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ghost-proofbaby · 1 year

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twenty four hours (modern!eddie munson x fem!reader)

HOUR TWELVE

in which you grapple with new emotions of nothing, eddie makes a few bad jokes, and honesty becomes an illusion again.

→ tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn

→ warnings: strong language, smut, upside down does not exist, minors dni

→ wc: 3.8k+

→ a/n: half way point, folks! sorry this one is shorter. blame eddie?

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◁ previous part, next part▷

12:00 ────────ㅇ───────── 24:00

JOHNNY BOY: No photo, no money, right?

ARGYLE 😎: learn some patience broski

JOHNNY BOY: It's been an hour and they aren’t answering. They haven’t said anything. I want my money.

DINGUS: why the fuck are you guys blowing up the chat right now? someone better be dead.

ARGYLE 😎: the lovers haven’t sent their hourly update.

ARGYLE 😎: maybe they are dead. killed each other with passion.

JOHNNY BOY: So what are we buying with that spare 1k, guys?

BIRDIE: oh fuck please tell me they aren’t dead

BIRDIE: did they seriously kill each other? do i need to facetime them?

DINGUS: @BIRDIE honestly, for once, you have a good idea. facetime them. i would call but… something tells me i need to back off for a while.

JOHNNY BOY: I take it you remembered that night at the bar?

DINGUS: oh fuck off (yes. i did.)

BIRDIE: i’m facetiming them now.

DINGUS: great. i’m going back to bed.

JOHNNY BOY: I think I’m going to buy a new camera with my cut of the money personally.

—

HOUR TWELVE - 3:00 AM

One of you should have moved.

It could have been minutes, hours, decades later. The concept of time is completely lost on you as you focus on the weight of Eddie lying over you. He’s half draped across your back, bare chest sinking into your exposed skin, throwing the brunt of his weight in the sliver of cushion available to him beside you. His softening cock is still inside of you, the warmth of him is encasing you from the inside out. You match each deep inhale of his with your own, exhaling on the same silent beat. An unspoken moment of synchronicity, letting the weight of the decisions just made truly crawl beneath both of your skins.

I hate you.

Good, then this changes nothing.

You wondered if he tasted the sour of his lie in the heat of the moment. You wondered if it was just as metallic on his tongue as it had been on your own.

One of you should have moved. But it takes the realization of your incapability to truly hate Eddie Munson as you should and the twitch of your body that follows to rouse Eddie.

“Fuck,” he sighs out, finally pulling out, turning to fully fit his body onto the couch rather than on top of you. You dangle a leg and arm over the edge of the sofa, keeping your cheek pressed to rough fabric and your eyes turned from him as you bite your tongue.

A million words you want to say in the clarity, all lost and slipping between your fingers with time.

I lied. I don’t hate you. This meant everything. This changes everything. I don’t hate you.

“Fuck is right,” you settle on murmuring instead. There’s nothing you can say now that can change what’s transpired. It’s over, it’s done with. Rather than staying stuck in the past still in your rearview mirror, you need to focus on the road laid out ahead of you two.

The two of you lay like that for even longer than you had the previous position, shifting here and there until you both fit comfortably on the lumpy cushions. Side by side, almost spooning, but space left between you. You don’t think Eddie even realizes his hand is grazing soft circles over your thigh, moving on its own accord and sending shivers of comfort down your spine.

Is the road ahead of you two even paved?

“What now?” he suddenly asks, breaking the silence you two had been reveling in. You had been in your own head, and you wonder for a moment if he had been as well. You can’t find it in yourself to glance over your shoulder and look at him, to solve the mystery on your own, instead clinging to those grazes of his fingertips still skimming your thigh.

With an exhausted sigh, you zero in your focus across the room, looking at the clock on the shelves, “I don’t know. It’s already three in the morning, so-”

“Oh, fuck.”

“What?”

“It’s fucking three,” Eddie is shooting up from behind you quickly, “We never sent a fucking picture.”

You understand his panic immediate, realization settling as he springs off of the couch, echoing his words with sincerity, “Oh, fuck.”

In any other scenario, it would have been comical to see a nude Eddie panicked and rushing about his apartment living room. To see him disposing of the condom, to see him struggling to pull back on his sweats and t-shirt before he’s disappearing into his bathroom and emerging seconds later with a blushing face and a wet rag.

He returns to you in an instant, murmuring the world’s softest apology before he swipes the cold cloth over your sore cunt, making you hiss out in surprise.

“What the Hell-”

“I said I was sorry!” he defends, tossing the rag to the floor before he’s grabbing your clothes, his clothes technically, and handing them over to you, “Figured you’d want to be dressed before we send the photo.”

“I-” you stare at the clothes with a contorted face, still trying to brush off the exhaustion that came with the sudden change in atmosphere. You hadn’t even gotten to maneuver the aftermath of it all, pilferage the rubble and bring up the possible path-not-yet-road that you two had to face going forward.

What did this mean for you two now? What did this mean for the remaining twelve hours?

Nothing, you suppose. Maybe you don’t need to ask those questions, because Eddie already answered them for you. It changes nothing.

“Thanks,” you numbly say and take the clothes from him. He grabs your phone off the floor as you shrug the clothing back on.

What the fuck were you expecting?

It was a one time ordeal. It was just a quick fix to get it out of both your systems. Just because you were needy, because you were craving a conversation about it all, didn’t mean Eddie was. There was no difference here between what transpired between the two of you and some random hookup. No feelings, no strings attached. The only difference was the obligation to spend another twelve hours together, if your friends hadn’t already decided their altruistic grace periods had hit their limits.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie grumbles, looking over your plethora of notifications, “Fifty fucking texts. Seven missed calls. We’re fucked,” When you let out a sharp laugh, he looks up from the screen at you, furrowing his brows, “What’s so funny?”

“Can you imagine making it halfway only to fuck up because we were getting along too well?” you snort, unable to help yourself. Twelve hours. You two had managed what already felt impossible, only to screw it all up because you two couldn’t keep it in your pants. Maybe if you admitted that to your friends, they would let the bet continue. You can already imagine Robin’s yips of glee at the prospect.

Eddie’s worrisome look begins to crack, the corners of his mouth twitching, “I… That would… suck.”

His voice is wavering, barely able to keep it together and withhold his own amusement as you beckon for him to hand over the phone, both of you sitting back on the couch, thighs pressed together.

“Suck is one way to put it,” you giggle, barely glancing at the missed notifications, “Seriously. We made it this far. And it’s not like we weren’t together… We were. A little too literally.”

If this is the closest you two come to talking about it, you can handle that.

Eddie finally barks out a laugh, “Yeah. Maybe we took the bet too literally.”

“Just a little bit,” you shimmy a shoulder against his, forcing all laughter and smiles and drowning out any worries that continued to persist in your chest. Now wasn’t the time. This was enough. You can handle it.

Your phone lights up with a Facetime call, making both of you jump.

Robin.

“Oh, no,” you groan, eyes pinching shut.

“It could be worse,” Eddie notes, leaning into your space. His side presses into yours and it makes you want to die, “At least it’s just Buckley.”

You shake your head, ignoring the burn he ignites in you with every slight touch still, grumbling, “Right, it’s just Buckley.”

The two of you had sex. It should be out of your system. There was no need to continue to feel goosebumps raise when his shoulder knocked yours, when his knee slotted up against yours. It has to be out of your system.

You swipe your thumb to answer the call against your better judgment.

“Oh my God, you two idiots are alive! I swear to God, we thought you two killed each other! I almost had to go across the hall and have Steve predial for the cops if you two didn’t answer, I-”

Robin’s rambling begins without so much as a hello. She’s speaking a mile a minute, taking no breaks, no pauses, no breaths, as you stare blankly at the screen where she’s half hidden in the shadows of her dark room.

“Jesus,” Eddie whispers, eyebrows raising. You watch him through the screen, afraid to turn your actual face towards him. You don’t trust yourself. It should be out of your system, but it isn’t. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone talk so fast-”

“Fuck off, Munson,” despite Eddie’s effort to keep his voice low, Robin picks up on his words mid-rant, “My point is, we were worried. Why didn’t you send your photo or answer any calls?”

“We forgot,” you supply lamely. You catch Eddie’s fight against a smirk as he coughs over the beginnings of a scoff, and immediately shoot your elbow that’s out of frame into his side.

Robin narrows her eyes at the screen, “You just forgot? How? No offense, but I can’t see you two getting distracted, especially with each other. We’ve all been under the assumption you just… sit on opposite sides of the room, and pretend the other doesn’t exist.”

Eddie coughs again, followed by a grunt from another pierce of your elbow.

“Have you considered that we might have been sleeping?”

“You don’t look like you’ve been sleeping.”

“I’m so glad that you’re all-knowing, Buckley,” Eddie says as he composes himself, “Where would we be without a sleep expert?”

You finally turn your head to glare at him face-to-face rather than through the screen, trying to warn him to back off. Robin could go hours in the ring with Eddie, and you weren’t exactly in the mood to listen to the two banter off each other. He meets your warning gaze with wide eyes, almost as innocent as a child caught in the act. You can’t even stay mad at him – the moment those autumn brown eyes meet yours, soft and gooey and terribly laced with tempting gold, you’ve melted for him. All your defenses fall.

You need to talk about it. You need to know if he means it.

“What does that even mean?” You ask as you slowly turn your head away from Eddie, “What exactly are we supposed to look like after sleeping?”

“I don’t know. Messy hair, squinty eyes, maybe some dried drool and appearing more… more… caught off guard?” Robin rattles off her list as she stares at them through the screen, shifting around from where it looks like she’s laying in bed, “Actually, now that I’m saying all this outloud, maybe you guys were sleeping,” you and Eddie freeze up in sync. Technically, you two could pass off as the Facetime being a rude awakening in your mutual dishevelment – both your hair and Eddie’s was messy as could be, shirts looking to be twisted from putting them on so carelessly. Hell, at your own detrimental embarrassment, you bet Robin would spot dried drool on your face if she looked close enough. Just not for the reasons she would believe, “Shit, yeah, okay. I believe you guys. You were sleeping. Our bad.”

Just as you sigh in relief, Eddie’s face blooms with a wicked grin.

“That or we were fucking.”

It comes to your attention now that it is very hard to decipher when Eddie is joking. You wonder just how many times you had misinterpreted his sarcasm, how many times he had said a blatant truth only for you to take it for a grain of salt.

Most of all, you wonder if Robin catches your distress at him actually exposing you two. You don’t even have it in you to shove your elbow especially painfully into his side this time, completely dismayed and unsure of what to say.

She doesn’t catch it. She only snorts, rolling her eyes, “Right. Of course – or that.”

You’re still unable to respond as Eddie continues to grin, laughing along with Robin, including her in an inside joke she had no idea of her involvement in. She has no idea.

Because you guys were fucking. You’d had sex with Eddie, let him use you and throw you around like a goddamn rag doll. And now, here he was, so casually joining around with your mutual friend about it as if it were some absurd dream. Some stupid joke, some unreasonable thought of something that could never possibly happen.

“Okay, well I’ll let you guys go back to bed-”

“Or jumping each other’s bones,” Eddie interrupts Robin.

She makes an exaggerated gagging noise, though the corners of her mouth are pulled up in a smile, before continuing, “And I’ll let everyone know we probably won’t get an update for the next hour. Just… don’t kill each other, alright? Who knows, maybe you guys can even become friends?”

You wait for Eddie to take the punch line of something along the lines of being friends with benefits, to make a spectacle yet again of what had just transpired to an unsuspecting Robin.

It meant nothing to him. It was all a joke to him.

“See ya, Robs,” you offer weakly, numbly, hardly able to raise a hand to wave her off. You know that to her, this is just a symptom of fatigue. The type of tired solved by crawling back into bed and sleeping it off. She’s not worried; she even grins wider as she says her final goodbyes to you and Eddie before the call ends.

Eddie knows better than Robin.

He waits a few seconds after the call has ended and his apartment has fallen silent again, watching your slow movements as you sit your phone down on the arm of the couch.

You lied to yourself, clearly. This incessant ache in you, this question that has begun to run laps in your mind, will never be satiated or sedated through joking discussions of what happened. You can’t pretend like your hips won’t carry invisible scars for the rest of your days from where Eddie’s hands scorned you, you can’t forget how his lips fit against yours in a movement easier than breathing. Kissing him, holding him, filling him had been more effortless than filling your lungs with the air necessary for survival. And you hadn’t caught onto it in the moment, hadn’t recognized your mistake and stopped this train from running off its tracks quicker than you could handle.

That’s all it was. A trainwreck. You and Eddie were a trainwreck, and the only casual so far it seemed was you.

An explosion. A glass wall. A tormented ocean. Every single transaction between you and him ended with you wounded, never him.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asks when you suddenly stand from the couch, not really sure of where you were going to go but no longer capable of just sitting and thinking, pondering, drowning.

“Fine,” you curtly reply, deciding the kitchen might be a good place to start. Get a glass of water, gulp it down instead of false hope or fake niceties Eddie was probably going to shower you with now.

Or maybe there would be no face niceties. Maybe he’d go back to being cruel, and in that, not realize he was being kind to you and your heart that had grown too heavy over the last twelve hours.

“You don’t look fine,” he persists, and follows you. It nearly sparks irritation. But of all the emotions rushing through you right now, you don’t have the energy to spare for petty irritation.

“Then stop looking,” you sigh as your eyes trace over his cabinets, trying to remember which one holds his glasses. He gets too close too fast, coming up behind you and opening one of the cabinets as if he was reading your mind. A collection of mugs, plastic cups, and crystal glasses alike line the shelves. You focus on them rather than him.

“What’s wrong?” he insists, actually starting to get on your nerves now.

You didn’t want to tell him what’s wrong, because it was stupid. The most predictable cliche has come to fruition, and you only have yourself to blame. The anger he’s assuming is his fault is just misdirected. You just needed to get your emotions under control – if you could accomplish that, you could survive these last few hours.

“It’s nothing,” you push back, finally looking at him. You worry for a second that you might be teary eyed, but you know better. Your corneas burn, everything aches, but your vision is clear as day. He’s clear as day, and it makes the ache all the more unbearable, “I’ll get over it.”

You’re not supposed to want him this way. You’re supposed to hate him.

He stiffens, “Get over what?”

“It.”

“I-” he stammers at your vague response, mouth pressing into a harsh line as his eyes narrow, “Jesus Christ, how are you still this fucking stubborn? After everything that’s happened tonight? After everything that happened in the last hour?”

“I’m not stubb-” you fruitlessly try to correct, but he bulldozes on without listening.

“I thought after I had been balls deep in you, maybe we had made some progress – maybe we could be friends-”

“Are you fucking joking?” you scoff, trying to properly process the sentence he’d just said and not get hung up on him using the phrase balls deep, “I- No, okay? Sex doesn’t mean friendship, Eddie. That’s not how this works.”

“Then how does it work?” if you were stupid, you’d assume he was begging, “Please enlighten me. How do I get you to trust me?”

“Why do you need my trust so badly?” you snark back. Misdirected anger, and he’d put himself directly in the line of fire, “Why do you want that of me so goddamn badly when it’s clear that after tonight, we’ll pretend all of this never existed?”

He steps back as if you slapped him. As if he hadn’t been the one just making a mockery of whatever was happening between the two of you.

“You said it yourself,” you continue to ramble, waving around a previously fisted hand, “It changes nothing. And it’s not your problem that I struggle with that. I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at myself – there’s a difference.”

“It doesn’t feel like there’s a difference,” Eddie immediately snaps, “You’re mad because I said… I said that? Because I said your words back to you? Because if you can recall correctly, sweetheart, you’re the one that said it all means nothing first.”

The misdirected anger is starting to feel perfectly directly with each word that leaves his mouth, “Because you asked me if it all meant nothing first. They’re still your words, not mine!”

“I only asked that because you’ve made it very clear that you enjoy hating me.”

“You think I enjoy this?” your voice breaks with emotion, taking a step closer to him. Your toes brush his, “You think I enjoy all this fighting with you? You think I enjoy seeing you act like it’s painful to be in a room with me for more than a few seconds at a time?”

His hardening gaze, his hands twitching at his sides, the lilt of his mouth as the corner folds downward. Now that you’ve tasted him, you could never erase yourself of him.

“You really want to know what I think?” he’s not screaming like he should be. The two of you should be shouting to the ceilings, screaming until the surrounding neighbors could hear you. You want to yell until your lungs give out and noise complaints have been filed, but he’s not having it. He’s quiet as he takes the next step closer. His head dips in closer to yours, lips nearing the shell of your ear, “Do you truly want to know what I think about all of this?”

“Yes,” you whimper out, the need for yelling being swallowed down for the time being, “That’s all I want.”

It’s true. You don’t know if he can see it, the crack in your composure as you admit it, but it’s the truth. You want to see inside his mind, watch the mechanics ticking in real time. You need to know his every single thought and feeling so badly, your hands shake.

“I think,” his voice comes out as a husky whisper directly against your ear, chest just shy of brushing against yours, “you never really hated me, baby,” he pauses, and one of his hands come out to your hips, grabbing you and pulling you in closer to him, “I think, you just wanted me so badly, it made you into a dumb, angry slut.”

“You’re cocky,” you shakily laugh. You need to stop this. You need to push him away, save yourself.

You lean into his touch and silent commands, pressing up into him. Going as far as to stand up on your tip-toes so that your nose brushes against his neck.

“Am I?” he chuckles, and the sound shoots straight to your core.

You need to push him away. You need to put distance. You need to remember this means nothing.

“You asked me what I thought, sweetheart,” he goes to pull away, and you follow, “And I’m nothing if not an honest man.”

It means nothing. You can deal with your own ramifications tomorrow. You can work through the catastrophe relief come tomorrow afternoon, nurse away the heartbreak and sore disappointment.

You have him for one night. One night. To let him slip away from you is to waste it.

“Honest?” you try to scoff, but it comes out a breath against his skin, both hands now wrapping around your waist as he turns the two of you and cages you against the counter, “You… You can’t even honestly tell me why you hate me. You have to use some bullshit excuse.”

His hands rake down your sides before cupping beneath your thighs, lifting you to sit on the counter. He’s fucking smirking. Completely unaffected by your words.

“Would you like me to be honest now, doll?” he rasps, leaning back to take you in, “Or would you rather me eat that poor pussy right here, right now, on this counter?”

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#twenty four hours #my writing #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fic #eddie munson smut #eddie is such a fuckin idiot

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perotovar · 4 months

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into the beat of the night (interlude) "skin"

pairing: frankie morales/oc!river price (they/them) rating: E (18+) content: talks about top surgery, river is afab and nonbinary, pwp, unprotected p in v, multiple orgasms (referenced), overstimulation, nipple play, dom!frankie, sub!river, praise kink, takes place sometime after ch7, could be read as standalone as long as you know that this is frankie's first relationship with a nonbinary person. i promise river will get to dom tf out of frankie next time lol word count: 1k dividers by @saradika-graphics beta: @scenaaario

a/n: written for @romanarose 's pride event, for the prompt: "transitioning". thank you so much for reading! ♥

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“Frankie, I’m–!”

“I know, amorcito,” Frankie grinned, panting into River’s ear. His lips latched onto their shoulder and sucked hard, hips hammering into them. “Another.”

River panted underneath him, face twisted in pleasure and flushed a deep red color. They gripped the sheets in tight fists and their face was buried into the pillow. Drool, sweat, and bite marks covered the soft material. “I–I can’t,” they whined.

“Do you need to stop?” Frankie breathed, slowing down the speed of his hips, but not letting up on the intensity.

“N-no! Please, keep going,” River groaned weakly. They turned their head to look back at him, eyes glazed over and pupils dilated.

Frankie’s face softened a little as he looked them over. Their long, inky black hair was stuck to their sweaty skin, covering them like a blanket. Those big green eyes of theirs were pleading with him to let them come.

He gripped their hips, large hands feeling more powerful than they usually did when his thumbs dug into the dips and dimples there. He turned their body onto their side and lifted one of River’s legs to rest on his shoulder. Each of his knees were planted on either side of one of their other thigh.

Frankie slowly eased back inside of them, the stretch making River moan openly. “Good,” he praised, the hand not holding their leg in place pressed to their stomach comfortingly. “Taking me so well, baby.”

River bit their lip and watched his face closely, their eyebrows turned downward in pleasure and pleading. Frankie started picking up the pace again, the obscene wet suck of River’s pussy pulling him in further and echoing in their ears. “Oh, fuck,” River whined, head lolling back into the pillow. They panted hard, their chest heaving rhythmically with each of Frankie’s deep thrusts.

From this angle, Frankie could see everything; their damp skin, the way River’s lips trembled, and the way their tattoos glistened in the low light of his bedroom. His eyes dragged over the defined muscles of their thighs and trim waist, then landed on the distinct scars on their chest.

“Play with your nipples for me,” Frankie breathed, hips bucking into theirs. He looked down and watched as his cock fucked into them, the sight of River’s slick covering his cock giving him chills down his spine.

River obeyed, tweaking their nipples as the heat built in their core. “F-Frankie, I’m gonna fucking come,” they whined.

“Do it. Come for me,” grunted Frankie, planting one foot on the mattress to drive into them harder.

River let out an obscene noise before stilling as they came, their hips bucking with the waves of their high.

“Good, Río,” Frankie panted, and leaned over to kiss them deeply as they shook with the aftershocks. “So fucking good,” he groaned into their mouth, the lewd plap plap plap of their hips sending him over the edge with them. He bit and tugged on their bottom lip as thick ropes of come covered the walls inside them.

River hummed and purred like a happy cat at the warmth and sticky feeling between them. They brought their leg down and curled it around Frankie’s waist, their arms doing the same at his neck. “C’mere,” River breathed, kissing him languidly and tangling their fingers in his damp curls.

