings for ten lifetimes. A hundred, even. His Z-one crafted mechanical makeup dutifully seals every distracting, useless emotion away, at his own insistence. And yet he's all too aware of something very close to frustration digging its barbs into his brain. Dancing around with that flickering something that's refusing to stay out of sight out of mind. "The Emperors are… were… a unit. A shared existence. Allow me to point out that you and all of your pieces have your own separate lives. Had, I should say. And it seems you won't rest until you've ensured the complete and utter ego death of every last one of them." He sits back, letting cables slacken. Hums. "My pieces weren't so eager to annihilate one another."

"Oh? Then why don't they come out to play?" Yuri quirks the second most ridiculous eyebrow in the room. "Ah, that's right, they can't! They don't exist anymore! Not in a way that matters, anyway. It's just you now, isn't it?" He purses his lips, smirks. "So presumptuous of you, old man. Acting like I'm the only one here annihilating people. Though I suppose "people" is hardly an applicable term, in your case."

Aporia clenches his jaw. "That's completely different."

"So you agree then? That your little--what did you call them? Emperors? How adorable--you agree that they aren't people." That increasingly irritating smile splits into a vividly vicious grin. "Just spare parts necessary to becoming whole. They may as well be gears and screws." A giggle, starting small then blooming into a full blown cackle. "Though I guess they already are!"

"Enough!" Aporia bellows, snaps forward to swat Yuri away like a meddlesome housefly. He ducks out of reach, though, nimbly grabbing hold of a particularly thick braid of wires and shimmying up it like a climbing rope. With a pounce he lands on one of Aporia's pauldrons, still laughing as he settles into a precarious crouch.

"Awfully cranky for a so-called emotionless machine, aren't you?" Yuri snickers. "Admit it, we're far more alike than different! All I've done is just accelerate the same process you went through. You wiped your Emperors from existence to become yourself again, and when I absorb my last two stray fragments, well, then it will be my turn." His turn to hum now, as he admires his nails with a thoughtful frown. "Honestly, why bother dying on such a morally righteous hill over something that's such a simple matter, anyway? It's just mutual exclusivity! Our pieces weren't born--ahah, created, to be separate forever, don't kid yourself. We've always been the ultimate end goal."

His gaze snaps up, meets Aporia's scowl with snake-split pupils. "And the only way our lives get to truly flourish is if theirs reach an end." Something wicked sparks in those violet, inhuman eyes. "But I think you know that. Don't you, Aporia?"

What a truly… aggravating little insect. So adamant, so filled to the brim with blistering venom and malicious glee. Clinging to arrogance a little too tight, like a shaky hand grips a rapier. This boy with a truly nasty smile and an even nastier laugh.

It would be clawing its way through Aporia's emotionless walls, lighting a flame of exasperated fury inside him right now, if it wasn't so familiar.

Isn't this precisely what you would do, if you were that age again? Postured, plotted, picked at sore spots, just to see a reaction? Fought feverishly with any adult who'd dare try to argue with you? Defended your choices, one of the few things left still well and truly your own?

For a moment as Aporia stares Yuri down he can almost see a flicker of long red hair, a wild, gleaming green eye. It's all certainly what Lucciano would do, isn't it? Right down to the hysterical madman cackle. If he focuses, Aporia can access every inch of his components' memories within his circuits and systems, see all of the child Emperor's schemes and outbursts and chaotic leanings. And while Lucciano was a despair-driven, exaggerated facsimile of his childhood, Aporia needs only glance at those memories for mere seconds to see the true shades of himself within them, the lonely child from a future he now hopes will never come to pass. The lonely child who screamed and sobbed and lost the ones who loved him most. The lonely child who never truly stopped being afraid.

It's like gazing at a painting and all at once understanding it, suddenly seeing the 'how' and 'why' in every brushstroke. The despair of losing those who love you… maybe Yuri was spared such grief. Maybe he wasn't. Either way, Aporia can't fight the pang of sympathy that awakens and pushes through the cracks in his "emotionless" walls.

He's just a kid.

With a sigh, Aporia shifts, an uneven motion that almost-but-not-quite shakes Yuri off his shoulder. "I do admit," he says finally, slowly, "If I was the more foolish sort, I would almost believe your vicious resolve about all of this was quite the display of compensation."

That rattles Yuri out of his self-satisfied staredown. "What--!" he spits, bristling like a particularly ornery purple cat. "What are you getting at? I'm not compensating for anything, you miserable bag of bolts!"

Aporia doesn't flinch. Just sits, watches him.

An uncharacteristic redness creeps onto Yuri's face. He crinkles his nose, bares his teeth, before the thickening silence can grow too great. "Answer me!"

"Mm. It's nothing important. You simply remind me of someone." Aporia looks away, diverts his attention to the thick braids of wires plugged into his arm. Runs the back of his claws along their dull sheen. "He spent a very long time being scared and alone, too."

"Hah!" The laugh is high and loud and knifepoint dangerous. "And just what is that supposed to mean? Do you think I'm some sniveling little scared-of-the-dark toddler? Shaking in my boots, trying to hide behind my other pieces, so the big bad monsters don't get me? Please! I am the monster, Aporia. And I am not scared."

Aporia slowly turns his head to look back at Yuri. He can almost feel a pitiful smile playing at his lips. "You admit to the loneliness, then."

The glower he receives in response could burn a wheat field to cinders, but Aporia's mechanical senses are too fine-tuned to miss what comes before: a single split second of eyes going wide, mouth twitching into a mortified wince. A child caught with a thieving hand deep in the cookie jar. Aporia's turn to prod at a nerve, it seems.

It still comes so naturally to him after all.

"Hmph. Perhaps placing my admiration in you was a very stupid mistake." Yuri hisses finally. He tears his sour gaze away and, quick as a viper's strike, leaps from Aporia's shoulder back to the ground, cape fluttering behind him. "Fine! Stay on your high horse. I don't care." He turns, flashes a mean, toothy smile. "Just remember which of us obliterated more souls to be here." The smile quivers, coils once more into a grin just short of diabolical. "If we want to count machines as having souls, anyway. But, ah! That's a moral quandary for another time. Either way, hopefully I'll be matching your record soon!"

Yuri crows and cackles like it's the funniest joke in the world, and the wires and hardware that were once Lucciano thrum with a wave of kinship so strong it nearly re-acquaints Aporia with nausea.

"Ahh, well, anyway. This has been oh so… fun," Yuri's lip curls with disdain. "But I really must be going. I am terribly busy, after all. Do think of me when the world's in ruins soon, won't you?" His eyes cut one last noxious pink inspection over Aporia's hulking form, and he smiles almost sweetly. "Enjoy your rust. Ta ta!"

Then, with a flick of his wrist and a flourish of his cape, the boy is gone, turning on his heel and marching off to God-knows-where to do God-knows-what. Aporia sits in the silence of his cord and cable jungle for a moment, letting their charge course through his inner mechanisms, his beautiful heaven-touched form. He sighs again. Of course it's a fool's errand to get Yuri to see their differences, to understand the merits of shedding the human for the powerful and perfect machine. He knows the adamancy in one's opinion only a child can hold with such vicious gusto. Sometimes it's truly the only thing you have, at that age.

Somewhere inside him a child who will never exist again yearns for a friendship that will never be, and Aporia can't help but wish Yuri a safer, better future than he himself will ever know.

((WOW I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK LITERALLY LIKE 3 MONTHS TO GET TO, ANON i got so inspired by this i ran off into the woods and had to write a fic about it. :,)

I loooved loved loved thinking about the way these two Certified Danaguys would react to each other... the fact that theyre honestly kind of similar is making me a little sick in the head i must say. something something reuniting into one, embracing a divine individual identity (in organic and mechanical flavors,) plant vines vs power cables... never mind the fact lesterlucciano and yuri are definitely the same breed of sadistic cackling 12-14 year old little fucker and would probably get along like a house on fire.

there's a bit in tag force 6 on Aporia's route, where he comments on how he never got to have a normal childhood/play with other kids growing up, and how lucciano has that same desperate aching for connection with other people. i just definitely think he'd be able to see a similar loneliness in Yuri too, past the nasty venom. traumatized child recognizing traumatized child Big and a Lot. wahhh

tysm for this ask! got me writing again which is a big deal for me :3

(meanwhile in kansas au i think they would lock eyes at the beauty supply store when yuri is shoplifting mascara. aporia wont snitch tho <3)))

[snow-143]

Water Coloured Tears | Jeon Jungkook

one- pilot (1.7k words)

Jeon Jungkook. The man that everybody wants, the man that knows this and loves the attention. On campus everybody knows him as Kook. However, I know him as Kookie, or I suppose my Kookie if were being critical. 

He's never told anyone this and neither have I. A well kept secret that only we know here. Of course when I go back home for holidays everybody asks about him, how he's getting on and if were still close. 

The truth is we haven't spoke since the last day of high school, but I keep up the act, answering their prying questions with a soft smile on my face. He's doing good, I usually answer. I'm not lying, from what I can tell he is doing good, amazing even if you look at it from the college dream perspective. 

No one ever asks how I'm doing, they're just curious about the towns golden boy who disappeared the second school was out. Never returning during any breaks from college life. He simply just up and left. Not even savings a second to say goodbye to anyone, except for me. 

I cant tell if this was worse or better, it kind of gave me a false sense of hope, he said goodbye to me and no one else, surely that means something. It didn't. 

In a way I'm kind of glad that they're only curious about him, you see when they ask how he is I don't have to lie, it may not be a full truth but its not a lie. If they asked how I am though, the smile would be far too forced, a toothy one that I am all too conscious of. 

The first time I was returning home I had over thought my replies far too much, only to realise no one cared anyway. I was always Jeons best friend, the hopeless girl who would follow him around with hearts in her eyes, much like a lost puppy. Never my own person, never anyone to be concerned about. Even my mother loved Jeon more. He was the son she never had. The golden child she had always wanted. 

I suspect that she knows I don't talk to him anymore, the depression I fell into after he left was far too telling. Yet she still asks about him, still insists on me taking extra food back to college with me in case he isn't eating properly. She always packs all of his favourite foods, never mine. Never anything I ask for. 

It was a shock to  me when I realised he went to the same school as me. I was overjoyed. Thinking that it must have been fate, destiny had brought us back together. 

That hope died along with my lingering feelings for him when we bumped into each other and he acted like I didn't exist. Just some random girl on campus who couldn't watch where she was going. 

I still remember the pain in my chest when he scowled at me, I could distantly hear some girls snickering at my audacity to bump into 'the Jeon Jungkook'. But it was all muted out by the sound of his heavy footsteps walking away from me. Walking right into the arms of the prettiest girl I have ever seen. 

Her name is Jennie. I've come to learn that she's not only gorgeous but also smart and the sweetest person you'll ever meet. She's honestly perfect. God. I'd date her if I could. But she's only got eyes for Jungkook. 

If I'm being honest, and get over the childish resentment I have towards the idea they'd be the perfect couple. The thing with Jungkook is that he never dates. Not even someone like Jennie. 

He's completely open about this, letting every girl he starts something with know that it wont go any further than a friends with benefits situation, they always think they'll be the one to change him though. 

He cant really be blamed when they get their hearts broken, he was upfront from the beginning, they just refused to listen. I wouldn't say they can be to blame either though, everybody I've ever known has loved Jungkook, its almost impossible not to. I suppose I know this better than anyone. A living and breathing example that you cant be close to him without falling for him. 

But now here I am, resenting everything to do with him. I wasn't upset at him for leaving, I understood that, but everyday of summer that I didn't hear from him buried me deeper into my hurt and anger.

He still had a phone, it didn't have to be the end of our friendship. Seeing him again just cemented this. He was so cold to me, I suppose I get it. He has a new life now, new friends. I guess I'm so hurt because he was all I had and it turns out I was nothing to him. 

I had learned to be content with this. Keeping everything and everyone that has anything to do with him far, far away from me. It was a difficult task but a one I felt I had to do for my own sanity. Yet it was all in vain. All the friends I could've had, all the parties I could've attended, all lost for nothing. 

Because now here I'm sat in my stupid art class next to no one other than Jeon Jungkook. How cliché, being paired up with you childhood best friend who you were madly in love with. 

We've been assigned to take candid picture of our partners and make 5 pieces out of them. all with different emotions in mind and all in different mediums. We've been allowed free rein on this project. However, we will be deducted points if our professor doesn't think our pictures are spontaneous enough or don't show enough emotion. She also is expecting all our pieces to match up with the others, so in total  she wants 10 pieces that represent both of our styles but can also all go together as one project. She's given us all a polaroid camera each, its honestly all so perfect. 

This would usually be my wet dream. I'm allowed to do whatever I like on 5 completely separate projects. But the brooding presence beside me is damping the whole experience for me.  

I'm quite surprised when she tells us this will be our last project of the year, giving us 5 months to complete it. She informs us that it will be 60% of our final grade and she wants us to go big for all 5 of the pieces. 

I can tell other people are stressed by this from all of the muttering around the room but I honestly couldn't think of anything better. 5 months to express myself through my art anyway that I like. I can already feel the ideas rushing to me. 

From an artist perspective I can kind of see me being paired with Jungkook as a blessing. If I have to channel all my emotions into my art I can't think of a better person to do it through. However, as the petty person I am I couldn't be more annoyed. I can tell he's pissed off too, he still has the same habits, I could read his body language with my eyes closed. 

It kind of hurt, I cant lie, I know why I'm upset but is it really so bad for him to be paired up with me? Is he scared I'll ruin the pretty little reputation he's maintained here. It's honestly baffling how much one person can change. He never care what people thought of us before but now he cant even bare being paired up with me. He used to beg our teachers to put us together at school. 

He finally looks at me, a scowl evident on his face, I don't want to be paired up with you either, dickhead. 'I'll ask if there's anyway we can swap.' 

It's strange, the way my heart hurts at this, much like when he first left, or when he ignored me. It's silly, I didn't want to be paired up with him either. 'whatever.'

I'm already packing my things up to leave the class room when our professor starts talking again. 'Oh and one last thing, under no circumstances are you allowed to switch partners. I want this project to be as authentic as possible, I chose people you aren't friends with on purpose, I want you to learn about each other and to show that in your art. I want it to tell a story.'

It's like she's staring directly at me and Jungkook, 'For fuck sake.' Is all I hear him say before I leave the classroom. 

'Hey, wait up.' Jeon grabs my arm, forcing me to face him. I haven't looked him in the eyes since I first bumped into him. The temptation to walk away from him just like he did to me is immensely strong. 'We should at least exchange numbers for the project.' 

He sounds far to annoyed to my ears and it ticks me off even more. 'You're such a cunt.' Ripping my arm away from him I go to make my exit again. Call me dramatic but this is the first time we've talked since he left and I cant help but be a little bit pissy with him. God, he even deleted my number. 

'What the fuck is that meant to mean.' Oh, he's seething . Good. 

'Are you serious right now?' 

'No.' he deadpans. god this boy infuriates me. 'Of course, I'm serious. What is your problem.'

'You're my problem. You and your stupid better than thou act.' It comes out as a laugh. An angry one. 

'Look, I don't know why you're so mad at me, but you're going to have to get over it if were going to pass this class.' It's a reasonable point ill give him that. But really, he doesn’t know why i’m mad at him? That HAS to be a joke.

Sighing I decide to compromise, 'Just message me on Instagram, or did you delete that too?' It's petty I know, but I had to get it out.

'I'll message you later.' Completely ignoring my childish remark, he begins walking in the opposite direction. Being the one who gets to walk away yet again.

prev | m.list | next

—————

a/n: and it begins 🤭

[horizon-verizon]

I physically cringe at how toxic some fans are becoming.

Canonically Rhaenyra loved all her children, Jace would have been a great king, Luke and Joffrey's deaths are tragedies Like the disappearance/supposed death of Visenys and Aegon loved his older brothers, so where did this brutal division come from where one side calls the older ones irrelevant and useless bastards and the other says Aegon and Visenys weren't just as loved as the three first brothers.

I find it worrying that for the first one they are recycled TG comments (I can only assume these people are A/V fans and not Rhaenyra fans if they are regurgitating this mentality) and the seconds are the fault of the same problem that the VB and the dragon twins already suffered, that of the change in ages, time jumps and poor management of time on screen translates into poor development of family dynamics.

Also, even in the show this whole argument about who Rhaenyra loves more, Harwin's or Daemon's children is super stupid because you can argue either way due to circumstantial evidence.

She loves Daemon's people more because they are children of the love of her life! She loves Harwin more because he's not a pedophile!She loves Luke more because she called him her "sweet boy" (at one point he was worried and she comforted him)! She loves Daemon's children less because she barely kissed them (we ignore that she takes the time to go play with them*)!!

Or let's make the opposite argument!! Lucerys (from Harwin) and Visenya (from Daemon) aren't enough to start a war, so I imagine she doesn't care about either of them 😳

This is all stupid and ignores both the source material and the show's writing problems, and Rhaenyra (either Rhaenyra) would be furious and ashamed that anyone make these kinds of arguments against her children.

(Now, if anyone wants to talk about Rhaenyra treating the dragon twins less like her daughters or her husband's daughters and more like one of her servants, yeah, I have no arguments against the way They destroyed those relationships because they did not " nuanced " it, they simply eliminated it)

*I have only seen intolerance from one of these sides and I am genuinely curious what it looks like in these people's heads to show that Rhaenyra "does" care about Aegon and Visenys Let it not be something she already did and just needed to be expanded upon because it appears that they mean is that they have to show Rhaenyra caring MORE about them than her other three children. Rhaenyra is supposed to hold Aegon and say "oh, my beloved Valyrian-looking son that I can love with all my heart." ?

I believe the writing for the show--how they have her literally do almost nothing for her kids after Luke dies--encourages and flamed the fires for these already existing ideas for people to be so brave about it. I myself haven't seen some myself and I think that has to do with good filtering, but I don't deny they exist. Truthfully, such ideas have existed a very long time in the fandom and I hate them.

[futurewriter2000]

The Daring, Forbidden and Evil - pt. 5

A/N: This one is a bit short but I couldn't continue it further on because the next scenes just deserve its own part. I've been thinking about writing this last night before I went to bed and I haven't done that in years. I really love this scene because it's just so soft and innocent. I hope you like it as well. All the love &lt;3

XX

Everybody tell you that when you're in love you are crazy but that isn't the truth. When you are in love, you are at your happiest because there is somebody, who makes you happy just by existing. To know he exists, makes you happy and to be so close to him, it makes you a far better person than you ever were.

Every day since then, your smile grew bigger. You weren't angry, nor sad. You were simply finding life far easier than it was before. Come to think of it, you thought of all the things you bore on your shoulders for no apparent reason. Now, you were forgiving, loving, happy. It was as if your character did a whole 180 and you absolutely adored this new character that developed in you. She was peaceful and kind. She was... well, she was free.

"Have you told anybody?" he asked, brushing his hand through your hair.

You brushed your hand over his chest, feeling a bit of anxiety kick in as he asked so. "No..."

"Me neither." he said. "I haven't even told Fred yet..." he continued, kissing the top of your head. "Not that I don't want to, it's just that... I'm scared." he admitted.

"Me too." you replied and lifeted your head up, smiling the moment your eyes met his. "You're the first boyfriend I'm not showing off in front of everybody."

"Boyfriend, huh?" he grinned.

"Want to be the girlfriend?" he your grinned back and he chuckled.

"No- I'd love to be the boyfriend, I just... I don't know... I didn't think you'd want us to be official."

Your grin disappeared and you furrowed an eyebrow. Your heart sank into a bottomless pit, but somehow beat extremely fast in your chest. "Don't you want us to be official?"

"Of course, I want us to be official. I just thought that you wouldn't want to be that because of your family lineage."

"I can say the same for you." you smiled and he laughed. "Besides... I am not my family." you said as you laid back on his chest and hugged him tightly. "I don't want to lose you... ever." you mumbled and felt his hands tighten around your torso, kissing your head once again.

There was a moment of silence- the nicest, safest moment that felt like it would never end. You closed your eyes and felt yourself melt into his arms. His hand-knitted sweater was extremely soft and smelled pleasantly. You had never felt more harmonious in your entire life.

"I want you to meet my family over the holidays." he whispered and you immediately opened your eyes, exiting the tranquil state. He was smiling at your reaction, kissing your forehead. "We will have to tell them one day. Might as well start with mine."

You sat up on his thighs and felt a rush of nervousness. He sat up as well, placing his hands on your back and rubbing them up and down. He tilted his head and grinned.

"We've been together barely three weeks." you stuttered, to which he found extremely adorable. Someone, who pretends to be tough is afraid of meeting his family, who wouldn't even hurt a fly.

"That's almost a month and besides, you could meet your cousins."

"My cousins?"

"Sirius Black and Tonks."

"Sirius Black?!" you exclaimed. "The wanted criminal, who escaped Azkaban, probably hates my whole family- that is also his family. "

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "He's a good person. I told you he didn't kill anybody. Pettigrew still lives."

"I don't know George..." you ran your hand through your hair. "The moment they will see me, they'll hate my guts. My parents are sided with the Dark Lord and my care-takers are their biggest enemies- the stars are not aligned with us." you started to babble.

He continued to laugh. "The stars are not aligned." he laughed even harder.

"It's not funny." you smiled at his mocking but he only pressed you close to him, burying his head into your shirt. You hugged him back, caressing his head by running your hands up his hair.

"It is." he pulled back, looking up at you with those gorgeous brown eyes. "You're scared. I get that, (y/n). I'm scared too, but even if it's difficult, doesn't mean it's impossible." he continued and you felt yourself exhale a large breath, lowering your head. "Just don't get tired of fighting for us."

You looked around, trying not to look at him directly in the eyes but knowing you couldn't hold back for a long time, you looked at him anyway. There he was; this boy that wanted to fight for you. Who in your entire life, ever fought for you? Your family just moved you from one family member to another, but he wanted to keep you. He is so good for you.

You smiled, placing your hands under his jaw and pulling him into a soft kiss. "I promise, I won't get tired of fighting for us." you whispered softly.

[synobun]

Want to get to know you better 💜 What's something that's been on your mind lately?

I will avoid the subjects that make people uncomfortable and instead talk about... Hrm. What is left after that, really.

Kidding. I think.

I've been thinking a lot about trying to exist in people's lives more. I've lived in Vancouver for almost ten years and I, uh... I had one friend here when I moved, that I already knew from online. We don't talk anymore. My fault. I left them when I first became bedbound, citing that I had nothing to offer them. I met someone the first year I was here as well, and it went poorly, and they moved away anyway. I've basically not bothered trying since.

One part of me wants to wield the antisocial badge and say it's because I'm just an unpleasant misanthrope or whatever. But the unfortunate truth is that I spent so many years just trapped in a bed or incapable of existing outside my home, so meeting people in real life, especially in a city so deeply committed to stereotype and cliche, was simply not a thing that could happen.

I feel like maybe I'm capable of spending time with people now? In a way where I'm not fighting for my life just to make it half an hour and then disappearing off the face of the planet for weeks after. It's been so long that I don't know how to exist around other humans anymore. And I can always come up with a reason why I shouldn't try.

But it's starting to really bother me. I need connection. I always have, but it's more pronounced and tangible now. The internet can only offer so much. Everyone I befriend sees the internet as their last resort. They prioritize what exists around them physically. And they should! But for someone who exists solely online, it gets sad to always be an option of convenience. When I have movie clubs, music events, online games, whatever, that's, like, the thing for me. For everyone else it's just a thing they can pop in and do if there's nothing better close by.

