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sunshine-vx · 1 month

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Across Space, Time and Dreams (ASTaD) (Ch. 23)

(Blankshippers DNI)

(Please refer to beginning of chapter 1 post for complete list of CWs/TWs)

(Extra notes: Yippiee, chapter 23, second chapter for the day! Once again, this chapter is about Ingo being reintroduced to his origin world, which I think is important. Again, I hope I could make it enjoyable for you all! Either way, it won't be like this for long. Thank you all so much!)

(This chapter's illustration done by @moonlightalpha666 !)

(Reblogs are appreciated!)

A few days had passed since Ingo had been reintroduced to his house, and his memories were slowly but surely returning to him. Some made him emotional, others made him laugh, and others simply gave him a sense of content.

Today, Ingo decided he wanted to go and reintroduce himself to arguably one of the most important places in his life of all- the Subway System!

Throughout Ingo's own life, and Emmet's, they both shared 3 major passions: Pokémon- especially battling- trains- especially metro- and helping themselves and others- especially with their goals!

Ingo knew this is why working in the Subway System was such a perfect career for the two of them- it was a mix of a place for both everyday transportation, and a location for amazing battles! This allowed them to help both people and Pokémon alike- including themselves- in multiple ways; helping folks have a safe ride to a new destination, battling to new limits, and sometimes a mix of both!

Ingo was full of energy and anticipation, ready to see the Subway System.

Emmet had issued for the Nimbasa Subway Station to not run overnight that day, so that he and Ingo could tour it by themselves, and for alternative forms of transportation to be provided to those who needed it. Thankfully, there were enough Depot Agents to carry out the job.

By now, the public had been altered of Ingo's return. There were clear signs they were antsy to see him, and Ingo had sent out a small message thanking everyone for their kindness. Ingo was more than glad to be a figure in people's lives, but he preferred that his memory situation be kept to a specific group of people. He did not want to lie to anyone, so he did not specify anything, but he also knew that if his situation got out, there would be a lot more pressure on him than there already was.

All they needed to know was that he was back, and that he was recovering. Everything would be okay, and he would go on to continue to inspire those who looked up to him.

Emmet, Ingo and Depot Agents Cloud and Jackie had alerted the other Depot Agents of the memory situation. They were stricken with shock, but understood. There needed to be some people who knew more so that the system could work efficiently while Ingo was still recovering. Thankfully, they also understood Ingo's concerns, and promised not to tell anyone. In the end, they were just glad to see Ingo again- even if there was a bit of heartache, they knew it would heal, and the reunion with the rest of Ingo's workplace family was wonderful.

This put Ingo at ease. With the planning complete and a bit of rest, he was ready to see the Subway!

This time, it was only the brothers who went. Drayden and Elesa would've loved to have gone, and Ingo and Emmet would've loved them to be there, but they had to prepare their own plans for later on.

Besides, as much as Elesa and Drayden were absolutely welcome to join Ingo and Emmet, the Battle System was definitely more of their own thing.

The twins strided towards one of the main entrances of the Subway System. Emmet had told Ingo he thought it would be a good idea to tour the non-battle area of the Subway System first, but of course, if Ingo wanted to do otherwise, Emmet was more than happy to oblige.

Ingo had thought about it, and he decided that Emmet's plan was probably more ideal. He didn't want to end up getting lost or overwhelmed- besides, as long as Ingo got to see everything soon enough, he didn't really mind at all what order they visited things in.

"Here we are!" Emmet announced, stopping in front of the entrance. Ingo stopped walking as well, scanning what was in front of him.

On their way to the entrance, Ingo had seen a few signs and other things that struck him as related to the Subway System. The building was definitely very big, and had a multitude of windows and a pair of large, glass doors. There were signs and decorations on the exterior of the building- Ingo even saw a couple of artistic renditions of him and Emmet!

Just like in his missing persons file and other things, Ingo noticed he looked somewhat different from how he looked now.

"That's us on those signs." Ingo commented.

"That it is!" Emmet replied.

Ingo looked at the glass doors again, and through them he could see the temporarily empty, yet complex and still lively interior of the building. He smiled.

"Let's go in!”

Ingo was amazed at the sight that enveloped his surroundings when he and Emmet entered the building. As expected, it was an extremely wide area, with many places to go. As the twins walked around the place, Ingo examined all the different types of things- ticket stands, signs, and most importantly- a train and its track!

Ingo remembered that this one specifically was for transporting passengers to other destinations. People and Pokémon alike came here for that service.

As Ingo took in his surroundings, he experienced many emotions and thoughts.

"Wow!" Ingo exclaimed, blinking away a few tears, "It's so amazing! We'll be able to get on one, right?"

Emmet chuckled, "Indeed! But it will be just a bit later, if that is alright!"

Ingo really wanted to get onto the train, but he knew that it would be easier to just wait. He sighed, but let out a breathy laugh.

"Of course! What's next?"

After turning and going through a specific order of rooms and hallways, Emmet and Ingo entered a special area.

"Woah!" Ingo spoke.

"This is the control room!" Emmet explained, "Or the central terminal- whichever you prefer."

Ingo marveled at the room they had just entered- it had no ceiling lights, but was lit up by the many screens decorating the walls- along with a counter in the middle that had a screen embedded in as the top. The screens along the walls seemed to reflect mostly other areas of the subway, while the countertop screen served as a digital map for the train system.

There were other counters along the screens that had many different types of controls- buttons, levers, sliders. As complex as all of this was, Ingo felt like he didn't really have to think all that hard to understand it- it came naturally, it seemed.

"Do you recognize how all this works?" Emmet asked Ingo.

Ingo nodded, "I don't feel too confused. I think a bit of it may be a little far from me, but it will return soon enough."

Emmet smiled and nodded, "That is verrry good to hear, brother!"

Next, Emmet showed Ingo to the multitude of offices- it seemed theirs was largest and given the most importance, which made sense.

It looked quite similar to the home office Ingo and Emmet had inside their house, but more organized and professional. There were additional things such as lockers, which would be important for a job such as this.

Ingo sensed a warm feeling grow in him as he scanned more details of the room. He remembered that he and Emmet had many roles within this System, and that they loved doing it!

Afterwards, Emmet showed Ingo to the many storage closets scattered around the area. Inside was, as expected, supplies for the subway, along with the occasional retired scrap and lost personal belongings, and other things of the like.

Then, there was the break room- as its name suggested, it's where the staff would hang out during their break periods, usually lunch break.

It had a calm vibe to it, which Ingo liked. There were some tables and a water dispenser, along with some other things. Ingo recalled this is often where he and Emmet would speak to the Depot Agents- they were all wonderful individuals. Ingo had wondered if the same staff were still here, and it seemed they were.

After this, Emmet showed Ingo to arguably the best part of the subway- where all the trains were!

They entered the area, and as everything came into view, Ingo's eyes sparkled and a small smile spread on his face. It was a circular room with a multitude of tunnels carved into the walls, signs hanging from the side of each tunnel, detailing what purpose they served.

"This is the main hub for the subway station!" Emmet commented.

Ingo jumped, "Bravo!! Don't the tunnels lead to where the trains are?"

"Yup! I will show you to the transportation trains first, and then the battle trains! How does that sound?"

Ingo nodded quickly, and Emmet began to lead Ingo down the tunnels.

Each tunnel led to a larger area, with stands where staff would stay and hand out tickets and such- and then, most importantly- the tracks, the platform, and the train! Ingo's excitement and happiness peaked, his passion for what he loved clearly never having eroded with his time in Hisui.

Emmet and Ingo stood into the first train, and Ingo's eyes shined, his mouth gaping open ever-so-slightly at the sight, which made Emmet chuckle.

Emmet led Ingo to the very front of the train first, and Ingo marveled at the contraptions present in front of the train- he felt like he knew these things very well. Probably because he did!

Ingo reached for the locomotive controls, but he was interrupted.

"Wait! Do not touch that, please." Ingo heard Emmet say.

Ingo turned towards Emmet, confused.

"Why not?"

Emmet winced as heard the disappointment in Ingo's voice, but he kept his smile.

"You will be able to drive one of the trains, I promise!" Emmet explained, "I would love to go on as many rides with you on them as you would like, but if a train is used, it is protocol to check them thoroughly at the end of the day! I do not want to give ourselves or the other staff too much trouble, as much as I would be willing to go through that trouble for you!"

"Oh! Right." Ingo nodded, pulling his hands away from the controls.

“But!" Emmet added, "You can try out the other things!"

A smile spread across Ingo's face, and Emmet watched with glee as he saw Ingo try out everything he could- he honked the horn, he spoke through the PA system.

Ingo's eyes widened and his smile grew further with wonder as he heard the iconic ‘whooo-whoooooo’ of the train whistle.

"Bravo!!" Ingo announced into the PA, giggling as he heard his voice echo throughout the train.

Ingo placed the PA back into its resting position, turning to Emmet, his eyes now softer. It really felt like this was something he loved doing, in his home world.

"I love it!" Ingo voiced.

Emmet chuckled, "I am glad! Let us go take a look around the rest of the train!"

Ingo and Emmet strided through the train, Ingo looking around, his eyes having stars in them as he took everything in.

This wouldn't change upon going on the other trains.

Emmet could tell Ingo was getting even more excited as they went to look at the battle trains, and that didn't seem out of character at all.

Most of the things were similar, but Ingo noticed the areas for the transportation compared to the battle trains, and the trains themselves, differed slightly from each other.

Then, Emmet stopped Ingo. Now, the only train they hadn't been into was the Multi Train.

"Okay! That is most of it! So what do you think of everything so far?" Emmet commented.

Ingo jumped, "What do I think? All I can say is super bravo!! Everything looks incredible!! But don't we have one last train to see..?"

"Yup- the Multi Train!" Emmet stated, "I saved that one for last, and you will see why! Follow me!"

Ingo only nodded, following Emmet with anticipation, excitement and curiosity.

As Emmet and Ingo walked onto one of the train platforms, Emmet announced, "Now! We can finally go on a ride on one of the trains! How about the Multi Battle Train?"

One of the biggest of Ingo unique smile's in a long time spread across his face. He somehow knew it was where he and Emmet spent a lot of time together, so it was the perfect decision! Ingo nodded eagerly.

Emmet led Ingo to where the Multi Train rested. It looked pretty much the same as an average train, although there were small differences in design, including writing along the side that indicated its purpose. Emmet opened the train's door, and the brothers stepped inside.

Emmet waved Ingo to the front of the train, where the controls of the locomotive were.

"Here! Now you can mess with these! How about you try getting the train to start?" Emmet offered.

Ingo nodded, and scanned the control panel for a moment. He was a bit unsure, but almost as if it was instinctive, Ingo worked with the controls in a specific order, before the train rumbled to life, and began slowly moving down the tracks.

Ingo's eyes gleamed, and Emmet clapped his hands. "Amazing job, Ingo!"

Ingo laughed, the joy in him seemingly endless. He messed with a handful of the other controls, as long as he knew that it was ultimately harmless.

Emmet laughed, as well, happy to see his brother having a good time. After Ingo was done with the controls, the younger twin led the older twin through the rest of the train, Ingo glancing around. As with the other battle trains, Ingo noticed there were a couple of differences, but otherwise, it didn't look that different from the transportation trains. As Emmet motioned for Ingo to stop with him in one cart, it dawned on Ingo.

"Can't it transform?" Ingo conveyed.

"That is right!" Emmet responded, "Here, snap your fingers with me on three!"

Ingo felt a bit puzzled, but the suggestion felt correct. He positioned his hand.

"One...two...three!"

Snap!

The twins snapped their fingers right at the same time, and a quick moment after, Ingo watched in wonder as the interior of the train cart transformed from a regular-looking cart to a wide-open room, complete with patterns on the floor, showing the cart now served as a battlefield!

Ingo beamed, clapping his hands and giggling, feeling extremely nostalgic at the sight of the battle cart.

Then, Emmet began to speak, walking to the other side of the cart.

"Now, if you do not want to, that is absolutely fine, but I personally think it would be a bit incomplete to visit the Battle Subway without doing one thing..."

Ingo's eyes sparkled, and he smirked, "I think my brain is on the same track as yours, brother.."

The twins grabbed the brim of their hats and pointed at each other,

"Emmet!"

"Ingo!"

The brothers announced at the same time:

"I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

The train was at its fastest- all passengers could hear the wheels turning, feeling the all-too-familiar chugga chugga chugga chugga rhythm of the train shooting through the tunnel, bouncing on the tracks, the wind blowing.

"Chandelure, use Shadow Ball one last time!" Ingo commanded.

"Eelektross, Thunder Bolt!" Emmet countered.

Chandelure formed a dark ball of energy and launched it at Eelektross as the other Ace Pokémon threw down a crack of lightning. Ingo swore he saw Chandelure and Eelektross move out of the way and evade the attacks- or did they? Would another turn be in order? All too soon, the powers collided, and a cloud of smoke enveloped the cart.

As the smoke cleared, Ingo lowered his arms from his face. He immediately snapped his eyes to the battlefield, scanning the scene.

Both Chandelure and Eelektross staggered to their respective sides of the field- before at the same time, Chandelure's bright, blazing flames regressed to ever-so-smaller and darker flames, it floating closer to the floor now. Eelektross lowered its head, the sparks it had been letting off residing, and using both its back fins and arms to hold itself up.

Neither Pokémon could battle further.

Ingo and Emmet locked eyes at the same time. They inhaled deeply, catching their breath. There was a moment of silence, the brothers only being able to guess what the other was thinking.

Then, one of those unique smiles spread across the older twin. Emmet's smaller smile grew as he watched his brother begin to laugh. It started out as a chuckle, then a louder snickering, before he was full-out bursting into laughter.

Emmet blinked, a bit confused, although Ingo's laugh was contagious, as he started laughing some, too. Ingo was laughing so much, tears began to run down his face.

Then, Emmet jumped as he watched Ingo's joyful laughter transform into sniffling, his wide grin and loud laughter turning into a unstable smile and hushed snickering.

Chandelure, worried, hovered over to Ingo, Emmet doing the same as he darted over the battlefield, Eelektross following with its quick crawling.

Emmet's smile had turned into a small, worried twinkle, as he stood in front of Ingo, placing his hands on his brother's shoulder.

"Ingo, what is wrong?"

Ingo let out another chuckle as a slower, less intense stream of tears fell down his face, and he simply stated

"We often did tie, didn't we? Almost every time.."

Emmet was taken aback, his mouth hanging open slightly, but then he beamed, and tears pricked at his eyes, as well. Now, Emmet let out his own soft laugh.

"We even tied at the Champions League."

There was a moment of quiet, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Then, Ingo spoke, "I know maybe it sounds silly, but...I think that was...important. A perfect parallel. Even if I can't remember the details I feel...more complete. I feel as if..my soul has been brought to a stronger state of content."

Ingo's smile turned bittersweet, and another line of tears fell down his face,

"There's so much more to know, to explore, but...this feels like it was one of the more..notable missing pieces. A key. Symbolic of...so much."

Then, Ingo reached his arms outwards, inviting his younger brother into a hug, Emmet gladly accepting the offer, the twins embracing. Ingo waved Chandelure and Eelektross to join them, and the two aces were more than happy to do so. Chandelure hovered closer to Ingo, but didn't hesitate to enfold both trainers in its appendages, while Eelektross, closer to Emmet, wrapped both twins in its body.

"Thank you so much, Emmet. Chandelure. Eelektross."

Now, tears rolled down Emmet's face, too, but he was happy as could be.

"No, thank you, Ingo. And..that is not silly. Not at all."

Chandelure made a series of whistle-esc and clunking sounds, Eelektross letting out a few gurgling and spark-esc noises, both assuring Ingo they were just as grateful, and that there was no reason to feel silly.

