#rex brown fic

[the-lone-writer94]

We'll Meet Again (Part 5)

Rex Brown x Female Reader

Summary: Finally, the night has come where you and Rex are getting some alone time together... but will everything turn out just the way you had planned, or will chaos be unleashed?

Age rating: 18+ *Mature*

Word count: 2,839

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I had splashed water across my face about five times already. I constantly peered down at my wristwatch as I counted down the minutes until Rex would arrive. Earlier, I had even found my way into my mom’s liquor cabinet, taking several swigs of whiskey. The poison burned my insides, and made me woozy and funny. 

I stalked to my bedroom where I had spent most of the afternoon changing my bedsheets and shoving the junk I had scattered around my bedroom into the closet. I stood back as I admired my work, and cocked my head to the side, it was the best I could do. 

As I stood in front of my mirror I inspected the outfit I had on, it wasn’t anything over the top. Just a simple black tank top and denim shorts, exposing my bare legs. I remembered how Rex’s fingers liked to caress my thighs, and the way he guided my legs opened. Just the very thought of it sent electrical impulses through me. 

I shook my head, trying to push away the picture perfect moment I had envisioned in my mind. There obviously was one thing that had taunted me the moment I had met Rex. And, it had been something I had constantly thought about. Clearly, I desired for him… all of him. 

All of a sudden, I heard the sound of the doorbell echo through the house. Practically prancing towards the front door, I yanked it open. 

Rex stood before me, he wore a white short sleeve shirt, with the edges rolled up which was unbuttoned revealing his bare chest. It was then that I noticed how hairy his body was, which somehow caused a tingling sensation between my legs. He had on tight blue jeans and leather boots. Rex’s honey blonde hair was fluffier and fanned out, which I could have only assumed he had washed and combed it out recently. 

“Hey,” he said as he stepped towards me and planted a kiss on my lips. 

I stepped aside, to allow him into the house before I closed the door behind me. Immediately, I felt the nerves reaching me and my palms began to sweat, and rubbed my hands against my denim shorts. 

“Do you want anything to drink?” I asked. 

“Sure. A soda, maybe.” 

“My mom’s got some beer… or if you prefer the hard stuff?” I wasn’t sure what I was trying to do, perhaps believing that the alcohol would somehow calm my edge. 

“Yeah, a beer then. I guess.” Rex responded. 

“Alright,” I said as I began to stalk towards the kitchen, I paused and added, “why don’t you make yourself comfortable?” As I gestured towards the couch. 

Moments later, I returned back into the living room with the drinks. I watched as Rex was seated on the couch, his legs wide apart as his arm was slouched on the armrest. I stepped towards Rex and handed him his beer, which he immediately took and slid the contents through his lips. I took the seat beside him as we drank in silence. 

An awkward silence lingered in the air, and I wasn’t sure why we sat beside each other like we were strangers. Although Rex was only a mere inch away from me, it seemed as though we were oceans apart. 

I cleared my throat. “So-” Rex and I both said in unison. 

“After you.” He said and gestured to me. 

I shook my head. “No, no, what were you gonna say?” 

“Nothing.” Rex added. 

I released a sigh. “Why is this so awkward?” 

Rex exhaled. “I have no idea. You’d think that because we finally have alone time together, it’ll be a relief.” 

My lips pressed together, as I contemplated long and hard. “Perhaps, it’s the thrill of possibly getting caught?” I suggested. 

Rex cocked his head to the side. “Maybe.” He agreed. 

I set down the glass of beer onto the coffee table, as I edged towards Rex. “Alright, let’s put it this way… imagine we’re at the Fotomat kiosk right now… what do you wanna do?” I asked. 

Rex’s thick eyebrows averted upwards, as a string of thoughts formed in his mind. “Well… I would do this.” He said, as he closed the gap between us, his hand rested on the side of my face and he planted a kiss on my cheek first before his lips found mine. 

Immediately, deepening the kiss, my lips parted and Rex slipped his tongue into mine. Rex’s hands found its way on my waist, as he drew me in closer towards him. I moaned into him, as my fingers entwined in his hair. Slowly, I shifted in my position as my leg swung over Rex’s body as I straddled him. Our tongues continued to dance against each other, as his hands went up and down, then down and up along the sides of my waist. Whilst my hands cupped his face, I lowered my position so that my crotch was against his as I gently rubbed and grinded against him. 

Rex released a moan and his jaw clenched, whilst his breaths were in low and heavy sighs. Suddenly, his hands were plastered against my ass as he pulled me in closer towards him, as I continued to grind against him. 

The palm of my hand laid flat on Rex’s chest, as my fingers curled against his dark chest hair, the nails dug into his skin leaving faint red marks. My hips continued to move back and forth, then forth and back, as I held in my breath, my grip continued to press down onto Rex’s chest. 

Beneath me, I felt the bulge that formed in his pants as I paused, my hand slowly slithered down Rex’s body as I hooked my fingers into the waistband of his jeans. 

Rex cleared his throat, I stared at him through my eyelashes and I watched as the expression shifted on his face. “Hmm-” 

“Rex?” I asked, as I proceeded with caution. 

“There’s something-'' he began, and then paused, his gaze averted mine. 

“What?” I asked, as my brows furrowed. 

He released a nervous chuckle. “I… um-” 

My gaze locked with his, I watched as his eyes drifted away from me. Beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead, his lips quivered as he tried to release the words from his lips but no matter how hard he tried, the words just did not form. 

Suddenly, something clicked inside of my mind. I gasped, “Rex, are you a virgin?” 

“Hmm… yeah,” he stuttered. 

“Wha- but, wait… how is that possible?” Finally, I managed to utter the words, “you’re such a great guy, though.” 

“It isn’t that I’ve never had the chance…” he defended, “I just never met the right girl.” He shrugged. 

“Wow… I mean, that’s really sweet.” I responded. 

“I’ve never met the right girl… until now.” He said, as his hand reached up to cup the side of my face. 

My lips curved upwards as I smiled, allowing Rex’s words to sink in. I drew myself closer to him as our lips pressed against each other, before I retreated and removed myself from him. My hand found his as I pulled him up. “Come on,” I said. 

He allowed me to guide him through my house. “Where are we going?” 

“To my bedroom.” 

We reached the threshold of my bedroom, as I pushed open the door. Immediately, Rex’s hands were all over me as he backed me against the wall. His lips found mine, as my lips parted allowing his tongue to slip inside. Suddenly, my hands reached down towards his ass as I grabbed down onto it, which caused him to jump. 

“Woah,” he said and laughed. 

“I love this cute small little ass.” I said as my hands continued to squeeze onto Rex’s ass. 

Rex chuckled. “I have no ass. I used to get paddled every fucking day at school.” 

“No, my poor baby,” I commented, “I guess you wouldn’t like being paddled now, huh?” I asked, and smirked. 

“I’d rather be the one holding the paddle.” He said, as he cocked an eyebrow. 

Before we knew it, Rex and I were seated on the edge of the bed. His hands rested on my waist as my fingers were entwined in his hair, as we our tongues continued to dance against each other. 

It wasn’t at that moment where I suddenly felt a twinge of unease, knowing the road we were heading down. It wasn’t that I hadn’t slept with anyone before, but that act had been nothing but a meaningless encounter, which had ended in a heartbeat. I deeply cared for Rex, and I wanted this moment to last and to mean something. 

Suddenly, I drew back as Rex stared at me in confusion. “Hang on.” I said, as I removed myself from the bed. 

I opened my wardrobe as I drew out a leopard print chiffon scarf and hung it over the floor lamp in the corner of my room, before I crossed over to the other side and switched off the room light, allowing the faint glow to illuminate the room. 

“What are you doing?” Rex asked. 

“Just setting the mood,” I responded, as nonchalantly as I possibly could, and added, “I’m gonna put on some music.” 

I stood before my dresser, which was covered in various items from cans of hairspray to my make-up, as I pushed them aside and adjusted my beat up record player. Flipping it open, my fingers curled over the records I had left in a cardboard box on the floor, which I still hadn’t properly unpacked. Carefully I placed the vinyl record onto the turntable and slid the stylus into place, moments later the rhythmic guitar sounds from Led Zeppelin’s Since I’ve Been Loving You filled the room, as I spun and stalked towards Rex. 

The expression on his face softened and he released a low chuckle. Immediately, we both found our nerves leaving our body, as I straddled him once again. Our fingers curled and entwined into each other. I lowered my mouth onto his, but after several moments his hands suddenly gripped down onto my waist as he turned me, placing my back onto the bed as he climbed on top of me, his beautiful ​​luscious locks hung down as they grazed my skin. Then, his hand reached up and caressed the side of my face. My breathing quickened, as my back arched upwards from his touch. Slowly, his hand draped across my shoulder as his finger hooked underneath the strap of my tank top. 

Gently, he slid the strap down, before his fingers trailed across my collarbone, as he did the same with the other strap. He lowered his head down onto my neck as he left a trail of kisses along the side of my neck. I moaned into him, as my fingers reached up into his hair pushing it behind his ear. His mouth found my lips one last time, before he slowly slithered down my body, leaving a trail of kisses along the way, as he paused by my hips. He peered up at me through his eyelashes, before his fingers lingered on the button on my denim shorts, he carefully unbuttoned them, sliding down the zipper.

I moaned. “Do it.” I breathed. 

He softly pulled away my denim shorts and cast them aside, leaving me in my silky black panties. Suddenly, I was reminded of the time we had spent in the diner, the way his fingers pleasured me, which immediately sent electrical impulses coursing through my veins. 

Then, he removed my panties and suddenly I felt very exposed. His hands planted against my thighs as he guided my legs apart, he stared at me through his eyelashes again before he lowered his mouth down onto me. His warm tongue grazed on my entrance, my back arched upwards and my hand gripped down onto the corner of my pillow, as I felt his tongue continue to go in up and down, then circular motions. I tried to sit up, as my fingers found its way knotted in his hair as I grabbed a fistful and tugged onto it. 

Rex’s hands gripped down on the side of my thighs harder as his tongue continued to glide on my entrance. Moans continued to be released from between my lips, as my thighs gently squished down onto his head, just when I was about to reach pleasure, Rex paused as he pulled away. He wiped the corners of his mouth with his fingertips as he hovered over me. 

My hands immediately went towards his jeans as I unbuttoned them. Once he had removed his pants and shirt, casting them aside, I hurriedly took off my tank top. My hand slithered down his hairy body as my mouth watered as my finger trailed downwards and cupped his bulge. 

His body planted against mine as gently lowered me down onto the bed, just then he shifted as he reached to grab his pants which had been thrown onto the ground. 

“Wait a minute.” He said, as he fumbled in the pockets of his pants and drew out a condom. 

“You came prepared, I see.” I smirked. 

He shrugged and smiled. 

I sat up as my fingers hooked into the waistband of his briefs and pulled them down, as Rex slipped out of them, before he tore the wrapper of the condom. Once he had placed it onto himself, he knelt before me as I spread my legs apart for him. Slowly, I felt him entering me and I grabbed down onto the side of my pillow. 

At first, Rex thrusted in me slowly, until he began to move faster and faster. He grunted and groaned, as his hands gripped onto the wooden headboard of my bed for support. His thrusts grew harder and harder into me, as I felt the headboard continuously slammed against the wall. No doubt that would leave a dent. 

“Rex.” I called his name, as he too breathlessly called mine. 

His hands then gripped onto the sides of my waist, as I continued to feel him inside of me. Rex lowered his body as his locks of hair tickled my face, I wrapped my arms around his neck as I pulled him closer down towards me, as he carried on thrusting. I moaned into him, as he grunted, then moments later we both reached euphoria. 

Rex released a sigh, as his chest heaved and his breathing quickened. He pulled away and slumped down onto the bed beside me. His body was covered in sweat and his hair had matted against the sweat. 

We laid there for what felt like an eternity, as I shifted onto my side, my fingers danced along his hairy chest. 

“I hope that I wasn’t too rusty for my first time.” He commented. 

I leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips. “It was perfect.” 

A smile flashed across Rex’s face as he wrapped his arm around me. The vinyl record had long ago stopped playing, and we enjoyed the silence together. 

In the distance, I heard the faint sounds of shuffling. My body tensed as my gaze drifted around the room. 

“Do you hear that?” I asked. 

“What?” Rex responded in confusion. 

Suddenly, I sat up as my eyes narrowed. “Seriously,” I mentioned, as I grabbed the duvet sheet and wrapped it around my body. 

The sound of the shuffling continued, followed by several thumps. I dropped the duvet and slipped back on my tank top and denim shorts. 

Rex removed himself from my bed as he put on his jeans, and shoes, not bothering to put on a shirt. 

“Yeah, now I hear something.” Rex added. 

I stalked out of the bedroom as I followed the sound which emerged from beyond the hallways. The moment I stepped into the living room, my heart lurched forward. In that second, I didn’t even have a moment to react and stop what was about to unfold. As I watched Scarlet push open my front door.

“What are you doing?” I asked, the sheer panic had already consumed me. 

“You said your mom was outta town, I thought we could have a party.” Scarlet explained, then added, “I know you leave a spare key under your mat. I wanted to surprise you.” 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Rex asked as he emerged. 

Scarlet’s mouth opened, as her gaze jumped between Rex and myself. “Oh my god!” Scarlet exclaimed. 

Just then, I watched as Tom, Rob and finally Billy had entered my house. Trapped like rats, we had nowhere to run, as Billy’s eyes narrowed at the very sight of Rex and I. His jaw clenched and his fists curled into a ball. “What the fuck?” Billy hissed. 

And just like that, the secret had been revealed. The sanctuary and sliver of paradise that I had created with Rex had been shattered.

[jinn-exe]

everything about sith!obi-wan in codywan fics is generally so great bc, you have this man who's been abandoned by everything he has known, has been driven through hell and back that he's forcibly pushed into the dark side, and he meets ONE (1) tired, cranky, marshal commander who's face isn't even his own, with warm brown eyes and an almost-smile that makes him feel something incomprehensible, and obi-wan goes down the rabbit hole thinking abt morality again, thinking about everything good in life because this one clone would do anything for the republic, anything for the jedi, anything for his brothers even if it meant sacrificing his own life. Obi-Wan is literally having a mid-life crisis because he's thinking about going back to the light. Meanwhile, Fox, Wolffe, Bly, and Rex are all screaming at Cody and burning down 79's because he's tumbling in the sheets with a dark side user— really cody what were you thinking? And cody, sweet angel spin kicks and punches a droid cody, is just, "oh i think we're actually boyfriends :/ he's been giving me word about what they plan on doing next, and also he accidentally confessed that he loved me while i was making him scream so uh"

[zoeykallus]

Hello there!

Would you mind giving us something angsty? Like, Reader confesses her love to the batchers (and maybe Rex and Mayday?). They do feel the same, but they react in the wrong way somehow, so that reader gets hurt, but in the end there is something like a happy end? Like separate little short fics or one-shots.

I know that's probably a lot of work, so please don't feel pressured to do this.

Aloha! Yeah, I think I can do that 😊

The Bad Batch/ Mayday/Rex x Reader Prompts – Confessions

Part 1/7 - Tech

Warnnings: Love Confessions/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Fluff

Masterlist Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

AC: I tried to tackle this one with the thought in mind that Tech is/might be in some autistic spectrum. Now please don't throw any stones at me, I have no real life experience on that subject, so I kinda wrote this one the way I feel Tech after almost three season.

You've had feelings for him for a while now. Your heart beats faster, you feel warm when he approaches you and your eyes meet. You could listen to him day and night, no matter what he talks about. You think a part of him knows this, must know it, because when he discovers something new and wants to tell someone about it, he usually comes to you automatically. Because you listen to him attentively, every time. Your feelings go beyond friendship, you long to be close to him, you miss him every second he's not around. But you know Tech is somehow different. Sometimes he's very forthcoming, seems to enjoy being around you, but other times, he's more distant, almost as if he's trying to keep you at arm's length, as if he can't handle your presence right now. You have no idea how exactly to assess this behavior, it often feels like a roller coaster ride. It's not always easy to deal with and adjust to. But you want to do the right thing, so you don't push him when you realize he's pulling away, even if it hurts.