It's also getting ridiculous. Someone I know moved here three years ago and I still haven't met them. How absurd is that? It's nonsense. They like me. They've wanted to see me. I just haven't. Like I said... I always come up with a reason why I shouldn't. Someone I've known for the past year was in the city yesterday, specifically told me they wanted to have lunch with me, and I didn't say a single thing. Just told them to have fun at the hockey game. I am such a nincompoop.

I dunno. I've been thinking about how to be physically sociable. I'm not going to claim I was ever good at it, since I was an outcasted child and a high school dropout, but today it might as well be an alien idea. How do I exist around a person! How can they tolerate me when I cannot tolerate myself! My only in-person interactions in the past ten years have been with my friend I've had since I was eighteen and my ex when she visited me for two weeks two years ago. Besides that? Doctors. That's it. A couple one-off hellos/lunches, but... nothing, really, of substance. It's humiliating, even though I know for most of my 20s it wasn't my fault. It kind of is now, though.

You know, I said I would avoid the subjects that make people uncomfortable, but I don't think I did that. Well! Nevertheless. Now you know something that's been on my mind.

[oniondraws]

Ik it's a bit(very) late but-

About the ending of the moon revolution finale, I don't like the ending, like it was disappointing for me, before you go attack me I wanna explain-

Maybe bc I had high expectations for it since how hyped up it was but the ending felt a bit off

Like there was so much buildup and then suddenly some characters burst out of nowhere in the middle of the drama then somehow fix everything with a simple "good message" like Pluto and Charon werent even there during the genuine planning of the moon revolution, they just came outta nowhere.

Pluto and Charon werent even explaining that well, it sounded like two teachers trying to teach their kindergarteners basic human decency using themselves as examples(or them using the power of friendship to stop a war), not two characters trying to help fix a giant War by convincing everyone to try to be more peaceful with each other by using themselves as examples(now that I've said it it sounds kinda weird💀).

Like don't get me wrong I understand that the ppl working on it were probably tired and rushing but I feel that the drama should've been fixed by a very important character like earth, titan or even Ganymede, not characters who weren't even apart of it untill the end.

Plus we didn't even see the part where triton actually meets the two, where we could see how they would interact after not seeing each other in years, he just says "who are you?" In a previous EP and then at the end Pluto and Charon just appear.

I get that it shows Pluto finally feeling important after becoming a dwarf planet but I feel that it should've been in the dwarf planet videos or even its own arc instead of randomly being in the moon revolution arc which, is about MOONS, not dwarf planets, even if you could talk about triton who was a big part of the moon revolution arc, even if he used to be a dwarf planet, he's still a moon.

Even after all that, this is not hating on the show in general, infact it is one of my fav shows, I am very aware that the people working on it out so much passion and love into making this for all of us, this is simply my opinion of the ending of the moon revolution, I'm just not that satisfied with how the moon revolution ended, because it felt rushed to me, either that or I just like very chaotic endings lmao, anyways how that I'm done, I'm gonna disappear bai-

(also I'm aware all of this is a simple "Pluto and Charon came out of nowhere" but I have a bit more, I just didn't want this to turn 10 paragraphs long lol)

if im being honest, i agree with you.

because lets be real...

the ending was just, unsatisfying. you would expect someone relevant such as titan, Ganymede, earth, hell luna would've made a great candidate explaining how their orbit around earth is one of the reasons why life exists on it. luna would've proven a point on how moons are important and he and earth are an example. the whole revolution was about providing moons are not the underdogs of the planets they orbit.

then pluto and Charon bust in and say "we are equals, we don't control the other" (or something like that, haven't watch the moon revolution in a long time) and suddenly, everyone just agrees...?

the problem with the moon revolution is ending and how it was presumably "solved"

i think the team should've used at least Luna as an example, because it would prove that moons ARE relevant no matter how big or small. Earth and his moon, luna, should've been the answer because luna keeps his earthlings alive by just being there. plus you could've thrown in some moon facts too how the moons are special in their own way. it would've been educational and fits in with the whole moon centric story (a great opportunity too)

of course i am not shaming or slandering the creators and team, of course not!

i just feel like they could've used a better ending than using pluto and Charon to fix the whole revolution. since Solarballs have made an oath to make long form videos instead of the good ol' short snappy educational ones we all used to watch and love, it makes sense that they've probably used pluto and Charon to make up their little screen time and satisfy some people. going back to your point, they are probably burnt out plus they work on the videos weeks before their deadline so they probably have other projects they've been working on for the future.

but for the sake of the ending for the moon revolution, they messed up on that part.

[~ forgive me if my opinion and tangent seems repetitive and dull ~]

[noroi1000]

Honestly, I don't know what to say.

Even though I haven't shared anything lately and haven't been very active, you guys still did it.

Half a year ago it was 2k. I was so happy then. Now I didn't even notice it happened. I never thought that as many as 3,000 people would click the "follow" icon when accessing my account.

It was the thing I least expected. When I started, I didn't even think about how many followers I would have. I even forgot to think about it. I never thought about observing because I wanted just to try.

Now, I have three thousand of you, as well as one and a half thousand on Wattpad.

I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you guys.

I didn't share anything, I didn't even write much. A lot of things happened that I can't undo, which also influenced my writing. I'm a terrible writer who stopped caring about readers who are just here to read something.

I still want to be a writer. Such a real writer. I would like one of my original books to finally be written and for someone to read and appreciate it. I don't stop writing. Even if people tell me to do it because I can't.

As the game characters sing in the song: „Haters gonna hate”. No matter what people say about me, it's may be true. I may be shitty, but arguing doesn't help. Haters gonna hate, no matter what.

I've been watching a lot of anime and reading a lot of manga and manhwa lately. I'm also playing otome games (the Japanese ones because they are the best).

I've almost finished writing the entire More Twisted Than Love draft, and I'm quite happy with the results. I'm not sure about the date of publication, because as you know, the frequency of my shares is not the most interesting. I am not a public figure. I'm not what you would call a blogger or anything else. I simply exist.

I've also been wondering about "Noroi" lately. Noroi is a curse. I am a real curse. Since I was born. I'm like cursed. And no one who doesn't know my heart will understand it. And there is no one like that in this world. I probably sound like a crazy person now.

I want to tell you to never give up, no matter what is taken from you.

The number of followers will disappear someday. This will be taken from me but I will never forget. I will not give up and I will always keep you in my heart.

Do you know that a previously damaged heart holds what is good stronger? It holds it tighter and doesn't let go. It doesn't forget. Iy always feel it. Because it puts a band-aid on the cracks. The stone heart will move and the frozen heart will melt. Even just this once.

I'm writing about weird things now lol

I wanted to thank you and tell you what's on my heart right now. Discovering that you have 1k more followers makes you feel proud and think more. This is the reason.

I love you so much guys ❤️

[skycapt4in]

@heroesoath ( piotr ) / ❛ i  think  i’ve  fallen  a  little  bit  more  in  love  with  you . ❜

Though the words shouldn't come as a surprise to him, they're enough to give him pause as the theif redresses himself, searching for a solid enough excuse to get himself out the door with minimal questions purely with the intent to avoid talking about.. it.

The feelings. The feelings that should not exist because this was only ever supposed to be a casual fling of two people keeping each other company whenever the occasion came. Piotr had warned him in the past, he wasn't like Noah, he couldn't just pack away these things in an unlabelled metaphorical box and store it away neatly, never to see the light of day again. He was too soft, too full of love, kindness and affection to be able to contain it. Noah should've stayed away, because while the thief lavishes in the attention like the greedy little monster he is, while he can copy gentle actions and mimic spoken soft words, feeling anything deeper than a strong like had always been a struggle for him.

Hence why he was so eager to nigh fly out that door once Piotr had made it clear he was awake.

The thing is though.. This wasn't his plan. He'd come here with the intention of getting the other man naked, he wouldn't deny that, but there had been something else he'd been wanting to do to, something long overdue and something that would.. make things better? But he'd been too much of a coward to bring it up and fell back into his old habits of being nothing more than a flirtatious visitor from the stars. But Piotr's confession has him at pause enough that he thinks it would simply just be better to rip the band-aid off because this? It wasn't fair. Piotr denying himself true happiness in the hopes that one day Noah would 'see the light' or end their arrangement. He deserved better than that, he deserved better than anything Noah or anything he could could give him.. and yet he kept this going too.

He hasn't called his ship yet so he is truly not in any rush to be anywhere, and any line he has about having a job would be false, so instead of once again spinning a yarn and disappearing for months, he puts his jacket down over the chair it was haphazardly thrown across the night previous and he, almost apprehensive in his steps, moves to sit next to the Russian on the bed. At a loss for words, it takes him another minute to begin to speak, he hasn't.. this is new. Well, he's experienced it before but those had been very rare, very brief and felt like they were a lifetime ago.. and he'd been shit at talking about it then, too.

Better to just rip off the band-aid, eh? “ I can't do this anymore, Piotr. I thought I could, I thought it would be better for you in the long run if I just.. played my part, but it's not fair on either of us anymore. ” Noah is looking at the other, but he isn't looking back, in the low-light of the early morning Noah can make out that the fear in his eyes is not fading--, oh he's messed up. “ I.. like you. Like, more than I probably should.. There hasn't been a day that's went by lately where I haven't thought about you and it's-, it's stupid things really. I'll see something mildly interesting and my first thought is 'Oh, Piotr would like this.' or 'What would Piotr think about this?'.. Am I making sense? I'm not. Storms, I've never been good at-, ” He gestures to the gap between them. “ It might be love? It could be love. I want it to be but I'm.. ” Scared, completely lost, just himself. “ But that doesn't mean I want this to stop, or that I don't want to see you anymore. I think what I'm trying to say is that I'm willing to.. take this somewhere? If that's what you want, of course. If not then we can pretend like this never happened and I'll just jump out that window and come back in six months.. Or just, stay away. If that's what you want. ” Once he finishes his rambling, he mentally notes that just saying all that was more painful to endure than a majority of his fights and misdeeds.

[helloliriels]

Taken By Surprise

John thinks Sherlock is a virgin, distracted by his work to such a degree ... that he hardly even notices John's existence ... feeling too boring to be seen ...

Sherlock thinks John is only into women, and keeps himself busier with his work than usual ... when he finds he's attracted to his 'not gay' flatmate ...

So when Sherlock disappears on a top secret mission - John goes to Mycroft, to volunteer for a mission himself. Maybe then, Sherlock will see him as potential for more than just shared rent ... ?

What he doesn't expect ... is to be thrown into a world of fancy dress balls, high priced escorts, and high stakes gambling!

Not that he can't handle it.

John goes ... dressed to the nines. Cool as Bond himself ... and willingly does whatever is asked of him over the following weekend. Tracking down an villain who's been threatening Sherlock for years ... and setting his eyes on another he suspects is up to something ... ?

But when he follows his mark to a bedroom, to perform a strip tease - knowing it's a man ...

What he isn't prepared for ...

Is to see Sherlock's face when the mask comes down ...

All this while they've been believing a lie?

And boy are they both taken by surprise!

| True Lies | Spy Thriller | Bond | Sexy AF AU | Johnlocked |

Mine, All Mine

John had been becoming increasingly jealous of late. The green eyed monster practically taking him over - like The Hulk - whenever a woman or man hinted at Sherlock's brilliance or good looks!

Sherlock had started to notice it's signs early on in their rental arrangements ... but had simply chalked it up to insecurity in that department ...

But now ... ? Now that Sherlock had made him an integral part of his work and eased his mind as to his permanent welcome at Baker Street ... Sherlock began to realize ... it was much, much more than that ... John wanted him?

So when John himself would not stop taking on new girlfriends, no matter how many Sherlock chased away - he decided more desperate measures were required.

John awoke the next morning to find a paper at the breakfast table. Headline reading:

Mine, All Mine!

The famous net 'tec has decided to declare to the British public that he and John Watson, confirmed Batchelors, are both officially off the market! 'No longer platonic,' says Sherlock Holmes to raucous cheering and squeals of delight from his gathered crowd. A positive parade of ladies here to see the news announced today. We do so hope the realm will hear of wedding bells soon and wish them both the best on their new adventures!

As John dropped his spoon into his bowl of Wheaties, he saw Sherlock shuffling out of his bedroom ... clad only in a sheet!

"I'm yours am I?" John asked huffily, rising. Waiting to see if it was all a cruel joke???

When Sherlock stepped up and allowed his sheet to drop - John's jaw dropped as well!

"Well in that case!" John replied, grabbing his hand and dragging him off to the bedroom with a growl, "then this ass is mine!"

Sherlock had never before been so pleased,

To call himself a genius.

| Friends to Lovers | Desperate Measures | Love Declarations |

Read the original ask here:

And yes, there is (1) True Lies AU fic already made (i haven't read it), but this idea was rattling around in my brain weeks before I knew it was a thing. :) after all ... two cakes. 🎂 🎂

[manic-wentz]

Can I Help You Groom Them

Pairing: Destiel

Warnings: Gay sex, blow job, Dean not getting any, wing!kink, friends to lovers

I couldn't stop watching Cas. I didn't know what it was about him that was making me feel this way, but the concentration on his face was amazing.

"Hey, Cas?" I asked softly.

He looked at me with those huge innocent eyes that he has and I swear I almost moaned. "Yes, Dean?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"I haven't groomed my wings in a few months and I was considering doing it now but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

I thought about that. "It wouldn't make me uncomfortable. I actually want to see them."

He looked astonished. "Would you really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll have to remove some of my clothing. Would that make you uncomfortable, Dean?"

Keep it cool, Winchester. "No, of course not, Cas."

He locks eyes with me, seemingly making sure that I meant that. But of course I did. He was Castiel.

And so our own personal angel, took off his trench coat, tie, and dress shirt, leaving his surprisingly muscular chest. I wasn't really expecting that.

The focused look on his face returned and within seconds a pair of beautiful black wings sprang into existence. I was rendered speechless.

Cas looked concerned. "Are you okay, Dean?"

I mentally shook myself. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm fine. I was just a bit awestruck by them. They're beautiful, Cas." I hesitated. "Uh... can I help you groom them?"

Cas once again looked astonished. "You would really like to help me?"

"Why does that surprise you?"

"I just wasn't expecting you to see them the way you do, I suppose." He looked at me and smiled. "We should go to my room, though." I didn't question this.

When we got in he sat down on his bed, and I clambered up to sit behind him.

"Will you teach what I need to do to groom them?" I asked

His smile returned. "Of course."

He took my hand and lead it to the feathers at the top of one of his wings and let me go just before I touched it.

"Just use your fingers to comb through the feathers and straighten them out."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me because he had already turned back around. I lightly brushed my hand across the top of his right wing, just trying to see if they were as soft as they looked. I barely had a second to comprehend that they were before I heard Cas groan. I immediately became concerned.

"You okay, Cas? Am I hurting you?"

"You are fine, Dean. They're just a little sensitive is all. You may continue if you wish."

And so I began to rake my fingers through them, but it didn't take long for me to notice that Cas was groaning again. At this point I had decided that I would simply trust him to tell me if i was hurting him.

"Dean?"

I stopped. "Yeah, Cas?"

"Your fingers are too dry. There is a gland at the base of each wing that should be secreting oil to help you groom them."

"Okay." I felt around for them and found them, and as he had said, they were definitely leaking. I gathered up some of the oil and began to apply it to his wings, but then he did something I wasn't expecting. He moaned. Loudly. I only paused for a second, then decided that playing it off would be the best move in this situation. I continued applying the oil, and I could tell that something was happening in his head, but I didn't want to stop.

Once I got to the downy feathers at the base, he gave a particularly loud moan and whirled around faster than any mere mortal could. I must have looked shocked, because I saw regret flood his face.

"I'm so sorry, Dean. I've just never let anyone else groom them before, and it's giving me these feelings. It doesn't feel the same as whenever I do it."

"Is it bad?" I asked tentatively.

He smiled again. "No, it's not, Dean. It feels really good."

I began my work on the second wing after he had turned back around.

"So, you said it feels good," I started. He nodded his agreement. "Feels good how?"

For a second I thought I had crossed a line because he didn't say anything. Just as I was about to apologize, he spoke.

"Look down, Dean."

I was confused. "Down where?"

In his profile, I saw him blush. "My pants, Dean."

I looked down and saw the obvious strain in his dress pants. I was surprised. I didn't I would ever be able to do anything that would turn on the angel.

"Do you want me to help you with that, Cas?"

He stopped moving for a second. "I don't want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

I almost laughed. "That wouldn't make me uncomfortable, Cas. Just let me finish this wing."

He nodded, and after I had finished to Cas's satisfaction, he turned around to face me. I had about half a second to comprehend this before he roughly pressed his lips to mine. I was surprised for that exact same amount of time before I kissed him back. I slid my tongue across his bottom lip, wordlessly asking for his permission to enter. He granted it. I got the feeling he wasn't very familiar with the idea of gay sex. I flipped him over on his bed so I was on top. I could feel him hardening against me, but I wanted to see just how turned on I could get him, since I had wanted this since I first saw him.

And so, the first thing I did was slide my tongue against his. I felt him groan into the kiss as I began to explore every corner of his mouth with my tongue. But that wasn't all I had planned to get him worked up. Continuing my work in his mouth, I also reached behind him and gave the feather a slight, experimental tug. It seemed to have the desired effect on him, because he pulled back to mewl a bit while he bit my lower lip. I couldn't stop the slight moan that escaped me at the feeling of it.

He started to unbutton my flannel, and I helped him with the last few buttons. I shrugged out of it once we finished unbuttoning it. He didn't even pause to think before he pulled my undershirt over my head. I decided that I rather enjoyed Cas when he let go a bit.

It astonished it me a bit when we fought to get the others pants off first. Finally, Cas used his grace to remove every other article of clothing between us, never breaking the kiss that we had restarted at some point after he had gotten my shirt off. I could feel his hardness against my thigh, and I ran my hand down his chest to grip it in my hand and slowly stroke it. I pulled back to see his face while I did this, and it was a beautiful sight to behold. His head was tilted back against the duvet and I couldn't stop myself from shuffling down to settle my head between his legs.

He looked down at me with a slack jaw, but he threw his head back again when I ran my tongue over his slit. The moan he let out then was borderline pornographic, and he crossed that line when I groaned against him in response to the first one.

I adored the look on his face when I teased him, but I couldn't wait to see it when I made him cum.

And so, I decided that I would. At first. I only took the tip in my mouth. I gave one hard suck and reached around to tangle my fingers in his feathers. He moaned so loud that he practically screamed. I had to pull off for a second so that I could bite his thigh. Once I was sure that I wouldn't bite his dick, I jumped back up to take him in all the way until I could feel him at the back of my throat.

At that point, he was squirming around so much that I had to hold him down by his waist. I kept running my fingers through the softness of his feathers, because I couldn't get enough of the feeling of it, and it seemed like he couldn't either. He wasn't even moaning anymore, he was just gasping a lot, like he was feeling too much and he couldn't catch his breath. Occasionally, he would let out a whine, but that was only if I gave a particularly hard suck.

I could feel his legs shaking, and I knew he was close. There was one more thing I wanted him to do before he got to that point. I pulled off.

His head shot up to look at me.

"What is it, Dean?"

I cracked my best shit-eating grin. "You close, Cas?" Like I didn't already know.

"Yes, Dean," he practically growled at me.

"You wanna cum, Cas?" I purred at him.

He just glared at me.

"Use your words."

He did growl this time.

"Yes, Dean."

I hummed against his inner thigh.

"Beg for it."

His breath hitched in his throat, all of his anger disappearing.

"What?"

My smirk grew deeper. "You heard me. Beg for it."

He let out a little whine. "Please, Dean. Please, finish this."

I chuckled darkly. "Little more, Cas. Come on, I know you can do it.

He let out a louder whine. "Please, Dean." I tugged on some of his feathers, causing him to damn near scream. "Ugh. Please, Dean, PLEASE!" That's more like it, I thought to myself.

"Oh, and, uh, one more thing, Cas."

He whimpered.

"Look at me when you cum." I locked eyes with him to let him know that I was serious. He nodded frantically.

As I went back to where I was, sucking off a desperate sounding Cas, I reached back behind him to begin stroking his feathers again, making his hands shoot to my hair and these sexy, wanton noises to leave his mouth, not even meaning to let me know how close he was. I watched his head drop back against the duvet again, but I had my rules. I untangled one of my hands from his feathers to tap on his stomach to get his eyes back on mine. They seemed more blue than usual, but that was probably because his pupils were practically pinpoints from how close he was. They were glassy, but they could still see me and comprehend everything I was doing, that much I could tell. With his eyes back on me, I returned my hands to his feathers, tugging hard to get him over the edge as fast as I could.

When he came, it was glorious. His eyes widened, his mouth went slack, he barely managed to keep his eyes on me, but he did, he was alternating between panting, whining, and moaning my name. His seed shot down my throat in a total of three bursts, after which he pushed me off of him and let his head fall back as he dealt with the aftershocks. I crawled up to him to kiss his forehead and actually, literally pass out before he was even done, because blow jobs make me exhausted. Can't say I regret it though. I'm glad Cas let me help him groom.

Tag list: @fanddoms4love @draco-slytherin-malfoy @lucifers-golden-bitch-apparently (u don't HAVE to reblog dude.)

[your-brilliant-lady-m]

Part 1 - Basic Concepts of Miraculous Ladybug: Miraculous Jewels

Alright! I promised you meta and now I deliver!

I feel like people mostly watch Miraculous for the romance these days. Shipping is all everyone cares about. I wonder why? Probably because writers themselves don't take their worldbuilding very seriously and because they don't put much effort into making the audience care about something other than Love Square, like the mythology behind the Miraculous, or motivations of the main villain, or some pretty heavy topics for a kid's show that they bring up and then refuse to touch again. You know, all the good things. And this is coming from someone who is a passionate multishipper. I have lived through several shipping wars in different fandoms and came out victorious after all.

I am probably the only person out there who cares about the big picture, the overall storyline and the worldbuilding of Miraculous in addition to all details and implications that could develop into fascinating plotlines relevant to the main story. It is a rather lonely fandom experience, I must confess. But, hey? Who cares? I am here to have fun and bring to the table discussions no one wants to have.

So, let's talk about the basics.

If you, as the writing team, are capable of keeping only 1 thing consistent, then please, I beg you, let it be the basic concepts of your universe. Because in this case, one has to actively put effort into writing characters and conflict resolutions badly. And also because nothing can save bad worldbuilding.

I don't have high worldbuilding standards for Miraculous. They certainly aren't as high as the ones I had for Legend of Korra (which was a badly written trainwreck, that ATLA doesn't deserve as a sequel) or the ones I currently have for Dragon Prince. Therefore I won't be too harsh in my criticisms. Granted, I think that Miraculous has better worldbuilding and lore consistency than Winx Club for example (I haven't seen the reboot yet, so writers might have fixed their worldbuilding at least a little bit). Even though I enjoyed Winx when I was younger and some elements of this story still attract me.

Both serialised and episodic shows as well as movies to the lesser extent must have some flexibility in worldbuilding and plot because you can never be 100% sure where your story is going. Maybe, you'll get money for more seasons, maybe not. However, you must never lose sight of your basic concepts. They have to stay the same no matter what, because rewriting lore and retconning major developments every new season is not and never will be called good writing.