Frankie got comfortable and laid on top of them, softening cock still inside them snugly. Their kisses were lazy, but deep, and lasted for a long time. River always got especially clingy and affectionate after sex, and Frankie was hardly going to complain.

Eventually, they came up for air, and looked at each other. River snorted at his hair sticking up in all directions and pecked his cheek. “I gotta pee so bad,” they groaned. Frankie laughed and slowly pulled out, watching as his come dripped out of them. He smirked at the sight, thumb rubbing at River’s inner thigh.

After River went to the bathroom and Frankie removed the dirty sheets, they got comfy under the covers and cuddled close. Frankie looked down at their head, hair now pulled back into a loose braid. “I’ve got a question for you, Riv,” he said softly.

“Anything,” River smiled, kissing his pec before looking up at him.

“How bad was it?”

River raised a brow and frowned. “How bad was what?”

“Your… When you got top surgery.”

River blinked, but smiled softly. “Where did that come from?” They chuckled.

Frankie blushed, his eyes going wide. “W-well, I was just curious! When we– While I was on top of you, well. I looked at the scars, and I just sort of wondered.”

River laughed quietly and cupped his face. “Do you wanna know the whole process, or…?”

Frankie shrugged. “Only if you wanted to tell me.”

River hummed, exhaling a heavy breath as they thought about it. “Well, the healing process sort of sucked. I slept like shit.”

Frankie frowned, concerned.

“I’m fine now,” they rolled their eyes playfully, poking him in the nipple. “But my left nipple still isn’t as sensitive as it used to be.”

Frankie looked down at their left nipple and tweaked it teasingly. River giggled, and covered it protectively. “Hey!”

He grinned and gave them a kiss on their shoulder. “Go on,” he chuckled.

“But yeah,” River continued. “I had a really good friend come with me and we both cried afterwards. It felt… right. I think I even told him that I was always meant to look that way.”

Frankie’s eyes rounded softly. “Oh, Río,” he smiled. “I’m sad I wasn’t there.”

“Me too,” River nodded. “But you’re here now. And now I don’t even remember what it felt like to have breasts.”

He hummed thoughtfully, nodding. “I love you, River,” he said softly, cupping their face and rubbing his thumb on their cheekbone.

“And I love you,” River grinned, kissing him deeply. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Wondering. Accepting me,” they shrugged, looking at a freckle on his chest.

“Of course,” Frankie said seriously, making them look back up at him. Deep brown eyes bore into green, and it made River’s breath catch. “Always.”

And River believed him when he said it, too.

#oscarpedroprideevent2024 #frankie morales #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales fic #frankie morales smut #frankie morales series #triple frontier fanfiction #triple frontier fic #triple frontier smut #triple frontier au #nonbinary #pride #oaksfics

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teshadraws · 6 months

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Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Seekers of Soul

[Chapter 55]

<< First | < Previous | Next >

Tobias and Nia tie up some loose ends around the guild in preparation for their journey to find Will, and Tobias shares a special pastime with his partner.

Team Evergreen doesn’t make an appearance after their mission in the tunnels, though Jaz stops by Tobias and Nia’s room at dawn two days later to give them an update on Andyn's mood.

“She was quiet for a while,” the stufful says. “Thinking, I suppose. But otherwise she's acting fine again.”

“Did I actually get through that thick skull of hers?” Tobias grumbles. He’s tying Nia’s scarf around her arm before they leave for the day, and it’s slipping annoyingly through his fingers.

Jaz sighs. “No, unfortunately not. It’s going to take more than a few heated words to get her to change her mind about this. Ezra and I have tried. But...”

Nia’s ears perk. “But..?”

“Something you said did make her think, Tobias. Maybe you planted some seeds that just need a bit of time to bloom.”

Pretty words for such a nasty conversation, Tobias thinks idly as he finally ties Nia’s scarf tight. He doesn’t have nearly as much faith that Andyn will turn over a new leaf any time soon.

Nia smiles at Jaz. “Well, I’m happy to hear she’s back to her normal self, at least. Sorry again that our group mission wasn’t, uh…as fun as we might’ve hoped.”

Tobias opens his mouth to say that that was Andyn’s fault, not theirs.

Jaz beats him to it, laughing softly. “Not your fault. Neither of your faults, really.”

Nia doesn’t argue that point, and the stufful leaves shortly after with a word of luck for their mission today and a promise to pass their hellos on to Ezra.

“Well, I’m glad we don’t have to worry about Andyn too much,” Nia says as the two of them pack up for the day and head down the Lexym Tree to the mission boards. “Are you still doing okay?”

Tobias is doing fine. Probably better than he should be, honestly. While Andyn hit a sore spot and he was much harsher than Nia would’ve been regarding the deerling’s parents, he stands firm by his conviction that Andyn needs a wake-up call. His words didn’t manage to get through to her, but he doesn’t really regret what he said, either.

“I’m fine. Just wish she’d wake up and realize her parents are the problem here.”

Nia is behind him on the steps, but Tobias can feel her attention on him, laser-focused. “You fought about her parents?”

Belatedly, Tobias realizes that this is the first time he’s said what his argument with the deerling was even about. Nia has been careful not to push.

“They suck, okay?” Tobias growls. “If they’re the reason she’s like that, then she should know that that’s messed up.”

Nia hums, but otherwise falls silent. That’s as good as an agreement for her, so Tobias doesn’t let the issue linger as they reach the ground floor where the mission boards are posted.

They’re still waiting to hear back from August about traveling to Will’s human settlement, so they’ve been avoiding any missions that would wear them out too much just in case they need to leave on short notice. Still, Tobias does have to swallow his pride when he realizes that leaves them with just a few very basic mission options for the day.

It’s not that he thinks the jobs are beneath him or anything, but they are undeniably…boring. And they give them less Seeker points, too. But he refuses to throw a fit like Andyn did.

“Well, let’s get this over with.”

“Hey, it might be fun!” Nia says, looking genuinely excited about the mission she’d picked out for them. “I haven’t tried cooking since waking up in this world.”

Tobias gives her an appraising look as they make their way back up the tree’s staircase. “Did you cook a lot as a human?”

Nia shakes her head. “Just basic stuff. Baking, mostly. But if it’s a low-level mission, it can’t be anything too complex, right?”

Tobias shrugs. For all his years at the guild, he’s never actually helped out in the cafeteria kitchen, always too busy trailing after Maggie and helping with medicinal duties.

He’s surprised to find that the day is actually pretty interesting, tucked away in the guild’s sprawling kitchen. They’re put to work under the command of the cooking staff, and their mission for the day is to provide breakfast and lunch for the entirety of the guild.

The vespiquen in charge has Tobias use his flames often, lighting fires in clay ovens and carefully toasting nuts and vegetables. He isn’t sure whether to be offended or proud when the chef looks at him with delight halfway through the morning with a clap of her hands and proclaims that they must make occa berry flambé for dessert today, with a fire type’s flames so readily on-hand.

He is proud, in an embarrassed sort of way, when the bug type compliments him on his temperature control with his flames. He manages to avoid burning a single pot or dish. While it’s a strange feeling, he likes the appreciative looks he gets from the other workers when he uses his fire, rather than the guild's usual wariness.

Tobias actually ends up enjoying the day more than Nia does, if the way she drags herself to the stairs at the end of their shift is any gauge. Her fur is caked in flour from a few ingredient mishaps, and Tobias has to bite back a laugh at her appearance.

She gives him a tired, playful glare in return. “Want to share with the class?”

“You look like a fidough.”

“Fidough,” Nia echoes, squinting. “Is that…a dog Pokemon? Oh my God, is that a bread pun?"

“It’s their species name. They are kind of…doughy, though. Yeah. That's the joke.”

Nia barks a laugh, and Tobias grins.

“Pokemon names are so silly! Hahaha!”

Tobias shakes his head as he leads the way up the stairs to their quarters. “Hey, at least they make sense. Who looks at a riolu and calls it a dog? What even is a dog?”

“Me! I’m a dog!”

“Yeah, yeah. And I’m Reshiram. C’mon, I want to have time to clean up before supper. You wanna eat with Maggie tonight? We can brag about the food we helped make.”

“Oh, that’d be perfect!” Nia says. Her fatigued posture lifts at the prospect, like a flower wilting in reverse. “Don’t let me forget, though, that I really need to talk to Avery sometime about the whole species naming thing. And the Pokemon language in general. Ordirune? It makes no sense that you and I can talk and read the same language when it’s, well…not the same language!”

Tobias vaguely remembers Nia mentioning this before, when they were in Ghatha with Junie. “Does it need to make sense? It works. We can understand each other. That’s what matters.”

“How are you not curious about it? It’s so wild to me!”

“It just doesn’t seem like something you’re gonna be able to figure out, so why waste time thinking about it?”

“Because it’s fun!” Nia counters. “I like trying to figure stuff out, even if it doesn’t really matter.”

Tobias can’t really argue with that. Nia’s just different than him in that regard. Still, as a nincada and surskit pass them on the stairs, he gives it a moment of thought.

“Giratina said that Mew made your Pokemon body, right? She probably did something with your brain so you could understand Ordirune, so you wouldn’t be totally lost in our world.”

“But language isn’t genetic,” Nia argues. “It’s something you learn. That’s true for Pokemon too, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Then it doesn’t really make sense that she could just…imprint it onto our brains, does it?”

Tobias frowns as they finally reach their floor, his legs a bit tired as usual from the climb. “It doesn’t make sense that she could just make you a whole body, either, but here you are. If she made your brain for you, why couldn’t she make it familiar with our language? Pokemon hatch knowing survival instincts because those things were ingrained into our bodies from birth. Like…charmander hatchlings knowing to keep their tail flames small if they’re in danger. Maybe Mew did something similar and built your body so you already know Ordirune and your brain sorta just…translates for you without you realizing it.”

Nia stops behind him right before they reach their door, and Tobias turns to look at her.

She’s staring at him with wide, almost awestruck eyes. “Tobias, that’s such a cool way of thinking about it! Oh man, you should come with me when I meet up with Avery. They'd find that idea super interesting. Plus, I’m sure Xander and the others would love to see you! I think you and Kry are like…bros or something now, after your spar the other day?”

Tobias snorts and turns back to the door. “Yeah, I’m sure they’re all dying to see me.”

His hand settles on the knob, but Nia reaches out to cover it with her own paw. She gives him a long, searching look. “Hey, you know I’m not joking, right?”

“They’re your friends.”

“Well, yeah, maybe first. But they want to be your friend, too. They aren’t just…putting up with you to hang out with me.”

Tobias feels all too seen, suddenly. Like his scarf got lost somewhere and left his neck naked and vulnerable. Tobias shifts on his feet, looking away.

That…doesn’t feel right. But aside from Nia, he hasn’t had a friend his own age since he was nine—and that was his sister. He isn’t exactly an expert on how friends work.

“They’re kind of stuck with me, if they want to be friends with you.”

Nia gives him a light bat of her paw and a scolding smile. “They’re not stuck with you. You’re fun to be around, Tobias. Whether you want to acknowledge that or not.”

Tobias thinks of how he yelled at Andyn just two days ago. “Sure.”

Then, unwittingly, he thinks about the rest of that mission. Thinks about Ezra’s cheeky, playful comments and Jaz’s calm confidence when she encouraged him talk to Andyn alone. Thinks further back, to Kry punching his shoulder during training and Xander and Felix’s lighthearted smack-talk and easy conversation. Thinks about Avery’s gentle smile and full attention when Tobias spoke.

He doesn’t think he’s their friend, not really. But the idea that he might be, someday, doesn’t seem quite as ridiculous as it once was. Tobias has…a lot of mixed feelings about that. Fear that he’s going to royally screw it up is somewhere near the top, though, so he shoves away the warmth the idea brings. No use worrying about it unless it actually happens, after all.

Tobias finally opens the door to their room, only to stop as soon as he notices a piece of paper resting on the floor near his feet. Tobias picks it up, and feels his fingers tighten around the sheet as he realizes what it is.

“What is it?” Nia asks, peering over his shoulder.

“It’s from August,” he summarizes, skimming through the short message. “We have permission to head overseas and find Will first thing in the morning.”

“Giratina was telling the truth, then?”

“Or they think it’s too big a risk to ignore, if nothing else,” Tobias murmurs. The bottom of the note says that the funds for their flight have been dropped into their mailbox, so Tobias digs that pouch out right away to add to their own money. He moves to where their satchel was left to rest against the wall for the day.

“Tomorrow,” Nia says, sitting heavily in her nest and wrapping herself up in one of their blankets like a swadloon. “That’s…so soon. I know we were waiting to hear back from them, but…well. I guess we’d better let everyone know we’re leaving again?”

Tobias drags their bag over and sits to sort through it, catching the disappointed note in his partner’s voice. He doesn’t really mind traveling again, even if their time back at the guild has been fine. Good, even, for the most part. But knowing they’ll have to say goodbye to Maggie again so soon does have something in his heart squeezing tight. He hopes she doesn’t cry.

“Yeah,” he finally answers, pulling out their meager collection of items to sort through. “We can tell Maggie when we eat with her later.”

Nia voices her agreement, watching Tobias as he puts everything together. Her mind is clearly miles away, though.

Tobias leaves her to her thoughts, making sure they have the usual essentials that they travel with: apples and berries for food and status ailments, their map, and a canteen of water for Nia. He would grab some hydration berries for himself if they didn’t shrivel so quickly, but at least fire types don’t dehydrate easily.

Anything else? They could go down to the item dispensary and peruse the orbs and seeds available, but their funds still aren’t overly impressive. And they aren’t planning on getting caught in any dungeons or intense battles.

...Okay, he knows better by now than to assume that will hold true. Still, by this point they’ve mostly gotten by without items, so he thinks they'll be all right without any fancy aids.

Besides, Nia will probably want to bring a book, and their sparse packing leaves plenty of room for that. They could almost pack up Nia’s beloved new blanket too, if they wanted to squish everything in, but that feels like a waste of space if they'll be indoors most nights. He’s basically a walking heater for the riolu at this point anyways.

Tobias looks around the room and his gaze catches on his guitar, leaning carefully against the wall by the window. He frowns at the instrument, fingers flexing as he itches to hold it. He’s been enjoying relearning it, and it calms him down on late nights, but it isn’t really an essential item. Their pack would be better off carrying something actually useful.

“You’re taking your guitar along, right?” Nia asks, startling Tobias out of his thoughts. She must've followed his gaze and guessed what he was thinking.

Tobias shrugs, looking back at their satchel. “Probably not. It’s not exactly useful.”

“It makes you happy,” Nia protests, like that makes it useful, somehow. “Plus, I like hearing you play. So if we’re taking a vote…”

Tobias flushes, falling still. Part of him still wants to argue, rationality over sentimentality and all that, but. Well. If Nia doesn’t mind him taking up the space, then…

Tobias silently gets up to retrieve the guitar. He tucks it away in their bag amongst the other items, pleased with how neatly it slots in between their supplies and a book about abilities that Nia had handed him to bring along.

Packing complete.

It’s only a few short hours later that they go to the medical floor with trays of food in hand, including some of the occa berry flambé that they’d helped make earlier in the day. They call a greeting to Fen and drop off a meal with the leafeon that has them purring their thanks. Next door, Maggie seems pleasantly surprised by their appearance.

"Hello, you two! Good to see you."

“You eat yet?” Tobias asks, holding up one of the two heavy trays he’s carrying.

Maggie smiles, taking the meal with a single vine and settling down in her nest to eat. “I was just starting to feel peckish, actually. Thank you, dear. Will you stay and eat with us tonight?”

“If that’s all right!” Nia says, holding her second tray—which she was insistent on—out to Sage with a smile.

The ivysaur, who had been eyeing the door as if it was just expected for him to leave any time Tobias showed up, blinks in surprise. Then, with a bashful smile and a murmur of thanks, he takes the meal with his own vines.

Tobias and Nia sit down close to Maggie and dig in.

Off to the side, Sage shifts awkwardly on his short legs. His leaves sway with the motion.

“Sit down already,” Tobias grumbles. “We aren’t chasing you out.”

Sage looks even more thrown by the peace offering, but with a glance at Maggie and Nia, he finally settles down as well on Nia’s other side. Maggie smiles soothingly at her apprentice's nerves, and Tobias is surprised that the open affection doesn’t feel…grating, this time. In fact, it feels kind of ridiculous when Maggie immediately turns her attention back to Tobias and Nia with bright eyes, clearly thrilled to have them here.

Tobias wonders how he was ever threatened by Sage’s appearance. Maggie has more than enough love to go around.

As they eat, Maggie questions what they’ve been up to today with a note of amusement in her voice. Her gaze lingers on the patches of flour still caught stubbornly in Nia’s soft fur, even after the riolu had scrubbed at them for a solid half-hour earlier.

Nia groans and dives into her mishaps in the kitchen, including when she’d tripped over a morelull and knocked over a slurpuff who was busy mixing up dry ingredients for a crust. Tobias laughs as he replays the scene in his head, but flushes when Nia follows it up with an exasperated comparison to Tobias basically being “Gordon Ramsay” in the kitchen, whatever that means. It’s clearly a compliment.

Maggie laughs. “That doesn’t surprise me, actually. Tobias was always very careful with measurements when he helped me make our medicines, even when he was small. He has a good eye for detail, when he’s invested.”

Tobias feels his face grow hotter as Nia and Sage look at him with astonished expressions.

“You don’t have to look that surprised."

The ivysaur winces and looks back to his meal with a quiet, “Sorry.”

Nia just shrugs with an easy laugh, as if to ask if he could blame her.

The conversation flows smoothly as they catch up. Sage is quiet, almost silent, but he’s clearly listening, tracking the conversation with pricked ears and sharp garnet eyes as he picks delicately at his meal. Tobias isn’t sure if it’s because the ivysaur is still cautious after Tobias’ initial hostility, or if he’s just that quiet by nature.

Nia tries to pull the grass type into the conversation a few times, but after a few short, almost shy answers, she relents and lets him bask in the conversation without necessarily participating. Maggie doesn’t seem worried about the ivysaur’s silence, so Tobias doesn’t concern himself with it either.

During a lull in the conversation, Maggie says, “You know, your mission from today has me thinking. Sage and I might have to steal you for ourselves soon—we could use some extra hands to gather the last of the autumn herbs later this week. The northern part of the Haven will likely have its first heavy frost soon.”

“Oh. About that…” Nia trails off, giving Tobias a pleading look.

Tobias sighs, putting his fork back onto his tray. Leaving it up to him, huh? “We’re actually heading out again tomorrow morning.”

“So soon?” Maggie asks with a bewildered expression.

“August dropped off a letter today approving our travel, so…” Nia says, dejected.

Maggie smiles, leaning over to brush her muzzle over the top of the riolu’s head. “You’re fine, dear. I knew as soon as we spoke with August that you would be traveling again soon. I’m just going to miss you. And worry, of course.”

“We’ll be fine,” Tobias says. “We always are.”

“You’re always getting into trouble, you mean,” Maggie corrects with a playful glare. “Let a mother worry, Tobias. And just do your best to come home without any new scars, all right?”

Tobias’ hand drifts up to his scarf. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Nia wince and trail a paw over the scarf on her own arm, right where she’d gotten bit by that panpour outlaw moons ago.

“We’ll be careful!” Nia finally says, though her smile doesn’t look nearly as confident as she sounds.

Maggie doesn’t seem convinced either, but drops the conversation to return to lighter topics. Such as how, just yesterday, Sage had given his first bitter medicine to some of the guild children who had come down with a cold.

Tobias laughs at the distraught expression on the ivysaur’s face, more than familiar with the experience after years of doing it himself. “How’d you like giving Bella her dose?”

The little bellsprout could be a menace when she wanted to be. Tobias can still feel the phantom smacking of her tiny root-arms.

Sage groans and drops his face into his tray.

“He made a valiant effort,” Maggie says, patting the ivysaur’s shoulder with a vine. Which means that Sage was surely near tears by the time they were finished.

Tobias uses his fork to point a bite of occa berry dessert in Sage’s direction. “Word of advice? Honey. Drown her dose in the stuff, but don’t tell her it’s anything but what it is. She can’t resist honey, but she won’t eat it if you try to trick her. Stubborn as a mudbray, that one.”

Tobias half-expects the ivysaur to dismiss his words, since Sage is older than him and the one actually in the medicinal role now. Instead, the ivysaur perks up and nods, reaching over his shoulder with a vine to pull a notepad and inkwell off the nearby desk and start writing something down.

Tobias blinks. He didn’t mean to actually take notes. The earnest faith in the gesture has his face heating. He looks away, stuffing a bite of occa berry flambé into his mouth. It’s delicious.

Soon enough, they’re all finished eating and it’s time to head out. Sage quietly insists that he can take the trays down to the cafeteria, leaving Maggie alone with Tobias and Nia.

“You two be careful on your trip, you hear?” Maggie says, voice firmer as she pulls them into a hug. “I don’t want to hear about you getting caught in any more fires or deadly fights.”

“No promises,” Tobias mumbles.

Maggie gives him an extra hard squeeze before releasing him.

“We’ll be careful, Maggie,” Nia says, stepping away with misty eyes. “See you soon, okay?”

Tobias can’t seem to say anything. The words stick like sap in his throat. He swallows against the lump of them and bumps his head against Maggie’s leg once more before stepping away.

The meganium sees them off as they pad down the hall and back down the tree.

“Xander’s team next?” Nia asks.

“You could go on your own, you know.”

“I could. But..?”

Tobias huffs, but doesn’t argue as he follows Nia to Team Shellshock’s quarters. The riolu knocks on the door, and childish shrieks rise up from behind the wood. Luca’s distinct little voice yells, “Hide! Hide!” and Tobias grins.