But one day, you summon up all your courage. Tech and you are working on damage to the outer hull of the Marauder. Until just now, he was telling you about his idea to improve the alloy for the metal of the outer hull and how he plans to make certain modifications to the ship in the future. Now, however, there is a brief pause, and you continue to work in silence. Your gaze wanders thoughtfully from his helmet, which is resting on a toolbox behind him, back to him Your heart is pounding in your throat, your hands are even shaking a little as you decide to finally tell him, to tell him how you feel about him. "Tech?" His name comes over your lips, almost like a whisper. He heard you, though. Normally he would answer you and listen without looking up from his work, but something about the way you say his name catches his attention this time. He pauses, turns his head in your direction and looks at you, his eyes widening a little. "What's wrong?"

His gaze, those beautiful eyes, like dark brown amber. Your knees go weak. You try to hold his gaze, but every now and then, you blink and look to the side before looking at him again as you speak. "There's something I need to tell you" His brows move up questioningly. "Is it something important?" You hesitate for a second before saying, "I guess it's a matter of opinion. It's very important to me" Surprised, you watch as Tech puts down his tools and turns to you. "Then let me hear it," he says promptly. Now you have his undivided attention. Your stomach is tingling, your heart is doing wild tricks in your chest. Your mouth goes dry, and you hastily reach for the water bottle to take a few sips. As you put the bottle down, your hand trembles so much that you can barely put the bottle down properly. Tech doesn't miss this, of course, his brows draw together in concern, but he waits silently for you to tell him. "I have feelings for you," you suddenly say so quickly, with a look on your face as if you were ripping off a band-aid. Then you smile nervously, inwardly cursing at yourself.

He stands there, motionless, and looks at you. Occasionally he blinks. You don't know what you were expecting, but some kind of reaction would have been nice. You nervously hold your breath.

"Romantic?" he finally asks after what feels like an eternity.

You finally dare to breathe again. He sounds thoughtful, confused, maybe even overwhelmed, but you can't quite put your finger on it right now, your own thoughts and your heartbeat are so incredibly loud.

"Yes, Tech. You know, accelerated pulse when you're near me, tingly feeling in my stomach, the need to be close to you, to want to please you. Bittersweet nervousness..."

For a moment, he looks at you as if you have a rare disease that might be contagious, and your stomach tightens at the sight. You regret saying a single word. "I'm not sure how to deal with this," he says thoughtfully, averting his eyes, "I can't... process" You can't help but stare at him helplessly. You feel the blood drain from your face, and your whole body suddenly seems to become much heavier. You swallow and say in a helpless attempt to pretend everything is okay, "It's okay, Tech, we don't have to talk about it" You turn back to your work, avert your gaze, and you miss Tech's confused, questioning look as he asks, "Don't we have to? You said it's important to you" "No," you say and put the tool to work, "We don't have to, everything can just stay the way it was before" He looks at you silently for a while longer, lost in his thoughts, before resuming his work. _______ Over the next few days, you hardly speak a word, in fact you avoid him. You feel like an idiot, hurt and exposed. The thought that Tech knows about your feelings makes you feel like you're walking around naked and every one of his questioning, scrutinizing glances weighs heavily on you.

One evening, as you sit alone in the cockpit, you hear someone walk toward you, and by now you can already tell that Tech is approaching by the sound of his footsteps. You shrink into the co-pilot's seat and focus obsessively on the datapad in your hands. As he says your name, your shoulders shrink down, you try to make yourself even smaller, you don't look up as you answer, "Yes?" His voice sounds soft, but still in his very own matter-of-fact way, as he says, "A few days ago, when you told me about your feelings, you said we didn't have to talk about it and everything could be the same. But it's not. You're avoiding me, avoiding eye contact. I realized that my first reaction made you feel insecure, probably even gave you the wrong impression. I've come to the conclusion that nothing is the same as before and that there is a real need to talk about it" You sigh softly and ask, "Is there something on your mind?" Instead of answering, Tech leans down towards you. Surprised and a little startled, your eyes do wander in his direction. He kisses your cheek gently and chastely, then sits down in the pilot's seat.

Your fingers automatically move to the spot where his lips touched your cheek, leaving a soft, tingling sensation. You feel warm, but at the same time you are confused and can't help but stare at him questioningly. "After some time to process what I've heard, said and felt, I've realized that these feelings are apparently mutual. I hope that's not a problem" You blink several times and straighten up a little in your seat. A soft smile at the corners of your mouth. "That's not a problem, Tech, not at all" He nods, smiling. "Good, so we can explore this new territory together, right?" You resist the urge to fall around his neck, you know that Tech processes things differently, especially in the interpersonal sphere, that he takes longer and values physical contact very differently. You nod, your smile a little wider. "I'd love to, Tech," you say softly. Your heart almost leaps out of your chest with joy as he reaches for your hand, tentatively at first, but eventually with gentle determination. With a cautious smile, he says, "I hope you'll be patient with me" You laugh softly, gently, and beam at him as you reply, "I have all the time in the world for you, Tech"

[kotemf]

Gift wrap banner by: @the-little-moment.

My gift for @lonewolflupe for the @galactic-gift-gathering event is nothing else than a short fic about Commander Fox and his biggest love: caff. Your gift is belowthe cut, I hope you like it!

(Also, you can read this on Ao3 too)

Fox has always had a thing for caff.

He was a little older than eight standard years old when him and his batchmates decided to sneak out of their sleeping pods after the curfew and wandered to the mess hall. They were there for snacks but the moment Fox laid his gaze on a forgotten cup of the brown liquid on one of the tables, he couldn't look away. There was something about that brown liquid, something that made him take a sip.

There was no way to describe the taste, or the rush of contentment and energy that flooded Fox the moment he swallowed. And he knew in that moment that he wanted more.

His liking for caff hasn't changed. By the end of the war, he was drinking enough caff to show on a drug test.

And then the war ended, Fox was forced to quit his job of a commander until he recovered from the damage Palpatine did to him - not that he actually needed the time off but try explaining that to his overprotective batchmates - and along with his job, he list the option of stealing caff from the coffee machines in the senators' offices.

So he went and tried a coffee shop after coffee shop. And who knew caff could be even more delicious? Don't take him wrong, the plain black liquid he used to drink was good but it was nothing compared to pumpkin spice latte or strawberry creme frappuccino.

He didn't get why his batchmates laughed at his choice of drinks but then, his batchmates has always been weirdos. Fox didn't take it personally and brought them each a vanilla bean frappe with two pumps of raspberry syrup to their meeting in Wolffe's apartment.

"What's that?" Wolffe gave the plastic cup Fox just handed him a weird look. What was his problem? It was aesthetic!

"Looks kinda poisonous. Are you trying to kill us Fox'ika?" Cody joked. Asshole. Next time, Fox was getting him decaf.

"It's vanilla bean frappe with two pumps of raspberry syrup you moron."

"You know, maybe you could open a coffee shop," Rex snickered.

"You know what? I will."

"No, Fox, that was a joke! You can't just open a coffee shop!"

"Watch me."

Fox was nervous. He had exactly ten minutes and forty five- forty four- forty three- forty two- Alright, that's enough, he needed to calm down. He had approximately ten minutes before he opened his very first coffee shop. His worry was unnecessary. He was just opening his first ever coffee shop. What could go wrong?

Fox nervously sipped his iced matcha espresso as he watched the numbers on his watch change steadily. The drink was good. Surely his customers were going to agree. It was so good Fox ran out of the drink before he was supposed to open. He needed something to drink, something strong.

He was in the middle of the process of making a unicorn frappuccino when the door opened. Fox forced himself not to run away as he turned to his first ever customer. He was surprised to see senator Chuchi.

"Hi!" she greeted him cheerfully. She looked perfect as always, her blue skin glowy, robes carefully ironed without a hint of wrinkling, not a hair out of place... What was she doing in Fox's coffee shop. Not that it was Fox's business he was just curious. That... that didn't make it his business, right?

"Senator. What can I get you?"

"Surprise me."

Alright. Fox could do this. Caff was his job. No. No, caff was more. It was his life. He could make a good drink for a pretty senator.

Without even thinking about what he was doing, Fox started mixing ingredients in a cup. He started with some melted chocolate, added ice, almond milk, blueberry juice and mixed it well before pouring some well brewed coffee into it and topping it off with whipped cream and some heart shaped chocolate sprinkles. He looked at his creation. That wasn't any of the drinks on the menu. He did it all on instinct, without thinking. It didn't look bad, though. He handed it to the senator.

"Looks great. I don't remember seeing this one on the menu?"

"It's a... it's a special. Just for you," Fox stuttered.

He watched the senator take a sip. He hoped he mixed it well. An angry senator was the last thing he needed, especially when it was the one senator who treated the clones with respect. What was he even thinking, he should've just fixed her a regular latte with some extra cream and- "Wow. This is... I don't have words for this, this is the best drink I've ever had."

"Really?"

"Uh huh." The senator took another sip. Fox guessed he was lucky. "How much is it?"

A good question. "It's on the house," he blurted out.

"Thanks, Fox." The senator smiled at him. "I'll be back tomorrow!"

Fox watched the senator toss a generous amount of credits into the tip jar as she walked out of the shop. He was still busy wondering if she really just said his name. How did she recognize him? Kriff, how did she even know he had a name? He always went by CC-1010 when in the senate.

He was still pondering over that when he heard his batchmates snicker from the door. So they really came. Sweet.

"Are you going to be standing there or do you actually want to purchase something?" Fox asked impatiently. He was a barista, not a comedian. His job was to get people so hooked on caff he could live out of their orders, not making them laugh.

"Just basic blacks caff," Cody ordered.

"I will let you know that I offer a variety of different-"

"Black caff, vod," Cody asked again, the others following his example. His batchmates were the worst! Why couldn't they just all admit what drinks they really loved? Fox had no problem with admitting that his favorite drink was strawberry cream frappuccino.

"Of course." Fox rolled his eyes as he prepared each of his beloved batchmates a plain, boring coffee. "Two credits each."

"You're kidding, right?" Bly asked.

"No."

"You mean a senator gets a drink on the house and your batchmates don't?" Wolffe looked offended.

"The senator didn't get the most boring drink I offer, did she?"

"We are your batchmates!" Rex argued. It was ironic that it was him of all people, he wasn't even from the same batch, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got kidnapped and later adopted by Cody. Not that Fox cared, no one was getting free drinks if they didn't at least order something interesting.

Fox's coffee shop turned out pretty well. Soon he had more customers than he could handle. Senator Chuchi kept coming every morning and sometimes in the evening as well. The command batch stopped by daily to order their plain coffee and then the di'kute returned alone later to order the drink they were embarrassed to admit they liked. The entire Coruscant Guard frequented the place as well as many other clones. Then there were Jedi and of course the regular citizens of Coruscant. To sum it up, the place was popular.

Fox was proud when he learned how well known his humble coffee shop was. Sure, his vode knew his shop. But nat-borns did too and that was a surprise. And it wasn't just some regulars who lived nearby, no. His coffee shop was a well known place! People would say they will meet at Fox's and their friends knew exactly where. Teenagers would buy caff just so they could spend an hour taking selfies with the cups and let the drink get cold. Fox couldn't be more happy. He loved caff and he loved making it for the citizens of Coruscant.

He heard the door open.

"Hey, Fox," Rex greeted him. He was the first one to return for his alone drink that day.

"Rex." Fox nodded at him. "The usual?"

"The usual."

Fox started making Rex's favorite espresso with milk, dragon fruit syrup, pink whipped cream, white chocolate topping and marshmallows. "Here you go." He handed Rex the cup and watched his vod'ika leave. He shook his head fondly. If only him and Fox's batchmates could admit they weren't all that much into boring, black caff, their lives would be much easier. It wasn't like they could laugh at each other. Rex loved milky espresso with dragon fruit, pink cream, white chocolate and marshmallows. Bly loved pumpkin spice latte. Cody loved affogato with cookie cream and two pumps of extra caramel. Wolffe's favorite was iced matcha tea latte with almond milk, raspberry syrup, seven extra pumps of dark chocolate, purple whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Fox didn't judge. His batchmates did but they didn't have the right too.

Fox was distracted by the door opening again. He looked up to see his favorite customer. He smiled. "Hi, Riyo. What can I get you today?"

She smiled back. "Surprise me." She always said that. It was more of a game at this point, she could've ordered any of the drinks Fox has served her in the past. But she seemed to enjoy the surprise and Fox liked the challenge of creating new and new delicious and aesthetic combinations.

"Of course."

[tartigglez]

For the 300 follower event. Can I request green with Zhongli as Rex Lapis?

"rest"

・❥・rex lapis x gn!adeptus!reader

・❥・1.5k

・❥・set in old teyvat, reader and morax are in a sort of weird soul bond situationship, half-dragon!li (i've just decided its his base form now so everyone cope), he calls reader "little one" at one point (lol?), reader has horns (that sounds so silly help), reader cries and it's kinda cinematic, (yes i am using this to heal the wounds my ex left me with because he was ashamed of our relationship thank you for asking!), this has gotta be one of my fav fics ive ever written LOL

・❥・HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IT IS I, CAEL. today i present you all with: a thing i wrote!

・❥・if you want to request a prompt from this event, click on the green title!

the world is quiet when the dragon slumbers. 

at least, that's what you think. 

that's what the adepti think.

the souls of the old deities that have been subdued by rex lapis calm a little when he rests. their empty shells are less vengeful, and they, albeit momentarily, no longer seek to wreak havoc on the people of liyue. 

it was a simple mission you had. go to the cave, retrieve any necessary cor lapis for streetward rambler and do not disturb morax. and of course, none of the other adepti knew, but this rule was an optional one in your mind.

the others would never know of your relationship with rex lapis, which was of a deeper level than you cared to explain. the deep, intricate weaves of your two souls together were much more detailed than anyone could ever imagine, so gently and carefully tied over such a long time that they could never be undone. they were roots so deep that neither you nor him could even tell how much you needed each other. 

of course, when he is resting you shouldn’t disturb him, because he needs it. he works hard to protect his people, and for this reason he should always be allowed to rest when he needs. 

as the few chunks of cor lapis you carried in your bag clanked together, you entered the mouth of a cave in mingyun village. you were fully aware that this was where he would be, since you could feel his presence. but you were only here since this was where the best cor lapis could be found, right? right?

a seemingly small tunnel in the side of the cave led you straight to the sight of him. he was completely still in slumber, tail of brown scales and golden spines lay a little curved on his hoard of various gemstones and chunks of metals.

you walked somewhat slowly to him, tiptoeing your way in to the cave, only to have a look at him of course. he looked quite strange when sleeping. his aura was much more peaceful than usual. 

normally, morax was calm. but there would always be some sort of troubled glint in his eyes, one that it appears only you can see, perhaps it is only for you to know of. 

as you made your way to the side of the cave opposite to the opening, you could see his hair and arms glowing a little in rhythm with his breathing. from deep in his chest came soft, yet low purrs. he was at rest. however, the small smile which appeared on his lips would say otherwise. 

slowly, but surely his eyelids opened, the bright amber irises previously hidden behind them meeting you as you stared at him, not even realising he had actually woken up. instead you were busy admiring his presence. 

“you haven’t been here long, hm?” he spoke with a yawn, pushing himself to sit up upon his hoard. the golden surfaces of a few pieces of mora reflected his sharp features as he took a sigh. 

your expression was one of pure guilt. you had only wished to see him, after all it was rare that the two of you got much time alone, but you didn’t want to actually wake him up when he was so deserving of a sleep. 

“not to worry,” he smiled, “i was due to wake up in a few days anyway.” he got down from the top of the pile, ground shaking a little as he jumped, and was all of a sudden by your side. “why the long face, little one?” he asked gently, tilting his head to the side and placing a loving hand on your cheek.

“i didn’t want to wake you up” you sighed, leaning into his touch. “i did miss you, but i only wanted to see you, not disturb you.”

he moved a little closer to you, his horns slightly touching your own as he moved his forehead against yours, “you are never a disturbance to me, dear” he spoke, closing his eyes and taking a few breaths with you. 

but suddenly, it hurt.

“morax…” you opened, trailing off, unsure of how to convey what you wanted to say. instead, your eyebrows knit themselves together, and completely out of your control, a single tear rolled down your cheek, losing itself slowly to the fabric of your robe after making its way down your neck. 

he felt it, all of the emotions that were happening for you were making their way to him, his senses more amplified after having rested. “dear-” he said softly, voice breaking a little, hands and eyes searching your body for some sign of injury or pain, “did something hurt you, are you well?” his eyes were filled with concern for you, and somehow that made you feel worse. he stroked your cheek with one hand, the other rubbing up and down your arm. “tell me, what troubles you?” he asked quietly.

