#anje is an idiot | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wild-karrde · 1 year

Text

One Step at a Time - Part 11

Master List | Previous Part | Next Part

A/N: HI HELLO I HAVE RETURNED WITH A NEW CHAPTER! This one's been in the works for a while, and I am SO VERY excited to finally share it. STRAP IN FOR AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF DOMESTIC FLUFF. As always, thank you to the wonderful @teletraan-meets-jarvis for beta-reading this chapter for me and getting me so very excited to post it!!!!

Chapter Rating: T

Warnings: mention of domestic violence/abuse, language

Word Count: 8.4k words

Chuckles hardly slept that night, his mind swirling between worry that he’d forgotten something for the surprise party, or that Arni had figured out their plan. When he wasn’t worrying, images of dark curls, golden eyes, purple flushed cheeks, and the smell of cinnamon and vanilla haunted his dreams.

Once he’d extricated himself from the desk, his goodbye to Endi had been cordial and brief enough. There had been a moment though where their eyes had lingered just a touch too long, and for a millisecond, he’d wondered if she wanted him to kiss her.

Too fast. Too soon.

He’d opted to squeeze her upper arm instead, which felt stupid in hindsight. In the moment, he’d left so quickly, he’d forgotten Arni’s gifts were still in her apartment. He’d sent her a message when he’d gotten back to the Starlight and realized, and she’d replied not to worry about it, that she’d have them ready for him tomorrow.

You’re such an idiot. For so many reasons.

The kids had only beaten him home by a little, and he’d worked up an excuse about needing to chat with Anj about the schedule next week to explain his absence. Arni had never questioned it, instead opting to regale him with their adventure from that day. Of course, they hadn’t found the mother tooka or her kits, but they’d still managed to find some very interesting insects and flowers, all of which Arni had documented in their journal in careful detail.

After dinner, Arni went to shower, and Chuckles used that opportunity to fill Nita in on the plan for the following day. He had to shush her when she squealed with excitement about her designated position as Head of Decorations.

“It’s gonna be so great and they’re gonna be so surprised,” she whispered loudly.

“They absolutely are. Just make sure you don’t spill the beans before then, kiddo.”

Nita pulled her fingers across her lips as though she was zipping them shut and then offered Chuckles her pinky, which he locked with his.

Now, as the sun was just beginning to trickle in through the viewport, signaling the dawn of the next day, Chuckles could already hear the tiny Pantoran shifting around in the bunk. He’d figured she’d be up early from the excitement, and had to chew the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing when he heard her wake up Arni. The Twi’lek was muttering under their breath when they emerged from the shared bunk, readjusting their headgear as they trudged towards the kitchenette. Chuckles reached over for his commlink, firing off a quick message to Helly and receiving an almost instant response. He grinned.

She may be just as excited as Nita.

The little Pantoran was already bouncing at his elbow as he rolled over in his bunk. Her golden eyes were sparkling with excitement, and her grin was threatening to split her face in half.

“They don’t suspect anything!” she whispered loudly.

“Let’s keep it that way then. Helly’s on her way over, so you gotta keep it under wraps for just a little bit longer, ok?”

Nita saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

“Good, now go eat breakfast. It’s gonna be a busy day as soon as Arni and Helly leave.”

Nita bounded off immediately, her trooper doll dangling at her side. Chuckles just managed to get a quick shower in and get dressed before there was an eager rap at the side hatch of the ship. He opened it hurriedly to find Helly standing there with a helmet and respirator in her arms, accompanied by Anj, who was also carrying a few tidbits of gear. Chuck shot the Nautolan an inquisitive look, and she shrugged.

“GOOD MORNING CHUCKLES! I’VE COME BY TO DELIVER YOUR NEW GEAR FOR THE MINE!” Helly announced loudly.

“Maker alive Helly, tone it down or the kids are going to think they’re under attack,” Anj muttered with a smirk.

The Rodian ducked her head shyly. “Sorry,” she whispered. “Just wanna sell it.”

Chuckles stepped back, inviting them both inside the ship. Helly was practically vibrating as she handed him the gear. Anj set her box down, her dark eyes flitting about the ship, taking in the place Chuckles and the kids lived.

“Nice place. Corellian?”

“Yeah. Got it for cheap,” Chuckles replied with a shrug.

A dull thud in the corner made the three of them turn. Arni was trying to shyly shuffle past, and when all three sets of eyes turned on them, their cheeks flushed a dark blue.

“S-sorry. I-I was just gonna get my sketchbook.”

“Arni, this is Helly and Anj. I work with them down at the mine.”

“Yeah! And we’re just stopping by to drop off some of his new gear!” Helly declared, still a little loudly.

“What’s this about a sketchbook?” Anj asked gently, clearly trying to deflect some of Helly’s enthusiasm.

Arni ducked their head bashfully. “I like to draw the plants and animals of the places we visit. It’s kind of like a science journal.”

Anj crouched down. “That sounds very interesting. May I see it?” Her voice was softer than Chuckles had ever thought her capable of.

The Twi’lek retrieved their sketchbook and satchel of colored pencils from their bunk, shyly handing it out to the tattooed Nautolan. Anj gave them a toothy smile before she started thumbing through the pages.

“These are very good, Arni. You’ve got quite the eye for detail.”

It was so subtle that Chuckles almost missed it, but Arni’s spine straightened a little, their mouth twitching upwards at the corners.

Anj paused on one page, pointing at the sketch of an orange flower with pink pistil and stamens. “This one’s gorgeous. Can’t say I’ve seen it around here before.”

Chuckles immediately recognized the bloom, and his heart twisted in his chest as Arni’s expression fell slightly. “That was a flower on Sorgan. We used to live there.”

“I see,” Anj said quietly, clearly understanding there was still lingering grief. “Have you sketched anything since you got here?”

Arni nodded, stepping closer to flip forward a few pages. Anj grinned as she took in the sketches of the tooka they’d seen the first night they landed. When she turned the page again, Chuckles felt heat rush to his cheek as familiar golden eyes stared back at him from the sketchbook.

“Ah, I recognize this one,” Anj said. “That’s an excellent likeness of Teacher Endi.”

“I’m just starting to try out portraits,” Arni admitted, their posture straightening further as a hint of pride tinged their voice. “I’m not great at proportions yet though.”

“Just takes practice, I’m sure,” Anj replied. She flipped another page to find the drawing of a small beetle. “Hey, Helly, don’t you have a specimen of this one in your collection?” she asked, giving Chuckles a subtle wink.

Helly leaned over her shoulder. “You know, I think I might.”

Just as Chuckles hoped, Arni took the bait. “You collect bugs?”

“And flora as well. I do some sketching myself if you’d like to see.”

“She’s being modest,” Anj teased. “Helly here has had a few of her drawings published in some very prestigious science journals.”

Arni’s eyes were bugging out of their face in admiration. “Whoa.”

It was Helly’s turn to flush with pride. “I’d love to show you, if you’ve got some time. I’d also like to pick your brain on how you did the fur on that tooka drawing. I can never get it to look right.”

“Right now?”

Helly nodded. “Today’s our day off, and I don’t have any plans. If it’s ok with your dad, of course.”

“CAN I CHUCKLES?”

Even if they hadn’t been trying to pull off a surprise birthday party, there was no way Chuckles was going to tell Arni ‘no’, not with the way their eyes were lit up. It was the most excited he’d seen them in recent memory, maybe since Sorgan.

“Absolutely, kid.”

Arni could hardly contain their glee as they raced to the bunk to retrieve their boots and satchel. Chuckles leaned over to whisper to Helly. “Remember, no earlier than midday. That’ll give us enough time to get everything set up.”

She winked at him with one of her large eyes. “You got it, boss.”

“Ready?” Arni was already at Helly’s side.

“Let’s go!” she giggled.

The two of them practically raced out of the ship, chattering at one another about what types of bugs Helly liked to collect and what type of pencils Arni preferred for different techniques. When their excited voices finally faded in the distance, Anj straightened and grinned at Chuckles.

“That was easy enough.”

“I thought you were gonna meet us at the school house.”

The Nautolan shrugged. “Thought it would be best to come along and help reign Helly in. Subtlety has never been her strong suit.”

“Are they gone?” a small voice asked from behind them. Chuckles whirled around to find Nita peeking out from the kitchenette.

“Yeah, honey, they’re gone,” Chuckles confirmed, but Nita was hardly paying attention to him. Her large golden eyes were firmly locked on Anj, taking her in. Anj didn’t seem to mind, returning to her crouched position. “And who might you be?”

The little Pantoran edged forward. “Nita,” she said softly. “I like your tattoos.”

Chuckles was flabbergasted. He’d never seen Nita be timid around anyone before.

Anj didn’t seem to mind, chuckling. “They make me look tough so guys like your dad know I’m in charge.” She tossed another wink at Chuck.

Nita approached her, and Anj leaned her arm closer to show off some of her more intricate ink. “Got that one done when I moved to this settlement,” she said, pointing at a series of squiggles that Chuck suddenly realized were meant to portray the plains of grass and rock formations that surrounded the settlement. It was a bit abstract for his taste, but still undeniably beautiful. Nita reached out to touch it, her tiny fingers tracing the lines dark lines that swirled over Anj’s grey skin.

“It’s really pretty.”

“I think so too.”

“Chuckles has a big tattoo on his back.”

“Does he now?” Anj raised an eyebrow at Chuck. “He never told me.”

“It’s one of the circuit boards in the ship he flew during the war. It’s very confusing, but still cool.”

Anj grinned at her again. “Sometimes, those are the best ones.”

Nita giggled for a moment before her eyes fell on one of Anj’s shortened tendrils. “What happened?” she asked quietly, pointing at the damage.

Anj’s smile faltered slightly, but it didn’t slip from her face entirely. “Oh this? This was a lesson.”

“Did it hurt?”

“It did. Quite a bit, actually. But I learned from it, and will never let it happen again. It’s a good reminder to not repeat the same mistake twice.”

Nita nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”

Anj’s grin warmed again. “Ah, don’t be, little one. It makes me look a little tougher anyway. Would you want to mess with a Nautolan that had some tendrils missing?”

Nita returned her smile. “Definitely not. But you’re nice.”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Anj whispered behind her hand conspiratorially.

“I won’t,” Nita whispered loudly back.

Anj pushed herself to her feet. “Right. Should we get to it then? I understand you’re in charge of the decor, and we must make sure you have enough time to create a masterpiece.”

Nita’s face grew more serious, and she nodded firmly. “Let’s go then.”

Anj bowed low, extending her arms towards the door as her tendrils dangled past her knees. “Lead the way, oh fearless Head of Decorations.”

Nita squared her shoulders and marched out the hatch. Chuckles had to dig his teeth into his cheek to keep from bursting out laughing at her.

“She’s a cutie,” Anj teased, nudging him with her shoulder. “It’s a wonder she doesn’t get away with everything.”

“Who says she doesn’t?” he snickered under his breath.

—

The walk to the schoolhouse was brief, but Chuckles was glad for the time with Anj. He hadn’t had much time to get to know her during working hours, but he’d felt an instant sense of camaraderie with her. A small part of him wondered if it was because she reminded him of Ry a little bit. Anj hung back and kept pace with him as Nita galloped ahead of the two of them, kicking up swirls of dust in her wake as she chased various insects or inspected weeds growing along the path.

“You know, at first, I didn’t see the family resemblance,” the Nautolan joked. “But I think maybe I do now. She’s got your sense of humor.”

“I’d like to think hers is better.”

“Oh, undoubtedly,” she agreed.

“So, you have any family out here?” Chuckles asked. “No offense, but I was surprised to find a Nautolan on a world that’s got so little water.”

Anj toed a rock with her boot. “No one blood related. Was orphaned as a kid and have been on my own since then. Ventured out on my fifteenth year and never really looked back.” She pulled her tendrils together over her shoulder. “But, I made family where I could. I think this is the most settled I’ve felt since I left Glee Anselm. Took me twenty years to find a place that felt like home, but here we are.” She widened her steps to lean over and nudge his shoulder with hers again. “I hope you can find the same here. I know it’s not exactly as glamorous as Coruscant or as green as Sorgan, but the people here are good. Mostly.”

Chuckles was pretty sure the exceptions included the two human men on their crew, although he didn’t voice it. They’d kept their distance from him during the first week, and any interactions that were absolutely necessary were terse and to the point. He wasn’t about to make waves, but he did wonder what the root of the issue was. He imagined it was the fact that he was a clone, but wasn’t going to start pointing fingers without evidence. It could be they just didn’t like him, and that wasn’t anything new, but that opinion seemed to have been formed before he’d even opened his mouth or been given the opportunity to do anything.

“I hope we can too,” Chuckles agreed. “The kids need to be settled.”

“And you?”

“I’m a bit more adjustable to what life throws at me.”

“Seems like life probably threw a lot at you,” Anj noted, her eyes focused on his scar. “Seems you’ve learned some lessons that hurt like hell too.”

He tapped the scar. “Always wear your helmet while flying a Headhunter, and always check the eject handle before leaving the hangar.” He couldn’t stop his eyes from flicking to her shortened tendrils. “Your lesson was to tie those back when working, right? That’s why you do that before we go down in the mine.”

