#bounces back so fast from every setback

[howmanagerscanreducestressi]

Resilience in nursing

The nursing profession is a cornerstone of healthcare, demanding dedication, compassion, and a deep well of resilience in nursing. Nurses face a unique set of challenges every day, from long hours and emotional strain to difficult patient situations and ever-changing healthcare environments. In this demanding field, resilience – the ability to bounce back from adversity and thrive under pressure – becomes a critical skill.

So why is resilience so important for nurses? Firstly, it allows them to cope effectively with stress. Working in fast-paced, high-stakes environments exposes nurses to a constant barrage of emotional triggers. Resilient nurses can manage these stressors healthily, preventing burnout and compassion fatigue. This translates to better mental and physical well-being for nurses themselves, allowing them to provide the best possible care for their patients.

Secondly, resilience fosters a positive and adaptable mindset. Nurses often encounter unexpected situations and setbacks. Resilient nurses can view these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, finding solutions and adapting their approach as needed. This flexibility ensures they can deliver optimal care even in the face of the unknown.

Thirdly, resilience strengthens nurse-patient relationships. Patients facing illness and vulnerability need a constant source of support and encouragement. Resilient nurses can maintain a positive and empathetic demeanor, fostering trust and open communication with their patients. This positive attitude can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Fortunately, resilience is not a fixed trait – it can be developed and nurtured. Here are some ways nurses can build their resilience:

Prioritize self-care: Schedule regular breaks, maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine, and get enough sleep. These practices provide a strong foundation for managing stress and maintaining emotional well-being.

Develop healthy coping mechanisms: Find healthy outlets for stress, such as exercise, spending time in nature, or engaging in hobbies. Building a strong support system of friends, family, or colleagues can also be invaluable.

Practice positive self-talk: Challenge negative thoughts and focus on personal strengths. Celebrating successes, both big and small, can boost confidence and overall well-being.

Seek professional help when needed: Mental health is just as important as physical health. Don't hesitate to seek professional support if stress or emotional burdens become overwhelming.

By fostering resilience, nurses become stronger advocates for themselves, their patients, and the entire healthcare system. Investing in strategies that build resilience empowers nurses to navigate the challenges of their profession while providing exceptional care to those who need it most.

[afridazamangurugram]

Unleashing Your Potential: Exploring the Power of Personality Development Training

Introduction:

In a fast-paced and competitive world, personal growth and development have become essential for success. One powerful tool that can help individuals unlock their true potential is Personality Development Training. These training programs provide valuable insights, techniques, and strategies to enhance one's personality and transform their lives. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of Personality Development Training, exploring its significance, key benefits, and how it can positively impact various aspects of life.

Section 1: Understanding Personality Development Training

Personality Development Training is a structured program designed to help individuals improve their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. It focuses on areas such as communication, body language, confidence-building, self-presentation, and interpersonal relationships. By addressing these aspects, Personality Development Training empowers individuals to navigate professional and personal challenges effectively.

Section 2: Key Benefits of Personality Development Training

2.1 Boosting Self-Confidence: One of the primary benefits of Personality Development Training is the significant boost in self-confidence. Through various exercises, individuals learn to overcome self-doubt, develop a positive self-image, and gain the necessary confidence to excel in different areas of life.

2.2 Effective Communication Skills: Effective communication is crucial in every aspect of life. Personality Development Training equips individuals with the skills to express themselves clearly, listen actively, and engage in meaningful conversations. These skills enhance their ability to connect with others and build strong relationships.

2.3 Improved Presentation Skills: Whether it's delivering a presentation at work or speaking in public, effective presentation skills are vital. Personality Development Training focuses on enhancing body language, voice modulation, and overall presentation techniques, enabling individuals to deliver impactful presentations with ease.

Section 3: Impact on Personal and Professional Growth

3.1 Personal Growth: Personality Development Training plays a pivotal role in personal growth by helping individuals identify their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It fosters self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset, enabling individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve personal goals.

3.2 Professional Success: In today's competitive job market, possessing strong interpersonal skills and a dynamic personality can give individuals a significant edge. Personality Development Training equips individuals with the necessary skills to excel in job interviews, build professional networks, and thrive in leadership roles.

Section 4: Overcoming Challenges and Building Resilience

4.1 Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety: Many individuals struggle with shyness and social anxiety, which can hinder personal and professional growth. Personality Development Training provides practical techniques and strategies to overcome these challenges, helping individuals build confidence and thrive in social settings.

4.2 Developing Emotional Resilience: Life is full of ups and downs, and developing emotional resilience is essential for maintaining mental well-being. Personality Development Training equips individuals with tools to manage stress, handle criticism, and bounce back from setbacks, enabling them to navigate challenges with resilience.