This had represented one of Ingo's greatest passions and parts of his life, after all.

After their heart-to-heart, Ingo and Emmet made sure to heal up their Pokémon, thanking and congratulating them for their performance, before returning them to their Pokéballs.

Ingo and Emmet returned to the locomotive, and Ingo watched curiously as Emmet inputted a few commands into the control panel.

"I wanted to show you something, but we will have to wait just a little bit."

"Well, I can't wait to see whatever it is!"

After a bit of time, Ingo saw as the train rose to tracks above the ground.

"These are the outlying tracks. We do not come here often, but we still technically have authority over it." Emmet explained.

Ingo felt a wave of emotion wash over him as he took in the beautiful view. He had seen and reunited with many important things in his life today, and even though he couldn't remember everything now, he was excited and happy to know he was and would be regaining his memories and reclaiming his life.

Emmet was happy, too, although they didn't have to speak to know that.

"The train will be rounding back to its beginning position soon." Emmet stated, "We still have a few things to do. For now, though, we can just rest for a bit."

Ingo nodded. He and Emmet made their way to the first cart after the locomotive, sitting down next to each other on one of the lines of seats. They spoke for a while- Ingo talked about how he thought they must've worked really hard, and that he was very glad to be able to be rediscovering everything. Emmet replied with his usual blunt yet comforting and helpful remarks, letting Ingo know about what he should know, and the answers he asked for.

Soon, the brothers felt the train come to a stop. They stood up, Emmet showing Ingo the safety procedures the younger brother had mentioned earlier before leaving the train to its own. Ingo felt familiar with it, and helped perform the procedure almost as if he had never forgotten.

Afterwards, Emmet continued to tour Ingo- just a few more things, and if Ingo wanted to do something of his own suggestion, they would!

As they walked, Ingo felt a feeling of warmth, of resolve, of stability and comfort within himself. Tears pricked at his eyes, and he wiped them away, although a few more broke through. Emmet saw, and before he could ask, Ingo smiled.

"I'm just so happy to be here again." Ingo explained, "This place, everything in it...it's my passion. A huge part of my life....I'm glad to be able to be with it, and see it again. And I'm so grateful you were here with me. Thank you, Emmet."

Emmet's eyes softened, and his small, worried smile turned into a happy grin.

"Of course, Ingo! Thank you for coming here."

Chapter 22

Chapter 24 (Work In Progress!)

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dilemmaontwolegs · 2 years

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A Demon's Work is Never Done

Lady Johanna Constantine x f!demon!reader

Summary: In the Year of Our Lord 1787 you wander the world in search of something new, something undiscovered. You find more than you bargained for when you meet the lovely Johanna Constantine. Warnings: 18+ only, nsfw, bisexual reader, toxic relationship, sexual themes WC: 4.1k

This is the third instalment of works in The Anthology of Asmodeus’ Heir. Part One: The Devil is in the Details Part Two: Lightbringer’s Champion Part Three: A Demon's Work is Never Done Part Four: Rise of the Fallen Part Five: Queen of the Damned

A/N: Reblogs are super appreciated 💜

The Year of Our Lord 1785 - London, England Another half decent poet had died, William Whitehead, one of the few that you could listen to without wanting to throw yourself into Lucifer’s central hearth. 70 years of life seemed like such a waste, you couldn’t understand why mortals weren’t jumping at the chance for getting an extra 10 years. They didn’t need their souls anyway, not the way they fucked and fought their way across the continent. There was no heaven for them.

“Ay! Hot as hell innit,” a tramp that was well past her used by date called out. “Mind you, just another day to the demon-folk.”

“Mad old bat,” you hissed, blowing a theatrical tendril of smoke from your mouth. “Be gone with you, Hettie.”

She cackled loudly, swaying her filthy, heavy skirts as she danced out of the dank alley and off towards the pub. Poor man that gave her coin for a shag, he might well sell his soul when he catches syphilis from her.

Chuckling to yourself, you continued on your way along the river as a gorgeous ship docked. It was only by fate's ministrations that the Dockmaster stepped out of his office and called for the captain. A rare name you had heard a handful of times over the centuries. Hob Gadling.

You followed the Dockmaster’s attention and found an impeccably dressed male standing proud as the ramp waited to be connected. The dock smelled terrible with the livestock waiting to be boarded to other ships and the fish from the smaller boats along the Thames but you could still mark his scent. Human but not mortal.

Curious.

You didn’t see the point in lingering around the area any longer, since an immortal would have no reason to sell their soul, so you followed your nose to the nicer side of the city and into Buckingham House.

“Is Charlie in residence?” you asked a startled footman, his eyes darting to the gates still sealed shut behind you.

“Her Majesty, Queen Charlotte,” he corrected as he reached for the sword on his hip, “is not taking callings this evening.”

“Perfect.” You smiled and brushed past, dodging the swipe of his sword before it could bury in your belly. You were up the steps and crossing the threshold before he could shout his alarm, a laugh taunting him in your wake. “Honey, I’m home.”

The faces in the parlour all turned to you and while most shied away from your intense stare the Queen and one other did not. No one had the gall to reproach you for your unusual dress, forgoing the heavy layers of skirting over a hoop and a restricting corset for the comfort of a free flowing peplos. It had been a favourite of your fashion for aeons and if any of the riff-raff thought the lack of modesty was an invitation for their touch then they would lose their hand at the very least.

“What do we have here?” you asked as you glided across the ornate flooring and met the young woman’s gaze as she remained seated, not an ounce of fear in those sapphire eyes. “You do so gather the most beautiful of things, Charlie.”

“Indeed,” the Queen smirked over her tea cup. “The lovely Johanna Constantine. My dear husband has commissioned her assistance in retrieving a lost item, Pandora’s Box.”

“Is that so?” You dropped into an overstuffed chair and crossed your legs, earning a grumble of complaints from the Ladies-In-Waiting. “Echidna won’t be happy, which means I am yours to assist on this adventure. I love Norway at this time of year.”

Johanna remained passive, if not mildly bored, as she sipped her tea and tried to glean any information she could from you with those intelligent eyes. She was a hawk, noticing each small movement, your body language, what weapons were hidden on your body and where. “This property is warded.”

You bit your lip and took delight as her pupils dilated at the sight, a hint of jasmine emanating from her. The rest of the party were delightfully unaware of what Johanna had discovered. “It is, though now that I recall it, they felt different. That wouldn’t be your doing would it, love?”

“Johanna has proven herself a worthy occultist,” Charlotte said smugly. “If the laws were different I would have her ordained high priestess.”

“That would be a tragedy. Drab cloth, abstinence.” You shivered dramatically at the thought and a small smile teased her pressed lips. “You deserve blissful orgasms, mistress.”

“That is quite enough.” The Queen whispered, her eyes flickering to the doors opening to reveal her husband, King George the Third. “Look who has returned to London.”

The King took one look at you and left the room again. “Is he still upset he lost the game?”

She gave a discrete shrug and reached for a scone. “Those were his favourite horses, and it cost a fortune to breed them right.”

“Thou shalt not play dice with a demon.”

Charlotte grinned and tapped her nose.

Johanna choked on a laugh, her cheeks turning pink as she hid her face behind an embroidered fan. “You knowingly let a demon into your home?”

“Och, such a crude word, demon,” you huffed, swiping a pastry from the silver tray. “We aren’t all the same, you know. I could teach you a great deal about them. I suppose we will have plenty of time for that on our journey north.”

Her teeth flashed as she darted closer and stole half of your pastry with a wicked smile. “I look forward to it.”

Of course in those pleasure filled nights spent on the ship, you had given her too much information about demons. She was sharp witted and skilled with wards before, now she could exorcise lesser demons who stole bodies to roam earth and also summon them. You swore you would stop but she was an opportunist through and through, knowing how to detach your mind with a few flicks of that wicked tongue.

“Can you make me immortal?” she asked as she lay in your arms, the ocean lapping at your ship.

“That’s not within my power,” you admitted quietly, your fingers mapping the constellation of light freckles across her back. “But the few times I have witnessed humans receive the gift of immortality it has only ended in tragedy. The three-faced goddess does not take lightly someone circumventing their fate. There would also be the matter of your daughter, it would be more than a mother could take to watch their child grow old and die.”

Her eyes blazed in defiance as she did not get the answer she was hoping for and pulled away. “You do not want to spend eternity with me.”

“That is not-”

“When I return to the King with Pandora’s Box he will return what is rightfully mine, the land and manor my parents owned. A future.” She drew the sheet around her as she rose from the bed. “For us.”

You sighed as the cool air kissed your skin, the warmth stolen with the linen Johanna was wrapped in. “Pandora’s box may give you the answers you seek, but I implore you to reconsider before you open it. The risk is always greater than the reward.”

“Thank you,” she squealed as she dove back onto the bed and into your arms.

The sea began to churn as a sudden storm blew in and eclipsed the sun, and you whispered the truth under your breath, “I’m going to regret this.”

“You pussy-drunk demon,” you hissed to yourself. “Should have kept your damn mouth shut.”

Your fists banged against the church doors but it was consecrated ground that had been strongly warded and Johanna had stolen your dagger. The unholy relic was currently stabbed through the lock so even you couldn’t break it.

You felt the heatwave erupt as the box was open and knew it had undoubtedly woken up beings that were better off asleep.

“Johanna, open this door now!” Your order went unanswered but the scream of her daughter echoed through the church, Mouse was screaming for help. “Open the fucking door!”

The stained glass windows exploded and shards sliced at your skin. The pain was second to the fear of what was happening inside. You could hear voices but they were speaking too quietly to hear or the shield around the church was strong enough to dampen your senses.

There was only one person who had the power to break through the holy shield and you really wished there was another option. But there wasn’t. So back home you went.

“Lucifer, Asmodeus’ heir wishes to speak with you. She says it’s urgent,” Mazikeen said, using your title to help increase your chances of being granted entry.

The iron door swung open and you crossed the stone floor quickly, not even taking the time to survey the room for threats lurking in the shadows.

“200 years since you last visited,” Lucifer murmured as she lazily traced the curves of the bones that made her throne, “and now you come to ask for my help.”

“200 years?” you asked, licking your lips as you skirted behind the throne and pricked your finger on the claw at the arch of her leathery wings. “You haven’t aged a bit.”

“Ugh, lust demons,” Mazikeen spat before turning her back to stare out over the city.

“Don’t act like you haven’t sought my bed, Maz.” You smirked before giving your attention back to Lucifer. “I wouldn’t be so foolish to ask for your help, your Majesty. I offer an exchange. You haven’t chosen your new Champion since Forrasis was killed.”

Her sharp nails tapped a beat on the skull beneath it. “Remind me again who killed him.”

“There is only one demon brave and sexy enough to have achieved such a feat - in a fair fight I might add.” You teased as you brushed her hand aside and took a seat on the arm of the throne. “He was hardly a Champion worthy of the name if I could kill him with one strike. I can be your Champion.”

“You are right, he wasn’t worthy. But that does not mean that you are.” Lucifer said as she slapped you off her chair with a bat of her wings and you laughed as you slid across the floor. You laugh even as your bones feel close to breaking, because she doesn’t tolerate weakness, cowering or fear. “You shall have the power you need and in return you will vie against ten demons of my choosing to be named my Champion. But, if you lose then I will take every last drop of your power.”

You bowed your head so she didn’t see you swallow the lump in your throat. When you looked up again she was no longer seated in her throne but in front of you, her hand wrapped around your throat as she lifted your feet off the ground. There was no passion to her kiss, her power so formidable that she was completely unaffected by yours, as she sealed her lips over yours and breathed a morsel of her power into you.

The rush was unlike anything you had or would ever feel again. A healthy dose of fear crept in as you realised just how powerful she was, no wonder she was so calm and collected - she was the apex predator with nothing to fear.

The ground surged up to meet you as she flung you away but where you should have crashed into stone you landed in soft grass outside the church. Mouse’s screams had gone silent, replaced by Johanna’s, so you gathered the power Lucifer had given you and threw it all at the church doors, splintering them wide open.

It only took a fraction of a second to understand what had happened as the box sealed shut and the power was once again contained. Johanna was screaming at the box, begging it to give her back. Mouse, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Johanna ,she’s gone,” you snapped as she wept over the box and ignored the shake you gave her. “We need to go before something worse comes to release Echidna.”

“She took her.” Johanna hissed before her fists curled and she lashed out at you. “This is your fault!”

You caught her fists but she struck you with her knee and you grunted as the air was knocked from you. “I warned you.”

“If you had made me immortal then this wouldn’t have happened.”

You snatched the box up with one hand and gripped her wrist with the other before using the last of Lucifer’s power to move through the shadows and arrive at Blackwood Manor, or as the newly titled Lady Johanna Constantine had already renamed Fawney Rig. She had been certain she would return with the box.

“We spent weeks on that horrid ship and you could have just done that!” Her irritated scream disrupted the birds in the trees and sent them flocking to another property.

“I made a deal with - you know what? I’m done telling you anything.”

“I got the answers I needed. I just need to find the Devil and the wandering Jew.”

You had seen that look of hunger on many mortal’s faces. The hunger for power and you realised with a bitter laugh that she cared for no one but herself.

“And what about your daughter?”

Johanna ripped the box from your hands and looked at you with empty eyes you had once thought were full of love. “At least I won't have to watch her grow old and die.”

You didn’t dare tell her that necromancy ran in her veins, a scent you had picked up on the moment you laid eyes on her. It was what made her occultism skills unparalleled by mortals. If she ever learnt of her power she could become the harbinger of death.

“I may be a demon, but you are the real monster.” You turned your back to leave but slammed into a shield, crude runes drawn into the gravel as she stood beside you. “I can’t believe I thought this was love.”

Her laugh had you placing bricks one by one around your heart, building a wall to protect it knowing that it was already too late. “You are a lust demon, you cannot feel love.”

You sent a blast of power at the shield but she had taken every piece of the information you had given her and created a custom made prison to contain you.

“You may still be of use to me so I won’t kill you just yet,” she said as she used your dagger to prick her finger and draw the marks to bind a contract to her skin. “That doesn’t mean I won’t take precautions. You will not harm me, or try to escape Fawney Rig.”

You had no room in the containment circle to avoid the point of the dagger as it slashed down your palm and your blood dripped onto hers. The contract burnt into your skin and Johanna swiped her slipper through the runes to release you from the tiny prison, only to give you a larger one.

“Welcome home.”

The Year of our Lord 1787

The ache in your belly never ended, the need never sated. Johanna, intelligent, heartless Johanna, kept you on the verge of starvation. Small intimacies to keep you from longing for Death but not enough to clear the haze that clouded your mind. Whenever she felt her own needs rising she would disappear from Fawney Rig and return with rosy cheeks and the scent of a man or another woman on her.

Everytime she returned you felt a shard of ice pierce your chest.

“Who are these men?”

You were pulled from your sluggish stupor as Johanna slapped a piece of paper on the table in front of you. You blinked thrice before you could focus clearly enough to see the page and frowned at the drawing.

“Not the foggiest.” You pushed the paper away from you. “Look at the date, whoever they are, they are long dead. Not a half decent caricature, if I do say so.”

The letters of the contract burned into your skin flared and Johanna darted back as she drew your blade. “You are forbidden to harm me or try to escape.”

“If you had shared my bed you would have seen that yours is not the only contract I currently hold.” You chuckled as a trickle of fear bled into her eyes and you rolled up your sleeves. “I am forbidden to escape but you never stipulated if I were summoned.”

“You demon-bitch.”

A bitter smile curled your lips as her venomous curse shattered what remained of your heart. “When you need me, know I'll come for you.”

“I never want to see you, speak to you or touch you so long as I live.”