“Actually, my lesson was don’t sleep with someone that responds to ‘no’s’ with knives,” Anj joked with a forced levity. Chuckles’s stomach wrenched at the thought, but Anj smiled at him. “But yeah, after doing that, I wasn’t about to get another one lopped off by mining equipment or caught somewhere and ripped off. It is one of the most painful thing a Nautolan can experience. Some don’t survive losing one.”

Chuckles counted three shortened tendrils, and his throat felt suddenly tighter.

“Anj-”

“You’re not going to be able to think of the words to say, so don’t say anything,” she cut him off with a wave of her hand. “I don’t want pity. I learned. It was a hard lesson, but I know the warning signs and I know what I won’t accept from someone I love. I’ve found peace and someone…”

Her voice trailed off, but Chuckles instantly understood.

“You walked over with Helly because you were already with her,” he said quietly.

Anj’s eyes were fixed on the ground and her cheeks seemed to be flushed a darker shade of grey. Chuck almost giggled at how flustered the rugged Nautolan looked. “Keep it to yourself, yeah? It’s… it’s new. And I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea,” she whispered.

“You got it.”

They walked in silence for a few more minutes, the only sounds the fluttering of the grasses in the breeze, their footsteps crunching against the rocks and dust, and Nita’s occasional excited exclamation. A gentle breeze fluttered through Chuck’s hair, and he tipped his face back, letting the sun warm his cheeks.

Settled.

The word sounded nice to him. He’d almost felt that way on Sorgan, and maybe with time, he could have. He’d almost stopped looking over his shoulder when the Empire had arrived. But here, now, knowing that the clone army had been disbanded and he was allowed to just exist, it seemed like they had more of a chance. The community had embraced them for the most part, and it felt like as long as they kept Nita and Arni’s Force sensitivity secret, that maybe, just maybe, they could make this place their home, that they could feel settled.

Glancing over at Anj, he could see a comfort in her that he craved for himself and the younglings. Her shoulders were relaxed, her eyes weren’t constantly checking for threats around them; she just was. She’d been through as much as he had, maybe even more, and yet here she stood, part of a community on a planet she arguably had no business being on.

We could make this work.

“I know I’m a looker and all, but you’re staring, Chuck.”

Heat rushed to his face as he fought to recover. “Sorry. I just… I didn’t expect you to be so good around kids.”

Anj shrugged one shoulder. “Had a younger sister back on Glee Anselm. About a decade separated us. She was an unexpected surprise for my family, but such a light.” Her eyes glistened slightly as she stared after Nita. Chuckles hadn’t missed her use of past tense, but opted not to press it. “She and Lola would have been great friends,” Anj said softly. “She was just as excited about life as that one.”

“She’s something else,” Chuckles agreed.

“Her parents?”

“Never knew ‘em. Same for Arni. They were alone, and so was I.” He sighed. “There’s a thing about clones and kids. When you��re training to be a soldier from the moment you come out of your tube, it’s hard. The trainers were rarely sympathetic, and the Kaminoans mostly viewed us as science experiments, so all we had were each other. The older we got, the more protective we grew of the younger cadets. I was one of the early gens, so I didn’t have many older brothers to look up to, but the ones that I did were the closest thing I had to family. When I saw those two, I saw my younger brothers, in need of a family and comfort when life had been hard. And if I’m honest, I needed them just as much. Just didn’t realize it at the time.” His chest was unexpectedly tight, and his voice cracked slightly.

Anj was watching him.

“Who’s staring now?” he joked.

“Fair. I just guess I never thought about what growing up was like for you. Makes me feel like more of an ass for my jokes the first day.”

“I always figured that was the point, to make us seem less than human so that we’d feel more expendable,” Chuckles replied. “It’s easy not to get invested in our lives when you know so little about us other than we were created to fight, that we were grown in tubes instead of wombs, that we age twice as fast as you. I’ve heard everything from theories that we don’t feel pain to theories that we’re experimental droids with flesh covering our gears. Hell, I’ve even had someone try to explain what sex was to me in a bar once because they figured I didn’t know anything other than how to be a soldier. Told him his mother seemed to think I knew what I was doing the night before. He didn’t take that well.”

The joke landed, bringing the levity that he’d hoped for. Anj laughed quietly.

“You’ve got a pretty pleasant disposition in spite of it all.”

“Didn’t always. But it was either adjust or put a fist through every natborn face that looked at me funny. Figured it would be better to just focus on the laughter, especially if I could get a giggle out of my brothers.”

Anj opened her mouth to reply, but just then, Nita skidded to a halt in front of them, almost tripping Anj with her abrupt appearance. She held a lily out, its petals starting off white and changing to a green at the tips that resembled Anj’s tendrils. The stalk was yellowed and hard, and Chuckles wondered how anything that beautiful had managed to flourish in the dry plains of Lothal.

“It’s kind of like you,” Nita noted.

Very like her, Chuckles thought.

Anj crouched down next to her. “Oh, that’s far too pretty and delicate to be like me,” she joked softly.

“You’re pretty too though. Just in a different way,” Nita countered. Standing on her tiptoes, she tucked the bloom’s stem into Anj’s tendrils such that the flower rested against her face. Something shifted in the Nautolan’s expression, and Chuck couldn’t be certain, but it seemed her dark eyes glistened more for a moment.

“That’s a nice thing to say,” she said quietly. In a second, the emotion was gone, and one of Anj’s trademarks grins slid into place. “What say you and I race your dad the last little bit?” she asked.

Nita returned her grin. “Let’s do it!”

“Right then.” Anj scooped the tiny Pantoran up, placing her on her shoulders. Chuckles was relieved that Nita didn’t need to be told to not hold onto Anj’s tendrils, instead resting her palms against her skull. “Last one there’s a tooka’s uncle!” Anj declared before taking off at a surprising pace.

Chuck smiled to himself, jogging after them.

Being a dad. Being settled. That all sounds nice.

—

The next few hours went by in the blink of an eye. Nita took her role of Head of Decorations very seriously, directing the small group of parents and children that had shown up without hesitation. She’d apparently decided Anj would be her second in command, and the Nautolan embraced the role without question, flawlessly carrying out Nita’s directives and ensuring her instructions were followed to a tee. They hung the paper chains and flowers in the classroom along with the lights and glass decorations. Endi had flung the back doors of the schoolhouse open, revealing the small yard that the children played in during their breaks, and the glass pieces made the sunlight dance across the walls of the small room in rainbows and refracted patterns. A table had been set up outside with the cupcakes Endi had baked and other snacks Chuckles assumed had been brought by some of the other families. His heart clenched at the thought.

Settled.

There was a small rock garden at one end of the schoolyard, and Nita and her cohorts were planting paper flowers in the dust to give the illusion of an actual garden. Anj followed behind the tiny Pantoran with her massive arms full of the crafted blooms, the real one still tucked behind her ear. She dropped the flowers where Nita directed, and the other children scampered behind, pushing wire stems into the dirt. It didn’t take long for the garden to fully take shape, filled with such a variety of colors, Chuckles wasn’t sure Arni’s pencils could have captured them all. As Chuckles leaned against the doorway, watching the Nita and Anj performing their final inspections, he felt a soft hand rest on his shoulder.

“She could lead an army,” Endi giggled quietly, her breath warm against Chuckles’s ear.

“Oh, easily,” he agreed, leaning closer to whisper to her. The scent of her perfume inundated his senses, and his head swam slightly from how close she was standing to him. “She’d have given my captain a run for his credits. That is, if he didn’t willingly enlist under her.” He smiled to himself at the thought of Crater.

He’d have loved her.

Endi seemed to sense his wistfulness, gently slipping her hand around his bicep. “Come with me,” she said quietly.

Chuckles allowed her to lead him back through the classroom and through the narrow doorway he knew led to her apartment. He ignored the heat rising in his cheeks as he crossed the threshold into her personal space.

The dwelling was humble, but everywhere he looked, he saw traces of Endi. She’d done a wonderful job of making it hers, from the blue paint on the doors to the cream colored curtains that hung over the windows, fluttering in the morning breeze. He tried to take his boots off, afraid of tracking dust off, but she waved him off.

“I’ve been going back and forth all day, so I’ll have to sweep anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

The entrance of her apartment consisted of a narrow hall with a closet on one side and a wall on the other that had been covered with student art projects. Chuckles examined some of them as he passed before stepping into the kitchen. It was small, containing a refrigeration unit, a warmer, an oven, and a little bit of counter space. A small herb garden hung under the window, and a table and two chairs were pressed against one wall. The smell of chocolate still lingered in the air, along with the vanilla and spice scent Chuckles had come to associate with Endi. Down the hall, he noted a back door he assumed led out to behind the schoolyard, and another door that was closed.

Her bedroom.

“I hope I wrapped these alright.” Endi’s voice drew Chuckles from his observations. He faced her, noting that she was gesturing at a small stack of presents on the kitchen table. It wasn’t hard to recognize the shape of the pencil and charcoal boxes he’d gotten the day before. Endi had wrapped them in plain brown paper, but the ribbons on it were a rainbow of colors, tied in delicate, intricate knots that made them really shine. Chuck’s throat tightened as he ran his finger along the curl of one of the bows.

“They’re perfect. Much better than anything I could have done,” he said quietly, giving her a smile.

She gave him a pleased grin, clapping her hands together. “I’m so glad.”

“What are the other boxes?”

“Anj and Helly both asked me to wrap theirs too. Said I could do a much better job. Helly got Arni some specimen collecting jars, and Anj got them another sketchbook, figuring they’d tear through more drawings with their new supplies.” Her fingers rested on another package. “I gave them a stone I found when I first moved here.” She giggled softly. “I hope they don’t mind me giving them a rock, but Arni’s got such a scientific mind, I assume they’ll know exactly what it is and if it’s a common specimen. I hope I didn’t give them the equivalent of dirt.” Her eyes met his. “It was sitting on the steps of the schoolhouse when I found it, glinting in the sun, but it felt like a sign I’d found my place. I hope you one day feel like this place is yours as well.”

Chuckles’s mouth had gone completely dry, and his brain had forgotten every word he’d ever learned. Endi’s cheeks flushed that beautiful shade of purple that had been haunting his dreams. He grasped for the right thing to say and came up empty, floundering frantically in his mind. Endi’s mouth quirked up slightly at the corners, the flush in her cheeks deepening.

“Endi, I-”

“THEY’RE COMING!!!” Nita burst through the door of the apartment, sweating and panting, but grinning triumphantly. Anj was close behind her. She grinned when she saw the two of them standing together.

“Helly just sent me a comm. They’re heading over now. Probably got about five minutes.”

“Right, better get these out on the table then,” Endi said, handing Chuckles a few packages before gathering the rest in her arms and stepping out past Anj with Nita close on her heels. He couldn’t be certain, but he was fairly sure her voice was a little more strained and breathy than it had been a moment before. When he went to follow after her, Anj was still grinning, nudging him into the wall with her elbow as he passed.

“What was that for?”

“Don’t know what you mean,” she teased, giving him a wink.

Chuckles opened his mouth to protest further, but decided it was only fair that Anj know this about him since she’d entrusted him with her secret about Helly. Even if he wasn’t ready to take the next step with Endi, whatever that was.

Anj’s estimate was damn near spot on. They’d all just managed to get hidden when Helly’s excited voice began carrying into the room through the open door. Chuckles found himself squatting behind a row of desks with Endi and Anj. As Endi crouched down, she lost her balance and fell against him slightly. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her up.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He was certain she was leaning into his touch slightly.

“Of course,” he replied, glad they’d shut off the lights. His face felt as though it was on fire.

Anj snickered next to him.

“I NEED TO STOP IN AND SEE TEACHER ENDI ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY. SHOULD ONLY TAKE A MINUTE,” Helly practically shouted. Chuckles heard Anj sigh in exasperation next to him, and he bumped her with his hip. She flicked him back in the forearm.

Helly’s boots thudded against the steps, absolutely louder than normal, and a second later, she ushered Arni through the door. They looked around, their brows pinched in confusion.

“Why are the lights-”

“SURPRISE!”

Arni jolted with surprise as Endi threw the lights on and everyone erupted from their hiding places. Nita practically launched herself at the Twi’lek, and Arni just managed to stay on their feet as they caught her. Their eyes found Chuckles, and he felt as though his heart might burst out of his chest as he stepped forward to give them a hug.

“How did you know?” Arni’s voice was muffled from where their face was buried in his chest. He rested a hand on top of their head.

“A little bird named Nita told me,” he said quietly. “Why didn’t you?”

“You were busy,” they mumbled, still holding onto his waist. “Didn’t want to bother you.”

Chuckles crouched down, resting his hands on their shoulders. “Arni, you are never a bother. Ever.” He noticed their cheeks were wet, and he cupped their face, brushing at the tears there. “You ok, kid? Is this alright?”

They nodded hurriedly, assuaging his worries. “I’ve just never… I never really had a family to celebrate with. Had a few friends at… before. But it was always small.” Their eyes roved over the decorations and the presents and the table of cupcakes outside. “This is so much.”