Avery is the one to answer, the kirlia’s gentle expression lighting up. “Nia! And Tobias. Lovely to see you two.”

“Good to see you too,” Nia says warmly. “Could we come in for a sec?”

Avery steps aside for Nia and Tobias, and as soon as Tobias crosses the room’s threshold he’s tackled by a writhing mass of blue and black fur.

“Gotcha!”

“Surrender, outlaw!”

“Lainey, sit on his head!”

Tobias puts up a halfhearted fight as the shinx cubs work to hold him down. Tiny paws step on his arms and belly and legs and his vision is taken over by lashing tails and gleaming, golden eyes.

“Don’t suffocate him, kids,” Xander calls idly, before his voice is drowned out by childish peals of laughter.

Tobias lets the cubs think they’ve won for a few moments, before twisting and gently throwing them off with an exaggerated roar. Leor squeaks and scrambles away to dive behind Team Shellshock’s items chest. Laine and Luca hiss playfully at Tobias before following their more timid brother, probably to come up with a new plan of attack.

Tobias smirks and moves to join the other occupants of the room.

Xander, Avery, and Nia are watching the cubs peek over the items chest with fond, amused looks. Felix is crouching beside the kids’ hiding place and murmuring something that quickly catches their attention. Kry is nowhere to be seen, probably out training or something while the cubs are here wreaking havoc. She doesn’t seem like much of a kid person.

Tobias stops at Nia’s side, purposefully putting his back to the shinx cubs to make himself an easy target.

“So you’re heading out again already?” Avery is asking.

“You two are the most restless ‘mons I’ve ever met,” Felix calls idly from beside the chest. “Try not to come back all banged up again, all right?”

“I’ll second that,” Xander says, and Tobias is surprised when the luxio’s golden gaze focuses not only on Nia, but Tobias as well. “Be careful.”

“Always!”

Xander chuffs a quiet laugh, as if well aware of how untrue that statement is. “Regardless. Do you two have everything packed up already?”

“I think so?”

“We travel light,” Tobias says.

Xander flicks his tail, looking thoughtful. His eyes stray over to the items chest on the side of the room, though Tobias thinks he isn’t focused on his siblings at the moment. Avery follows his gaze, and Tobias wonders if the kirlia is reading the luxio’s mind, since they apparently use telepathy with each other fairly often.

Avery must be, because they smile at Xander as if pleased with something he’d suggested, then back at Nia and Tobias. “Do you two have any orbs in your inventory?”

Nia looks to Tobias. He shakes his head.

Xander nods, and Avery goes to the chest, murmuring a quiet, “Excuse me,” to shoo the kids off the lid before opening the top and rummaging through it. They find what they’re looking for quickly, returning to Tobias and Nia with a shiny blue wonder orb in hand. Without hesitation, they hold it out.

“Take this with you. Just in case.”

After a beat of surprise, Tobias reaches out to take it, rolling the surprisingly heavy orb around his hands. “What kind is it?”

“An all power-up orb,” Avery answers. “It raises your team’s attack and special attack for a few minutes.”

“But...aren't these really rare or expensive or something?” Nia asks, gently taking the orb from Tobias’ hands to peer closer at it.

“The two of you seem to attract danger wherever you go,” Xander says, not answering the question. “I’ll sleep better if you take it.”

“We both will,” Avery amends.

Tobias’ immediate impulse is to reject such a rare, pricey item just being dropped into their laps. However, he remembers how desperately he’d wanted any kind of helpful item back on the Aqua Jet, when they were traveling via the river and the mystery dungeon hit. It would be undeniably good to have as a back-up measure.

Nia seems equally unsure for a moment, but then she smiles and cradles the orb closer. “Well...thank you, then. It’s really too much.”

"Not at all," Avery says.

Xander’s shoulders lose some of their tension once they accept the gift, and that's what convinces Tobias not to put up a fight. They mean it. They're just worried about their safety, about Nia and maybe even a little about Tobias. And somehow, their concern doesn't feel like pity, but something warmer. Something easier to stomach.

Nia gently bumps Tobias with her hip, so he rolls his eyes and tacks on a quiet, “Yeah. Thanks.”

Xander opens his mouth to respond, but before he can say anything, his ears swivel in the direction of the chest.

That’s Tobias’ only warning before the shinx cubs yell, “Attack!” and charge Tobias once more. Felix must’ve been giving them battle tips, because this time they move as a coordinated unit, tackling Tobias’ legs. The charmander lets himself go down with an exaggerated oof, and the kids shriek as they swarm his chest, pinning him down with their soft little bodies. While he could still wriggle free if he really wanted to, their combined weight does hold him down pretty effectively. Tobias “struggles” for a few moments more before going limp with a dramatic groan.

“Victory!” Leor says.

“Drag him to jail!” Luca shouts.

“Throw him in the pit!” Laine adds.

“Whoa, where’d you hear that last one?” Felix asks, startled.

“From a cool story Bella found in the archives!"

Bella. Of course. Tobias has said it before and he’ll say it again: that bellsprout is a menace.

“Looks like I’ll be having another chat with Arlo,” Xander sighs, sounding all too much like a father.

Nia and Tobias head out shortly after, despite the shinx cubs’ whining over losing their playmate. At the door, Xander catches Nia in a one-armed hug, brushing the top of her head with his chin. The familiarity of the gesture catches Tobias off-guard, but Nia simply hugs the luxio back, unsurprised by the open affection.

As they leave, Felix and the kids’ loud goodbyes and Avery’s much quieter farewell following them into the hall, Nia hesitates.

“I feel like we should tell Team Evergreen that we’re heading out again, but…”

Tobias can only imagine the awkward tension that would rise if he was shoved into the same room as Andyn right now.

“I’ll leave that one to you.”

“That...might be for the best. I won’t be too long.”

Tobias waves her off, turning to head back to their room. He can get some more practice in on his guitar before they sleep. “Just remember that we head out early.”

“When do we not?” Nia counters, giving a wave of her own before setting off towards Team Evergreen’s quarters.

Tobias is relieved that Nia didn’t want him to join for that last visit. Between working in the kitchen this morning and seeing Team Shellshock and the shinx kids earlier, Tobias is just about done socializing for the day. He’s more than content to flop down in his nest and strum at his guitar for the rest of the night before they get back on the road tomorrow.

To Tobias’ surprise, Nia returns not long after they parted ways, when the moon is just starting to rise into the sky. She assures him that it went well, even if Andyn was a little quieter than usual, and that they all wished the two of them safe travels.

“Wished you safe travels, you mean,” Tobias snorts as he plucks away at an aimless melody. “Andyn probably hopes I fall off our flight ‘mon and into the ocean.”

“I don’t think she’s that upset,” Nia says, lying down herself. She eyes Tobias for a moment before reaching into their satchel and pulling out her book.

The night is peaceful, after that. Tobias works his way through some of the simple melodies from the music book they’d picked up in the archives, familiarizing himself with the easier tunes before trying anything more advanced. Nia reads her book, kicking her legs and occasionally mumbling something to herself.

It’s getting close to midnight when Nia finally yawns and slides her book back into their satchel. She curls up in her nest, blanket pulled tight over her shoulders until it bunches up by her chin, and watches as Tobias plays.

Eventually, Tobias figures he’d better get some rest too and slides the guitar and music book back into their satchel. He closes the curtain until the room is only dimly lit by his own tail flame, and curls up in his nest. He doesn’t realize until he's settled in that Nia isn’t actually asleep yet. Instead, she’s watching Tobias, clearly still wide awake.

“What’s up?” Tobias asks.

Nia shrugs. “Just…can’t sleep.”

Tobias knows the feeling. While it was easy to get lost in his music for the evening, Tobias won’t be surprised if he’s up for a while yet. Especially with their flight tomorrow, he has a lot on his mind.

For a moment Tobias just gazes back at Nia in the dim light, wondering if either of them are going to be well-rested come dawn. Then, he thinks of similar nights long, long ago, of looking at his sister or parents with a similar restless itch under his skin.

An idea pops into his mind.

For a moment, he hesitates. This is something…sacred. Something he hasn’t shared with anyone else since he lost his family. It feels wrong to even think about sharing it.

Then again, that’s what he’d thought about discussing Vivi and his parents at all, before the cart ride from Asra to Shivergleam. And that was…nice. Really nice. Swapping sibling stories with Nia. It hurt, but it also made something in him feel…looser. Like stretching out a stiff muscle that he hadn’t exercised in forever.

Tobias sits up before he can second-guess himself. “C’mon. I have an idea.”

Nia props herself up on an arm. “What?”

He climbs out of their nest and holds out a hand. “Trust me. It’ll help.”

For a moment Nia looks unsure, but then a smile crosses her face. Tobias helps her to her paws, and she doesn’t let go once she’s standing. He decides not to think about it too hard and gives her paw a squeeze, grabbing Nia’s beloved new blanket and slinging it over his shoulder.

“C’mon.”

Nia laughs under her breath as they leave the room, making sure to shut the door extra quiet behind her so they don’t disturb the other Pokemon on the floor.

“Where are we going?”

“Sure, just let me ruin the surprise.”

Nia's brows raise, but she doesn’t ask any more questions and just follows with an air of palpable curiosity. Tobias leads them to the staircase and starts climbing up, up, up through the guild.

“Are we visiting Maggie again?” Nia whispers.

“No.”

Tobias has done this many times over the years, since first arriving at the guild. But he’s always done it alone, sneaking past Maggie’s sleeping form to climb up to his favorite spot. He’d thought about asking Maggie to join before—she would’ve indulged him. But somehow it had always seemed a bit too painful before now. Before Nia. Now it feels less like chasing something he can’t get back and more like…sharing something he loves. Making it new again.

They finally reach the mail floor, evident by the cool breeze blowing into the staircase. There aren’t many fliers that work at night, so the floor is empty, the platforms bordering the edges of the room opening up to patches of clear night sky.

“Oh,” Nia breathes, registering where they are.

She follows him wordlessly as he goes to one of the far platforms and sits down at the end of it. She sits beside him, then casts a nervous glance below them to the Haven's trees, black and spindly and thin with the coming winter. She scoots back an inch.

Like this, they’re sitting at the edge of the world, the sprawling forest below and an ocean of stars above.

Tobias hands over Nia’s blanket, now heated by his own scales, and she gladly takes it to wrap herself up. He’s hardly surprised when she still scooches over to press against his side. The night air is cold, after all, chilly enough that he won’t argue against a little extra warmth himself.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Nia says, hushed. “I couldn’t really appreciate the stars in Asra, since we were on a stakeout. But here…”

“Peaceful, right?”

Nia hums her agreement.

For a moment, they’re quiet. The wind whistles by them this high up, stronger without the blocking force of the forest and carrying with it the crisp scent of the Silenfroar Mountains. Tobias can kind of see where the mountain range sits, a void of pointed black on the horizon that blots out the sky.

Tobias moves his eyes up to stare at the stars, feeling something in his throat tighten even as the rest of him relaxes. Even when he was a child, scared of nothing more than shadows on cave walls, his parents would lead him to the mouth of their cave to look up at the stars when he couldn’t sleep.

It makes him feel small. But in a comforting way.

“This is where we became a team.”

Tobias looks at Nia. “What?”

“Well. Technically we became a team down in the tunnels.” Nia smiles at Tobias. “But I consider this to be where we actually became one. For real.”

Right. After Afon’s Cap, when Nia finally stood up for herself and Tobias agreed to stop being so awful to her. They shook on it. Tobias can still see Nia in the pink evening light, paw outstretched and smile hopeful.

He flushes and looks away. He gestures vaguely with a hand. “Sorry. For. Y’know.”

Nia barks a laugh. “Being a bit of a jerk at first?”

He grunts.

“It’s fine. You’re much sweeter now.”

Tobias shoots her a look. “I’m not sweet.”

“Of course you aren’t,” Nia coos, giving his arm a patronizing pat. He shoves her away, and she laughs, immediately swaying back to his side.

“You have been so sassy lately,” he grumbles.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll be nice.”

A brief moment of quiet. Then, a giggle from Nia.

“What?”

“I was just thinking about when we first met.”

Tobias has a brief flash of memory, from months ago. Spotting a strange, unfamiliar Pokemon—a riolu—unconscious in the middle of a nearby field. Waking her up to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Getting a blank stare and rising panic in return before Nia bolted into the woods and right into a mystery dungeon, Tobias hot on her heels.

Tobias snorts. “You were a mess.”

"I was!" Nia laughs. "I'm actually kind of embarrassed by it now. Can you imagine Kry’s reaction to seeing me run away from everything like that?”

“You were terrified of a seedot,” Tobias agrees, amused by the thought.

Although, knowing now how wildly different the Pokemon world is from Nia’s own, Tobias can’t blame her for being so freaked out. If anything, he’s a little embarrassed by how harshly he’d treated her. He wasn’t exactly a comforting presence at the time.

“But look at you now. Taking down steelixes all on your own.”

“Are you ever going to let that go?” Nia whines, paws coming up to hide her face.

“Nope. It's objectively awesome. And you aren’t going to tell anyone, so.”

Nia snorts another laugh. “I can’t believe I was so close to becoming a researcher instead of a Seeker. I can’t believe I fight on a daily basis!”

Tobias blinks, looking over at her. “You almost became a researcher?”

“I never told you that? Before I thought of teaming up with you, I thought becoming a Seeker was too scary, so I was going to become a researcher instead. Like Alistair and Tawny.”

Tobias wrinkles his snout, trying to picture it. On one hand, Nia would be right at home surrounded by all those books and the cozy environment of the guild every day. He could see her getting along well with the gardevoir and ribombee down in the archives.

But on the other hand, Tobias has also seen Nia’s eyes light up when she travels somewhere new. Seen how insatiably curious she is about the world and all the Pokemon in it. He's seen how her riolu nature shines through when she’s defending someone in a fight, and how genuinely happy she is when she can help out a client. All of that good would be smothered, stuck here at the guild.

And where would he be, if Nia hadn’t decided to come rescue him in that dungeon? Dead, at worst. Stuck in the medicinal quarters and miserable at best. Maybe Nia would’ve been happy as a researcher, but Tobias is immeasurably glad that they’re here together instead, as a team.

They both fall quiet again, looking up at the stars. The moon overhead is bright, painting everything in shades of black and silver.

“Humans went to the moon, y’know,” Nia eventually says.

Tobias gives her a dry look. “Ha ha. Funny.”

Nia blinks, looking genuinely caught off-guard. “No, really! Not, like. All of us. It was only a few. But we really did.”

Tobias squints at her, doubtful. But Nia doesn’t break. “…I thought you said humans couldn’t fly.”

“We can‘t. Or, well. Not on our own. But we built machines that can!”

Machines. Right. “Like…the cars you were talking about on the way to Asra?”

“Yes!” Tobias can hear Nia's tail give a happy thump against the wood. “Cars are great—they're so much faster than walking. And I loved the train in Ghatha. It was really similar to our own trains, so I wonder if a human had a hand in inventing that.”

“Probably. Don’t know if a Pokemon would’ve come up with something like that on their own. It was…kind of cool, I guess.”

“Oh, just you wait. There are so many cool human things I wanna show you! When I—"

Nia’s words cut off abruptly. Tobias feels a jab at his heart, knowing exactly why she'd clamped her mouth shut so suddenly. He wouldn’t ever get to visit, of course. And Nia wouldn’t get to visit him, either, if she left and went back to the human world. Giratina made that pretty clear. Tobias’ hand drifts up to his scarf, skimming the worn material comfortingly through his fingers.

The dark feels heavier, suddenly. Pressing down on them. Suffocating.

“I’m scared,” Nia eventually murmurs, curling tighter into her blanket. Her breath billows into the night air. “Of what will happen if we can’t do this. If we fail.”

Tobias knows the feeling. While Nia has two worlds’ safety on her mind, Tobias is struggling with just the one. He tries not to think about it too often, or it settles on his chest like a rock slide.

“Do you really think we’ll be able to find Xerneas?” Nia whispers, eyes trained on the mountains in the distance.

Tobias takes a moment to think before responding. “I don’t know. It’s not a great sign that Xerneas and Yveltal have been hidden for so long without anyone stumbling across them, but…”

“They’re the only lead we’ve got.”

Tobias swallows. “Yeah. But if worse comes to worst…we’ll just have to figure something else out. Failing isn’t really an option.”

Not with how much is on the line. They have to find a way to fix this if they want to keep everyone and everything in both of their worlds safe.

Nia turns to tuck her head into Tobias’ shoulder, her breath tickling his skin. The touch is grounding, somehow. Distracting enough to keep him out of his own head. They need a distraction. They can’t do anything until dawn anyways.

“Have I told you how much my family loved stars?” He blurts.

Nia’s breath catches, audible with her so close. “…No?”

Tobias wants to tell her. Wants to share. It’s still a terrifying feeling. His heart beats hard in his chest.

“We…lived in the mountains. Not the Silenfroar range here, but across the sea. Near a little village. But we lived way up, in a cave.”

Nia is silent. Tobias thinks she might be holding her breath.

“The sky was really clear, up there. It felt like we could reach out and touch the stars at night. Like…like it was just us and them.”

Tobias kind of feels like that now, actually. It’s a strange sensation. Deja vu, in a way. A little painful. A little sweet.

“And if it was ever too cloudy to see them from our cave, my…our parents would take Vivi and I flying. It was…”

The most magical thing he’d ever experienced. Something that makes a deep longing ache in his chest, even now. He hates that the world took that away from him. Won’t let him evolve to fly himself.

Nia’s hand slips free of the blanket to hold his own, her fur almost as warm as him.

Tobias takes a deep breath. “It was one of my favorite things. Vivi’s, too. When we couldn’t sleep, we’d sit at the mouth of the cave and they would teach us about constellations. Sing us stories.”

Nia is silent, hanging onto Tobias’ every word. Tobias closes his eyes. He can almost imagine it, fuzzy but warm. His father’s wing around him and his sister, keeping them sheltered from the chilly mountain breeze. Their mother humming and singing folk tales about the constellations. Tobias’ head bobbing as his eyes slipped closed and sleep washed over him.

“Do you remember any of the stories?” Nia asks.

Does he? He’s kept his memories locked away in the back of his mind for so long that trying to excavate them feels like wading through a sea of cobwebs. His eyes scan the sky, landing on a bright constellation vaguely resembling a head with big, round ears. He points at it with his free hand.

“That’s the teddiursa cub.”

Nia follows his gesture. “Teddiursa?”

“We saved one on our first mission. Uh. Small. Orange fur. Claws.”

“Oh! The cute little teddy bear!”

"Yup. He pairs with the ursaring.”

Nia follows Tobias’ finger as he trails up and to the right, where another collection of stars create the larger, blockier form of an ursaring head.

“Ursaring?”

“It’s what teddiursa evolves into. The story…” What was it again? “The story says that the teddiursa got lost one day. The ursaring was his mother, and she looked for him frantically, for three endless nights.”

Nia makes a sad sound in her throat.

“Desperate, the ursaring prayed to the stars, asking Jirachi to help her find her cub. Jirachi, the wishmaker, heard her and made her a part of the night sky, to be seen by all. The teddiursa saw his mother in the night sky, and wished to join her. Jirachi granted it, and the two have lived together in the sky ever since.”

Nia hums. “We have a similar set of constellations in our world, actually. Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.”

“Really?”

Nia nods, stars reflecting in her eyes. “I don’t remember much about the story associated with it, but…I think it’s sad.” She turns a smile onto Tobias. “I can’t decide if your world’s version is happier or not.”

Tobias blinks. He’d always assumed the story was a happy one, because the mother and child were reunited. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…they’re trapped in the sky, right? Are they happy there?”

Tobias frowns, looking back at the constellations. “…I like to think they are.”

Nia laughs softly. “Look at me, being the pessimist. I like your way of thinking better.”

Tobias makes a vague noise in his throat. They have enough things going wrong with the real world. Why not choose to believe that at least the teddiursa and ursaring got a happy ending?

“Thanks, Tobias. For sharing with me.”

Tobias isn’t sure if she means the story, or his memories, or his spot here, looking at the stars. Maybe all of it. He shrugs, embarrassed. “Who else ‘m I gonna tell? Xander?”

Nia gives him an exasperated, fond look. “I wasn’t kidding earlier. Maybe you can’t see it, but they really do want to be your friend. You guys seemed to be having a lot of fun when we sparred the other day.”

It can’t be that easy to make friends. Not when Tobias has spent the last eight years of his life almost entirely alone. But Nia is better at emotions than he is, so…

“It wouldn’t be…too terrible. Training with them again sometime.”

Nia grins, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Come on. Is it really so bad to have a few friends? You and I are friends, right?”

Tobias scoffs. “Duh. You’re my best friend.”

Nia’s smile drops with surprise, and Tobias tenses. His face burns with heat, and he snaps his gaze out to look over the trees, mortified.

Why did he say that? And so naturally, too. Best friend. What is he, five?

(Then again, it’s kind of obvious, isn’t it?)

Tobias can still feel Nia’s eyes on him, and steals a glance to find her eyes a little shiny, her expression a bit wobbly. “Tobias…”

“We should get some sleep!” Tobias says, too loud as he jumps to his feet. Nia nearly falls over in his haste. He doesn’t offer her a hand up this time, pacing a few steps into the flight floor and willing his stupid nerves to calm down.

He doesn’t hear Nia follow after him, but in a few short seconds she’s at his side again and stepping in front of him. “Tobias?”

He grunts, staring at his feet. At least the night hides how red his face is.

“Hey, I'm...I'm going to try something, okay? Feel free to tell me to stop.”

Tobias looks up, confused.