There was no hint of the woman you had fallen in love with, nothing but icy promises on a forked tongue. Bowing your head as the warmth of Hell called to you, you granted her wish. “Then so it shall be, my Lady.”

The flames licked your feet and you were pulled into the smoke, crashing to your knees at Lucifer’s feet.

“Rise, the tournament is about to begin,” Lucifer stated over the thunderous screams of the crowd far below. “My new Champion awaits.”

“I have had a really hard couple of years, Lucy.” You tried to stand but your legs buckled. “Maybe the tournament can start tomorrow? Dinner and nap, sounds fair?”

“Fair is not a concept that exists in my realm, there are no breaks or holidays” Lucifer mentioned with a hint of amusement twitching her pursed lips. “A demon’s work is never done.”

Nails as sharp as claws broke your skin as Mazikeen grabbed your nape and pulled you to your feet, her breath hot in your ear. “Afraid you aren’t worthy of being Morningstar’s Champion?”

You bared your teeth as the fire in your belly raged. You were a fool for making this deal in an attempt to save Johanna. You were a fool to have loved a mortal. But you weren’t foolish enough to back out of the deal and you did not want to die. “Why would I want to be Morningstar’s Champion when I could be Lightbringer’s Champion?”

“Our Majesty is no longer the Lightbringer.” Blood ran in rivulets down your back as Mazikeen dug her nails in deeper.

You looked to Lucifer, tearing your own skin as you turned in Mazikeen’s grasp. Her hands were threatening to crush the skulls on her throne despite the calm facade on her bored face. You smiled, a dark, wicked smile that turned her knuckles white as bowed your head. “Indeed. Still, it would bring me endless entertainment to know those puritans in the Silver City would be shitting kittens when a demon is crowned Lightbringer’s Champion.”

Mazikeen chuckled as she released her talons but you remained standing, just. “That would certainly ruffle those feathers of theirs.”

A quiet, resigned sigh was hidden by the crinkle of Lucifer's vinyl dress as she rose from the throne. “No other demon would pride themselves on carrying a Lightbringer title.”

“I’m not just some other demon, sweet Lucifer.” You purred at her approach.

“I see that now.” Lucifer nodded before she narrowed her eyes on Mazikeen. “I also see that she is merely distracting us while she feeds.”

Your laugh echoed back up the cliff face that Lucifer threw you from. Mazikeen would certainly be pissed at you if you survived, not because you fed from her but because you did it in front of Lucifer. Ever the professional.

Those few minutes spent syphoning undoubtedly saved your life.

The Year of our Lord 1789 You had tried not to think of Johanna much over the last two years, opting instead to bury yourself in lovers and duel all those who thought to take your title as Lightbringer’s Champion. It had been fun. Messy and brutal, but fun.

It was only by happenstance that you left the warm bosom of Hell to wander your favourite city and saw the date on the front page of The London Gazette - 7th June 1789.

Cloaked and hidden in the shadows, you watched Johanna step inside the White Horse Tavern. Fawney Rig had been too heavily warded for you to enter but the public house had no such shields so you had followed her carriage to the East End.

“What are you doing here?” you asked yourself as she disappeared into the building.

The brick exterior was cool as you rested your head against it, waging an internal battle with the part of you that wanted to follow her and the other part that told you to stop being stupid, find a lover and chase her thoughts from your mind.

It was her whimpers that stopped the internal argument. The pitiful sounds were so unlike her to make that it pulled you back to reality and had you hurrying into the stuffy pub in search of her.

“No, no, not you,” she whispered.

Your eyes failed to find her as they darted around the room, lingering in the darker corners where bodies were tangled with the passing of coins. None of those women could come close to the beauty Johanna possessed so you moved deeper into the room and spied a door where her scent drifted from.

Another whimper, a quiet plea for mercy, slipped out from under the door that you approached - the sounds lost to the din of the revellers, but not to you. You grasped the door handle and melted the lock as you shoved the door open to find a private dining area.

The hair on your nape rose at the mix of scents filling the space. One was a scent you had encountered before briefly in passing. It was the captain at the docks, human but not, once mortal but no longer.

The other scent was old. That was the only way to describe it. It held the same undertones you had smelt once before when you discovered an ancient cave in the sacred glass sands, full of scrolls that had almost disintegrated with time. Whoever Johanna had encountered was powerful and old.

“What have you done?” you growled as you scooped Johanna from the floor, her heavy skirts tangling around her legs.

“No, not you…you’re gone,” she shuddered as she tried to pull away. “You’re not here, this isn’t real.”

You held tighter, easily stopping her feeble attempts to roll away. “Let me help you.”

“No!” She growled, her fear draining away as anger replaced it. The clarity in her eyes returned from whatever those men had done to her mind and she reached for the amulet that had been nestled between her breasts.

Power radiated from her touch and you stumbled into the wall, letting her fall as gently as possible as she sapped your strength.

“You’ve learnt a new trick,” you rasped as she began to recite a Latin scripture.

“A few really.” She smiled as she pulled a cross from the folds of her dress. “Now, fuck off back to Hell.”

Blood dripped from your nose as you fought against the pull of the hellhole she opened. Your ears were ringing and a pressure was building behind your eyes as if your brain would explode if you stayed any longer.

“I was only trying to help.”

“Demons don’t help,” she spat as she stepped forward with her cross held high, “and demons don’t love.”

“That is a lie you tell yourself so you don’t have to admit the truth.” You laughed bitterly as you surrendered yourself to the suction of the hellhole. “The truth is, a demon loves you and you love a demon and if you can love a monster like me then what does that make you?”

“I hate you, and all of your kind.” She picked up the dagger she stole from you, holding the blade as she raised it and threw it with deadly accuracy. She knew so much but still knew so very little as you caught the handle, the knife that had been forged with your own blood and power. The dagger could not kill you but the intent which she threw it with felt like it would.

Slicing your palm, you swore an oath even she would recognise as binding. “For as long as you live, you shall not see, hear or feel my presence. Farewell, my Lady.”

The candles flared, blinding her until she had to shield her eyes and you wondered if you would ever have the strength to return to earth. You wondered if you would ever be able to fix what she broke in you.

Click here to read the next instalment in The Anthology of Asmodeus' Heir: Rise of the Fallen

#johanna constantine x reader #johanna constantine #sandman fanfiction #the sandman fanfic #netflix the sandman #lady johanna constantine #featuring #hob gadling

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diorsbrando · 3 months

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can i just….say something real quick? i gotta rant & talk to myself so i can regulate my emotions and this isn’t hate towards anyone or anyone’s content it’s just. how i feel….. abt being a writer on here sometimes

i hate it here. i really do. and i know countless others have felt the same way i have and folks have deactivated, archived their blog or even stopped writing entirely bc of the environment on here when it comes to recognition and acknowledgment

i already know that some people would argue that “you gotta write for yourself and no one else” and that is true— i do write for my own enjoyment and i love the feeling of putting a story together and see it coming together in real time and i like when the people i share my ideas/fics with are just as excited and enthusiastic abt it as i am bc it makes me and my efforts feel seen y’know ? and of course this most definitely applies to when you post a fic on tumblr.

i wanna preface with the fact that i am not trying to seem ungrateful because i REALLY TRULY love and appreciate every single one of you guys who comment and reblog (with words), or text me directly about my work bc it makes me feel so nice about myself. like “wow you thought i and my content was good enough you went the extra mile to let me know and share it with others via the algorithm??? this is great”. and that inspires me even further to keep writing the things i want

and speaking of ideas, the reason i even felt compelled to yap about this is because …..it dawned on me (again) after scrolling on my dash that only certain types of blogs and the work they post get recognition and acclaim from the masses and that makes me sad. i could write about generally the same trope with the same character in the same fandom with the same tags, but my fic would get crumbs over the course of several weeks or months because it would be longer than what people usually post here. or it would portray that character in a way that isn’t popular. or because i went in depth and made it poetic or nuanced. or because there happened to be little to no vivid smut. or because the plot was unique and different.

i’m doing the same thing as everyone else and yet…..idk. sometimes it’s astonishing to see that a fic that falls into those specific categories could have been posted for literally DAYS. 72 hours even. and it has dozens of thousands of notes on it and people are flocking telling them how emotive they were after reading. which is fine and dandy bc everyone deserves praise and recognition for their work and for it to be shared with others. but sometimes i doubt that sentiment even applies to me because it shows…..it definitely shows

cause what is even the point. i don’t wanna feel like i have to dilute and water down and change my writing style just for this silly little app but….idk

anyway, i just wanted to say that y’all have a pleasant day/evening/night

#ʬʬ.sosa speaks.com #i don’t usually do think pieces on here but LOL #had to get that out

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tortadecuchufli · 9 months

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I'm not sure if this is going to make sense at all. I'm just airing some thoughts as someone with,,,, some visual impairment. I struggle to measure it in terms of impact but it certainly is noticeable among my peers I guess. Nor really the point of the post.

Anyways I remember some months ago I was reading some stats on folks with visual disabilities and I keep going back to the relationship of it and neurodivergence, particularly autism. And that does speak to me at times the more i researched it.

Except like, signs that under normal circumstances would make people consider the diagnosis get then attributed to sight related problems. I rarely do eye contact, so someone asks if I have a problem with my vision and i guess the answer is yes! It IS that... partially. My eyes get kinda shaky when I consciously try to look at you and read your face.

But also I really feel an aversion to do it unless it serves a function (like holding a conversation in sign language). It just feels like extra noise and I need to turn it off. Obviously that causes problems. Significant ones. I know people think I'm not paying them attention and that this preconception frames anything I do as a little hostile to them. I could go off on the ways I tend to misread people based on visual clues, movements or even how they try to transmit the visual representations in their head.

And functionally this and other things probably do make me ND but it is hard to let others see it that way. Because it may just be an eye thing to them, a quirk I can turn off like a faulty machine part.

I've realized it is kind of pointless to focus too much on whatever hypothetical cause it is, because whatever it is, I've grown with it and so my body and brain have co-evolved. That's how I see it. I'm not fixing my eyes, the things I do make me able according to my own standards. And you just can't change brains at their core.

But in terms of accommodations I DO still need... Something, not sure what exactly, to be able to move around the social world.

(reblogs are off but i do appreciate any reply of acknowledgement even if it's to say you don't understand my point of view)

#i don't wanna bring this up irl #the scrutiny you need to go through is still a little too much.#and my field of work deals with people a lot and they expect me to be good at reading Subtleties in people #Which I can do with interviewees and likely future clients bc that is like. a conscious and methodical task #but i dont do it in my day to day life #the athlete doesn't jog everywhere they go #all im saying is that people with sensory disabilities are at disadvantage to read social clues and the world hates us for it #and. we should consider accommodating that aspect as well.#instead of scrutinizing the brain for something Extra #who knows if id be neurotypical if i had been fully sighted from birth or not but the reality is im not doing so well as it is.#personal

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vaporvipermedia · 2 years

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Just started following cause I'm loving Kei the more and more I see her on my dash (from other folks' reblogs). For the WIP ask prompt: Could I be nosy to see what those 'Halloween Outfits' are/how they're coming along? OvO

Oh, I would be happy to!

Also I appreciate the Kei love, she’s honestly so fun to draw and my favorite oc I made for any fandom ever.

When it comes to this design, I wanted Kei to look like a disgraced victorian detective who failed in multiple cases and now roams the world of the living to actively seek out all the criminals he wasn't able to catch.

Was that description over the top? Yes.

I got a little too extra there💀

BUT YEAH!

I’m also going to be working on my other characters as well when the Halloween event eventually arises from the depths of the EN server.

To list out a few:

Raizel Petal - Heartslabyul Halloween Outfit

Orval Blackwell - Octavinelle Halloween Outfit

And for fandorm related Oc’s

Sullivan Laguna and Kai Ramsey will be in the Piraticus Halloween Outfit

And I might just draw Ermis as well because, not only would he probably love to cause chaos in this entire event to make things hard for Kei. But also because, I HAVEN’T DRAWN HIM IN SO LONG!!!!!! I NEED TO DRAW HIM MORE OFTEN ALONG WITH PHOTIOS AND MALACHI! NOT TO MENTION THEY ALSO NEED REDESIGNS!!!😭😭😭

Ok little rant over thank you so much for the ask💀

[Kei goes by She/He pronouns]

#twisted wonderland #twst oc #oc #twisted oc #my artwork #twst yuu #Kei Yoshihiko #Sullivan Laguna #Kai Ramsey #Raizel Petal #Orval Blackwell #viper answers

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talesofthetigerrr · 1 year

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And it's time for the next part of the event - The Reviewing!!!!

Dear fellow RRR fans,

The 10th of May deadline has passed and we have successfully created a whopping 49 works! What a wonderful job, folks! So proud of y'all!

Now, coming to the next part of the event: we want to promote these lovely fanworks and thank the creators. What way is better than writing a long (positive) comment/review about the creator’s work(s)? Some of you signed up to be reviewers and we ask you to go out and promote the works you liked and give the creators some love. We will try to make sure everyone receives a review.

Some important guidelines for writing your review(s):

These reviews are for promoting the fanworks and to thank the creators for all their hard work. So please positive-only reviews. If you didn’t like a fanwork, that’s okay, but then just review a different work that you did like.

Please feel free to engage with the work(s) as deeply as you like; the more layers the better. It can be from an artistic/literary standpoint or if you just want to appreciate the work and write a love letter to the creator, you can do that too.

For example you could use this simple formula: you could write three things about the work that you love specifically and one thing that you noticed or observed about the style/language/themes/aesthetics of the work that makes it unique or different or even just thought-provoking.

How to post your review(s):

You can write the review on your own Tumblr, with a link to the specific fanwork, and tag us with the event hashtag #TigeRRR2023. We will reblog it.

OR, you can submit the review through the askbox here and we will post it (let us know if you want to be mentioned as the writer of the review or anonymous).

If these methods don't appeal to you, you can also just send us the review as a message here or on Discord and we will post it. All methods are okay with us but the first two are preferable.

Please post your review before May 20 if you can, but this is not a harsh deadline, we just want to make sure the creators get some extra love they deserve.

If you did not sign up to be a reviewer, that's okay too. You can review the works that spoke to you and we would reblog those as well! Just use the hashtag and positive reviews only.

Lastly, the 10th May was the deadline to publish works for the review-part of the event. If you are still working on your pieces, please rest assured that you can post your pieces until the 20th, when the final tally of the works will happen. Of course, if someone wants to review works created between now and the 20th, that would be very welcome. However, the priority of the reviews will be given to works created until the 10th (check the master post with links).

Additionally, the prompts and this event Tumblr will remain active so you can create works using them at any point in the future as well.

Happy creating! Happy reviewing! And well done, people 💖💖💖

#tigerrr2023 #rrr fandom #talesofthetigerrr

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heartshapedwords · 2 years

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Different Recipes II Fezco x Pie Girl

>> Pairing: Fezco x Female Reader >> Plot: Pie girl and Ash bond. Fez meets the parents (or at least the dad). Our lovebirds talk about the future. >> Part 1 II Part 2 >> Warnings: Slight mention of Euphoria typical themes. Mostly just cute fluff. >> A/N: English is not my first language so cut me some slack ;) Comments, reblogs and likes are much appreciated ♥

I swear I had a request about reader and Ash baking a bunch of pies together but I can not find it anymore. So whoever sent it in, thank you! It partially inspired this part. ♥

The soft melody of a 60s folk-rock song echoes through the halls of the diner. While out front they are mostly drowned out by the voices of the patrons, back in her little corner of the expansive kitchen, (Y/N) feels herself get lost in the music for a moment.

Her fingers knead the dough as the pecan Pie in front of her is just waiting to be covered in intricate woven braids of sweet flaky dough.