“All for you, kid,” Chuck said, smiling. He wrapped his hand around the back of their head, pulling their foreheads together to touch. “You deserve all of this and more. Now, go have fun with your friends.”

They giggled loudly, the deep laughter that came from their belly and broke into a guffaw. Chuckles had only heard them laugh like that a handful of times since they’d wound up together, and it warmed him from the inside out as Arni grabbed Nita’s hand and raced outside with the rest of the children.

They get to be a kid now. Just as they should be.

“That was PERFECT!” Helly exclaimed, bounding up to him. “I was nervous they were starting to suspect something after the first hour, but then they started asking SO many questions, and it was just wonderful, and…” The Rodian’s chattering faded into the background as Chuckles’s eyes found Endi’s across the room. She was standing near the back wall, watching the scene quietly with a gentle smile gracing her features.

Thank you, he mouthed at her.

She dipped her head in acknowledgement.

Chuckles made his way around the room, thanking each of the parents that had volunteered their time or brought something to contribute. He couldn’t help sneaking peeks out at Arni and the kids, watching them run around the school yard together, most of them with chocolate frosting smeared across their faces in at least one place.

Settled. Maybe. Just maybe.

—

And so it went.

The weeks stretched into a month. The weather began to shift, bringing with it cooler nights and shorter days. Chuckles had always liked milder seasons, preferring them to extreme heat or biting cold, and Lothal’s autumn promised to be just mild enough for his liking, the wind driving him to wear a jacket, but not stinging his cheeks as he walked to work in the mornings.

With Grinz’s help, Chuckles was able to order clothes for Arni, Nita, and himself that were better suited for the cooler temperatures. They’d needed some alterations, and for that, he’d turned to Endi. Neither of them ever seemed to run out of things for the other to fix, Chuckles trading repairs for Endi’s craftsmanship or baking. While it was obvious to anyone with eyes or the biological equivalent what was happening between the two of them, they still hadn’t moved beyond lingering touches and shared glances that lasted just a half beat too long.

“Hold still, or I’ll make a pin cushion out of you,” Endi tutted as she made adjustments to the hem of Chuck’s shirt, pulling a pin from between her teeth to hold the fabric in place.

“Sorry,” he mumbled for what felt like the hundredth time. Standing still for long durations had never been a thing he was good at, and Endi’s fingers somehow continuing to find ways to brush against the skin of his back and stomach did little to make it easier. They’d opted to do the adjustments in the classroom since it had more room and a bit more lighting, and while it had only been about twenty minutes, it felt like Endi had scolded Chuckles plenty for squirming. It was never unkind though, only teasing. Now, an easy silence fell between them as Endi made the final adjustments before straightening and admiring her handiwork.

“I think that’ll do. Let me have it back, and I should be able to get it finished by the end of the week.” She turned her back to him, replacing items into her sewing kit. “That color looks really nice on you, by the way.”

Chuckles couldn’t stop himself from ducking his head at the compliment. His fingers fumbled with the buttons. Even though she’d turned around, he still wasn’t used to the thought of her standing there while he removed his shirt. He hurriedly pulled his other one back on before reaching over Endi’s shoulder to hand her the teal garment. She took it, meeting his gaze and smiling in the way that made his stomach flutter.

“When’s a good time for me to come by and take a crack at your heating unit?” he asked. Endi’s heater had broken down at the beginning of the previous spring, and she’d been putting off having it fixed, but they’d agreed that repairing that would be adequate payment for the alterations to the Ayyshus’ new clothes.

“Are you going to the festival tomorrow night?” she asked.

Chuckles vaguely remembered Arni and Nita mentioning something about a festival the week prior. “Yeah, I think the kids were planning on going. I wasn’t sure I would, but I can swing by before you head out and see what I need on the unit. If that’s alright.”

She set the shirt down, crossing her arms and leaning back against her desk. “And why wouldn’t you come? The Harvest Festival is so much fun!”

“Harvest Festival?” he inquired, raising an eyebrow. “This place has never struck me as a farm town. No crops to speak of.”

Endi shrugged. “Lothal used to have a lot of agriculture, but the planetwide droughts kind of forced everyone to adjust. That doesn’t stop folks from hoping that the rains and greenery might return, and that one day, farming will be feasible again. Even still, it’s a good excuse to dance and get drunk,” she added with a wink.

Chuckles tipped his head back and laughed at that. “Fair enough. Alright, what time do festivities start?”

“Fireworks start just after sundown to kick things off, so maybe just a bit before then if you can swing it. Then we can walk over together. If you’d like.”

The invitation was very obviously there. Her eyes darted from his lips to his eyes, and Maker, it would be so easy to just let both of his hands rest on either side of her hips, to lean in and press his lips against hers. But the doubt lingered, the worries that this was a terrible idea, the concern that he was misreading things entirely. So Chuckles didn’t move closer, not yet.

“I’d like that,” he agreed.

Endi nodded, something flashing in her eyes that he couldn’t interpret before it disappeared. She sighed. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yup. Thanks again.”

“Anytime Chuckles.”

He left, his feet carrying him home as he overanalyzed that moment, tugging on his mohawk nervously as his mind raced.

Why not? Why wouldn’t you?

So what if you’re wrong? She wouldn’t make you feel terrible about it. Just apologize and move on.

But what will the kids think?

He almost tripped on the Starlight’s ramp as he finally reached their home. Arni and Nita were already getting out leftovers from the night before, setting the table for and reheating the rice dish. Chuckles smiled.

This had become a routine of sorts. There had been a few longer nights at the mine recently to meet Imperial quotas, and when he came home late, Arni and Nita had taken it upon themselves to have dinner ready. He’d never even had to ask; they just adjusted, doing what needed to be done.

One step at a time. Almost settled.

That wasn’t to say that everything had been smooth sailing. Chuckles had noticed the two younglings starting to bicker more, and after discussing it with Anj and Endi to get their opinions, they decided it might be time to move them out of the shared bunk since it seemed to be the root of the issue. Arni’s limbs were growing at a rate that Chuckles felt would rival his brothers in their growth tanks, and that seemed to lead to frequent disagreements about whose elbows and knees were allowed to go where. It wasn’t unusual for the two younglings to tumble out of the bunk in the mornings, already grumbling at one another in voices that would crescendo to a shouting match if Chuckles didn’t intervene. It had started to wear on him enough to where he’d finally snapped at them, and then immediately apologized. Still, it was a point of contention.

It was Anj that had recommended converting the main cargo hold to a shared bedroom for the two of them, and Chuckles had been slowly working on sprucing it up the last few weeks. It was an easy secret to keep since Nita and Arni had collectively decided the hold was too creepy to play in their first months on Sorgan, and had since avoided it, keeping the door on the other side of the kitchenette that led to it firmly closed. But Chuckles was optimistic that the lights and strings of reflective stars he’d been hanging up after the two kids had gone to bed would chase any lingering fears away. At least he hoped so. Grinz had also found a pair of secondhand bunks through his network and was having them shipped in the following week. Chuckles still wasn’t sure how he’d get the kids out of the way to install those, but he was confident he could get Helly and Anj to help. Helly had managed to find some unique decorations to hang on the walls, some even coming from her personal collection, and in Chuck’s mind, the hold had started to have a more welcoming feel. The decorations on the walls made it feel less cold and sterile, and the strings of lights cast a warm light around the place, chasing any lingering shadows out of sight.

Bedtime was a bit of a struggle that evening, with Nita accusing Arni of laying on top of her trooper doll and Arni grumbling that she left it everywhere, so it was bound to get laid on at some point. Chuckles managed to get them to at least come to a truce before they dozed off, collapsing into his own bunk and drifting off to sleep thinking of golden eyes, dark curls, and fingertips grazing his spine.

Despite the disagreement the night before, the following morning, every hint of the previous night’s animosity had vanished, completely eclipsed by their excitement for the festival. Chuck wasn’t sure how Arni and Nita would manage to wait all day, and finally chased them outside to burn off some of their excess energy.

After the kids left, he went through his morning routine on his days off, making himself a cup of caf and a quick breakfast as he scanned the newsfeeds. He’d periodically checked things on Sorgan, but at that point, had been almost afraid of what he’d read. Now, he found himself scanning for the names of his brothers or any mention of Force users, but he always seemed to come up empty. It didn’t stop him from hoping. Hope wasn’t something he’d had a lot of during the war, but here on Lothal, he’d felt it wedging itself in the crevices in his heart, taking root and blossoming. He hoped that they’d stay here. He hoped the kids would continue to find their place and be happy. He hoped he’d one day feel safe enough to relax.

He almost could forget about the Empire and the Jedi at times, forget about the war and the fact that the three of them were all technically fugitives. That frightened him. Crater had always warned the 28th Wing that becoming complacent was when they were the least safe, so Chuckles did his best to remain vigilant. Still, as he sat there listening to Nita and Arni giggle and shout, for a moment, it was easy to pretend that everything was normal as he set the datapad aside and finished his caf.

He found himself more focused on what to wear tonight, silly as it was. Whatever shirt he’d wear would likely get covered in oil and grease depending on how extensive the repair to Endi’s heating unit was, but her words echoed in his mind as he poked through his meager wardrobe.

“That color looks really nice on you, by the way.”

He selected one of the older shirts he had, one he’d traded for their first month on Sorgan. It was more sunbleached and worn, but it was comfortable and close to the color of the shirt Endi was altering for him. He hadn’t worn it in quite a while, and as he pulled it over his head, he caught a glimpse of himself in the ‘fresher mirror.

His body had absolutely changed in the last month. The muscles that he’d allowed to grow softer on Sorgan were now more defined than they’d been in a long while, maybe since his training days. His shoulders and back in particular had hardened from the work in the mine, and he had a few new scars he’d garnered from bumping up against the rocky walls or having to crawl through a few narrow spaces. The soreness he’d experienced in the first week had long faded, leaving him feeling stronger than he’d been in a while and seemingly dissipating some of the pains that had lingered after his crash. The shirt felt looser as he pulled it on, rolling the sleeves to his forearms out of habit. The fabric hung in places where it had previously fit a little tighter, and now it fit his back and shoulders better.

Chuckles examined his reflection further, leaning forward to run his fingers through his faded blue mohawk, and eyeing the dark roots that were beginning to show.

Might be time to re-dye it. Maybe change the color. I’ll let the kids decide.

It was trivial, he knew, but he was sad at the thought of covering the color Oksann had so carefully crafted with the kids. It felt like one of the last remnants of their time on Sorgan, one of the last things they’d done with Ry and Oks before they’d uprooted and run. He sighed.

Our life is here now. And that’s good.

Ry would tell me I’m being an idiot anyway.

He met his own brown eyes in the mirror, the ones he shared with his brothers. It almost felt as if the next thought came from Crater or Howzer or Two-Pint or any of the ones he was closest with that had offered him advice when it was needed.

You’ll never be settled if you keep looking back.

—

“Yeah, you just need a new power coupler and heating core. Both pretty standard parts, I think. I’ll talk with Grinz tomorrow and see if he’s able to pull some strings and get them here before it gets too cold,” Chuck informed Endi, wiping the grease off his palms. He’d just crawled out from under the heating unit just outside the apartment’s back door, dusting himself off before Endi handed him a rag to clean off his hands. She stood in the doorway, leaning against it with one shoulder, smiling in that way that made Chuck’s heart flutter.

“What do you think the parts will cost me?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Not sure. When I was a soldier, everything was funded by the Republic, so cost really wasn’t an issue. I’ll see if I can barter a favor for Grinz if it’s too bad.”

“You don’t have to do that, Chuckles.”

“I know, but I will anyway.” He gave her a grin, and he wasn’t certain, but it seemed she flushed a bit.

“Well, come on in and get yourself cleaned up then. Can’t have you going to the festival with that grease smear on your chin.”

Chuckles ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck to hide the heat in his face. Stepping back inside, he squeezed past Endi in the hall, making the way to her kitchen and running the water in her sink to better clean his hands. Glancing out the window, he noted the sun was almost fully below the horizon.

Better hurry if we’re going to make the fireworks.

“Here.” Endi appeared at his side, handing him a glass of ice water. He took it and drank greedily, some of the water sliding past the corner of his mouth and running down his chin and throat. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, swiping at the trails of water that dipped below his shirt. He noted the way Endi’s eyes followed his fingers, her pupils seeming to widen slightly when he nudged the collar of his shirt aside to dab at the dribbles.

“Sorry I’m such a sweaty, dusty mess,” he mumbled sheepishly. “I meant to try and keep myself clean, but I wanted to do that repair right. Or as right as I could right now.” He tugged nervously at his mohawk, trying not to think about how sweaty the roots felt.

“And I appreciate that,” she replied, taking the empty glass back from him and setting it on her counter. Taking a dish towel from the edge of the sink, she dabbed at his chin. “There, now you’re a little more presentable.” Her eyes flicked to where his fingers were still woven into his hair.

“That’s your nervous tell, isn’t it? When you tug like that?”