Forgive me for using architectural metaphors, but you need a solid foundation to build any kind of structure. Otherwise, everything falls apart.

I like to apply this logic to writing as well. When designing a world where your story takes place, you must lay a few ground rules. It's especially important if you have a magic system. What kind of ideas absolutely must exist? What kind of conclusion do you want your story to have? Does your magic system has limitations? Where is the grey area? Could you introduce new elements later on?

And I feel like the writing team of Miraculous Ladybug did not ask these questions. This may feel like I am nit-picking canon material and looking for problems that simply aren't there, but I promise that I am not. You see, things that I am about to point out only seem small at first glance. But these details are actually the source of the largest plotholes in the series. And their presence negatively affects character development, conflicts and resolutions of said conflicts.

That doesn't mean that I have nothing good to say about the magic system of the show and its elements. There are a lot of great ideas and concepts. And some of them have the potential to contribute to the delightful story.

Let's dive right into it, shall we?

Camouflage

I have to give credit where it's due because the idea of camouflage and shapeshifting for Miraculouses is brilliant. It seems like Miraculous can't fundamentally change its type of jewellery or accessory. The ring will always be the ring but with a different ornament, colour or shape. This is true most of the time (Monkey Miraculous is an exception since it transformed into earplugs/headphones/headband/circlet) It makes sense and avoids plotholes. Grimoire doesn't have the pictures of each Miraculous in disguise for identity protection. That was very neat too. I have no comments. This concept was very good.

Also, since Marinette wore a nose ring of the Ox in "Kwamibuster" without any problem and Adrien wore Ladybug's earrings in "Reflekdoll", we can assume that you don't need to have piercings to wear a Miraculous. Miraculous just magically passes through your skin.

I'm interested to know the following. Can Kwamis recognise a camouflaged Miraculous on a person? Can the holder order them to confess the identity of this person? This shouldn't be possible for identity protection just like with Kwamis sensing each other. But more on that in later posts.

Power Levels

For a long time, we assume that there are only 7 Miraculouses. Turtle belongs to Master Fu, Gabriel has Butterfly and Peacock, Marinette and Adrien have Ladybug and Black Cat. Everything is pretty straightforward. Then it's revealed that there are more jewels and more boxes. It makes the worldbuilding interesting, but it also majorly complicates things, making them inconsistent.

Their position in the Miracle Box implies their power levels. Creation and destruction are the most powerful forces in existence, therefore they are at the top. Moreover, it makes this Box the most important, the most powerful out of all others. Su Han in "Furious Fu" calls it "Mother Miracle Box". Fox, Turtle, Bee, Butterfly and Peacock have less power than the main pair, but more than the Miraculous of the lower Zodiac tier (since they correspond with animals of the Chinese Zodiac).

1. Ladybug can create anything out of nothing (Lucky Charm, which gives what you need the most at the moment). This Miraculous can resurrect the dead, reverse the effects of the Cataclysm. The power of Miraculous Cure or Miraculous Ladybug can work in several ways:

it simply repairs the damage (puts stuff back together, heals injuries and so on)

it reverses time for the matter, restoring things back to the state they were before the destruction occurred (however, the Cure doesn't erase people's memories of everything that happened unless they were mind-controlled, frozen in place or transformed by Akuma into something else - this is an important point that I'll discuss some other time)

How does Miraculous Cure work when there are no supervillians? In NY Special Marinette just says this.

Excuse me, what? What was that? You can't do anything when the villain is gone? What the hell?

*insert here every scene where Ladybug fixed Paris after destroying akumatized/amokized object (this action causes the Akuma victim to detransform/sentimonster to disappear - villain is gone) and purifying butterfly and feather*

It was such cheap angst. I couldn't even be upset when Adrien gave up his Miraculous, because that whole situation is just stupid. But, never mind. We aren't talking about that today.

Apparently, Lucky Charm and Miraculous Cure only work when summoned to battle a specific villain. What is the point then? Huh? You can't tell me that Ladybug has the power of unlimited creation and then say that she can't repair the damage without a special Lucky Charm that was magically synchronised with specific big bad of the week.

Ladybug also can purify Akumas. It makes sense for Ladybug to have the ability to reverse the magic of less powerful Miraculous. But this power can't be applied universally. How does this power of reversal apply to different situations where there is no evil Butterfly holder? Can Ladybug reverse the magic of any Miraculous?

The unlimited power of creation introduced in season 4 ("Mr. Pidgeon 72") is another fascinating thing. On one hand, it's logical and proves the status of this Miraculous as the most powerful. On the other hand, by introducing this power, you have created a plothole. Look, Marinette can create the charm which repels Akumas. If Ladybug can create anything then what stops her from creating a tool for finding Hawkmoth (like special glasses for discovering identities or a compass)? I mean, the show says that the power of creation is unlimited, it means that the creation of such tool is possible.

2. Black Cat can destroy anything with Cataclysm, even other Miraculous. He can kill living things and turn them into ash, but not himself. This Miraculous is supposed to have other special abilities that we don't see. And they should be equal to powers of Ladybug, both in number and in potency. Unfortunately, after 3 seasons writers didn't give us anything. It makes laughable the idea of balance between Ladybug and Black Cat.

Now, to the second tier. These Miraculouses have a singular ability, but they need a second one to keep the power balanced between Zodiac and the main pair.

3. Butterfly creates champions with different superpowers. But how does the time limit of children work for Butterfly? In theory, the countdown should start right after the creation of the Akuma since for Ladybug and Chat Noir countdown starts after activation of their powers even if they don't use them. However, if the countdown of the Butterfly begins after Akuma creation then there's no point because the holder has to stay transformed to guide their champion. The charged butterfly won't have time to even grant powers before the transformation of the child-holder drops. This issue is never explored because Gabriel doesn't have a time limit. However, I feel like it should be addressed in flashbacks of past Butterfly holders for example.

This Miraculous should be less powerful than Ladybug and Black Cat. It's often not. Some Akumas are too overpowered. Stormy Weather can move the Earth away from the Sun, Timetagger can send people through time and jump through time as well, Chat Blanc destroyed the world with a single energy blast, Miraculer could steal powers of those more powerful than her by default. These are the most notable examples. One could argue that Chat Blanc was a different case. Hawkmoth simply gave the most powerful Miraculous a boost. However, we know that even without a holder (the wildest and the most powerful form of uncontrolled Miraculous magic) Plagg's Cataclysm can't destroy the universe just like that (he presumably wiped out dinosaurs and sunk Atlantis on his own without a holder). I think that the less powerful Miraculous (Butterfly) shouldn't be able to increase the power of destruction to such a degree and give Black Cat the power to destroy celestial bodies and galaxies.

Writers want us to see Hawkmoth as the formidable villain. But it's not easy because he is less powerful than your main heroes by default of your worldbuilding. Sometimes writers make the Butterfly more powerful than creation and destruction to raise the stakes, breaking the laws of their magic system. So, how do you solve this? Let Ladybug and Black Cat keep their status as the most powerful and instead of giving Hawkmoth more magical power, make him smarter, more cunning, inventive. Gabriel is a fashion designer, whose creativity makes him a very good Butterfly holder. He has a life full of experience, he knows much more about things than the main teenage characters. Catalyst was very interesting for this very reason. Gabriel sort of discovered a cheat code to boost his powers. Show us how he experiments with his powers, how he analyses his past Akumas and tries to find the most effective ones. Maybe Gabriel tries to design Akumas that can specifically neutralise Ladybug and Chat Noir. This exploration could also give writers an opportunity to explain how the powers of Butterfly work. Can he control the type of powers he grants? Can he control the appearance of Akumas? There are many things to be explored.

4. Peacock creates sentimonsters. I remember that fans were very disappointed when the power of the Peacock was revealed at the end of season 2. I was one of them. The concept of Amoks is far too similar to akumatized butterflies. Other Miraculouses have unique abilities and keywords for their powers, while Peacock just looks like Butterfly 2.0. That glowing mask effect just adds insult to injury.

You have to start by figuring out the powers of the Peacock in a normal situation. If a holder is a good person, then how does their power work? For example, make them related to sight (because of the "eye" pattern on feathers). Maybe, Peacock grants the ability to see the several possibilities of the future, but only a few minutes ahead. Maybe, this Miraculous gives you the ability to see through someone's eyes for a few minutes (and the victim is completely unaware of the intrusion). Perhaps, Peacock allows the holder to use feathers (or tiny peacocks) as cameras one at a time and be all-seeing. These feather-spies can be destroyed by the holder or disappear on their own after some time. Such power could be devastating when used against heroes in canon.

5. Bee can paralyze. This power is pretty straightforward. Once I read a fanfiction focused on very vell done Chloe Redemption, where she fights alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir. Eventually, she grows and becomes a better person. This fic ends with an Akuma battle, where LB and CN are trapped and Akuma is ready to kill them. But Chloe uses a second power of the Bee on the villain - Miraculous Stinger. It's deadly both for the holder and for the victim (because bees die when they sting someone). Chloe kills the Akuma with a Stinger before it can get LB and CN, but she too dies making the ultimate irreversible sacrifice. I will add a link if I find it again.

6. Turtle can create a shield. I don't have much to say on this either. It feels underpowered compared to others in the second tier. Maybe Turtle can also slow down opponents (because turtles aren't the fasters animals out there).

7. Fox creates illusions and acts as their puppeteer. In order to create a balance between other powers, these illusions must hold for as long as the holder needs them to. I propose this mostly because we see that Venom of the Bee lasts very long, the shield of the Turtle lasts either until it's destroyed or the holder wants to remove it, same goes for Akumas and sentimonsters who disappear only when the holder wants them to or their affected object is destroyed.

Let's talk about Zodiac tier. Miraculous of the third tier shouldn't have the second ability like more powerful ones. These powers are the most inconsistent. Even if we haven't seen all of them yet.

8. Mouse can create many small clones of the holder. It is unclear how these clones communicate with each other and how many of them this Miraculous can create. The holder can control the number of clones. This power was very convenient in "Kwamibuster" and it makes sense symbolically for the mouse. What activates the time-limit for children? Marinette didn't have any problems with it when she became Multimouse.

9. Snake can create a 5-minute time loop and has the ability to come back in time. This Miraculous feels a bit overpowered for the Miraculous of the Zodiac Tier. The holder can reset the time as many times as he/she needs to. It's was a good source of drama and trauma in "Desperada". I was honestly surprised that Adrien was capable of fighting after spending months in a loop. But this doesn't change the fact that Snake is overpowered. You can give this Miraculous the power to hypnotise or keep the time ability but place a limit on the number of resets. How does the lyre work as a weapon? Who knows? No one!

10. Dragon can shapeshift into elements: water, wind and lightning. It has the coolest transformation words hands down (Bring the Storm and Open Sky). Apparently this Miraculous doesn't have the time limit.

11. Rabbit can time travel or jump through alternative realities, even writers aren't sure. Time-travel in this show is so badly written it gives me a headache. This Miraculous shouldn't exist just like its powers. Snake belongs to the same tier, but 5 minutes and whole centuries of time jumps aren't comparable in power levels. They are not and this is the hill I will die on. Give the Rabbit powers related to its symbolism in China like an ability to de-age people, heal them or give them a speed boost in contrast with Turtle who might have the ability to slow down.

This Miraculous is so special that its Kwami - Fluff can live separately from his Miraculous in a Miracle Box for millennia (Fluff lives in the Box in "Sandboy", but his Miraculous, pocket watch, was passed down for generations in Alix's family). This is a discussion for a separate post, however. There's a lot to unpack. We'll do that some other time. You will suffer with me but at a later date.

12. Horse can create portals. They could lead anywhere, which is pretty cool. On the other hand, this power is not very useful in direct combat, especially when it's used by a child since we can have only one portal per transformation.

13. Monkey can cause a malfunction in powers of other people. What is the point of this? This power was specifically created by writers to defeat Akuma in "Party Crasher". That's it. What if your target is not magical? How does this Miraculous work in different circumstances?

14. Pig shows people their greatest desire. Both the holder and the recipient of this power can see this desire. Chat Noir wasn't impressed in "Guiltrip" and neither was I. It's underpowered compared to other Miraculous in this tier. Also, why does the tambourine can shoot energy beams? Why?

That's all I have to say on the matter. I'll update the power analysis as needed.

[9902sgirl]

Gays, Girls, Theys and Those, and everyone in between. I have so much to say about this piece. This was so so good, and to keep a long MF story short, READ THIS, RIGHT NOW!!!

Long, detailed deep dive below. Lets begin

Now, those who are interested in my gushing, we have arrived.

Lets start this off, by saying I am 100% behind you on the fact that Hunter cries. He will shed tears, and we will all be the better for it. Right off the bat, haven't even gotten to the content yet, and I am here for it. (also the sent & Breeding Kink??? I'M SAT)

Back to the crying thing. This man, if we are following Fanon Lore, LIVES in sensory overstimulation. That combined with all of these nerves (at this point I would classify this as anxiety) I fully expect there to be an equally releasing emotional reaction.

"That was before the Republic fell, and every Jedi across the galaxy was marked for death. Before the purge and the Empire's reign began. Before you were forced to go into hiding on your own. And he hasn't spoken to you since."

That alone, would make me want to disappear into nothingness with how worried I would be about my partner. LIKE??? Lets really break all of the time down, you say right after that, that its been months. This would be the #1 thing on my mind at all times, and I do not blame Hunter for being as nervous as he was.

"He's scared you'll look at him differently, scared you won't look at him at all."

Oh my precious, foolish man. The only thing that she wants in this life is to see you, to know you are okay, and have you by her side. She has lost so much already, she refuses to lose you as well.

"Hunter hasn’t been startled like that in ages, not since he was a cadet, but here he is, nearly falling out of his seat at the sudden contact."

I. Want. Cadet. Stories. For like all of our Copy & Paste men. We deserve more because of how tragic this whole subset of Star Wars truly is. I fear I am far too attached to them all, and I don't believe I will ever get over it.

"He should have known Wrecker would notice something was wrong, even if the others hadn't. He'd always been perceptive, despite what people thought of him"

THANK YOU!!!! Wrecker Bad Batch does not get enough credit, and I will always be looking for tidbits of things like this. I am so tired of the 'He's just a big Himbo, with no thoughts' thing and I am so so so glad that he is finally getting the (correct) attention that he deserves.

"You had been rendered speechless after he'd told you about his feelings for you, your face flushed red, mouth hanging open in surprise, and he hadn't been able to keep from grinning at your reaction. You couldn’t form a single sentence until after you'd kissed him, and by then, it was his turn to be caught off guard."

Yeah me fuckin to MC, I would not be able to keep my shit together. Like at all. Even a little bit.

Like I would be these two, at the same time.

"He doesn't realize he's crying until he hears you whisper his name, but then you're laughing, soft and beautiful, and all he can do is hold you tighter, your scent enveloping him as he breathes you in."

I would simply cease to exist in this scenario, I've decided. Just reading this reunion and picturing it, that is enough, cut the show.

Also, rereading this part, this story is so Work Song by Hozier Coded. He would move all of the stars in the galaxy to come back to her. Nothing would have stopped him from this moment.

Like, excuse the boneage (lol) but these exact lyrics, this is the vibe. I am truly living my best life right now. Just the *right* amount of pain.

THESE FOOLS IN LOVE (also shameless song plug) HAVEN'T BEEN CAUGHT IN YEARS???? And Hunter thought she was gonna get over him as if he was a fling??? They all need therapy. Asap. I'm so sorry Mr. Hunter Bad Batch, that you cannot see your own self-worth.

"He knows you wouldn't care about the dangers, though. You'd risk everything for a chance at a normal life, a family"

The fact that he was right about this is so so delicious. I remember reading that part earlier and barely resisting the urge to bite something because of how damn sweet that is.

"Not that he wasn't always talking about her," Echo teases."

The sibling dog-pile here is some well deserved payback for what he had been hiding from them for so long lmao I love that so much. 10/10 sibling energy here.

"He leans forward, pressing his forehead to yours, and the contact makes you sigh. "I'm gonna take care of you," he says softly, bringing a hand up to cup your cheek."

The words in literature that resonate with us the most are often words that we need to hear. That we long to hear said to us. This made me feel something, and that being said, your work usually makes me feel something. Thank you for what you do Roy.

"He's willing to wait, no matter how badly he wants you."

A king of consent, we love to see it in all forms. I love that, this is so in character for him. He could be (and is at this point, lets be real) the most desperate man in the galaxy for her attention, but that doesn't matter at this moment. She matters more to him than anything he could want/need.

"Good." He kisses you again, deep and slow, and his hands drift lower. "I've got a lot of time to make up for."

I WOULD HAVE HIM ON THAT LITTLE DOCK ON THE LAKE SO FAST. if in that reality, there was no potential for an audience. Like, feral, freak nasty, down bad. All day, all night. or however that TikTok sound goes.

"Maybe, this was where you were supposed to end up all along."

If my heart warms up any more, I am pretty sure I will need paramedics. FOUND FAMILY IS MY FAVORITE TROPE THAT HAS EVER EXISTED.

"Good," Wrecker grins. He nudges him with his elbow, giving him a wink. "She's good for you, Sarge. And we're not gonna let anyone take that away from you. No matter what happens."

Oh, Wrecker, my protective, sweet, smart man. You will always be the one for me. This actually made my heart flutter. Your Honor, I love him.

“Omega, would you like to help me dismantle this ship? It will give you a chance to learn more about the components of different models."

Tech, ever the wingman. He is getting Omega out of that house for at LEAST the next couple hours. They need this so badly.

"He doesn't want to stop. He wants to keep going, wants to drag his mouth across every inch of you until there's no part untouched, until the taste of you is burned into his memory for good."

OKAY...I DO NOT SEE A PROBLEM HERE. DO IT?? NOW??

I have never, and will never be "okay" in times such as these.

Moving on!!

"You're here, and he's here, and nothing is going to take him away from you. Not again."

Further evidence for my Hozier claim.

"There's no more hiding, no more sneaking around, no more worrying about being seen standing too close together or his hands lingering too long. It's freeing, not having to hide how he feels, not having to pretend like his feelings don't exist."

For real, a weight that has been taken completely off of him. This being lifted off of him, and after all of the sex, he is going to get the best sleep he has gotten since coming out the decanter.

"It doesn't matter, anyway. Nothing does, except the two of you."

(Kronk voice) Oh yeah, its all coming together.

I am here for the simp, freaky, feral sex that is about to happen. I am so invested in this.

"In a hurry, are we?" "You have no idea," he mutters. He kicks the door to your bedroom open, shutting it behind him with his foot, and strides across the room. "Been wanting this for too damn long."

I am physically prepared. This is going to be amazing, and I can tell just from this one part.

*WARNING* I am going to be expressing the THOTS as well as general commentary. Brainless activity is happening after this. Be Warned and Prepared.

"Your fingers trace the outline of his tattoo"

I want to know what it tastes like, I am being so fucking for real right now.

"Do you ever think about what it could've been like? If we hadn't lost each other? If...things had gone differently, and the war had ended the way it was supposed to?"

this is heartbreaking to think about on its own. Like yes, the fall of the Jedi Order is a tragedy and I, like many others in the fandom, read the AUs of "it never happened!" But for these specific characters, in this setting. I believe this was the best possible outcome. The Republic would have NEVER let the squad go. They are way too multi skilled to ever lose. They would be the best, deadliest tools of the Republic, especially knowing that it would have been up to the Senate to determine what would happen to the Clones. Anyway, made myself upset in my own brain. Moving on!

"I would've married you," he whispers. His voice breaks on the word, and he has to pause, taking a deep breath before continuing. "If I could. I would've married you, and given you everything I had."

Okay, now you and your wordsmithing made me sad. I love this story so much. The "falling over themselves" type of love in this type of world, is my Achilles heel.

"He doesn't say a word. He can't. His brain can't seem to form a coherent thought, not when you're looking at him like that"

Brainless Hunter matches my freak so so well. I am a huge fan.

"Here, let me," you murmur as your fingers work to unclip his armor."

Girl, ME TOO. I will take it all off with my teeth if you give me enough time, so help me.

"Everything," he growls. His mouth moves along your neck, biting and sucking, leaving a trail of bruises in its wake. "Anything you want. I'd do anything for you."

Uh, fucking, uhhh you know, I just, I need some water. I need to breathe. I need to keep reading. My right mind has stopped working. I read that "Everything" in the "Negative.." tone and I am not able to breathe properly.

"I missed touching you, kissing you, being inside you."

Well, if you insist sir, by all means

"What's that, sweetheart?"

Who, me?? I did not say a word. Keep doing what you're doing. Now.

"How do you want me?" "I don't care,"

FELT THAT GIRL, REAL STATEMENT

"He eats you out with enthusiasm"

My man has a scent, and if I can expand, a Flavor kink. This feral thing is the same man that was all heart eyes and anxiety earlier. I am a true supporter of the "Hunter eats pussy like a man who has had no food or water in days" trope and I always will be.

"The fact that it's you, that he's the one who got you here, who made you come undone, is enough to send a wave of pleasure coursing through him."

I also to my core believe that the first time this man ate MC out to completion, he came untouched. This is a number one theory for me for Hunter in general honestly.

PT 1.

“I think you forgot what I am, Hunter."

I love this so much!! There is absolutely no power imbalance here. They were truly made for each other.

"He wonders if this is what they mean when they talk about being lost in someone. Because he is. He's completely and utterly lost. Lost in you. Lost in the warmth of your gaze, the softness of your touch, the scent of your skin, the feeling of your body surrounding him, your heart beating in sync with his own."

This is the true definition of love being shared, being tangible. This is an incredible explanation, truly!

"You're staring at him, concern etched across your features, and he realizes, with a start, that tears are rolling down his cheeks. He hadn't noticed."

HE IS A SIMP AND HE IS MADLY IN LOVE IN A CRUEL WORLD/UNIVERSE. HE HAS HER BACK AND HE IS CRYING! I am completely fine, and normal about this. (I would be crying as well)

"Never forget it." "I won't," you promise. He holds you there, your foreheads pressed together, your noses touching. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply, letting the scent of you wash over him. It calms him, soothes him, and he feels his heart slow, his breathing evening out."

She is his grounding point. This is everything to me. I can't even articulate everything I feel about this, other than the fact that it is everything to me.

"Slow," you order. "Can't," he groans."

FERAL HUNTER MY MAN

PT 2

"He tries to move, to thrust up into you, but a weight presses down on him, holding him in place. He knows without looking that the Force is holding him down, keeping him still, and a thrill runs through him, the realization making him even harder."

*INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE FORCE SMASHES THROUGH THE WALL AND GRABS ME BY THE THROAT*

Hello old friend, haven't thought of you in quite some time. MAKE HIM EAT HIS OWN WORDS

"You wanna feel it, don't you?" he murmurs.

Yes, everywhere. Please for the love of God Hunter.

"There it is," he growls. The weight pressing down on him disappears, and he grabs your waist, flipping you over."

The words are not gonna work for a while after this. I finished reading this today, before I started work this morning, and I was not okay!!! I had to be professional, and talk to real life people!!! I am going to make that mistake again, you can count on that.

"Good." Hunter grins, capturing your mouth in another searing kiss. "Because I'm nowhere near done with you."