Life is calm here and safe and quiet.

… that's until her dad's voice speaks up from beside her, a mix of confusion and amusement clouding his words.

"There is a child by the counter asking for the pie girl. A child with face tattoos. "

A smile pulls the corner of her lips upward at her father's words.

"I'm assuming he means you. Which has me a little worried. Why are you hanging out with kids who, I have to mention it again, have actual real face tattoos?"

"He's a good kid, dad," she laughs as she wipes her hands on the yellow frilly apron that's wrapped around her frame. "That's Ash, he's Fezco's brother."

"They name one kind Fezco and give the other a normal name like Ash? What's his full name, like Ashton or Asher or something?"

Another chuckle falls from her lips "or something."

Ash is leaning against the counter, an ever-present scowl on his face. He looks out of place, like he always does except those few fleeting moments in his own home, on his own couch. It fascinates (Y/N) and it also makes a deep sadness settle in the pit of her stomach.

He should be a kid. If only life had ever let him be one.

She sees the same sadness in Fez sometimes. He doesn't talk a lot about his childhood but he doesn't have to. It's in the way he is.

If she can do her tiny little part in making that sadness go away for just a moment, that's all she ever wants to do. For the both of them.

"Look who it is! What's up, Ash. Heard you're asking for me."

"What," he scoffs and regards her with sharp eyes. Always alert even around the people he knows. If he doesn't fully trust you yet, he's always keeping his eyes on you. Ready to strike any minute. "Can I not come around to get some pie or something?"

"I bring you pie every day. What's really up?"

He takes a breath, letting his gaze trail down to the floor. For a second (Y/N) can see a spark of the kid he is, the kid he should be. Bashful and timid and soft. She wishes she could see more of this. Wishes he'd let himself be like this more often.

"Fezco sent me over. I need help with school shit."

"Hope we're not talking about math cause I'm shit at that myself."

"Nah it's nothing like that. I uh -" he stammers then slowly lifts his eyes to look at her shyly through his lashes. "We got this bake sale shit happening tomorrow. I wasn't gonna participate but the money goes to funding some new things around school and whoever helps raise the money gets some extra credit and man I could use some of that. Not that I care 'bout it but uh - Fez does. And I don't want to disappoint him."

This is probably the most she's ever heard Ash talk at once. Like his brother, he is a man of few words. Though where Fez makes em count because he's of the belief that words spoken without meaning are wasted, (Y/N) has the feeling that Ash just can't seem to find the right ones sometimes.

"Ash," she says and rests her arms on the counter across from him. "You're not gonna disappoint him, as long as you try. Fez loves you so much. I can't think of a single thing that would ever make him be disappointed in you. You are his whole world. You know that right?"

He's silent for a moment and she lets him be. She lets him find the words, lets him figure out his own feelings.

And when he's ready he looks back at her and grants her a tiny smile, hardly there but she can see it. "Me n' you now."

She thinks her heart might burst.

"So how many do you need?" She asks Ash as she secures the apron around his frame.

"They didn't give a specific number but the more I bring the more they can sell and maybe that'll earn me some extra points."

"Smart kid," (Y/N) exclaims, which earns her a sour look from the boy. He hates being called a kid, it's partially why she likes saying it so much.

"Well good for you I'm already two pies ahead. So you can have those."

"Nah, I can't do that. You were gonna sell those. I ain't taking away your income."

He's sweet. He's so sweet. She knows he'd hate to hear it but there's such a divine sweetness about this boy who has been so hardened by life. The same sweetness she sees every time she looks into his older brother's eyes.

"No worries. Those weren't for sale anyway. Just me testing out stuff. I would have probably brought them over to your place anyway."

"I see how it is," Ash jokes as his lip pulls up into a cheeky smirk. "We your guinea pigs huh? One of these days you're gonna fucking poison us accidentally."

"You want me to stop bringing you pie?"

"Fuck no!"

"That's what I thought. Now I have a few easy and quick pies in mind we can bake. Kitchen is gonna empty out in a bit as we close early on Thursdays so we'll have the whole place for ourselves. Well, us and my dad and his 60s music."

"Yo I was about to ask, man."

"It'll grow on you."

"I doubt it. But well, thanks for doing this."

She nudges his shoulder with hers before pulling out the ingredients for the first pie.

"No big deal. I do want something in return though."

"Fuck I knew it. What is it? If you want me to hook you up with my brother, that ship has sailed long time ago. Dude's absolutely whipped for you. Like he doesn't talk about anything else but his Sweets."

Though he says it with a sense of annoyance, the smirk on his face cracks the tough exterior. There's a sense of appreciation and approval swinging along with his words. It makes her cheeks grow warm. The fact that Fez is so enchanted by her, and the fact that Ash doesn't think having her around is all that bad. It means the world to her.

"Glad to hear it but no, not that. I want you to tattoo me."

He drops the whisk he previously played around with and regards her with eyes wide in shock. "You want me to what?"

"You did those yourself, right?" (Y/N) questions and points to the ink on his face.

"Yeah…"

"So I know you can do it. I want you to tattoo me."

"Where?"

"Like my ankle maybe, or my wrist."

"What do you want? And don't go telling me you want my brother's name or initials or some shit like that. I ain't doing that. "

The seriousness and determination in his voice make her laugh. He sounds a bit like a father scolding his kid for making stupid decisions, and maybe he's right. Maybe it is stupid and impulsive. But what's life without a few bad decisions and a little chaos?

"I want a sunflower."

"A sunflower?"

"Yeah, just the head, kinda small. But a sunflower. Can you do that?"

He looks at her for a moment, eyes scrunched together in consideration.

"That something to do with Fez? The sunflower?"

She nods bashfully as she thinks back to the night at this very diner where their pining had finally ended and that marked the beginning of something she only ever thought existed in books and movies and songs.

"He gave them to me when we kissed for the first time."

"Okay, fucking cheesy but I'll do it."

“ How very generous of you.”

“ Yo, you better be nice,” Ash laughs and jokingly points his finger in her direction “or I’ll tattoo a dick on you or something.”

“ Hey! I’m helping you. Anyway, enough joking around let's get baking. “

And though he scoffs at her lackluster attempt of sounding like the host of some cheesy baking tv show, Ash still smiles. And making Ash smile is always a win in her books.

“ The fuck. How come you’re so good at this and mine looks like — that? “

Ash looks down at his pie, with his nose scrunched up in disapproval. It’s bumpy and uneven and chaotic but (Y/N) thinks there’s a certain charm to it.

“ I’ve been doing this for years, Ash. This is your first actual pie. We can’t be good at something immediately. “

“ Yeah, I don’t got the patience to learn this though. Don’t think you gonna see me braiding dough at home anytime soon. It’s driving me crazy, why do you like this so much? “ She has to think for a moment. It’s fun, that’s the obvious answer but it goes so much deeper.

“ It makes me feel calm. My head is so chaotic and loud and I overthink everything, all the time. When I bake, I can focus on the recipe and the batter, and the filling. I get some time away from my own intrusive thoughts. I think that is what really makes me love it so much.”

Ash isn’t much of a talker. He’s a listener though, and a good one at that. He noticed the little things, the in-between-the-lines things. Maybe it comes with the job, with the life. Or maybe it’s just the kind of person he is. But whatever it is, he makes for a good listener. And maybe, (Y/N) thinks, being vulnerable with him shows him that it’s okay.

“ Your head gets loud? “

“ Mmmh. “

“ Yeah, mine too. “

“ So what do you do? “

He glances at her from the corner of his eyes then quickly back at the dough “either I get angry and do something stupid or I put on a movie and hang out with Fez. Dude’s so mellow he gets everyone to calm down. “

She wonders if Fez knows just how much Ash adores him. Just how much he means to his little brother. He is so much more than a business partner. He is a brother. A friend. A hero. A dad.

“ Yeah he’s good at that, isn’t he.”

A comfortable silence falls upon them as they continue working on their respective pies before Ash speaks up again.

“ I’m glad he has you. I think — man I dunno how to say it. But Fez never got to have a good thing without worrying about other shit. He’s so busy taking care of grandma and the shop and the drugs and me, don’t think he ever stopped and took care of himself. I try to do it sometimes but it’s hard. ‘s good to have you around. “

She doesn’t know what to say to that. Those words take her heart from her chest and cradle it in soft, gentle waves. To hear anyone say that, but especially Ash, means everything.

“ Now don’t start crying or something. I can’t deal with crying girls. “

“ No?,” (Y/N) laughs trying desperately to keep the tears at bay “ well how you dealin’ with this?”

Before he can react, before he even knows what’s happening, she throws a hand of flour at him, dusting him in the white powder.

“What the fuck? “

“ Oh no, it’s a ghost. We have a ghost in the kitchen. “

“ I’ll show you ghosts”

In a matter of seconds, a flour fight breaks out. All the other cooks are long gone and it’s only the two of them. Running around the room, hiding behind counters while throwing hands full of flour at the other.

Sometimes life feels heavy and exhausting and like all it seeks to do, is push you down and break you. And other times, you feel like this. Other times you run around a kitchen throwing flour, laughing like a little kid, and wondering why life can’t be this way forever. Light and easy and — happy.

It’s already dark out when Fez steps into the diner. Some song he doesn’t recognize plays through the overhead speakers and (Y/N)’s dad sits by the counter writing something down on a notepad.

What really stands out though, what immediately sends a bolt of emotions through his chest, is the laughter ringing through the halls. Ash’s laughter. Sweets’ laughter.

There’s something indescribably powerful about this moment. Something that grabs him and doesn’t let him go. All he’s ever wanted in life was to take care of and protect those he loves most. He’s not sure how good of a job he’s doing but at that moment he thinks he might not be doing too bad. At least not when it comes to Ash and (Y/N).

“ They’ve been goofing around for a while now, not sure they’ll get any pies baked. “

(Y/N)’s dad is looking at Fez with kind eyes and a welcoming smile. It makes Fez feel a little uneasy. Not because he thinks there’s any malice there or that he doesn’t trust her dad. Fez is just not used to this. Parents usually aren’t his biggest fans. They don’t care why he does what he does. They don’t want to hear his reasoning. And this is not just any parent, it’s his girlfriend’s dad. That’s a terrifying situation in the best of cases. And his case has hardly ever been good.

“ Uh, hi. I’m Fezco. “

“ I know who you are. Kid doesn’t stop talking about you. “ her dad laughs as he shakes Fez’s hand. They’ve seen each other before in passing but never like this. Never one on one without anyone around to take away the awkwardness of the whole situation.

"Come sit down, man. Let's have a talk."

He'd rather do anything else than this, but what could he possibly say? No? Never. Sweets loves her parents, especially her dad, and anyway, Fez has been raised better than to disrespect the man who raised the girl he loves most.

He doesn't let himself dream often but sometimes, the very rare times it happens, he sees her. She and him and Ash. A life without drugs, without violence and pain and fear. If that future is to ever become a reality, that will include her parents too, to some extent. As she becomes part of his family, maybe he and Ash can become part of hers too.

Fez feels a wave of anxiety crash upon him as he sits down next to her dad. He seems nice enough but that don't mean shit.

"It's good to properly meet you. Been wondering when we'd finally get to. She's been talking about you non-stop."

Fez can't really believe that. He knows she appreciates him. Knows she's in love with him. But there ain't much he can see in himself that's worth talking about. Especially to her parents. He'd be lying though, if he said it didn't send his heart into a frenzy.

"She has?"

"Oh yeah. She'll kill me if she finds out I'm telling you this though so maybe let's keep it between us."

"Sure thing man, I ain't no snitch."

Her dad takes a sip from his coffee mug, one that says "Best Dad. Decent Boss." and pushes his glasses up a little before turning back towards Fez.

"She said you own a corner store? "

" Yeah. Used to be my grandma's but she got — she got sick. So I'm looking after the store 'n taking care of her."

"You own a store, take care of your sick grandma and raise your brother? "

"Yes, sir."

"All by yourself?"

There is no judgment in his voice. Just surprise. Maybe a little admiration. Respect even. Fez is not used to this but damn if it doesn't feel good.

"Yeah."

Her dad places a warm comforting hand on Fez's shoulder for a second.

"That's admirable. You're doing a good job. You should be proud of yourself. Glad my girl has someone like you."

"I don't know," Fez admits and shrugs his shoulders. "Think she could do better than a high school dropout. Don't think I can give her all she deserves.”

“Hey, Fezco. Man, don’t say stuff like that. You make her happy and that’s all that matters. She doesn’t care about the rest and quite honestly neither do I or her mom. We want her to be happy and that’s what she is. I’ve never seen her this happy before and you play a really big part in that happiness. I know it’s sometimes hard to accept these things when life has been rough. I did not have the best childhood and I made mistakes in my life and it took me a long time to realize that despite everything, I do deserve happiness and I do deserve good things. You’ve been dealt shitty cards, I assume. But hey, you did the best you could. I think you deserve to be proud of that. We’re all just trying to get by even if we don’t all get the same privileges. Same dough, different recipes. “

It means a lot to hear him say that. To hear this man, who knows hardly anything about Fez, tell him to be proud of where he is, of what he accomplished. Not the drugs or the shop even, but himself. Be proud of the man he is. Soft despite life being nothing but rough and ruthless.

“ Yo, that sounds a lot like something Sweets would say.”

“ Oh you live with that girl for a while and you start talking in pie metaphors. You just wait. “

The two of them share a laugh and it’s not just a laugh. It’s a silent agreement. A thank you.

"Hey dad, can you — Fez?"

She's covered in flour as she steps out of the kitchen and into the main room of the diner. Her hair, her face, the front of her apron. Everything is dusted in a coating of white flour. But her smile though. Her smile rivals the sun. It's big and bright and Fez thinks it's truly the best thing he ever had the privilege to look at. He loves this girl.

Fuck, he really loves this girl.

"You fell into the mixing bowl?" Fez asks, a smile taking over his face now too. There's something contagious about her smile, about her happiness. You want to capture it. Hold onto it for yourself. If only for a moment.

"Hah, no. Very funny. Oh god, dad are you interrogating Fez?"

"I'm doing no such thing!" Her dad exclaims and throws his hands up in mock innocence.

"Did he interrogate you?"

"Nah," Fez replies and shakes his head " we was talkin' about you actually."

"Me? Oh god, nothing embarrassing I hope."

"Only the embarrassing shit, Sweets."

Fez and her dad share a laugh at that and though she faces them with a discontent pout, there's a twinkle in her eyes and it lets Fez know that she appreciates him trying to bond with her dad. Maybe there is a future for him and his Sweets after all.

The pies are stored safe and secure in the fridge and Ash is sound asleep in his room. There’s an old movie playing on tv but quite honestly, Fez hasn’t paid attention to it since like 2 minutes in.

He’s too occupied looking at the girl in his arms. She’s resting on his chest, legs tangled with his. She’s wearing his shirt, smelling of his body wash and shampoo. He’s leaving marks on her life, no matter how small they are, and for a man who always felt like a silent observer watching his own life go by, that means everything. To be welcomed into someone else's life so enthusiastically and wholly. It’s a new feeling. It’s a wonderful feeling.

“ Yo, Sweets? “ he softly speaks up as his fingers rub gentle circles into her arm.

“ Hmm? “

“Thanks for helping Ash out. It means a lot. “

“ Oh for sure,” she answers and buries her nose in the fabric of his shirt before placing a quick kiss on his chest. “He’s your family and you’re my man. It’s what a good girlfriend does. “

“Your man, huh? Like the sound of that.”

“ Yeah? Well, you are. Thanks for hanging out with my dad, I know he can be a lot. “

“ Nah,” Fez exclaims and cups her face in his hand. “Your dad’s a good man. “

“ ‘s what he said about you too.”