Conclusion:

Personality Development Training offers a transformative journey of self-discovery and growth. By investing in these programs, individuals can unlock their true potential, enhance their communication skills, boost self-confidence, and overcome personal and professional challenges. So why wait? Take a step towards unleashing your potential and embark on a remarkable journey of self-improvement with Personality Development Training.

[so-help]

Title: Rapid Healing: Your Guide to Speeding Up the Recovery Process

Introduction

Whether you've had a minor injury, undergone surgery, or are simply looking to bounce back from illness, the desire to heal quickly is universal. While the body's healing process takes time, there are several steps you can take to support and accelerate the recovery journey. In this blog post, we'll explore effective strategies and practices that can help you heal faster and get back to feeling your best.

1. Prioritize Rest and Sleep

Rest and sleep are the body's natural rejuvenation processes. During sleep, your body repairs tissues, boosts immune function, and releases growth hormones. Prioritize quality sleep by creating a comfortable sleep environment, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, and avoiding caffeine and electronics before bedtime.

2. Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is essential for cell function and tissue repair. Drinking enough water helps flush out toxins, deliver nutrients to cells, and maintain overall bodily functions. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and increase your intake if you're recovering from an illness or injury.

3. Balanced Nutrition

A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein is crucial for healing. Nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and antioxidants play a pivotal role in promoting tissue repair and reducing inflammation. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats in your diet.

4. Manage Stress

Chronic stress can suppress the immune system and hinder the healing process. Engage in stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or mindfulness to keep your stress levels in check and support your body's healing efforts.

5. Gentle Exercise

While intense physical activity may be off-limits during recovery, engaging in gentle exercises like walking or light stretching can improve circulation, reduce muscle stiffness, and support overall healing. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any exercise routine while recovering.

6. Follow Medical Advice

If you're recovering from surgery or a serious injury, it's crucial to follow your doctor's instructions to the letter. Adhering to post-operative guidelines, taking prescribed medications, and attending follow-up appointments are all key to ensuring a successful recovery.

7. Stay Positive

A positive mindset can have a profound impact on healing. Engage in activities you enjoy, connect with loved ones, and practice gratitude. Research suggests that a positive attitude can boost the immune system and accelerate the healing process.

8. Topical Treatments

Depending on your specific condition, using topical treatments like ointments or creams can aid in healing wounds and reducing scarring. Consult your healthcare provider before using any topical products.

9. Hygiene and Wound Care

Proper hygiene and wound care are essential for preventing infection. Keep wounds clean and follow any recommended cleaning and dressing procedures.

10. Patience and Acceptance

While we all want to heal quickly, it's important to be patient and realistic. Healing is a process that takes time, and setbacks can happen. Practice self-compassion and focus on the progress you're making, no matter how small.

Conclusion

Healing fast is a goal we all share, and by incorporating these strategies into your recovery journey, you can give your body the best chance to heal efficiently. Remember that every individual's healing process is unique, so listen to your body and adjust your approach as needed. With the right mindset, self-care practices, and medical guidance, you'll be on the road to recovery in no time.

[f1]

Vesti feels very confident of clinching Formula 2 title after seventh podium | Formula 2

Frederik Vesti says he feels “very confident” of winning the Formula 2 championship as he takes an 11-point lead into the final eight races. The Prema driver finished second in the feature race on Sunday which extended his championship lead to 11 points over Theo Pourchaire, who came sixth. It was Vesti’s seventh podium finish of the season, four of which were victories. He could become the first Mercedes-backed driver to take the title since George Russell five years ago. Speaking in response to a question from RaceFans, Vesti said he feels “very confident” of winning the title. However he acknowledged there are still a lot of unknowns and outlined the work he needs to do to put himself in the best position. “It’s a good feeling, we need to continue pushing though,” he said. “It’s not a given that we are fast every weekend, so it means that we need to do our job very well both in the simulator, with the set-up and how I approach the mental game. “Obviously there is pressure and fighting for a championship like this means a lot to all of us and it is something you have to deal with as a driver. But I’m in a very good place, I’m more confident than I’ve ever been and a result like this just re-confirms that and I’m ready to continue fighting.” Vesti said it had been “very important” to score a good result in Hungary following a mixed weekend in the previous round. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free After Vesti won the sprint race at Silverstone he retired from the main event after being hit by Dennis Hauger. That allowed Pourchaire to cut Vesti’s championship lead to just six points. Vesti was anxious to avoid a repeat of that setback in Hungary. “The consistency is a bit like a snowball,” he explained, “it’s the momentum you build. “I think since Monaco I had a very good rhythm, and then obviously a weekend like Silverstone with a bad quali, engine failure and getting hit in the safety car restart scoring only 10 points that weekend, it just stops. There’s a snowball effect. “You have to go away from the race track, try to think what you can do, and just show up again confident and do exactly what we did this weekend being fast in practice, quali and competitive in both races. “That’s the way you have to bounce back, and that gives me a lot of confidence for the next few rounds, especially for next week in Spa. “So it feels good and it just means that now we have a small lead again, which is nice.” Formula 2’s next round is this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, before returning to Zandvoort after the four-week summer break. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Formula 2 Browse all Formula 2 articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

[thelochnessmonstera]

I’m a lot.