Nia looks just as embarrassed as he feels, somehow, shuffling in her blanket. But slowly, slow enough for him to stop her, she steps closer to wrap him up in a hug, cheek pressed into his scarf and blanket enveloping them both in warmth.

“I’m really glad you’re the one who found me in that field,” she murmurs. “You’re the best friend I could’ve asked for.”

Tobias feels his throat tighten up. As much as he knows that that’s not true—he’s a pain to be around more often than not—he also believes that she means it. His hands fall to the arms around his torso. His chest feels uncomfortably warm, a completely different sensation than when he uses his flames.

Nia squeezes him once before stepping back, closer to the stairs. She has a shy smile on her face. “C’mon, we should get to bed. One of us needs to be awake for tomorrow’s flight.”

Tobias relaxes, relieved to settle back into their usual banter. He moves to follow her down the stairs, ignoring the heat lingering in his cheeks. “I still don’t get how your two modes for flight are either screaming in terror or passing out.”

“It’s exhausting to be scared out of my mind! And I’m not scared when I’m sleeping.”

“Until you slip off our flight ‘mon and fall into the ocean.”

“You wouldn’t let that happen.”

“I might, if you insist we meet up with Junie in Stonebrook.”

Nia laughs. “C’mon, avoiding her won’t do you any good. You know she’d find us eventually anyways. And if you don’t want to fend her off alone, then you have to keep me alive.”

“Darn. All my plans, foiled.”

Nia laughs. Her tail wags as she talks, the blanket over her shoulders swishing with the motion. Tobias will never admit to finding it adorable. "Hey, do you think we’ll get to see Fliss tomorrow?”

“The braviary? Sure, if she’s around.”

“I hope so,” Nia says, “She was so nice, and she knew a lot! And she didn’t change how she treated us after she found out I was human, either. I wonder if—”

Tobias listens idly as Nia chatters on, the sound of her voice a comforting background noise for the short trip back to their room. Sleep sounds less daunting, after getting to unwind with Nia a bit. He’d been worried that sharing his space, his memories, would feel wrong, but instead it’s the opposite.

He feels…lighter. Ready for the journey ahead, no matter what it may hold.

#pmd #pokemon mystery dungeon #riolu #charmander #pokemon #pmd seekers of soul #tesha draws #tesha writes

141 notes · View notes

femininenachos · 4 months

Note

Thank you so much Queen for the vacation au update, much appreciated 🫡 Clarke is a lot of talk no action w that p eating tho

Ye of little faith…

Previously: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Once again, Clarke finds herself led by the hand through a warren of side streets, the irregular-shaped stone paving burning beneath the cork soles of her flip-flops. She’s still flying high from the exhilaration of the boat trip, but between the blistering afternoon heat and the effects of low blood sugar, she feels flushed and a little light-headed.

As though she read Clarke’s mind, Lexa pulls them to a stop under the shaded awning of an unassuming bakery. The aroma of freshly-baked bread, hot out the oven wafts from the open doorway.

Lexa tips her head in invitation. “Want to grab a bite to go?”

“You did make me work up an appetite.”

And if things shake out like Lexa implied back at the cove, Clarke will definitely need to carb-load for what lies ahead.

They trade smirks as Lexa tugs them over the threshold.

If it’s oppressively hot outdoors then it’s like stepping into a blast furnace inside. Even so, Clarke is drawn straight away to the pastries and savoury treats in the display counter. Emerging noisily from somewhere out back, a great, bearded bear of man enters carrying a large tray of bread rolls. He sets them on the cooling rack before ambling over, a broad smile in place.

“Leksa! Ha yu?” He glances between the two of them, a kind twinkle in his eyes. “Chon ste oyu brana lukot?”

“Dishe ste Klark.” Then in English, “Clarke, meet Gustus. My uncle.”

“Aulana?” He scrutinises Clarke for a second, an eyebrow going up. “American?”

What gives it away, she wonders, a little paranoid that she has a neon sign above her head that screams ‘obnoxious Yank’ in star-spangled red, white and blue.

Still, she pastes on her most winning smile, keen to make a good impression.

“Thanks for letting us borrow your boat this morning. We had such a great time.”

He says something in his own language, most of which Clarke doesn’t catch except “sadrona” (which she makes a mental note to look up later online), but she observes with interest that Lexa’s eyes slide away to fixate elsewhere while a rosy tint stains her high cheekbones.

“What can I get for you?” He directs the question at Clarke, his voice a warm rumble.

She adjusts the sunglasses perched on the top of her head and peers at the array of delicious-looking bakes through the glass. “Hard to choose when it all smells so amazing.”

“Try the fleivatous,” Lexa suggests. “It’s a Polisian speciality, and my favourite: a flatbread stuffed with spices, nuts and dried berries.”

“Can’t beat that glowing recommendation.”

Gustus loosens a chuckle. “Lexa has always had a sweet tooth.”

“That’s not all that’s sweet about her,” Clarke says, low enough only for Lexa to hear. Secretly pleased when Lexa’s face reddens further.

To Gustus, Clarke says: “I’ll take two slices, and a couple of...” She points at a stack of parcel-shaped golden pastries with a beautifully shiny glaze. “What are these?”

”Fetabeik. Phyllo pastry layered with cheese.”

“Oh, yum. Yes, please.”

“I like this one, Lexa,” Gustus says with a wink as he boxes the pastries together.

Lexa sends him a forbidding look that only results in a hearty laugh. For her part, Clarke feels weirdly at ease and unflappable in the face of this man’s gentle ribbing. It’s all she can do to stop herself from beaming at the scowl on Lexa’s face.

“How much do I owe?” Clarke asks.

Gustus holds up his palms, backing away. “No charge.” She opens her mouth to protest, but he waves her off, saying, “No, no. I insist. Just be good to my niece and that’s payment enough for me.”

“Uncle,” Lexa says, groaning.

She snatches the box off the counter and grabs Clarke’s hand too. “We’re going now.”

“Bye!” Clarke tosses over her shoulder with a small wave but she’s already halfway out the door, his laughter trailing after them.

“He was nice,” she says with an impish grin as they continue walking.

Lexa’s lips are pursed, but she says nothing. So Clarke bumps their shoulders and squeezes the fingers entwined with hers. Wraps her free hand around the bend in Lexa’s arm, stroking the soft, warm skin beneath her thumb. “Has anyone ever told you you’re cute when you’re embarrassed?”

It earns a grudging sigh, but then Lexa glances at her and relents. She rolls her eyes a little.

“Wait until I visit you in DC and the shoe will be on the other foot.”

For a moment Clarke imagines introducing Lexa to her own nearest and dearest and how that might go. It doesn’t fill her with as much apprehension as she might expect.

“No risk of running into my family there. My mom teaches at Cornell in upstate New York and my dad’s in Texas for work. They divorced when I was a kid.”

Lexa offers a soft look of sympathy that Clarke meets with a reassuring smile.

“It’s fine. Fortunately, it was amicable.” She pauses. “I mean, it was still confusing and upsetting for me as an eight year-old, but they’re the best of friends now. Both remarried. We spend Thanksgiving and the holidays together.”

“So… what I’m hearing is I should come in late November or December.”

Clarke’s mouth twists. “Do you crack under interrogation? Because my mom won’t give you an easy time.”

“Parents adore me. I’m polite and respectful and very attentive to their daughter.”

“‘Attentive.’” She eyes Lexa amusedly. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

~*~

At the farthest edge of the town new residential developments have sprung up, modern buildings that are more or less in harmony with the surrounding traditional houses: all whitewashed walls and cobalt blue shutters, the flowering hanging baskets that frame the doorways providing vibrant pops of colour in purple and pink. A backdrop of rugged, scrub-covered mountains looms in the distance while a slice of jagged coastline is visible to the west, and it all feels pleasantly removed from the historic quarter where the tourists flock in their droves.

“Here we are. This is my home,” Lexa says, nodding toward a two-storey apartment block.

“Any roommates?”

“No, I live alone.”

“Good.”

The look they exchange makes Clarke’s skin prickle and her pulse kick up a notch.

They climb the stoop and two flights of stairs and Clarke follows Lexa inside. The place is small, the kitchen opening out into a sparsely furnished lounge area, but the high ceilings and sunlight flooding in through the double aspect windows gives it a bright and airy feel. The kitchen window is cracked open, just enough to allow a faint sea breeze in, and the wind chime that dangles above it tinkles musically every now and again.

“Sorry about the mess,” Lexa says, putting the pastry box on the counter.

There’s a solitary coffee mug by the sink with a spoon in it—rinsed out already. Try as she might, Clarke can’t pick fault or see anything else that’s out of place.

“If this is what qualifies as quote-unquote mess then I’m doing adulthood all wrong. My apartment looks like a bomb site compared to yours.”

“Blame military service. Some parts of the regimented lifestyle are difficult to let go.”

“Now you’ve got me picturing you in uniform, and I’m not mad about it.”

A coy little smile sits on Lexa’s lips, and the sight of it propels Clarke forward. She crosses the tiled floor to wordlessly crowd Lexa against the counter and kiss her, both hands gripping the back of her neck as they open their mouths. Warm, sure hands roam down Clarke’s sides to grasp her by the hips and before she knows it, Lexa has her spun around.

Pinned between the counter and Lexa’s frame, back to front, Clarke feels humid breath ghost over her ear, her neck, the join where it meets her shoulder, lips hovering close yet still withholding, and it’s enough to make her knees buckle slightly.

She reaches behind to guide Lexa’s mouth back to hers, greedy for more. A blissful sigh escapes when Lexa runs her palms up, curving around her breasts, only for Clarke to be frustrated by the inconvenient layers of cotton and spandex between them.

They need to be naked. Now.

Driven by that imperative, Clarke twists back around and yanks Lexa’s button-down off her shoulders. The tank top swiftly follows, landing in a heap at their feet, and their lips remain fused while she walks Lexa backwards until they bump into the couch.

Clarke shoves Lexa down and remains standing, gratified by the wide, hungry eyes staring up at her.

Too impatient to put on a performance, she whips off her t-shirt and steps out of her shorts. They’re still caught on her ankle when Lexa grabs her by the waist, pulling Clarke onto her lap and back to her waiting lips.

While their mouths are busy, Clarke lets her hands travel over Lexa’s chest. Feeling her way. Circling hard nipples with her thumbs. A whimper catches in Lexa’s throat and it thrills Clarke to the core. The tugging ache of arousal hasn’t left her since they fled the cove and her belly twists sharply with want as she slips to the floor on her knees between the spread of Lexa’s legs.

Clarke kisses down Lexa’s abdomen, smirking as muscles twitch and contract under her lips, still able to taste the sun and sea on Lexa’s skin. She doesn’t abandon her grip on Lexa’s breasts until her chin grazes the waistband of Lexa’s shorts and she hears the deep breath Lexa draws in, feels her tense in anticipation.

Hooking her thumbs under the elastic, Clarke looks up the length of Lexa’s body, eyes fastening on her chest and the tempting jut of her nipples. Unable to resist, she leans up and takes one between her lips. Runs her tongue around the pebbled areola. Slow swirls at first then faster as she narrows in on the tip and sucks hard. Lexa’s low groan, how she arches into it, fingers sinking into Clarke’s hair, gathering a fistful at her nape, only adds to her excitement.

She meets Lexa’s lidded gaze and the air seems to sizzle, those darkened eyes burning, hungrily watching Clarke’s every move.

Under that rapt attention, she switches to Lexa’s other breast. Mouths all around, eyes remaining glued to Lexa’s while she licks a wet path to the straining nipple, catching it on the flat of her tongue, flicking the tip before sucking it into her mouth.

For the next long while, Clarke gorges herself on every inch of soft flesh until Lexa’s tits are shiny with saliva and a stream of breathy little moans are dropping from her lips. She keeps moving her hips, rocking into Clarke in the pursuit of friction, sighing heavily when she edges away.

Feeling much too smug about the effect she’s having, Clarke wants to grin ear to ear, but she briefly smothers her smile in the curve of one breast. Flattens her hand between their bodies and slips inside Lexa’s shorts.

They both groan as Clarke skims through the wetness, gliding over Lexa’s clit and making her hips jump.

“What do you want first?” Clarke asks, swirling the tip of one finger at Lexa’s entrance. “This or…?”

Lexa’s throat works before she replies with, “Mouth. Please.”

“So polite.”

There’s a teasing undertone, but Clarke has no desire to drag this out and make Lexa beg, not when she’s so tightly wound herself. It’s for both their sakes that she quickly shuffles to the side and tugs the shorts down Lexa’s impossibly long legs.

Clarke can’t help but stare, soaking up the sight of all that glowing tan skin on display. In the haze of lust, she moves on autopilot. She trails her hands up Lexa’s shins to grip her knees. Gently pushes them apart and situates herself between. Her breath catches when her eyes settle low, on Lexa, wet and swollen for her.

It’s Clarke’s new favourite view this island has to offer.

Lexa opens her legs wider.

All the encouragement Clarke needs to hook her hands under Lexa’s thighs and drag her to the edge of the couch. The air is thick with the heady, musky scent of arousal and Clarke breathes it in, filling her lungs. Powerless not to flow forward, to press her open mouth there and drink from the source.

A shiver racks Lexa’s body and she bites off a curse when Clarke’s tongue eases in. Hands tangle in her hair, winding tighter against her scalp, and Clarke relaxes her jaw to work deeper, curling her tongue to draw more wetness into her mouth, the tang filling every space as she emits an appreciative groan. Maybe it’s a product of the local diet, but Lexa is by far the best flavour Clarke has ever had on her tongue.

Pulling back an inch, she pins Lexa by the hips and licks her slowly, deliberately, dragging her tongue up to trace patterns around Lexa’s clit. She mixes firm laps with gentle suction and little nudges with her nose, sometimes lifting her mouth away just to breathe on Lexa while she strains to get closer.

All the while Lexa is practically writhing on the receiving end, gasping and stifling a moan each time Clarke presses her tongue inside, limited by its reach and the growing ache in her jaw to just a few shallow thrusts that Lexa urgently rocks down to meet.

And when Clarke’s eyes flick up to watch, she’s mesmerised by Lexa in the throes. Her hair has dried into a mass of marvellous curls, and Clarke is wholly infatuated with it. That, and the way the sunlight pouring through the windows paints her golden skin, catching the beads of perspiration that dot her throat and chest as she arches her spine and spreads herself even wider, directing Clarke by the grip on her hair.

Lexa’s calves tremble with exertion as she picks up the pace, her gasping breaths becoming thinner and more ragged as she chases the pleasure.

Sensing the unspoken need, Clarke reaches for Lexa’s clit, using the soft pad of her thumb to rub tight, firm circles while she extends her tongue, pushing in as far as possible. Her jaw has gone numb but she powers through, determined not to falter.

As Lexa rocks her hips and Clarke plunges in and drags back out, their eyes lock and hold. In that moment of connection, Clarke sees her name form on Lexa’s lips before she throws her head back against the cushions and stiffens sharply, shuddering into Clarke’s mouth and flooding her tongue.

Lexa is near silent for the big finish, except for the gulping breaths she pulls in as she clenches and shivers and scrapes her nails against Clarke’s scalp.

After a few more lazy thrusts, Clarke withdraws with a rude slurp and takes her thumb off Lexa’s clit. She bends close again, intending to lick up the spill, but a weak tug on her hair draws her focus up. Lexa looks dazed, her mouth hanging open as her heavy eyes search Clarke’s face.

She doesn’t even get a chance to wipe her chin before Lexa urges her up onto her lap and into a deep and dirty kiss, a muffled groan vibrating between them. Palms scorch up Clarke’s ribs to cover her tits, kneading, teasing her nipples while she shamelessly grinds on Lexa.

It’s good, but not enough.

Breaking off the kiss, Clarke sits back on her haunches and reaches for the top piece of her swimsuit.

“Help me out of this?”

Together, they pull it up and over Clarke’s head.

She almost laughs at the reverential look on Lexa’s face once her tits are freed, like Lexa has been blessed with the greatest gift to lesbiankind. Clarke isn’t so conceited as to believe her breasts are a quasi-religious experience, but Lexa sure makes it seem that way.

After a second, Lexa snaps out of her trance and slips her hand behind Clarke’s neck to reconnect their lips. They both whimper into the kiss as they crush closer. The graze of their nipples feels electric, lighting sparks under Clarke’s skin and sending another jolt between her legs.

The muggy heat inside the apartment is stifling by now. Their stomachs and thighs stick together, slicked in sweat, but neither are inclined to separate, locked in a fervent makeout. Clarke is breathing hard by the time Lexa rolls her over and peels the rest of her swimsuit off.

Unselfconscious, Clarke lets her thighs fall open, and Lexa needs no greater incentive to drop to her knees. A moan slips out before Lexa even puts her mouth on her, so hyper-aware is Clarke of the gentle fan of warm breath over her vulva. But at the very last second Lexa veers away to plant kisses on the insides of Clarke’s thighs and she isn’t capable of containing her huff of frustration.

She feels the stretch of Lexa’s smile, but before Clarke can vocalise any complaints, Lexa turns her face and licks up the length of her. Unprepared for the shock of direct contact when it’s been sorely missing, her hips fly off the couch, almost colliding with Lexa’s nose.

“Oh, fuck,” Clarke croaks, a hand shooting out to clutch Lexa’s shoulder, the other grabbing a fistful of the cushion behind her head. “Fuck.”

“I will,” Lexa says, a glint in her eye when she catches Clarke’s. Then she holds Clarke down by the hip bones and lowers her mouth once more.

Clarke’s breath escapes her in a rush, eyes slamming shut. Her body reacts, engulfed by sensation. All scorching heat and the soft, wet glide of Lexa’s tongue as it weaves up through the slick, circles her clit, before dipping low to drag over her again and again, keeping Clarke squirming for minutes on end, rotating her hips in a frantic grind.

She peels her eyes open to look, craning her neck to witness the complete and utter rapture on Lexa’s face. She’s covered in Clarke, lips and cheeks all shiny. And her tongue... Clarke shivers and clenches around nothing at the glimpse of pink muscle lapping at her with purpose, heat coiling tighter in her gut with each deft stroke. Every now and then Lexa presses inside, just far enough to make Clarke choke on a moan and rut her hips up in a useless attempt to force Lexa deeper. When Lexa retreats she uses a little less pressure on the next lick, too gentle and fleeting to give Clarke what she craves.

“Lex,” she pants, a hint of aggravation bleeding into her tone after the fifth or sixth time it happens. She squeezes Lexa’s shoulder.

“What?” Lexa asks lightly, her parted lips brushing against Clarke so intimately that she feels the question breathed into her body.

She stifles a noise of pure need and grits her teeth.

Nearly howls when Lexa takes her mouth away.

“You only have to ask, Clarke.” Dark, dark eyes hold her gaze. “Tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.”

It’s clear Lexa isn’t toying now. There’s something in the depths of her eyes that speaks of sincere devotion, like it’s her true calling and sacred duty to surpass herself and give Clarke the best damn orgasm of her life. From anyone else, that intensity might be a little frightening, but coming from Lexa? It’s the biggest turn-on, and Clarke is more than willing to put her through her paces.

She throws down the gauntlet with all the cocky confidence she can muster in her current position.

“Isn’t it about time you brought out the strap?”

~*~

The ceiling fan rattles and whirs overhead, merely stirring the soupy, sweat-saturated air around the room. Despite having all the windows thrown open, the scant through-breeze does little to alleviate the dense humidity or disperse the scent of sex that hangs potent and heavy in the air.

Laid flat on her back on twisted sheets, Clarke sweeps the tangle of damp, frizzy hair out of her face with one hand, still trying to get her breathing under control. Her chest is heaving and her thighs haven’t stopped shaking in the aftermath of their last energetic tryst, the second since Lexa brought out the harness and a sparkly purple dildo and proceeded to screw her into the mattress with smooth, deep thrusts and small, quick jogs of her hips until she came with a strangled shout. Now Clarke’s mind is mush and her body aches in the best way, worn out and thoroughly sated—for the time being, at least.

Meanwhile, Lexa is stretched out alongside, flaunting a lazy half-smile as she unbuckles the harness. The bulbous head of the toy slaps wetly against Clarke’s hip bone before Lexa scoops it up and tosses the whole kit over the side of the bed to be dealt with later.

Propping her temple on her fist, Lexa trails her fingers down Clarke’s side, following the curve of her breast and the slope of her ribs down to the dip in her waist, retracing the same path on the return journey, and Clarke can’t control the way her body responds to the stimulus, goosebumps rising on her skin despite the unbearable heat.

Every involuntary twitch makes Lexa’s little smirk edge wider, like she has a newfound fixation with testing Clarke’s reactions, laughing when Clarke finally squirms away from her touch.

“Are you ticklish?”

“Are you?” Clarke threatens, trying and failing not to be charmed by Lexa’s easy half grin, how she giggles and scrambles backwards when Clarke pretends to lunge. “Don’t make me fight you.”

Then she flops back against the pillows and kicks away the covers. “Ugh, it’s way too hot. I feel like I’m melting.”

“Water?”

“Please.”

Lexa slips off the bed and slinks out the room, fully nude and without a care in the world, and Clarke’s eyes stay trained on that audacious bubble butt as she goes, amazed not for the first time that Lexa is carrying all that junk in the trunk. Really, her perfect tush should be a serious contender for the number one visitor attraction in Polis. Clarke almost mourns its disappearance when Lexa turns the corner.

Left alone to examine her surroundings instead, Clarke lets her gaze drift around the room. Like the rest of the apartment, it’s neutrally decorated and spotlessly clean; everything put away. No ornaments, photographs or other personal touches that reflect Lexa’s taste except for a framed piece of art that depicts a lonely, ruined tower surrounded by lush forest. On the wall above the door hangs a distinctive ward that’s a staple of the island’s gift shops: a hand-painted stone with four concentric circles in the shape of a blue eye.