Chuck’s face felt as though it was on fire. “I suppose. I’ve always done it ever since I started wearing it like this, even before I started dyeing it.”

Endi smiled. “Looks like you’re due for a touch-up soon. Grinz can get you about any color you want. Do you think you’ll change things up?”

Chuckles shrugged. “Not sure. I let the kids pick last time, and I’m a bit partial to it, but we’ll see.”

Endi set the towel on the counter, stepping closer to Chuckles. He could smell her perfume again, although at this point, he wasn’t sure if it was perfume or just her. It was intoxicating, and he swallowed hard as she reached up to run her fingers through his fading mohawk. “I like the blue,” she said softly. “You should keep it.” Her fingers trailed through his hair, and he sucked in a sharp breath at her nearness. She’d touched him before of course, but it had always been innocent, either a hand resting on his arm or accidentally grazing his skin. This felt intentional, like a test to see how he’d respond. Endi’s eyes met his, gauging his reaction, her golden irises hopeful but hesitant.

Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.

When he didn’t move, she allowed her fingertips to graze his cheek, tracing the scar at the corner of his mouth before her palm rested against the side of his face. He leaned into it, feeling her warmth against his skin. Her breath stuttered. The two of them stared at each other, clearly waiting to see what the other would do now that lines had been deliberately crossed. The only sounds Chuckles could hear was Endi’s breathing and his own blood pounding in his ears. He was frozen, unsure of what to do until she began to withdraw her hand.

He didn’t want her to stop touching him.

He wanted her.

Settled. You could be settled. Maybe with her.

Endi gave him a sheepish grin, opening her mouth to offer an apology, but she didn’t get a single word out. Chuckles crashed his lips against hers just as the festival’s first firework exploded outside the kitchen window.

A/N: Two-Pint is the fantastic @teletraan-meets-jarvis's creation and is introduced in her story "Pieces". If you love compelling Jedi and clone OCs, the Wolfpack, and general shenanigans combined with a delicious slow burn, then I highly recommend you check it out!

Tag List: @seriowan @partoftheeternalsoul @rosmariner @misogirl828 @ellichonkasaurusrex @zoeykallus @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @staycalmandhugaclone @redheadgirl @fordo-kixed-rex @wizardofrozz @ariadnes-red-thread @justanothersadperson93 @leftealeaf @kaminocasey @echos-girlfriend @lucyysthings @obihiddlenox @merkitty49 @littlemissmanga @clonecyaree @baba-fett @sleepingsun501 @rexxdjarin @samspenandsword @babygirlrex0504 @ladytano420 @fxlsealarm @runforrestr @djarrex @corrieguards @the-cantina @witchklng @wolffegirlsunite @fives-lover @rain-on-kamino @ladykatakuri @arctrooper69 @hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall

#karrde writes #one step at a time #osaat #OC Chuckles #OC Arni #OC Nita #OC Chuckles Ayyshu #OC Arni Ayyshu #OC Nita Ayyshu #clone oc #jedi oc #more ocs than I know what to do with #i can't stop making more of them #found family #angst #fluff #so much fluff #domestic fluff #slow burn

33 notes · View notes

whorekneecentral · 1 year

Note

Hey girlllllly :)))

I’ve been off tumblr for a while and I’ve only found out recently abt the whole racism situation u went thru, I’m so sorry some ppl are absolutely idiots😤 Sending online hugs ur way🤗🤗

Also, to all the ppl tryna request stuff even tho the req box is CLEARLY closed for business:

Either be patient like the rest of us and give Anj the space she needs from this account or - respectfully - PISS OFF!!😡

She doesn’t owe you shit no matter how much you try to bombard her (heck, the stuff she HAS posted is coming out of her queue) and some of us who did request stuff previously are staying patient and respecting her boundaries; bottom line is that it doesn’t take much to be kind and understanding

Apologies for the rant but it needed to be said😅(and before ppl come for me: IF YOU DONT DO THIS, IT DOESNT APPLY TO YOU!!)

- Nando anon

thank you babe, you're too kind. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of writing on here.

hope you're good!

#nando anon :)

5 notes · View notes

bossbutch · 27 days

Text

Umineko ch4 first half

take a look, it's in a book, reading rainbow

i think misinformation about kyrie and rudolf's relationship was revealed to me in a dream last night.

i was a little down on the fantasy action sequences but ange's whole Bit of traveling back from a possible 1999 is Compelling. ange to battler: "umineko is too long please fix the pacing." ok now let me tell you about my school life and have Level 2 Flashbacks with maria yay for maria stories :D "anti-rosa: i can't forgive the me of yesterday" is awesome. "rokkenjimagate" oh boy time to introduce a new family with a million new characters. 90s ange land is Also a fantasy land just a different genre just like a james bond jr sorta fantasy. umineko: true crime is fail ughhhh bernie directly says "you gotta pay attention to the fantasy sequences if you wanna solve the mystery"

[back to battler] yay i was ahead of battler on the replacement person concept BUT i definitely should've considered grandpa. battler's never seen him. if he's dead then doc and shannon and natsuhi are complicit in Something. weird scene with rosa and maria on rokkenjima where apparently dying together last loop made her so much chiller? she'll even uu-uu with maria. [back to ange] maria "autism is my superpower" ushiromiya dear reddit my tulpa is giving me more tulpas please advise lambdadelta says: "you need to stalemate them so we get unlimited umineko" [back to maria] i'm definitely closer to the anje side of the childhood trauma spectrum than maria but i'm Feeling It. was crying a little at work reading the maria segments with the welfare officer showing up.

[back to battler] ugggghhhhhh not the rabbits again. genji dies like gus breaking bad lol on one hand summoning a demon (gaap) who is like "i'm a WOMAN demon and men are from mars lololol" is Incredibly Lame but on the other hand this is Abusive Grandpa's fantasy land. same with the whole furniture house elf "oh we live for serving people" thing. i'm now convinced grandpa died before the loop started and a scene where he summons demons makes me More convinced. but he's still "Responsible" for what happens because of how he abused everyone else. Long as hell book in two parts? Rich old man has unrequited crush, reads some books, makes his fantasies Everyone Else's Problem? fantasy vs. reality genre deconstruction with an idiot protagonist and comically absurd action scenes? sometimes goes on really long tangents? mostly known for the memes but they only scratch the surface? Umineko is the proper successor to Don Quixote :P

#:crying_while_seagull:

1 note · View note

the-firebird69 · 2 months

Text

LEWATI PARIT SEEKOR ANAK ANJING DITERKAM BUAYA RAWA #animals #scary

youtube

It's a poor dog it is stupid no he doesn't see the thing and they don't really know what they are and he got killed and they pulled them out and they're fixing him but really the sun saw him the other day and they're saying it's us and so forth and he put him in there and they know he wonders around till he gets hurt and we're going to kill these people I don't want to see this happen again I've been screaming in an hour still let it happen it's you know tell these guys in English and Swahili and French and Spanish don't let this happen get rid of this trash they're all going to die out there nobody would be surprised I don't care about this piece of crap I'll do it with any piece of crap this wandering around it's next and I'm starting to see it's my word it's my job it's a little Thor and Freya go through the 5 seconds or you it's not necessary we can't afford it either I tell you there's symbology and we need to stop it and we need to get you need to get troops and tons of them and my son and daughter are telling their cadre to get going on and not to allow it and they can make it happen and they're just sitting there watching too horrified the same we're applying all these psycho stuff psychological warfare and things we just don't have enough of an edge I don't know what the problem is I am getting angry and frustrated and it's probably the best proper but these jackasses are doing it so they don't need to be here and I don't really have a plan to use people who are nothing you can be the next one or 45 of them down the line so they hear you and they do understand what you're saying and we do see what people are saying to us what they say is we're trying to kind of loose and seems like you're hanging on to them and it's not really us it seemed proper and it's not because he's doing what they want knowledgeably it's because they're having two stuff they're having him do things and bad things to you so yeah they're the problem and I understand that so I'm getting teams together and while this is going on with your taking advantage of it and I'm so sick of these people and you Max are dumb and sick attacking your engineer with the ultimate warrior and he was told not to do it and did anyways and they didn't stop him. Hulk Hogan was doing the same thing he's talked to him and talk to him taunting him and he had the surgery a long time ago it was a bad stuff and he said I can't stop from doing it and you just keep doing that stupid s*** he said I can't stop it either and turns out that the idiots are doing it is not true is telling them to stop and they won't but we say is you have to and you're not and so what you're going to lose your little kids this out as dumb as you serious your sound as dumb as these idiots and yeah messing with a very short waiting Jesus Christ you forget annoying it's stupid you're messing with the furbish and you're winning everything honestly honest to God you're the cheesiest cheese on Earth. And we meet back proper we mean Mac proper

Thor Freya

Olympus

#Youtube

0 notes

menujusenja · 6 months

Text

Bepergian Bersama Faisal Reza Irfani adalah My Trip My Adventure yang Sebenarnya - Berangkat dari Surabaya

Faisal tiba di Surabaya pada hari Jum’at pukul sebelas malam, seperti rencana semula. Aku menjemputnya di Stasiun Gubeng Lama dengan menaiki motor supra lawas kesayangan. Sesampainya di kost kami tidak langsung tidur, melainkan ngobrol ngalor-ngidul dari soal kuliah, buku sampai politik dulu. Maklum kami sudah lama tidak bersua. Kira-kira jam dua belas malam kami memutuskan untuk tidur.

Pukul 03.20 kami berdua sudah bangun. Aku mandi terlebih dahulu karena Faisal masih mager dan memilih membereskan tasnya untuk disiapkan. Aku selesai mandi pukul 03.30 dan sekarang giliran Faisal sedangkan aku bergantian mempersiapkan barang-barangku. Ah, semua lancar sesuai rencana, pikirku. Sembari menunggu Faisal, aku membaca beberapa lembar halaman buku karena waktu sholat Subuh juga belum kunjung tiba.

Jam dinding menunjukkan pukul 04.00 dan Faisal belum terlihat batang hidungnya. Perasaan ini mulai gelisah, tetapi aku memilih terapi mental ala Ranchodas Chancad di film Three Idiots dengan berkali-kali mengucapkan all iz well. Lima menit berlalu dan masih saja Faisal belum selesai mandi. Bangsat, kali ini aku benar-benar khawatir jikalau kami ketinggalan kereta. Sebab, Probowangi berangkat pukul 04.30 dan jarak dari kost ke Stasiun Gubeng Lama sekitar 6 kilometer.

Aku berniat keluar kamar untuk menggedor pintu kamar mandi yang terletak di ujung bangunan kost ini. Baru sempat mau beranjak dari duduk, Faisal masuk ke kamar dengan telanjang dada dan tergopoh-gopoh.

"Asuu i suwe banget kon cok ! Adus model opo 40 menit ki. Wis meh telat iki sle !" umpatanku keluar tak tertahan.

"Sori tenan bes aku ngising seg mau karo rokokan wkwkwk." timpalnya menanggapi umpatanku dengan santai.

"Hajigur sempet-sempete udad-udud seg. Yowis gek ndang budhal selak telat !" ajakku.

Sambil bersungut-sungut, aku tergesa-gesa keluar kamar dan menaiki motor di parkiran. Faisal mengikuti dari belakang sambil menenteng tas miliknya. Aku melihat arloji dan waktu menunjukkan pukul 04.10. Tidak bisa dibohongi jika aku benar-benar was-was. Duh, kekejar gak ya keretanya. Ini di luar rencana awal.

Aku mengeluarkan motor diikuti Faisal sampai di gerbang depan kost. Motor sudah hidup, kami berdua sudah bersiap di atas supra dan aku sudah merapalkan mantra kerasukan Valentino Rossi. Saat fokus membayangkan seluk-beluk jalanan yang akan kulalui dan menggeber gas motor, tiba-tiba Faisal menepuk pundakku sambil berkata,

"Eh seg bes, headsetku ketoke ketinggalan ning kamarmu tak jupuk seg yo." ucapnya santai.

"Heeeh bajingan iki wis ra nyandak waktune ! Wis tinggalen wae headsetmu cok !" umpatku menolak permintaannya.

"Wah ojo ngono iki mengko perjalanan suwe, aku raiso nyaman tanpa headsetku." balasnya sambil ngeloyor pergi kembali ke kamar.

"JANCOOOKKK !!!" aku reflek menyentakkan standar motorku sambil menghantam bagian kepala motor.

Sempat-sempatnya lho H-20 menit keberangkatan masih bisa santai ngambil headset. Tak habis fikri, di luar nurul. Aku berpikir, baiklah petualang sudah dimulai sepagi ini. Aku yang sudah dalam keadaan super sewot ini merasakan waktu berjalan sangat lambat. Menunggunya sedetik rasanya seperti menunggu tanda acc untuk maju sidang skripsi.

"Ayo gek budhal wis ketemu ki headset e." ucap Faisal sambil memakai helmnya.