I hope not, I am here for it, like I said earlier, all day, all night, freak nasty feral.

"He doesn't remember the last time he slept, and he can't even recall the last time he was able to relax. It feels like forever since he's felt this good, this safe."

Fuckin called it earlier. Best sleep of his life incoming.

"I'm not letting you go again," he mumbles, his forehead pressed against yours. "I don't care what it takes, I'm not letting anyone or anything take you from me."

Excuse me,

Okay, I'm good now.

I am so so so happy with this piece. This was amazing. FERAL SIMP HUNTER SUPREMACY!!!!

Thank you for putting this into our world!

Always

Pairing: Hunter x Jedi!Reader / Hunter x fem!Reader

Words: 16,083

Tags/Warnings: 18+ only! fluff, hurt/comfort, forbidden relationship, a very heartfelt reunion, Hunter is a crier no I won't be accepting any criticism, smut, unprotected sex, oral (f receiving), fingering, nipple play, marking, primal kink, scent kink?, breeding kink

Summary: Months after you went into hiding, Hunter hasn't stopped hoping, waiting for the day when you can finally be together again. Now that it's here, and there's no reason to hide his feelings for you anymore, he can't help but be a little overwhelmed.

A/N: I'm sure no one believes me at this point but I had no intention of writing this much. I was possessed by the spirit of romance, true love, etc. etc. Anyway, please enjoy some very soft, very protective, very affectionate Hunter. Thank you so much to @dindjarins1ut for the prompt!

Previous Work | Next Work | Masterlist

Hunter is nervous.

He tries his best to hide it, keeping to himself while Tech and Echo bicker in the cockpit, but he can't ignore the butterflies in his stomach, nor the clammy hands threatening to soak through his gloves. It's ridiculous. He's faced off against far worse than this. He shouldn't be getting worked up over something so small.

But it isn't really small, not when you think about it. He hasn’t seen you in months. No comms, no messages. Nothing. He knows you’re alive, and even that was a miracle. The last words he said to you were in person, when you were standing right in front of him and he told you he loved you, and he'd kissed you and then left with the promise to come back as soon as he could.

That was before the Republic fell, and every Jedi across the galaxy was marked for death. Before the purge and the Empire's reign began. Before you were forced to go into hiding on your own.

And he hasn't spoken to you since.

You haven't seen each other in months, and Hunter is terrified that the feelings aren't mutual anymore. That you've grown apart during your time away, and what he had thought was love, you now see as nothing more than a fling. He's scared you'll look at him differently, scared you won't look at him at all.

He doesn't know what he'll do if you don’t want him anymore. If he loses the best thing that's ever happened to him.

It's stupid, Hunter knows that, because even if you don't love him the same way you used to, you'll still be friends. He should just be happy you're alive and not worrying about something so trivial as his emotions, but he can't help it. He can't shake the feeling, and it's eating him up inside.

A hand settles on his shoulder, and he jumps.

Hunter hasn’t been startled like that in ages, not since he was a cadet, but here he is, nearly falling out of his seat at the sudden contact. It takes him a moment to get over his shock, his heart pounding, before he looks up to see Wrecker looking down at him with a frown.

"Hey, we're almost there," Wrecker says, his voice uncharacteristically soft, and Hunter swallows the lump in his throat.

"I'm fine," he says, but it comes out rough. He clears his throat, tries again. "I'm fine."

Wrecker’s eyebrows raise, and Hunter realizes a moment too late Wrecker never asked how he was doing. But his brother doesn't call him out on it, only gives him a look, one that Hunter recognizes as his attempt to look serious.

“You sure?”

"Yeah," Hunter replies automatically. He can feel the anxiety creeping into his gut, and he pushes it down, looking away. "Why wouldn’t I be?”

"I dunno," Wrecker shrugs, leaning back against the bulkhead. "You've been real tense all day."

Hunter sighs. He should have known Wrecker would notice something was wrong, even if the others hadn't. He'd always been perceptive, despite what people thought of him, and Hunter’s never been able to get away with hiding his feelings, not even when they were kids.

"I just..." he hesitates, wondering how to explain his feelings without making himself seem pathetic. Wrecker might not care, but Hunter still has his pride. He still has the strong desire to protect you, to keep you secret and safe. He knows Wrecker would never betray his trust, but still, he doesn't want to admit how anxious he's been, or how much the anticipation is killing him.

"It's nothing," Hunter decides. He turns back to look out the viewport through the doors of the cockpit. They’ll be landing in a few minutes, and he doesn't want to miss the moment you step into view. "Just... worried, is all."

"What for?"

"I..."

He can't say it, can't get the words past his lips, but the hand on his shoulder squeezes gently, and the unspoken encouragement makes the admission easier.

"It's been a long time," Hunter says finally, and the rest comes tumbling out of him, unable to be held back anymore, “We haven’t seen her in months, Wrecker. What if she's... I don’t know. Things have changed, is all. For her. For us."

"So?" Wrecker scoffs, and his dismissal of the problem only makes Hunter feel worse. He scowls, glaring up at his brother.

"So," he echoes, trying to sound stern, but he can't even bring himself to look mad, not really. His shoulders slump, the fight leaving him, and he looks away. "It might not be the same anymore."

For a moment, the silence is deafening, but then Wrecker lets out a laugh, loud enough to echo throughout the ship, and Hunter bristles, his eyes darting to the cockpit. Tech and Echo are still arguing about the finer details of landing, but he doesn't doubt they can hear every word they're saying.

"What?" Hunter snaps, glaring at his brother, but Wrecker only laughs harder.

"I'm pretty sure she won't have changed that much," he says, nudging Hunter's shoulder hard enough to make him sway. "I bet she's gonna be so happy to see us, she'll probably forget how to talk. Just like last time."

Hunter huffs, but he can't help the twitch of his lips at the memory of your first meeting, of how nervous you'd been, unable to string two words together without stumbling over your own tongue. You always did tend to trip over your own words when you were flustered. 

You had been rendered speechless after he'd told you about his feelings for you, your face flushed red, mouth hanging open in surprise, and he hadn't been able to keep from grinning at your reaction. You couldn’t form a single sentence until after you'd kissed him, and by then, it was his turn to be caught off guard.

He can remember the look on your face like it was yesterday, and the thought of seeing you again, of seeing your eyes light up as you smile up at him, fills him with a familiar warmth. He wants so badly to believe that your reunion will go well, that things haven't changed and that your relationship is the same, but a part of him, the pessimistic part that's kept him alive all these years, knows that it can't possibly be true. 

And Wrecker has no idea what you mean to him, because Hunter has never told him, has never told any of them. You're his secret, his one solace in the galaxy, the one thing he keeps from his brothers, the only thing he's ever wanted that's completely his.

And you were taken from him.

It hurts just thinking about it, knowing you were alone, afraid, with no one to turn to for help, while Hunter was hundreds of thousands of parsecs away. They'd spent weeks trying to find you after the Empire was established, scouring the holonet and every contact he could find, but it was like you had fallen off the face of the galaxy.

Hunter had never felt so helpless in his life.

So yes, he's a little scared of how this is going to play out. You were taken from him once, and it broke his heart. He's terrified that if you don't want him anymore, he won't survive losing you a second time.

"Yeah," Hunter murmurs, glancing out the window. Your home planet is starting to take shape in the viewport, the blue and green and brown and white all blending together. "You're probably right."

Wrecker chuckles, patting his shoulder.

"You know I am," Wrecker says cheerfully, and then he's walking away, back towards the cockpit to interrupt the debate Tech and Echo are having.

Hunter stares after him, not sure if he should be offended by the comment or not. He chooses not to dwell on it, pushing himself out of his chair to follow his brother. Tech spares them a quick glance, rolling his eyes when he sees Wrecker is already pushing his way into his space.

"Would you mind," he grumbles, elbowing the bigger clone, but Wrecker is unfazed, squeezing into the small space behind Tech's chair.

"Nah," he says, grinning down at him.

"Then could you at least wait until we've landed?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"It would certainly make things less complicated."

"Guys, come on," Echo groans, his head hitting the back of his seat. "We're almost there."

"And what a relief that will be," Tech grumbles, pushing his goggles up his nose, and he looks at Hunter, his brow raised. "What is the matter with you?"

"Nothing," Hunter says, but he's a little too fast to reply, and Tech doesn't buy it. His gaze turns suspicious, but he doesn't push. Instead, he shoves Wrecker's hands away from the controls and starts his descent, taking the ship down in a controlled spiral towards the planet's surface.

Omega drops into the seat beside him and secures her restraints, and Hunter follows suit, though he can't help the nervous energy building in his limbs. He can't keep still, his fingers tapping an unsteady rhythm against his thigh, and when Omega's small hand covers his, he startles.

"Are you excited?" she asks him, and Hunter hesitates for a moment before he nods.

"Yeah, kid," he answers, and it's not a lie. Not really. He is excited, in his own way. "I'm glad we get to see her."

"Me too," Omega smiles as she pulls her hand away, and she turns to watch the clouds disappear as they sink below the atmosphere. "I can't wait to meet her."

"She's gonna love you," Wrecker says, his arms braced on Tech's chair. "You're gonna love her, too. She's real nice."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah," Hunter replies, leaning back in his seat. He can't keep the fondness out of his voice when he speaks, the memory of your laugh echoing in his head. "She's one of a kind."

Tech glances over his shoulder. "It has been some time since we last saw her," he says, and Hunter feels his heart stutter in his chest. He knows Tech doesn't mean anything by it, but he can't help but hear the implication in his words.

It's been a long time, and people change.

"Well," Echo says, turning in his seat to grin at Hunter. "Let's hope she hasn't forgotten all about us."

Hunter swallows the lump in his throat and forces a smile, nodding along with the rest of them, but he can't ignore the pit in his stomach. He wants so desperately to believe they're right, that your reunion will go well and it won't be awkward, that everything will be just like it used to, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't shake the feeling.

"It'll be... nice, to see her again," Tech says. "Even if it has been awhile."

"Aw, you missed her too, huh?" Wrecker grins, clapping a hand on Tech's shoulder, who swats him away irritably.

"She was a competent general, and she is a valuable ally," Tech replies, adjusting his goggles. "I didn't say I missed her. Simply that it will be nice to see her."

"It's okay to admit you like her, you know," Echo teases. "We won't tell anyone."

Tech shoots him a glare, but he doesn't say anything. He's focused on the descent now, the ground growing closer and closer, and when they break through the cloud cover, the land below them comes into focus.

Hunter leans forward in his seat, eyes straining against the sun. You live on a small colony in the southern hemisphere, surrounded by a large forest. It's isolated, and perfect for someone trying to lay low, but it's also a bit difficult to find, and Hunter doesn't spot your house until they're nearly on top of it.

It's small, a cabin tucked neatly among the trees, with a yard and a path that leads to a dock down by the lake. There's a ship parked outside, a tiny thing, and Tech guides the Marauder down beside it.

"There she is!" Wrecker booms, pointing out the viewport. Hunter stands up, ignoring the nausea building in his stomach, and scans the house.

And there you are.

You're sitting on the porch, a datapad in your lap, and you glance up with a hand shielding your eyes. It's impossible to make out your expression, but when the Marauder slows to land, you're already standing and hurrying down the dirt path towards them.

It's been so long since he's seen you, and even though he knows your face, has it memorized and replayed in his head so many times it's burned into his mind, the sight of you is enough to knock the wind out of him. You're smiling, waving up at the ship, and you look so happy that he can't stop himself from mirroring your expression.

You're here.

Hunter has dreamed of this moment for months, the day he gets to see you again, and the reality of it is even better than he'd hoped. He's barely aware of his feet moving, taking him towards the hatch as soon as the ship has touched down.

"Hunter?" Wrecker's voice is far away, barely registering in Hunter's mind as he practically runs towards the exit. "You okay?"

"Fine," he calls over his shoulder, his hand slamming into the button. The door hisses as it slides open, and a rush of warm, fresh air washes over him. The second his feet hit the ground, he's moving, his legs carrying him as fast as he can.

"Hey!" Wrecker shouts, but Hunter doesn't answer. He's halfway down the path, his eyes locked on your figure as you hurry towards him, and when you're close enough to touch, he's pulling you into his arms.

Your hands slide around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair as he crushes you to his chest. He doesn't realize he's crying until he hears you whisper his name, but then you're laughing, soft and beautiful, and all he can do is hold you tighter, your scent enveloping him as he breathes you in. He can't keep himself from pressing his lips to the skin behind your ear, needing to feel the warmth of you, the solidness, the realness of you here, alive, with him.

"Hunter," you whisper, and his name has never sounded so sweet. Your voice, your hands, the sound of your breath as it ghosts across his skin, the way you say his name. All of it is like a balm to his soul, soothing his worry, and for a moment, everything feels right again.

Hunter lifts his head and cups your cheeks in his hands, forcing you to look at him, and you do.

Your eyes are shining, tears brimming along the edges, and when you blink, they spill over. He thumbs them away, smiling so wide his cheeks ache.

"Hi," he whispers. You laugh, a sob escaping with it, and he feels his heart soar at the sound.

"Hi," you say back, and then you're surging forward, capturing his lips with yours.

It's a desperate kiss, the kind that says how much you've missed each other, how afraid you were of never seeing the other again. It's the first kiss you've shared in months, and it's the best damn kiss Hunter's ever had. The world narrows down to just the two of you, and nothing else exists, not the trees or the ship or his family watching from the hatch, their jaws hanging open.

It's just him and you, finally, blissfully, reunited.

He kisses you hard, and you return the pressure, clutching him close. His arms slip around your waist, lifting you off the ground for a moment, and you gasp against his mouth, laughing when he sets you down again.

"Miss me?" you ask, a teasing note to your voice, and Hunter pulls back just enough to meet your eyes.

"Yeah," he replies, and then he's kissing you again, softer this time. Gentler. His lips move against yours, slow and deliberate, and your fingers tighten their grip in his hair. 

He doesn't know how long it's been since he's started kissed you, or how long you've been kissing him, but it doesn't matter. It's not enough, could never be enough. He needs more of you, needs every part of you pressed against him, so close he can feel your heartbeat.

You hum, your hand moving to cup the back of his head, and the kiss deepens. Hunter's hands drift, sliding down the curve of your spine until his palms are pressed flat against the small of your back, and he pulls you closer. Your body molds to his perfectly, and you're warm and soft and so unbelievably real, and he never wants to let you go.

"Uh..."

The sudden intrusion startles him, and he pulls away from the kiss with a jerk, looking over his shoulder. The rest of his squad is staring at him, dumbfounded, and he can't keep the blush from creeping up his neck.

"Uh," he repeats, his face flushing. "Hey."

Wrecker's jaw is hanging open, and so is Tech's. Hunter doesn't think he's ever seen either of his brothers at a loss for words.

"We, uh..." Hunter clears his throat, glancing back at you. Your cheeks are flushed, lips swollen from the kiss, but you're grinning up at him, your eyes dancing. You give him a little nod, a silent permission to tell them the truth, and his heart flutters. "We were going to tell you, but things... got in the way."

Wrecker is the first to recover, his surprise shifting into a massive smile.

"I knew it!" he yells, pumping his fist in the air. "I told ya, didn't I? Didn't I?"

"That you did," Tech replies. His mouth is still open, but he closes it quickly, pushing his goggles up his nose before reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "Well, this is... certainly unexpected."

"That's an understatement," Echo mutters. He glances at Hunter, his brow raised. "So, how long has this been going on?"

"Uh..." Hunter's eyes dart to you, but you only smile at him. He swallows the lump in his throat and takes a deep breath. "It's been a couple years."

"A couple years?"

"Yeah."

"Years," Echo repeats. "Right. Okay."

"You could have told us," Tech says. He's looking at Hunter now, his face impassive, but Hunter can read the hurt in his eyes hidden behind the mask of indifference. "We wouldn't have betrayed your trust."

"I know," Hunter sighs, running a hand over his head. "We just... we wanted to keep it quiet."

"It was my idea," you say, and Hunter's surprised to see you look guilty. Your eyes are fixed on the ground, and he watches the way your bottom lip wobbles before you suck it into your mouth. You look up at him through your lashes, and he offers you a reassuring smile. You return it, but it's hesitant. "The Order's views on attachment were... a little different, to say the least. It would have put both of us at risk if anyone found out. So we kept it secret."

"Well, now you don't have to," Wrecker grins.

"No, I suppose not," you reply, smiling at him, but there's a sadness to your expression that makes Hunter's chest tighten. He can only imagine how difficult the last few months have been for you, what it's like to be in hiding, constantly looking over your shoulder. His arms ache to wrap around you again, to pull you into his chest and hold you close, to protect you from everything and everyone.

But he can't.

The Empire is everywhere, always watching. The war might be over, but the danger isn't gone, not yet. Not for him, and not for you.

"Can I come out now?" a voice voice drifts from the ship, and Hunter looks up, surprised. His eyes land on Omega, her arms crossed over her chest. She looks irritated, a frown pulling at her lips, and he chuckles.

"Yeah, kid," he says, nodding his head towards the ramp. "Come on."

Omega wastes no time in running out of the ship, her irritation forgotten in her excitement. She skids to a stop a few feet away, her eyes wide as she stares at you. You kneel down, a warm smile spreading across your face, and Hunter feels his heart squeeze in his chest.

"Hey," you say softly. "You must be Omega. I've heard a lot about you."

Omega steps forward, holding her hand out for you to shake, and you take it.

"Nice to meet you," she says politely.

"And you," you reply, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. Your eyes are soft as you study her face, a fondness to your expression that Hunter's only seen a few times.

He knows how much you love children. The Order never allowed its members to have families, but that hasn't stopped you from falling in love with kids everywhere you go. He's seen the way your eyes light up when you're around them, how gently you speak to them, like they're the most important people in the galaxy. 

He knows it's just the way you are, but sometimes, he wonders if it's something more. If maybe, someday, you'd want to have kids of your own.

And the thought terrifies him.

Not because he doesn't want a family with you, but because the world is changing, and he's not sure there's any place for it. You're in hiding, and he's a traitor to the Republic. How would it ever work?

He knows you wouldn't care about the dangers, though. You'd risk everything for a chance at a normal life, a family, and while he'd give anything for that too, he doesn't think he can allow himself to get his hopes up.

Not now. Not yet.

He's lost in thought, his gaze drifting to the trees surrounding the house, when a tug on his arm brings him back. You're looking up at him, an eyebrow raised, and when he blinks, you roll your eyes, a fond smile twitching at your lips.

"Sorry," he murmurs. "What did you say?"

"I was asking how long you're staying," you repeat, but he can tell by the look on your face you know what's going on in his head. You're giving him a moment to compose himself, a distraction to keep him from slipping into another spiral.

It's a common occurrence these days.

"Well," Hunter starts, glancing at the rest of his team. "We're kind of... between jobs, right now."

"That's putting it lightly," Echo scoffs.

"So we figured we could use a little vacation," Hunter finishes. He looks back at you. "If you'll have us."

"Of course I will," you smile, and Hunter doesn't miss the way your shoulders relax, the relief in your eyes. "Stay as long as you want."

"We don't want to intrude," Hunter says, his gaze softening. "If you need some space, we understand. We can—"

"Don't be ridiculous," you huff, nudging his shoulder. "I'd love to have you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course," you nod, glancing at the others. "All of you."

"Good," Hunter breathes, unable to keep the sigh of relief from escaping his lips. "I didn't really wanna leave anyway."

"Good," you say, leaning into his side. You rest your head against his shoulder, and Hunter's arm wraps around you almost automatically, pulling you against him. "I've missed you."

"Yeah," Hunter says softly. "Me too."

"Oh, yeah," Wrecker grins. "He hasn't shut up about you."

"Wrecker," Hunter hisses.

"No, really," Tech nods, adjusting his goggles. "Ever since we lost contact, he hasn't stopped talking about you."

"Not that he wasn't always talking about her," Echo teases.

"Hey," Hunter protests, but he can feel his cheeks burning, and he knows the blush is starting to creep up his neck. You're smiling, a knowing glint in your eye as you glance up at him, and Hunter rolls his eyes. "They're exaggerating."

"We are not," Tech says, frowning at him.

"Maybe not," Echo smirks, his gaze settling on you. "But now we know why he's been so weird about seeing you again."

"He's been weird?" you ask. You're trying to hold back a laugh, but Hunter can see the mirth in your eyes.

"He hasn't stopped pacing for days."

"He nearly fell over his own feet trying to get off the ship."

"Oh, yeah, he was nervous all right," Wrecker chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest. "Never seen him like that before. I was startin' to get worried."

"Guys," Hunter grumbles. "Come on."

"Well," you smile, patting his chest. "I'm glad you came. All of you."

"Us too," Omega says. Her face is scrunched up, like she's trying not to laugh. "Hunter was so nervous he forgot how to breathe."

"Alright, that's enough," Hunter huffs. He can feel his ears burning, and he shoots Omega a pointed look. "Everyone, inside."

"Aw, but—"

"Now," Hunter snaps, cutting Wrecker off. He's not mad, not really, but he can't help the embarrassment. "We'll be there in a minute."

Wrecker opens his mouth to protest, but Echo nudges him, nodding his head towards the house. Tech doesn't wait for either of them, heading inside without another word, and Wrecker reluctantly follows after him, grumbling under his breath. Omega casts one last look over her shoulder, waving at you before disappearing inside.

The silence that settles over the two of you is heavy, and Hunter lets out a long breath. He runs a hand over his hair, avoiding your eyes.

"I can't believe they told you that," he mutters, but he can feel your gaze on him, the smile in your eyes, and his irritation fades.

"They're only teasing," you say, resting a hand on his cheek. You brush your thumb over his skin, and he closes his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he replies, opening his eyes to look at you. Your smile is soft, gentle, and he melts under your gaze. "Just a little overwhelmed."

"Me too," you chuckle, dropping your hand. He quickly grabs it, pulling it to his chest, and your expression shifts. "I've been so worried, Hunter. I thought..."

"I know," he whispers. His grip tightens on your hand. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," you whisper back. Your voice wavers, and Hunter tugs on your arm, bringing you closer.

"I'm here now," he murmurs, tilting his head down. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

You nod, but the fear is still shining in your eyes. He knows that feeling all too well, the uncertainty, the constant worry, the doubt. And it's hard to believe him, he knows, when the past few months have been nothing but fear and anxiety. But he's determined to make it better, to do whatever it takes to ease your mind, even if it's just for a little while.

He leans forward, pressing his forehead to yours, and the contact makes you sigh.

"I'm gonna take care of you," he says softly, bringing a hand up to cup your cheek. He strokes the skin with his thumb, his fingers gentle, and his heart stutters in his chest at the way your eyes flutter closed. "You don't have to worry anymore. I'll make sure nothing happens to you, I promise."

"You don't have to—"

"I know," he cuts you off, brushing his nose against yours. "But I'm going to. We're gonna protect you, sweetheart. All of us."

"Thank you," you whisper, opening your eyes. He's startled by the emotion swimming in your gaze, the tears pooling along the edges, and the sight breaks his heart. “But I can’t put you guys in danger. The Empire—”

"The Empire won't do anything," he assures you. "You're safe. We'll keep you safe."

"But what if—"

"Listen," he murmurs, stroking his thumb over your cheek. You suck your lip into your mouth, chewing on the flesh, and he gently pries it from your teeth. "None of that. I won't let anything happen to you. Neither will they. You're part of the team, and we take care of our own. No matter what."