He still doesn’t fully believe in all of this. In the sentiment of him being a good man. But if they see it in him, who is he to call them a bluff. Maybe they are right. Maybe they see all that life and society and pain ever made him foolishly believe wasn’t there.

“ So he likes me? “

He never cared much about a parent liking him. Then again, there never was a parent to impress as there had never been a girl. Not like her. He’s never felt this deeply for a girl before.

“Yeah, he does. How could he not, Fez? You’re kind and reliable and smart. “

He lets out a mix between a scoff and a chuckle at that.

“Ain’t smart.”

“ Yes, you are! You taught me math, remember? You are so smart. You’re just too humble to admit it.”

Sometimes he still doesn’t know how to respond when she tells him things like this. Not because he doesn’t believe that is what she sees in him, but because there are no words grand enough to really express what it means to him to hear her say that.

So he kisses her instead and hopes she can feel all he wants to say in his kiss.

“And you’re a pretty great kisser too, by the way, “ she mumbles against his lips as she pulls away slightly.

“Ah yeah bet that is why your dad likes me.”

“Totally. That must be what sold him.”

The two descend into a fit of giggles and Fez lets himself dream again. Of more nights like this where his heart feels light and he gets to be silly and careless and free. With his girl. His family.

“I’m glad he likes me, ya know. Wanna meet your mom too. “

“You do? “

“Yeah, feel like it’s the right thing to do. ‘n I wanna do right by you. Think if we have a future, then that’s the next step, right? “

She looks up at him with those damn eyes. The ones that he’s sure hold every answer to every question on earth. The ones that can cause wars and end them. The eyes that are home to him.

“You think so? “

“Think what?”

“That we have a future.”

“ Yeah for sure. I like to think so. Ain’t much sense in doing this if I didn’t think we had one. ‘s what I want for sure.”

She places soft little kisses up and down his neck and on his cheek. Everything feels so light. Like this is what life is meant to be. No pain. No fear. No guilt. Just softness and hearts full of joy.

“ You think about it often? The future I mean. “

“ All the time, Sweets. All the fucking time. “

“ So what do you see? “

He shrugs his shoulder and if he were to look at himself right now, Fez is sure he’s blushing. Never has he told anyone about those dreams before. About all he wants his future to be. Sharing those ideas, those dreams, makes them feel a little more real. Makes him scared that life will throw some more shit his way and take them from him. Sheltering them in his heart was safe, secure. But some dreams, he thinks, might be worth sharing. At least with her.

“ Dunno. You’ll take over the diner, that’s for sure. I’ll sell the shop, take the money to buy a little farmhouse outside of the city. Grow some fruits, strawberries and apples, and shit. We can even have cows and chickens. Then you can use the milk and eggs and fruit to make your pies. I’ll be done with the drugs. Sometime along the way we get married for sure. Have a few kids. “

“ Can we have a dog? “

“ One? We can have a bunch of dogs. Cats too. Ash will have a little house next to us for when he finds someone and starts a family. And we’ll be one chaotic bunch but we’ll be good. Life will be good. “

She covers his face in kisses. Sweet and gentle like her. His eyelids, his cheeks, his nose. And then she kisses his lips and though she says not a single word, he can feel everything she wants to say. Sometimes a kiss is so much more than a kiss.

“ That sound good? “

“ That sounds pretty amazing. Marriage and kids, huh? Very traditional.”

“ I’m all about the fairytale romance, baby. You know it.”

And as she lays her head back to rest above his chest, and her fingers lazily play with his, a thought sparks in Fez’s head and lights up his mind like a sparkler in a dark new year's night.

“ Hey, Sweets? “ he says, voice shaking slightly with anxiety.

“ Hmm? “ she murmurs into his shirt.

“D’you wanna move in with us?”

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alextwdgf01 · 2 years

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book-of-baba-fett · 3 years

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Illicit Affairs - Chapter 5

2 months after being rescued from the island, the 501st has leave on Coruscant when a mission takes them undercover in a familiar setting. Misunderstandings and timing drove Rex and Talia apart, each doubting what had happened with the other, but now they're forced to see each other again.

Captain Rex x Ofc

Chapter Rating: E for Explicit (18+)

Warnings: Alcohol, drinking to repress feelings, canon-typical violence, Angst (lots of self doubt and yearning in this one folks), creep at a bar, fingering, PiV, cumming on someone (not sure what the best wording is but yeah)

A/n: Sorry, this is a really long one y'all, but it didn't make sense to split up (I didn't want y'all to wait for more of the smut). The next chapter will probably be very short for spacing. See if you can count all the unnamed cameos in this chapter. As always, reblogs/comments/anon asks are so appreciated! And my ever-growing gratitude to @galacticgraffiti for being my beta-reader!

Ao3 Link:

Updated: 2/12/2024

Previous Chapter

Series Masterlist

Mando'a:

Haar'chak: Dammit

Vod: brother

Rangir: To Hell With It

Coruscant – 20 BBY

“Thank you for gathering at such short notice, men.” General Kenobi said, gesturing to the group of clones filling the small briefing room of the Republic base on Coruscant. Rex had been in the mess with Jesse, Fives, and Kix when Cody commed him telling him to pick three men for a special assignment, and their proximity to the Captain made them an easy choice. Cody hadn’t given any details yet, but he was confident they could handle anything thrown at them, and ever since the mission the ended with them crash landing on the island Rex was sure to always have a medic around.

The island…

Rex took a large gulp of his caf as he steered his thoughts back to the briefing. That was almost two months ago, and he hadn’t seen Talia since then. He couldn’t dwell on it anymore. Rex felt Ahsoka’s gaze on him and cursed at himself as he focused on what Kenobi was saying; Ahsoka had admitted to him once that she wasn’t skilled enough with the Force to truly sense a person’s thoughts but sometimes the young Togruta’s probing gaze felt like she knew everything that was passing in and out of his head. It was really just familiarity and came in handy in combat, but when Rex was more distracted the last thing he would want was Ahsoka or Anakin knowing what was distracting him.

Rex, Fives, Jesse, Kix, and Cody stood around a round holotable, fully armored apart from helmets at their hips. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood across the table from them , with Ahsoka in the middle.

“We intercepted some comm chatter this morning, “ Anakin started, his arms crossed over his chest. “A decent group of bounty hunters have collected on the planet, all after the same target with a high bounty. We picked it up too late to identify their target, but we know where they’ll be staking out tonight. This is where you boys come in; normally this is something the Jedi could handle on our own, but with the location we could benefit from your help.”

Anakn clicked a side of the holotable and a display of buildings formed; even in the blue light the landscape was familiar to the men looking at it.

“79’s?” Fives asked as his brow creased, “What target would be heading to a clone bar?”

“Sadly, the chatter we picked up was incomplete; we don’t know who they’re looking for,” Obi-Wan explained, rubbing his chin. “All we know is, according to our info, the target will be at 79’s tonight; we don’t know what species, age, gender they are or who’s put the bounty on them. Just that they’re wanted alive.”

“I know this isn’t the way you boys wanted to go out tonight,” Cody said, facing his four brothers. “But if the Jedi go alone, that would be too obvious. Them tagging along with us, gives an extra few eyes to figure out what’s going on.”

“Normally we wouldn’t be so involved with the underworld,” Obi-Wan continued, “but some of the hunters responding to this hit are dangerous and wanted by the Republic; Cad Bane is one of the hunters expected to show up and this could be an opportunity to bring him in.”

“With that hat, he shouldn’t be too difficult to spot,” Ahsoka mumbled out the corner of her lips to a smirking Anakin.

“Anakin and I will join you men in the bar, while Ahsoka keeps a lookout outside,” Obi-Wan said, ignoring the annoyed huff next to him. “Don’t spread this information outside of this group; the purpose is to blend in and catch the hunters and figure out who they’re after that they would be so bold on the upper levels of Coruscant.”

“Understood, Sir,” Rex nodded, gesturing to the men beside him. “We’ll take down those bounty hunters before they can cause too much trouble.” Obi-Wan nodded at the clones in front of him before leaving the room, Cody nodded at Rex and quickly followed his General out.

Anakin strutted out, Ahsoka close at his side, as he clamped Rex on the shoulder and said, “Sorry to take away your night off, boys.”

“I have a feeling it will still be an interesting night,” Fives replied, shrugging his shoulders as the group exited the briefing room. “Just curious about who the target is they’re after; 79’s isn’t known for its diverse clientele.”

“Couldn’t be a clone, could it?” Kix asked, his brows furrowed in thought.

“I don’t think anything is out of the question at this point,” Rex grumbled as they strode down the durasteel hallways of the base. “We’ll have to keep our wits about us and our heads clear. No distractions tonight.” With the last part he glanced over his shoulder at Jesse and Fives behind him, both of whom rolled their eyes.

“At least you guys will be occupied; I just get to stand watch outside all night,” Ahsoka mumbled bitterly. Fives let out a chuckle as he elbowed the Jedi next to him.

“Don’t worry, kid, we’ll sneak you in another time,” Fives teased, earning a glare from Anakin, Rex, and Kix. Jesse huffed a laugh, only to be cut off with a slap in his armor from Kix. Fives quickly held his hands up in resignation, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding; I’m not trying to help her into the bar!"

Rex sighed and shook his head, continuing to walk to his quarters to prepare for the mission when he heard Fives whisper, “Seriously, we’ll figure it out another time."

They arrived early in the night but 79’s was already lively; the bass was pumping with bodies filling the dance floor, loud voices shouting, and the air thick with a haze of strobe lights. As expected, the majority of the crowd was filled with clones but there were few other races of sentients gathering in the two-level club for a night out. Cody and Obi-Wan had gotten there first, sequestering a large booth for the men to sit at; they were situated in a corner of the club where they could easily survey the crowd for anything out of the ordinary. They crowded in, Rex sitting at the edge, his eyes narrowing at a large open bottle in the center.

“It’s just water in a vodka bottle,” Cody explained, reading Rex’s gaze as he slid into the booth. “Figured it would look too odd if we just sat around here with nothing all night.”

“Good call,” Rex smirked at his brother, pouring a ‘shot’ and downing it. They leaned back, taking in the packed dance floor and lines of patrons around the bar; what had seemed like a straightforward mission turned out to be more complicated in practice. Even though 79’s was filled with mostly clones, there were more natborns than normal tonight; something that usually boded ill in the clone establishment, in Rex’s experience. Women were usually fine since they were just looking for a fun night out and hoping to meet some clones, and while there were natborn men who came in for similar reasons without causing problems, the straight ones usually just made the women uncomfortable and tried picking fights with the clones.

Rex’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the crowd, trying to recognize the faces of any potential bounty hunters that he had studied before leaving base. Cody and Obi-Wan left the booth briefly after to patrol the bar, trying to get a better glance around as the crowd filled in. Anakin sat at ease, striking a conversation with Jesse and Kix that Rex couldn’t hear over the noise in the club. Fives sat on Rex’s left, lounging back in the booth as he swirled the water in his glass, brows furrowed as he scanned the bar. Rex leaned back, preparing for a long night of waiting when something caught his eye that made him wish the drink in his hand was stronger.

She walked in wearing an emerald, satin slip dress that hit midway on her thighs, sporting gold heels that showed off her legs; the dress itself wasn’t scandalous but it draped along her curves in a way that caught Rex’s breath. Her blonde hair draped in loose curls just below her shoulders, her lips were painted red and curved in a smile as she spoke with a brown-skinned girl with auburn, braided locks wearing striped high-waisted pants and a halter top. Her other companion was a Chalactan girl with shiny, raven hair flowing down her back, wearing a cream dress. She stood in between her friends, who Rex didn’t recognize as Jedi. Her head turned away from her friend, a smile still lighting her face until her eyes widened as they locked with Rex’s.

Talia.

Rex knew he should have averted his gaze, but he couldn’t break it, it felt like he was locked in place. He leaned onto the table with his elbow, his hand rubbing along his chin, goosebumps forming on his skin as his thumb dragged over the raised skin of the scar, remembering the ghost of her lips along it. Next to him Fives caught Rex’s tenseness and raised his brows at his brother, then followed his eyeline and let out a low whistle.

“She cleans up well, doesn’t she?” Fives smirked at Rex who stayed tense next to him, his jaw clenched now in irritation. Rex caught Anakin’s eyes as he finally tore his sight from Talia, only to see the male Jedi wearing an amused expression as he cocked a brow at Rex. Rex forced a cough and straightened himself out. Fives was still fixing him with a shit-eating smirk and Rex cut him off before he could make another stupid remark.

“I didn’t realize General Riva was on this assignment too?” Rex directed at Anakin, trying to mask the curiosity in his voice.

Anakin frowned, his eyes narrowing in the direction Talia stood, “She’s not, at least she’s not supposed to be.” Before Rex could follow up with another question, out of the corner of his eyes he caught Talia’s friend with the auburn hair elbow Talia and tilt her head in the direction of the booth. Talia exhaled, ran her fingers through her hair and nodded at the friend before stepping in the direction of the booth.

“Hi there,” Talia called out as she approached, a half a smile on her lips as she fidgeted with the strap of the gold purse worn in a long strap over her shoulder. Fives, Jesse, and Kix shot her big smiles as they greeted her; Anakin merely nodded, still sporting his narrowed gaze but his face less tense. Rex didn’t react, not that it would have mattered because Talia’s pointed gaze seemed to be avoiding him. She tilted her head at the now half empty ‘vodka’ bottle in front of them, “I see you boys are already having fun.”

“Come on in, we have more room!” Jesse waved at her, earning a step on the foot from Kix. Talia raised a brow at him when he grunted but chose to ignore it when the auburn-haired friend cleared her throat.

“Sorry, where are my manners; this is my friend Zahara, she’s an aide in the Chancellor’s office,” Talia said, gesturing to the girl with brown skin and auburn hair who shot the men with a dazzling smile. Talia then waved her hand to the Chalactan, “ And you might know her already, but this is Agastya, she’s a nurse and she sometimes picks up shifts at the base.”

Agastya lifted a hand in a small wave; Rex couldn’t help but notice the way Kix’s cheeks flushed as he smiled at the nurse. Smirking to himself, he allowed himself a glance back to Talia’s face as she listened to her friends chatting with the table. Her hair wasn’t the only change in her appearance; barely noticeable in the dim light of the bar was a light, thin scar starting from the inner corner of her eye diagonally across her nose. She wore winged eyeliner around her eyes; Rex wondered if she did it to distract from the new scar. Talia’s gaze darted to Rex briefly, just to lower them in a hurry once she locked eyes with him.

“Well, we won’t take up more of your time,” she abruptly said, tugging at Zahara’s arm as she protested. Agastya shot Talia a curious glance then furrowed her brows in Rex’s direction, but she didn’t say anything. Talia saluted the men with two fingers to say goodbye, then turned and Rex could hear her say, “I need a damn drink.”

If she had hoped for a quick route to the bar, her hopes were in vain as Cody and Obi-Wan were in her path, the latter of whom stopped her to chat. Talia fidgeted with her dress but kept a smile on her face as she introduced her friends to the Jedi and the Commander. Obi-Wan patted her on the shoulder and turned to return to the table; Talia bolted to the bar with her friends in tow, both casting very confused glances as she ordered a round of shots, just for Talia to down hers instantly and order another drink.

Cody and Obi-Wan strolled back to the table, sliding to the booth. “Did you all see Talia? Charming girl,” Obi-Wan said as he poured himself a glass of water.

“Yeah, I didn’t know she was tagging along on this,” Anakin said bluntly. Rex suddenly remembered the annoyance Anakin had shown that night so long ago on Naboo when Talia had shown up unexpectedly, Anakin must still have a sore spot with the council over that.

“She’s not,” Obi-Wan said, shaking his head with a small frown. “Seems to be just enjoying a night out.”