“you wouldn’t want to know,” you giggled a little, more tears suddenly escaping your face. “it is a futile complaint”

“tell me,” he said, bringing his hands to your cheeks and gently wiping away your tears, “i want to hear all of it” 

you were silent for some time after that, the dim environment of the cave allowing you to lean your head on rex lapis’ shoulder, holding his hand as the other was gently stroking over your hair, and slowly massaging at the base of your horns. 

“do you think we’ll ever be able to tell them?” you said, nothing more than a whisper. so quietly that if morax didn’t have such heightened senses, he wouldn’t have been able to hear it at all.

“tell who?” he said back, shoulder slightly vibrating against your cheek as he did.

“the others. do you think we can ever tell them about us?” you asked, absentmindedly staring at a single coin of mora across from you. upon its shiny surface was painted the image of rex lapis of one and his adepti. no. upon its surface was painted two people who were held in a love that had been finely crafted over centuries, each piece chiselled out like the stone of a statue. 

“do you want them to know?” he asked, turning his head a little to place a soft kiss upon your head, humming a little before turning back to face his hoard, leaning his head on top of yours.

you nodded a little, closing your eyes, unsure of what to say next.

“if you want them to know then we shall tell them. i doubt they will be upset about it. after all, i am the one in charge, no?” he chuckled a little, interlacing his fingers with yours. 

“you’d really tell them?” you asked, moving from the way you were sat, instead sitting up straight to look at him, holding both his hands in your own. 

“if that is what you want, then of course i will. i only wish you had told me sooner.” he smiled at you, standing up and pulling you with him. your eyes shone brightly as you beamed at him, and he moved a little closer to you to ask a very important question…

“would you like to rest with me for a little while?” 

you nodded, and within an instant he had whisked you to the top of his pile. he began circling around, trying to find a comfortable spot before inviting you to lay down by him, tapping on the space beside him, which was rather funny, because a few of his treasures rolled down the side of the hoard, which made him pout a little. 

you keenly moved to lay down beside him, resting your head on his arm. however, there was one major problem.

“this is kind of uncomfortable” you spoke, watching his face contort from being relaxed, to confused, to relieved. through his expressions you could already tell that he had found the solution. 

“here,” he yawned out, swiftly moving you to lay on his chest as he rolled on to his back. “better?”

you laughed a little, cheek against the robe which (barely) covered his chest. “much better”

he wrapped both his arms around your waist, every effort being made not to scrape you with his talons. and in this moment, that was when it hit you, more than ever before. every piece of care that he had for you and you for him, it was all for one cause…

“i love you, morax” you smiled softly, squeezing him a little.

finally, you had put words to it. after centuries, you had finally verbalised on the affection shared between the two of you. for the first time ever, you knew exactly what you felt. it was love. 

it is love. 

sfw masterlist || event masterlist

© tartigglez, 2023. do not copy, translate or repost, reblogs appreciated

[the-kr8tor]

Can I request Hobie Brown to react to his friends telling him how his shy gn crush has been trying to confess to him for the whole week but keep getting interrupted by something like there's a mission that popped up when they're about to confess & they're losing hope for your fluffy Friday?

Thank you for the lovely request! ❤️ I may or may not have gotten overboard with it lol

Pairing: Hobie Brown x gn! Reader/ Spider-Punk x gn! Reader

Word count: 1.7k

Synopsis: The three times you try to confess to Hobie and the one time he did.

Tags: use of Y/N sparsely, no specific physical description of the reader, spiderperson! Reader, shy! Reader, cw blood, cw injury, FLUFF.

It's Fluffy Friday!

A continuation of this fic, could also be read as a standalone

ʕ⁠·⁠ᴥ⁠·⁠ʔ

Gwen gives you a thumbs up from far away, hiding herself behind a column, with her encouraging nod, you make your way towards Hobie. He sits alone in the cafeteria, arm on the back of the bench, his food tray almost empty, munching away at his lunch.

It's now or never, you thought, hands shaking and heart racing for the inevitable confession. You've been crushing on him since you've joined the society, Gwen noticed of course since she's close to the both of you.

How could she not with your lingering glances and shaky voice everytime Hobie grazes your vision. You've been told that your shyness increases tenfold when you're talking to him. You're much worse when you two get partnered up for a mission, always oh so distracted when he fights an anomaly. His arms flexing to reach for the guitar on his back, a determined look on his face. It's not like you can see it through his mask, but you still imagine it (delusional). Well it always gets to you making you fumble while swinging on your web, almost hitting the side of a building.

Hobie spots you from the crowd of spandex clad reds and blues, a grin spreading on his chiseled face. He waves you over, the simple movement makes your stomach somersault. Oh you're so dead, buried six feet underground, rigor mortis spreading through your fingers.

"Hi?" You cringe internally at your greeting that sounded like a question.

"Where's your food?" he gestures towards the lack of food tray in your hand. "Don't tell me Rex is still up your ass about last time"

You laugh nervously. "No, we're good actually" hands tucked behind you, fiddling with your fingers. "And I already ate"

"Good," he finds your shyness endearing, eyes shining, a lopsided smile on his lips. "D'you want to sit down?"

"Okay" you softly say, too shy to sit down next to him so you sit across, the table providing a barrier between you.

An awkward silence falls, Hobie clears his throat in an effort to pop the bubble of awkwardness away.

"How's your dimension?" He makes small talk, trying to get you to talk again. Hobie likes hearing your voice, especially when you ramble on about your home or the shows you're currently watching.

"Good, beat the crap out of Morbius yesterday"

Hobie whistles, "Hope he didn't bite a chunk out of you, love"

You laugh, music to Hobie's ears. "nope–" suddenly remembering why you're here, you clam up, hands getting clammy. You find courage deep within you. "Hobie I need to tell–"

"Hey! Hobie! Ohh and Y/n!" Pavitr cheerfully greets you two, unintentionally interrupting your confession.

"Hi, Pav" waving shyly. "Hi, Miles" you notice him walking behind the energetic Pavitr.

"Hey, guys! We're not interrupting you or anything, right?" Miles asks, gaze moving from you to Hobie.

From far away Gwen facepalms, internally imagining wringing her friends' necks.

Hobie greets the two, clueless of your almost confession. "Sit down with us"

"Thanks!" Pav exclaims, he sits next to you while Miles sits on your other side. Trapping you.

Hobie tamps down his smile at your predicament, hiding it behind his drink.

—

Sweat slides under your mask, you cringe at how moist the cloth is but you continue on, flipping and swinging effortlessly in the training area. You dodge an incoming attack from Doc Ock's hologram, breathless, you web him up, pulling him down to the hard floor. He dissolves into a pile of pixels, making an eight bit video game dying sound.

Chuckling, you take off your sweaty mask, fresh air cooling you down. You jump when you hear clapping behind you, clutching your chest, you curse at your lack of spider senses. You couldn't believe your eyes that someone could be here this early. You would always train at this hour to avoid people watching you.

Hobie leans on the doorway with a proud smile. Clapping his hands like an audience who just watched the most amazing play ever.

"You're getting better" he saunters towards you, the act making you cover your sweaty and for sure messy face with your equally sweaty mask.

You place it over your face so quickly that the eyes don't match over yours, it looks wonky. Hobie smiles, eyes soft.

"Thanks" you fumble with the single word, voice muffled by the cloth.

He chuckles, hands hovering over your masked face. "Can I?" Asking for your permission to fix it for you.

Through your vision, you could only see half of his face, missing how he gazes at you fondly. You could only nod at his request.

Warm hands straighten up the mask for you, carefully pinching the cloth, avoiding your skin underneath. You couldn't breathe the entire time his hands were on you, completely frozen, heart practically bouncing all over your rib cage.

"There" with your mask fixed, Hobie gives your cheek a loving tap.

"Thank you" you gather your courage. "Hobie, I–"

Sirens wail around you, red lights flickering around the large room. Miguel's booming voice echoes out, calling for Hobie's team for an 'important mission' according to him.

He sighs at the interruption, "see you when I get back?"

"Mm-hmm, okay" he resists the urge to hug you goodbye.

—

That's it, you thought, frustrated at your failed attempts at confessing. You've tried, even fighting against your shyness. Stomping over to Hobie's dorm, you find his door tightly closed. Adrenaline still rushing through you from your recent mission, you clamp down your bout of shyness with a knuckled grip.

Before you could lose your courage, you raise your hand to knock. Metal suddenly slams to your face with a harsh thonk. Ears ringing, your hands fly over to your bleeding nose. White hot pain makes you fall to your knees.

"Fuck!" Hobie hears the crunch, eyes widening, he immediately moves to crouch next to you, guilt wracking his body, his hands instinctively trying to stop the bleeding. The added pressure makes you hiss, yelping, pushing away from him.

"Shit! I'm sorry! Fuck!" He watches as blood gushes out of your nose. Unable to stop the crimson falling on the pristine floors. He doesn't think his spidey senses could've warned him before the door could hit you, Hobie curses himself.

"Owww" You're dizzy, the hallway spinning, there's two (very worried) Hobies in front of you, his voice sounds like he's underwater, unable to hear him through it. Black dots dance in your vision before you fall unconscious.

—

With glazed over eyes, aching pain over the middle of your face, you squint through it, watching two figures talk in the doorway. Eyes adjusting the two blobs turn into your friends. Hobie chuckles at what Gwen said to him. He hides his face with his palm while Gwen rolls her eyes.

Still unable to hear them, you translate Gwen's actions to chastising Hobie. It's either that or she's completely exasperated, you think you heard the word Idiot uttered by Gwen.

You keep watch with half lidded eyes and a dry throat as Hobie nods with what you could make out as a cheerful smile. Your eyebrows knit at his blissful smile, why in the world is he grinning while you're laying in the clinic, pumped full of pain meds?

You probably groaned judging from the rumble in your throat, Hobie snaps his neck to look at you, smile turning into a frown when his eyes stare at the bloodied bandages around your nose. Gwen sighs in relief, pushing past Hobie to get to your cot.

"Hi, are you feeling okay?" Her voice gets clearer with every word yet it stays slightly muffled.

"Hmm" you could only hum because of your dry throat and the dull pain.

"You look a bit better?"

"Hmm" you hum angrily.

Gwen winces, "I'll get you some water, yeah?" You nod, eyes slowly blinking. "Hobie here will take care of you, away from any doors" she glares at the man beside her. Gwen leaves, leaving you all alone with him.

You tilt your head questioningly at Hobie.

He moves your blanket away from the edge so he could sit down next to you. You watch his precise movements.

"I hit you with my door"

"Mm-hmm" you hum that sounded like a 'duh'

"I'm sorry" he cringes seeing your bandaged nose again, hating that he hurt you. "Spider-Doctor said I broke your nose. I really am sorry" Guilt flashes on his face especially after what Gwen told him, confirming his thoughts.

Without missing a beat, you reach for his hand. Hobie looks at your intertwined hands with a faint smile, he squeezes it lightly.

Despite your scratchy throat, you open your mouth to talk. "Why were you smiling?" You're genuinely curious at what Gwen told him, is it a funny joke to help make him feel better? Maybe you can ask him to reiterate it, might make you feel better too.

Hobie chuckles, avoiding your face. Squinting, you can't believe your eyes, the Hobie Brown seems to be shy right in front of you.

Realization hits you, eyes widening, skin tugging when you talk, you ignore the pain. "Fuck"

"She told me why you were there" he backtracks "not like it's your fault why you got hit. It's completely mine"

You nod, heart monitor beeping loudly at your side.

Hobie laughs loudly at the sound, you join in after a second. Wincing when you laugh too hard.

Hobie leans towards you, taking your hand away from your nose, preventing you from worsening the injury. "You know what I think about it?" He softly says, face so close to yours, you could see your face in his eyes.

You shake your head, skin hot. You worry about his answer.

"I opened the door that hard because I realized what you were trying to tell me all this time even before Gwen told me"

Your heart leaps in your chest. Hobie holds your wrist tenderly.

"I slammed it open because I wanted you to tell me without interruption"

You exhale a breath you've been holding. "I like you"

Hobie beams down at you, chuckling softly. "I fancy you too and not because I broke your nose"

You roll his eyes at the joke, a giddy smile on your lips.

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" Hobie cups his hand around the shell of your ear gently.

You lean into his touch. "I can think of one" courage takes over, he knows exactly what you mean.

"Think you can handle it with your nose?"

"Nose is already healing" you lean up, Hobie helps you up with his hand under your nape. Gaze falling to your lips. "Thanks to spidey powers"

"Thank you enhanced healing" he says against your lips a second before he meets yours.

Guess getting your nose broken was well worth it.

[suzukiblu]

Day ten of fic NaNoWriMo, obligatory sugar daddy Tim/sugar baby Kon AU.

The waitress comes over with another steaming mug of hot chocolate for Kon and Tim awkwardly orders not-Robin's-coffee-order, which since he's panicking he defaults to Caroline Hill's usual for. She's a med student, she drinks enough caffeine for his tastes. And also she likes extremely sugary drinks, which is definitely to his taste. 

Look, Robin can't drink an iced brown sugar oat milk espresso with six extra pumps of syrup and four extra shots of espresso, especially in front of the exact teammate who would tease him the most mercilessly for having a finicky drink order, but Caroline Hill can drink anything she wants, and Tim Drake is just gonna be channeling her for this conversation, he guesses. Her Twitter account already got him here to begin with, so he might as well.

“That is a concerning amount of caffeine in one drink, dude,” Kon observes with a raised eyebrow instead of teasing him over either the syrup or oat milk, which is not actually what Tim expected to hear. But, well, he's not Robin right now, so maybe Kon isn't feeling the same urge to start shit that he usually seems to. 

Tim's not sure how to feel about that. But Robin is, technically, an “authority” figure and a fellow superhero, and Tim Drake is just some guy, so . . . 

Actually, Tim doesn't really know how Kon gets along with civilian guys. He's seen him flirt up plenty of civilian girls, obviously, but he doesn't really seem to talk to all that many guys. Like . . . ever, actually. 

Weird, he thinks, repressing a frown. 

“How would you know, you're Kryptonian,” he says. 

“Half-Kryptonian,” Kon says, then waves a hand around the café. “And like, you know, also this entire planet is full of people who can just tell me these things. Five thousand milligrams is the minimum lethal dose of caffeine for a healthy adult, which is something like seventy-five shots of espresso, but more than four or five shots in a day is still not gonna be great for you, and you just ordered six.”

“. . . how the hell do you just know that off the top of your head?” Tim asks, blinking at him in absolute bewilderment, and Kon smirks in smug amusement.

“Dude, I was programmed by exhausted grad students pulling six months straight of all-nighters,” he says, pointing at his own temple. “I know every possible thing there is to know about every possible caffeine delivery system. Including the illegal ones and the ones the government hasn't yet realized should be illegal.” 

“Huh,” Tim says, still more than a little bewildered. That does make sense, he guesses, but since Kon's already told the team he has absolutely no useful background in any kind of science or math past the absolute kiddie-level basics when they were all exchanging information about all their personal training and experience, it's still a surprise to hear. Shouldn't Cadmus have prioritized an actual education over things like safe caffeine intake for baseline humans, especially since Kon's safe intake level is probably different from a baseline human's anyway? Which–well, he guesses Kon did get cracked out of his cloning tube early, but still. They at least should've been building up the basics for him. Like–more than the kiddie-level basics, he means. 

Cadmus is definitely not capable enough to be in charge of Kon. Like, at all. Ever. Tim has fewer and fewer regrets about this whole plan every minute, in fact. If anything, he should've started drafting it the day he met Rex Leech, never mind the fact that Kon hadn't technically existed yet at the time. Or after the Poison Ivy incident, maybe. At the least he should've done up an outline or two after he and Kon and Bart had helped Suzie escape recapture and then collectively lied to the government about it.

“You work for those guys, right?” he “asks” as Kon takes a sip of his new hot chocolate, because while the best time to start this whole plan was months ago, the second-best time to start it is now. “Project Cadmus?” 

"Yeah," Kon replies, looking a little surprised by the question. Tim reminds himself to con the team into brushing up on the superhero version of stranger danger, because Kon answered that question way too easily. "Well, just started to. I'm a field agent. How'd you know?” 

"I've done some research on you since we first met," Tim says, which isn't even a lie; just some careful phrasing. "I really appreciated what you did for me. And to be honest, I think we'd get along."