Aku yang sudah dalam puncak amarah malas untuk meladeni tingkah bejatnya. Langsung ku tancap gas menyusuri jalanan Surabaya di sepanjang kala subuh. Melewati Jalan Kertajaya yang lengang, ku geber maksimal sekuat yang supra keluaran 2009 ini bisa. Seluruh lampu lintas ku terobos tak peduli warna apa yang ditunjukkan. Di tengah kecepatan tinggi ekor mataku sempat melirik jam arloji digital yang menyala. Waktu menunjukkan pukul 04.22. Anjing, 8 menit lagi dengan jarak masih satu kilometer !

Seluruh kemampuan balap yang tak seberapa ini aku keluarkan demi tak terlambat. Akhirnya, kami sampai di depan Stasiun Gubeng Lama pukul 04.25, keberangkatan kereta tinggal dua menit lagi. Aku masih harus memasukkan motor ke dalam parkiran stasiun. Tekstur jalanan menuju parkiran semi menanjak dengan lantai keramik berwarna oranye yang sekaligus adalah trotoar. Di tengah mau masuk gerbang parkiran, muncul suara benda jatuh dan celetukan dari Faisal.

"Walah seg bes botol mineralku tibo." ucapnya santai.

"Bazengaaaaaaan emosi tenan aku cuuk !" umpatku sambil menurunkannya di trotoar dan melanjutkan usahaku memarkirkan motor. Udah hampir berangkat keretanya, masih pakai acara botol minum jatuh segala. Ndlegek basiyo !

Kami berdua berlarian memasuki stasiun dan segera menyerahkan karcis kepada penjaga gerbang. Panggilan terakhir penumpang Probowangi sudah berkumandang dan tak ada pilihan lain selain berlari secepat mungkin. Alhamdullilah, kereta berangkat bertepatan saat kami menyandarkan punggung di kursi penumpang. Padahal, aku sudah pesimis dan tak yakin kami bisa mengejar jadwal kereta tepat waktu. Kehabisan tenaga karena terburu-buru dan mengumpat, membuatku jatuh terlelap dalam tidur sehabis sholat di dalam kereta. Ahh Probolinggo, we are coming !

Bandung, 1 April 2024

@menujusenja

0 notes

souleater66 · 1 year

Text

GW BENCI BGT BGT BGT sama orang berpenis a.k.a laki laki emasculated yang kerjaannya menghina perempuan, merendahkan perempuan, nuduh perempuan itu beban mati/deadweight, bodoh, tolol, boros, gak berguna, dsb.

Nyatanya dia sendiri butuh perempuan, butuh orang untuk boost egonya yg sooo fragile like his own erection, butuh vagina, butuh seks dengan perempuan, butuh ngehamilin perempuan (walaupun habis itu dia hina karena badannya si perempuan berubah jadi jelek) butuh samsak buat ditinju, dihina, diejek, dimaki-maki babi anjing tolol bangsat.

Kalau gak mau punya kewajiban menafkahi, jangan kawinin anak orang, bangsat!!!!

Kalau gak mau memikul tanggungjawab jadi orangtua, jangan ngewe, tolol!!!!!

Gak ngerti lagi kenapa manusia2 berpenis itu bisa jadi sangat idiot.

Mereka terbebani dan ngamuk karena pilihan2 hidup yang mereka pilih sendiri. Tapi ngamuknya ke orang lain, menghancurkan barang, ngancurin mental orang lain, merusak kehidupan orang lain.

Pengecut!

Arogan!

Bajingan!

0 notes

forecast0ctopus · 3 years

Text

yeah i got invested in merlin in 2021 :/

#anj cringe moments #having shown exactly zero interest in it before AND with the full knowledge that [redacted] dies i dont understand how this ended up happeni #merlin #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #merlin fanart #head in hands i dont understand #edit: as of this tag ive watched the disir ep and im so filled with rage merlin the opportunity was THERE you IDIOT #i had to pause for a minute to take a deep breath #knowing the ending made this so much worse #edit: anyways elyan deserved better #ive had this post in my drafts for over a month and i cant. bring myself to watch the last few episodes. god ill force myself to eventually #bad anj stop getting way too attached to things #i WILL bite the bullet and post these on twitter and insta sometime but i need to see. how tumblr goes first

1K notes · View notes

icanttakethemonmyown · 10 months

Text

decided im too embarrassing to exist, please check back in 2 to 5 business days for any updates

#i hate being a person that has to interact with other people #i havent studied the social scripts guys go easy on me #but also please like me i need you to like me 😭#anje is an idiot

0 notes

hournites · 2 years

Note

Im not the hournite/car anon… but what is the Theory?

OK so here's the deal! Did some snooping and as we know Beth is absolutely wearing 3 chains in the car and the shot cuts out like most of her body. I checked and found this bts vid of Anj on set from when she was promoting the stargirl s2 finale and HEY. She's NOT WEARING THE THIRD NECKLACE.

Why would she be wearing 2 but not the 3 unless it's obviously a spoiler?? And she was doing a live so obviously that was a no go (her jacket is also gone).

ALSO I AM A COMPLETE IDIOT. BECAUSE. RICK MAKES A NEW HOURGLASS. SO WHO IS TO SAY THE ONE SHE IS WEARING HAS THE SAME CHAIN THAT WE ARE USED TO?

I based it upon the bts of Rick in his suit fighting Cam and it is once again a gold link chain

But the more that I look at it!!!

the THICKER the chain seems.

And, again, she's in Rick's car so it makes sense, right? Right??? What do you think, non og hg anon?

And thanks for @bluevalleybreakingnews for reintroducing the theory. I didn't want to get my hopes up and I'm still cautiously like .... trying my best to be logical in thinking maybe not. But. MAYBE YES.

#ask #anon #hournite #s3 #theory #speculation #beth chapel #hn talks #stargirl #stargirl spoilers

24 notes · View notes

wild-karrde · 1 year

Text

One Step at a Time - Part 10

Master List | Previous Part | Next Part

A/N: Another chapter??? YES. YES INDEED. There's a reason I'm focusing on this fic right now, and I think it will all come together swimmingly (I apologize for being vague, but I PROMISE THERE'S A REASON). As always, thank you to the stupendous @teletraan-meets-jarvis for beta-reading this chapter for me and screaming with me about this story!!!

Chapter Rating: T

Warnings: language, implied sexual content

Word Count: 6.5k words

“Pssssssst.”

Chuckles was jolted awake by a persistent tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. Sitting bolt upright on his bunk, he whipped his head around to find Nita staring at him with wide eyes.

“Nita, honey wh-” A pudgy hand slapped over his mouth, and the tiny Pantoran held a finger to her lips, glaring at him as though he’d walked into some holy place and started obnoxiously shouting.

“Shhhh!” she warned. “You’ll wake Arni!”

Chuck’s eyes flicked to the bunk, where he could still hear Arni snoring uninterrupted.

A thermal detonator wouldn’t wake that kid.

“And why don’t we want to do that?” he mumbled around Nita’s fingers.

“It’s a secret, so you gotta stay quiet.”

“Ok,” he whispered. “What’s the secret?”

Nita stood on her tiptoes, and Chuckles leant down, propping himself up on one elbow so she could cup her hand to his ear, whispering loudly. “Tomorrow is Arni’s birthday.”

Chuckles’s heart fell and then began to race.

You don’t even know when their birthdays are. What a kriffing idiot you are. You never even asked.

“How do you know that?” he asked cautiously, trying not to allow the guilt seeping through him to show.

Nita rocked back on her heels nervously. “We… we were kind of arguing last night. They told me I was only five and didn’t know everything, and I told them they were only ten and couldn’t know that much more than me. And they told me they wouldn’t be ten for much longer. Then they told me it’s tomorrow.” She bounced on the balls of her feet, some of her apprehension seeming to fade at the prospect of planning a surprise. “Do you think we should do something for them?”

Chuckles rolled onto his back, scrubbing his hands over his face as his mind fumbled with all of the information that had been dumped on him while he was still only fractionally conscious.

Arni’s birthday is tomorrow. They’re turning eleven. Maker. At least Nita’s not holding a grudge about whatever they were bickering about. They seem to be doing that a bit more often lately.

He turned to look at Nita. “Why didn’t they say something sooner?”

She shrugged. “They didn’t want you to make a big deal out of it since you’ve been so tired from your job.”

Chuckles couldn’t deny that was true. He’d survived his first week in the mine, but he hadn’t experienced this much muscle soreness since his days as a cadet. He’d admittedly worked extra hard this week to impress Anj and the crew, always taking on any additional work and lending a hand where he could. He felt he’d impressed her, but most nights, he’d barely managed to limp home, collect the kids from school, muddle through an easy dinner, and often collapse into his bunk before either of the younglings were in bed, unable to keep his eyes open a second longer. He’d tried to stay in the pilot’s seat to sleep, but after the first night, tossing and turning and adjusting to try and give his sore muscles some relief, he’d wound up with a crick in his neck and a poor attitude he couldn’t shake, so he’d surrendered to the pull-down bunk. And he’d slept marginally better, even if he’d still woken up sore.

Now, his heart clenched at the thought of Arni keeping their birthday to themself in order to spare him more work.

The kid is more observant than anyone could ever guess. And too anxious about bothering other people. And considerate to a fault.

They’d picked up the slack this week without him having to ask. Every morning, he’d awoken to the previous night’s dinner packed away in the refrigeration unit with the dishes they’d used washed, dried, and put away by Arni. Every morning, the young Twi’lek had Nita ready to go before Chuckles even thought to ask, her hair tied up in buns with silver ribbons, and Arni always assured him that any take-home work from school had been completed. Chuckles had planned on doing something special for them once he got his feet more underneath him.

But a birthday could not wait.

Luckily, he had today and tomorrow off, and while he’d planned to sleep in and indulge in an extra-long hot shower to relax, he knew now his day would be a busy one. He started making a mental checklist of everything he’d need to do.

Head to the store and see what Grinz has in stock that could be used for a party.

If there’s no cake at the shop, figure out how to make a cake.

Decorations? What kind of decorations? Maybe Nita can be in charge of that. She should be in charge of something.

Who can we invite? The kid probably has friends.

I should call…

His thoughts trailed off as heat rushed to his face at the thought of Endi. With as busy as he’d been this week, there hadn’t been a spare second to think of anything else, especially not comming the kids’ very attractive teacher.

How long is too long to wait to comm someone? Have I completely kriffed this up before it even started?

Whatever it is.

Chuckles pulled the piece of flimsi from where he’d tucked it next to his bunk, running his thumbs over the creases and worn edges. A pang of guilt settled into his stomach as his thoughts drifted to the other woman with dark hair that Endi had made him think of. It had only been a handful of months, but she seemed like a lifetime ago, like a dream he almost couldn’t remember.

She’d want you to be happy.

I think.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of her. Hell, he’d been on his way to see her when everything went to shit. And it’s not like he hadn’t thought of trying to reach out to her.

Who says she even wants to hear from me? Especially after everything that happened?

Does she think I killed younglings? That I became one of them? Or does she just assume I’m dead?

He sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face.

I’m so sorry, Bolts.

They hadn’t dated, at least not the way he’d wanted to, not the way she deserved. That was supposed to come after the war, when he wasn’t a soldier and she wasn’t a mechanic that worked on his fighter. He was going to take her to dinner, to court her like a normal guy would get to, without her having to worry that people would think she was favoring him over his brothers or their Jedi generals. She had even talked about opening up her own shop after the war in the evenings when they were still tangled up in one another in her bed.

“I think it’d be nice to work on different speeders and crafts. It’s been nothing but gunships and fighters for the last three years. I can damn near guess what’s broken at this point without even looking at something,” she’d joked one night.

“Oh yeah?” he’d retorted. “And what do you think is broken on my fighter this time?”

She’d rolled over, propping herself up on one elbow, her fingers trailing along his chest before she poked him in the sternum accusingly.

“Your engine stabs are fucked.”

“How could you possibly know it’s my stabilizers?”

“Because you fly like an asshole, and I’ve had to replace them every few months. You’re due for a burnout.”

He’d scoffed in mock hurt before leaning in to kiss her. She’d giggled against his lips as she rolled him under her and straddled his hips.

“I’m right aren’t I?” she asked, tongue poking between her teeth teasingly.

He’d huffed, struggling to focus as she’d ground against him slightly. “Of course you are.”

She’d cackled triumphantly before making him late to his first briefing of the morning.

Now, the memory of her itched at the back of his mind as he rubbed the flimsi between his fingers again. His lips unconsciously traced the outline of her name, rolling the familiar syllables over his tongue silently.

Brienna.

“What?”

He noticed Nita was still watching him, her brows furrowing in curiosity as she glanced back and forth from him to the scrap in his hand. He tucked it in his palm to hide it from view.

“Nothing, just thinking.” He plowed forward without waiting to see if Nita bought it. “Alright kid, if we’re going to pull this off, you’re going to have to be my co-conspirator. Do you know what that means?”

Her smile didn’t falter. “No.”

“It means you’re my partner. My co-pilot for this mission.”

She inhaled in excitement. “Are we going flying?”

“No.”

Her face fell this time. Chuckles’s mind scrambled to recover from its dead spin.

“But what it does mean is that you have to be sneaky. We have to make sure it’s a surprise. Got it?”