“I thought the 412th was stationed near Sullust?” Rex asked Cody, keeping his tone level as he probed for information.

“They are, well what’s left of them is anyway,” Cody stated grimly. All the men at the table silenced, a particularly tired look growing on Obi-Wan’s face; an expression that formed frequently when anything related to the renegade Sith Maul. Talia and the 412th had been on a relief mission when Maul and his brother, Savage Opress, attacked. Some of her men had evacuated villagers to the Republic Cruiser, but anyone who couldn’t make it to the dropships in time was massacred. Talia had been able to hold them off temporarily, but her skills were no match for the former Sith Lord; by the time Obi-Wan and the 212th got there to aid them, Maul had been gone, and Talia was lucky to be alive. Rex realized the scar she bore must have been from the battle.

“The council felt like Talia needed a break from command after her losses, she seemed to be taking a lot of them personally,” Obi-Wan said, a pit forming in Rex’s stomach as she remembered Talia and his conversation on the beach. “She went on a few undercover missions, but she still seemed distracted, so they’ve had her stationed here on Coruscant for a few weeks now.”

“She deserves a break,” Anakin said grimly.

“You’re right, she does,” Obi-Wan nodded sagely. His brows furrowed in thought before he continued, “Her friend…she said she was an aide in the Chancellor’s office?”

“She did…wait, you don’t think-“ Anakain started, his brows furrowing.

“That she could be the target? Possibly,” Obi-Wan said, looking at Talia’s group at the bar; Talia was already ordering another drink. “They could be looking for information, or a way to get into the office; it wouldn’t be the first time in this war the Separatist hire bounty hunters, and a group of them have already found their way into the Senate once.”

A few rounds of fake vodka later, the group split up around the bar; Anakin thought he recognized a Zabrak bounty hunter sitting near the bar, so he sent Jesse closer to scope her out while Anakin paced the upper level of the bar. Troops from the 212th kept coming up to Cody and he couldn’t purposefully ignore his men, so he left to stand at a high rise table with them, his eyes darting around the bar frequently. Obi-Wan was off, saying he was just keeping a look out but Rex had a feeling he was off in a corner of the bar ordering something besides water. Kix, Fives, and Rex were the ones holding down the booth; Rex leaned back, one of his hands resting on the back of the cushions as he surveyed the crowd again, only for his gaze to linger on Talia once more. Her and her friends had camped out at the bar, ordering more shots as the night went on. Talia tilted her head back, laughing at something Zahara said, and Rex felt a pang in his chest when he remembered what had happened to her at the hands of Maul; how could someone go through hell and put on such a happy face?

Zahara and Agastya said something to Talia before leaving as she waved them off. She turned to face the bartender, signaling for another round as a Weequay man occupied the empty stools next to her. The man leaned close to Talia, saying something that had her tense. Rex’s fists clenched, but he didn’t have to do anything because whatever Talia said to the man made him scowl and scoot down a few spaces at the bar.

“Look, if you don’t get off your ass and talk to her; I will,” Fives nudged Rex, fixing his brother with a set of raised eyebrows. Rex tossed a glare at Fives, heat rushing to his face as he shook his head. He looked back at Talia alone at the bar, her foot rapidly tapping on the floor as she sucked down her drink. Rex wanted nothing more than to stand up, take the seat next to her, and make her laugh like how she had done with her friend a few moments before. But as he remembered where he was and how they had left things when he last saw her, doubt creeped into his gut.

“I..I can’t,” Rex sighed, rubbing his hand over his head.

Fives shrugged, stood in the booth and slid out, “Your loss then.”

Talia needed to slow down; this gin and tonic was, what, her fourth, maybe fifth? And then there were the shots – it was never good to mix liquor that much but her head and heart had been pounding since she entered the club. 79’s was possibly on the lowest of the list of places she wanted to go, but Zahara had been going on all week about how she wanted it to be the place they went for her birthday, so Talia had to give in to her friend. Not that she didn’t like the clone bar; she was one of the few Jedi who actually went there ever since some of her troops had invited her early on in the war and she always had a good time relaxing with the boys. She knew the 501st had been planet side for the first time in a while, so she had been expecting to see a few of the boys in blue out, but she had talked herself down from her anxiety, thinking how Rex was probably busy so he probably wouldn’t make an appearance tonight. Sometimes she felt like she was a punching bag for the Force’s sense of humor.

When she caught his gaze walking into the club it was like the air had been sucked out of her lungs; his intense stare lingering on her numbed all the thoughts in her brain and it was just her luck that Zahara noticed something was up and wanted to meet the clones at the table she caught Talia staring at. Talia couldn’t bear the heat radiating off him and felt like a coward when she couldn’t meet his eyes, but in the moment her eyes flicked to his she felt that familiar surge of electricity and the pang of hurt in her gut that she thought she had moved past. What had she done wrong?

The music in the bar echoed in her mind as she watched the clones around the bar use a night off to escape the war; she huffed in annoyance as she felt caged by the one thing she wanted to get away from. Goosebumps prickled on her neck and she was sure eyes still lingered on her, but she couldn’t risk another glance back; that would just humiliate her even further. Even now she could still feel his hands on her skin, his lips a phantom presence still lingering on her, the way he had looked at her full of desire burned into her brain and words of how much he wanted her repeated in her head; but if he had wanted her, why had he switched so suddenly the next day, turning from an adoring lover to an indifferent stranger within minutes? Not even just that that had been moments before; Rex had always been kind and, dare she assume, a friend to her, but once the dropship arrived to pick them up he had acted like she wasn’t even there. The bitterness of rejection brewed in her stomach, because that was the only explanation for it; they’d had one good fuck and that had been enough to satisfy him. And she couldn’t fault him for that necessarily, even if it hurt. No, more than the confusion plaguing her mind she was frustrated with her own resolve.

Taking another gulp of her drink, she cursed herself for how weeks of meditation were thrown out the window; she shouldn’t be feeling this way. She should be just as aloof and indifferent, able to regard it like the quick fling it actually was instead of repeating it every night before she went to bed. She was a Jedi for kark’s sake; she had trained her whole life to not form attachments.

Oh, for kark’s sake don’t go saying you’re attached, she cursed herself, that’ll just make you feel more pathetic.

It was just a one-time thing, she could and should accept that. Kriff, her first time had been a one-night stand, and she hadn’t been as internally wrecked as she was now. She at least had the excuse of the lingering effects of her fight with Maul and Savage to make the council believe that was the reason why she was off; not that that was helping her restless mind. She could barely close her eyes without seeing the red and black tattooed face of Maul imprinted in her vision, and the only thing she could think of for comfort was bare backs lying beneath the sun and tender kisses brushing along scarred skin.

She finished her drink and slammed it on the counter, catching the sulking Weequay man she had rejected a few minutes ago out of the corner of her eye. Talia couldn’t help but chuckle at the guy who thought he could pick up women in a clone bar; if women were coming here to get laid they pretty much had a type.

“Could you use some company?” a familiar voice drawled in her ear. Talia rolled her eyes as she turned to face Fives, who fixed her with a smug glance as he leaned over the bar next to her.

“Not really, but I could use another drink,” Talia cocked a brow at the ARC Trooper who waved his hand at the bartender, ordering another round for the Jedi. When the drink came he slid it into Talia’s hands as she furrowed her brow at him.

“What, nothing for yourself?” She asked, pouring back the drink.

“Oh, uh no, “ he stuttered, turning around at the bar so both his elbows rested on the counter as his front faced the dance floor behind Talia, his head still tilting down to look at her. “I pre-gamed a little too hard at base and I want to make sure I last the night.”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded, not really convinced. She took another gulp of her drink, draining the contents as she set it on the counter.

“Woah, slow down there,” he mocked, a light laugh escaping but a glimpse of concern in his eyes.

Talia shrugged, “It’s my night off; I can have fun sometimes, you know.”

“Oh, I do know,” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her with trouble glinting in his amber irises, earning a light slap on his armored shoulder. That struck Talia as odd too, normally Fives would forgo the top half of his kit when at the bars. Now that she thought of it; their entire table was fully suited and armed…

“Ok, what are you guys up to tonight?” She bluntly asked.

“Nothing, just a night out with the boys!” he waved her off with a nervous shrug. At her intense stare he fumbled, explaining about the plot with the bounty hunters and their mysterious target.

“And Master Kenobi thinks it could be Zahara?”

“Possibly, we just don’t have any other leads yet,” he said. Talia pursed her lips in doubt, sure Zahara had more access to the Chancellor than the average citizen, but sending bounty hunters after her was a stretch.

“How about a dance,” Fives cut across her thoughts.

“I can’t dance,” she scoffed.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re not that bad,” he stood up, offering a hand out to her with a sly smile. She rolled her eyes at his cheesiness, but grabbed his hand, adjusting her dress as she leaned up.

“Oh, so you’ll go for a clone, huh?” The surly weequay called out, a sour expression on his face. Fives scowled and opened his mouth to say something when Talia pressed a hand on his chest and turned her head to face the man.

“What can I say; they have a pretty face,” she grabbed Fives’ hand and dragged him to the dance floor.

Surrounded by clones and other dancers, Talia shuffled her feet clumsily, trying to stay in rhythm as she was bumped and prodded by people around her; she hadn’t realized how crowded it had gotten. After standing still for too long the alcohol seemed to hit her system suddenly, her legs like jelly and her visions whirring under the strobing lights. Fives grabbed hold of her hands to steady her as she swayed off beat.

“Ok, you weren’t kidding; you suck at dancing,” he chuckled slowly as he leaned into her ear. He swung her hands slowly to the beat, a grin holding on his face as he moved her with him; “You gotta relax. Here, let me show you how.”

His hands swayed with hers, his hips hitting every beat of the song and making Talia giggle as Fives winked at her. Once she relaxed, she felt more at ease and let loose a bit more; her hips shimmying with the song as the alcohol helped lower her inhibitions too.

With a devilish grin Fives twirled her and pulled her back against his chest. His hand resting firmly on her hips, a presence guiding her to the beat. The bumping beat drove them, swaying together, the plastoid of his codpiece slightly grinding into her as she pushed back against him. Talia’s eyes fluttered shut as she surrendered to the music, leaning her head back over Fives’ armored chest, it was uncomfortable with his pauldron on, but in her tipsy state she didn’t care. His breath fanned hot along her neck as his lips kept a hair length away from her skin. She lost herself in the music, rolling her hips back against Fives as he slowly groaned from the pressure on his codpiece. Her eyes fluttered open, the lazy smile that was on her lips froze as her body tensed.

Rex was leaning back and spread wide in the booth, one arm resting along the top edge and the other harshly gripping the glass on the table in front of him so hard Talia could swear it was about to break. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes narrowed as he watched Talia and Fives. Talia could feel his glare like pinpoints into her skin. Her cheeks hot, she quickly flipped around to face Fives, unable to hold the heat coming from Rex any longer. Fives’s eyes rounded at her in concern, but when he looked over her shoulder, understanding dawned on his face before he leaned low to whisper into Talia’s ear.

“I wanted to see if we could make Rex jealous, but now I feel a little bad.” Talia leaned back, shooting Fives a confused glance. He shook his head in exasperation at her, a cheeky grin growing on his face, “Oh come on, Tal; the man has had a crush on you for ages.”

Talia’s movements slowed as doubt creeped back into her gut; there’s no way that could be true when he had been so cold with her. But you know how he acted with you before. And had she made him jealous by dancing with Fives? The thought somehow thrilled her, thinking she had that power. But then irritation flamed at Fives for getting her hopes up. Shaking her head out to ignore the debate of mixed feelings going on in her mind she tried to get back into the dance but now she was more aware of the set of eyes on her back.

“I must confess, I have an ulterior motive for asking you to dance,” Fives hummed into Talia’s ear. Talia tensed, having a good idea at what he meant by an ‘ulterior motive’ but was surprised when Fives continued, “I was actually hoping you could give me a better introduction to your friend, Zahara.”

Fives tilted his head to their right, where a few groups over Zahara and Agastya were dancing with each other; he smiled bashfully at Talia as she tilted her head back in laughter but ultimately nodded and grabbed Fives arm to bring him over to her friends. Both girls waved over, large grins on their faces as they welcomed Talia and Fives into their circle; Zahara’s eyes had a particular sparkle in them as she slid next to Fives to dance. They danced from one song to the next, a few clones Talia knew joining occasionally to say ‘hello’.; a particularly confident shiny caught Agastya’s attention and she was dancing with him while Fives and Zahara were growing very comfortable with each other. Talia swayed with the music, trying to ignore how much she wanted someone to join her when her treacherous eyes glanced his way to see Rex leaned dover in his booth, in conversation with Anakin, but his eyes were still on Talia.

The room was spinning and suddenly out of air; she didn’t want to be on this dancefloor anymore. Voicing an excuse to her friends, she made her way to the exit, clumsily shrugging past dancers on the floor.

Rex couldn’t help but watch Talia on the dance floor; the way her dress hugged her curves and the way she moved with the music made it impossible for him to tear his eyes away even as Anakin tried to drive the conversation next to him. Rex selfishly admitted he was relieved when Fivess started to dance with Talia’s friend; Rex had almost jumped out of the booth when he saw his vod’s hands all over the body that Rex wanted to claim for himself.

Haar’chak, you know she’s not yours, Rex admonished himself. She probably wants his hands more than she wants yours. But Rex couldn’t fully believe that…Hell, it didn’t matter what Rex believed, there was nowhere to go further.

Talia’s head flipped around as she danced, her eyes briefly meeting him and the smile on her face faded; punching Rex’s gut in the process. She left her friends in a hurry, and Rex was resigned to wait at the table when his eyes caught the Weequay man who had come up to Talia at the bar slam down a drink before sauntering out of the bar behind her.

Rex was vaguely aware of Anakin calling his name as he stood up and strode after them. He pushed his way through the crowd and out the doors of 79s; the landing platform had a few lingering tropes and natborns milling about smoking death sticks, but it wasn’t crowded. A flash of emerald green caught his eyes to his left and he saw Talia, the Weequay a few yards behind her.

“Hey, bitch!” the man slurred reaching his arms to grab Talia at her shoulder. Anger flared in Rex’s veins as his pace quickened to pummel that scum into the dirt, but Talia was quicker.

She stepped on the man's foot with her heel, then grabbed his arm and flipped him over her roughly; his body slamming flat into the ground. The nearby clones cheered, whistling at Talia as she stood victorious over the stunned man. She stepped on his chest and practically growled, “Get the fuck out of here.”

The man scrambled from under her feet, crawling away before finding his footing and sprinting off into the city. Talia shook herself out, her breathing slightly heavier when she turned back and froze, seeing Rex right behind her.

Talia’s heart was still pounding from the creep, but it didn’t calm when she saw Rex there, his fists clenched as if he were prepared to dive into action. They stood there staring at each other, Rex shifting from one foot to the other and Talia crossing her arms in front of her.

“That was pretty impressive,” Rex broke the silence, a hand coming up to rub the back of his head.

“Thanks,” Talia said, her gaze lowering and rising again. The tension still layered thickly around them; the other clones outside were already focusing on their own groups and ignoring their brother and the Jedi standing feet apart from each other.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, no,” Talia waved off Rex’s concern, his gaze softening as he nodded, but his feet seemed planted into the ground because he didn’t leave. “I just wanted some air.”

Rex nodded, turning his body as if he were about to step away, but his feet stayed planted on the ground.

“Any luck on the bounty hunters?” Talia asked, Rex’s head snapped back to her, confusion scrunching his face. “Fives told me.”

Rex snorted, his voice gruff, “Yeah, I’m sure he had a lot of time to fill you in.”

Talia’s jaw dropped as her temper flared. “Excuse me?”