When Lexa returns from the kitchen with a large glass of water, Clarke levers up on one elbow and takes it from her gratefully. After a few greedy gulps, the cool liquid sliding down her throat, she nudges her chin toward the ‘evil eye’ symbol.

“Are you superstitious?”

Lexa joins her on the bed. Glances over her shoulder and gives a slight shrug. “It’s a peasant tradition going back thousands of years, but it doesn’t hurt to be protected from negative energy.” A faint smile graces her lips. “Especially Anya’s when I do something to piss her off.”

“I could’ve used something similar when I dropped by the taverna yesterday.”

“In her own misguided way, she tries to protect me too.”

“From who? Me?”

Lexa tilts her head side to side, neither confirming or denying. She studies Clarke for a moment, something indecipherable in her eyes. A muscle in Lexa’s jaw tightens, then she smiles again, if a touch more guardedly. “Mm. You have serial ‘heartbreaker’ written all over you.”

Clarke gapes at her, half shocked, half offended. She places the glass on the bedside table before she accidentally spills water on the mattress.

She scoffs, “That couldn’t be further from the truth. One, because I work 80-hour weeks on average so how would I even find the time? And two—which is related to point one—the only people I meet are at the hospital, and since they’re either coworkers or patients under my care, they’re strictly off-limits.”

Lexa quirks an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “You’re a doctor?” she asks, honing in on that part and ignoring the rest of Clarke’s protestations.

She runs her eyes over Clarke, like she’s the one fantasising about uniforms now, nevermind that a lab coat, surgical scrubs and a stethoscope aren’t in the same league as combat fatigues.

All the same, Clarke wouldn’t be opposed to some steamy ‘on-call’ room role play, which does an effective job of neutralising her outrage.

She reclines again.

“I am. Clarke Griffin MD, vascular surgeon in-training. About to begin my fourth year of residency.”

Lexa’s eyes, which had strayed below Clarke’s neck once more—so gay, so predictable—leap back up, widening a fraction.

“Sha?” Her gaze turns admiring. “Beauty and brains.”

“And a helluva rack, to boot.”

“The full package.”

A flush on her cheeks, Clarke accepts the compliment, enjoying the flattery.

“Sometimes I question my sanity for putting myself through the stress and the endless grind, working nights, weekends, and holidays while getting paid peanuts. Oh yeah, and not forgetting the mountain of student loan debt I graduated with from med school.”

With a doleful sigh, she stares off into space as she contemplates the decade of loan repayments ahead of her. But she snaps out of it and brightens up.

“Being a doctor is all I’ve ever wanted to do, though. Helping people. Making a difference in their lives.”

Silently, Lexa bobs her head in understanding, but Clarke can tell she’s slipped into her own thoughts.

“What about you?” Clarke asks in a softer voice. She picks up Lexa’s hand and plays with her fingers. “After travel and adventure, what do you dream of doing?”

Lexa lifts her shoulder and lets it drop.

“There aren’t many career opportunities here. The economy is shit, so I’d go to Barcelona or Berlin. Maybe Copenhagen.” She purses her lips as she mulls it over. “I’d like to finish my degree in Political Science. I went to university on the mainland after my year in the army, but” — a flicker in her eyes — “I had to quit halfway through.”

Clarke waits for Lexa to go on, sensing she has more to say when her face cycles through a series of complicated emotions.

“My mother got sick and I came home to help my father and Anya take care of her.” Her jaw works side to side in a microscopic movement before she swallows visibly, lashes lowering. “It was cancer.”

Clarke’s heart clutches.

“God, that’s rough. I’m sorry.”

During her rotation in oncology, she’d witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of a cancer diagnosis on patients and their loved ones; seen battles hard won and tragically lost. To think of Lexa’s mom going through that same hell, the profound emotional toll it must’ve taken on the family, on Lexa herself… Lacking the words, Clarke gives the hand in hers a gentle squeeze, hoping to convey her genuine care and concern.

It appears to shore Lexa up. Taking a fortifying breath, she lifts her eyes and offers the slightest of smiles.

“She’s better now. How do you say it?” She casts about for the translation.

“In remission?”

A nod.

“All clear for four years. And I remained in Polis. Too much time passed for me to return to university. But… I regret not completing my studies.”

Clarke feels for her. Lexa had to put her education and entire future on hold for her family and now she’s in limbo, her ambitions unrealised, hemmed in by circumstances and an income that’s reliant on seasonal tourism. Polis is a wonderful place, but it’s too small to contain someone like Lexa.

Before Clarke can offer any platitudes, Lexa pulls on their joined hands. “Come. Those pastries are calling to me.”

~*~

Out on the terrace, a fresh breeze brings cooler air down from the mountains. A table and two patio chairs overlook the cliffs and the shimmering expanse of sea, the water lit up in streaks of red and orange as the setting sun hangs low on the horizon, the sky a glorious haze of yellow and gold.

Wrapped only in a bedsheet, Clarke nibbles on a fetabeik, the buttery flakes melting in her mouth. She hums in appreciation.

“Good?” Lexa asks, mid-demolition of her own slice.

Clarke catches a crumb on her lip and licks it off her fingers. “So good. I’m gonna have to go back and get some for Wells and Octavia to try.”

“Your friends, are they doctors too?”

She shakes her head, no.

“I was classmates with Octavia’s brother in pre-med organic chemistry. He had a crush on me, but…” She makes a face, enough to get across it was entirely unreciprocated. “Junior year, I got introduced to O at a party on campus and we just clicked. Instant ride-or-die. Wells? He and I go way back. We grew up on the same street, went to high school together, shared some extra curriculars: mathletes, chess club. I’ve basically known him since we were rugrats and he hasn’t gotten sick of me yet.”

Lexa peers at her, nonplussed. “Mathletes?”

“It’s like, competitive math as a team sport. Facing off to solve equations against the clock.” It occurs to her that she just outed her teenage self as a giant nerd and now she has reputational damage to repair. “We won at Nationals three years in a row. Even got featured on the local TV news.”

The smile on Lexa’s face only gets bigger while Clarke digs a deeper hole for herself.

“It’s cooler than it sounds. We had jackets!”

“I’m glad to see you didn’t let the fame and accolades go to your head.”

She huffs.

Shoots a faux glare in Lexa’s direction.

“And I bet you ruled the school,” Clarke says. “Probably had that effortless, cool, collected, zero-fucks-given attitude down as soon as you could walk.”

Lexa dips her chin, still smiling. She plucks at the hem of the loose shorts that sit low on her hips. “Honestly, I was quiet and kind of a loner. It wasn’t until I joined the swim team that I found my confidence and my people.”

Clarke taps her knuckles on the table.

“So you were a jock. Called it.”

Those abs aren’t the product of a weak workout regime.

“Years ago.” Lexa’s lips take on a proud tilt. She catches Clarke’s eye. “But I still like to stay in shape.”

Brazenly, Clarke lets her gaze travel over a trim, toned stomach up to Lexa’s snug black sports bra and the biteable lines of her collarbones.

She casts her mind back to the two rounds with the strap and clicks her tongue. “Well, I’m no fan of the gym, but luckily sex is great cardio. So, in my professional opinion, we should do more of that.”

“How much more?”

She tilts her head, pretending to ponder it.

“Oh… a minimum of two orgasms at least once a day.”

Lexa looks at her at length.

“And when you go? How am I supposed to cope without my fix?”

Part of Clarke dares to hope Lexa isn’t just referring to missing her body once they’re thousands of miles apart.

A hint of nerves enters her voice. “I haven’t figured that out for myself yet.”

Lexa’s eyes don’t leave hers.

“Will you stay?” Off the flash of alarm on Clarke’s face, Lexa appends calmly, “Here, tonight.”

Right.

Of course that’s what she meant. It wasn’t an invitation for Clarke to fucking emigrate.

It takes several seconds for her heart to stop pounding and the heat to dissipate from her cheeks. She weighs the options: functional air conditioning and the guarantee of a restful sleep in crisp, cool sheets at the villa versus waking up in an unfamiliar bed, sweaty, hair in her face and her nose in the crook of Lexa’s neck.

No contest, really.

“Depends. What are you making me for breakfast?”

#cool for the summer #vacation au #clexa fic #clexa #my fic

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taurizzz · 1 year

Text

You Got It, pt. 2

Bada Lee x Reader

Synopsis:

Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3

Update: you could dance... a little bit now.

There's no mistaking you as the new Bada Lee, but you could follow easy choreography now. Which isn't much considering the talented dancer herself had been luring you into her dance studio every. single. day. since you guys met.

But it was safe to say you never learnt the choreography to "You Got It".

Instead, you had resorted to trying to film tiktoks of dance trends, which you still found challenging and Bada found amusing.

"You look like a rusty seesaw," the talented dancer laughs as she watches you stiffly move your hips side-to-side.

You huff, crossing your arms, "they're asking too much of me. How can I move my hips and keep to the beat?!"

Shaking her head while chuckling at your flare for the dramatic, Bada finds herself walking over to you. Step-by-step she shows you how to smoothly move your hips without your whole body following, and by some higher power, you can do it!

“I’m doing it, Bada!” You yell gleefully, rushing to hug your mentor.

Your arms wrap around her neck, pulling her closer to you to her surprise. You feel Bada’s arms snake around your waist, your bodies mesh together like puzzle pieces. Her hot breath tickles your neck before you slowly pull away from her, much to Bada’s distaste yet she can’t help but feel warm inside when you flash her an excited smile.

“Let’s film this tiktok before I forget,” you laugh making Bada chuckle in agreement.

As you set up your phone, Bada can’t help but watch your every move with a sense of fondness. She did not expect you to become such a prominent part of her day, seeing you had become a necessity for Bada, so the dancer had resorted to forcing you to come to her studio every day since you walked into her class. There was something magnetic drawing Bada towards you, but she kept quiet about it, not sure whether you felt the same way.

You press start, allowing the “Girls Like Me Don’t Cry” by Thuy play.

You lip sync the beginning before slowly backing up to your place just in front of Bada. When the song transitions into the chorus, you and Bada start to move your hips to the beats.

Unexpectedly, Bada turns you around so your backside is now facing the camera and she places her hands on your hips. You feel your cheeks heat up as you give her a quizzical look, confused on what she’s doing but she continues to move her hips and so do you.

She leans her head down, resting her forehead onto yours, the eye contact going crazzzyyy. You nervously gulp, as you bring your hands around her neck. You forget the tiktok you’re filming as your faces inch closer and closer. You stare at Bada through hooded eyes as hers begin to close while leaning in more, your noses brush against each others and you can feel the exchange of your breaths.

A knock on the studio door startles you and Bada, causing you both to immediately let each other go. The atmosphere between you two turns awkward when a guy walks in, you remember him to be Howl, Bada’s second-in-charge.

You turn to busy yourself with your phone, trying to act natural as if you weren’t a millisecond away from kissing Bada.

Wtf was that y/n? What if she doesn’t even like girls? Thoughts are racing through your mind as you save the tiktok as a draft and then swipe out of the app, noticing that Gigi had messaged you saying she was done with her class now.

You stand up in a seemingly nonchalant way, congratulating yourself for coming off as super natural although you were internally shaking with nerves. Bada and Howl are talking about something in Korean, but you can see Bada glance at you, almost asking you not to go.

But you have to, so you smile awkwardly, clearing your throat, “I’m going to go now Bada, Gigi’s finished her class.”

A disappointed look flashes across her face but nods, “i’ll text you.”

You nod before turning around, speedily walking out of the studio, meeting up with your best friend, who was waiting outside. As you two wait for your Uber to arrive, you hurriedly whisper what just happened between you and Bada, and not surprisingly, Gigi couldn’t help but let out squeals of excitement, catching the attention of a few people who were around.

“Shut up,” you whack Gigi’s arm, “someone’s going to know from your big freaking mouth.”

She rolls her eyes as the Uber arrives, you both hop in and continue the conversation. Gigi turns her entire body in your direction before recalling what you told her, “so let me get this straight. You and Bada were filming a tiktok and she made a move on you but you guys didn’t kiss because Howl walked in?”

“Well I don’t know if she made a move or if I did,” you trail off, “I don’t even know if she’s into girls!”

Gigi laughs, shaking her head, “I think if she was about to kiss you, that would mean she’s into girls.”

Almost as if she knew you two were talking about her, your phone buzzes with a text from the devil herself. Gigi leans over your shoulder so she can also see what Bada has texted you.

Bada 😳

Hellooo

Sorry about Howl coming in

I’m sad you had to go so soon :(

Do you and Gigi want to come to a party tonight???

You share a look with your best friend who dramatically places her hand on her chest, “she’s so into you! Tell her yes, oh my god, y’all are going to start dating and get married!”

Your eyes widen from the intensity of your best friends comment, shaking your head quickly before quickly replying with a “that’s alright! and sounds good, we’ll come tonight!”

As you and Gigi pull up to your guys’ apartment, you thank the Uber and rush to get into your rented home. Bada messaged saying she’ll pick you two up at 8, leaving two hours for you guys to get ready.

You start to ponder on Gigi’s words… could Bada be into you?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Just as promised, Bada pulled up to your apartment at 8pm on the dot. You couldn’t help but feel a blush form on your cheeks as you entered her car, punctuality is so hot.

Just not as hot as the tall girl smiling at you from the drivers seat. She’s wearing her infamous hat, which is tightened below her chin, a baseball jersey and some cargo pants. Her handsome vibe definitely did not help with the blossoming feelings you were forming for Bada, increasing them tenfold.

As Bada drives to the party, you sneak glances at her whenever you think she’s too busy to notice. Everything about Bada was catching your attention. From the way she’s driving with one hand to the way her tongue poked her cheek whenever another driver got on her nerves.

Everything about Bada was driving you crazy.

You didn’t even notice you three had pulled up to the party residence and that Bada had turned the car off already, not until she spoke your name with a quizzical tone, “y/n you alright? We’re here now.”

Clearing your throat, you nod frantically before stepping out the car. That was so embarrassing, what if she noticed I was checking her out?

Trying not to come off as a weirdo, you shake off your thoughts and follow Bada into the house with Gigi trailing after you. The house was crowded. There were plenty of people around, some were dancing, some were laughing with their friends and some were playing drinking games.

This wasn’t really your vibe, you preferred to stay home and drink with a couple of friends, but you knew this was definitely Gigi’s vibe so being a good friend, you’re going to suck it up and try to enjoy yourself.

Bada leads you to a group of people chatting in the kitchen, you’re assuming these are her friends. You were proven right when she began introducing you to them.

“Guys this is y/n and Gigi,” Bada smiles as she points at you and your best friend. You give them a gentle smile and a shy wave, quietly saying “hi” as Gigi says hello too.

“Y/n, Gigi, this is Redlic,” Bada points to a blonde girl who smiles behind her cup, “and you know these guys from dance class.” Howl, Lusher and Tatter all wave in unison.

Redlic begins speaking in Korean to the group of friends, and they all begin laughing at whatever she said. Trying not to stand there awkwardly, you look over at Gigi, who’s pointing to the drinks table.

“Want a drink?”

“Yes please.”

You both walk, well Gigi pretty much ran, to the table full of alcoholic beverages and began grabbing two soju bottles. “I know you’re supposed to take these as shots but I want to get fucked up since we’re leaving Korea soon.” Gigi pouts as she opens the two bottles, you guys clink and both take a chug at the drink.

It’s a dangerous drink, you think to yourself, as you can barely taste any alcohol. It’s also a dangerous drink because thirty minutes go by and you don’t even notice, you also haven’t seen Bada since she introduced you to her friends.

Feeling a pressure grow in your lower abdomen, you tell Gigi you’re going to the bathroom. She nods and asks if you want her to come, because girlhood, but you tell her not to worry and that you’ll be quick.

You had trouble finding the bathroom. It was a large house, one with many rooms and you just happened to be a victim of the directionally challenged disease. You have never been given the task to give directions, even when you’ve got a gps because you’re somehow going to fuck it up.

As you stumble slightly down a corridor, you find a door that seems like it could be to a bathroom. Something inside you was pulling you towards the door, so it clearly had to be your gut instincts telling you that this is the room you’re looking for.

Pushing the door open, it was not the bathroom.

In fact, it was far from a bathroom. It was the room you felt your soul get crushed in due to the sight before you.

Bada and Redlic were standing in the middle of the room, kissing each other just like you and Bada were close to doing earlier.

You heart shatters but you can’t bring yourself to look away, the sight engraving itself into your memory. At the sound of the door opening and footsteps, Bada pulls herself away from the blonde, seeing the last person she wanted to witness what just happened.

“Y/n, wait-” Bada moves towards you but you, in your state of inebriation, manage to run out the room before she could touch you.

Tears are threatening to spill down your cheeks but you can’t allow yourself to cry. There’s no reason to. It’s not like you and Bada are even together… so why does it hurt so much? Why do you feel like you’re breaking inside?

You find Gigi as you hear your name being called behind you. Ignoring the calls, you grab Gigi and without needing to say anything, Gigi understands the situation and you two rush out of the premises.

No one has followed you outside, much to your relief and dismay. You didn’t want to see or speak to her ever again, but you also wanted her to fight for you and show you that she cares about you. Are you not important enough for Bada to follow you out?

So Bada does like girls… just not me, tears finally drip down your cheeks as you and Gigi hop into your Uber.

As the Uber drives away from the house, you’re completely unaware of the girl standing in the middle street, too late as she watches your car disappear in the distance.

“What have I done?”

hellooo,

i hope you guys are having a great day!

or were, before bada broke your heart :(

anyways, thank you for reading!

lots of love,

j <3

#bada lee x reader #bada lee #bada lee x y/n #reader is a mess

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redroomreflections · 4 months

Text

Stuck Outside - The Loud House Drabble

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader

The Loud House - full and almost completed on a03

Note: I can’t update a full chapter but I thought this would be fun to write

You juggled the last of the grocery bags as you went to the front door. You weren’t a fan of multiple trips, but the amount of needed things surpassed your unsaid boundary. The summer sun bore down on you, making the trip back and forth from the car to the house feel even more exhausting. You were home alone with the kids, Natasha having taken Cara, Charlie, and Willow to Cara’s practice. You could hear Paige and James giggling inside, their voices seemingly far off as you began to walk up the driveway.

With a sigh of relief, you reached the front door and nudged it open with your hip. The kids had run in before you and didn't bother grabbing a thing. Balancing the bags, you called into the house, “Paige, James, can you help me with these?”

You heard a faint response but couldn’t make out any words. Shrugging, you stepped inside, dropping the bags just past the threshold. The cool air from the air conditioner was a welcome relief from the oppressive heat outside.

“Mama, is there ice cream?” James asked as he stepped into the room, Nintendo Switch in hand. He was barely paying attention to your instructions.

“Yes, go put that away and start putting the groceries away,” You replied, your patience wearing thin.

James gave a half-hearted nod and strolled over to the kitchen, still fixated on his game. You turned back to Luke, who was now contentedly driving his toy truck along the edge of the porch.

With the last bag of groceries in mind, you walked back to the car. As you reached it, you heard a loud click behind you. Your heart skipped a beat. You spun around only to see Luke standing on the other side of the threshold with you. You’d dropped your keys with the grocery bags you just placed inside.

“Did you close the door, Papa?” You asked, opting for the nickname you gave him.

Luke looked up at you with innocent eyes, his toy truck still clutched in his hands. “Yes!” he said proudly.

“That’s fine, it’s not like the door locks automatically,” You said, shrugging as you tried the door handle.

It didn’t budge.

Your heart skipped a beat. You tried the handle again, jiggling it a bit more forcefully. It was still locked. Panic began to creep in as you knocked on the door.

“Paige! James! Open the door!” You called out, trying to keep your voice calm. From inside, you could hear the kids laughing and the TV blaring, completely oblivious to your situation.

“Paige! James!” You shouted louder, banging on the door. There was no response.

You looked down at Luke, who was now contentedly playing with his truck on the front step, completely unfazed by the unfolding drama.

Taking a deep breath, you tried to calm your nerves. “Alright, let’s think,” you muttered to yourself. “The spare key...” You mentally ran through your options, trying to remember where you last put it. “Oh, right, there is no spare key because my wife is a spy.” You sighed. You tried banging on the door forcefully again. Again, to no avail. “I swear when I get ahold of those kids.” You shook your head. There was no sense in blaming them for your mistake.

“Is everything okay?” You heard Natasha’s sweet, velvety voice with the slightest hint of a Russian accent coming from your security doorbell.

“Shit!” You groaned lowly. How would you explain this to her?

“Oh!” Luke crowed as he acknowledged the curse you’d just said. "Shit!" He repeated with a laugh.

“Y/n?” Natasha asked again, concern evident in her voice. "What he did just say?"

“No, Luke, don’t you repeat that,” You shook your head, trying to keep the situation from spiraling further. "He said nothing."

You were still locked out, and the kids hadn’t managed to open the door yet. As you tried to think of a way to explain this to Natasha, you heard another voice.

“Hi there, dear!” Mrs. Crow called from her driveway, her cheerful tone adding another layer of awkwardness and annoyance to the situation.

You turned to see your neighbor waving enthusiastically, her curious gaze shifting between you and the door.

“Hi, Mrs. Crow,” You called back, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. “Just a little... house mishap.”

“Oh my, do you need help?” She asked, starting to walk towards you.

“No, no, it’s okay,” you replied quickly, not wanting to involve her in this moment. “Just locked myself out for a bit.”

Paige and James were still inside, and despite your earlier instructions, they seemed to have gotten distracted again.

“Y/n, what’s going on?” Natasha’s voice came through the doorbell again, a bit more insistent this time.