"You don't have to do this, Hunter."

"I know," he says, his voice low. He doesn't want to push, doesn't want to force you to come with them, but he needs you to believe him. Needs you to understand. "But I want to. Please. Let me take care of you. It'll be good for all of us."

You're quiet for a moment, your brow furrowed, but then you let out a soft sigh, your shoulders slumping, and your eyes drop to the ground.

"Okay," you whisper. "Okay."

"Hey," Hunter says. His free hand tilts your chin up, forcing you to look at him. "Trust me, alright? You're safe now."

You nod, but you don't look convinced. He sighs, leaning forward until his lips brush against yours, featherlight, barely there.

"We can talk more later," he murmurs. He's desperate to kiss you again, his whole body aching for it, but he doesn't want to rush you. He's willing to wait, no matter how badly he wants you. "If you're okay with it."

"Yes," you breathe, your hands coming up to clutch at his armor, and you press a soft kiss to his jaw. "I'd like that."

He lets out a shaky breath, fighting the urge to press his hips into yours, but then your hands slide up over his shoulders to tangle in his hair, and he groans. You chuckle, a sweet, breathy sound that has his blood singing, and Hunter's restraint crumbles.

He kisses you, slow and deliberate, and his hands are moving on their own. He lifts you into his arms, and you wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him closer. You're pliant under his touch, letting him guide the kiss, and he licks at your lips, begging for entrance. You give it easily, and his tongue sweeps into your mouth, curling against yours.

His hips press against yours, and your body is hot against him, so soft and perfect. You taste so good, and feel even better, and the sounds you're making, the little whines and gasps, are driving him crazy.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," he murmurs, pulling away from the kiss. He's breathing hard, his pulse thrumming, and he can't keep the smirk off his face. You look beautiful, flushed and breathless, and his desire spikes when your fingers tug at his hair.

"Fine with me," you smile.

"Good." He kisses you again, deep and slow, and his hands drift lower. "I've got a lot of time to make up for."

"Mmm," you hum, your head falling back. Hunter can't resist the urge to kiss your throat, his teeth grazing over the delicate skin, and you shudder. A breathy moan falls from your lips, soft and quiet, but Hunter hears it. He always does.

"Fuck," he growls. "You sound so pretty."

"Hunter," you sigh. His name is the sweetest thing he's ever heard, and he has to fight the urge to take you right then and there.

"We should go inside," he murmurs, brushing his lips over the shell of your ear.

"Mmhmm," you reply. You're nuzzling his neck, your hot breath sending shivers down his spine, and his hold on you tightens.

"Sweetheart," he groans. "I can't think straight when you do that."

"That's the idea."

"Come on," he says. He's reluctant to put you down, but he does, his hands lingering on your waist for a moment.

You look at him, your eyes bright, and your smile makes his chest ache. He wants so badly to stay with you, to pull you into his lap and bury himself in your warmth, to have the freedom to kiss you, touch you, love you, without having to worry about getting caught. He's never been able to do that before, always keeping you a secret, always worried about being found out, but the Order doesn't exist anymore, and now he has the chance.

And he's going to take it.

He's not going to hide his feelings anymore. You deserve more than that.

You reach up and touch his cheek, the gentle gesture enough to calm his racing heart.

"Let's go," you say, your thumb stroking over his skin. "Before they get suspicious."

"I'm pretty sure they're already suspicious," he chuckles, glancing towards the house.

"It's a little obvious, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he admits, his face heating up. "A little."

You laugh, taking his hand in yours. You're leading him towards the door, but he stops, giving you a gentle tug.

"Hey," he murmurs, waiting for you to turn around. You do, a small smile tugging at your lips, and he can't help the way his eyes dart down to your mouth, the memory of your kiss sending a thrill down his spine.

"What?"

"I love you," he whispers. He's not sure why he says it. You know how he feels, you've known it for a long time, but something about it feels different, now. Like it means more than it did before.

Maybe it does.

Your expression softens, the corners of your mouth twitching upwards, and he can see the happiness in your eyes, the fondness. It's a look he's familiar with, one he's seen many times, but the knowledge that he can see it as much as he wants now, without having to hide or sneak around, makes his heart flutter in his chest.

"I love you, too," you whisper, a smile spreading across your face.

"Come here," he says. You're in his arms again before you can say a word, his mouth finding yours, and you're melting into his touch, the kiss deepening, turning desperate. He has to pull away before his brain completely shuts down, and when he does, he rests his forehead against yours, breathing heavily.

"Later," he promises, his voice a rasp.

"Later," you agree.

He lets out a long breath, nodding his head once before stepping back. His hand slides down to rest at the small of your back, and he gives you a gentle nudge, nodding towards the house. You smile, reaching up to straighten his bandana, and Hunter can't help but chuckle at the action.

"Lead the way," you say.

"Always," he grins, and then you're walking up the path, the warmth of the sun enveloping you as you step onto the porch.

The door slides open before Hunter can even reach for the panel, Wrecker's smiling face poking out.

"Oh, good," he says, looking at the two of you. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about us."

"Of course not," you reply.

Wrecker's grin widens, and then he's stepping aside, his arm sweeping towards the inside of the house.

"After you, General."

"Thanks," you smile, nodding your head in appreciation. Hunter follows behind, his hand hovering at the base of your spine. Wrecker doesn't miss the movement, his eyebrows shooting up, but he doesn't say anything. He just watches, a knowing look in his eyes, and Hunter rolls his own.

"Not a word," he warns.

"Wasn't gonna say anything," Wrecker smirks, his gaze flickering to the hand resting on your back. "Not sure I need to."

"Don't start," Hunter sighs. He slows to a stop, crossing his arms over his chest, and you keep walking, a laugh spilling from your lips as you head towards the kitchen.

"Hey," Wrecker raises his hands in surrender, but the grin doesn't fade. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."

Hunter blinks. "Thanks," he says slowly.

"I mean it." Wrecker smiles. He claps a hand on Hunter's shoulder, a silent confirmation of his words, and Hunter returns the gesture. "You two deserve each other."

"Yeah," Hunter says, looking over at you. You're already in the kitchen, Tech at your side, and the two of you are talking rapidly at each other with Omega sitting on the counter between you. Tech's arms are waving wildly, a datapad gripped tightly in his hands, and you're grinning at him, the excitement obvious on your face. Echo is stirring a pot of something, the delicious smell of dinner drifting through the house, and he chimes in every now and then, his smile growing wider each time.

Omega glances up at him, and she gives him a little wave, her grin so wide her cheeks must ache. Hunter smiles back, his heart swelling, and he can't help but think, maybe everything is going to be alright.

You look so at home with his family, like you've always been a part of it, like you've always belonged there. And maybe you have. Maybe, this was where you were supposed to end up all along.

It's funny, how things work out sometimes. How, even after losing so much, even after having nearly everything taken from him, he somehow still managed to find something good.

"I guess we do,” Hunter finally replies, his gaze settling on you. He can't tear his eyes away, can't stop looking at the way the setting sun dances over your face, lighting you up in the most beautiful glow, the way your smile makes his heart beat faster.

Wrecker follows his gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "So, does this mean she agreed to stay with us?"

"Yeah," Hunter sighs, unable to keep the smile off his face. "Yeah, she is."

"Good," Wrecker says. His smile widens. "That's good."

"It's going to be hard, keeping things quiet," Hunter says, glancing at his brother. "We've got a target on our backs, and I'm not sure how much longer we can hide. The Empire will find us eventually, and when they do—"

"It's okay," Wrecker interrupts, holding his hand up. "I know. But it's worth it, right? To keep her safe? And Omega?”

"Yeah," Hunter says without hesitation. "It is."

"Then we'll do whatever we have to," Wrecker replies. He nods towards the kitchen. "They'll understand. ‘Sides, Omega's gotta have a mom at some point. Might as well be her."

Hunter's breath catches, his chest tightening. "Wrecker—"

"You're happy," he continues, ignoring Hunter's protest. "You haven't been happy since... well, not since I can remember. And she makes you happy. And she's good with the kid, too. I can see how much she loves you, and how much you love her. So, what's the problem?"

Hunter stares at him, the surprise clear on his face.

"I, uh... nothing. There's no problem," he stammers, his brow furrowing.

"Good," Wrecker grins. He nudges him with his elbow, giving him a wink. "She's good for you, Sarge. And we're not gonna let anyone take that away from you. No matter what happens."

"Thanks," Hunter replies. He swallows the lump in his throat and blinks back the sudden moisture in his eyes. Wrecker squeezes his shoulder, smiling down at him, and Hunter takes a shaky breath.

"Don't mention it," Wrecker says. "Come on. I‘m starving."

"You're always hungry."

"Well, yeah," he scoffs. "We gotta keep our strength up, right? Especially if we're gonna be fighting off Imperials."

He mimes a punch, his fist slamming into his palm, and Hunter chuckles.

"Yeah, alright," he agrees. "Let's go eat."

The two of them walk into the kitchen, Wrecker immediately making a beeline for the pot Echo is stirring, and Hunter makes his way over to where you're standing with Tech.

He stands beside you, close enough for his arm to brush against yours, but he doesn't touch you. He keeps his hands at his sides, his fingers curling into his palms, but the desire to wrap his arms around you is overwhelming.

He knows you'll let him, but it's only been a few hours, and he's afraid if he touches you again, he won't be able to stop.

Tech is explaining something to you, his hands moving rapidly as he talks, and Hunter watches, his head tilted to the side. He's only half listening to what his brother is saying, but he's content to just watch the two of you interact. You're so invested in the conversation, asking questions, listening intently as Tech answers, and Hunter can't help but smile at the sight.

"So, what do you think?"

Tech's voice startles him out of his thoughts, and he shakes his head, forcing his attention back to the present.

"Uh... sorry," he mutters, glancing at you. "What was that?"

“Tech wants to gut my ship for parts like a bantha carcass," you huff. You're smirking at him, amusement shining in your eyes. "He's trying to convince me to let him take it apart."

"It's not as though we have much use for it," Tech argues. "And besides, it would give me something to do while we're here."

“Aren’t you all supposed to be relaxing?”

“I happen to find tinkering with electronics quite relaxing," Tech replies. "Especially old ones. And it will keep me busy, which means I won’t be pestering you. So really, you would be doing yourself a favor by allowing me to do this.”

Hunter smirks. “He’s got a point.”

“Traitor,” you mutter, nudging his shoulder.

He nudges you back, his grin widening, and you roll your eyes.

"Alright, fine," you sigh.

"Excellent," Tech smiles. He turns his attention back to the datapad in his hands, his eyes darting across the screen. “Omega, would you like to help me dismantle this ship? It will give you a chance to learn more about the components of different models."

"Sure," she nods. She jumps down from the counter, landing with a soft thud. 

Hunter watches the two of them disappear into the living room before looking at you. You're smiling softly, your head tilted to the side, and he can't stop his gaze from wandering, taking in every detail of your face.

"You're staring," you murmur. You look at him out of the corner of your eye, and the hint of a smile tugging at your lips betrays your feigned irritation.

"Can’t help it,” he replies. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against your hip. The simple touch is enough to send a spark shooting through him, a warmth blooming low in his stomach, and his grip tightens, pulling you closer.

"Hunter," you laugh, your eyes widening.

"Hmm?"

"We're not alone."

"We're not?" He arches an eyebrow. "Didn't notice."

"Hunter," you hiss, but there's no bite to your words, just a soft laugh. "Stop it."

"No," he grins, leaning forward to brush his lips over your cheek. You shiver, goosebumps erupting across your skin, and he feels a rush of pride at the reaction.

"You're impossible."

"Only because I can be," he murmurs, pressing another kiss to your cheek. You sigh, your eyelids fluttering shut, and Hunter can't resist the urge to brush his mouth over the soft skin, trailing gentle kisses down your neck. You let out a soft whine, the noise so quiet only he can hear it, and his body reacts instinctively, his hands tightening, his hips shifting closer.

"Hunter," you gasp, your voice low.

"You smell so good," he groans. His nose brushes against your throat, and he inhales deeply, breathing in the sweet scent. It sends a thrill through him, a burst of heat washing over his body, and he nuzzles the skin, his lips ghosting along the edge of your jaw.

He doesn't want to stop. He wants to keep going, wants to drag his mouth across every inch of you until there's no part untouched, until the taste of you is burned into his memory for good. But he's aware of the others in the room, and he forces himself to pull away. He puts some distance between you, enough so that he can breathe, but he can't bring himself to move too far away.

"Tonight," Hunter says, his voice rough. He glances over his shoulder, making sure the others are still distracted, before continuing, "I'm gonna take care of you."

"Mm," you nod. You look dazed, your cheeks flushed, and Hunter feels a surge of satisfaction knowing it's his fault. "You'd better."

"Oh, I will," he smirks. "All night, if you want."

You bite your lip, your eyes sparkling. "Promise?"

"I—"

"Alright, I’m no chef, but I think it’s ready," Echo calls, Wrecker already heading towards the pot with a stack of bowls. He turns around, a spoon in one hand, and Hunter catches a glimpse of a wicked smile. "If you can pry yourselves apart long enough to eat."

"We were just talking," you argue, but your face is red, and Hunter has to bite back a grin.

"Right," Echo laughs, his gaze flickering between you. "Just talking. Got it."

"Echo," Hunter warns.

"I didn't say anything," he replies innocently. He waves his spoon at the two of you, his grin widening. "You can have your little chat after dinner.”

“Enough talking,” Wrecker groans, snatching the spoon from Echo’s hand and shoving him out of the way. "Food first."

"We'll finish this later," Hunter whispers, and you nod.

"I'll hold you to that," you whisper, brushing a kiss against his cheek before you pull away, stepping towards the counter. You glance over your shoulder at him, a sly smile curling your lips, and Hunter has to force himself not to follow after you. He waits until you're busy helping Wrecker dish out the food before moving, and even then, he makes sure to keep his distance.

It's difficult.

The need to be near you is overwhelming, and he can't stand the thought of leaving you for even a moment. But he doesn't want to crowd you, either, and he has to remind himself that you're not going anywhere.

You're here, and he's here, and nothing is going to take him away from you. Not again.

The thought settles over him, calming the ache in his chest, and he finally allows himself to relax, falling into an easy rhythm with the others as the six of you gather around the table. He takes a seat next to you, his leg pressed against yours, and his arm is draped over the back of your chair, his fingers tracing idle patterns on your skin. You lean into his side, your body fitting against his like it was made to, and the warmth of you is enough to ease the last bit of tension that's been lingering beneath the surface.

The rest of the night passes in a blur. Hunter loses track of how many times his hand drifts to your side, or his fingers slip into your own, or his lips press against your temple. Every time he does it, he expects a reaction from you, a protest or an admonishment or a roll of the eyes, but each time, you simply smile, your eyes crinkling at the corners, and he finds himself doing it again, unable to stop himself.

It’s easy, familiar, like this is how it was always meant to be, and the fact that he can finally hold you without fear of getting caught is a relief that's impossible to put to words. There's no more hiding, no more sneaking around, no more worrying about being seen standing too close together or his hands lingering too long. It's freeing, not having to hide how he feels, not having to pretend like his feelings don't exist.

It's the most natural thing in the world.

And he's going to enjoy every second of it.

Eventually, the meal ends, the food vanishing into Wrecker's stomach, and Hunter helps you clean up while the others disappear outside. The setting sun guides them toward your ship with Tech in the lead, and Hunter watches them go, his eyes lingering on the door for a moment before returning to you. You're scrubbing at a pot, your brow furrowed in concentration, and he can't help the fond smile that spreads across his face. He leans against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest, content to watch you work.

"You're staring again," you mumble, not bothering to look at him.

"How did you know?"

"I can feel it," you chuckle. You set the pot aside and dry your hands before hanging up the towel. "I always know."

"It's not my fault," he says, pushing off the counter. Hunter closes the distance between the two of you, his hands resting on your hips. "You're hard to resist. And I can't keep my eyes off you."

"You're such a flatterer."

"It's not flattery if it's true."

You shake your head, a smile spreading across your face.

"What?"

"Nothing," you laugh. "Just... the way you're acting. It's kind of cute."

"Cute?" He frowns, his nose wrinkling. "I don't know about that."

"It is." Your arms snake around his neck, your fingers tangling in his hair, and you tilt your head to the side. "I'm used to the serious, stoic Hunter. I like this one, too."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mmhmm," you hum. Your lips press against his jaw, a soft kiss that has his eyes fluttering shut, and his hands slide down to grip your thighs. He lifts you onto the counter, and your legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer.

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh," you nod, and you kiss him again. This time, it's lower, right where his pulse is jumping under his skin, and he groans, his eyes falling shut.

"I didn't know you liked him so much," he manages to say, his breath hitching.

"I love him," you murmur. "As much as the other one."

"Well," he chuckles. He pulls away just enough to look at you, his hands cradling your face. "I think I can live with that."

You lean forward, and he meets you halfway, his mouth finding yours.

It starts off slow, a lazy kiss, his hands moving from your face to tangle in your hair. But then your lips part, and the soft sound you make is enough to light a fire in his veins, and he's kissing you with everything he has, pouring all his emotion into it. You return it eagerly, matching him stroke for stroke, and when his tongue brushes against yours, the groan he lets out is so loud he can't even hear the others yelling outside.

It doesn't matter, anyway. Nothing does, except the two of you.

"Bedroom," you gasp, breaking the kiss. "Now."

"Yeah," he pants. He grabs your thighs, pulling you off the counter, and you wrap your legs around his waist, his arms hooking under your knees.

He doesn't say anything else. He can't. He just kisses you, his tongue sliding past your parted lips, and your nails dig into his shoulders, a desperate moan spilling from your throat.

He carries you through the house, navigating the halls blindly, too focused on kissing you to care where he's going. He nearly trips over a chair, but he manages to keep his balance, and you laugh, the sound vibrating against his mouth. He breaks the kiss long enough to shoot you a playful glare, and you beam back.

"In a hurry, are we?"

"You have no idea," he mutters. He kicks the door to your bedroom open, shutting it behind him with his foot, and strides across the room. "Been wanting this for too damn long."

"Mm," you sigh. You're kissing his neck now, your tongue lapping at his skin, and his pace quickens. He feels the softness of the mattress hit the back of his legs, and he sits, his hands shifting to cup your thighs.

"Missed you," he rasps as you settle into his lap. You're straddling him now, and the heat of you against him is driving him crazy. "Missed you so much."

"Missed you too," you whisper, and your hands are cupping his face, pulling him towards you. Your fingers trace the outline of his tattoo, your touch gentle, almost reverent. He closes his eyes, savoring the feeling, and his breath hitches as you brush your lips over his temple.

"I can't believe this is real," he admits, his voice low. "I keep thinking it's some kind of dream, that I'm gonna wake up and find myself back on the ship."

"It's not a dream," you promise. You press a kiss to his forehead, his cheek, his nose, and then, finally, his mouth. It's soft, chaste, but no less intense, and Hunter sighs, his hands sliding up to curl around your waist.

"You're really here," he whispers. "I didn't think..."

"I'm not going anywhere," you assure him, and the conviction in your voice makes his heart ache. Your forehead is resting against his, your lips barely an inch apart, and he can feel your breath ghosting across his skin. "I love you."

"I'm sorry," he breathes. "For not coming to you sooner. For not—"

"Hunter, stop," you cut him off, your fingers pressing against his mouth. He quiets instantly, his gaze locked with yours. "It's not your fault. There was nothing you could've done."

"I could've tried harder," he protests. "Could've tried to find you."

"You couldn't," you sigh, shaking your head. "You know that. I didn't want to be found. I'm not even supposed to be here. If anyone finds me, I'm as good as dead."

"I won't let that happen."

"I know," you smile. Your thumbs rub gentle circles against his cheeks, and you press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "And I love you for it. But we can't change the past. We just have to make the most of the time we have now."

"Right," he nods. He swallows the lump in his throat, trying to push away the guilt, the anger, the regret. "I just..."

"What?"

He lets out a long breath, his shoulders slumping. "Do you ever think about what it could've been like? If we hadn't lost each other? If...things had gone differently, and the war had ended the way it was supposed to?"

"Yeah," you admit, and you give him a sad smile, the corners of your mouth twitching upwards. "Sometimes."

"Me too," Hunter whispers. He pulls you closer, burying his face in your neck. You hold him there, your arms wrapping around him, and his hands drift up to clutch at the back of your shirt. He inhales deeply, taking in the scent of you, letting it fill him up, ground him.

"Sometimes I wonder," you murmur, your voice low, "what would've happened if we'd met in a different life. If we were just people, with no obligations or duties, no expectations or responsibilities. No wars, no battles, no death. Just us."

"A life together," he mumbles, the words muffled against your skin.

"Yeah," you say, and you sigh, a wistful sound that sends a pang through his chest. "A life together."

"We'd have a place like this," he says. He glances up at you, his chin resting on your chest. "A home."

You hum in agreement, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "We would."

"We'd be happy," he continues. He smiles at you, a small, sad thing, and your fingers trace the curve of his lips. "We'd have a family. Maybe even kids. And we wouldn't have to hide."

"We wouldn't," you agree, a tear slipping down your cheek. He reaches up, catching it before it can fall, and brushes his thumb over your cheekbone, wiping away the dampness.

"I would've married you," he whispers. His voice breaks on the word, and he has to pause, taking a deep breath before continuing. "If I could. I would've married you, and given you everything I had."

"Hunter," you whisper, your voice breaking.

"I'm sorry," he sighs. "I just—"

"No, no," you cut him off with a shake of your head. You kiss him again, and he melts into it, the feel of your lips against his enough to soothe the ache in his chest.

"We could still have it," he breathes, his mouth moving over your jaw, the skin so soft and warm and inviting. "We could."

"I know," you reply, and you tilt your head back, allowing him access to your neck. He nips at the sensitive skin, and you shudder, a whimper falling from your lips.

"Do you want it?" he asks, his voice low. He's not sure why he does, not sure what he wants the answer to be, but the question falls from his mouth without thought.

"More than anything," you admit, and Hunter feels his heart skip a beat.

"Then we'll make it happen," he promises. "If you'll have me."

"I already do," you whisper, and then you're kissing him again, harder this time, with more desperation, like you need to prove how much you mean it.

His hands wander, mapping out every curve, every contour, every inch of your body, and your own exploration isn't far behind, the two of you touching and caressing and stroking in a way that leaves him panting, his heart racing.

"Please," you whimper, and the sound goes straight to his cock.

"Anything," he rasps. "Whatever you want."

"I just want you."

"You have me," he breathes. "You'll always have me."

You're kissing him again, the desperation in your touch increasing with every second that passes. He feels like his entire body is on fire, like the slightest touch could set him off, and he groans into your mouth, his tongue darting out to trace the seam of your lips.

He knows what you want, and he gives it to you without hesitation, his mouth opening wide as he dips his tongue inside, his fingers digging into your hips. You gasp, and he swallows the noise, his hands gripping the fabric of your shirt.

He pulls it up and over your head, breaking the kiss for only a moment, and he takes the opportunity to drink in the sight of you, his gaze sweeping over every inch of exposed skin.

You're so beautiful, it almost hurts to look at you.

You stare back, your chest heaving, your eyes dark with lust. You're biting your lip, and his own mouth falls open, his eyes widening.