"Oh yeah? Tell me all about it," Kon says as his posture shifts a little and he flashes him the kind of smirk he normally reserves for, well . . . 

Huh, Tim thinks in vague bemusement.

Kon's flirting with him. 

. . . huh. 

Not actually the angle Tim was intending to take here, but . . . well, he's not above taking it. And anyway, Kon's just a flirt in general, so it's not like it means anything. 

Admittedly Tim hasn't actually seen him flirt with a guy before, but presumably Kon's just feeling out an opportunity to experiment or not ready to be out to the team yet. Tim's not, so he'd hardly blame him for that. Tim's not even out to Steph.

And he's definitely, definitely not out to Bruce. 

Well, ideally he'll be a supervillain before that becomes necessary, assuming his life goes to plan. 

Robin was always going to be a temporary gig, after all. 

"I don't know," he says, and lets the corners of his mouth curl up in amusement. "You just seem like my type of guy." 

"Your type of guy?" Kon says, his smirk widening as he leans in towards Tim, who decides to pretend that particular bit of flirtatious implication was actually intentional. Tim is . . . not all that great at flirting, admittedly, but it's not like Kon has particularly high standards past “didn't explicitly tell me to fuck off”, so Tim figures he'll be able to get by for long enough to have this conversation. 

Not much longer, but all the same. He has a plan to pitch, that's all that actually matters here. 

“Yeah,” he says. “And I wanted to thank you for saving me, so . . .” 

“You wanna thank me, Tim Drake?” Kon asks with a slower, wider smirk, leaning in a little more again, and Tim instantly turns bright red as he realizes how that actually sounded. 

Yeah, okay, he is actually the worst at flirting. Fuck. 

“Uh, yes!” he says quickly, very much needing to clarify that statement before his stupid fucking hormones try to talk him into maybe just . . . leaning into that particular miscommunication a little. Not the goal here. Definitely not. “I mean–being a field agent doesn't sound particularly lucrative? And I know being a superhero isn't.” 

“Lucrative?” Kon blinks, expression turning puzzled. “I mean, I guess not. I don't need that much money or anything, though, I just live at Cadmus these days.” 

“You live in a lab?” Tim says, letting himself sound as incredulously horrified as he felt the first time he heard that. “Why?” 

“I dunno, saves me a commute,” Kon replies with a shrug. “Also, like, it's not like I have a credit score to get my own place with. Or a legal identity. Or, you know, money. Landlords tend to want those.” 

“Hm,” Tim says. “Do you want one?” 

“Huh?” Kon wrinkles his nose in confusion. 

“Your own place,” Tim clarifies. “I really would like to thank you. I could help you get a place.” 

“Uh, thanks? But I still couldn't afford rent, even if somebody cosigned for me or whatever,” Kon says, looking puzzled. “I really don't make that much.”

“No, I mean I'd pay your rent,” Tim explains, which is in fact an insane person thing to offer somebody, admittedly, but it's not like Kon has all that reliable a grasp of normal social mores. “Or just buy you a place outright and pay your property taxes. Whichever you'd prefer.”

Kon blinks. Tilts his head. 

“So like, you're just a very extra dude, huh,” he says after a moment, his eyebrows slowly raising as he pushes his sunglasses up into his hair. “Like you're the guy who blows the budget on the friend group's Secret Santa out of the water every year.”

“Possibly,” Tim says, putting on a sheepish smile. Kon laughs and folds his arms on the table, looking amused. 

“You wanna buy me an apartment?” he asks. “What, just for saving your life?” 

“I really think you're undervaluing that particular achievement,” Tim says. 

“I think you're overvaluing it,” Kon replies with another laugh. “No offense, but I didn't do anything but block one lousy bullet.” 

“One lousy bullet is enough,” Tim says, and doesn't think of any bodies he's seen. Kon tilts his head again, then takes a sip of his hot chocolate. 

“Okay, fair,” he allows. “But I'm bulletproof.” 

“I'm not,” Tim says. 

“You were as long as I was touching the same floor as you,” Kon replies with a shrug, and takes another sip. “It wasn't like I did anything hard.” 

He hasn't actually said “no” to the apartment. Tim's pretty sure that's just because he thinks he's either ridiculous or just not being serious, but he's not above pressing the advantage anyway. 

“You didn't have to do anything at all, though,” he says. "And buying you a place wouldn't be all that hard for me either. Besides, you deserve a little gratitude for your efforts, don't you think?” 

"Sounds like supervillain talk, dude," Kon says, his mouth quirking in amusement around his next sip. Tim resolves to dial back on that at this point in his career. He's laying groundwork, yes, but subtlety is still the wiser course of action. 

"You say that like you've never socialized with a supervillain before," he counters dryly. 

"Well, usually ones who wear a bit less," Kon replies, lowering his mug to grin wickedly at him. Tim figures if a little more flirting might soften him up on this whole idea, well . . . 

It's not the most altruistic thing he's ever done for a plan, admittedly, but if it works, it works. 

"So you're telling me I should invest in a crop top before I try to take over the world and remake it in my own image?" he asks still more dryly as he raises an eyebrow at Kon with a little smirk, and Kon laughs and leans in a little closer again, giving him a not very subtle up-and-down with his eyes. 

"Only if you're trying to recruit me for your evil plans, pretty boy," he says, grin turning sharp. Tim feels vaguely faint, and also wants to lick the bastard's stupid perfect teeth. Jesus. "So I dunno, what are your feelings on Daisy Dukes?" 

"I'm going to be honest, I'm not actually that much of an exhibitionist so at this point we're just describing my ideal costume updates for you," Tim informs him. 

"Oh yeah?" Kon asks with another laugh even as he straightens back up to visibly preen at the suggestion. Tim is all for that, personally. Both the preening and the theoretical updates, in fact. And, a little more weirdly, just the idea of having anything whatsoever to do with what Kon might ever decide to wear. Especially whatever he might decide to wear for his costume. 

Yeah, that's probably a later thought, Tim decides. Like, a private-time kind of later thought. Specifically “behind locked doors in an empty house” private-time, actually.

"You're solar-powered, aren't you?" he says reasonably, because apparently he likes to suffer and also make himself low-key insane. "Showing a bit more skin can't hurt." 

"I wonder if Superman would buy that excuse," Kon says musingly. 

"Power Girl exists," Tim replies still more reasonably. "And Supergirl wears a miniskirt, last I checked." 

"Valid," Kon says, putting on a mock-thoughtful expression and tapping the side of his jaw. "Maybe I'll put in some cutouts and go for a lower neckline, tell the big guy he's making the rest of us look like prudes. What do you think, bikini or high-cut bottoms?"

"I don't know the difference," Tim lies, desperately trying not to overheat and die at that question and every single accompanying mental image that his useless brain has so helpfully decided to supply. "You'll have to provide examples."

"Will I now," Kon says, grinning all over again and pointedly striking a very suggestive pose in his seat. Tim valiantly struggles not to melt. "What, pretty boy, you want a fashion show?" 

"Well I did want to be a photographer when I was a kid," Tim says, although it was definitely never that kind of photography he had in mind. Kon laughs again and shifts in closer again, though, so it's worth it. Tim is mortified, but also undeniably into just . . . all of this, really, just everything about this conversation. Robin can't flirt with Superboy, but, well . . . Tim Drake still isn't Robin, now is he? 

He's probably taking advantage of the situation a little, Tim can admit to himself, but it's still just . . . nice. He's wanted to flirt with Kon for way too long, at this point. Indulging in a little bit of it isn't the worst thing he could do. 

And again, it's Kon, so it's not like it's serious or anything. The guy won't even remember this conversation tomorrow, much less anything about Tim Drake. 

. . . admittedly that'd be counterproductive to Tim's long-term goals here, but still. He's willing to take his time on this. There's a plan. It has steps. Layers. Processes. 

"I like you, man," Kon says with a wider grin, which is in absolutely no way whatsoever in the plan. "You're funny."

Tim stares blankly at him as it occurs to him, almost disbelievingly, that he might've . . . made a good impression on Kon? Somehow? 

Well, that's weird.

"I'll never get a fashion show out of you if I'm not at least funny," he says on autopilot, as someone who's been well-taught both when and how to press an advantage. Kon, yet again, grins at him, and gives him another much brighter laugh than usual. 

Actually, he kind of hasn't stopped grinning at him, has he. 

Huh. 

. . . huh. 

Tim really did not plan for this. This is just . . . not at all what the plan was. 

“Well, you definitely are funny,” Kon says, biting his lip around a warm little smile and ducking his head just enough to look at Tim from under his lashes, and Tim decides he can probably just amend the plan.

He's a Bat, isn't he? They know how to improvise when they have to.

[perseidlion]

The Five Lives of the Cat King

In my latest fic, Too Many Cats, the Cat King gets split into each of his five incarnations.:

Tabby: The oldest incarnation. Scrappy little Dickensian shithead. Cat form: the most ordinary little tabby alleycat. Brown: Traumatized little scruffy boy. His longest-lived incarnation. Skrunkly Devon Rex with a notch in his ear. Orange: Second-longest incarnation, who we meet in the show. Black: Shortest-lived incarnation, as we see in the show. White: His latest incarnation in my continuity. A fluffy princess of a Persian. I dusted off my ancient photoshop skills to take a crack at how I imagine the three non-canon incarnations.

Please be kind about my severely rusty photoshop skills, lol.

[hellfiresky]

Seeing Red: The thin line between entertainment and war

Contribution to @clonexocweek | Theme: Introduction

Ge’tal Solus x Rex is the first clone x oc fic that I have ever made. Their relationship is rough around the edges, and very, very complicated. Ge’tal (Tal/Red) is a reckless, anarchist, exiled Mandalorian, bounty hunter with a big mouth and bigger guns. Rex, of course, is a decorated clone captain who believes in duty but can’t ignore the cracks in the system he serves. They shouldn’t work, and yet - to their own confusion - they do.

This is the story of how they met. And since I’ve posted this a while ago (the work itself is still on progress, we’re at Chapter 30 now!).

NOTE: Seeing Red takes loose inspiration from Fleabag. Yes, Tal occasionally breaks the fourth wall, and yes, there are plenty of Fleabag references sprinkled throughout the early chapters. If you’ve noticed italicised sentences floating between paragraphs, that’s her looking straight at you. Letting you in on the joke, or the existential crisis.

The full fic can be found here.

Summary: Ge'tal Solus, an exiled Mandalorian anarchist, has carved out a life in the depths of Coruscant during the tumultuous Clone Wars. Navigating the galaxy as a bounty hunter and occasional spice runner, she does whatever it takes to survive in the underworld. Despite her disdain for the forces of the Republic, Ge'tal finds herself drawn into the conflict, ironically aiding the very clones she mistrusts. In a galaxy torn by war, can she reconcile her beliefs with her actions?

Pairing: Captain Rex x Ge’tal Solus (Exiled Mandalorian bounty hunter OC) Warnings (applied to the fic as a whole): Lots of swear words, very political, contains political commentaries that mirror real life issues, graphic depictions of violence, canon typical violence, some descriptive sexual content and discussions.

Excerpts of Chapter 8, where the pair met, below the cut!

Taglist: @orangez3st @msmeredithrose

Chapter 8 (middle to end)

They reached the door to the briefing room, and just before they entered, Fives suddenly stopped, turning to face her with a mock-serious expression. “Oh, and one more thing,” he chided.

She narrowed her eyes at him, sensing where this was going. “What now?”

“Don’t flirt with him,” Fives pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the door. The smirk on his face made it clear he was only kidding, but the look in his eyes held a different intention.

Tal rolled her eyes. “I’m not gonna flirt with—”

But before she could finish her sentence, the door slid open, revealing the figure standing near the holo table, and the words died in her throat. Captain Rex.

“Fucking hell,” she muttered under her breath, eyes momentarily widening as she took in the sight of him.

He stood at the holo table, deep in conversation with Commander Fox and another clone clad in white and orangey-gold armor, clearly another high-ranking officer. His posture was all business - shoulders squared, spine straight, and every inch of him radiating authority. But it wasn’t just the way he carried himself that caught her off guard; it was his appearance. He had the same tanned skin as the rest of the clones, the same sharp features, but there was something about him that made him stand out. Maybe it was the neatly buzzed platinum blonde hair, contrasting against the deep brown of his eyes, which were currently focused intently on the holo display. His face was a study in concentration, and even in the serious atmosphere of the room, there was a calmness to him, a kind of quiet strength that seemed to anchor everyone around him. He was, in a word, striking.

The white armour, marked with the signature blue of the 501st, fit him perfectly - no visible scuffs or dents, like it was freshly polished for the occasion. Yet, it wasn’t pristine; it carried the subtle wear and tear of countless battles, a testament to the man who wore it. Rex had a presence that made you feel like everything was under control, even when the galaxy was falling apart around you.

(Her gaze flicks toward us, a silent “you seeing this?” look in her eyes)

Tal blinked, catching herself staring. This was the guy Fives was worried and seemed to always so excited about? She could see why.

Rex glanced up, his eyes meeting hers for a brief second before shifting to Fives. There was no immediate recognition on his face, just a subtle nod acknowledging their presence as they approached the table.

The room itself was a contrast to the underworld Tal was used to. It was sleek, clean, with walls lined with various displays and tactical readouts. The holo table in the centre projected a detailed map of the underworld, with multiple points of interest highlighted in red—likely the locations where they suspected CIS activity. The room buzzed with low conversations and the quiet hum of technology, the air thick with the weight of whatever mission was being planned.

She quickly noticed two other troopers in ARC armour stationed in the room. One of them was Jesse, who she remembered from that brief encounter at the deli with Fives. He cocked his chin when he saw her. Clearly, he hadn’t forgotten their last run-in.

The other trooper was a dead ringer for Fives—minus the goatee and tattoo that made the ARC stand out. It didn’t take long for her to put two and two together. This had to be his twin, Echo. His face betraying nothing as his gaze shifted between her and Rex.

Fives cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Captain Rex, Commander Fox, Commander Cody,” he greeted in what Tal thought was a noncharacteristic professional manner. “This is the operative I mentioned - the one I gathered intel on. Everything checked out with her.”

Fox looked at Tal with his usual stern expression. “We’ve met before,” he stated the obvious.

Yeah, no shit, she thought, biting back a snarky reply. The memory of their previous encounters flashed through her mind—especially that time he showed up at her apartment with the job offer. There was a familiarity in his tone, but it was always laced with the same underlying tension that always accompanied their meetings.

Cody gave a brief nod of acknowledgment. But it was Rex who stepped forward, extending a hand to her.

“Ge'tal,” Rex said simply, his voice carrying a calm authority that matched his appearance. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Tal shook his hand. “Call me Red. All good things, I hope,” she tried to sound more confident than she felt. The guy was unnervingly collected.

“Mostly,” Rex replied with a faint smile. “We appreciate you agreeing to help us with this operation.”

Tal shrugged, glancing awkwardly around the room at the holo display. “Credits are credits, right?”

Rex’s smile was quicly replaced by a scowl. “This is more than just credits, Red. The situation in the underworld is getting out of hand. We need someone who knows the terrain, the people, and the dangers better than anyone else. That’s why we’re involving you.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

Fox stepped in. “We’ll be conducting a series of covert operations across the lower levels. You’ll be working directly with Captain Rex here. He’ll brief you on the specifics.”

Did he just order Rex? So, commanders are higher than captains. Got it, Tal mentally noted. She had always thought it was the other way around. This base visit was full of new things, most of them revolving around military hierarchy. Fucking yikes. The whole concept made her skin crawl; she’d spent years running from anything resembling a chain of command, and now she was neck-deep in it.

She locked her attention back to Rex, who was already pulling up a more detailed map on the holo table. From the way he moved, and his little micro expressions - it was clear this wasn’t just another assignment for him; it was something he lived and breathed.

“Of course, he will,” she muttered under her breath, realising that this mission might be a lot more complicated and interesting than she had initially thought.

And here I was thinking I’d just shoot a few people and be done with it.

Before Rex could start the briefing, Fives stepped closer to the holo table, catching her eye. He gave her a slight smirk, then turned to his commanding officer with a professional demeanour that almost seemed at odds with the smirk that still lingered on his face.

“Sir, Jesse, Echo, and I are scheduled to depart in a few hours for Ossus,” Fives reported. Rex nodded before turning to Cody and Fox. “There are rumours of a hidden Separatist presence on Ossus. Intel suggests Count Dooku established a base there years ago, and we can’t risk the Separatists getting their hands on anything valuable. General Skywalker sent a contingent of ARC troopers to investigate the so-called ‘Ossus conspiracy,’” he paused, addressing the ARC troopers directly, “Recover what you can. Once you have proof, call in the airstrike.