“Natasha, I’m locked out, and the kids won’t open the door,” You admitted, feeling a bit sheepish.

“Interesting,” Natasha replied with a hint of amusement.

“Hi, Mama!” Luke waved to the camera. “I have a red truck.” He lifted it to where he’d last heard her voice.

“Hi, Luke,” Natasha responded. “I like your truck.

“It’s not interesting - can’t we unlock it through your phone or something?” You asked, interrupting their little moment.

“No, you were too cheap to pay for that feature,” Natasha teased.

“Me? Too cheap,” You shook your head. You don’t remember this at all.

“That’s what I said when you declined,” Natasha pointed out, her tone playful. “Try the backdoor. I doubt Cara locks it when she takes the dogs out.”

“Good idea,” You said, feeling a bit sheepish for not thinking of it yourself. “Thanks, Nat. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Natasha called after you.

As you made your way to the back of the house, you picked up to make things go a little faster. Maybe next time, you’d be a bit less stubborn about investing in modern conveniences.

You reached the backdoor and turned the handle, relieved to find it unlocked. With a sigh of relief, you stepped inside, grateful to finally be back in the safety and comfort of your own home.

“Mommy, why did you use the backdoor?” Paige stepped over to investigate.

“Why do you have the TV volume on 100?” You retorted,

Paige wrinkled her nose in confusion. “Because I couldn’t hear it,” she replied innocently.

You chuckled, shaking your head at her logic. “Well, next time, try turning it down instead of blasting our eardrums.”

Paige nodded, understanding dawning on her face. “Okay, Mommy.”

You ruffled her hair in affection before heading for your keys and the forgotten groceries. You won’t be making the same mistake twice.

#black reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff #black widow x reader #natasha romanov #natasha x you #black widow x female reader #natsxaddiction #fluff #theloudhouseau

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6okuto · 2 years

Text

SECRET SANTA

akaashi x gn!reader | this is late but if u think about it it isn’t bc my own work secret santa forgot my present so i’ll be getting Mine late!

keiji’s only a little embarrassed that your secret santa wish list has become a suggested link on his laptop’s home page.

30 dollar maximum. no asking who other people got. have it ready for after the christmas weekend.

he figured it wouldn’t be that hard to find something for anyone—a wine glass set, a sweater, maybe a couple of books. but as soon as he drew your name on his phone, he turned it off and threw it onto the carpet in front of his bed.

because of course. of course it would be you: his months-long workplace crush. it became part of his routine to check if you updated your wish list for the first couple of days, and as soon as you did he threw his phone again. in the end he probably chose the hardest wish to find, sure, but he knew it’d be worth it.

walking into work, keiji held the carefully wrapped present with both hands. the office was chattier than usual, and he offered polite smiles on his way to your desk—a spot he’s had memorized since you first asked him to show you how to use the office printer. he spots you leaning against the wall with your friend. the both of you are laughing over something, and keiji can't tell if he's imagining things when a sun beam hits you perfectly; he wonders if it's making your smile brighter or if he just really likes you.

his pace falters at the sight and it's almost comical how he trips over air. cheeks flushed, he slows down and hopes you notice him a few feet away so he won't have to intrude.

the wish doesn’t take long to be fulfilled when your eyes flicker over to a new figure off to the side. he lifts his hand a little to wave and greets you softly, “hi.”

realizing it’s him, you grin. “oh, hi! just the guy i was waiting for.”

your friend says goodbye to the both of you, knowingly. but keiji doesn’t seem to register them as he blinks and furrows his brows at your words. “sorry?”

"i was waiting for you to walk by." you shuffle over to your desk and bend down to reach for something underneath. it doesn’t take a lot to figure out what’s going on, but he still holds his breath and stares. you weren’t the kind of person to pull a prank about secret santa, but what if for some god forsaken reason you did? or maybe he was imagining things and dreaming, running late to work because he hadn't actually woken up yet.

keiji's heart beats faster as you fix your outfit and stand back up, holding out a bag with a smile. “this is yours.”

the same smile falters when you don’t get a response, and it turns to shock when you look down at the box in keiji’s hands, your name carefully written in cursive on the top. “is that…” the both of you keep looking from each other to the presents before you finally ask, “did we get each other?”

keiji flounders for another second before laughing nervously. “i guess we did.”

“oh. oh! um, well, i hope you like it. it was on your wish list but i got the cover separately,” you explain as the both of you maneuver to exchange. inside his bag, keiji finds the sequel for his current favourite book series, as well as a crocheted book cover. it’s the same colour palette as the book cover, and he smiles at the heart placed on its center. there's a handmade card behind both and makes a mental note to read it later.

“oh my god, keiji. i’ve been wanting this for so long. how'd you kn—” he looks up from his present to see you react to your own, cutting yourself off when you realize what you were about to say. you look at each other and he can’t help himself from asking, “were you going to ask how i knew?”

“no?"

"are you sure?"

"stop.” you cover your face with your hands. peaking through your fingers, you can see the amusement on his face. “stop–don’t look at me like that. stop smiling,” you groan, face heating up.

keiji’s lips and voice waver. “i’m not smiling.”

“yes you are.” you laugh and hit his shoulder. he laughs with you, putting his hands up in surrender. "it was a lucky guess, that's all."

"god," you laugh breathily again. “seriously, though. thank you.”

“thank you, too. i’m excited to read it and the cover’s really pretty," he replies while fiddling with the little closing flap.

"i'm glad you like it. i don't really know the plot but y'know, if you wanna talk about it with me, i'm all ears."

keiji hesitates, and scratches the back of his ear. "i could lend you the first book if you wanted to read it?"

"oh." the offer shocks you a little. "really?"

"yeah, you can just, uh, ignore my notes and tabs and stuff." he thinks about the little comments and analyses he's left in the page margins, how you'd see his half-asleep, messily written "this is really important" that was never built on when he woke up. he cringes a little, but the opportunity's presented itself and he won't take it back.

you furrow your brows and tilt your head. "your—did you annotate it?" he nods.

"is it colour-coded and everything?" he nods again, bashfully this time.

"wow, okay, why would i ignore them?" you ask. at that, he blinks and can't muster a response.

"akaashi keiji if you don't give me a legend to what each colour means so i can fully understand your annotations i'm going to be so mad," you say with a joking frown. but the request is genuine and keiji's heart flutters as he laughs in disbelief. "i—yeah. yeah, okay, i'll make sure to put one in the cover then."

after that, there's a natural lull in the conversation and you take a breath. you go to speak again, and it's obvious you're probably going to say some sort of "see you later," and keiji panics.

"and, um," he starts. you startle but look at him, and he thinks he really might rather melt into the floor than face your rejection. he opens and closes his mouth, trying to find the words he’s wanted to ask for weeks, and he thinks he must look like an idiot. but your gaze only softens and you offer him a reassuring smile.. "i…sorry. but if you aren’t busy, would you like to join me for dinner later?

@devilgirlcrybabiey @lordbugs @smiithys @xfangirl-trashx @passionateuchiha @scaramouchesfootstool @fifteenshadesofpinkk @chloee0x0 @kenmaslov3r @bakugosgrenade @dai-tsukki-desu @Thathoneybee3 @momoewn @aintgeluh @dazaisfavgf @simpforerenn @crystal-lilac @vhenis @omiigad @kur0-kawa @semispilledcoffee @idontlikeyourjob @awkwardaardvarkforever @rory-cakes @prblmtc @dimslover @kuroaka @sunaslay @the-midnightskies @h0n3ysgh0st @lackey-laufeyson @bontensbabygirl @dira333 @the-b-u-n-n-y @Kamukayakmonyet @danyisapingu @isentsworld @lilithlunas @anime-ships-gay @todorokiskitten @kellesvt

#haikyuu x reader #x reader #akaashi x reader #akaashi keiji #haikyuu fluff #winter with nia

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mylifeisactuallyamess · 1 year

Text

Chapter 23: Silence

A/N: I’ve had a really rough week I’m so sorry. This heat is a killer! (Yes I’m British, we hate it.) it’s just utter sensory overload and I can’t concentrate.

Anyway, little update on this fic.

Firstly, I’d like to say I promise I am going to finish it and I’m grateful for all the messages and comments I have got about this fic. It really is one of my favourites.

Secondly, I’m sorry for this chapter.

Thirdly, I need a little break from it. My motivation has tanked and I’m struggling with not having many details about the next stage of the Batch’s journey. So I do think once season 3 aires this will become my new fixation yet again. I do have a vague idea of where I want Stitch’s story to go so I will keep adding bits here and there when the fancy takes me. Again, I promise this fic will be finished!

Warnings: 18+, Mentions of ND behaviour, feelings of jealousy, food, smut (but only a light sprinkling of thigh riding and a lot of making out.) fighting, canon violence and destruction.

Word Count: 12.3k+

Masterlist

Tagging: @idoubleswearimawriter @ravenclawbitch426 @dreamqueenkala @moon-wrecked @mandinlore

You sat on the nose of the ship, leaning back against the transparisteel, tucked into Tech’s side as he took it upon himself to educate you on the positioning of the stars that filled the sky. He pointed out which were stars and which were planets or moons, even tracking a meteorite as it streaked through the sky.

You drank it all in, wishing this moment would never end. Vowing to yourself that you’d never leave Tech’s side again. Your thoughts drifted away from the stars began to focus on the way his body felt. Absently you played with the padding that protruded from his chest, tracing the oblong shapes. You had thrown a leg over his a while ago, turning your body to be flush with his.

“Stitch?”

“Mmm?” You looked up at him.

“Did you want to sleep on the ship?” Your heart gave a couple of quick beats and you hoped the darkness covered your eager expression.

“I don’t want to move. I don’t want to be…parted from you right now.” You settled back against his shoulder, feeling him rest his cheek on the top of your head.

“You would be asleep and unaware if my presence was there or not,” he murmured.

“I am always aware of you.” His fingers tightened on your shoulder, making you edge even closer to him. Stars, he smelled good. So familiar and comforting. He barely moved as you trailed your nose along his neck, bravely kissing his sun warmed skin.

You wanted him to touch you, there was an uncomfortable feeling between your thighs that you’d never explored before but you suddenly couldn’t ignore it. You shifted your body, heat racing up your spine as he tensed his leg against your motion, nudging you right at the spot where you ached.

A frustrated sigh pushed from between your lips. You wanted more, but you didn’t know how to ask for it. Would he even understand? Did he even want more? Were his thoughts as tortured as yours or was he able to just enjoy being close to you?

Holding back another sigh you sat up, kneeling over his leg and already yearning to be back against him. He sat up, watching you with those eyes you loved so much. The pair of you stared at each other, not knowing what to say as the air grew thick between you.

A tingling started in your fingers and you reached to touch his face, hesitating and curling them for a brief second before settling your touch on his cheek. He leaned into it, bringing one of his own hands up to rest on your hip, his eyes wide as they travelled down your body and back up to your face.

Your legs spread, slowly falling from resting on your knees to settle yourself on the hardness of his thigh. This new position had you swallowing down a whine. Bending at the waist, you brought your face to his, touching foreheads before letting your lips meet. Tech exhaled delicately through his nose, drifting warm air across your skin as his lips melted against yours. After a few seconds you broke the kiss, not wanting to overwhelm him but his hand didn’t move. Instead the pressure increased, drawing you back to taste him in an even deeper kiss.

Tech was everywhere. He filled your mouth, soaking through your senses until you were sure nothing else existed, except him. Hands held onto your waist, fingertips burning into your heated skin. Stars erupted behind your tightly closed eyes, lips caressing in the dead of night as unspoken whispers passed between you both.

Neediness marked your motions, a desperation so obvious yet neither of you seemed to want to acknowledge it’s presence.

Moaning quietly into his mouth you let him lead, your head spinning from the intoxicating feeling that kissing him gave you. It hadn’t happen often, but when it did, it was toe curling.

His leg lifted between your own, the subtle movement lifting you closer to him and you whimpered softly against his lips. Your hips automatically rolled along the strength of his thigh, catching you at just the right place, extracting a strained moan from your chest.

To your regret he broke off the kiss, his eyes tracking heavily over your face and you tried to hide how flustered you were.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, noting the husky tone that spilled from you as the warmth from your lower belly spread through your body. You wanted to move, to feed the fever he created inside but you also wanted to go at his pace. Just because you were ready didn’t mean he was.

“Nothing is wrong, you’re just…different.” He watched the way you worried your bottom lip. “Have I done something?”

“No, no Tech. I just,” how could you explain this? “Doing this, with you makes me feel good and I’m not…” you didn’t want to bring up your past right now and sully this precious moment you were having under the stars, so you stopped. Maybe it was too soon after all.

He brushed some hair away, watching the motion of his hand as it delicately traced the edge of your ear before bringing his eyes back to you. “Do you want to continue?” His own voice was hushed and that was the first indication you got that he was feeling anything remotely like you were.

“Yes,” you breathed, dropping your gaze to his mouth as you imagined him kissing his way down your body.

He pulled you back to him, fingers burying in your hair as your lips met with more urgency than before. Gone was that hesitant barrier, the heat of his tongue was searing and it spurred you on to find some friction again. This time he didn’t stop, instead you felt the tensing of his thigh to hold your weight as you ground down on him. You freed a hand to slam onto the transparisteel of the canopy, giving yourself more leverage.

You felt Tech move beneath you, his own hips seeking out some friction as he took his cues from you. Your kisses became more heated, your breaths mingling in the quiet of the night when you gasped over each others faces.

Your mind got lost quickly, nothing else mattered but growing the warmth that blossomed between your legs and stroking the neediness that resided there. Tech became more insistent, his hands moved down to your hips, tugging you closer so he could grind against the hardness of your own thigh.

You moaned at the feel of him, the bulge was evident and almost painful as it imprinted through the thinness of your clothes. You forced your eyes open, enjoying the way he looked down at where your bodies were connected, his mouth hanging open, eyes fluttering at each rub of his cock in the confines of his own clothing.

When he moaned for the first time it nearly sent you over the edge, your hips stuttering at the sound that he barely knew he’d made, so lost in the feel of you. His kissed you again, this time it was sloppy and hurried, like he knew he needed to do it but wasn’t concentrating on it.

You could feel something creeping up your spine, a shiver that had you inhaling a needy cry. He brought you impossibly closer, cradling the back of your head and you buried your face into his neck, sliding your arms around his quivering form.

His cries were muffled by your shoulder as he began to curl into you, his arms tensing with every jerk and you instinctively knew he was coming to his end. You worked your hips faster, sensing the threads that held your body together tugging until they were ready to snap. You whimpered into his neck, quivering in his grip as you brought yourself right to edge of oblivion.

Tech’s arms flexed painfully against your body, his cries came quickly as his hips jerked along your thigh and that’s when you unraveled above him. It flooded through your body, making you tense and relax at the same time, chased by a numbing sensation that had your lips curling with relief.

You stayed tightly in each others embrace as you both faced what had just happened. Tech heaved a few breaths into his chest, his fingers curling and unfurling against your back as he brought himself back from the intense pleasure, eyes blinking and clearing the fake stars away.

Your mind was shattered, the scent of him filled your nose as you nuzzled tentatively into his neck. You kissed him under his ear, hoping you were letting him know he was ok. He turned his head and sought out your lips, which you were only too happy to offer, noting the kiss was more controlled this time, but just as gentle and loving as before.

A giggle bubbled up inside you, breathy and relaxed, you still felt the tendrils of pleasure as they skitted up your spine. There was no feeling of shame, no pain, only comfort and safety and it made you limp against him. Resting your head on his chest you could hear his heart beating faster than normal, his arms came up around you, squeezing you close with the silent promise he was never going to let you go.

You had a shower. A real shower. Not something that spat lukewarm water at you but an actual shower that was able to make you feel clean for the first time in weeks.

So you took your time. Reliving the moment with Tech last night, teeth scraping your lower lip as you remembered the way he blushed in the light of the Marauder. You’d spent the night on the ship and it had been awkward at first. Neither of you used to sharing a sleeping space so you’d stared at each other as you both worked out what you wanted.

In the end you had taken his hand and guided him to the bunk asking if he was happy with you laying on his chest and he’d nodded. His arms around you.

It was the best sleep you’d ever had.

Tech was so steady, his surety was something you really latched onto and it kept you steady with him. He filled the dark blot inside you with something warm and delightful.

Tech was everything to you…and now you could admit that fully to yourself.

You hoped the way you felt shone out of your eyes when you looked at him, you hoped he noticed.

The walk back to the house this morning had been quiet, thankfully the others were still asleep and Tech had shown you to the bedroom where there were clean clothes waiting for you.

Stepping from the shower, water dripped all over the floor and you breathed in the steamy mass that surrounded you. This could be a life you could get used to.

Quickly you changed, brushing your hands over the soft material, captivated by the way it flowed between your fingers. You hadn’t had many clothes in your possession before, even at the Academy it had been medics tunics and one gown for formal purposes.

The clothes you wore now were a deep green, the hem of the tunic settled around your thighs, the belt pulled it in at the waist and the trousers were form fitting and soft. The material was light, something to help cope with the heat of Pabu. You were grateful for the long sleeves, liking the way the point ended in a loop that went over your middle finger. It kept them in place and covered all the reminders that marked your body.

You cracked the door open, listening to Omega talking downstairs as they discussed what they were doing today. You made your way down, trailing your hand along the wall and pausing at the bottom of the stairs.

It hit you how domestic this was. Wrecker was leaning back in his chair, hands interlaced behind his head as he declared he was going to go fishing today. Hunter stood leaning against the counter, a small smile on his face and a cup of caf in his hand. His gaze lifted, seeing you he nodded at the table. Omega was talking about playing with her friends and your heart swelled at such a statement. You’d been gone a few weeks and they had all transformed into these relaxed, citizens.

Tech was on his datapad, absently chewing as he concentrated on the screen in front of his face. Stepping down the last stair made Wrecker turn around and he gave you a beaming smile.

“Stitch!” Omega all but squealed, patting the chair next to her. Their gazes flicked between you and Tech, feeling their sense of anticipation at a reaction from their brother at your arrival.

“Good morning,” you said as you sat down.

“I saved you some of Hunter’s waffles!” Omega reached for a plate that had been under a cover and Wrecker groaned loudly.

“That’s not fair! If I had known they were there I’d have eaten them,” he muttered and Omega shook her head.

“Stitch hasn’t had any yet.”

“You cook now?” You turned to the tattooed clone and he shrugged, tucking his hand under his arm.

“You haven’t tried them yet. You might hate them.”

“I tell him they’re the best thing I’ve ever eaten but we’ve lived off rations for most of our lives,” Omega said, her face growing serious for a second and her voice wiser than her age. “Most things taste good to us.”

“I don’t think my experience is any better,” you reminded her but you ripped a piece off anyway. You felt slightly shy as they watched you, even Wrecker leaned in, waiting for your reaction. “They’re good,” you said out the side of your mouth and Omega beamed.

“I told you!” She shot at her brother who held up his hands in defeat.

“Of course, Stitch’s opinion sets the tone,” he teased and you grinned up at him.

“There are added benefits to rations,” Tech suddenly spoke up. “They were designed to provide the body with exactly what it needs to get through a day. Flavour was not the goal when the Kaminoans developed them.”

“I don’t think I could eat one ever again,” Wrecker said, scrunching his face in disgust.

“What are you doing today, Stitch?” Omega suddenly asked and you automatically looked at Tech but he didn’t even acknowledge the question. It wasn’t aimed at him.

“I don’t know,” you admitted now glancing up at Hunter for some clarity. Hunter leaned forward and slapped Tech on the shoulder.

“I am going back to the Archium. I have more artefacts to catalogue,” Tech replied quickly.

“You can come with me,” Wrecker told you. “I can teach you to fish and hopefully we can get that really big one I’ve seen down by the docks.”

“My friends would love to meet you!” Omega grabbed your hand and you felt pulled in all directions. You wanted to Tech to ask you to join him but he didn’t even look up.

“Well I suppose I could,” you told her.

“I’ll be about,” Hunter mumbled and you focussed on him for a moment. Cocking your head as you watched him swill the last of his caf round in his cup. You were about to say something when Tech got up, barely casting a glance around as he made his way to the door.

“You know where I will be.” And then the door was closing and he was gone.

“Come on!” Omega tried to tug you up but you slipped your hand free.

“Go and get your friends and I’ll meet them at lunch time? I just need some time to…adjust.”

“Ok! Come on Wrecker!”

“Comin’. I’m comin’.”

As soon as they left the mood deflated, Hunter’s melancholy was more evident and it fed your own. You began to clear the table picking up Tech’s cup and plate and staring at them for a second.

“What do you do in this paradise?” Hunter sucked in a breath at your question, blowing out his cheeks and widening his eyes.

“My skills haven’t been found a good use yet. Not like the others.”

“Fishing not your thing?”

“Wrecker enjoys the quiet,” he replied. “Me, not so much.”

“Thought about helping Tech?” You stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder as you looked around the small open plan house.

“Tech doesn’t need my help. Phee brings him new things and they discuss where it’s from and how old it is. Again, not really something that I find…is a good use of my time.” You put the plate and cup in the sink, your heart fluttering against your ribs and you turned to study Hunter’s side profile.

“Who is Phee?”

“One of Cid’s contacts. She comes across as a pirate and a treasure hunter but she was the one that brought us here.” Your brain was lagging. She? A pirate? Someone connected to Cid…

“Can we trust her?” Hunter shrugged and turned to dump his cup in the sink before you.

“She hasn’t given us any reason to think otherwise.”

“And she works with Tech? In the Archium?” Your voice wavered and Hunter focused on your face, reading you instantly as you gazed at him with pleading eyes.