He doesn't say a word. He can't. His brain can't seem to form a coherent thought, not when you're looking at him like that, and he swallows, his eyes darting to the swell of your breasts. You're wearing a bra, but it's not much, a scrap of lace and silk that leaves nothing to the imagination. He can see the outline of your nipples, the stiff peaks pressing against the fabric, and he can't help but reach up and run his thumb over one, the contact making him shiver.

"Hunter," you whimper, your eyelids fluttering shut. He repeats the action, watching in fascination as your chest rises and falls, and he does it again, the soft whine that falls from your lips spurring him on.

"Look at you," he murmurs, his hand cupping your breast. "So perfect."

He leans down, his mouth closing over the soft mound, and he sucks gently, his tongue lapping at the hard nub through the fabric. Your back arches, a broken moan escaping your lips, and Hunter feels a rush of heat shoot through him, his cock straining against the confines of his pants.

"Fuck," he curses, his breath hot against your skin, his hands moving to undo his belt. It's a struggle, his fingers shaking, but he manages, tugging it free and tossing it to the side. As soon as it hits the ground, you're pushing his hands away, taking over, and he grins, letting you take the lead.

"Here, let me," you murmur as your fingers work to unclip his armor. He nods, sitting back on his hands and admiring the view as you remove each piece, dropping them to the floor. The way your brow furrows in concentration, the softness of your skin, the swell of your breasts as they rise and fall with every breath, the warmth of your hands, the gentleness of your touch, all of it sends another wave of heat crashing through him.

It's breathtaking, the sight of you, and Hunter can't help the pride that swells in his chest. It’s not the first time he’s felt it, the rush of joy that comes with seeing the woman he loves, but it still catches him off guard.

He wonders, briefly, if he'll ever get used to the feeling. If he ever stops being amazed by how incredible you are, how lucky he is to have found you.

"What are you thinking about?"

You're kneeling in front of him now, your hands resting on his knees, and the question startles him out of his thoughts.

"Nothing," he says, and you tilt your head to the side, giving him a knowing look. He chuckles, reaching out to cup your cheek, his thumb stroking along your jaw. "Just admiring the view."

"Oh, really?"

"Really," he replies, his gaze dropping to the exposed flesh of your chest. He can't stop himself from leaning forward, his fingers skimming along the lace, before brushing over the delicate skin of your cleavage.

"Hunter," you whimper, arching into him.

"Beautiful," he says. His eyes meet yours, a wicked grin pulling at his lips. "I can't wait to get my mouth on you."

You blush, the heat creeping up your neck, and Hunter chuckles, pulling you towards him. He wraps his arms around you, burying his face in your chest.

“But first,” he murmurs against your chest. His lips brush over your sternum, his nose skimming the tops of your breasts, and his hands find the waistband of your pants, tugging the fabric down. “I want to see all of you.”

You moan, letting him pull the material down your thighs, your eyes slipping shut as his hands glide along your legs. You step out of the clothing, them aside, and he takes the opportunity to remove his pants and shirt, tossing them into the growing pile of clothes.

You stand between his legs, staring down at him in nothing but your bra and panties, and Hunter has to take a deep breath. The sight of you is almost too much, the need coiling in his belly threatening to overwhelm him, but he manages to rein himself in.

"Gorgeous," he whispers. His hands are on your thighs, his thumbs rubbing slow circles into the sensitive flesh. "Come here."

He pulls you into his lap, guiding you to straddle his hips, and you go willingly, settling yourself onto his thighs. He presses a kiss to the hollow of your throat, his teeth grazing the skin, and you sigh, tilting your head to the side, granting him access.

"You smell so good," he murmurs. His nose traces the column of your neck, breathing in the sweet scent. It sends a thrill through him, a wave of desire surging forward, and his hips jerk involuntarily, grinding against yours. His cock is straining against the fabric of his underwear, aching for release, and he can't stop himself from groaning.

"Fuck," he rasps, his teeth scraping against your collarbone as you shift. You're moving against him, a slow roll of your hips, and Hunter can feel his restraint slipping.

"Hunter," you sigh. His mouth moves down, his lips trailing over the swell of your breast, his tongue darting out to lap at the lace covering your nipple.

"You're driving me crazy, sweetheart," he breathes, his breath hot against your skin. "The things I wanna do to you."

"What do you want to do to me?"

He can't stop the groan that escapes him. He grabs your hips, his fingers digging into the flesh, and tugs you down, grinding his clothed erection against you.

"Everything," he growls. His mouth moves along your neck, biting and sucking, leaving a trail of bruises in its wake. "Anything you want. I'd do anything for you."

"Anything?"

"Mmhm," he murmurs, nuzzling your chest. He can't stop himself from licking and sucking, the taste of your skin intoxicating. His hands are roaming up and down your sides, squeezing and caressing, and you arch into him, your body reacting to his touch.

He slides a hand down your spine, his fingers finding the clasp of your bra. He makes quick work of it, unhooking the latch and pulling the straps down your arms. You sit back, letting the fabric fall away, and he can't help but stare, his mouth hanging open.

Your nipples are hard, pebbled and straining, and he can't resist the urge to flick his tongue across one, teasing the stiff peak. You let out a whimper, your fingers tangling in his hair, and he grins, swirling his tongue around the sensitive bud.

"Oh," you gasp. Your eyes are closed, your head tipped back, and Hunter smiles against your skin. He continues his assault, licking and sucking, his teeth grazing over the stiff nub.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" he purrs. You nod, a soft moan falling from your lips. He switches to the other nipple, giving it the same attention, and you squirm in his lap, your hips rocking against his.

"Force, yes," you pant, tugging at his hair. "I missed this. Missed you."

"Me too, sweetheart," he murmurs. His hands move to cup your breasts, squeezing and kneading, and you let out a shaky breath, rolling your hips against his. "I missed touching you, kissing you, being inside you."

"Yes," you whimper. His fingers are plucking at your nipples, pinching and tugging, and you grind down on his lap, desperate for friction. "Please, Hunter."

"Don't worry," he promises. He kisses his way up your chest, along the curve of your neck, and nips at your earlobe. "I'm gonna take care of you."

"Good," you huff, wrapping your arms around his neck. "I've waited long enough."

"Too long," he agrees. He lifts his head, his gaze meeting yours. "But we've got all the time in the world."

You smile at him, cupping his face. For a moment, the two of you simply stare at each other, neither saying a word. He can see the desire in your eyes, the need shining bright, but there's something else, something deeper, and his heart swells, his chest filling with warmth.

Then, without warning, Hunter flips you over, pressing you down into the mattress. He hovers above you, his weight resting on his forearms, and he smirks when you let out a surprised squeal.

"Hunter!"

"Hmm?" he hums, dipping his head to kiss the underside of your jaw. You arch into him, a soft moan escaping you.

"What are you—mm, that feels good," you sigh, tipping your head to the side.

"What's that, sweetheart?"

"Nothing," you murmur. Your arms are draped over his shoulders, your fingers threading through his hair. He presses a kiss to your throat, his teeth scraping over the sensitive skin, and you groan. “Keep going.”

Hunter chuckles, his hands sliding up your thighs. He reaches your hips, his fingers hooking under the waistband of your underwear.

"Lift your hips for me," he says, his breath ghosting across your ear. You obey, lifting yourself up off the mattress, and Hunter pulls the fabric down your legs. He tosses it over his shoulder, not bothering to see where it lands, before turning his attention back to you.

"Perfect," he breathes.

You're spread out in front of him, completely naked, your cheeks flushed, chest heaving, and he's mesmerized. It's not the first time he's seen you like this, but it's been too long, and his memory can't compare to the real thing.

He traces a finger along your inner thigh as he settles between your legs, his hand gliding over the soft flesh, and he watches as goosebumps erupt across your skin. You're trembling, the anticipation clear in your eyes, and Hunter grins, enjoying the effect he has on you.

"Tell me what you want," he says, his fingers ghosting along your slit. He's not surprised to find you wet, the scent of your arousal thick in the air, and he inhales deeply, relishing the familiar aroma.

"I want you," you whimper, your hips bucking upwards. He places a hand on your stomach, holding you down.

"How do you want me?"

"I don't care," you pant, reaching for him. Your fingers wrap around his wrist, your nails digging into the skin, and he bites back a groan. "I just need you. Please."

"Soon," he promises. He kisses your thigh, his lips trailing over the smooth flesh. "Let me take care of you first."

"You don't have to," you insist.

"Oh, I want to," he murmurs, his mouth inches from your center. "So badly."

"Oh," you moan, your back arching as his breath ghosts over your sensitive skin. You're trembling beneath him, and Hunter can't help but smile. It's intoxicating, knowing how badly you want him, and he can't stop the pride that swells in his chest.

His tongue flicks out, teasingly brushing against your folds, and you let out a breathy sigh, your body tensing.

"Stop teasing,” you plead.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he says, though he can’t find it in him to sound apologetic. His fingers part your folds, and his tongue slides through your slick heat, circling your entrance before dragging up to flick over your clit.

"Ah, fuck," you moan as your eyes roll back. Your hands are clutching the sheets, and he grins, swirling his tongue around the bundle of nerves. You gasp, your hips jerking, and he grabs them, holding you in place as he begins to lick and suck.

He wastes no time, his tongue and lips reacquainting themselves with your folds, and the taste of you is enough to make him dizzy. It's sweet and salty, familiar and unfamiliar, and Hunter can't get enough. He buries his face in your cunt, his nose rubbing against your clit as his tongue probes your entrance.

"Oh, Hunter, yes," you pant, your hand shooting down to tangle in his hair. He grins against you at the praise, his tongue plunging inside, and you let out a strangled moan.

He eats you out with enthusiasm, his tongue exploring every inch of your pussy. He's not sure how long he spends there, his face buried between your thighs, his mouth sucking and licking at your cunt. It could be hours, or mere minutes, but he doesn't care. It's perfect, the feeling of you underneath him, the way your body writhes, the noises falling from your lips.

He fucks you with his tongue, his grip on your thighs tightening, and your back arches, a desperate whine escaping you.

"Fuck, yes, Hunter," you cry out, your legs wrapping around his head, locking him in place. He moans, his tongue plunging deeper, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. He can't stop himself, his movements becoming frantic, desperate.

He needs more, craves it. Wants to feel you come apart, to know that it's his name on your lips. That it's his touch making you lose your careful composure.

"That's it," he groans, his breath hot against your pussy. "Come on my face, sweetheart."

He's not sure if it's the words or the way he thrusts his tongue inside, curling and stroking, but something sends you over the edge, and he's rewarded with a choked cry and a gush of slick heat as you clamp down around him.

Your toes curl, your back arching off the bed, and Hunter has to hold you down, his grip tightening as his mouth continues its relentless assault. Your walls pulse around him, clenching and releasing, and he lets out a growl, his tongue pushing deeper.

"Kriff," you moan, your hands clutching at his hair, pulling and tugging. He lets out a muffled groan, his eyes slipping shut, and he savors the feeling, the taste, the smell.

The fact that it's you, that he's the one who got you here, who made you come undone, is enough to send a wave of pleasure coursing through him. It's addicting, the feeling of having you like this, and he can't help the surge of satisfaction that comes with the knowledge that no one else has ever seen you this way. And if he has his way, no one ever will.

"Force, I missed that," he says once you finally relax, your legs falling from his shoulders. He licks his lips, grinning, and wipes his chin with the back of his hand.

"Me too," you breathe, propping yourself up on your elbows. "That was incredible."

"Yeah?" he asks, crawling up your body. He plants a kiss on your sternum, moving higher until his mouth finds yours. You return his messy kiss eagerly, moaning when you taste yourself on his tongue, and he chuckles, cupping your cheek.

"Mmhm," you sigh.

"Good," he murmurs, kissing you again. His tongue probes your mouth, searching for every last drop of sweetness. You cling to him, your nails digging into his shoulders, and he grunts, his cock twitching at the feeling.

"Need you," you whisper, breaking the kiss. Your hands slip down, coming to rest on his ass. You give him a squeeze, a playful grin on your lips, and Hunter can't stop the smirk that pulls at his mouth.

"Patience, sweetheart," he says. "We've got all the time in the galaxy."

"No," you shake your head, hooking your leg around his waist. You pull him closer, the hard line of his clothed cock rubbing against your clit, and you moan, grinding against him. "I need you now."

"Kriff," he groans, his head falling forward. The heat is radiating off of you, and he can't stop himself from pushing against you, seeking relief. "Yeah, alright. But I wanna take my time with you."

"We can take our time later," you promise. You tug at his underwear, pulling the fabric down his thighs, and he kicks them off, sighing in relief as his cock springs free. A pleased noise escapes you at the sight of him, hard and straining, and your other leg wraps around him, urging him on.

"Sweetheart," he breathes, his hips rolling. His cock is trapped between the two of you, sliding through your slick folds, and the sensation is almost too much.

"Please," you beg, tilting your hips upwards. You're soaking wet, the head of his cock sliding through the mess, and it's all he can do not to sink inside you.

"Fuck," he hisses. His grip on your waist tightens, and he presses a kiss to your neck, his lips tracing a path along the curve. You moan, arching into him, and he takes the opportunity to capture your lips in another messy kiss. He can feel the desire pouring off you, the need coursing through your veins, and it's overwhelming. He doesn’t even notice your legs tightening around him, not until you flip him over, and suddenly you're on top of him, straddling his lap.

"Shit," he gasps, his eyes wide. "That was—"

"Fast?" you finish. He nods, swallowing hard, and you laugh, the sound sending a shiver down his spine. “I think you forgot what I am, Hunter."

"Never," he whispers, his hands roaming up and down your thighs. He takes in the view, his eyes trailing over the length of your body, from the flush on your cheeks to the way your breasts sway with every breath, to the glistening wetness coating your thighs and the base of his cock. "You're incredible."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm," he hums. His gaze drifts up, meeting yours, and he smiles, the sight of you making his heart swell. "You're perfect."

"I love you," you say, and Hunter can't help the warmth that spreads through him at the words. He's heard them a hundred times before, but each time, it still feels new. Like the first time.

"I love you, too," he replies. His fingers brush over your clit, gathering the wetness, and he slides his hand down, taking himself in his fist. "Ready?"

"Yes," you breathe.

You rise up onto your knees, placing a hand on his chest for balance, and Hunter guides himself to your entrance. His cock slides between your folds, the tip nudging at your entrance, and you both moan, the sound mixing together.

Hunter has to fight to keep his eyes open, to keep his hands steady. He wants to watch as you sink down on his cock, to see the pleasure wash over you as he fills you. He knows what it feels like, to be buried inside you, and it's always been intoxicating, but now? After everything that's happened, after the fear and the pain and the longing, to have you back in his arms?

It's beyond words. Beyond comprehension.

He doesn't deserve it. Doesn't deserve you.

But he'll never stop trying.

You let out a gasp as he pushes inside, his cock stretching and filling you, and Hunter has to grit his teeth, his hands tightening on your hips. The heat is incredible, the feeling of being buried deep inside, and he groans, the sound coming from deep within his chest.

"Fucking hell, sweetheart," he grunts. His eyes are locked on where the two of you are joined, watching as you slowly slide down the length of his cock. "You're so tight."

"It's been a while," you say, your breath coming in short pants. Your brow is furrowed, your teeth biting into your bottom lip, and Hunter has to bite back a groan.

"I know," he breathes. His hands caress your sides, his fingers skimming over the soft skin, and he feels your body relax. You're fully seated on his cock now, and Hunter can feel the way your cunt flutters around him, squeezing him tight. You tremble, and he reaches up, cupping your face.

"You alright?" he asks, stroking his thumb over your cheek. You nod, the corners of your mouth curling upwards.

"It's been a long time. Need a minute."

"Take all the time you need," he says.

"Thank you," you smile, turning your head to press a kiss to his palm.

You sit there, staring into his eyes, the two of you just existing. He doesn't mind it. Doesn't care about anything other than the feeling of being inside you. He can't believe he forgot what this was like, how perfect it is, how much he loves it. How much he loves you.

The urge to keep you here, to never let you go, to keep you safe and warm and loved and happy is overwhelming, and he can't help but reach out, his fingers tracing the curve of your jaw. He wonders if this is what it feels like to drown. If this is how people describe being swept away, pulled under the waves by the current, never to surface again.

He wonders if this is what they mean when they talk about being lost in someone.

Because he is. He's completely and utterly lost. Lost in you. Lost in the warmth of your gaze, the softness of your touch, the scent of your skin, the feeling of your body surrounding him, your heart beating in sync with his own.

He knows, in this moment, that he's not just in love with you. That he's not just madly infatuated with the woman in his arms. He's lost, and there's no coming back. He's yours. And he knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that you belong to him. That the two of you are bound together. That there's no one else for him. No one else he wants. Just you.

It's not the first time he's felt it, this overwhelming sense of love. But it's the first time it's hit him so hard. Maybe because it's the first time it's been this intense, this all-consuming. Maybe because it's the first time he's actually understood what it means. What it truly means.

Maybe because it's the first time he's truly believed it.

"Hunter?"

You're staring at him, concern etched across your features, and he realizes, with a start, that tears are rolling down his cheeks. He hadn't noticed.

"Sorry," he mutters, hastily wiping his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he says.

"Are you sure?" you ask. "Because I've never seen you cry before."

"I'm okay," he says, smiling softly. "I'm fine. Just... overwhelmed, I guess."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he nods. He sits up, bracing his back against the headboard as his hands cup your cheeks. "I'm more than fine."

"Okay," you say, giving him a worried smile. His thumb smooths the crease between your brows, and he presses a gentle kiss in its place.

"I promise," he murmurs as he leans his forehead against yours. "I love you."

"Love you too," you whisper. You place a hand on his chest, just above his heart, and he wraps his arms around you, holding you close.

"I don't say it enough," he says, his voice hoarse. "But I mean it. Every time."

"I know," you assure him. You kiss his cheek, your lips trailing over the curve. "You don't have to say it. I know. I can feel it. I always have."

"Good," he sighs. His hands move up and down your back, the tips of his fingers gliding over your spine. "Never forget it."

"I won't," you promise.

He holds you there, your foreheads pressed together, your noses touching. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply, letting the scent of you wash over him. It calms him, soothes him, and he feels his heart slow, his breathing evening out.

You shift, lifting your hips, and he gasps, the feeling of your cunt gripping his cock sending a jolt of pleasure through him. You smile, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"I'm okay," he whispers, his hands moving to grip your hips.

"Good," you say, your lips brushing over his. You start to move, rising up onto your knees before sinking back down. You both groan, the feeling of being joined sending a surge of warmth through him.

"Kriff," Hunter rasps as your hands find his shoulders, your fingers digging into the muscle, and you lift yourself up again, repeating the motion. His head falls back against the headboard with a dull thump, and you smile, your teeth scraping over the sensitive spot where his neck meets his shoulder.

"How's that feel?"

"So good," he breathes.

"Yeah?" you hum, rocking against him.

You're moving slowly, the pace torturous, and Hunter can't help but grind his hips upwards, trying to speed things along. You're having none of it, placing a hand on his chest, pushing him back against the bed.

"Slow," you order.

"Can't," he groans. His grip on your waist tightens, his fingers digging into the soft flesh, and he pulls you down, forcing himself deeper as his hips buck up into you.

"Why not?"

"Need more," he pants.

"Hmm," you murmur, nipping at his throat. "I thought we were going to take our time."

"Changed my mind."

"Too bad," you smirk.

Your lips find his, capturing him in a heated kiss, and Hunter moans, his mouth parting for you. Your tongue sweeps through his mouth, seeking his own, and he can't stop the desperate noise that escapes him as you taste him. He tries to move, to thrust up into you, but a weight presses down on him, holding him in place. He knows without looking that the Force is holding him down, keeping him still, and a thrill runs through him, the realization making him even harder.

"Fuck," he hisses.

"What was that?"

"Kriff, I hate when you do that," he mutters, glaring up at you.

"Do what?" you ask, feigning innocence.

"That." He jerks his chin towards the invisible pressure pinning him to the bed. "You know exactly what."

"No idea what you're talking about," you grin. You're still moving, the movement slow and steady, and Hunter lets out a low whine, his eyes slipping shut.

"You're insufferable," he huffs, his head falling back.

"I think you're the one being insufferable," you tease, placing a hand on his chest. You run your fingers through the coarse hair, dragging them down until they brush over the base of his cock. "If I recall, you were the one who said we should take our time."

"Well, maybe I was wrong."

"Oh, I don't know," you say, your fingers tracing the edge of his hip bone. "I think it's nice."

"It is," he concedes, hissing as you squeeze his balls. "But it's not enough."

"No?"

"No," he says, opening his eyes. He looks up at you, taking in the sight. Your skin is flushed, your lips swollen and parted, your eyes glassy and filled with desire. He swallows hard, his hands tightening on your hips. He knows there will be marks tomorrow, a reminder of what happened tonight, and the thought makes him twitch inside you.

"So impatient," you tut.

"Yeah," he agrees. "You're so kriffing gorgeous. And I want you so badly. Always. I can't get enough of you."

"Hunter," you gasp, grinding down on him.

"Yeah," he breathes, his eyes drifting down to where the two of you are joined. Your cunt is stretched tight around his cock, and Hunter lets out a moan, the sight making his mouth water. He's always loved watching you take his cock, loved the way it looked as it slid in and out of your wet heat, loved the way it felt, being inside you. But now, after everything? After almost losing you?

"Force, I can't get over how beautiful you are," he whispers.

You're moving faster now, his cock sliding in and out of you with ease, and the room fills with the sounds of skin slapping against skin and heavy breathing.

"Fuck," you cry out as he hits that spot deep inside, and Hunter lets out a grunt, his hands finding your breasts.

"There you go," he says. He palms the soft flesh, his fingers finding your nipples, and he pinches them, rolling the stiff buds between his thumb and forefinger.

"Oh," you moan, arching into his touch. "Oh, that feels good."

"Yeah?" he breathes.

"Yes," you nod, rocking against him. You're bouncing on his cock, the bed shaking with each thrust, and Hunter can't tear his eyes away. He's transfixed, unable to look anywhere else. You're a vision, sweat beading on your brow, your body trembling as the pleasure builds.

His hands find your ass, pulling you down onto his cock, and he can feel the muscles flexing beneath his fingertips. He can feel his climax approaching, his balls tightening, the pressure building. He's not ready for this to end, not yet, so he grits his teeth, biting the inside of his cheek.

"You gonna come for me, sweetheart?" he pants, his hands roaming over the curve of your ass, squeezing and groping.

"Mmhm," you nod. You're leaning forward now, your hands braced on his chest as you ride him. Your nails rake across his chest, leaving angry red lines in their wake, and his hips twitch, trying to thrust up into you. The weight keeps him in place, and he lets out a frustrated groan.

"That's it," he coos. He can feel the tension in your thighs, the way your legs are shaking, and he knows you're close. He grips your ass tighter, helping you keep pace, and you whimper, your movements becoming erratic.

"Please," you plead, and he can't deny you, not when you're begging.

His fingers find your clit, his thumb rubbing the swollen bundle of nerves. Your head falls forward, your hair falling over your face, and Hunter reaches up, brushing the strands aside.

"Come for me," he says, his voice hoarse. “Come for me, and then I’m gonna fill you up."

"Yes," you gasp.