“You two were getting pretty close in there.”

“You have no right to judge me.” She turned on her heels and stormed off towards an alley, aware of the heavy boots stomping behind her. She flipped around to Rex’s stunned face as she jabbed a finger into the plastoid of his armor. “You don’t get to act like you give a shit what I do when you’ve been avoiding me.”

“Me, avoiding you?” Rex huffed, his eyes practically popping out. He took a step towards Talia, her back getting closer to the wall of the building behind her. “You haven’t been able to look me in the eye all night, and when you do, you run off!”

“Well, I’m just returning the behavior you started back when we left the island,” she retorted, glaring at him. She tried to hold in the frustration she felt. Rex’s exasperated expression faded as he cursed under his breath, wiping his hand over his face. “What happened Rex? I didn’t expect anything from you, but you can’t just sleep with someone and ignore them the next second. Was it some bet between you and the boys? See who could fuck the Jedi? Bet you won a lot of credits.”

Pain flickered in Rex’s darkened gaze. “I would never disrespect you like that.”

Talia’s shoulders relaxed, unable to hold her anger in the honesty pouring out of him. “Then what was it? Again, you didn’t owe me anything, but I thought we were friends at least, if I had known…well if I thought we would ruin our friendship I wouldn’t have risked it.”

Rex shook his head, staring out at the entrance to the alley to make sure no one was approaching. “I just…I heard about you and Fives,” he blurted out.

“Me and Fives?” At Rex’s nod, Talia cursed, rubbing her temple in her hands. “What the fuck did he tell you?”

“That you hooked up.”

“Oh, he left it that vague?” Talia huffed. Rex cocked a brow at her, so she explained, “Fives and I made out; that’s it. He had been going around 79’s all night, boasting about how he was promoted and deserved a kiss. When he got to me, I was the only girl who he hadn’t kissed yet in the club, and I admit I had a bit to drink so I was a bit overenthusiastic, but that was it. At the most he maybe felt my ass up a bit.”

“Oh,” Rex said flatly, his feet shuffling. “So, there’s nothing going on between you?”

“No,” Talia answered, a light chuckle escaping her lips now. “Is that what this was all about?”

Rex didn’t answer, he just rested his hands along the edge of his utility belt and stared at Talia. He nodded at her then shifted his feet as if he was about to leave.

“Fives said something curious while we were dancing,” Talia said. Rex paused and tilted his head back at Talia. “He said he was doing it to make you jealous, any idea what that meant?”

His tongue against his cheek and his hands flexing, Rex raised his eyes and fixed Talia with a harsh stare, “You know what it meant.”

“No, I really don’t.” Talia’s heart pounded in her head as her cheeks flushed. Rex shook his head at her and started to step back.

“We can’t have this conversation.”

“Rex, we need to!” Talia grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Look, I would get it if it was just done out of boredom or needing a quick release, but Rex I felt how much you wanted it. Wanted me. You said you had been wanting it for a while; I saw the honesty in your eyes as you told me so. If you can look me in the eye and tell me that it was just a one-time thing I’ll respect that; but I think you feel something more because I know I do. And hells, I’m not supposed to and I don’t know what it is but I feel it.”

“Talia I…of course I felt something,” Rex sighed, stepping closer to her. “I meant it when I said I wanted you, dammit, I’ve wanted you from the moment I met you. But we should have never let it go that far; I should have controlled myself better.”

“What if we forgot about what we should do and just did what we wanted to?” Her eyes pleaded with him, she hesitantly brought a hand to his face, cupping his cheek as he nuzzled into it, fine stubble grazing against her palm. He stepped closer to her, his hand resting her waist as he crowded her into the wall, towering over her as his head leaned down and rested his forehead on hers. His eyes fluttered closed, and Talia took in the warmth radiating off him, a warmth that seeped into her own body as she enveloped him. The faint fresh scent of GAR soap mingled with hints of caf lingering on him as he pressed closer, his lips oh so close to meeting hers. His eyes opened to meet hers, the same want and pining she felt mirrored in his amber. But the heat in his eyes clouded as they dropped their hold on her.

“I can’t.” Rex’s words fanned against her lips, his hand releasing from her waist when he straightened. Tears brimming in the corners of her eyes and a hole burning in her chest, Talia lowered her head as she crossed her arms, building up every wall she could muster.

“We should go back inside before anyone wonders where we are,” she mumbled, staring at her toes in her shoes. “You should go ahead of me, and I’ll follow in a minute, wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, right?”

She raised her head and fixed him with a forced grin. Rex stood in front of her for a moment, lips pressed together and a flush creeping on his neck. He furrowed his brow, cursed under his breath, and walked away towards the alley entrance before halting his steps to turn his head over his shoulder and said, “You look really pretty,” before leaving her in the alley.

She leaned back against the wall as tears trailed down her face, trying to breathe deeply to calm herself. She felt like she had been punched in the gut; he said he wanted her, but it still wasn’t enough, she wasn’t enough.

Wiping away her tears, praying that her makeup wasn’t smudged, she collected herself and paced out of the alley. She took a deep breath before stepping in the direction of 79’s, but was lurched back as a large, scaly hand covered her mouth with a cloth. A tall, green Trandoshan gripped her from behind and dragged her backwards, his pointed tongue slipping out near her cheek as he grunted while she struggled. Before she could land her elbow in his gut, her muscles grew heavy, and her vision quickly blurred before fading to black.

Rex strode back into 79’s, guilt taking him over as he beelined for the bar; damn the mission, he needed a drink. The hurt look on Talia’s face burned into his mind, he didn’t want to do it but it was better for both of them in the long run; she deserved better than him.

As the bartender slipped him a whiskey, his comm went off.

“I need backup outside now,” Ahsoka’s voice rang out. “They have the target…it was Talia.”

Rex dropped the glass in his hand and sprinted out from the bar, out of the corner of his eyes he saw the others behind him. Pushing past clones, he exited 79’s and was back in the cool night air as blaster fire sounded off.

Ahsoka had both her green blades ignited, reflecting shots from a few hunters as a Trandoshan tossed Talia’s limp form onto a speeder before jumping in himself. Three bounty hunters were stationed on the loading platform, with another two on the speeder with Talia and the Trandoshan. Pulling his blasters out, Rex returned fire against the bounty hunters, giving Ashoka enough coverage to advance as she leaped onto the speeder. The pilot panicked and took off, not caring that half his team wasn’t on board.

Cursing, Rex ran to the edge of the platform where a Rodian bounty hunter was stealing a speeder bike, its owner calling for help. Rex gripped the Rodian by the scruff of his collar and tossed him to the ground. The owner’s thanks to Rex turned into a litany of profanity as Rex hopped on it and sped off.

Navigating through the heavy traffic of the city, Rex tracked the other speeder with the aid of Ahsoka’s lightsabers acting as a beacon as she fought the hunters. He caught up to them and pulled his blaster out to aim at its thrusters when the pilot jerked the speeder sideways, jolting Ahsoka off. Rex dove after her, his arm reaching out to grab hers as he leveled with her.

“Thanks, Rex. I owe you one,” she panted as she threw herself on the speeder behind him.

“No problem, Commander,” Rex replied, swerving the bike upwards to catch back up to the bounty hunters. Their speeder was further off now, Rex had to push the bike into full throttle to close some distance, but it still was too far off.

“Rex, pull up!” Ahsoka shouted.

Rex followed her order, and just in time as a large grey starship blew right through where they had just been. Levelling off the bike and returning to course, Rex scanned the skyline for the speeder with Talia.

“I can’t see them anymore.” Rex cursed.

“I was able to drop a tracker on the hood, just in case. I can send the frequency to the others.”

Talia’s first sight was blurred lights as her head pounded. Kriff, how much did I drink last night…wait, it’s still dark out…and I’m moving. And whose voices are those? Her limbs felt weak as she tried to push herself up, only to drop when she noticed her company; a human pilot who seemed anxious, another armored figure she assumed to be a human, and a green Trandoshan. Then the memory surfaced of being grabbed outside the club and being knocked out. Well, fuck me.

“Seems like we lost them, kid,” the Trandoshan hissed, aiming a rifle off the back of the speeder. Talia tried to stay still, attempting not to alert her captors that she was awake while she thought of some kind a plan; she was still weak from the drug and the drinks she had before that night, but with the right use of the Force she should be able to get out of this and figure out why that had grabbed her.

Cursing herself for not even trying to fit just one part of her saber under her dress that night, she took note of her surroundings for anything she could use as a weapon but it was no use; the only thing she had with her was her purse, which sat on the speeder floor. Slowly, she levitated the purse off the floor, waiting for just the right moment for the bounty hunters to be distracted and…

The shuttle tilted to the left as the gold purse knocked into the back of the pilots head; it wasn’t enough to injure the pilot but he didn’t seem to like the idea of a now conscious captive in the backseat. Talia took the moment of disarray to her advantage, using the force to snatch the blaster rifle out of the Trandoshan’s hand. Reflexes lagging from her lingering tipsiness; she took a harsh blow to the face that had her seeing stars when the Trandoshan punched her in the cheek. Falling back against the side of the speeder, she shook her head out just in time to slide away from another hit. The speeder levelled, giving her time to roll underneath the Trandoshan’s legs to cross to the other side of the backseat as he steadied himself.

“You didn’t say she was a Jedi!” the pilot shouted.

“We didn’t know either,” the armored human fired back, in a surprisingly young voice. He raised his dual blasters and pointed them at Talia. “You’re lucky you’re wanted alive.”

“Sorry to make your job more difficult,” Talia sneered. She leapt up, landing a kick to the chest of the hunter that snapped her heel but knocked him back to the hood of the speeder. The armored hunter activated serrated edges on his vambrace to lock himself onto the speeder, preventing himself from falling off. The Trandoshan swiped at her, but she was ready for the blow; she kicked his feet out from under him, then pushed him off the speeder with the Force and watched him land on a nearby transport.

She lurched back into the seat as the pilot pulled up; it seemed he was anxiously hoping she wouldn’t target him next. The armored hunter used this to his advantage and released himself from the hood so he could stand on the seat next to Talia. The speeder leveled again, and Talia propped up, standing lopsided due to her broken shoe. The hunter lunged at her, and she blocked his blow with her forearm. She tried the same swipe maneuver she had used on the Trandoshan, but this hunter was expecting it and dodged. What he wasn’t expecting was the roundhouse kick that followed, hitting him in the side of his head and unlatching his helmet.

*PEW*

Flames burst from the thrusters and the speeder dropped. Talia and the hunter fell into the seats, clutching on to the leather as they rocketed towards the ground. The pilot panicked, pulling his hands up over his head as an attempt to block himself. Talia rolled over the edge of the seat and kicked him into the co-pilot seat; she wasn’t going to die like this. With the thrusters out, there was little she could do, but she could at least navigate where they crashed or get low enough to the ground where she could hop out at the last second.

Dodging transports as the air whistled around her, her eyes caught a docking platform. Mustering all her strength, she steered in its direction, the speeder gaining more and more speed by the second. There was no surviving this crash. The former pilot sat covering his eyes with his hands, but the armored one in the back looked ready to pounce out, he must have been wise enough to calculate their odds. The platform approached, people on the surface scrambling out of the way as the speeder roared towards them. They would be over solid ground in 3…2….1

Talia leapt and rolled out of the speeder before it crashed into a large stack of crates on the platform, its front bursting into flames immediately. She skidded on the ground and rolled onto her back, coughing from the smoke. She pushed herself up just in time to see the armored hunter raising his blaster. She dodged the stunning shot, rolling to the side of the hunter. She gripped his forearm and twisted it behind him. The Force pushed him away from her, his body rolling over and his unlatched helmet falling off. Her defenses faltered when she saw how young he was; he couldn’t be older than s13. His face contorted in rage; the boy stood with clenched fists prepared to launch again. Exhausted, Talia flicked her wrist and sent him flying into a wall before sprinting off.

She clumsily worked her way through the crowd of nosy onlookers; there had to be a public comm around here somewhere so she could call for help. She had to be a sight; one heel broken, her dress crumpled, hair astray and a definite bruise forming on her face where the Trandoshan hit her. She turned into an alley to catch her breath, leaning against the wall as she heaved when steps sounded behind her.

While she didn’t know any of the hunters from the speeder, the figure before her now was one she was familiar with. A Duros bounty hunter, with a large brimmed hat; Cad Bane.

“Hey there, little lady,” he drawled, a toothpick in his mouth while pointing a blaster at her. “I see you’re dressed for a dance, but I think it’s more worth your while if you come quietly.”

“Well, I must say I’m not much of a dancer, “she panted, her eyes scanning for any possible escape routes. She figured she could stall Bane until she regained some energy at least. “Would you mind letting me know who’s this interested in finding me?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Bane said, stepping closer to Talia, trapping her further in the alley. “They did leave out the little detail of you being a Jedi; I’ll have to charge double.”

“I’m afraid this is one paycheck you won’t be able to collect.”

Bane growled as he snapped around to face Obi-Wan and Anakin leading Ahsoka and the group of clones, along with a few Coruscant Guard members who must have responded to the trouble. Talia’s gaze caught Rex, his eyes trained in a glare on Cad Bane as he held his blasters locked on the hunter.

“Kenobi,” Bane said, spitting out the toothpick in his mouth. Bane was a skilled hunter, the best of the best, but Talia could tell he didn’t like the odds of this situation. The Duros glanced around him, then looked over his shoulder at Talia and said, “Sorry, little lady. Guess we’ll have that dance another time.”

Bane shot a pipe over his head; steam pouring out and shrouding him. Before the clones Obi-Wan or Anakin could apprehend Bane, a gray transport lowered over the alley; it’s thrusters knocked the troops and the Jedi off their feet. Talia felt a gloved hand on her arm and was ready to strike a blow to free herself when she realized it wasn’t a harsh, rough grip but a firm, protective one. Rex kneeled next to her, one hand pulling on her arm to shove her behind him as the other raised a blaster in the spot Bane had just been standing in. The ship pulled away and the air cleared, revealing Bane to be gone. Talia pushed herself into a sitting position, Rex’s grip only slightly loosening.

“How bad are you hurt?” he asked, eyes falling to her cheek.

“It’s not bad,” Talia shook her head. Rex’s eyes narrowed, a tight smirk creeping on his lips as he shook his head and waved Kix over. Talia sighed as she let Kix examine her, informing her that nothing was broken and that the bruise should fade in a few days as he applied some bacta.

Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka paced over once Kix was finished checking her over. Rex stood by Cody as he briefed the Coruscant Guard troops who showed up about the situation. Obi-Wan helped Talia to her feet, eyes filled with concern as he began to question her, “Do you have any idea why they’re after you?”

Talia sighed, “I was hoping you all would have found something out; I have no clue but they did seem surprised I was a Jedi.”

“Who did you manage to piss off so much?” Anakin said, traces of a teasing smile on his face.

“Whoever they are, they’ll have to deal with Zahara’s wrath for ruining her birthday,” Talia laughed before grimacing. “Shit, they have no idea what happened; I need to get back to 79’s and-“

“You’re not going anywhere,” Anakin cut her off, his voice suddenly harsh and protective. He softened then said “We’ll send some of the clones back to update your friends. We were going to let them have the rest of their night back anyway.”

Talia nodded. “Is there anything I could do to help with the investigation?”

“It’s probably best if you get back to the temple as soon as possible,” Obi-Wan said. “We don’t know how many more are out there, but I don’t like the idea of you travelling alone right now.”

“Rex could escort her,” Ahsoka piped in. Rex’s head snapped in the direction of the Jedi; his brows furrowed. Heat rose to Talia’s cheeks as she pursed her lips.

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I can escort the General, Sir.”