“They just have a common interest. It allows Tech to mind numbingly chat to someone else.” You nodded, not liking the sickness that rose in your throat. Replaced. You’d been replaced. What were you now? It almost felt like last night hadn’t happened and you backed away. “Stitch…” Hunter went to touch your hand but you snatched it away. A motion all too familiar as you realised good things really were too good to be true.

“I’m ok. I just need some air.” You burst from the door, grateful that he didn’t follow you. Looking up you could see the tall building that stood at the top of the island, rising high into the blue sky. The sea breeze whipped around you, snagging on your clothes before pillowing in your back and almost urging you to head in that direction.

You were scared. What if you went and your fears were real? But you couldn’t leave it. As you headed up the steep path you fought with yourself, it was illogical. Tech barely showed his emotions and feelings to his brothers, men he’d known all his life. You had felt honoured last night, being with him in such a vulnerable state and sharing that experience with him…clearly meant more to you than him.

The dark thoughts became worse the closer you got to the Archium. They were crippling as your demons shadowed everything making you lose your nerve. Diving into the Marauder you settled in your usual place. Gonky waddled over, tipping forward to peer at you huddled on the floor.

“Hey buddy. I just need a minute.” He honked in reply, shuffling round so he could wedge up against you, giving you the pressure of a hug without being hugged. You leaned against the droid, realising you actually missed Beetoo. “I wonder what she’s doing…I feel bad for upping and leaving Tesama. She must be worried.” The droid didn’t respond and your mind wandered even more. “I’m assuming we’re never going back?” You were more talking out loud to yourself than needing a response and you frowned. “What about all the data?” The droid shifted a little and you looked at the console. “Do you think Tech could remotely wipe the information stored in the medcentre’s records? If it gets into the Empire’s hands…” What if Cid got her hands on it? You got the impression the boys had upped and left Cid high and dry and you didn’t trust that Trandoshan as far as you could throw her.

“I have to go!” You squeezed past the droid and left the ship, almost running across the courtyard and drawing the attention of the few people dotted about. You found Tech easily enough, but how you found him made you stop in your tracks. He was leaning over a crate, head almost touching the other person he was with as she leaned from the other side.

To your dismay, she was gorgeous. Dark skin and thick hair that would be the envy of anyone. She was watching him reach into the crate, leaning over the side as close as she could get.

Your brain stuttered to a stop, the words this is a Keldabe Kiss, replayed in your mind and you felt a wave of despair that he was allowing someone else do something so intimate with him.

“Impressive isn’t it, brown eyes?” Her voice was delicate when she spoke to him, like a soft caress and you had to fight back tears when he responded almost immediately. He hadn’t even acknowledged you this morning. “You joining us?” Your attention centered and you found them both looking at you.

“I had assumed you were with the others,” Tech said, adjusting his goggles as he spoke.

“I had…” embarrassment and lack of trust made you clam up and you began to step away. “I’ll discuss it with Hunter. You’re clearly too busy.”

“Stitch!” Tech’s voice followed you out but it was Phee’s that clung to you.

“Oh. So that’s Stitch…” the condescending tone broke you, the way she said your name made you feel worthless and you wandered blindly through the streets.

You cried, feeling the cracks that marked your heart begin to widen once again. Stupid. You were so stupid. You knew opening yourself up meant you got hurt, you had hoped it would be a while before it happened though.

“Hey.” You jumped, shrinking into yourself when Hunter approached. His hands were up, his steps slow as he read your tense form and paused a few paces away.

“How did you find me?” You asked wiping your cheeks and looking around. “I don’t even know where I am.”

“I have my uses,” he commented softly. He was brimming with concern, his caramel eyes fixed on your face but it’s just made you feel more vulnerable.

“You’ll wish you hadn’t found me,” you warned him with a shaky voice.

“I’ll take my chances. Tech said you were looking for me.” That wasn’t true. Of course he’d send his brother rather than coming to look for you himself. You were having a moment, and Tech didn’t do well with feelings as it was. There was a time he was the only one that could handle your emotions. He knew what to say, he could get you to calm down, he understood. Or he acted like it at least.

Hiding your face in your hands, the sobs slipped through your fingers and you felt Hunter come closer. “Did I say something? Did Tech do something?”

“He’s replaced me,” you whispered. He was right beside you now, you could feel the heat of his body and you fell against him, seeking out that contact. Automatically his arms came up around you, pulling you close as you buried your face in his chest. He didn’t say anything, he waited you for you to work it out of your system, standing and looking out at the sea.

“I realise I could be over reacting,” you finally said.

“I am not here to tell you what you’re feeling,” Hunter rumbled. “But no one could replace you in Tech’s eyes.”

“You’re just saying that…”

“I know that.” You pulled away, his arms dropping down and you looked into his face. You could sense he felt sure in what he said, he firmly believed that.

“How?”

“Apparently the wine here was stronger than he anticipated and it makes him extraordinarily…vocal.” Hunter smiled at the memory. “Of course, he doesn’t touch it now. I’m not even sure he remembers exactly what was said.”

“You found her.” Hunter turned and you peered at Tech who was standing a few meters away, looking at the pair of you with a blank expression on his face.

“I did,” Hunter planted a hand on your shoulder and forced you to walk towards Tech. “And she’s all yours.” The last few paces you had to do alone, gazing imploringly into his goggles as he watched you come closer. “Don’t com me until you’ve sorted whatever this is. That’s an order.” Tech almost blanched, giving his brother a jerk of his head to show he had heard and then you were alone. The path was empty with just you two on it, standing awkwardly as your feet shuffled.

“Shall we walk?” You suggested, feeling the urge to move.

“Yes.” The silence stretched, rising and ebbing like the waves below. You managed to work up the courage to say something, only to glance at his face and realise you couldn’t get your words out. And so the cycle continued. Even when people started to appear around you, each step taking you further and further round the island.

You saw some animals, the first ones you’d really noticed and forgetting yourself for a moment you grabbed his forearm.

“Look!”

“Moon-yos,” Tech said on reflex. You left his side to approach the tree, gazing up into their wide orange rimmed eyes. They chittered, gathering to give you the same treatment as they leaned out of the branches. You offered your finger, smiling and momentarily forgetting your whole situation as one grabbed your hand.

“Mischievous little guys,” you breathed with a chuckle. Their awareness came through, highly intelligent creatures that had strong family bonds with one another. They weren’t afraid, living easily alongside the people of Pabu. You turned your finger so you could could look at the clawed hand that held onto you, only three digits ending in a sharp claw that looked like it could work it’s way under bark or the hard shell of a fruit.

Your finger was released when they got bored and they filtered up into the tree at a silent command. You retreated, accidentally stepping back firmly into Tech’s chest and he placed his hands either side of you to keep you upright.

“S-sorry,” you stuttered, turning to face him and noticing he kept his hands on your arms.

“Why?” You could he was genuinely asking, the quizzical frown appearing on his brow.

“For bumping into you.”

“Nothing that requires an apology.” Still he didn’t move, standing there with his hands burning through the thin material of your clothes as his gaze roamed over your features. “Have I done something?” He asked, snapping his mouth shut like he hadn’t meant to ask it out loud. Now guilt rose in you. He was in turmoil, the longer he touched you the more you were able to read him. His feelings were just as real as yours and you hesitantly reached to touch his top. Your fingers curled in the material and he didn’t move, just continued to watch you until you were ready to explain.

“Last night…” you whispered, swallowing back the limp in your throat. “I’ve never…it’s…I haven’t.” Fierfek. This was hard.

“Neither have I.” Your gaze rose to meet his and you let him draw you in closer.

“Tech…” you could feel the tears pricking the corner of your eyes. “I am scared.”

“I scare you?”

“No! No…this and what it means. I’m…I’m drowning here,” you admitted. You lowered your eyes, hating how frustrated you were getting with yourself because it was difficult to express. Did you talk about what he meant to you? How could you put that in words?

A gentle touch on your chin had you glancing at him with wide eyes, his curled finger keeping your head up so he could look at you.

“This is new for me too.” Your breath hitched when his eyes dipped to look at your lips. “I am not good at expressing…” his words filtered off into silence.

“What do you want to do, right now?” You breathed. Your heart was thumping, the beat of it filled your entire body and you were getting increasingly warm. His other hand trailed over your arm, the material of his gloves brushing the sensitive skin on your neck as he gently swept some hair behind your ear.

“Do you want me to try and tell you or—show you?” A shiver ran down your spine, his breath danced over your cheeks and that’s when you noticed he was so close, close enough to kiss.

“Show me,” you whispered. He reacted instantly. Capturing your lips with his in a kiss that had you melting into his chest. His touch left your chin, his large hand covering your throat as his thumb trailed down the front of your neck feeling the moan that bubbled up. You tightened your grip on his top, trying to tug him closer, inhaling sharply as he deepened the kiss. His lips chased yours and you gasped into another’s mouths, forgetting where you were and who was around.

You never wanted it to end but accepted his forehead press into yours. You studied his face this close, tracing the line of his goggles and sucking your lip between your teeth.

“I want to do that all the time,” you admitted softly.

“We wouldn’t get anything done,” he replied and you surprised yourself by laughing. He straightened, a happy smile finally coming to life on his face as you giggled with a mix of joy and embarrassment.

People moved around, seemingly totally unbothered by the display of affection they’d just witnessed. Your hand slipped into his and you both began to walk again, your arms knocking into one another as you tried to stay as close as possible.

“You wanted to tell me something…earlier?” He prompted and you swallowed down whatever lingering sense of doubt was left.

“Oh. Yeah.” You tried to organise your thoughts and get it all straight in your mind. “I take it you’re not returning to Ord Mantell?”

“No, we are not.”

“Then we need to ask Tesama to erase the data in the medcentre records. I’m worried Cid will get her hands on it.” Tech frowned, his hand gripping yours tightly as he came to a stop. You could see him trying to work out what would be so dangerous in the records and why that would benefit Cid. “There are records of samples, I’ve treated you all for something or other and all your details are sitting there. All she has to do is log into the system and hand it over to whoever she chooses. Omega is on there,” you stressed.

“I did not consider this. Leaving such information within Cid’s grasp could ultimately back fire on us,” he muttered.

“Can you erase it remotely?” His golden brown eyes were darting all over the floor, his chest heaved a little and he seemed deep in thought for a moment. You watched his expression, running a hand up his arm to keep as much contact with him as possible.

“That is a valid idea but no. Someone would need to do it planetside.” He tugged you along with him, refusing to let go of your hand as he brought up the com on his wrist to his mouth.

“Hunter. Meet me at the ship, we are on our way.”

“Tesama. Do you read me?” The static frustrated you the most. Not Hunter pacing or Wrecker standing ominously in the corner. Omega sat in her room, her knees hugged tight as she watched you all try to fix this.

“Try again,” encouraged Tech after he made some adjustments. His hand settled on the back of your chair and you were grateful for his razor sharp focus on this.

“Tesama. This is Havoc-medic. Do you read?” Static.

“What’s happenin’?” Wrecker asked. “Why isn’t it getting through?”

“Someone could be jamming the signal. I don’t like this,” Hunter stressed.

“There is no record of an Imperial presence on Ord Mantell, I do not understand who would be stopping transmissions to a medcentre.” Tech was still desperately trying to figure this out, his attention was split in half constantly and it showed in his delayed responses.

“It’s a trap,” muttered Hunter. “Cid threatened us in the last transmission.”

“We have no idea what’s going on,” you sighed, massaging a temple as you tried to ward off a headache. You had been through so many emotions today you knew you needed to meditate. Or train. “I say we go. Drop me off if you have to and let me do it all. She’s after you guys, not me.”

“She’s right you know,” Wrecker agreed.

“Maybe. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Hunter came to a stop with his arms crossed.

“You know it needs doing. I won’t be able to rest until it’s erased. It’s my fault it’s all on there,” you told him quietly and his expression softened a little.

“You were doing your job. No one could have foreseen the circumstances that we are i-in—.”

“So this is where y’all hiding!” Tech stuttered to a stop when a voice cut through the conversation and Phee made Hunter move aside so she could come aboard. “Oh…am I interrupting?” You couldn’t help it, you glared at her for showing such familiarity, for the way her gaze lingered on Tech just that touch too long.

“Actually…” Hunter began but Tech stepped forward.

“We have a mission. I need you to continue cataloguing the artefacts in the Archium.” She recoiled slightly at Tech’s business like tone, blinking as though she’d never heard him speak like that before. “Here is the datapad. I cannot say for certain, when we will return.”

“But this is yours?” She gazed at him with wide eyes and you shifted in your seat, highly aware of the tenseness that came off Wrecker and Hunter.

“It has nothing personal on it and therefore I shall not miss it. I reprogrammed this one for the Archium. Take it.” She reached for it, looking around the group as she did.

“You all just flying off without a goodbye?” Omega moved, running towards her and wrapping her arms around her middle.

“We’ll be back,” she said happily. Hunter crouched down and you could feel what was coming.

“Maybe you should stay here,” he suggested gently.

“But I want to come with you,” Omega pleaded. “What if you don’t come back?”

“What kind of mission is this?” Phee asked with a narrowed glare but no one answered her. She patted Omega’s shoulder and it seemed like she was stalling.

“When did you want to leave?” You stood up, leaning into Tech, his eyes widened at your closeness but he didn’t move away, turning to look at you when he answered.

“As soon as possible. While we possibly have the element of surprise. Though that window may be closed already,” he stated firmly and shifted his gaze to Hunter.

“Do you need an extra pair of hands? You know I’m good in a tight spot.” She was desperate to come along, her curiosity was burning and you felt slightly smug that they were keeping her out of the loop.

“We’ve got all the hands we can manage,” Hunter told her. “I’m sure we’ll see you in a few days.”

“All right,” she sighed, giving Omega a smile before she untangled herself. “Just make sure you come back to me in one piece.” She didn’t name anyone but you knew she aimed that at Tech and you bristled.

“I’m used to putting these boys back together,” you said, surprising yourself with the sickly sweet tone you used. You planted a possessive hand on Tech’s chest, feeling the inhale from him as you did and smirking a little at his reaction. You’d never get tired of hearing his breath hitch. “They’ll be fine.” You felt pressure on your lower back, your face warming when you realised Tech was gently touching you as a form of reassurance.

“Looks like you’re in good hands,” Phee responded a little stiffly and she began to back out of the ship. “I won’t muck up your system.”

“I can correct it when I return, if you do.” Tech gave her a nod and headed for the cockpit, you felt his hand trail from your hip and across your stomach. The touch was fleeting, but it meant everything.

“Bye, Phee!” Omega called from the hatch.

“Ah, yeah. Bye, Phee.” Wrecker and Omega waved at her and she waved back. You didn’t wait to see her off, but you knew she would watch the ship until it disappeared. Hunter activated the ramp just as Tech called for Omega.

“Now would be a good time to practise your flying skills, transitioning from atmospheric pressure to the vacuum of space.”

“Yes!” You smiled in the face of her excitement, relieved to be leaving Pabu behind. You knew they’d want to come back and you’d have to deal with Phee eventually.

Pabu dropped away, the Marauder’s shadow distorted as it glided on the surface of the sea. The sun streamed into the cockpit and you squinted slightly from the glare.

“Easy on the thrusters,” Tech warned as Omega guided the ship into the upper atmosphere. “We need to conserve our fuel and while I have calculated for some inevitabilities, it is not possible to factor in all of them.”

“Ah, you’re doin’ good, kid.” Wrecker pressed a huge hand on Omega’s shoulder and she glanced up at him with a beaming smile. You made your way to the hold shortly after the ship broke into the black, finding Hunter highlighted by the console screen.

“You’re not happy about this,” you pointed out, sitting down next to Gonky and giving the droid a gentle pat.

“I’m not. But anything to tie up loose ends and leave that planet behind for good,” he said darkly. “We will set you down in the spaceport and then when you’re done, you can hail us and we’ll come and get you.” You chewed on your lower lip, using your fingers to really press it into your teeth.

“Plan A,” you muttered.

“Plan A?” Hunter swivelled to face you. “It’s our only plan.”

“Fi says we should always plan for anything, and that’s why we have the rest of the alphabet to work with.”

“Luckily for us I am good at making a plan to suit our, unique situations,” he grumbled.

“You’d like him,” you said absently. Your gaze was vacant and fixed on a point on the hull wall as you remembered. “I hope they’re ok.”

“Rex has got them,” Hunter reassured you. “If you can trust anyone, it’s Captain Rex.” Bitterness flooded your mouth and you regretted not being there anymore. It was good to be back with the Batch, to see them happy and healthy but…you couldn’t help worrying for the clones you’d left behind. Was Echo taking his pain meds? Was Fi doing his exercises and not beating himself up when he forgot what he was doing next? Was Rex drinking enough? How was Howzer settling in?

“You’re brooding,” Hunter muttered and you smirked.

“Takes one to know one.” He scoffed at your remark, keeping his gaze fixed on the screen.

You felt the lurch of the ship and the cheer from Wrecker as Omega pushed it into lightspeed for the first time. So began your journey. The next stage…the next chapter…and you had no idea what was going to happen.

You loved it when the ship was this quiet. But you hated it at the same time. You were sat in your usual place, your eyes burning from tiredness as everyone else slept around you. How you’d reacted to Phee was making your stomach churn…that wasn’t who you were? Was it? Didn’t you trust Tech? Whatever was happening with you two was so new, so tentative and then you were away from him. And that hurt. He understood your choice to help Rex and Echo and you didn’t regret it. So why did you feel this way?

Standing up, you stretched your back with a soft grunt, reaching for the ceiling of the hold and then relaxing to a slight boneless feel. Padding quietly into the cockpit, you saw Tech surrounded by items you couldn’t possibly begin to name.

“Have you slept?” You went to put a hand on the back of his neck and thought better of it, choosing to sit in Echo’s seat.

“I have not. I cannot rest until I have programmed this datastick with the exact files you need. All you will need to do is put this into the main port. I have no doubt it will work perfectly.” He glanced up from his datapad, eyeing you for a moment as you gently trailed your fingers over the console. “Was your sleep unsatisfactory?”

“That implies I slept, Tech.”

“Ah.” He adjusted his goggles a little but you saw his fingers had stopped tapping on his pad.

“What is it?” He wanted to speak, oh stars, you could feel his urge to say the words and his frustration was like a whip through his presence, but he gave no outward sign he was suffering.

Going on instinct you got up, kneeling beside him and putting your hand in his. Immediately he gripped your fingers, his eyes coming down to watch the contact between you, almost as if he had to see it to believe it. “I’m sorry I reacted the way I did—earlier.” Your sudden admission had him frowning with confusion, his gaze lifting to meet with yours.

“I do not understand why you are apologising.” He was going to make you spell it out. Sighing quickly you rubbed a hand over your face only to see Tech still watching you closely as he waited for your explanation.

“I realise I did not…I assume she’s your friend? Phee?” You asked, desperately trying to keep your tone light.

“I have never had friends before you. It is not something I am familiar with or realise the…parameters of. I do understand we are now…more than friends.” Your breath quickened, your heart was pressing on the inside of your ribcage and it felt like your entire body was tingling.

“A few kisses will do that,” you whispered, swallowing sharply and steadying your breathing.

“Our brief physical interactions express our affections outwardly. I want you to know what happens to me—inwardly.”

“Tech, no one can know really…”

“I understand you are not a mind reader. I have been thinking about last night for a considerable amount of time, and I came to the conclusion that my feelings for you transcend anything I have ever experienced before.”

“Tech…” but he squeezed on your fingers so he could continue.

“All I have ever known is war. War and survival,” he carried on, his eyes tracking over the console with all his stuff on as the ship sped through hyperspace. His expression was pensive, highlighted by the twisting lights that gave way to the ship with ease. “You have shown me there is more to this Galaxy than the next objective. You—you slow me down, Stitch.”

“Slow you down?”

“It was an analogy that made sense to me,” he sighed and his sense of frustration came back. Before he could spiral from laying himself bare, you reached to touch his face and turned him to look at you.

“I would not be alive today if it wasn’t for you, Tech. You keep me going…when you look at me, you really see me. When you hold my hand I feel as though, everything I have been through, everything that tried to tear me apart, is gone. And all that exists is you and me. For a brief moment,” you whispered. “It’s all that matters.” He didn’t know how to respond and that was ok. He had already said more to you than you could ever wish for.

You stood up, fully expecting him to let you go back into the hold when his hand gripped yours and the cockpit door slid shut. You heard him rise behind you, turning your head slightly, you saw him out of your peripheral loom behind you.

Tech’s hand drifted up your arm, his fingers tentative in their caress and you shivered slightly. You leaned back into him, his face coming down to rest in the crook of your neck. You enjoyed his closeness, lifting an arm to brush the hair at the base of his neck.

“You quiet my mind,” he whispered against your skin. You felt his other hand ghost up the front of your body, coming to grip your chin so he could manipulate you into a kiss that had your head spinning. There was something different this time, an awareness on his side as well as yours that collided and smashed your barriers down so much quicker.

Turning your body you pressed into his chest, pulling on his neck to make him lean more into you. His arm encircled your waist, making your back arch until you almost lost your balance. You tipped back, taking him with you but he had already preempted this situation. Reaching out with a hand he stopped the fall against the door of the cockpit, walking you backwards until you were wedged between him and the cold durasteel.

Tech mouthed his way down your exposed neck, his breath heatedly dancing over your skin when he gasped. His hand was planted beside your head, fingers curling with nothing to grip onto.

Tech’s sudden confidence had your mind emptying of all logical thought. Maybe this was a dream? A vision? If it was…it was a damn good one, for a change.

His lips found their way back to yours, absorbing every little gasp he could extract from you as your body began to heat up. The burn was slow, gently licking up from your belly to warm your chest. You wanted him to explore, to touch you in places you’d never wanted to be touched before.