The promise of secrecy seemed to sweep away the little Pantoran’s disappointment. She danced gleefully in front of him.

“Ok! What can I do?”

He leaned closer, glancing left and right as if there might be eavesdroppers. Nita’s face grew more serious, and she stepped closer as he leaned down conspiratorially. He cupped his hands around her ear.

“I need you to keep Arni busy today and tomorrow maybe. Keep them out of the ship. Go exploring with them or something. Look for things to draw. But keep them occupied,” he whispered. “Think you can manage that?”

Nita was bouncing excitedly, but once again grew serious under the weight of this important task.

“I can do it. I won’t let you down!”

Chuckles extended his pinky, which she locked her pinky with.

“I’m counting on you, soldier,” he said with all the authority he could muster while keeping a straight face.

Nita drew herself up to attention, saluting him clumsily. “You can count on me!”

Chuckles had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. “Good. Now go wake up your sibling and get them out of here. Remember, you’ve got to be sneaky!”

Nita didn’t waste another millisecond, bounding over to the bunk and practically tackling the snoozing Twi’lek.

“ARNI! Wake up!”

Chuckles couldn’t hear exactly what their response was, but their grumbling tone easily conveyed how little they appreciated being woken up in this manner.

They’ll forgive her tomorrow. And hopefully me.

Chuckles rolled onto his back, pulling his datapad up to start jotting down his to-do list for the day. To Nita’s credit, it only took her a few minutes to drag a reluctant Arni out of their bunk. The sleepy Twi’lek nodded at Chuckles as they shoved their sketchbook and pencils into a small satchel.

“Where are you kids off to?”

“I SAW A TOOKA AND WANT ARNI TO COME HELP ME FIND IT!”

“We’re never gonna catch it, Nita. We never even get close.”

“Well, maybe we will this time!”

Arni mumbled something unintelligible.

“And I think it had babies with it!” Nita tried again, attempting to sweeten the pot.

“Babies? Loth cats typically don’t bring their young out when they hunt,” Arni commented, but Chuckles could see they were suddenly more awake at that prospect of making an unusual scientific discovery. “Normally, they leave them in their nests.”

“Well, maybe we can find the nest! I bet that would be really cool! And full of cute babies!”

Arni pondered for another moment, and Chuckles found himself holding his breath.

“We’ll have to be careful because Loth cat mamas can be very protective of their kits,” they said, absently rubbing the birthmark on their cheek. “But it would be cool to draw a family.”

“Let’s GO then!” Nita insisted. “Before we lose her!”

“Ok, ok I’m coming! Just let me get my boots on. Go grab some protein bars and water for snacks!”

“Those aren’t snacks.”

“Then get some real snacks too!” Arni replied excitedly. “But hurry!” They already had one boot on, and they were frantically lacing up their other one, hopping around on one foot. “What are you gonna do?” they asked, glancing over at Chuckles.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Chuckles said as casually as he could. “Might sleep a little more and then head to the store for more supplies. Jerrno paid me early, so I can get us more food.” It was the first time he’d ever actually been paid for working in credits. He’d never had a problem working for Ry and getting paid in food and the occasional traded good. It had ensured the credits Chirrut and Baze had sent with them could be used for larger items and saved for emergencies, but there was something about earning the money that sent pride coursing through Chuckles. It felt silly, but it also felt good, and he’d take good.

“We’re out of Spice Snappers. Could you get more of those if it’s not too much trouble?” Arni asked hesitantly.

Anything for you, kiddo.

“I’ll see what Grinz has at the store,” Chuckles promised. He hadn’t yet become acquainted with the shopkeeper, but from everything he’d heard at work, he was a kindly Ugnaut that was slightly hard of hearing, but made up for it with his terrible jokes and excellent sense of humor.

Arni nodded, apparently satisfied with his promise to try. Nita returned a few moments later, her arms full of snacks, which Arni had to negotiate down to one pack that was small enough to fit in their satchel. Nita had clearly been disappointed, but when Chuckles met her eyes and winked at her, her dedication to their secret mission seemed to renew, and the frown quickly disappeared from her face. The two younglings raced down the lamp, shouting goodbyes over their shoulders as the hatch closed behind them. Chuckles laid back, allowing a few minutes to pass before he decided they definitely weren’t returning for any reason. He slipped the scrap of flimsi back out, staring at Endi’s delicate and neat writing.

You’re overthinking this. For all you know, she’s just being nice and welcoming. Maybe she really does just want to help mend Nita’s leggings. Don’t read too much into it.

He punched in the frequency, listening to the crackle of static quietly fade to a dull beeping. The comm was quiet for what seemed like an eternity, and he was about to give up when a sleepy voice answered on the other end.

“Hello?”

Oh karking hells. I woke her up.

The sudden urge to sit up overtook him, and he swung his legs over the side of the bunk, resting his bare feet against the cool metal of the floor. His unoccupied hand wove into his hair, tugging nervously at the tips of his mohawk. He briefly considered cutting the link, but if he did that and called later, then she’d absolutely recognize the incoming frequency and know he was the one that had woken her up anyway. So if he did that, there’s no way he could ever comm her again. Unless he got another commlink…

“Is someone there?”

He bumped the heel of his hand against his forehead.

“Yeah, hey Teacher Endi, it’s me. Sorry, it’s Chuck. Chuckles. I… I’m sorry, is this a bad time? I can call later.”

There was a soft laugh on the other end of the link. It made the tension in his shoulders release slightly. “No, it’s fine. I’m just getting out of bed to make my morning tea. Also, you can just call me Endi if you like.”

The image of Endi getting out of bed invaded Chuckles’s mind. He imagined her in a practical nightgown, maybe something with a simple lace on the hem, her dark curls hanging loosely in her eyes and over her shoulders as she pulled on a delicate robe and made her way towards her kitchen. It probably smelled of cinnamon and herbs, and he imagined there was a window that allowed sunlight to trickle in, illuminating her light blue skin in a soft glow and making her golden eyes sparkle even more.

Her eyes are really beautiful.

“Umm… Chuckles?”

Kriff. Focus.

“Yeah. Sorry. Been a bit of a week.”

“Anj never goes easy on anyone, especially newcomers.”

He huffed a laugh of agreement, wiggling his toes against the floor of the ship and rubbing the back of his neck. “Listen, I know it’s probably poor manners to ask for a favor when you first call someone, but I’m in a bit of a bind, and I think you might be just the person to help me out of it.”

He could hear water filling a kettle on the other end with Endi humming quietly in the background.

“Well, technically you don’t have to ask since I offered to mend the leggings,” she teased.

“Yeah. No, I’m still likely going to take you up on that. But… there’s something else.” Chuckles sighed in frustration, scrubbing his hand over his face. “I know… I know this is going to make me sound like a horrible father, but Arni’s birthday is tomorrow, and I didn’t know. And now I do, and I want to pull something together. I know it’s last minute, but they do so much, and I feel like a karking idiot for not knowing my own kid’s birthday, but clones don’t really celebrate birthdays, so it’s not exactly something I’m used to doing and-”

“Chuckles… CHUCKLES!” She finally managed to interrupt him, and he fell silent. She giggled softly again. “Listen, you told me about how short of a time you’ve been together, so I know you’re all still figuring things out. You caught it before it happened, so there’s still time to fix it. And you’ve been a bit busy trying to keep them fed. So maybe give yourself a bit of a break?”

He huffed another quiet laugh. “I just… I barely know where to start. I don’t even know what to get them. They never ask for anything.”

“I might have a few ideas,” Endi offered.

He grinned. “I’m all ears.”

—

Chuckles was glad he’d used the ship’s ‘fresher before heading into town, especially when he stepped into Grinz’s shop and a loud alarm started blaring with flashing lights. Otherwise, he would have had to procure a new pair of trousers as well.

“KARKING HELLS!” he shouted, his hands flying to cover his ears. His eyes darted around for any way to shut the alarm off. There were rows and rows of goods, but in his urgency, he couldn’t find anything that looked like an “off” button. When his eyes finally fell on the counter, he jogged over and practically launched himself up on the surface, pushing himself forward until his lower stomach and hips were pressed into the countertop as he hung over the other side upside down, scanning for the button that would stop the cacophony. His fingers felt along the inner edge of the underside of the counter, trying to find anything.

Come on, there’s gotta be a switch here or something.

“WUDDER YOU DOIN’?!” came a startled exclamation from his left. Chuckles whipped his head around only to find himself nose to nose with what appeared to be the business end of a dried sausage. Holding the sausage was a glaring Ugnaut with bushy eyebrows. He apparently hadn’t thought to grab for the blaster at his hip, a thing Chuckles was immediately grateful for.

“WHOA! HOLD IT!” he shouted, raising his hands over his head in surrender. Due to his upside down position, his fingertips brushed the floor. “YOU WANNA TURN OFF THE ALARM?”

“WHAT?” shouted the Ugnaut.

“I SAID DO YOU WANT TO TURN OFF THE ALARM?”

The Ugnaut shook his head. “HANG ON, LET ME TURN OFF THE ALARM.”

Chuckles sighed as the Ugnaut stepped back towards the entrance to what appeared to be a storage room, tapping a discolored tile on the wall. Immediately, the room fell silent and the lights ceased strobing. Chuckles pushed himself back over the counter, digging a pinky into his still-ringing ear. The Ugnaut re-emerged from the backroom, still giving Chuckles a suspicious glare as he wielded his sausage weaponry. He waddled over to an overturned crate, hopping up on it and leaning on the counter to survey Chuckles warily.

“Who are you?” he demanded, waving the sausage threateningly.

“Chuckles.”

“WHA?”

“CHUCKLES, SIR.”

“Alright calm down, sonny. No need to shout. I’m not that hard o’ hearin’.” He tittered to himself slightly at that. “Although that is why I’ve got the alarm system. Damn bell was too quiet when someone came in.”

Chuckles couldn’t suppress his grin any longer. “I take it you’re the owner of this establishment then.”

“‘Pends who’s askin’.” He raised a bushy eyebrow. “You say your name’s Chuckles?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Can’t recall seein’ you ‘round.”

“Just rolled into town this last week. I’m working at the mine.”

The Ugnaut’s beady eyes lit up. “Ah, you’re Anj’s new guy! She’s been in here talkin’ ‘boutcha. I’ve heard things.”

“Good things, I hope.”

His eyes narrowed. “Says you’re a clone. That true?”

Chuckles swallowed hard. “I am. That a problem?”

The Ugnaut leaned on the counter, inspecting Chuckles with a stern gaze that made him rock back on his heels reflexively. After a few moments, he straightened. “Shame, that.”

“What is?”

“That there’re a million of you out there with that face. You’d think they’d have made you just a little less ugly if they were gonna do it a million times,” he barked out between guffaws, holding his rotund belly, which was jiggling with mirth. “Ah, I’m just joshin’ with you, Chuckles. You’re a fine looker.” He held out a stubby hand. “Name’s Grinz, but I assume you knew that from the sign out front.”

Chuckles decided it was best not to tell his new compatriot that the hand-painted sign he’d haphazardly nailed to the outside of the shop was far from legible. The green painted roof had been the identifying feature Endi had given him to find the place. He clasped the Ugnaut’s hand, giving it a shake of greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Grinz. I’ve heard you’re the man to come to if I’m in need of supplies.”

“Indeed I am. What can I get you?”

“I need to restock on some food. Got two kids to feed. And I uh… need some help with planning a birthday party. My oldest kid is turning eleven tomorrow.”

The Ugnaut’s eyes were sparkling as he clapped his hands together. “A birthday, you say? Well, we can certainly get something for the kid. You got plans? Ideas for gifts?”

“I’m trying to pull together a quick party with Teacher Endi over at the schoolhouse. She was the one that sent me your way in the first place.” He still couldn’t quite bring himself to drop her formal title completely just yet. It felt improper, and like an admission that something was happening between them.

Grinz smiled. “That Endi is the best person you could have recruited to help you. She’s great with the kiddos. She always seems to know exactly what to do in a pinch. Not a bad cook either, from what I hear.” Chuckles wasn’t sure if Grinz was gauging him or implying anything, but it did feel like his eyes lingered on him for a beat too long as if he were waiting for a reaction. He nodded, returning the Ugnaut’s grin.

“Hope so. She volunteered to make some cakes, and I wasn’t about to stop her.”

“Mmm… she send you with a list?”

“Yes sir.” Chuckles extended out the datapad he had typed Endi’s list on. Grinz abandoned his sausage weaponry and produced a bent pair of spectacles from the breast pocket of his shirt, perching them on his snout. They rocked slightly, and he steadied them with one hand as he held the datapad out in front of him to read. “Alright… flour, sugar, sprinkles, should have all of that. At the bottom says charcoal pencils?”

“Yeah, she said you had a set in stock and maybe a set of colored pencils? My kid, Arni, they love to sketch wildlife and plants, and they’ve damn near worn down the set of colored pencils and charcoals they do have. She thought maybe you could help me replace them.”

“Well, she’d know. You work with Helly too, dontcha?”

“I do.”