Cody, standing just to the side, shook his head in frustration. “Seems like we’re always chasing ghosts with this kind of intel. Ossus might be another wild bantha chase.”

“Whether it’s ghosts or not, we can’t ignore it. The Jedi don’t take rumors about lost artifacts lightly.” Rex looked at Fives. “And neither should we.”

“Never do, sir.” Fives smirked.

Fox, who had been quietly observing the exchange, crossed his arms and spoke up. “Meanwhile, we’ve got our own mess to deal with on Coruscant. The underworld’s been heating up, and the Syndicates aren’t making it easy for the Guard to keep things under control. We’re stretched thin.”

“Which is why it’s crucial this one gets investigated before they can do more damage. I’m counting on you three - and the rest of the contingent—to get it done quickly and cleanly.” Rex sighed.

Echo straightened up. “Won’t let you down, sir.”

Tal scowled at Fives, the look on her face clearly saying, Why the fuck are you leaving me alone here with them? She wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of being stuck with a bunch of commanders whilst he went off on his mission.

“You’ll be fine,” Fives mouthed to her, flashing that damn cocky grin of his.

Tal rolled her eyes and mouthed back, “Asshole,” which only made Fives chuckle as he followed his brothers out of the room. 

She turned her attention back to the holo table, where Rex was now explaining the details of the operation. His voice was calm, steady, but there was a familiar roughness to it - this was a man who’d seen his fair share of battles and wasn’t about to let anything slip through the cracks. “Here’s the situation,” Rex began, his eyes focused on the holo display. “We’ve identified several key locations in the lower levels where we suspect CIS agents are operating. These are places with no obvious syndicate ties, which makes them harder to trace and even harder to infiltrate.”

Tal leaned in to study the map. The areas he pointed out were familiar to her - places she’d either worked in or passed through on various jobs. “And you want me to do what exactly? Sniff them out like a gundark and report back?”

Rex’s eyes met hers. “I want you to use your connections, your knowledge of the underworld, to get us the intel we need. These agents are slippery, and they’re good at covering their tracks. We need someone who knows how to navigate that world, who can get close without raising suspicion.”

“Party,” Tal said dryly.

Cody joined in, his manner carrying a diplomatic edge that reminded Tal of those troopers in the GAR propaganda commercials. Oh wait, is he that dude? “This isn’t just about gathering intel. It’s about cutting off their resources, disrupting their operations, and if necessary, taking them out. We can’t afford to let them gain any more ground.”

“You’re really pulling out all the stops, huh? I’m surprised you’re trusting this to a small-time bounty hunter like me.” Tal let out a low whistle.

Rex’s gaze softened a fraction. “Your portfolio, based on Fives’ report, says otherwise. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe you could do this.”

She huffed, trying to mask the flicker of surprise at his words. “Really?” The word slipped out before she could stop herself, and for a moment, her tough exterior cracked. She wasn’t in this game to make a name for herself like so many others. Bounty hunting was just another job, a means to an end. Her ex-clan had trained her well, Reaper Unit had sharpened those skills, and she was good at what she did—but she didn’t see herself as exceptional. Hearing Fives’ findings was unexpected, almost unsettling.

But she quickly pushed that thought aside, “Well, I guess your standards must be slipping, Captain.” Rex didn’t rise to the bait. “Our standards are higher than you might think. We’ve reviewed Fives’ intel thoroughly, and your track record speaks for itself. And you’re exactly the help that we need right now.” Tal leaned back slightly, crossing her arms as she studied the map displayed in front of her. “So, what’s the catch? You know how things work down there. The hypothetical operations you’re asking me to target... They’re not gonna go down easy.”

“We’re aware of the risks, Red. We’re not sending you in blind. You’ll have the support you need, and we’ll be monitoring your progress closely.” Rex’s gaze didn’t waver. And to her surprise, Tal held his gaze for a moment longer than she intended. There was something about Rex that made her want to actually do this job right - maybe it was the way he looked at her like she was more than just another mercenary. “Anything else I need to know?”

“You’ll be reporting directly to Rex. He’ll be your point of contact for this operation.” Fox stepped forward, clearly having waited for the right moment to reassert himself.

So, just like what Fives said? But she couldn't help but bark at Fox, gosh, she could not stand that motherfucker. “Directly to Rex, huh? I thought I’d be dealing with one of your lackeys, Fox.” 

Fox’s jaw tightened, but before he could spit out a retort, Rex cut in smoothly. “We need this operation to run as efficiently as possible, and that means direct communication. No middlemen. That’s why I’m your point of contact.”

Rex tapped a few buttons on the holo table, bringing up a more detailed map of the Coruscant underworld and its layers, its labyrinthine network of streets and districts illuminated in shades of blue and red. Tal’s eyes scanned the map, her mind already working to decipher the patterns and potential routes, noting the various areas marked as hotspots.

"Alright," Rex began. He pointed to several key locations on the map. "The mission is simple in concept but complex in execution. We’ve identified several areas in the underworld where CIS activity has been suspected. Your task is to infiltrate these locations, gather intel on any Separatist agents, and report back. The reporting system is straightforward; you’ll have a secure channel directly to me and Commander Fox will be carbon copied. You’re expected to check in at specific intervals, as outlined in your contract. Any deviation from the schedule, and we’ll assume something’s gone wrong."

"Assume?" Tal muttered under her breath, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "So what, you gonna send a rescue squad if I’m late?"

"Let’s just say, we’ll have contingencies in place. But I’d prefer it if you stayed on schedule. The underworld is unpredictable enough without adding unnecessary risks."

"Yeah, I know the drill," Tal replied, her gaze still fixed on the map. 

Cody glanced up from the map, sweeping the room with his brown eyes before settling on the group.

Included.

"I’ve got to brief my men for our mission to Felucia. We’re pushing to clear out the remaining droid presence in the fungal forests there. Should be a nasty fight, but nothing the 212th can’t handle." He eyed Rex. "You know how those damn spore patches can mess with our equipment. We’ll have to stay on our toes."

"Good luck out there, Cody," Rex said, "stay safe."

With that, Cody left the room, leaving Rex, Tal, and Fox alone. Rex continued, "As for my role, I’ll be coordinating the operation from the surface. I won’t be going down with you, but I’ll be monitoring everything closely. You’ll have a support team on standby if things get too hot. But remember, we’re relying on your expertise to navigate the underworld effectively."

Tal eyed Fox, who had been listening intently. The Commander of the Coruscant Guard stepped forward, his expression hardened as he began offering his input. "We’ve already set up surveillance in the key areas, mostly droids and undercover operatives. We’ve mapped out the territories controlled by the major crime syndicates, and we’ve got intel on the safe zones—places where you can lay low if things go south."

"Safe zones? Down there? Please. That area," she pointed to a section Fox had marked, "is a front for a trafficking ring. You think that’s safe? Unless you want to be sold to the highest bidder." Tal couldn’t help but snort at that.

Fox frowned. The marshal commander of the Coruscant Guard was definitely not pleased with the correction. "We’ve had our eyes on it, and nothing’s flagged it as dangerous."

"Then your eyes need checking," Tal shot back, arms crossed. "I’ve spent more time in the underworld than you’ve spent in that shiny armour. Trust me, some of these so-called safe zones are anything but."

Rex raised a hand to diffuse the tension. "That’s why you’re here, Red. We need your expertise to avoid pitfalls like that. We’re trusting you to call the shots when you’re down there. Just make sure you’re feeding the information back to us. This mission hinges on accurate intel."

"Fine," Tal muttered, feeling a bit more validated. "But if I’m calling the shots, you better be ready to deal with how I do things."

Fox seemed ready to argue again, but Rex cut him off with a sharp glance. "We understand. But we need results. Do things your way, but remember, we’re all on the same side here."

"Same side," Tal repeated sceptically. "Right."

Rex ignored her, pointing to another section of the map. "We suspect that some of these hotspots are linked directly to the Separatists. They’ve been funnelling funds into businesses and organisations that, on the surface, look clean. But dig a little deeper, and it’s a different story. Your job is to find those connections and trace them back to the source."

Tal studied the areas he highlighted, her mind already mapping out potential routes, contacts, and risks. It wasn’t going to be easy, but then again, nothing ever was in the underworld. "I can do that," she said finally. 

Fox, still looking slightly irritated by Tal’s earlier correction, crossed his arms again. "We’ll be monitoring your progress. If you need backup, you’ll have it. But keep in mind, this isn’t just about hitting a target and moving on. We need to dismantle their network piece by piece."

"Deal," Tal shrugged. She was ready to dive into the underworld - her world - and do what she did best. But this time, with the Republic watching, things were going to get even more complicated.

Fox gave Tal a pointed look as he reminded her, “And make sure you write your reports and submit them to Rex, per contract. We’re expecting full accountability on this, Ge’tal Solus.”

Tal sighed, rolling her eyes at the mention of her actual name, nodding reluctantly. The concept of writing a formal report was about as appealing to her as following the law - both foreign and irritating. She didn’t even know where to start with something like that. Paperwork? Really?

As Fox turned to leave, he paused at the door, glancing back at her with that same stern expression. “And, Ge'tal, I’m serious. We’re trusting you with this. Don’t make us regret it.”

With that, he was gone, leaving an air of tension hanging in the room.

Rex turned and grabbed something from a cabinet behind him, walking over to where she stood. “Here,” he said, extending a GAR-issued datapad towards her. “This should make things easier for you. Don’t worry too much about the reports - they’re not expecting a tactical debrief from you. Just focus on gathering intel. You’re not a soldier, and we’re not asking you to be one.”

Tal took the datapad, flipping it over in her hands as if it might bite her. “An outline would be helpful. The hell do they want me to say? ‘Dear diary, today I shot some seppie-loving scumbags and didn’t get blown to bits. The end.’”

Rex couldn’t help but chuckle at that, shaking his head. “Not quite. Keep it simple. What you found, where you found it, and how it ties into the bigger picture. The more details, the better, but we’re not looking for a novel. Just enough to keep us in the loop.”

“Fox’s men have been poking around just fine a few months back. I saw them after my, apparently, infamous riot against the Corries at that dive. What changed? Did something go sideways?” Tal looked up at him.

Rex sighed, his gaze briefly shifting to the holo map before returning to her. “The situation’s escalated since then. The Separatists have tightened their grip, and the underworld’s become more unpredictable. Fox’s men can handle the topside, keep things in check up there, but down in the lower levels? It’s a different game. The Corries made their presence known, but that was a one-time show of force. Now, we need subtlety. The kind of work that can only be done by someone who knows the terrain, the people, and the way things operate down there. Make them talk.”

Tal nodded, half-listening, half-thinking. “What about the underworld cops? Wait... Are those even sentients? Or are they just droids?”

Rex raised an eyebrow at her question. He could tell her curiosity was genuine. “Mostly sentients, but there’s a mix. The underworld cops are a breed of their own - most are just as crooked as the criminals they’re supposed to be policing. The others? Overworked, underpaid, and trying to keep their heads above water in a place that’s drowning in corruption. And yeah, they’ve got some droid units, but those are mostly used for grunt work, patrols, simple enforcement. Nothing that requires real thinking or negotiation.” “Oh, if you only knew the brutality those sleemos are doing down there,” Tal muttered under her breath momentarily. 

Rex’s expression tightened. “I’ve heard stories,” he said quietly. 

Tal groaned. “Stories don’t cover the half of it, Rex. The lower you go, the more twisted it gets. Those so-called cops? They’re just as likely to break a bone as they are to take a bribe. Hell, some of them do both, depending on the day. They don’t ask questions, don’t hesitate - just follow orders, no matter how fucked up those orders are.” Tal raised her eyebrows. “Why even bother with them?”

“They have their uses,” Rex replied pragmatically. “They know the streets, and they can handle the low-level stuff that doesn’t warrant our attention. But when it comes to real threats—the kind that could tip the balance in this war—we can’t rely on them. Too many of them are bought and paid for by the syndicates or worse. And that’s where you come in.” “So, you’re the one who keeps the big picture in focus while I do the dirty work?”

“Something like that,” Rex nodded. 

The First Battle Memorial loomed in the dusky evening, its warm, bronze glow casting an eerie light across the plaza. As Rex and Tal approached, the weight of its towering presence bore down on them both-but especially Tal, reminding her of how distant her world felt from the relentless brutality of the war up here. The sheer size of the monument, towering over the two, whispered stories of the first fallen clones, a haunting presence that lingered in the air like unspoken grief. 

For once, she didn’t make a snarky comment. Instead, she fell silent, her gaze briefly lingering on the names - no, numbers - etched into the cold stone. The gravity of the war, which often felt like an abstract concept amidst the everyday survival of the lower levels, weighed heavily in the air. She’d seen death and violence in the underworld - brutal, personal, and often senseless - but this was different. It wasn’t just about survival or territory; it was a collective loss, a shared pain that resonated through the sterile halls of the base. These weren’t just casualties of war; they were brothers, identical faces with unique lives, wiped out in an endless, gruelling conflict.

For a moment, the reality of it all struck her harder than she’d expected. These clones, no, men, bred for battle, had their identities reduced to numbers - memorialised in the most impersonal way possible. Yet, the weight of their sacrifice was undeniable, something that even someone like Tal, who had long become numb to the daily grind of death in the underworld, couldn’t easily brush off.

Rex noticed her uncharacteristic silence but didn’t comment on it. Instead, he led her through the hall, making small talk as they walked. “So, how long have you been working in the underworld?” he asked.

“Too long,” Tal replied with a smirk, though her thoughts were still half-focused on the memorial they’d just passed. The smirk was her defence, a shield she threw up to keep the weight of that hall from sinking too deep. “But the deeper you go, the more clueless people are. Most of them have no idea there’s even a war happening, let alone that the Republic and Separatists are at each other’s throats. Hell, most of them have never even seen the sun.”

Rex frowned. “That’s hard to imagine. Up here, it feels like the war is everything - like it’s the only thing.”

“Yeah, well, it’s a different world down there,” Tal said, shrugging. “People are just trying to get by, to survive. They don’t have time to worry about politics or who’s winning what. It’s all about the next meal, the next score, the next way to keep themselves alive. The war? It’s just noise to them. Background noise that doesn’t affect their daily life.”

Rex nodded thoughtfully, clearly taking her words to heart. “It’s easy to forget how isolated parts of the galaxy can be. We get so caught up in the fight, in the day-to-day battles, that we forget there are people who don’t even know it’s happening.”

“Or don’t care,” Tal chuckled. “Down there, it’s all about survival. The war might as well be happening in another galaxy for all they care. They’ve got their own battles to fight - against hunger, against trafficking, against the gangs, against the damn planet itself sometimes.” she paused for a moment, gazing across the numbers in front of her. 

“You should come play sometime. See for yourself,” she continued, but there was a clear intention of something deeper - maybe a challenge, maybe a dare.

Rex’s gaze flicked back to her, studying her expression for a moment. There was something in her voice that piqued his curiosity about the complex reality she lived in, one he could only glimpse from where he stood. He knew the underworld from reports, from briefings, from stories told by troopers who had ventured too far down. He went there several times, but he’d never truly experienced it - the raw, unfiltered chaos that was life on the lower levels. The way she said it, like it was all just a game, threw him off balance. He wasn’t used to thinking of the war in those terms - of survival being a twisted kind of play.

“Is that an invitation?” Rex asked.

“I wouldn’t call it an invitation, more like a warning. You might find it harder to leave once you’ve been down there. It’s not just the place—it’s the people, the way they live, the way they fight for every damn scrap. It’s addictive, in a way. You see it enough times, you start to wonder if there’s any point in trying to change it.”

Rex’s curiosity gave way to understanding. “I think I already know that feeling,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of someone who’s spent too many years in the trenches of war. “Every battle, every campaign, it’s like we’re just pushing the boulder up the hill, only to watch it roll back down again. But we keep going, because... what else can we do?”

Tal glanced at him, seeing something familiar in his eyes - a kind of weariness, but also a determination that hadn’t been snuffed out yet. It was the look of someone who’d seen too much, but kept going because stopping wasn’t an option. She understood that look; she saw it in the mirror every day.