"You wanna feel it, don't you?" he murmurs. He's barely holding on now, the heat pooling in his belly threatening to overwhelm him. "Want me to fill you up, mark you as mine. Make you mine."

"Yes, yes, yes," you chant, grinding against him. "More, please, please, please, I need—"

He flicks his thumb over your clit, pressing down hard. Your breath hitches, your walls fluttering around his cock, and Hunter watches, mesmerized, as you shudder above him. You're staring at him, your pupils blown wide, your hair a mess, your skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat, your mouth hanging open in a silent scream.

"There it is," he growls. The weight pressing down on him disappears, and he grabs your waist, flipping you over. Your back hits the mattress, your legs wrapped around his hips, and he pounds into you, chasing his own release.

"Yes," you cry out, wrapping your arms around his neck. Your mouth finds his, swallowing his moans, as his cock pistons in and out of your dripping cunt.

He fucks you, hard and fast, the bed creaking underneath the two of you. You're clinging to him, your nails scratching his back, and he knows there will be marks, knows that he's probably hurting you, but he can't stop, can't slow down. He's so close, the pressure building, the pleasure coiling deep inside, and he's desperate for it, his thrusts becoming frantic.

"Gonna fill you up," he gasps.

"Please," you beg, and that's all it takes.

His orgasm hits him hard, and he cries out, his hips jerking erratically as he spills inside you. He buries his face in your neck, biting and sucking, and you whimper, your legs tightening around his waist.

"Fuck, yes," you groan, and Hunter can feel the warmth of his spend leaking out of you, the mess coating his cock, dripping down his thighs. It's intoxicating, and he can't stop himself from thrusting deeper, trying to make sure every drop is buried inside you.

"Oh, Hunter," you moan. Your hands are on his ass, pulling him closer, urging him on. He grinds his hips against you, and you sigh, a lazy smile spreading across your lips.

"Good?" he asks, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.

"Perfect," you whisper. You cup his face, and he leans into the touch, his eyelids fluttering as he savors the feeling.

He doesn't want to move, doesn't want to let go. He's perfectly content to stay like this, holding you, his cock buried deep inside you, your hands stroking his face. You're watching him, your eyes roaming over his body, and he preens under the attention, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Well," he huffs, "I hope that was worth the wait."

"It was," you nod. You pull him closer, his head resting on your chest, and he lets out a sigh, his body relaxing.

"You alright?" he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the swell of your breast.

"Mmhm," you nod. Your hands are tracing patterns over his skin, fingers trailing across his back, and he can't help but shiver, goosebumps erupting in their wake.

"I'm not too heavy?"

"Not at all," you say. Your fingers move up, combing through his hair, and Hunter practically purrs, a low rumble rising from his chest.

"Good," he sighs. He tilts his head, his nose brushing against the hollow of your throat, and he inhales deeply, the scent of your arousal still thick in the air. He can feel the heat radiating off your body, and he shivers, the sensation sending a tingle down his spine.

"Hey," you murmur, and he hums in response. He shifts his weight, settling his elbows on either side of your head, and kisses your cheek.

"Hi," he whispers, his breath ghosting across your skin. He leans forward, brushing his lips against yours. You return the kiss eagerly, a soft moan escaping you. You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, and he goes willingly, his hips grinding against you.

"Mm, again?" you giggle, your teeth scraping over his bottom lip.

"If you're up for it," he says, grinning.

"I'm always up for it," you smirk. You roll your hips, your legs wrapping around his waist. He's still half-hard, his cock slowly swelling, and he can't stop the groan that rumbles in his chest.

"Good." Hunter grins, capturing your mouth in another searing kiss. "Because I'm nowhere near done with you."

"Well, we've got plenty of time," you breathe.

"Plenty," he echoes, his hands finding your hips. "Let's make the most of it, then."

And he does.

He spends the rest of the night worshiping you, his mouth and hands mapping every inch of your skin. He leaves no part of you untouched, his lips and tongue and fingers exploring every inch, and you do the same. The two of you take turns, exploring and teasing, pleasuring and loving, until you're both too exhausted to continue.

Afterwards, you lie together, his arm draped over your waist, his nose buried in the crook of your neck. Hunter inhales deeply, the familiar scent filling his nostrils, and he lets out a content sigh. He can feel the ache in his limbs, and he's suddenly aware of how tired he is. He doesn't remember the last time he slept, and he can't even recall the last time he was able to relax. It feels like forever since he's felt this good, this safe.

This happy.

"I love you,” you murmur as you press a kiss to the top of his head.

"I love you, too," he whispers, his voice thick.

"I know," you chuckle, and he smiles against your neck.

You're both still breathing hard, chests heaving, bodies sticky with sweat, and he revels in the feeling, his arms tightening around you. He can't stop himself from kissing you, peppering your neck with gentle kisses, his lips ghosting over the delicate skin.

He makes his way up to your jaw, then your cheek, before finally meeting your mouth. It's slow, tender, filled with a sense of intimacy he hasn't felt in a long time, and it's enough to make him tear up. His hand cradles your cheek, his thumb stroking the skin, and he closes his eyes, savoring the moment.

He never thought he'd have this. Never thought he'd get a chance.

And now that he does? Now that he's got you here, in his arms, where he's meant to be?

"I'm not letting you go again," he mumbles, his forehead pressed against yours. "I don't care what it takes, I'm not letting anyone or anything take you from me."

"Hunter," you start, but he cuts you off.

"I know. I know, you can handle yourself, you're more than capable. I know all that. But I'm still going to be there. I'm always going to be there."

"I know," you say, your hand cupping his cheek.

"Do you?"

His eyes search yours, searching for any hint of hesitation, any sign of doubt. He finds none. Just warmth. Just love.

"Yes," you whisper.

"Good," he nods. He pulls back, just enough to look into your eyes. He doesn't think he'll ever get tired of seeing you like this, bare and vulnerable, looking at him like that. Like he's the only person who matters.

"I meant what I said earlier," he says. "About wanting a family. A future."

"Me too," you smile.

"Really?"

"Yes," you nod, placing a hand on his chest. Your fingertips trace over the curve of his collarbone, and he shivers. "I want that with you. I always have."

"Even after everything?"

"Especially after everything," you assure him. "I've always wanted a future with you, Hunter. Ever since we met. I know you're scared. I am too. But I love you, and I want this. Us. All of it."

"Okay," he says, smiling.

"Okay," you repeat, returning the smile.

He pulls you into another kiss, his hand cradling the back of your neck, and the two of you stay like that, kissing and touching and loving, until exhaustion takes over. You curl up against him, your head on his chest, his arms wrapped around you, and he feels his eyes begin to droop. He can't remember the last time he was this relaxed, the last time he was this comfortable. The last time he felt so safe. So loved.

And for the first time in a long time, Hunter doesn't worry. He doesn't stress. He doesn't plan.

Instead, he closes his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips, and he lets the world fade away.

Taglist: @baddest-batchers @covert1ntrovert @stellarbit @bruh-myguy-what @qvnthesia

@spicy-clones @kindalonleystars @cw80831 @totallyunidentified @heidnspeak

@lovelytech9902 @frozenreptile @chocolatewastelandtriumph @etod @puppetscenario

@umekohiganbana @resistantecho @dindjarins1ut @tech-aficionado @aynavaano

@burningnerdchild @ihatesaaand @lolwey @hobbititties @mere-bear

@thegreatpipster @lordofthenerds97 @tentakelspektakel @notslaybabes @mali-777

@schrodingersraven @megmegalodondon @dangraccoon @dreamie411 @sukithebean

@bimboshaggy @anything-forourmoony @9902sgirl @jedi-dreea @salaminus

@ghostymarni @gottalovehistory @burningnerdchild @yoitsjay @callsign-denmark

@julli-bee @sonicrainbooms @captn-trex @feral-ferrule @webslinger-holland

@marchingviolinist @deerspringdreams

[rims-things]

Fanfiction - One Shot

Fanfiction

Show : Doom at your Service

Myul Mang / Kim Saram x Dong Kyung

Setup : Kim Saram falls sick for the first time in his life. Thankfully Dong Kyung is there to take care of him

Concept suggested by : @dizistyles ❤

"Hello? You there ? "

Dong Kyung walked across her room , speaking into her phone and waiting for him to reply. It was already late at night and ever since he turned into a human, he would often fall asleep without warning.

She chuckled, imagining how sweetly he might be cuddled up in the bed.

"You're asleep. Good night Kim Saram.." she said before cutting the call.

Dong Kyung walked back to her laptop to note down whatever information she had just taken down for her novel.

She woke up the next day , expecting to get a call from him. She impatiently kept checking her phone , but all in vain. There was absolutely no news of him.

But he had promised to drop me to work today - She wondered.

When it was about time he should have come to pick her up, she instantly felt anxious.

Did he disappear? Was it a dream? Was it all a dream?

She panicked and quickly dialed his phone number with shivering hands.

Pick up! Please.. please pick up! - She begged.

.

.

"Hello?" His voice was weak but felt like a blessing to her ears.

She took a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?? Why didn't you come ?" She asked trying to calm herself down.

He suddenly realized that he had been asleep all this while and it was late already.

"I... I'm.." he couldn't speak properly.

"Saram? .. are you okay ?" She started getting worried.

He slowly sat up on his bed and squeezed his eyes.

"I don't feel good." He said in a low voice.

That was enough for Dong Kyung to immediately pick up her bag and leave for his house. Not that she was just worried what might be wrong, but she was always anxious about his disappearance.

Saram held his head in his palms and groaned in pain.

"Ahhhh! Why does it feel so bad " he said to himself.

Ofcourse he was a doctor, and he knew everything about the human body. But only in theory.

He kept whining about the situation when Dong Kyung crashed into his room. His face lit up instantly.

"Saram.. are you okay ??" She said, running towards him.

"Ya.. i am fine.. i think i have what you call a... 'headache' " he said with a forced smile, he felt terrible from inside.

Dong Kyung could see the bizarre look on his face and immediately understood that he was not well.

"Hey! Don't lie to me.." she said, sitting next to him and caressing his cheek with her tiny fingers.

She jumped in horror. His skin was burning with fever.

"YA! Saram! You are burning!" She shouted feeling panicked.

He looked at her with a confused and dull look. He felt strange, sleepy, heavy on the head and weak.

"Burning ? " He said touching his face. "Aah.. so I have a 'fever' ?" He asked sounding curious.

Dong Kyung rolled her eyes and pressed her foot hard on the floor.

"How can you not know that you have a fever, when you are a doctor by profession?" She taunted.

"I've seen sick people but i haven't fallen sick myself.. how would I know how it feels ?" He said with a straight face as if it was so obvious.

Dong Kyong shook her head and stood up from the bed to leave.

He immediately held her hand back.

"Where are you going? Don't leave me... I'm sick ." He pleaded like a child.

Sometimes he was such a baby and she couldn't help but love him even more. She smiled at him warmly.

"I'm going to get you a medicine" she informed.

"Oh okay.." he said , releasing her hand immediately.

She chuckled at his tantrums and turned around to leave but he called out to her again.

"Dong Kyung..i also feel.. numb .. as if I have no energy.. as if I can't stand ? Or walk? Is that what you call 'weakness' ?" He asked, inquisitively.

She turned towards him and sighed.

"Yes... you're feeling weak because you are sick. You have a headache, you will feel dizzy, sleepy and lazy"

"Woah! You know a lot about being sick." He exclaimed.

Dong Kyung rolled her eyes and sighed helplessly. He was impossible

"I'll be right back" she said before walking out.

By the time she returned, he had covered himself with a blanket and fallen asleep.

She quietly kept the medicine and a glass of water next to him on the table. She sat beside him and caressed his temple.

"You look so cute when you are asleep" she said softly.

"I know " he replied, with his eyes closed.

She frowned and hit him on the forehead.

"Kim Saram! Don't put on an act, get up and take your medicine if you are awake. "

He smiled and held her hand, slowly sitting up.

"But I haven't eaten anything.."

"That's why I made you something. Eat it. Have medicine and take rest."

"Ah.." he looked at the breakfast kept next to him. ".. that is what my wife would do...wait ...is that a proposal? I say Yes .. lets get married today?" He exclaimed.

She pushed him back with a shy smile.

"Just do what I said"

He frowned at her and unwillingly went ahead to have his breakfast, but it felt terrible to sit and eat. He felt dizzy and lethargic.

"Ah.. i don't want to eat Dong Kyung.. can't i just sleep?? This feels so terrible.." he complained .

She immediately took the plate in her hand and started feeding him herself.

He smirked and happily took a bite without question. Was there any point saying No to her?

"If you don't eat, how will you get better? Don't you know .. Doctor??" She mocked.

He chuckled and continued to take bites, without moving his eyes away from her face. He couldn't thank the Goddess enough for letting him see her again.

After she was done, she handed over a tablet and a glass of water to him.

"Have this. I'll be back " she said before leaving with the plates.

By the time she returned, she had expected him to be done with the medicine, but she found him sitting and staring at the tablet instead.

"What ? " She asked.

He looked up at her with an innocent smile.

"I haven't taken a tablet ever before... does it pain?" He asked.

Dong Kyung chuckled.

"Haven't you seen your patients take it? Do they cry?"

"No"

"Then just swallow it with water. It doesn't hurt" she said, smiling at him.

"What if it gets stuck in my throat? Will I die ?"

"It won't. Just gulp it down."

"Okay.." he nodded and took the tablet as if it was the biggest stunt of his whole life.

"Goshh! How could you be a doctor.?" She wondered.

"Aaachooo" he suddenly sneezed and felt shocked. " What was that " he said to himself.

"Aaa.. I see.. you got wet in the rain last night didn't you? Now you're sneezing." Dong Kyung explained.

"Woah! It felt weird.. it was so sudden.. is that how you feel when u sneeze ??" He asked.

Dong Kyung laughed seeing him experience all such things for the first time in his life. She somehow felt satisfied that he was totally a human now.

She carefully made him lie down on the bed and sat next to him with a piece of cloth and bowl of water.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"It will help to get your fever down quicker" she said.

"I know that. But you don't have to do it  .. I am fine. Aachooo! ......Yaaa! ....That feels bad" he said.

She giggled and continued to wet the cloth and put it on his head until his fever was down. He kept looking at the calmness on her face and felt his pain fade away.

Hardly did he know when he dozed off.

Dong Kyung kept looking at his innocent face and recalled how he used to be few months ago. How he was simply existing, neither alive nor dead. But today he was living and experiencing everything he had ever wanted.

She quietly walked to the other side of his bed and laid down next to him, running her fingers through his soft hair.

"I love you so much..." she whispered and shut her eyes, feeling his cheeks against her palm.

He felt better when he opened his eyes after having a good rest. He still felt a bit weak but mostly fine. He tried to move his head when he realized that someone was sleeping cuddled up in his arms.

He could feel her silky hair touching his chin when he looked down. She was sleeping peacefully against his chest and in his embrace. He couldn't help but smile and blush.

"You're so small.." he chuckled, and caressed her head.

She moved her head up slowly and spoke with her eyes half open.

"Are you feeling better ?"

"Yes ...with you in my arms, I feel way better " he said.

She felt shy and immediately tried to get herself out if his grip but he held her back.

"Don't go..I'm sick.." he said, but his look was rather intense than mischievous.

She felt a familiar tension in the air with the fire he had in his eyes and unknowingly approached his lips. Without wasting a second, he kissed her back gently.

She wrapped her arms tighter around him and he brushed his fingers on her cheeks. They kissed for a while and parted.

Dong Kyung was left flustered, while Saram smiled satisfactorily. He turned around and picked up the tablets kept next to his bed.

Handing over the tablets to her he spoke.

"Now you'll need this too ..." he chuckled.

"Just shut up. Creep! Why did you kiss me ?" She complained.

"I kissed you?? You approached first..."

"No..what do you mean ..?"

Their kisses might last for seconds, but their bickering knows no end.

A/N : That's all folks. I hope I did not bore you ☹ Sorry if there were silly mistakes 🥲 Didn't proof read it 😶 I wanted to write more but my office people are cruel 💔💔 I wish I could make it better, but that all I could do this time 😅 Thanks @dizistyles for the suggestion, I loved writing this. 💙

[mcyt-amber-tftsmp]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝 {𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐛 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫}

Request?: none

Character: Ranbob

Side Character(s): None

Story-type: Romantic

Story Length: 3285 words

AU or Not: eh it's kinda an AU like the four fishermen never came and uh he's been alone for many years on end since NO ONE actually came here. Also yeah ranbob would be a a bit OOC so no hate please!

Time Period: Future duh! Same time as the events of the Lost City of Mizu but you know what doesn't happen.

Plot Summary: Ranbob was basically alone as ever and was just wandering the halls of Mizu until he spots something. No! Someone outside who becomes his friend and later something more.

Small Info: You are a merling but can change into human as well. You are a year younger than Ranbob who is 21.

Keywords:

Y/N = Your Name L/N = Last Name H/C = Hair Color T/C = Tail Color E/C = Eye Color Y/N/N = Your Nickname

Trigger Warning: None

Normal Warning: Cringey writing with cringey plot.

--------------------------------------------------

Ranbob's Point of View~

I sighed roaming the halls of the underwater city which is known as the City of Mizu. I really didn't have many things to do other than stay in my room, read books either from my shelves or the history books written and left by many people who came here before I did.

I passed the room where my idol's statue was. In case anyone is wondering my idol is Dream. Many people at first would think that my idol is Ranboo just because I am his descendant but no. That's where they were very wrong.

I don't really have anything against my ancestor I just don't see much in him that would make him my idol like how Dream is mine. I stared at the statue which was behind the glass. After a few minutes I left.

To be honest, barely anyone came down here to even visit. God knows how long I have been lonely down here. My memory is not that great to be honest but I do remember important things except for small things.

I walked down the hall towards the place I would just stand around waiting if anyone came. Why am I doing this? I am not even sure. After many walks, going up ladders and hallways I reached the place. I am mostly bored out of my mind and I have never went up the ladder to see the sky and the ocean. I sometimes even ask myself as to why I don't even go up when I have nothing to stop me.

As I was thinking I felt someone looking at me from behind. I looked behind me to see no one. I guess I was just imagining things. I looked outside the glass for a few as I mentally debated whether to go up the ladder for fresh air or not.

After a few moments I decided to go up. I took a few deep breaths and started to climb the ladder. I was practically thinking I was going to regret it but I just didn't back down and continued to go up until I reached the stone floors of the entrance.

I climbed up and stood on the stone brick floors as I looked at the opening to see the blue sky and the waves slightly crashing against the tiles. I took a deep breath and let it out. It's been a while I have been up here. I guess it was good I came up or it would have been concerning for me to stay down there for the rest of my life.

As I walked towards the entrance I heard faint humming from somewhere outside. I slowly and carefully walked outside and looked around but I found nothing but when I looked at the corner of the entrance walls I saw something that shocked me.

It was a human girl- okay no! Scratch that! A Merling! She had H/C hair and T/C tail. She had her eyes closed as she was humming to a song. To be honest, she looked pretty- Okay what?! I could feel my face slightly heat up from that thought. Without even thinking I spoke up.

"Who are you?" I blurted out.

This caused her stop humming and snap her eyes open as she looked at me with her E/C eyes. She looked slightly scared and I wouldn't really blame her since people do tend to get slightly scared of me at first.

"I-I a-am sorry i-if I d-disturbed you sir! I-I w-will go a-away now..." I heard her say as she was about to leave but I stopped her.

"Hey hey hey! It's alright. I was just surprised to someone here to be honest. Not many people come here." I said as she looked at me.

"O-oh sorry. Normally people don't like having me around." She said sitting up straight as I sat beside her but close to the water and shook my head.

"It's fine you didn't know." I sighed but it was a bit sad knowing people didn't like having her around.

"In case you are wondering, my name is Ranbob. What's yours?" I asked trying to build a conversation between us and now normally I am not the one for conversations but i didn't really have much to do.

"Oh! My name is Y/N L/N! It's nice to meet you Ranbob." She said as I nodded.

"Likewise." I said.

"So... are you like an enderman or something?" She asked as I nodded.

"Yes but actually I am a half-enderman and I am not really sure about the other half." I said as she looked at me with interest.

"That's pretty cool! I have never really met someone like you to be honest." I heard her say as I chuckled at her excitement.

"Yeah... you could say that I am a pretty uncommon species." I said as I continued. "So you are a merling?"

"I am not really a full merling! I am actually a human who can shapeshift into one." She said which made me feel a bit surprised. "I can show it to you if you like?"

"Yeah sure if it's not too much trouble." I said as she shook her head.

I saw her taking her tail out of the water and on the stone brick as she closed her eyes. After a few minutes her tail disappeared only to be replaced by legs and she was fully clothed into wearing a white T-shirt and knee-length shorts. I could feel the heat rush up on my face but I was able to make it unnoticeable.

"Interesting." I said as she smiled.

"Mhm! I am the only one in my family with this ability. They really don't know about this nor does anyone else where I live." I heard her say and to be honest I am a bit surprised she didn't tell anyone besides me about this.

"How come?" I asked.

"Well... I mean everyone knows that Merlings and shapeshifters exist here and all but no one really likes me and I have no friends there plus my parents could care less about me and doesn't really like having me around so I didn't really say anything." She said.

I felt really bad for her to be honest. I could have related to her fully since I am like alone and crap by being here but of course i haven't really met anyone else besides her and she is pretty nice and a good friend.

"Hey Ranbob? Are we... friends?" I heard her say as I looked at her.

"Yeah we can be, if you want?" I said simply as she nodded eagerly which made me smile. "Do you want me to show you around the City of Mizu?"

"Sure!" She said as she followed towards the entrance.

Third Person Point of View~

You and Ranbob explored the City of Mizu. It was a pretty fun experience as there were many interesting things such as the people who have been known to be good heroes or warriors. It was pretty interesting to learn when it came to Ranbob explaining it.

He was really good at explaining history and other things. He gave a whole tour of the place as you two talked. The place was really elegant and beautifully built. You were pretty much surprised that Ranbob lived alone down here. But now you are here so he won't be lonely anymore.

You could say the Tree Dome was your favorite place of all the other places in the city. It was very pretty and a nice place to sit and talk. It was basically one of the most nature like areas and you like nature a lot more.

After a while, you looked outside of the glass to notice how late it was becoming which meant you had to get home soon.

"Do you have to leave or something?" Ranbob asked as he noticed the girl's expression as she looked outside the glass.

"Yeah I am supposed to be home by now." You said as Ranbob nodded.

"I will escort you outside till the entrance. Come on." He said as you trailed behind him.

After a few minutes you two reached the second entrance and you climbed up the ladder as Ranbob followed behind you. As both of you reached the front entrance, it was already already evening and soon it was going to get dark soon.

"So... when will I see you again?" Ranbob asked as you turned around to look at him.

"I will be coming by tomorrow and the following days so you don't have to worry." You said as you gave him a hug.

Ranbob was slightly taken aback but gradually he hugged back your short figure. It was something he could most likely tease you about.

"Alright I will see you tomorrow shortie." He said slightly teasing you which made you puff you cheeks in embarrassment and annoyance.

"Hey! I am not that short! You are just tall!" You said as he slightly laughed at your reaction.

"Alright whatever you say." He playfully said to you as he slightly smirked. You blushed at this and gave him a quick kiss on his right cheek.