“Well, you may want your youngin’ to go talk to her. She’s got quite a collection of specimens. Even does some drawings and submits them for publication every once in a while. She’s pretty darn good if you ask me. Although I’m not the most cultured being ‘round these parts.” He hopped off the stool, waddling along shelves. Chuckles followed, and after a few moments, barely caught the bag of flour that was tossed at him. “Keep up, Chuck. We’re gonna get you out of here quick-like so you can get to bakin’ with Miss Endi.”

Chuckles huffed a laugh. “Yes, sir.”

It took Grinz less than ten minutes to find every item on the list along with a few bonus items he insisted Chuckles take for the kids. He even managed to find a bag of Arni’s Spice Snappers, promising to make a note for his next shipment to include more. When he was paying, Chuckles noticed there was no charge for the charcoal or pencils.

“Grinz, wait. You forgot-”

The Ugnaut held up a hand. “I won’t be takin’ money for these. You tell your kiddo I just want to see some of their work they do with it. That’ll be payment enough.”

“Grinz, these can’t have been cheap. I’m good for it.”

“I know y’are. Jerrno wouldn’ta hired you if you weren’t. And Anj says you’re good, and she’s hard to impress.” He reached over the counter, clapping Chuckles on the shoulder. “Welcome to the community, friend. Now get goin’. Don’t want to keep Miss Endi waitin’.”

This time, Chuckles was certain he saw a flicker of mischief in Grinz’s eyes as he handed him the last of his parcels.

—

Chuckles hustled back to the ship, relieved to find that Nita was still keeping Arni occupied somewhere else. As quickly as he could, he put the supplies away before tossing the ingredients Endi had specified and the birthday gifts into one of the empty bags and dashing off towards the schoolhouse to meet her.

Bounding up the steps, he hesitated for a moment at the closed door, smoothing his shirt and mohawk nervously. Before he could raise a knuckle to knock, the door burst open, and Chuckles was surprised to find a familiar Rodian staring back at him.

“Helly?”

“Hiya, Chuck! Come on in!” She stepped back, ushering him inside, and Chuckles was surprised to find the classroom full of people. Anj was sitting in one corner working on a string of lights, and after closing the door, Helly dashed back over to help her. There were also a handful of people he didn’t recognize seated at a table in the back of the classroom, some adults and some children. One little Togruta girl looked up from the paper chain she was working on and waved shyly at him. He waved back.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it’s not just me and Endi. This is great. And you’re not disappointed at all. At all.

“That was quick!” He turned to find Endi gracefully sweeping towards him, and his slight disappointment was forgotten when she smiled at him. She peered into the bag, poking through the items contained within. “Looks like Grinz had everything we need too! Excellent. Here, let me take this.” Before he could protest, she scooped the bag out of his arms and turned to address the room. “Everyone, this is Chuckles. He’s Arni’s father.”

All eyes turned towards him, and Chuckles wanted to spontaneously combust. He waved timidly again. “I uh… appreciate the help with all of this.”

Endi patted him on the shoulder. “I explained to them how this is the first birthday Arni is celebrating with you, and that you wanted to ensure it was special, even though you’ve all had quite the first week.” She winked, and he felt heat sweep over his face. His tongue felt like lead as he searched for the right words.

“Thanks,” was all he came up with.

“Of course,” she whispered back, gently guiding him towards the people seated around the back table. “These are members of Arni’s class and their families.” They went around and introduced themselves. There was a little human boy named Cen, and his fathers both embraced Chuckles in strong hugs. He learned that the little Togruta girl was Ooni, the child that had been on the receiving end of Dez’s bullying the first day he’d dropped the kids off. Dez was noticeably absent.

Probably for the best. Kid sounded like a dick.

It took him a few moments to realize he’d been guided to a seat by Endi, given a task, and she’d disappeared from view.

“Where’d Endi go?” he asked without thinking. When he noticed a raised eyebrow from one of Cen’s fathers, he quickly added. “I left the gifts for Arni in that bag she has.”

“She’s probably in her apartment in the back baking,” Ooni’s mother suggested. “I think I saw her head that way.”

“She lives in the schoolhouse?”

“She says it’s more convenient that way,” Cen’s less discerning father noted. “It’s not a bad little apartment. I installed her power and water system when we were getting her set up. I can take you back if you want.”

“Nah, I can wait,” Chuck replied. Somehow, going into Endi’s living space felt like an invasion of something. He wasn’t ready to plunge into that territory just yet.

The conversation came easy after a while, Chuck’s shoulders loosening as he helped make banners and paper chains. Anj and Helly got their light strings working and came over to help with the paper decorations. The Nautolan plopped down in the seat next to him, elbowing him in the ribs. He winced.

“Ah, not that bad then,” she teased. “If you were as sore as you were a few rotations back, that’d have put you in a medcenter.”

“That’s true, I suppose,” he muttered, rubbing at the sore spot. “So does that mean I pass?”

Anj laughed loudly. “You passed after the third day, my friend. You work hard and you didn’t give up, even when we pressed you a bit. Even Lu agrees, and he’s a tough customer.” Chuckles couldn’t stop the flush of pride that overtook him, tugging the corner of his lips up into a grin.

“Glad to have passed the test.”

“Welcome to the team!” Helly cheered.

“By the way, Helly, I hear you’re into science and artwork,” Chuckles said, turning towards the Rodian.

“I am!” she excitedly confirmed.

“Then I need another favor…”

—

The day passed quickly, and before Chuckles knew it, Lothal’s sun was sinking low on the horizon, making way for its twin moons. The parents and kids filed out with Anj and Helly lingering to say goodbye before also disappearing into the night.

The paper chains and decorations they’d crafted were draped across the back table along with the strings of lights that Anj and Helly had detangled and repaired, ready and waiting to be hung the next day. Endi had also found some colored glass decorations, and they twinkled in the light where they sat. The parents and kids had all offered to decorate tonight, but Chuckles had apologetically declined, having promised Nita she could be in charge of the decorations. They all seemed to be understanding, especially the two children that had actually met Nita. Now, Chuckles was sweeping up the last of the paper scraps to be disposed of as Endi emerged from her apartment, carrying a cupcake in each hand.

“Everyone else head out?” she asked.

“Yeah, they’re all gone. Figured I shouldn’t leave the place a mess when you’ve gone through all this trouble to help me,” he replied, emptying the last of the scraps into the waste bin.

“Well, good. That means you can help me with the quality control of these,” she joked, handing one to him. “I thought cupcakes might be easier for sharing, if that’s alright. The ones tomorrow will have frosting and sprinkles, but I wanted them to cool off first.”

Chuckles grinned, taking the cupcake from her. “That’s perfect. Thanks.”

“I hope Arni likes chocolate.”

“I think they do. And honestly, they’d never tell you if they didn’t. But I’ve seen them nibble on a chocolate bar every now and again. If Nita doesn’t eat them all first.”

Endi giggled lightly, perching on the surface of her desk as she took a bite of the cupcake. Chuckles eyed one of the student desks in the front of the room. They were smaller, meant for children. But that wasn’t enough to deter him. Especially if it meant getting another laugh out of Endi. Crouching down, he stuffed his knees under the desk, setting his cupcake on the work surface as he wiggled further into the seat. When he raised his eyes, Endi was watching him with an expression of suppressed mirth, her eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Comfortable?”

“Never better,” Chuckles grunted. He now realized this may have been a terrible idea, as many of his comedic plans were. But still, the way she was smiling at him made it all seem worth it. He took a bite out of the cupcake.

“MMMMM,” he groaned. There were small pockets of chocolate chips inside that melted when they hit his tongue, and the cake surrounding them was so moist and soft. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d tasted something like this. It only took a few more bites for him to finish, leaving behind only a smattering of crumbs as evidence. When he glanced up again, he realized Endi was still watching him, now covering her mouth in an attempt to hide a fit of giggles. He felt that familiar heat creep over his cheeks.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I do normally have some table manners.”

“Don’t be,” she giggled. “I’m taking that as the highest compliment.”

“You should. I can’t remember the last time I tasted anything that good.”

“I have to imagine there weren’t a lot of bakeries on your campaigns during the war.”

“You’d be correct. There was one spot on Coruscant that we’d sometimes go to if we could scrape together enough credits, but those instances were few and far between.” The bakery had been one of Stones’s favorite places, a hidden gem with the most incredible jogan fruit sticky buns. They had sworn their unit to secrecy, afraid that their coveted baked goods would become limited in availability if word got out amongst the ranks. Only a few select brothers outside of the 28th had been allowed to know the secret, and only if they were certain to keep it quiet. Out of all of them, Commander Wolffe had taken it the most seriously and been the most dutiful about maintaining the secrecy.

“You’re thinking of your brothers, aren’t you?”

Chuckles ducked his head under her golden stare. “Sorry.”

“I know you probably have to get going soon so that the kids don’t get suspicious, but if you’d ever feel up for it, I’d love to hear more about your brothers. What they were like.”

He met her gaze, and Maker, if he wasn’t made of sturdier stuff, he’d have turned into a puddle on the schoolhouse floorboards. The way she was looking at him didn’t hold an ounce of the pity he’d become accustomed to from natborns. She wasn’t looking at him as though he was some sacrificial creature that had survived a culling. Instead, there was genuine interest, kindness, and empathy staring back at him. He wanted to hug her.

“I may take you up on that,” he said quietly. The thought of being able to share his brothers with someone else felt like a comfort. Of course, he’d spoken about them to Arni and Nita, but there were some things about them that kids wouldn’t understand. And some stories that they shouldn’t hear until they’re older.

They watched each other quietly for another moment before Endi inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly and breaking the stare. “So, do you have a plan for tomorrow then?”

“I do. Helly’s going to stop by in the morning under the ruse of delivering some of my gear for work, and while there, she’ll mention her hobby to Arni and offer to show the kid her specimens and sketches. Arni won’t be able to turn that down. They can’t resist any sort of educational activity, as you may have noticed.” She snorted into her cupcake as she took another bite, and he smiled as he continued. “After that, I’ll bring Nita here. I’ve promised to let her be in charge of decorations, so I think she’ll have a lot of opinions about where to hang what and how things should be organized. We’ll get things setup, and then Helly promised to send me a comm when she and Arni are heading this way. Boom. Surprise. Ooni’s parents also offered to make some punch, and Cen’s dads have some games they promised to bring. All in all, I think it’s about as good of a party as I could have hoped for.” He smiled up at her. “And I couldn’t have done it without you.”

It was her turn to duck her head bashfully, some of the purple blush he’d noticed the first day he’d met her reappearing in her cheeks. “It was absolutely my pleasure. Your children are both delightful, and I know what it’s like to be a newcomer in this community. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to make sure Arni knows they’re more than welcome here. As is Nita. And you.”

He picked at a fingernail nervously. “I appreciate that. It’s been… hard for them. We thought the last place would be our home, but it just didn’t work out. Nita was devastated, and while Arni didn’t say as much, I know they took it hard as well.” He sighed. “I’m still figuring out this parenting thing, but Arni’s my rock. They hold it together when I can’t and take on far too much responsibility. Couldn’t have made it this far without them.” He met her gaze again. “So, I’m extra grateful you helped me pull this off for them. They deserve all of it and more, even though they’d never ask.”

Endi’s eyes were sparkling. “They strike me as that kind of kid.”

They sat in silence for a few more moments before Endi spoke again.

“You can’t get out of that desk, can you?”

“Sure I can,” he retorted with mock annoyance. “It’s just going to be less than dignified.”

Endi tipped her head back and laughed loudly. It sounded almost musical. Chuck beamed as his heart fluttered in his chest.

A/N: Bolts/Brienna was originally a reader-insert character that was first introduced in this ficlet and it's parts 2-4, so if you want to learn more about her and Chuck's history, I'd recommend checking those out. Heads up that they are all *spicy*.

Tag List: @seriowan @partoftheeternalsoul @rosmariner @misogirl828 @ellichonkasaurusrex @zoeykallus @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @gjrain20-starwars @staycalmandhugaclone @redheadgirl @fordo-kixed-rex @wizardofrozz @ariadnes-red-thread @extrahotpixels @justanothersadperson93 @leftealeaf @meekaielmyerhs99 @kaminocasey @echos-girlfriend @lucyysthings @obihiddlenox @merkitty49 @littlemissmanga @clonecyaree @baba-fett @sleepingsun501 @rexxdjarin @samspenandsword @babygirlrex0504 @ladytano420 @fxlsealarm @runforrestr @rennyboo @djarrex @corrieguards @the-cantina @witchklng @rain-on-kamino @ladykatakuri @arctrooper69 @hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall

#karrde writes #one step at a time #osaat #OC Chuckles #OC Nita Ayyshu #OC Arni Ayyshu #OC Chuckles Ayyshu #clone oc #jedi oc #pantoran oc #twi'lek oc #found family #star wars #the clone wars #tcw

38 notes · View notes

earthfire-75 · 3 years

Text

I don't know what to say about it,

When all you ears have turned away,

But now's the time to look and look again at what you see,

Is that the way it ought to stay?