“Yeah, I get it,” she muttered, more to herself than to him. “The underworld... it’s a different kind of war, but a war all the same. You survive or you don’t. And sometimes, surviving means playing the game, even when you don’t want to.”

They were both caught in their own cycles, she realised—his driven by duty, hers by the need to survive in a galaxy that seemed to care less and less about people like her.

As they neared the exit, Rex hesitated for a moment before speaking again, his tone more cautious this time. “Listen, Red, I wanted to ask you something—about you and Fives.”

“What about us?”

“I’ve heard… things,” Rex admitted, choosing his words carefully. “I just need to make sure that whatever’s going on between you two doesn’t interfere with the job.”

“You mean the part where we fuck like it’s a recreational sport? Don’t worry, Captain. I keep my work and play separate.” Tal chuckled. 

Rex shook his head. “Just making sure. Fives is a good soldier. Don’t distract him too much.”

“I know where the line is.”

“Good. Stay safe out there, Red. We’re counting on you.” he said, looking down at her with those intense brown eyes.

“Always,” she replied, and this time, she meant it.

[lothcatthree]

1. !!!! TELL ME ABOUT PASTRY CHEF CODY !!! Finally he has some peace.

AHHH sorry this took a few days, i was inundated with other WIP's (i'll be answering the other ones soon, too)

@insertmeaningfulusername and @merlyn-bane my darlings, were also interested in this one <3

basically, obi-wan is an exceptionally tired 30yo high school teacher and he begins frequenting a coffee/pastry shop run by cody and rex. ahsoka and anakin are younger adopted siblings (still working out the whole family dynamic). obi-wan gets flustered every time he talks to cody and ahsoka and rex finds it exceedingly hilarious.

this will be a classic strangers to friends to lovers fic and is meant to be fun and wholesome :)

here's a snippet of their meeting ft. gay disaster obi-wan (got a little carried away with it)

“Can I get you anything?”

Obi-Wan is vaguely aware of a voice speaking to him from the counter, but it’s helplessly bouncing around in his empty skull like a ping-pong ball. Any rational thought he had has been sucked out the airlock of his mouth as he’s cut off mid-sentence once he spots the man just behind the register, leaning over a table as he works.

The first thing that Obi-Wan notices is hands. Bronzed long fingers and structured tendons jumping as they knead a slab of dough and Obi-Wan suddenly wonders why he feels warm in the neck. There’s flour all over the man’s knuckles, up his wrists, dirtying the hem of the black sleeves. 

Obi-Wan helplessly watches as the man rolls up his sleeves and grimaces in effort, entirely engrossed with breaking down this piece of dough and, subsequently, Obi-Wan. Rolling up the sleeves would be one thing (and it really is one thing), but there’s miles of black ink swirling around two muscular forearms.

Obi-Wan’s eyes follow the arms up to find broad shoulders and a face with smooth skin, a handsome nose, a jagged scar, and fuck, those eyes. 

He’s just dropped his gaze to the man’s lips when he realizes, far too late, that they've moved.

A sharp elbow jabs into his side and he looks down at the perpetrator.

“What do you want?” Ahsoka asks him with an edge of teenaged irritation in her voice, but her eyes are slightly widened in concern.

Right. He’s supposed to order something.

Something that’s not the devastatingly beautiful man with devastatingly beautiful hands.

Still struggling to get his thoughts into order and feeling an awful blush overtake his pale skin, Obi-Wan stutters.

“Uh..”

“He wants a cup of earl grey and...,” Ahsoka trails off for a moment, scanning the pastry case, “A cinnamon roll.”

Obi-Wan would snort if he still weren’t so flustered and working on averting his gaze from the men behind the counter. The cinnamon roll is, in fact, not for him and entirely for her.

He finally looks up from the way he was burning a hole into the wooden counter and meets the eyes of the man working the register. This one is similarly pretty, though with blonde hair buzzed short and bare arms. Obi-Wan sends a silent thank you for the lack of tattoos, or else he’d be embarrassing himself all over again.

“It’ll be $7.36,” the man tells him and fuck if that isn’t an accent. 

Obi-Wan begins to pull his wallet out of his pocket and distantly hopes the one behind the counter doesn’t have the same one because then Obi-Wan is sure he’d-

“Just charge ‘em for the tea, Rex. I don’t know how good the new recipe is for the roll,” the man at the table pipes up behind- Rex- with, indeed, the same accent and a deep, raspy voice. Obi-Wan promptly drops his wallet.

He curses under his breath and swoops down to grab it, feeling the redness on his skin take on a new, fiery shade. Obi-Wan opens the worn brown leather wallet and pulls out his debit card, thrusting it forward to Rex at a speed that’s certainly not normal.

“It’s alright, I can pay for it,” Obi-Wan clears his throat when his voice comes out weak.

Rex looks at him with a slight furrow to his brows, then he turns around to look at the other man. Obi-Wan follows his gaze and when he locks eyes with the pastry chef (what shade of brown is that and why does Obi-Wan want to bathe in it?), he swallows again.

“Really, it’s ok. These ones are for testing,” the man replies, offering a warm smile. Obi-Wan can’t stop from dropping his eyes to the soft-looking lips as the man shifts his gaze from Obi-Wan to Ahsoka, “As long as you tell me what’s wrong with it, yeah? I have a feeling you’re a professional.”

Obi-Wan turns to look at her and he’s half-shocked when her signature pubescent scowl is replaced with a genuine smile that she usually reserves for Obi-Wan or Anakin.

“I will,” Ahsoka nods and bounces on her heels.

Obi-Wan fondly smiles at her and resists the urge to ruffle the top of her hair (last time he did that, he received a bite mark on his hand that took a week to heal).

Rex clears his throat and says with a polite smile, “Alright, Cody says it’s $3.25, then.”

Cody. CodyCodyCody. 

Obi-Wan hands him his card and darts his eyes to Cody just behind Rex’s shoulders.

“Thank you, Cody,” Obi-Wan says with a small smile, trying the name out on his tongue.

Cody gives him another dazzling grin that makes Obi-Wan’s stomach flip before he goes back to aggressively kneading the dough. Obi-Wan feels his mouth dry up again as he takes his card and receipt from Rex, allowing Ahsoka to not-so-lightly shove him away from the counter and towards a table.

"What is wrong with you?" Ahsoka mutters under her breath as she herds him into a chair.

Obi-Wan sets his bag on the table and helplessly looks over his shoulder to watch Cody begin separating the dough into chunks.

"A lot, I think."

[annoyinglyhardsong]

Codywan Week 2024 Day 2: Beating Rival Suitors off with a Stick

Author Note: Hello again lovelies! Here we are with day 2! This was I believe one of the art prompts for @codywanweek but I am not a talented enough artist yet to do this prompt any justice past some awkward stick figure creatures. So to writing it goes. I had planned on going full crack fic with this because the idea of Obi-Wan literally beating people away from Cody seemed so hilarious, and maybe I'll get around to actually doing that, but for now this was the closest I could get to it. As always, likes, reblogs, comments, are all very much welcomed and appreciated! Happy Codywan Week! Divider by @saradika-graphics, if you are looking for any cute graphics or dividers they have tons of amazing ones!

Tags/Warnings: Mostly SFW, a few suggestive themes, protective Obi-Wan, jealous Obi-Wan, clueless Cody, a highly amused Rex, alcohol.

Mando’a translations: 

Cyare- beloved

Jetii- Jedi

Kriff - fuck

Dank farrik- some kind of curse 

This was supposed to be a nice relaxing night out with friends, but was slowly becoming anything but that. As the night went on Obi-Wan could feel his eye starting to twitch more, and his blood pressure rising. He tried to hide his scowl behind the rim of his glass as another woman slid up next to Cody and Rex and started flirting with his partner.

This woman was a beautiful golden skinned Twi-lek with striking orange freckles, and was the fifth woman who had tried to flirt with the Commander. There had been some men too, and Obi-Wan couldn’t blame them. Cody was a striking man even out of uniform. He was tall and broad, with kind brown eyes and a soothing voice and demeanor. 

He couldn’t hide the self satisfied smirk that spread across his features when the woman slunk away after a few minutes of conversation with Cody. A few had tried to flirt with Rex when they realized they quickly weren’t going to get anywhere with Cody, but Rex could be prickly on the best of days and I guess this woman decided not to press her luck too much and cut her losses. 

But still the almost never ending string of suitors was starting to get to Obi-Wan. Noticing his glass was empty he ordered something a little stronger. A double of Corellian whiskey on the rocks. 

He and Cody had been together for a year and a half at this point. They were stable and happy in what they had for each other. Obi-Wan surely had never felt like this towards anyone else before and he tried to make sure that Cody knew just how much he meant to Obi-Wan. He would worship the ground that man walked on if able to. And he always felt complete and confident knowing Cody was his loyal commander and right hand man when it came to strategizing and charging into battle. 

In fact Obi-Wan would probably say this was the most secure and confident about himself he had ever felt. There was almost always a little bit of doubt lingering in the back of Obi-Wan’s mind that he wasn’t good enough. That he wasn’t dedicated to the Code enough, that he needed to meditate more, that his ‘saber techniques weren’t sharp enough, his battle plans not thorough enough, that if he had even an ounce of time for himself that he needed to be using it to help others and support the Order. He never felt selfless enough, even though he gave almost everything he had and was able to, to those around him. 

But with Cody those nagging thoughts stopped. Almost completely. Cody was able to calm the storm inside his mind with a glance or a touch of the hand. Cody helped inspire a confidence in him that he so rarely actually felt, and on the days when his anxiety started to eat at him or he felt like he had failed his men after a particularly rough mission, Cody was there to catch him and remind him of how much he did right. Of how many men he was able to save, of how he is able to fix almost any negotiation and find some common ground, of how his troops look up to him and trust him, and of how much care he shows them when most other nat-borns treat them like nothing more than flesh droids. 

He was confident in his relationship. So why was this stream of suitors making him so uneasy? Surely he wasn’t one to stoop so low as to be frazzled by possessive jealousy like a hormone addled padawan. 

But as another suitor sidled up to Rex and Cody, nothing hiding the lust in their gaze as they eyed both men, possibly in the hopes of taking both of them home tonight, something in the older man snapped. 

Cody was his, dank farrik. How dare others think they could flirt with his cyare? That was his beloved, and he was going to make sure everyone in the galaxy knew it. 

He knocked back the rest of his drink in one go, wincing momentarily at the burn. He threw down an amount that he thought was enough credits to close out their tab for the evening and purposefully walked up to the trio. 

Sauntering up behind Cody, he slunk an arm around the trim waist of his boyfriend, placing a kiss on the back of his neck mischievously, before propping his chin on the slightly taller man’s shoulder and fixing the interloper with an icy glare that would scare shinies out of their boots. 

Cody brought his free hand up to loosely clasp around Obi-Wan’s. “Hello love, is everything alright?” Cody greeted gently. 

“Perfectly fine darling. Just missed you is all.” Obi-Wan responded keeping his eyes leveled at the interloper.

The housewrecker squinted his eyes at Obi-Wan slightly, gauging what type of threat Obi-Wan was going to make to his evening’s prospects. But little did he know he had just come toe to toe with a durasteel wall that would not be intimidated. He had stared down sith and other nightmares on an almost daily basis his whole life. This was a training exercise. 

“I believe I was just about to buy you boys a drink,” the challenger tried to draw Cody’s attention back to himself.

 Rex had backed away slightly from the stand off that was happening in front of him, not wanting to get any more involved than he already was and with a look on his face that made him appear to be in pain, when in reality he was minutes away from busting out in a peal of laughter at the entire thing. 

Cody went to answer for himself but Obi-Wan beat him to it. Hand tightening further around Cody’s waist as he answered, “Oh really? I thought you had mentioned you wanted to leave soon dear.” A slight edge to his tone. 

Cody’s face had started to flush from the blatant display Obi-Wan was putting on. He was never this forward or possessive, usually allowing Cody to handle himself, while watching from a safe distance in case anything were to go awry. But tonight something had ignited a fire in his other half that he had never seen before and he would be the first to admit he thought it was sexy as hell. 

Flustered he tried to respond calmly, “Oh? Is it getting late already? It really isn’t much of a bother if you wanted to stay longer. Rex and I were just catching up since we haven’t been deployed together in a while.” Cody realized he was rambling and wasn’t entirely sure who he was trying to placate at this point. 

Obi-Wan hummed and started kissing and nibbling up Cody’s neck to the sensitive spot just behind his ear. “Hmm. I would agree with you dear, but I believe we had additional plans for the evening that I am very eager to get to.”

Cody’s blush had deepened to a shade of maroon and stretched from the tips of his ears to where his neck disappeared beneath his blacks. His brain was not working anymore, too distracted by Obi-Wan’s ministrations to his neck trailing fire that seemed to zip down his spine and pool low in his belly. “O-Other..plans?” he almost squeaked out. 

“Oh yes. I believed it involved getting you out of this armor and seeing how quickly I can get you screaming my name.” Obi-Wan stated, voice pitched low and husky, still attacking Cody’s neck and giving a small bite and a tug to his earlobe. 

If the interloper had had any hope left to woo and sway Cody and Rex to coming home with him for the evening it almost immediately evaporated at the display in front of him. One trooper he had targeted, a deep blush coloring his skin nicely, eyes blown wide with lust and desire, sending small smiles at the man wrapped around him. The other trooper he had hoped to woo, was far too entertained by the entire situation, and he had more self respect than to embarrass himself by still trying to entice him to bed. Given the strong reaction of the ginger man to the trooper in orange, he would rather assume that the blonde in blue was spoken for in a similar manner. 

The interloper decided to cut his losses, at this point the ginger might actually bed the trooper he was wrapped around with the entire bar as witnesses, and well after this display he had lost his desire to try and find someone to bring home. Clearing his throat awkwardly and bowing in a quick apology he walked away from the trio and disappeared into the crowd. 

As soon as Obi-Wan lost sight of the person who had been trying to make a move on his cyare, he relaxed just a little and stopped the intense assault on Cody’s neck, but remained wrapped around his boyfriend. Enjoying the presence and warmth of the other man. 

Cody, recovering a little from the onslaught of attention, whipped his head around to glare at Obi-Wan unsuccessfully. No matter what he couldn’t really be mad at the man, at least in this situation. “What. Was that all about?!” Cody asked Obi-Wan incredulously. He really had never seen the man react like that, and bringing up their bedroom activities was a new level of public openness that neither of them ever really breached. They both preferred to keep their private affairs private and sacred between the two of them. 

Rex, seeing the hungry look in Obi-Wan’s eye, decided to silently slip away, giving the two a bit more privacy, and feeling awkward as a third wheel. “I got tired of people flirting with you and trying to make a move on you. You’re my cyare and kriff it, I’m going to make sure everyone knows it,” Obi-Wan practically growled. 

Cody was starting to put the pieces together now. Obi-Wan could be insecure and he couldn’t have his Jetii feeling that way about their relationship. “Obi-Wan. I love you. No matter how many people try to flirt with me or make a move, you’re the one who has my heart. Always,” Cody said seriously. Obi-Wan looked ashamed for a few seconds before Cody continued, interrupting whatever train of thought the ginger had picked up, “But I will say I do like this side of you. It’s kinda hot,” he finished softly.

“Oh yeah?” Obi-Wan started, mischievous glint back in his eye, “Well I guess I better get you home then and follow through with those plans,” before closing the gap between the two for a quick kiss on the lips as he whisked his commander back to his rooms in the Temple. 

[the-lone-writer94]

Youth & Whiskey

For the anon :) I hope you enjoy this little piece.

Rex Brown x Female Reader

Summary: Set in 1988, you (female reader) have been going out with Rex for a month now. He's everything you could possibly imagine, he's patient and sweet. You've just never gone all the way with him, or anyone for that matter, will Rex be the first?

Age rating: 18+

Word count: 2,855

25th November 1988

Somewhere in Fort Worth, Texas. 

I coughed violently as the thick layer of artificial fog clouded the air around me, leaving a bitter taste at the back of my throat. I pressed down onto my chest as I continued to cough, hoping that it’ll somehow push out the taste. 

“Jeez, Crystal-” I managed to release the words from my lips. 

Crystal paused, setting down the can of hairspray on the table. “I need it to keep my hair in place.” She said, as she lowered herself down towards the mirror as she poked at her beehive curly hair that stood about six inches. Her hand patted against the table that was sprawled with makeup and music magazines. Crystal managed to locate her red lipstick as she carefully painted it across her lips. “Seriously, you couldn’t have asked Rex to send a car or something?” 