Rex and Talia spoke over each other, Talia’s arms crossing in annoyance. Obi-Wan either didn’t notice or chose to ignore her demeanor, clapped his hands together and said, “Excellent, it’s settled then.”

Talia nodded at the Jedi Master before turning on her heel and stumbling off to the alley exit; this missing heel was going to be a problem. Rex strode slightly behind her, the stomp from his heavy boots echoing on the duracrete.

“Do you need a hand?” Rex asked, offering his arm.

“Nope, perfectly fine.” Talia answered bluntly. Rex rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. Talia halted in her steps, lifted the foot with the good heel in her hand and snapped it. She took a few sample steps; she was still clumsy but was on more even footing now. Rex rolled his eyes again but followed her to a cab line. Once they hailed a cab, Rex opened the door to let Talia slide in.

“Jedi Temple,” Rex told the driver as he sat down.

“Wait, no,” Talia said, before giving the driver a different address. Rex gave her a curious look and she explained “It’s Zahara’s place; I was going to spend the night there so all of my things are there; including my lightsaber.”

“Would have been useful to have that on you,” Rex grumbled.

Tongue in her cheek while she stared out the window at the blurred city lights, Talia said, “Couldn’t exactly hide it in my outfit tonight.”

“You hid it under a dress before,” Rex stated, a smirk on his lips at the memory.

“What, so you spend a lot of time thinking about what’s under my dress?” Talia said mockingly, teasing. She lowered her voice so the driver couldn’t hear her, “Strange considering how much you seem to regret the time you actually found out.”

Rex’s expression soured as he turned to face Talia. His eyes scanned her face, her own expression guarded and solid. “You know I don’t.”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” she huffed, turning back to the window. Rex exhaled deeply, his head leaning back against the top of the seat.

“Talia,” he started, his voice flat. “I’m not trying to hurt you; that’s the last thing I want.”

“But what do you want Rex?” She snapped, still locking her gaze out the window. Rex was silent beside her; she could see his reflection in the window as he stared at her, before lowering his gaze and looking out his own window and staying silent for the rest of the ride.

As Rex paid for the driver, Talia had already bolted out the door and was making her way to the entrance of the apartment complex. The spit-fire attitude she had right now was one he usually admired on the battlefield, but he didn’t like being on the receiving end of it. At first he thought he could right some of his wrongs to her by being alone with her again, but it seemed like he was the last person she wanted to be with. Rex pondered why out of all the others there, Ahsoka had called him out to be the one to escort Talia home, then he groaned internally when he remembered Ahsoka had been stationed outside all night; she had problem witnessed them in the alley, Rex could only hope she wasn’t listening. Rex followed her, just grabbing the turbolift door before it closed. Talia stood in the corner of the turbolift; arms crossed as shook her head.

“You don’t have to come up,” she mumbled, running a hand through her hair.

“Figured I would just wait for you while you grabbed your things, then I can take you to the temple,” Rex stated bluntled, hands on his hips as he stood in the corner of the lift opposite of her.

“I’m not going to the temple tonight,” Talia said. Before Rex could argue, she continued, “I haven’t left the temple in weeks and on my one night away, this shit happens. I just need to be somewhere else tonight.”

Rex frowned, watching the rapidly increasing numbers as the turbolift rose through the high-rise. He didn’t want to give her more cause to be irritated with him, but Rex didn’t like the idea of leaving her here when the threat of more hunters loomed; what if they had been followed? Talia sighed next to him and uncrossed her arms.

“You can check out the place if that makes you feel better,” Talia sihed as the lift slowed. The doors opened and she strode out, mumbling under her breath. “Not sure why you care so much all of a sudden…”

“Haar’chak, Talia!” Rex exclaimed exiting the elevator, following Talia who didn’t waiver in her steps as she stood outside a door, keying in a code. “Don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”

“ME? Making it difficult?” She harshly fired back. The door to the apartment slid open, showing a pristine white apartment, the only color coming from green plants all over the apartment and the lights of the city shining through large permaglass windows fitted from the ceiling to the floor of the far side of the room, a doorway to a balcony in the middle. Talia kicked off her shoes and circled around to point her finger at Rex as he crossed the threshold. “You’re Mr. Walking-Mixed-Signals over here! One second you act like you give a shit, then the next you’re completely indifferent!”

“Because it makes it easier!” Rex shouted. Sleeping neighbors be damned, he had to get this off his chest. “I’m crazy about you Talia, you’re all that’s on my mind. Wondering where you are in the galaxy, wondering if you’re safe. Ever since that island, you’ve haunted my brain and I acted coldly because I thought you didn’t want me in the same way.”

The harsh glare on Talia’s face disappeared, her eyes round at Rex’s words. Doubt creeped back into her expression as she shifted on her feet. “But earlier when I told you there was nothing going on between me and Fives, you still left.”

“Because…what can we really be, Talia? I’m a clone, you’re a Jedi. We’re both sworn to the Republic in different ways. As much as I want you, I know this will only end badly.”

“So, you’re writing if off before we can even have a chance?” She asked, her voice cracking. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. Shaking her head, she turned away. “Just go then, Rex. I can’t deal with this back and forth anymore.”

His jaw clenching, Rex turned abruptly, slamming the door open and exiting the apartment, stomping heavily down the hallway towards the turbolift. His steps slowed the closer he got to the lift, until he stood a few paces back. His heart pounding in his head, he turned to look at the door of the apartment he just left. Rangir.

His feet carried him back to the door, his fist raised to knock on it when it opened; Talia stood on the other side, eyes wide in shock as if she weren’t expecting him to be right there. She stepped back as Rex advanced through the doorway, shutting the door behind him. Their eyes locked on each other’s. Rex stepped forward again, but Talia did not back away this time, as if an invisible string pulled them together. Talia trembled in anticipation as Rex pressed a hand to the small of her back, bringing her in before he crashed his lips to hers. His other hand gripped the swell of her ass, scrunching up her dress as he groaned into her mouth.

Talia wrapped her arms around Rex’s neck, then jumped up, her legs gathering around his waist as his hands dropped to her thighs to hold her. Tongue met tongue while they kissed, Rex holding her steady in the entry to the apartment before breaking the kiss and asking, “Bedroom?”

“To your right,” Talia answered, breathing heavily before kissing Rex again. He hummed against her lips, turning, and treading carefully through the apartment to the door she signaled. Kicking the door behind him as they entered, he turned around and pressed Talia into it; the hard wall and his plastoid sandwiching her as he rutted against her, his codpiece became more and more uncomfortable by the minute. The skirt of her dress rode up above her waist as Talia moaned from the hard contact against her core, her own hips rolling with Rex’s movements. Rex dropped her legs to take off his gloves; in his full armor his frame overwhelmed her, her legs a quivering mess as he crowded her closer to the wall. His mouth left hers to kiss along her jawline and the soft skin on her neck.

His hands, now free, latched onto her dress; the silky fabric scrunched between his fingers as he slid it up her thighs. One hand travelled to her inner thigh, teasing her sensitive skin as it rose back up the center, reaching the apex of her legs. His fingers circled over her panties, feeling moisture seeping through.

“Already wet for me and I’ve barely touched you,” Rex whispered into her neck, Talia’s breath hitching as his fingers slipped under her panties. His fingers slid through her folds, gathering the slickness as his thumb flicked over her clit. At Talia’s gasp from the contact over her bundle of nerves, Rex focused his thumb’s movements on it and circled it, making Talia’s legs quake. Rex’s hand on her waist kept her steady while he continued mouthing along her neck and collarbone, occasionally nipping her silky skin as she whimpered beneath him.

A finger slipped into her entrance, the tight walls of her cunt dragging it into her warmth. Rex groaned at the tightness, his cock twitching under his codpiece wanting to seek relief. His hand gripped Talia’s dress tighter as her fingers clung to his plastoid covered biceps, anchoring onto him as he added a second finger. He thrust his fingers in and out of her, her breath pitching higher and higher with each thrust. When he curved his digits, she gasped out, her head banging back against the door.

“Yes, right there!” she sighed out, her eyes squeezing shut in bliss. Rex lifted his head from the crook of her neck, observing a series of love bites he didn’t realize he had been making on her skin. He pulled back to watch her face contorted in pleasure as he followed her orders, hitting that sensitive spongy spot with each stroke.

“Eyes on me, princess,” he growled, Talia’s eyes fluttering open, a flame behind her blue eyes as she smirked at the nickname, her walls clenching around his fingers as he spoke. “Hmmm, you liked that, didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” she said, her voice pitching up in the last syllable as Rex’s pace sped up, the pressure of his thumb over her clit increased as he circled it. Her cheeks were rosy and her pupils dilated as her lips parted, more moans escaping from them due to the skill of Rex’s dexterous hands. She was barely able to stand from how much her legs were quaking, using Rex as the only balance to keep herself upright. He maintained his pace, fucking her with his hand deeped and deeper as her read her reactions, the way her moans pitched, how her breath shallowed, the way her eyes glazed over, how her her hips gyrated with the movements of his hand until she fell off the edge they were building toward; her tight walls clenching around Rex’s fingers as Talia cried out in release.

Rex pumped his fingers until her orgasm finished, her breath leveling out as she rested her head back against the wall. Rex’s fingers slipped out her, coated in her juices, a low whine leaving her mouth as she felt their absence.

“What, that wasn’t enough for you?” Rex teasingly asked, leaning in to peck her on the lips.

“That was…quite nice,” she breathily answered, making Rex smirk. Her eyes rose to his in a challenge, a growing smile lighting up her face. Her hand slid down to cup over his codpiece, Rex growling at the friction of the barrier against his hardness. “I was hoping for something else of yours to be inside me though.”

Rex groaned, hungrily kissing her as he pulled her away from the wall. “I think we can make that happen.”

Talia’s hands pulled at his armor, desperately trying to get Rex out of his plastoid cage so she could feel his body against hers. “How the hell does this come off?”

Rex chuckled as his hands met her, guiding them to the latches beneath the seams of his armor. “Someone’s needy,” he teased, pulling his vambraces off, mockingly slow as he disassembled his armor piece by piece. He could tell Talia’s patience wore thin by the glint in her eyes, something that made him want to test her more. A battle that would be hard fought, he realized, as Talia’s hand grabbed the front of his utility belt and dragged him closer to her.

“Hurry up, Captain; the faster this armor’s gone, the faster I’ll be out of my dress,” she leaned up to whisper in his ear, her teeth nibbling at his earlobe. Rex groaned at her use of his rank, arousal shooting up his spine. He rushed to discard the rest of his armor, his head tilting back in relief as his codpiece released.

Rex gripped Talia’s waist, rotated her around so her back was against his chest. Kissing her shoulder and up to the back of her next, his fingers fumbled with the zipper on her dress; his lips followed the opening fabric down her spine, kissing along her back. Once it was opened, she stood up, roughly rotating to face him as he slid one shoulder strap down, then the other, before tugging the rest of the silky slip down her body. She wore a black, lacy strapless bra and matching lace underwear; an image that would live in his head from now on. He kissed her and reached around her back to undo the clasp on her bra; it slid off to join the dress on the floor.

Talia tugged at Rex’s blacks, lifting the shirt over his head before he leaned down to kiss her again. She kissed back harder, pressing her hands on his bare chest to push him back, his knees hitting the foot of the bed behind him. Talia’s fingers wrapped around the waistline of his pants and tugged them down, his swollen cock bouncing up to his stomach. Talia grinned, licking her lips at the sight of it before she nudged Rex backwards into a seating position on the bed. She peeled her panties off, rested one hand on Rex’s shoulders before straddling him, and used the other to line him up at her entrance before sinking down on him.

They both groaned in unison, Rex overwhelmed by the warmness enveloping his cock and Talia stuffed full. Rex rutted his hips up experimentally, his hands gripping the meat of Talia’s thighs as she clenched around him. Once she adjusted, she rotated her hips against his, moaning as she felt his thickness drag within her. Rex’s pace increased, thrusting up into Talia as she dug her nails into his shoulders. Talia met his movements, pushing herself up and down to bounce on his cock.

Their foreheads met, both with beading sweat forming on their brows as they moved in tandem, their moans melting together, Talia’s high pitched and Rex’s low and guttural. One of his hands slid up her waist to grope her bouncing breast, his thumb teasing the pert nipple by flicking over it. She pulled her head back slightly, her blue eyes piercing into his amber ones; both pairs blown out and filled with a need for the other. Rex thrusted harder, his ass leaving the bed as he entered her deeper. All those months of tension, their longing and misread singles being worked out wordlessly as his body pulled into hers. Talia’s head fell back, her nails digging into Rex’s skin from the impact. He pounded up into her, the slap of skin on skin echoing through the room as his cock slammed into her. He could tell she was faltering, her movements slowing as she wasn’t able to keep up with his harsh pace.

Rex took hold of Talia’s hips and flipped her over, so she was laying back on the bed with him still sheathed in her. Her tits bounced as she slammed back inside, a sight that made Rex lean down and latch his mouth onto one of her nipples, making her whine. He circled his tongue around it then pushed himself back up and looked at her. In their hastiness they hadn’t turned on the lights in the bedroom, but the lights from the ecumenopolis outside peering through the large windows cast them both in a glow.

Rex gripped the soft back of Talia’s knees, spread her legs, and pushed them back so she was almost bent in half. He leaned over her, devouring her mouth with another kiss before penetrating her again, setting a punishing pace. This angle allowed him to hit even deeper, his cock stroking a sensitive spot on her walls that had her crying out. The bed creaked beneath them and the headboard slammed against the wall as Rex roughly fucked her, the grip on her legs bruising. He couldn’t pace himself; there would be a time when he could take her slowly and savor her, but Rex was too pent up. He needed to fill her, he needed to bring her to a screaming release as she called his name, his cock buried inside her. Tears brimmed in Talia’s eyes as she arched her back, meeting each of Rex’s thrusts, the only way she was able to move with the way he was driving her towards pleasure.

“Rex…I’m gonna..”

“Cum for me, mesh’la,” He growled out, his pace not faltering.

Talia’s eyes rolled back into her head, her hands gripped the comforter beneath them, and her toes curled as she succumbed to the waves of pleasure; her mouth contorted in a perfect ‘O’ and her brows tight on her reddened face.

Her walls clenched around Rex’s cock, her juices slicking his every stroke as he resisted the urge to plunge himself deep inside her and release his seed. His thrusts grew sloppy, the heat and grip from her orgasm making his balls tighten until he couldn’t hold on any longer. He pulled out of Talia, her body limp against the mattress as he jerked himself off over her, releasing his cum on her tits; his brain turning to fuzz as he groaned out.

He collapsed next to her, both their chests heaving, a layer of sweat settled over their skin. Rex propped himself up, kissing Talia’s cheek as she stared at the ceiling, still dazed. He left the bed to grab a towel from the bathroom connected to the room and came back to wipe his spend off Talia’s chest.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled, heat creeping along his neck as he cleaned her up.

“I actually thought it was hot,” she blushed, sliding under the covers of the bed. She bit her lip and looked up at Rex, her hair disheveled, and her lips slightly swollen from kissing. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

Rex took her in, her questioning expression, eyes wide in apprehension. Every rational bone in his body told him he should go back to base, but Rex knew he was too far gone. Before the island, Rex had never spent the night with a woman; he had his fair share of hookups, but out of the women he had gone home with he had always left right after, never wanting to be a burden or feel the need for that level of intimacy. But the thought of getting the chance to wake up with her another morning was too blissful for him to pass up. He crawled over her, kissed her forehead, then settled into the spot on the bed beside her. She sidled up next to him, her cheek resting along his chest as his arms wrapped around her. The sweet beckoning of sleep called to him as his eyes grew heavy, the soft breaths of Talia already drifting off lulling him into a restful sleep.

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