"Bye Ranbob!" You said as you changed into a merling and dove into the ocean.

Ranbob just stood there as he was blushing purple after you kissed him on the cheek. He brushed the feeling off and headed back inside. He couldn't wait for you to come back tomorrow. It was good to have someone to talk to.

Y/N's Point of View~

I swam as fast as possible towards my home. As I swam I remembered how I just kissed Ranbob on the cheek which made face go all red at the thought. Did I really think of him as just a friend? I just brushed off the feeling as I finally reached home and looked around to see of the coast was clear.

When I saw no one was around I got up on shore and shifted back into a human and sprinted towards my house. Luckily I reached home after being five minutes late. I was hoping my parents weren't going to be angry at me for this.

As I opened the door to my house, I was greeted by my parents who looked irritated. I hated that look. They don't abuse me or anything, they just don't like the idea of me being alone with anyone. One of the many reasons I couldn't even get to live on my own.

"Where were you?" My mother asked with a bit of sternness.

"I was just exploring and walking around the place. I lost track of time a bit." I partially lied which I was glad they bought.

"Alright. We will let it slide for now but be on time from now on." My father said as I nodded and went towards my room.

I don't really talk to them after my first boyfriend incident. They thought that I was lying when I told them that he was just using me but they always said that he was a sweet boy and crap and then they just started to ignore me and forbid me from going near any guys. This was six years ago and they used to care about me until this happened.

I just lie down on my bed and try to fall asleep. I don't really feel that hungry so I just sleep. It's not like they care if I eat or not. At least I am able to eat that's one thing. Though I just want to make the night go by fast so I can visit Ranbob tomorrow. The thought of him made me feel butterflies in my stomach and it hasn't even been a day that I have met him. I just let the feeling go and fell asleep.

Timeskip to Morning~

I woke up early as I usually do. I showered, dressed up and made myself breakfast. My parents were asleep as usual. Normally they don't like seeing me in the morning during breakfast so I just quickly eat and leave the house for the day either eating outside for lunch or just swim in the ocean in my merling form.

I quickly left the house and closed the door slowly and softly so they don't wake up by a huge sound and went towards the beach. As I arrived, I saw that no one was here which was good. I ran towards the ocean and when I saw how far I was form shore I quickly changed into my Merling form and went straight for Mizu.

As I came close to Mizu, I saw Ranbob already there sitting on the stone floor. I smiled and quickly headed over. As I did, Ranbob noticed me almost instantly and smiled.

"Hello." He said.

"Hey! I hope I didn't keep you waiting." I said as he shook his head.

"No. I just came over here like a few seconds ago so you are good." He said.

"That's good!" I said as we started to talk.

Third Person Point of View~

This of course went on for days. Y/N and Ranbob became very good friends and at this point they had realized that they don't like each other just as friends but more but both of them were scared thinking they were going to ruin their friendship and make it awkward.

Y/N would of course return home before curfew but she still didn't get well with her family. Plus she was planning on moving away and she didn't care if her parents didn't allow her to. She already had enough of them forcing her to stay with them when they never even cared for her after that incident six years ago with her ex.

She of course still visited Ranbob until one day, Ranbob was sitting on the stone floor as usual waiting for Y/N but he noticed that she wasn't here yet and normally she would come after a few seconds he was here waiting for her.

"Where is she...?" He muttered to himself as he waited looking around.

He didn't think of it much. It didn't really matter to him if you were a few minutes late or not. But those minutes turned into an hour. At this point he got slightly worried. He still waited till it became night time.

He could tell that you were not coming for the day which of course made him upset but he didn't blame you. He sighed and got up from the cold floor as he headed inside and down the ladder to his room. He just hoped you were okay.

Next Day~

Ranbob woke up the next day at his usual timing. She could tell that Y/N would be coming today, hopefully. After he got all dressed up and ready, he went up the ladder and outside of the entrance only to hear faint crying which made his eyes go wide as he went outside and noticed Y/N sitting outside hugging her knees as her her head was buried between them.

"Y/N...?" He spoke up which made Y/N lift her head and turn around to see it was Ranbob.

She instantly got up and hugged him still crying softly. This broke Ranbob a bit. Seeing her crying was the last thing she wanted. If this had something to do with her parents, he seriously wasn't going to hesitate to kill them off for doing this to her.

He hugged her as he rubbed her back as to comfort her. This of course helped her calm down a bit as her crying slowly stopped. At this point one part of his jacket was wet but he didn't really care much about it at all.

"I-I am sorry..." He heard her say.

"Please don't be sorry. I understand if you couldn't visit me yesterday. You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to." Ranbob said as Y/N shook her head.

"No... I do want to." She said to him wiping her face with her hands.

She explained how she went up to her parents saying that she was going to move out of their house which her parents didn't take too well and this lead to many disagreements and yelling and arguments until they gave up on her saying to do what she wanted to do and that they were not their daughter anymore.

Ranbob could feel the anger bubbling up but he slowly calmed himself down as he held onto Y/N. The only thing he could do right now was comfort her in anyway possible. He couldn't believe her parents right now for doing this. As he was thinking he heard Y/N speak up.

"R-Ranbob...?" He heard her say in a slight whisper.

"Yeah?" He said matching the same tone.

"C-can I ask you s-something?" She asked as she felt him nod.

"Anything." He responded.

"I-is it wrong that I... love you more than a friend...?" she asked him which left him in shock.

"She loves me...?" Ranbob thought as he looked at her.

"Why do you think it's wrong?" He asked her as she stayed silent for a bit then started to speak.

She talked about how her ex was using her and everything and because of this her parents thought she was lying and everything so this was a reason they stopped caring about her and neglected her for six years. Ranbob listened to every bit of her story.

"I just don't want to be used to be used again and-" before she could say anything else she felt a pair of lips crash against hers.

It took Y/N a few seconds to process what happened until she kiss him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss lasted for a good minute till they parted away for breath. They were both blushing messes right now. Ranbob cupped her cheeks and brought his forehead onto hers.

"Y/N/N. I want to let you know that I love you a lot and I would never use you. I love you for you and nothing can change that." Ranbob spoke out.

Y/N couldn't help but smile at these words. She happily hugged Ranbob again and said, "I Love you too Ran." which Ranbob smiled at her and hugged her back once more. Y/N was nothing more than happy to be with him.

Ranbob was her warmth. Y/N was his cure.

One things for sure.

She was finally home.

--------------------------------------------------

[soldierwinterthe]

Missing

Summary: Events ispired to Avengers: Infinity War

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Stark!Reader

Warnings: I think it's appropriate to tell you that there will be some spoilers

Feedback is always appreciated.

"Miss Stark?"

I look up from the paperwork on my desk; they know very well that when I'm working, I don't like being disturbed.

So, if Alex entered with a certain hurry – whit his face pale and sweaty – in my office, it means that something very serious happened.

"Alex, what's up?"

Alex continues to rub his hands, and this makes me feel more and more uncomfortable. By now, I have known him for many years, and I can decipher every gesture of his. I urge Alex to speak again.

"Something happened...to his brother, Mr. Stark."

I immediately stand up; I knew something was wrong, I felt it. Still, I spoke with Tony just this morning, and it sounded like it was all right.

I immediately go out of my office, and entering the car, I head for my brother's house. Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Pepper, who barely sees me, runs towards me, hugging me tightly.

"Pepper, what happened? Where's Tony? "

"We don't know. A man came out of... an opening, saying he wanted to talk to him. You know how Tony is, he immediately accepted, and followed him. From that moment... I haven't seen him again."

A man... who can ever be? After the fight between Tony and Cap, things seemed to be back to normal, but actually, it was chaos. Cap has escaped, and with him all the others, previously imprisoned in the Rift.

Nobody knows where they are, at least Tony believes so.

If my brother had discovered that I was – and I am still – in contact with Steve, Tony would complain as usual that I don't follow the rules, that I should be more careful, because the government could find me etc etc...

When he signed the Sokovia agreements, I was very surprised; Tony is the kind of person you can't give orders to, especially if is the government that gives orders. But after Ultron... he's completely changed.

Should I call Steve? Perhaps he sents the unknown man who took Tony. Or it's not that bad, and calling Steve would be an exaggeration.

I don't know exactly what to do; I can't think clearly right now.

Suddenly, I feel strange tremors around me, and a kind of a huge circle opens before me and Pepper; from the inside comes a person who I don't know.

I remain completely speechless, when I notice behind the stranger, another person.

Someone I haven't seen in a long time.

“Bruce?”

Pepper is surprised just like me, to see Dr. Banner; even though S.H.I.E.L.D. had lost hope, Tony was still looking for him. Nobody knew, except me, and Steve.

"Bruce! Where have you been? We've been looking for you... for years!" I say, hugging him.

He has completely changed; the haircut, and his face... looks a lot sadder. He must not have had a good time, in any place he has been.

"Y/n, it's nice to see you again. But we don't have much time, I need your help."

Bruce asks me to go with him – even if he doesn't seem to be asking me. He also seems to have changed character, behaving in a more authoritarian, and serious manner. It's no longer the old Bruce, who was afraid of losing control of his alter ego.

I turn to Pepper, and I tell her to find a safe place to hide. Tony has become much more paranoid lately, so much to create 'safe houses' all over the country, for situations like this.

Pepper tries to protest, she would like to come with me; she wants to know what happened to Tony, and I understand that. I want to find my brother as much as she does.

But Tony would kill me – literally – if I put Pepper in dangerous situations; he's already too worried about me. Fortunately, I'm as stubborn as my brother, and I managed to convince him to be part of the Avengers.

I don't wear 'Iron Man' style armor, but I learned a lot from the Black Widow, and now I can use bow and arrow, thanks to Hawkeye.

After convincing Pepper not to follow me and Bruce, I'm ready to enter into the strange vortex where Bruce came out, with the man – who has not said a word.

I wonder what's going on; my brother disappeared into thin air, and then Bruce reappears, after years no one had seen him.

"So, can you explain to me what's going on? Do you know where my brother is?"

The place where we find ourselves... is the Avengers headquarters; well, at least it was a long time ago. Now, it's just a structure that the government uses to give orders to its new 'soldiers', people with superpowers who have decided to sign the agreements.

While Bruce's unnamed friend disappears, my newfound friend walks quickly back and forth, rubbing his hands nervously.

"Thanos. Here's what happened. Thanos is looking for the Infinity Stones."

I have already heard about the Stones, relics almost as ancient as the universe, scattered in space. They are very powerful, and very dangerous.

"I thought Thor found them. He was looking for them, and..."

"Thor! I was with him when Thanos attacked us. I don't even know if... he's fine."

Bruce looks down, visibly frightened; Thanos is approaching the Earth, maybe Thor is...

And Tony has disappeared.

"One of the Infinity Stones was in London, it belonged to a sorcerer. He disappeared with Tony. Probably the followers of Thanos took them."

I close my eyes, I try to assimilate the Bruce's words, one by one; however, I can only think my brother, probably imprisoned in some spacecraft.

"He will come back; there are other Infinity Stones to be found, and one is on Earth."

All these events... it's happening too fast; we were not ready. Tony knew that. It was like a strange feeling for him, as if something horrible was approaching.

Oh, how he was right.

Bruce approaches me, placing a hand on my shoulder. He tries to console me, but it's not easy; about an hour ago, I was sitting at my desk, thinking about my work, and at Tony and Pepper's wedding. And now I'm here, with the end of the world around the corner, and without my brother.

"Y/n, we will find Tony. But now, we need reinforcements."

Bruce looks for something in the pockets of his jacket, then he takes a phone, which I recognize immediately.

"Tony gave me this. There is only one number, and I tried to call, but..."

"... it doesn't work."

Steve gave me the phone, the last time he and I saw each other; along with it there was a letter, and Steve had asked me to give it to Tony.

I did it; but Tony never called. Not that there was a need. However, I was hoping for a peace between the two, but nothing.

Actually, the phone... it was just a test.

For Tony. If he tried to use the phone, then he was ready for a surrender.

And I would be the one who would deliver the peace message to Steve.

But the years have passed; sometimes, I caught Tony looking at the phone, as if he were going to use it. But in the end he put it in a drawer and closed it.

"We must warn the others. Rogers, Vision, Fury, Hill... Natasha."

Bruce hesitates before saying the last name; she and Nat didn't leave on good terms.

Suddenly, a strange warning signal begins to sound; Bruce looks around, trying to figure out what's going on. I, on the other hand, know it perfectly: it's a call. In fact, in the center of the room, suddenly appears a hologram: it's the U.S. Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross.

"Miss Stark. Dr. Banner, we've been looking for you for a while!" says Ross, visibly surprised by Bruce's presence.

Probably he called because he received the news of Tony's disappearance; what I wonder, is what his intentions are.

"Miss Stark, I'm very sorry for the disappearance of your brother. We will do everything to find him."

...liar. I know exactly how the government works; Bruce? They never really looked for him. They simply pretended to be nothing. Hulk has been just a problem for them, and the fact that he disappeared was just good. One less problem for the government.

"Sir. The problem is much more serious. Something... someone threatens our planet, and we need... reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? And for what, exactly? Tony Stark has disappeared. That's all."

I look at Bruce, completely shocked by the words of the Secretary; I wonder what he had done a few years ago, when he had to choose whether to sign the agreements or not.

On the other hand, I'm not at all amazed by Ross's words; it's not the first time that he has already looked the other way, before a threat.

He uses his 'soldiers' only for personal purposes.

"Are you joking, are not you? Thanos is always closer, and we have to protect people."

"The earth has been at peace for many years, Dr. Banner. There is no danger, since your group of heroes in disarray no longer exists. My orders are clear. There will be no reinforcements, for something that doesn't exist."

It's just as I expected; Ross, who refuses our requests. Fortunately, I have already done something.

"It doesn't matter, sir. I don't need his help, because I have already called mine."

I signed the Sokovia agreements, but only because Tony asked me – and Steve, too – for my safety.

However, even if I wrote my name on a piece of paper, it doesn't mean that I have to follow all the rules written on it.

Before Ross can speak, someone enters the room, and we all turn.

Steve stops in the middle of the room, right in front of Ross's hologram, obviously furious from Rogers's entry. The latter is accompanied by Nat and Sam, and behind them is Wanda, who holds Vision, clearly injured. I walk towards the two guys, helping Vision to sit down; I check his superficial wounds, and they look pretty serious.

Meanwhile, Steve talks to Ross, and when he understands that he no longer has control of the situation, more furious than ever, his hologram disappears, ending the call.

I breathe a sigh of relief; fortunately Steve and the others arrived just in time, or I think I would have sent a government agent to hell.

Steve approaches Bruce, and he greets him warmly; it's a long time since the two are not seen. The reappearance of Dr. Banner has more or less upset everyone, especially Natasha; in fact, the girl greets Bruce, but in a rather cold way.

Bruce tells the others what he has told me, and I feel the shivers running down my back; if only I think of Tony, alone in space, surrounded by enemies.

Steve tells us that they were attacked too, but that they managed to get away with it.

Despite me and Bruce trying to help Vision, he seems to get worse, probably due to some internal problem. So, Steve decides to warn T'Challa and go to Wakanda.

If they have healed Bucky from mind control, they will certainly know how to cure Vision.

Before leaving, we all decide to make some reforings. I head to my old room, maybe there are still some of my uniforms in the closet.

While I'm changing, I hear someone knocking on the door, and after giving permission to enter, I see Steve on the edge of the door.

Since he arrived at the base, we haven't even had time to look into each other's eyes.

I missed him a lot; the last time we met was about six months ago. Tony was busy with an Iron Man convention, and I could sneak out of New York, and spend a few days with Steve.

"Can I come in?" he asks me; the usual Steve, kind and polite.

"If you can? I wondered when you'd come."

He smiles, and approaches, then he wraps his arms around me.

Damn, just having Steve by my side makes me feel calmer. As if the world and its problems didn't exist.

"How are you?"

How am I? As if my brother had disappeared into thin air, and a crazy murderer is about to eliminate the whole universe.

"I just wish... Tony was here." I say, trying not to cry.

So far I have tried to maintain control, not to... bring me down, before all grieve for what has happened to my brother.

Being a good leader.

But now, here in the room, alone with Steve. The walls in which I am buried fall to pieces.

It seems to be going better when Steve puts his lips on mine; to my nervousness are mixed butterflies that are formed in my stomach. It's always like this, every time Steve touches me; I feel like a little girl in her first crush. I try to be a normal person, but with Steve – who, by the way, knows how I feel when he behaves this way – it's impossible.

"You know, as much as I find you damn sexy with the beard... it pinches."

Steve laughs, and kisses me again, exploring my face, then down the neck, and on the collarbones, teasing me, until I laugh.

"Steve, stop it. You tickle me!”

I hit him in the stomach, and he pretends to be offended, massaging his muscles.

That's how things should go; Steve and Tony making peace, my brother at home, my boyfriend by my side.

But we are about to leave, because a new war is about to begin, and my sixth sense tells me there will be losses.

Losses that will make everyone suffer.

"Will it hold the barrier?"

Come to Wakanda? Let's say it was not a brilliant idea. Shuri, T'Challa's sister, is taking care of Vision, but in the meantime, dozens of alien spaceships have appeared in the sky.

T'Challa activated the barrier around the Wakanda boundaries, but hundreds, thousands of monsters, and anthropomorphic creatures emerged from the spacecraft.

"What the hell are they doing?"

Arrived in Wakanda, at least we found Bucky; Steve had warned me that he was much better, and seeing him again made me happy. I wanted to meet him in different circumstances.

When I found out that Bucky killed my parents... I was angry, but deep down, I had known it for a long time.

The Winter Soldier killed the people who hindered HYDRA's plans, and my parents were those people.

Even Tony knows that it's not really Bucky's fault... but it's Tony Stark that we're talking about.

"What the hell... what are they doing!?"

I follow Bucky's gaze; Steve, Nat and T'Challa tried to talk to the followers of Thanos, but it was useless.

"I think... they rush against the barrier to weaken it, so they can knock it down."

"Smart."

"Bruce. Dude, don't compliment the bad guys." I say to Dr. Banner, locked up in the Hulkbaster's armor. He uses that because... well, he and his alter ego are not much in tune after the fight with Thanos, and now Hulk prefers to hide; I didn't think he was so coward.

"If they continue like this, Wakanda will remain unprotected." Steve says, turning to T'Challa. He's right; the enemies seem to increase, and the barrier begins to flicker.

Then, T'Challa tells us to get ready, and he orders someone to lift a part of the barrier – the one in front of us.

The monsters enter, running like madmen towards us.

The war begins.

Thor.

When we all saw him appear in the middle of the battle, we all breathed a sigh of relief. Bruce even shouted for happiness.

But if Thor's arrival made us rejoice, the arrival of someone else made us shudder: Thanos.

In all his size, he walks towards us, looking gloomy. He doesn't stop to watch the battle around him, he doesn't look for his henchmen.

He doesn't mind.

He only cares about the Mind Stone, in the Vision's forehead.

Each of us tries in every way to stop him, but with his glove, and the Stones that he already owns, for Thanos we are only tiny ants.

When he is in front of me, I know I have no hope; I'm probably going to die.

But before Thanos makes his move, he stops to look at me, as if I were his old acquaintance.

"Another Stark. You never give up, fight a war, even if you know you've already lost it, even before you started it."

Another Stark.

Thanos knows where my brother is; Thanos met Tony. However, he is not here now, my brother hasn't returned.

"Where is my brother? Tell me!"

"It doesn't matter. You will die anyway."

Before I can ask my brother again, Thanos takes a step forward and pounces on me.

I try to avoid the blow, but he manages to hit me on the right side. I sketch literally far from the ground, and I crash into something I can't understand what it is.

Instinctively, I press a hand on the wound, which is bleeding more and more. I look around, I see nothing; I must have also taken a blow on the head.

If until now I heard the sounds of the battle, all of a sudden, there is total silence.

I don't think I'm dead, or yes?

After a couple of painful efforts, I finally manage to get up from the ground; I take a few steps near the trees, towards... I don't know exactly where.

Right now, I would like Tony to be by my side; instead, he is missing somewhere, alone, without me.

"Y/n."

I turn around quickly – too fast, because I almost fall back on the ground – and I see a figure approaching me. When it's just a few steps away from me, I can recognize Steve; I literally throw myself into his arms, bursting into hysterical tears.

"Everything is alright."

"Steve. It hurts so much."

At the beginning Steve can't understand what I'm talking about, but when he looks down and notices my wound, I feel him shiver under the palms of my hands.

Wrapping the arms around my body, Steve lifts me off the ground, holding me like a bride.

"What happened? Where is Thanos?"

Steve continues to transport me, probably to the medical laboratories. I repeat the same question several times, but Steve doesn't want to answer me.

Something happened, and if Steve doesn't want to tell me, it's something horrible.

Everyone is dead; almost all.

Bucky, Vision, Wanda, T'Challa...

Thanos arrived, and death sucked them like a chasm.

Next to my bed, there's Nat, sitting on a chair with the eyes closed; she probably stayed so long by my side that she fell asleep.

She told me what happened, just before I closed my eyes to rest.

I woke up about ten minutes, but the idea to get up can't take over; I can't get Thanos and his words out of my mind.

He didn't want to tell me where my brother is, but he didn't even say he died. So there is still hope that he's still alive.

I want to see Steve; I don't know where it has been since he left me in the operating room. I want to know how he is, after what happened; his friend Bucky died, once again.

It must not be easy for him to see an important person die, more than once.

But as soon as I try to get out of bed, Natasha's eyes widen, watching me.

"Don't even think about it, Y/n. You have to rest."

"I want to see Steve. Now."

"Now I'm going to call him, but you stay in bed."

Natasha leaves the room, and when I know she is far enough away, I get up. With a bit of effort, in the end, I can stand up – holding myself against the chair.

I barely approach the window leading to the terrace, I still feel very tired, as if Thanos was still throwing me against the tree.

"You should stay in bed."

I jump – almost falling to the ground – and when I turn around, Steve is already by my side, helping me get back to the bed and sit down.

"I don't want to stay in bed. I can do it."

"Really? I don't think so."

I roll my eyes; I know he's right, but I hate the fact that he's right.

But if before I was worried about my brother, now I can't think about anything else. Tony has not only disappeared, but after the devastation that led Thanos... many died, and Tony could be among them.

"Don't worry about your brother. He's probably building some armor to get home."

"Are you sure? Only a few days have passed, but it's as if months have passed. I can't go on without my brother. I need him by my side."

"Y/n, I know Tony is alive. I feel it, and you know it's like that too. He will be back very soon."

Although Steve tries to convince me, he can only calm me down a bit. Maybe he's right, and Tony's fine, or maybe he's wrong, and my brother – or at least his body – lies somewhere in the universe.

I hug Steve, while he helps me relax; I spent so much time thinking about Tony, that I completely forgot that he lost friends too. Bucky, Sam, Wanda, Vision, T'Challa. Thanos has razed half the universe, and left us with a void in the heart.

"I'm sorry. For our friends. We will find a way to bring them back."

"We will find a way to save everyone. Bucky, Sam... and Tony too. We will all save, as we always do."

Forever Tag: @doro7winchester - @cirunia - @frickin-bats - @giftofdreams- @ria132love - @flirtswithdanger - @littlenerdgirl16 - @nanie5 - @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester - @jerk-bitch-and-an-angel - @disneymarina - @ironmanlover24