Whilst Crystal was my best friend in the entire world, there were moments where she certainly made me question some of my life choices. 

I sighed. “He did offer to pick us up, but I didn’t want him to do that. He’s got a lot of prep before the show.” I explained, then added, “plus I don’t feel comfortable using him like that.”

“Oh come on, you’ve been going out with him for a month now.” Crystal whined. 

I had met Rex at a party which Crystal had dragged me to, at some dirty club which I was so paranoid of touching anything. She had been going on about this badass band called Pantera, which frankly wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea. I was more of a Suzi Quatro and Fleetwood Mac sort of a girl. So I didn’t even realize just what a big deal it was that Rex, the bassist of the band had asked me out. 

“It’s not even that far. We’ll be fine.” 

Crystal shrugged. “I guess so,” then added, “but please get Rex to introduce me to Phil.” 

“Phil?” 

Crystal spun around, her mouth dropped open. “Phil! The new sexy lead singer… how do you not know that?” 

I cocked my head to the side. “I don’t know.” I murmured. 

“Seriously, what do you and Rex even talk about?” She asked, then shook her head. “Never mind. I guess there wouldn’t be a whole lot of talking involved.” She said, and smirked. 

I averted my gaze, my cheeks flushing bright red. I had never actually told Crystal that I still haven’t gone all the way yet, with Rex or with anybody. Rex was incredibly understanding and patient, but there was always a sliver of me that felt it probably wasn’t enough. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, there just never seemed to be a perfect time. 

The distance between us also didn’t aid our relationship. Rex was constantly on the road, and what little time we managed to share was often cut short. 

“I’ve heard of the famous trailer and how he brings girls in there to… you know.” Crystal teased, as she raised her eyebrows. 

“Hey, come on-” I said, changing the subject, “you ready to go? I want to at least say hi to Rex before he goes on stage.” 

“Yeah, yeah. You can say hi to your boyfriend.” She said, as she rolled her eyes and waved her hand nonchalantly. 

—---

We finally managed to make our way to the Savvy, after we had secured a parking spot about five blocks away from the club. However, the moment we had gotten backstage, Crystal had immediately stopped complaining. 

I snake my way through the sea of bodies as my gaze tries to locate Rex, with Crystal at least several paces ahead of me. She was like a child in a candy store, with a huge smile that flashed across her face as she tried to locate her next prey. 

“Oh my god, Phil!” Crystal screamed. 

Phil flinched and staggered backwards. “Hi.” He said nervously. 

I stepped beside Crystal and lowered myself towards her ear. “Be cool.” I whispered. 

“Of course.” Crystal said. 

“Where’s Rex?” I asked Phil.

“He just stepped outside.” Phil answered, as he gestured towards the fire exit in the corner of the room. 

“Thanks.” I responded, as I spun on my heels. 

“You have such big muscles.” Crystal said in the far distance.

I smirked, as I continued to push my way through towards the back. After several moments, I finally reached the end of the room, as I pushed the heavy duty doors. 

Rex’s body was leaned up against the wall, as he reached his hand towards his face and took a drag of his cigarette. Rex had taken off his shirt, revealing his hairy chest and a trail of dark hair that extended down his stomach. I bit my lower lip, thinking about where that trail of hair would lead to. He wore tight black pants with a wide belt fashioned with a huge metal belt buckle and metal plates surrounding it. His long beautiful brown hair reached down to his waist, the top part of his hair was slightly teased with hairspray and his bangs had slightly covered his eyes. 

Immediately, my fingers tingled, wanting to run my fingers through his hair, but soon fought the temptation. 

“Hey.” I said. 

“Hey baby,” he said as he towered over me, as he stepped forward and wrapped his arm behind my neck, pulling me closer towards him. He leaned down and planted a kiss on my lips. “I’m glad you made it.” 

“Yeah, it took us ages to find a parking spot though. We parked all the way by the bodega.” 

“You should have let me come get you and Crystal before. She’s probably gonna complain isn’t she?”

“Nah, it’s fine. Plus she always complains.”

Rex chuckled. “She does, doesn’t she.” 

“When are you guys on?” 

“Any minute now.” He said, as his fingers caressed the side of my cheek and he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. I felt my face flush. “After the show, do you wanna hang somewhere?” 

My heart skipped a beat. “Hmm, yeah I guess.” 

He must have somehow detected the hesitancy in my tone, as he immediately interjected. “Obviously only if you want to- or we could just hang with the guys, drink some beer. Vinnie’s most likely gonna order a buttload of pizzas.” 

“No, of course Rex… I want to be with you.” 

Rex smiled, as he lowered himself and planted another kiss on my lips. “Alright then. Time for the Cowboys to go onstage.” He said. 

—---

“That was so fucking amazing!” Crystal screamed at the top of her lungs. 

I pressed down onto my ears as the ringing had still continued to pound. “It was cool- but shit, I think I lost my hearing.” 

“Worth it though.” Crystal said, “and did you see. Phil totally pointed at me.” 

“Sure.” I said, as my eyes narrowed. I didn’t have the heart to burst her bubble, after all there were about several hundred other people in that club.  

“We gotta hang out with the band now.” 

“Rex said we might go somewhere.” I added. 

Crystal raised her eyebrows. “Of course,” she said and smirked. 

“Stop it.” 

“I guess, I don’t have to wait up for you tonight,” she said, then added, “actually you probably shouldn’t wait up for me either.”

“Why?” 

Crystal cleared her throat. “Depending if Phil wants to go somewhere too.” 

“Sure,” I answered, trying to hide the skepticism behind my voice. 

Moments later, we found ourselves hanging out backstage. Rex and I were propped down onto the couch, my legs draped across his legs as his hand caressed my bare thighs. 

Crystal was nowhere to be seen, most definitely she was probably following Phil as if he were her target and she was like some fucking Terminator. 

The overlapped sounds of chatter filled the room, drowning out the sound of the music that seeped out from the speakers, then  followed by a cloud of cigarette smoke that hung in the air. 

“How did you like the show?” Rex asked. 

“It was great. My hearing is slowly coming back.” I said. 

He released a low chuckle. 

Nervously, I continued to chug at the drink from a red plastic cup. Crystal had made her famous drink which she liked to call the ‘kitchen sink’, which was a little bit of every alcohol ever known to man, mixed into one disgusting putrid liquid. I had never enjoyed drinking them, although the act of having something to do gave myself some sort of ease. 

After all, parties were never necessarily my scene. It had taken Crystal long amounts of begging for me to even attend the party a month ago when I had met Rex. 

All of a sudden, I downed the entire contents of the drink, immediately feeling the acidic burn course through me, poisoning my insides. 

My vision began to blur, as I felt the effects of the alcohol possessing over my body. 

“Are you okay?” Rex asked. 

I nodded. 

Abruptly, my hands found its way towards Rex’s face as my fingers traced his jawline, then they moved its way to his hair as I twirled the ends of his hair and giggled. 

“Are you drunk?” He asked, with a smirk painted across his face. 

“A little bit.” I said and snickered. 

“I think we need to get you out of here.” He said, as he removed himself from the couch, and I slithered down like a snake. 

Rex wrapped his arms around my waist as he pulled me up in one swift motion. His hands gripped down onto my sides as he held me close to his body. I felt his hot breath graze my skin, and all I could possibly think was to press my lips against him. 

“Come on.” He said softly, as he guided me through the bodies and towards the exit. 

Once we had stepped into the parking lot, the night breeze brushed at my skin, and I immediately shivered. 

“Where are we going?” I said, and noticed my words had slurred. 

“Getting you some rest.” 

“But, I want to go back to the party.” I whined. 

“Maybe later once you’ve had a lie down.” 

“Will you lie with me?” I said, and laughed. 

“You’re drunk.” He said. 

“Shhh,” I said, then burst into laughter. 

We reached a trailer, as my footing stumbled. Rex grabs onto me tighter as he hoists me back up. Before me underneath the gleaming parking lot lights, a busted up white trailer with blue lines on the bottom is parked amongst a row of vans and cars. 

“Oh my gosh, is this the trailer?” I asked. 

“What?” Rex responded, as his brows furrowed. 

Rex stepped towards the trailer and yanked the door open, as he assisted me into crawling up the stairs. 

The interior of the trailer was pretty much what I had expected to look. If it hadn’t been for the mountainful of stuff sprawled in every inch of the trailer, it would have been rather spacious. On the right hand side of the trailer was a built-in bench with a hardwood table that was covered in knife markings, a small cooker and cabinets were on the other side of the trailer, although I was pretty certain the boys had never once tried to cook anything. Then, in the far distance I eyed the bed, with an array of blankets and duvets. Immediately, my cheeks flushed. 

 I crawled further into the trailer, as my shoes stepped over empty beer bottles, and takeout boxes. The stench of cigarettes and whiskey lingered in the air, and my nose twitched.

I slumped down onto the bed, trying to push the images of what may have happened on this very spot. 

Rex lowered himself beside me as I found my head pounding, my vision blurred and the world around me began to spin.  

Suddenly, I drew closer towards him, the sweat which matted against his hair was almost drying now, as I ran my fingers through his hair. Our gazes locked, and he lowered his face towards me, his hands reached up towards me  as he cupped each side of my face. 

Our lips found its way towards one another, as he deepened the kiss. My lips parted and he slipped his tongue into mine, as our tongues danced. My breathing quickened, as my arms wrapped around his neck, then my hands found its way down his chest as I dug my fingernails into him. I wasn’t sure how much pressure I had applied, as he didn’t so much as flinch, but I knew it’ll leave a mark, which it turned me on even more, almost as if it were showing the whole world that he belonged to me. 

Rex’s fingers grazed against the side of my neck, as he drew them lower caressing the side of my breasts, he gently cupped them and squeezed down onto them. I released a moan, as I deepened the kiss.

I shifted in my position, raising one leg over to straddle Rex. He pulled me closer towards him, as we continued to make out.  

Then, his hands lowered down my waist before resting them on my thighs. Slowly, his hand slipped higher, as he reached down underneath my skirt, squeezing down onto my ass, then his fingers hooked into the waistband of my skirt as I felt him try to pull them down. 

All of a sudden, consciousness waved over me, pushing me back into reality. I flinched, immediately removing myself from Rex, as I pulled back and sat beside him. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, as I buried my face into my hands. 

Fear washed over him, as he shuddered, “I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry, I got carried away. I know you’re not ready.” 

“No, Rex. I want to,” I affirmed.

“Are you sure?” He asked softly. 

I nodded. “I’ve just never…” I trailed off, and paused. 

His hand reached up towards my face as he cupped the side of my face, he leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips. “It’s okay.” He said, his hot breath upon my skin. 

I allowed Rex to deepen the kiss as he gently lowered me down onto the bed, he towered over me as his long beautiful locks brushed against my skin. He pushed his hair aside, as his fingers trailed down the side of my neck, and then tracing over my collarbone. His fingers hooked onto the straps of my top as he pushed them down, which revealed my breasts. His hands cupped them, as his hands trailed down my body, resting upon the waistband of my skirt. 

“Can I?” He asked. 

I nodded. 

Gently, he pulled down my skirt, which exposed my pink panties with florals on it. Feeling embarrassed, I closed my legs together. 

He released a low chuckle. “This is cute.” He said, as gently poked at my entrance. 

My cheeks flushed, as he lowered himself, his lips crashing down on mine. He slipped his tongue inside my mouth, as I pressed my tongue against his. I felt the bulge in his pants as he rubbed his lower body against mine. 

My hands trembled as they reached down towards his pants, as I stroked over his bulge. He drew back, and I sat up, my hands extended towards his belt buckle as I fumbled with it. I pulled down his pants revealing his hard cock. He then fumbled underneath the mattress as he drew out a condom, tearing it open with his teeth, he then placed it upon himself. 

With his fingers, he gently rested them on my entrance as he massaged the area. I moaned out in pleasure, as I chewed down on my lower lip. 

“Take them off.” I said, as he then pulled my panties away, casting them aside. 

He then hovered over me, as I slowly felt him entering me. “Is this alright?” He asked. 

I nodded. 

He slowly thrusted against me, as I moaned and cried out his name. My fingers found its way into Rex’s hair, as I tugged and pulled at his hair. He continued to thrust into me in slow and gentle movements. 

He grunted as I watched his hand grip down hard onto the pillow. I moaned, “Rex.” Slowly, I felt the orgasmic pulsating through me. 

Then, Rex removed himself from me as he discarded the now used condom. He sank down beside me, and draped his arm around me. 

“Oh my god.” I moaned into him. 

He planted a kiss on my forehead, as my hand caressed his chest, forming circles with the tip of my finger on his hairy chest. 

We laid together, an entwinement of limbs for several moments, before I finally broke the silence. “We should probably get back to the party.” 

“Yeah? You don’t want to lay here any more?” He asked. 

 “I do, but I’ve been gone for so long, Crystal is probably wondering where I am.” 

“Oh yeah, she might be worried.” 

“Honestly, I’m probably more worried for Phil.” I said, and chuckled. 

[pinahallowsevecloneparty]

Pineapple's Halloween Clone Party 2024 MASTER LIST

October was crazy, so if you see something missing from this list or find a bad link, please let me know! 🍍

Demon Haunted by @reader6898 (fic-NSFW)

Devil You Little Devil by @tlmtwelve (art-NSFW)

Dragon Dragon Howzer by @tlmtwelve (art) Sea Dragon Crosshair by @noblelightfighter (art)

Fae Bad Batch Toxic Love/Ferngully by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art)

Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein Echo by @cloned-eyes (art)

Ghost, Haunting, or Thing Unseen Bloody Crosshair by @tlmtwelve (art) The Ghost of You by @lightspringrain (art) Gree in a Dark Forest by @tlmtwelve (art) Haunted Jesse by @clonemedickix (art) Hissing Tooka by @tlmtwelve (art) Fox Just Wants to Forget by @tlmtwelve (art) Nightmare on Clanker Street by @lonewolflupe (fic) A Powerful Read by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic) Stir of Echoes by @lonewolflupe (fic) Tech with a Book by @apocalyp-tech-a (art)

Greek Mythology Centaur Wrecker by @tlmtwelve (art) Demigod Crosshair by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art) Dryad Mayday by @tlmtwelve (art) Erinys Dogma by @tlmtwelve (art) Gorgon Tup by @tlmtwelve (art) Healing by @clone-anon-after-dark (fic) Satyr Jesse by @tlmtwelve (art) Sphinx Tech by @tlmtwelve (art)

Headless Character Headless Aayla by @tlmtwelve (art) The Headless Guardsman by @eclec-tech (fic) The Headless Guardsman by @lonewolflupe (art) The Headless Guardsman (headshot) by @lonewolflupe (art)

Halloween Movie AU TBB Halloween Town, Part 1 by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art) TBB Halloween Town, Part 2 by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art) TBB Halloween Town, Part 3 by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art)

Mad Scientist Apple Alchemy by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic) Candy Apple Tech by @apocalyp-tech-a (art) Dr. Techyll and Mr. Snyde by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic) Tech with a Drink by @apocalyp-tech-a (art)

Merpeople Merman Hunter by @tlmtwelve (art)

Murderer Vibroblade Hunter by @tlmtwelve (art)

Pumpkins, Parties, Costumes, and Candy Candy Rex by @tlmtwelve (art) Clones in Costumes by @tlmtwelve (art) The Great Tech by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic) Holidays in Hyperspace by @frostycatblr-fandom-files (fic) It's the Great Lurca, Charlie Brown! by @apocalyp-tech-a (art) A Murder of Corries by @wolviecat (art) Mute Button by @tlmtwelve (art) The Operational Brains by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic) Precious Moments by @letsquestjess (fic) Pumpkin Omega by @the-little-moment (art) Tech-'o-Lantern by @apocalyp-tech-a (art)

Snake Naga Nemec by @tlmtwelve (art)

Spider The Spider and the Fly by @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf (art)

Unicorn Unicorn Omega by @cloned-eyes (art)

Vampire To Thine Own Self Be True by @biscuityskies (fic-NSFW) Vampire Crosshair by @cloned-eyes (art) Vampire Hardcase by @lonewolflupe (art) Vampire Kix by @tlmtwelve (art) Vampire Tech by @cloned-eyes (art)

Werewolf/Shapeshifting Clone Phases by @clonemedickix (art) The Fox and the Hare by @523rdrebel (art) Full Moons by @lonewolflupe (art) Thire's Emotional Support Werewolf by @haybellewrites (art) Werewolf Echo by @tlmtwelve (art) Werewolf Wrecker by @cloned-eyes (art)

Wizard Tech with a Kitty by @apocalyp-tech-a (art) It's So Wizard by @apocalyp-tech-a (fic)

Wraith Something Goes Bump In The Night by @vodika-vibes (fic)

[skellymom]

"Return To Pabu" Part 1

The Bad Batch CROSSHAIR Fan Fic

Companion piece to "Cup Of Caf"

To read "Cup Of Caf":

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/735755898541277184/a-cup-of-caf-the-bad-batch-crosshair-one?source=share

Background: The Batch returns to Pabu with Crosshair in tow. How will he adapt?