But now wasn’t the time.

“Tech…Hunter can hear us,” you whispered and he paused. His sigh was heavy and you grinned, pressing your face against his to give him a swift kiss on the cheek. “When we come back. I promise.” A nod was the only response he could give and you moved away from him. Taking his hand you led him back to the pilots console and he sat down again. You were about to sit back in Echo’s chair when Tech pulled on your arm, forcing you to topple into his lap.

“I can work perfectly well with you sitting here.” He left no room for discussion, so you stretched your legs over both of his, resting your head on his shoulder and he could reach round you to work with both hands.

You found yourself drifting into sleep, Tech’s repetitive motions were a comfort as was the beat of his heart and the sensation of being wrapped in his presence.

The ship barely touched the ground, allowing you enough time to leap from the ramp. Lifting your arms up you protected your face from the ships down draft, smelling the dump of fuel as it took off again. Your tunic slapped in the rush of heated air, rippling against your skin as you looked up into the sky, watching until the ship shot away and they were out of sight.

You hadn’t said goodbye. You didn’t need to. They were coming back in a couple of hours when you’d wiped the systems and erased everything you could from the database. Tech gave you detailed instructions and you could hail him if needs be, he still had his com that was connected to yours back at the medcentre.

Ord Mantell felt just the same. There were people everywhere, hustling and bustling on market day, laughter floated through the crowd and you felt a weird heaviness lift off your shoulders. You realised it was the worry of the boys that had been pressing on you. You couldn’t blame them, coming back here after they’d all but shunned Cid, was a risk. Hence why you here alone.

The sun was shining, it was warm and you basked for a moment as you walked, surprised how unaffected by the amount of people you were. It was familiar. After all the upheaval recently it was like your brain was happy to be in a place it knew and you appreciated that.

Something niggled at your awareness, making you come to a sudden stop and change direction. It was odd, a pulling sensation that felt you like you had an internal compass telling you were to go. Curiosity got the better of you, remembering what Hunter said about always trusting your instincts and you began to head away from the medcentre.

The crowds grew thicker but you held onto the fact it felt like you were going in the right direction…then you saw her. The familiar pair of lekku had you smiling and tears rose unbidden to your eyes. You forgot you’d need to say goodbye.

“Tesama!” You waved at your friend and she waved back over the heads of everyone else. Worming your way through the crowd to reach her at the stall that was selling droid parts.

“This boc’ara, is charging me too much for Beetoo’s replacement parts.” You frowned at the seller, a Bith called Hezo that you knew well.

“What’s going on?” You asked him, pointing at Tesama and her chain code card. “You know who we work for.”

“Cid told me not to give you any more discount. She said you’ve had enough,” he held up his hands and refused to look directly at you both. “Take it up with her.” He went to deal with someone else, Tesama cursed again in her own language.

“What is going on?” You muttered.

“I don’t know, but I am so glad you’re back. Everyone has been acting strange,” she told you angrily. “I’m fed up if it, I feel I’m on the outside. Please tell me you’re staying and the boys are coming with you because Cid’s moods are awful.” You smiled at her, not really sure how to deal with it all. You weren’t staying, the boys weren’t coming back and you felt guilty for leaving Tesama here.

The Twi’lek carried on chatting, bringing you quickly up to speed on what had been happening as best she could, seemingly desperate to get it all off her chest. But you couldn’t concentrate, there was a weird fuzziness to your thoughts and you stopped at the edge of the market.

“Head back to the medcentre…” your voice trailed off as a sense of dread trickled down your back like icy water.

“What? Stitch?” The words got stuck, refusing to come past the tightness in your throat as pure fear washed over you. Tesama’s eyes rose to look at something in the sky behind you, widening drastically when she saw what you were sensing.

You didn’t need to turn around. The screams of the citizens around you were confirmation enough, followed by the vast shadow as it moved to block out the light from the sun. Moving at a steady pace, the shadow devoured everything beneath it, blanketing the market in a darkness that held a threatening chill.

“They’re here!” Tesama cried. “They will find me and make me a slave!” You snatched at her arm and pulled her close, making sure she could hear you over the rising panic.

“Run. Hide, they’re not here for you. Don’t give them an excuse to find you. I’ll head back to the medcentre and erase any trace of you. Ok?” She nodded, her lekku bouncing and you released her. “Go!” The howling roar of TIE fighters drowned out your word but she understood, turning and running.

You had no time to dwell on the fact you’d never see her again.

Panic rose and along with it the cacophony of noise. You were shoved between beings, your own anxieties trying to overwhelm you as well as absorbing the heightened emotions of everyone around you. When you slipped down the alley you were able to breathe, clutching at your throat as you forced yourself to keep walking.

They were here.

You ducked in the street as the pressure of the TIEs passing over made you want to press into the ground. Their hellish screams sounded like demons reawakened from the deepest of slumbers and all you could feel was the crawling sensation over your skin. The medcentre was so close and you forced yourself to run the rest of the way.

You locked the door. Racing into the bays you yelled for Beetoo who appeared, her photoreceptors blinking.

“You’re back. About time because I have had that Trandoshan female questioning me everyday.”

“The Empire is here!” You gushed at her, still trying to catch your breath as you remembered everything Tech had said to you.

“Is it true?” She asked. “The Empire is here?”

“Yes.” Time was running out as your fingers flew over the screen of your datapad, erasing Tesama’s file just as you promised. You inserted the data stick Tech gave you, letting it riot through the system and delete every trace of you and Batch as you darted into your bedroom. You picked up the blaster that was in your safe, locking the door and covering it back up. “In the supply cupboard,” you demanded.

“What?”

“Just do it Beetoo!” You shot the control panel for the front door and then locked yourself in the supply cupboard with the disgruntled droid, shooting that panel off the wall as well.

“Well now we are stuck,” she stated calmly.

“Stow it,” you snapped. Your steps were loud in the small space as she watched you walk backwards and forwards. They were here for you. It was that clone, Boba. Tapping the grip of the blaster against your forehead you tried to think of what to do.

“I have this.” You stopped and looked over at Beetoo as she produced the tracker Tech had given you at the Festival. “They would have jammed transmissions by now but judging by the programming on this, it would get through.”

“Beetoo…how?”

“I am a military, medical droid,” she stated as though it was obvious. “When I was remade he did not take that away from me.” Tech, oh Tech. You nearly collapsed as your breath stuttered at the thought of him. Echoes of your vision taunted you, the very real realisation that your visions held weight frightened you. But Tech saved you then, he could save you now…except it put them directly in the path of the Empire. The one thing Hunter, rightly, did not want.

“Use it.” You were close to tears, ripped apart by this decision as you felt them getting closer with every passing second.

“What if they get caught trying to save me?” You whispered.

“The odds are high in that regard. But there is a still a low chance they won’t.”

“And yet. You’re telling me to use it?” You scoffed, wiping your face.

“Yes. I will not survive this encounter. But I will go into it willingly knowing you have a chance of being found and rescued.”

“Fierfek,” you sobbed. Not able to hold back the emotion any longer.

“Record a message, I am just a droid they will destroy me.”

“But if they destroy you…” You asked, feeling a surge of something other than despair. The lights flickered, and the ground shook beneath your feet. Medical equipment slid off the shelves and you lurched to hold onto one. You could hear the faint explosions as they trapped people within the city, cutting off all escape because they were hunting for someone. For you.

“He will still be able to extract your message if I cannot deliver it myself,” she stated calmly, setting her feet slightly apart to stop herself falling over. The hissing of settling dust filled the room and you looked up at her from where you were holding onto the shelf.

“You would be able to do that?” You breathed, oddly calm in the face of imminent discovery or death.

“I would not have suggested it otherwise.” Now you laughed, grateful for that little glimpse of Tech as you nodded.

“Do it.”

Hunter felt uneasy. He couldn’t explain it. The restlessness could usually be nullified by twirling his knife, or pacing but nothing was working. Entering the cockpit he tried to find something comforting in the still lights of the stars only to come up with a blank. Ord Mantell was below them as they orbited. He eyed the planet wearily, as though expecting Cid to appear on the hull, demanding to know where they’d been all this time.

“You are not yourself,” Tech observed.

“Something feels…wrong.” It was the only way Hunter could explain.

“Nothing is wrong,” Tech said nonchalantly as he worked on fixing a loose connection.

“Yeah.” No, something was wrong. But if he couldn’t explain it, how could he make his brothers see?

Rex had promised he’d covered his tracks, the Bounty Hunter had been distracted and you were on Ord Mantell. And safe.

Safe.

So he wasn’t prepared when the proximity warnings went off and a Venator burst out of hyperspace right before them.

“That is unexpected,” Tech announced. He flipped a few switches. “We must contact Stitch before they cut our communications.” Hunter could already tell it was too late. He felt the deadness of the connection before Tech had even keyed in your com and typed his message. “They are jamming our transmissions. We must extract her.”

“Wait,” Hunter suddenly said. “How would they know where to find her?” No one answered his question, because no one knew, not even Tech. “Even if someone had seen her…it meant the Empire was nearby and monitoring coms to react this quickly.” Tech reacted, turning all the systems off in the ship and plunging them into the dark and cold so they were dead in space.

“Wha’ are you doing?” Wrecker asked, his voice almost too loud in the dead quiet.

“They cannot detect us, with all our systems switched off,” Tech explained as he peered forward. “Allowing us to pass directly beneath them.” The Venator was practically on top of them, all it would take was for someone to look with their own eyes outside, but the Imperials were arrogant. Relying on technology that could be blinded if you knew how.

“It’s c-cold!” Chattered Omega to which Wrecker responded by wrapping her up in a blanket and sitting her on his knee.

“We cannot warn her, or extract her,” Hunter’s words were punctuated with stress. “Unless anyone has any ideas?” Tech was rigid, Hunter could see him working through everything at once and coming up with the same conclusion every time. Their hands were tied. The risk of capture was too great.

“They don’t know she’s here though,” Omega added quietly from the crush of Wrecker’s arms. “Right?”

“That, I could not tell you for certain.” Hunter stiffened, he really wished Tech would soften his blows sometimes, especially with Omega.

They found you just like in your vision. Black lifeless visors and demanding voices; rough hands that took you right back to your darkest days and you curled up on the floor. But when they dragged Beetoo out and threw her on the ground a haze descended over your vision. You didn’t care about the medbay, the noise of your shattering equipment faded against the throb of your raging pulse and you screamed.

Kicking the legs out from under one trooper, you used him as a shield as they fired upon you, tossing his spent body aside you collided with another. Taking him down and rolling to the side only to swiftly get up and jab your elbow in the throat of another. You could feel them in the force, their weak points like beckons to you.

You took down two more with your bare hands, mainly going for the spot under their chins and choking them by landing a slicing blow and then swiping their feet out from under them. More troopers entered and you readied yourself, balling your fist and twisting your wrist only to realise you didn’t have your armour on. Just your normal medic, civvy clothes.

You didn’t even have time to dodge the bolts, taking them firmly in your chest and the power they released encapsulated your entire form, bringing you heavily to the ground and shattering your mind.

Pain. Your old friend and ever constant companion danced over your skin as the electricity coursed through your body. If you could have given up in that moment you would have.

It stopped and your body relaxed, your vision was blurred but you could still see Beetoo smashed on the floor, her parts littering the ground like silver rocks.

They were trashing your medcentre, your home. White boots stomped around your fallen body. Items fell and crashed, equipment was ripped apart, circuits sparking in protest. But you saw none of it.

Concentrating on the grey boots that stepped over the broken corpse of your droid. Boots you had worn when you were small, trying to make Jango smile as you clomped about the cockpit of the ship.

Your mind couldn’t process, it couldn’t separate Boba and Jango even with the change in colour on the armour. He crouched down, completely unbothered by the destruction that reigned around him while the Troopers tore through your place. He sighed, almost disappointingly as he regarded you through the helmet you refused to look at.

“This would have been much easier if you had come with me on Coruscant,” he murmured in that velvet smooth voice.

“Then you wouldn’t have had the joy of coming here.” It was effort to talk but you didn’t want him to see how weak he had made you, or how helpless you really were. You felt his gloves on your fingers, you tried tightening your grip but he was far stronger than you. Bending your fingers back to pull the tracker away, holding it up and admiring it in the flickering lights. “Can’t have anyone following us now.” He shattered the tracker, killing the signal and adding it to the debris on the floor. “Take her.”

You found some fight. Making yourself punch and kick only to be met with the firm plates of plastoid that ricocheted your hits off them with ease. Your throat was tired from screaming, only able to give you wracking sobs as they dragged you out of the front door.

Your eyes stared up at the sky, the Venator loomed over the city like a death knell, it’s underbelly almost touching the tallest building. Oppressive, forceful, overpowering. The noise of such a ship filled the air, the roar of the engines to keep it level in the atmosphere, the heady smell of fuel as it dumped out copious amounts of waste; even the heat from the engines as it burned the air around. It was suffocating.

It’s what the Empire did. Descended on planets and suffocated them until there was nothing and no one left.

None of them could stop watching.

Three more Venators arrived to create a blockade and the four of them stood and watched in horror as TIEs poured from the ships. The first Venator lowered into the atmosphere, lasers firing unrelentingly on the city below and there was nothing any of them could do.

Ships fled the planet surface, getting caught in tractor beams or were chased down and destroyed by pairs of TIEs when they didn’t cooperate.

Tech gripped the back of his seat with tense fingers, telling himself over and over again you would have found a place to hide until they could get to you.

“We can’t just sit here!” Wrecker suddenly blurted out.

“We have to,” Hunter told him wearily, the weight of this decision was crushing him.

“Wrecker’s right,” Omega sobbed, casting her tearful gaze up at her brother. “We need to find her!”

“No!” Hunter snapped and they both looked away from him. “I am protecting…you, us, our own.”

“Stitch is our own,” Tech stated quietly. “And we do not leave our own behind.”

“If you have something to suggest, Tech,” Hunter crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow almost as a challenge. His brother didn’t answer, planting himself back in the pilot seat as he woke the ship up.

“What are you doing?” Hunter growled as Wrecker shoved past him to get in the copilot seat. “We’ll never make it past the TIEs and the tractor beam!”

“We have to try!” Cried Omega as she grabbed Hunter’s arm. “We can’t leave her!” He crouched to her level, gathering her to him as he prayed to whatever crazy force that ran this galaxy. Omega shook in his arms, she was terrified and he steeled himself for the battle ahead.

“You stay close to me at all times,” he said gruffly, holding her steady as the ship tipped dramatically. The hull creaked and they all jolted as they took a hit.

“They’re firing on us,” Tech relayed calmly.

“What gave you that impression?” Hunter sourly replied. Omega was tucked tightly in his arms as he moved to a seat, but still she watched the light show outside.

The Marauder spiralled in Tech’s expert hands. Flying them into the atmosphere and away from the Venators.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Wrecker growled.

“We have TIEs on our tail. Clear those and we can double back without getting shot down as we land.” Tech explain sharply. There was nothing Hunter could do. He trusted his brothers explicitly, he knew they’d get to you eventually but he couldn’t help the feeling of each second passing him by, as they struggled to shake the Imperials. Every now and again he caught a glimpse of Ord Mantell, the plumes of smoke rising from the now shattered city and he just hoped you were holding on.

“Aww yeah!” Yelled Wrecker as he exploded a TIE and Tech shot the ship through the debris.

“One more…it’s heading back the Venator,” Tech said as he pushed the ship forward.

“Don’t get too close!” Hunter warned them. “If it’s returning…”

“They are pulling resources back,” Tech announced. “It means they have what they came for.” The implications of such a statement were heavy and none of them wanted to dwell on it.

“Look!” Omega pointed and all their attention zeroed in on the larger ship. Sure enough the engines were flaring, the roar of such a large ship in atmospheric pressure reached them through the hull of the Marauder and Tech pulled up to watch it leave.

“Should we go after them?” Tech asked. “If I can attach to their hull we should be able…”

“What if we go with the ship and Stitch is here?”Omega asked quietly.

Ord Mantell was smoking and broken from the bombardment of the ship. The ship that was now leaving. “Why would they do that?” She whispered, expressing the horror they were all feeling.

“Because they come in, destroy, take what they want and leave.” Hunter replied grimly, with a disgusted twist to his mouth.

“Their hyperdrive is activating,” Tech announced as the engines flared. “It is now or never.” But Hunter didn’t respond and the ship disappeared in the blink of an eye.

There was a beat of silence, a held breath as they all stared at the trail left in the atmosphere.

“Tech, get us down there.” But it was a needless command. Tech had already started guiding the ship back to the city, his fingers sure and precise on the controls. Omega settled back into his arms, her small body trembling and he just hoped there weren’t any Imperials left. If there were, they’d soon be wishing they left with the ship.

The Marauder had barely completed its landing cycle before the ramp was opening but Hunter stopped both Tech and Wrecker with a hand to the chest.

“Covertly. We do this covertly.” He said quietly. “We have no idea if there are Imperials nearby.” Hunter made them pause for a moment longer before moving aside. Tech disembarked first, his visor taking in everything as it tracked his eye movement.

The devastation they were greeted with was immense. Rubble lined the streets instead of people. Buildings were blown apart, carbon scorching marked the floor, edging the craters with a black dusting. But what really got to the group was the silence.

Ord Mantell had never been this quiet, even at night time. Not a single being could be seen moving, there was no music, no hustle of market day. It was like a ghost town and Hunter tried to shake off the feeling of dread that tiptoed up his spine.

Wrecker was breathing heavily into his helmet, struggling with the scene laid before him. They had seen devastation before, but this had just happened, it was still so raw.

“Look out!” Tech pushed Hunter out of the way, snatching at Omega as a wall began to give way. The ripping of stone rendered the air as it crashed to the ground, right where they’d been standing. Dust kicked up, creating a thick cloud that made them all cough.

“Eyes up!” Hunter wheezed. The group collectively raised their blasters only to come face to face with citizens covered in dust. Their eyes were wide with fear as they skirted around the armoured clones, footsteps fading all too quickly in the silent city.

“This is eerie,” Omega whispered as they slowly made their way towards the medcentre. Tech checked his datapad, making sure they were heading in the right direction.

The destruction lessened and Hunter slowed the group down. He was weary, why was this part of the city untouched but the rest was pretty much in ruins? He sighted round the corner, gesturing to Wrecker who went wide and scoped out the street.

“Clear.” The big clone commed quietly. Hunter motioned to Tech who headed straight for the medcentre doorway and opened it with ease. The grating noise was loud and all their blasters pointed into the darkness. Occasionally it was broken by a sparking light cell overhead but the whole place had a silent, ominous feel to it. Nothing moved. Nothing made a sound.

Hunter gestured again and this time Tech entered the building, the rest of them following.

It was dark, too dark. Tech clicked his torch on, ignoring the way his breath hitched when it lit up the hallway. Resting his blaster across his other hand, he advanced.

Tech turned the corner quickly, his finger squeezing the trigger ready to shoot at anything that moved. Immediately he found it difficult to breathe. He was barely aware of Hunter ordering Wrecker to check the rest of the place as he surveyed the damage that had been done. Omega stayed close to Hunter, peering round into the bays with fearful eyes.

All the equipment they had fought tooth and nail over was strewn across the floor, beds bent or marked with blaster shot marks littered the area, your medbay curtains were burnt and torn. Beetoo, lay half crushed on the floor, her inner circuits leaking out of her torso. Your office door was open and Tech could see the destruction trailed into there. The beam of his torch shook and it took Hunter a few times of calling his name before he realised he hadn’t moved.

“Tech. She’s not here.” Hunter put a hand over Tech’s arms, making him lower them before he accidentally shot something.

“Look a’ the mess,” Wrecker gasped, his fists curling until he knuckles cracked.

Tech finally moved, crouching beside Beetoo as he tried to make sense of everything. To his shock her photoreceptors lit up.

“Tech?” Your voice was unmistakable. Small and terrified. “If you’re listening to this, they found me.” He could hear the despair in your tone, the sniff as you fought not to cry. “Tech. I used the tracker but I know you can’t come and get me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” His hand reached out to hover over the droid as you finally gave in and sobbed. “I’m hiding in the supply cupboard, they landed not that long ago and I know they’re here for me. They know w-who I am. Wh-what I am.” You cried again, gasping a little and he imagined you wiping your face in frustration. “Don’t come after me, Tech. I’d never forgive myself.” He jolted at the abrupt sound of blaster fire. “They’re he—.” The recording was cut off.

Silence reined as Beetoo’s power finally gave out. Tech’s hand shook, still balanced on the balls of his feet in a crouching position as he reeled from what he’d just heard. Hunter and Wrecker stood just behind him, their heads bowed as circuits sparked somewhere in the depths of your place. Omega wept silently, pressing her face into Hunter’s side and he curled an arm around her in some form of comfort.

Tech held his breath, eyes picking out the pieces on the ground as he named all the debris automatically. He knew what this used to be. His fingers gently picked up the chip board that was exposed in the shattered casing, letting the pieces fall to the floor with a soft clatter…this was the remains of your tracker.

Hopelessness was a heavy cloud, hanging in the air like a noxious gas. Everything they had done to keep you safe had been for nothing, they still lost.

“We need to leave.” Hunter said.

“Like this?” Wrecker asked.

“Yes. We won’t be coming back. She’s gone. Tech?” He could feel Hunter’s hand on his shoulder, the pat of it through his armour but still he couldn’t move. “We need to go.” Tech pulled a datastick from his pouch, pushing it into the port at the back of Beetoo’s head, he downloaded everything from the droid. He just hoped it was enough.

#sanctuary #tech x f!reader #tech x reader(stitch)#tech x reader #tech x you #tbb tech x reader #the bad batch

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