Kashmir

Chapter Two, Part One:That’s the Way (Sleepwalking)

(Author’s notes: co-written with @nature-and-music and beta’ed by @lady-jane-revisited )

I woke up the next morning and got out of bed. It was then I realized that I was indeed in a bed, when I had fallen asleep on the couch. Robert must have moved me when he came up to the room. I shook my head and went back out into the main room to get my clothes, quietly and quickly getting dressed. Sure enough, there was Robert in my place on the couch. I took the room key once more and made a dash out to the hall. Unfortunately, I was stopped by Cole.

“Enjoy yourself?” He asked sarcastically. “Honestly, though, I figured you’d be coming out of Jimmy’s room. Since he found you and all. Such disloyalty.”

“Do you actually know what happened last night, or are you just talking out of your ass?”

“I know how things work around here, girl. More than you do. It would have been bad enough if you had been with Jimmy. But Robert? That just looks bad for you. Half the other roadies already think you're getting special treatment just because you’re a girl. Myself included. This? Just reinforces that assumption.”

“I’m sorry, should I have slept out in the hallway? You know what, I don’t have time to stand here and justify to you where I slept last night. I have things to do before I officially start my job this morning. If you’ll excuse me.”

I stepped forward, trying to walk past Cole, but he stuck his arm out to stop me from leaving. Thankfully, before he could say anything further, G came around the corner. Less fortunately, Rogina was right beside him. It seemed they had been talking, but stopped upon seeing the scene in front of them. Rogina came to my side, glaring up at Cole, but it was G who spoke.

“Is there something wrong?”

Cole immediately dropped his arm and straightened his posture. “I was just explaining to the newbie that employees don’t sleep with the band. Even if she is a girl.”

G’s eyes narrowed at Cole. “I wasn’t asking you.”

“And I was explaining that it’s none of his damn business and I got a couple of things to grab from the drug store across the way because I currently have no toiletries or anything to pack my stuff in.”

“You’re right, it isn’t any of his business. That being said, you were supposed to get everything you needed yesterday.”

“I know and that’s on me, but everything was so rushed yesterday. And I know it’s not going to be any less so today.”

G sighs but nods. “Five minutes. That’s all I can give you, my dear.”

“You’re just going to let her go?”

“Yes, and if you’re the reason she’s late coming back because you refuse to get out of her way, not only will you be picking up her slack, you can carry her things as well!” G boomed at him.

Rogina piped up beside me, “I’ll go with her, help her get what she needs so it goes faster.”

Cole just threw his hands up and stepped to the side. “Fine!”

Rogina roughly bumped her shoulder into Cole as she walked past him, glaring daggers at him before we headed to the elevator. We were silent for some time as we made our way to the drug store across the street.

Rogina grabbed a shopping basket, “Sorry that you had to go through with that Anj. Cole’s always been fucking prick that loves to cause trouble.” She tossed in hair brush, “If he or anyone gives you trouble, let me know.”

I smiled as I added in shampoo and conditioner bottles, “Thank you. I’ll be okay, I can handle him.”

Rogina sighed as she placed a tube of toothpaste in, “Well let me know if he does anything, okay?”

“I will. Come on, we better hurry.”

We had managed to grab what we could during those five minutes. Having her here was great, given the time crunch and that she could help me find the necessary items that I would need, plus a backpack to my belongings. She offered to help pay for some of the items, but I let her know that I could take care of it. Once we were done, we hurried back to the hotel and found everyone in the lobby. G and Bonzo were conversing with Cole, their arms were crossed as they stood before the bearded man.

Robert spotted us and walked over, “There you are, is everything alright?”

I nodded, “Yeah, I just needed to get a few things-”

“No I mean, I heard about what happened this morning. G told me. I’m sorry Anjelika,” he continued.

“Really, I’m okay Robert. Besides he can say and think whatever he wants to,” I assured him. “I doubt he’ll be much of a problem anyway.”

Robert’s eyebrows pulled together, “Even so-”

G’s voice bellowed, “Alright everyone, make sure that you have what you need! It’s time to head out!”

And with that, we all grabbed our stuff and made our way out to the buses.

Robert had been kind enough to already have my things with his, so I was able to quickly transfer it all to the backpack. He mentioned something about needing a bag for my dresses so they wouldn’t get all wrinkled, but I didn’t have time to respond, quickly closing up the backpack and getting on the roadies’ bus. At least the trip to the venue wasn’t all that long.

Once there we got out and started unpacking the equipment to take inside and set up while G took the bands to go talk with the venue owner and crew. The whole process took quite a few hours and we took a break for lunch before resuming. We finished about three hours before the show was to start and slowly, everyone else left the stage.

Alone at last, the other roadies, Cole included, left the stage after everything was set up, I went to pick up the acoustic and sat at one of the stools and began to play. I didn’t know it, but I was being watched by Robert and Jimmy at one side of the stage, Rogina on the other.

“Life detaches

Much less loved

A taste familiar

But watered down

And each day passes

Into the next

Like television

Flickering unseen”

“She sounds so sad,” Robert whispered to Jimmy.

“She sounds…lost,” Jimmy responded thoughtfully. “There’s something else, too. I get shivers whenever I hear her sing.”

“I breathe

But I don't often think about it

Anymore

It's become a habit

Those embers fragment

That fire was

Just a fracture

In the ice“

Bonzo came up behind Robert and Jimmy. “Hey, guys!” Robert and Jimmy shushed Bonzo at the same time.

“Okay…” he responded in a whisper. “But why are we watching Anjelika like a bunch of creeps and whispering about it?”

“Do you hear me?

Can you hear me?

Do you hear a voice from my side?

Sleepwalking“

“Because,” Robert whispered sadly, “I don’t think she would keep doing this if she knew she was being watched.”

“She’s turned down every opportunity to play in front of an audience, even as a backup. But, for me, it isn’t just that. I get the feeling she isn’t telling us everything.”

“And poetry

Fills an empty room

With science broken

And confused

And my desire...

Becomes a pacifier

I need to feel

Alive & awake”

“Everyone is allowed some secrets, Jimmy. You, of all people, should understand that,” Bonzo said pointedly.

Jimmy finally looked at Bonzo with a raised eyebrow. “You know something we don’t, don’t you?”

“Do you hear me?

Can you hear me?

Do you hear a voice from my side?

Sleepwalking”

“S’pose I do?”

“Care to share with the class?

“Not my story to tell, Jimbo,” Bonzo shrugged .

“Something aging

In the water

In the damage

To my soul

The wishing fire

Is still alive

And I think his heartbeat

Will not die

How can I give

Anymore of my life

Away…”

“Fine, keep her secrets too.” Jimmy walked away.

Robert and Bonzo sigh and shake their heads at their friend. Both of them know that Jimmy won’t let it go so easily. He never did.

“Do you hear me?

Can you hear me?

Do you hear a voice from my side?

Sleepwalking.”

“I just want her to be ok. No, more than that, really. I just…don’t know what to do.”

From her side of the stage, Rogina finally stepped out of the shadows toward me, a broad smile on her face. “That was beautiful, Anj. Robert’s right, you really should show off your talent.”

I smiled and ducked my head, given that my face was red. She had been nothing but good to me and for some reason, I had a harder time resisting her charms. Not that it was easy resisting Robert’s. Instead of answering her, I started to play again, something that might be more familiar to her. Tom Petty’s Breakdown, even taking on the singer's more southern dialect.

“It's alright if you love me

It's alright if you don't

I'm not afraid of you runnin' away, honey

I get the feeling you won't”

“There is no sense in pretending

Your eyes give you away

Something inside you is feeling like I do

We said all there is to say”

“Baby, breakdown, go ahead and give it to me

Breakdown, honey, take me through the night (baby, baby, breakdown)

Breakdown, now I'm standin' here, can't you see?

Breakdown, it's all right”

“It's all right

It's all right”

The next thing I knew, Rogina sang along with me as well. Her singing started out softly at first until she reached the chorus and her voice came out strong and powerful like a mountain. While I was familiar with Daltrey’s voice, to hear it before me was something else. As we continued, we found ourselves singing in such a lovely harmonious manner that the world around us seemed to have stopped.

The song came to a close, she placed a hand on my shoulder, “You have a great talent Anjelika.”

“Well compared to you, I seem like more of an amateur,” I joked.

“No Anj, your voice is lovely and so is your playing. That song you were singing before, I’ve never heard of it.”

I looked down for a moment, “Oh it’s just a little something that I’ve been working on.” I stood up from the stool and placed the guitar down, “I better get back to work.”

“Anj-”

I had already made my way off the other wing, only to see Robert, Bonzo, and Jimmy there. My face was flushing as I walked past them. I felt like such an idiot! What on earth was I thinking? The show was to start fairly soon and I had a job to complete. The ticks on the clock continued as everything from lighting, technical matters, clothing, and the instruments were put into place. The doors to the stadium opened and the fans made their way inside. The more dedicated fans were attempting to do what they could in order to get as close to the band members as possible. Security was already on the matter and they kept their composure as they desperately hoped to catch a glimpse of their idols.

I walked through the hallway with a black coffee in hand, hearing the echoes of varying conversations going on between roadies. I would offer a smile as I passed by, some would offer one back, others would give me a look of disdain. Cole was within my sights and so I kept my eyes facing forward. I kept my distance from him as I moved out of the way.

Cole blew a cloud of smoke in my direction, “On your way to give ol’ Plant a little ‘warm up session?”

I kept my back to him, “Why don’t you go do that yourself? Since you seem so keen on the idea.”

G walked over, “You two ladies fighting again?”

Cole answered back, “Actually I was just about to check on the boys.”

G raised a brow as he watched him walk away, “How are you doing Anjelika?”

“Well things seem to be going well for my first day.”

“Good. Now since this is your first night, I don’t expect you to know everything that happens. You might feel a little confused about how we do things at first, but you’ll learn pretty quickly.”

I nodded, “So how long do you think tonight’s show will be?”

G took out a cigar and lit it, “I reckon about three and half, four hours tops. I’ll have you out on the wings to help with instruments for right now. I want to see how you do tonight, then I’ll add more duties to your list.”

“Thank you Mr. Grant.”

I felt a gloved hand on my shoulder. Following the black leathered glove, I was greeted with the sight of Alice Cooper wearing a leather ensemble. His eyes and sides of his mouth were marked in his signature look.

“How do I look?” He asked

“Like a freak,” I answered with a smile.

“Why thank you,” he responded kindly with a genuine smile. “See you after the show.”

He and his fellow bandmates excitedly made their way down the hall, ready with their instruments in hand. They greeted the cheering crowd with the first notes and so the first act of the show began.

I gave all the support I could from the sidelines and adjusted guitars, restringing them when needed. His act lasted for a little under an hour and I gave him a hug in congratulations when he came off the stage. The Who were next and as Rogina passed me, I gave her a hug as well and a kiss on the cheek, despite my better judgment. “For luck.” I explained with darkened cheeks when she gave me a questioning look.

“Thank you,” she responded with a smile, then headed out onto the stage to join her bandmates. Halfway through their act, Rogina made some anecdote about life on the road and as a woman in rock music. She mentioned me, though not by name and dedicated the next song to a “special someone”, all the while looking at me and began to play ‘Love Ain't for Keeping’.

When their act was done and Rogina came off the stage, she came up to me and gave me a proper, if chaste, kiss before going back to the changing rooms. Then it was time for Zeppelin, the last act for the night. I hated how heartbroken Robert looked as he walked past me on his way to the stage. I had been so worried about getting my own heart broken…

“Wow, Anj…Rogina too? And poor Robert had no idea, did he?”

“Shut the fuck up, Cole,” I seethed.

“Or wha-“

I was beyond done with the man, if he could be called one, I whirled around and decked him, knocking him to the floor. Standing over him now, I took a fistful of his shirt and hauled him into a sitting position and got in his face. “You really need a lesson in minding your own fucking business. Do yourself a favor and keep Rogina’s name out of your mouth and the next time you decide to butt into my life outside of actual work, I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass, you’ll be eating my steel toe boots!” I hadn’t realized it, but my eyes were glowing as I spoke.

I stood back up to find G standing there, but he didn’t say anything to me, just gave me a nod and I went back to doing my job. G had security take Cole to another room to get looked at and bandaged up as his nose was bleeding a little.

I marched into the hallways, grabbed myself a beer, and found an isolated area to sit and cool down. The day hasn’t ended yet and Cole continues to be a nuisance. I had hoped that after today he would have gotten the message. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching and quite frankly I wasn’t in the mood to talk. At this point I didn’t care who came over, I was angry and I needed some time to be alone. Yet my ears perked up when I heard a familiar voice.

“Anjelika,” Rogina softly called. “Are you alright?”

She took a seat next to me, but I scooted away, keeping my eyes on my beer, “I’m fine.”

“I saw what happened from the changing room.”

I uttered under my breath, “So? It’s resolved, let it go.”

#led zeppelin fanfic #the who fanfiction #robert plant fanfiction #roger daltrey fanfiction #fem!roger daltrey #robert plant #fem!oc #Led Zeppelin #the who #alice cooper #peter grant

14 notes · View notes