The reader (main character) from Cup Of Caf is mentioned. This story is from the point of view of The Batch and Crosshair.

(My OC Maadienne "Mad Momma" Dax makes an appearance as Hunter's love interest. Since this story takes place in an alternate universe from "Vagabonds", Love, Sil, and Tiggy do not make an appearance.)

Word Count: 1.1K

Warning: None. Angst, sadness, fluff. Passionate kissing and types of romantic relationships other than Cishet.

Lovely dividers by the talented @saradika

The Havoc Marauder skimmed over the jewel toned waters of Pabu. Echo was at the controls, humming to himself. The only other sound than Wrecker snoring from the seat behind him. Omega had been snuggled up in his arms securely but lovingly after the escape from Mt Tantiss. When Wrecker had passed out, she climbed into the copilot's seat next to Echo. He occasionally smiled and stroked her hair. 

Behind them sat Crosshair with Hunter passed out in his lap, both brothers in embrace and sleeping. Hunter immediately fell into a deep sleep as soon as the Batch was out of harm’s way. Cross rested his cheek on the top of his shorter brother’s head and fell back asleep. Occasionally, Crosshair would awaken to make sure Hunter was still with him, give his brother a gentle squeeze...then drift off. Hunter sighed in his sleep and squeezed back.  

Phee Genoa trailed behind the Marauder in her ship. Tech rested on a stretcher next to her, holding hands, fingers intertwined. He babbled nonstop to Phee about everything: The mission to Mt Tantiss, his fall, his infiltration of Hemlock’s laboratory. She listened intently peppering in the occasional, “Mhmm” “Yeah” or “Oh Brown Eyes.” 

Both ships arrived at the island and touched down. Hunter awakened and sleepily stood. Omega hopped down and hugged Echo fiercely. 

“You’re staying with us...right?” Her large brown eyes pleading with him. 

“For a little while. At least until Rex needs me.”  

Omega squeezed Echo HARD and held on. He embraced her gently. 

Hunter stooped down and kissed the top of Omega's head then poked Wrecker awake. 

“Huh...uh...here SO SOON?” Wrecker stretched and cracked his back. 

“Been out for quite some time.” Hunter chuckled. “C’mon, let’s help Phee get Tech off her ship.” 

“Yep, I got it.” Wrecker stole a glance at Echo and Omega. He smiled then playfully smacked Crosshair on his shoulder. “Come check out your new home.” 

Crosshair refused to open his eyes. “I’m in no hurry.” He sneered at Wrecker as his brother exited the ship. 

Hunter glanced down at Crosshair. Cross opened one eye to stare back at Hunter. They both grinned at each other. Then Hunter followed Wrecker to Phee’s ship. 

She had yet to lower the gangplank for entry...which seemed strange. 

“Their heart rates are elevated. Hope everything is ok.” Hunter was concerned. 

“Here, step up.” Wrecker stooped down on one knee, allowing Hunter to step up. He grabbed Hunter’s feet and lifted him high enough to see into the ship’s cockpit. 

“OH!” Hunter gave a surprise gasp and chuckled... 

Phee and Tech were locked in a passionate embrace, neither one aware of Hunter peeping through the ship’s windscreen at them. 

“Bring me down, Wrecker.” 

Wrecker caught Hunter’s flushed face and burst out laughing, while dropping the sergeant to the ground. “WELL, IT’S ABOUT TIME!” 

Hunter cleared his throat...then felt a familiar presence behind him. He spun to face...Maadienne Dax. She was leaning against the Pabu Archium Tree and had been watching the whole interaction with a sly smile. 

“Hey Hunky.” 

Hunter was love-struck and relieved that she was still on Pabu and waited for him. He knew her restless nature. The Nomaadi never stayed in one place for too long.  

They tentatively stepped toward one another. Then swept up in an amorous embrace, gently rubbing noses, leaning in for a serious deep kiss, mouths parted. 

“Omega!” Lyana and a group of other children ran up to the ships. 

“Lyana!” Omega released Echo, jumped out of the Marauder to greet them.  

They mobbed past Shep who waved in greeting. “Hello Miss Omega. Relieved to have you back!” 

“You too, Shep! Sorry, gotta go!!!” as the children dragged her away towards the town. 

Shep stopped and met Wreckers gaze. “Hello to you, too.” 

Wrecker grinned from ear to ear and gently took Shep Hazard into his arms and lovingly kissed him. 

Crosshair and Echo watched all of this silently from the inside of the Marauder. There was a palpable yearning in the air. 

“You have someone here on this planet too?” 

Echo was taken aback that Crosshair would suddenly ask that type of question. 

“No...” Echo sighed longingly. “She’s back on Coruscant. Well, she’s not MINE per se...” He rubbed the back of his neck. “...a VERY close friend. You leave anyone behind...back there?” 

Crosshair’s expression changed to intense sorrow. Echo immediately regretted his inquiry. “Apologies. None of my business...” 

“Back on Barton IV...he didn’t survive The Empire.” 

“My condolences, friend.” Echo hesitated, then reached out to put his hand on Crosshair’s shoulder. 

Cross gazed up at Echo with moist eyes. “Thank you, Vod.” 

Phee eventually lowered the gangplank and engaged Tech’s hover stretcher to bring him out. Both wore flushed complexions with a twinkle in their eyes. Mad hugged Phee and was introduced to Tech. The women picked up where they left before the mission with an enthusiastic gaggle of conversation. Reunions with Wrecker and Echo commenced. Shep informed everyone a large dinner was waiting at his home on the patio, after everyone freshened up of course. 

Crosshair, being the last to exit the Marauder, timidly stepped out. He didn’t feel like part of the merry group and unsure how to make his entrance. He quietly stood and took in each interaction with his snipers calculating eye. Shep stepped up to Crosshair and offered his hand. 

“Finally get to meet the famous Crosshair. Glad to have you here on Pabu.” 

Crosshair nodded quietly but didn’t take Shep’s hand. Shep was a good sport about it, chuckled, shrugged, and followed up with, “Look forward to you joining us for dinner tonight.” before stepping away to reunite with Wrecker. 

Hunter put his hand on Shep’s arm “Don’t mind him. He’ll come around.” 

“Understandably he needs time. Most of the inhabitants here did when they first arrived too.” 

Dinner was lovely. 

Crosshair sat quietly and ate very little, while taking in the conversation around the table. He watched the happy faces of the couples and friends interacting with each other. The loudness, emotion, intensity of it all. 

His head hurt, heart ached, and yearned to escape it. Cross silently excused himself and sat alone on the patio overlooking the island. Hunter paused from his drinking, concerned.  

Echo leaned in, “I’ve got this. Enjoy your time with Mad.”  

Hunter nodded, still concerned, but snaked his arm around Mad and squeezed. She unconsciously reached up and caressed Hunter’s cheek while laughing at the table conversation. 

Echo poured two stiff after dinner drinks and took them to the patio. He settled into a seat next to Crosshair, handing him a cup. Cross nodded in thanks. They both sat silently nursing their drinks and watched the sun set over Pabu. 

PLEASE like, comment, and/or REBLOG!

IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED OR DROPPED FROM MY TAG LIST, PLEASE MESSAGE ME! Don't just comment as I might miss it. Thanks!!! <3

To read "Return to Pabu" Part 2

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/740838054339723264/return-to-pabu-part-2?source=share

[phoenixyfriend]

rexsoka 41

SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I’LL WRITE A SHORT FIC

ghost/living person au

This ask is from May 9, 2023, which is eleven months ago. I don't remember what I was planning for it, but here's what I did get done, which I've crossposted to AO3.

--------

Ahsoka has been doing ghost services for about five years.

It's is the term she usually goes for, at least. "Ghost hunting" sounds amateurish, and "spiritual worker" or "exorcist" tends to draw in the religious types. 

"Ghost services" still isn't great, but she's had more luck with it than others.

It's not bad work. She runs into some interesting people. She gets to call up her brothers pretty often, since the professional community isn't exactly huge. She can make her own schedule, mostly, and she gives her accountant migraines when tax season rolls around. Her job isn't the easiest to classify, as far as types of self-employment go. She thinks they're sticking with something like 'spiritual advisor' or whatever right now.

Ahsoka's not too concerned about it herself.

Coruscant is a big city, and an old one. That means there's a lot going on, as far as ghostly activities go, even if most have either settled into a pattern or long since moved on to greyer pastures.

Not all of them, of course.

--

The military cemetery is very... perfunctory. The grass is not dry, nor is it cropped short by daily mowing. It isn't quite overgrown, but it's as often crabgrass as not; nobody minds, so long as it's not long enough to hide ticks.

The air is brisk and smells of sea salt, and the sky a patchy, pale grey. The stones are almost uniformly of white sandstone or granite, with only a rare few exceptions, and neatly laid out in as close to a grid as the low, rolling hills allow. Some of the graves are from centuries ago. Some are only a few months old.

Ahsoka isn't the only one that visits regularly, with a thermos of hot soup and a brown bag of whatever her eldest brother had dropped off as 'leftovers' in a misguided worry that she can't feed herself now that she's on her own.

(She's twenty-six. She is more than capable of cooking when she wants to. She is also not ashamed to take advantage of Obi-Wan's kindness.)

She makes her way to the bench, and settles herself and her bag. She spreads her lunch across her lap, uncaring of the chances that crumbs will land in the the dip of her skirts between her knees. They wash easy.

Only a few sips into her hot broth, and three bites into Obi-Wan's sandwich, a presence arrives.

Chilly in a way that reaches the bones better than it touches the skin, Rex places a hand onto her shoulder and leans over. "Thought you said you were going to be on a job?"

"Hello to you too, dear."

He laughs and steps through the bench to settle in beside her. He's mostly mastered the art of acting around objects as if they are real to him, and most people wouldn't even notice the bits of his pants fabric that are dipping into the bench instead of resting against it.

They'd notice that he's translucent and blue-ish and faintly glowing, but a girl can't win them all.

[hetalianskywalker]

Wedding Cake Cookies

Summary: Captain Rex makes it to Coruscant in time for your favorite Life Day tradition.

Author’s Note: Captain Rex x gn! reader Life Day fic. Purely self indulgent and making Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies, my favorite Christmas Cookie.

Warnings: Fluff with an implication of something more at the end. Baking cookies.

Word Count: 1227

Thank you for reading!

“What are you making, senaar?” You jump a little, having been far too focused rolling the dough in your hands. You could hear the sound of a half-suppressed chuckle as you turned to face him. The scared surprise melts away into pure joy.

“Well hello to you too.” You tease gently, setting down the chilled dough. He meets you halfway and pulls you into a warm hug. Well, warm as it could be with the plastoid still on.

“I thought you had another week.” You mutter as you close your eyes, basking in his presence. Your arms hold firm around him and he kisses the top of your head.

“The general found a way to get back early.” You can’t help but laugh at that one; your face still hidden in his chest. They had made it home just before Life Day; there was no way Skywalker didn’t have secret plans. However, you weren’t going to look a gift Orbak in the mouth.

“Of course he did.” You huff good naturedly. You look up at him and Rex arches an eyebrow. Your grin only grows.

“Don’t go starting any rumors, cyare.” You get on your tiptoes and give him a quick peck.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Your captain rolls his eyes before they wander back to your cookies-to-be. You blink as your mind comes back online. He had probably never had them before, especially since they weren’t an extremely popular Life Day cookie.

“Their called Ferrix Wedding Cake Cookies, but I’ve heard pantorans have them too and call them Pantoran Tea Cookies.” You reluctantly let go of his waist before grabbing his hand. He lets you bring him to your kitchen counter where the still cool dough sits waiting. You had rolled it out before it chilled and were slowly tearing pieces off to roll into balls; your hands’ heat making the hard dough more malleable.

“The dough smells really nice.” You giggle at the genuine remark. You turn and catch his brown eyes for a split second before quickly looking away at the dough again. You press your lips together to hide the smile at his slightly flustered expression.

“That would be the vanilla extract and butter.” You respond, taking in the nostalgic smell for a moment. He watches you quietly set the finished ball on the tray. Rex’s shoulders relax as he watches you, enjoying the peace, your presence, and that softly sweet smell. He’s home.

“Would you like me to roll or put them on the tray?” You beam at the offer, but shake your head.

“Go take your armor off, Rex. Get comfortable first.” You gently respond, wanting to make sure he didn’t misunderstand your rejection, as you tear off another piece of dough. He kisses your temple in response as you begin rolling the dough. You listen to his boots head toward the bedroom and then the door sliding open and closing.

You pause a moment, feeling your eyes well up with unshed tears. You rest the ball on the counter as you blink them away. You hadn’t realized how lonely you were this Life Day, adding on to the stress of the war in general and worrying about him.

But he was here. Really here. Maker, he came home during your favorite holiday tradition; you got to share it with him. And now you didn’t have to spend the holiday alone, but more than that, you have your Rex to spend it with.

You smile, taking a deep breath. No time for tears. You quickly get back to work; maybe you can have them in the oven and start a pot of caf before he gets back.

***

You flop down on the couch as you hear the bedroom door open. Rex pauses upon seeing you on the couch; you grin, waving him over. He looks much more comfortable in the black sweatpants and blue t-shirt, but the exhaustion is way more obvious.

He sits beside you and you immediately cuddle into his side for warmth. His body only relaxes more and lets himself sink into the couch.

“Your highness,” your sing-songy tone makes him turn to you with amused curiosity. The teasing about the translation of his name to basic only meant trouble.

He gave an inquisitive humm in response. You giggle as you feel the vibrations just as much as hear them.

“You’re tired.” You state.

“Am I that easy to read?” He leans his forehead against your own and you feel your face grow warm at the gesture.

“Yes.” He gives a slightly sour look and you laugh. The look he gives you melts away into a content one as you both drift into a comfortable silence. Coruscant rain hitting your window and traffic become the main sounds in your apartment. One of the best parts of your relationship was how you could both be content with just the other’s presence.

“When will the cookies be done?” He inquires as he plays with your hair.

“About 5 minutes now, but the caf should be done already.” The thankful smile that graces his face makes starting the pot beyond worth it. “I don’t want you falling asleep on me.”

“No, I’ll try a cookie first, senaar.” It’s your turn to become flushed. It turns to laughter as you watch him fight a yawn.

You slowly get up. His hand lingers until you are out of reach and you are hit with the reminder that he missed you as much as you missed him. You reach back for his hand and give it a gentle tug. He laughs at your futile attempt to get him on his feet before slowly getting up.

Once back in the kitchen, you begin to pour two cups of caf. He stands behind you with his arms gently wrapped around your waist. You can’t help but smile as you hand him his cup as the timer goes off. Grabbing the mits, you take the tray out of the oven.

“They don’t expand?” Rex asked, sounding a little confused.

“Not really. They still taste good though.” You gently set the tray down as you hear him sip his caf. “They just have to cool and then they get covered in powdered sugar.”

He moves out of the way as you go to grab the bag. Once you have a bowl of powdered sugar ready, you ask about the recent battles. You listen to what he wishes to speak of, but respect what is too hard for him to talk about.

“It’s hard to wait.” He says after you both were lost in conversation for a while. You laughed, being caught off guard, and almost choke on your caf. He presses his lips together as the contained laughter makes his shoulders shake. “What? They smell good.”

“Alright. Alright.” You laugh and dunk two of the cookies in the sugar and hand one to Rex. You watch him take a bite and you blush as he closes his eyes, enjoying the taste.

“Good huh?” He gives you a bright smile in response. He sets down the rest of the cookie and pulls you close.

“Yes, ma’am.” The way Rex says it brings a chill up your spine as you meet him halfway for a kiss. Maybe the rest of the cookies could wait for sugar till Life Day Morning.