I am.

I know I am.

I’ve always known I am.

I get over-the-top excited about mundane things. I get overly-emotional about mundane things as well.

I have ten thousand ideas flowing rapidly through my brain at any one point in time.

I think fast. I speak fast. I type even faster.

I sing at the top of my lungs whether I’m in church, or sitting alone in my car. I think the world is falling, and then realize maybe I just haven’t had any sleep the last two nights, and I need a glass of water, and everything appears sunny again.

I send ten text messages in a row. And, oh yes, you’d better believe they are full of exclamation points and emojis. I plan girls’ trips at the drop of a hat. I work really hard to make everything magical.

I apologize all the time.

I talk way too much.

I take up too much space.

I dance anytime music is on—grocery store, car, bank, doesn’t matter.

I build businesses and then new businesses and new businesses.

I see clothes that I absolutely HAVE to have. I think every movie I’ve ever watched is the “best ever.” I like every song that comes on the radio, and I rave about them, and I research the lyrics and try to figure out the deeper-meaning. I cry about situations, and then turn around with my next breath and flip the switch and find the ever-elusive silver lining.

I’m a lot.

I’m passionate.

I rarely walk.

If I’m going somewhere, I run. (Metaphorically-speaking, of course. If I’m literally running, something weird is up.)

When I’m chill, I’m chill.

But when I’m not—watch out, sister.

I don’t tiptoe. I jump in without looking back. And I splash water everywhere. I have energy, and I like for energy to be given back to me.

I used to hate this about myself. Everything I just mentioned made me blame myself, and question myself, and want to be by myself, and also somehow, made me want to be with everyone all the time.

I used to think being too much was my worst quality. I thought it was the reason I was misunderstood and lonely. I thought it was my greatest setback.

And so I quieted myself up.

I played small.

I bottled my excitement.

I convinced myself to become less.

BUT I WAS NOT MADE TO BE LESS.

I am too much, but it’s not my kryptonite. It’s what makes me dynamite.

I give hard. I forgive hard. I work hard. I laugh hard. I cry hard. I mess up hard, but then I get back up and I keep on moving forward.

I dream hard. I believe hard.

I live fierce. And I love free.

There is nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with meeting someone and instantly clicking with them. There is nothing wrong with telling people how much you love them. There is nothing wrong with laughing and crying and feeling other people’s pain.

If your’e an “a lot” person like I am. If you bounce around from place to place. If it takes a while for you to settle down, and you lie in bed at night wondering what in the world is wrong with you, and oh-my-gosh why did you say “you too” when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal. That’s such an odd thing to say.

It’s okay.

You’re okay.

It’s going to be okay.

Stop beating yourself up. Stop with the constant worrying that people won’t like you, and start liking yourself.

Cause, yeah, you’re a lot.

You’re a lot of love.

You’re a lot of joy.

You’re a lot of beautiful.

You’re a lot of real.

You’re a lot of passionate.

You’re a lot of empathetic.

You’re a lot of what makes a good friend.

And you’re also a lot of what this world needs. Don’t hide, sister. Don’t shy away. Don’t back down. Don’t try to be someone else. Don’t shrug off your gifts.

Don’t change. Ever.

But do breathe, and do at least try to be more on time.

-Amy Weatherly

[mariaandreeva]

Emotional Intelligence

In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, intelligence extends beyond just cognitive abilities. Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a crucial skill set that can greatly influence personal and professional success. It is the capacity to understand, manage, and express emotions effectively, both within ourselves and in our interactions with others. In this blog, we will explore the significance of emotional intelligence and how it can positively impact various aspects of our lives.

Aspects of emotional intelligence

Self-awareness

Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness. Understanding our own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and values enables us to navigate life with clarity and purpose. When we are in tune with our emotions, we can manage them effectively, avoiding impulsive decisions and reactions. This self-awareness allows us to recognize our triggers, manage stress, and maintain a positive mindset even in challenging situations.

2. Empathy and Compassion

One of the key components of emotional intelligence is the ability to empathize with others. Empathy allows us to understand and share the feelings of those around us, fostering better relationships and communication. By putting ourselves in someone else's shoes, we can offer support, validation, and understanding. Compassion, an extension of empathy, drives us to act with kindness and consideration, strengthening bonds and creating a supportive environment.

3. Social Skills

Developing strong social skills is another vital aspect of emotional intelligence. Effective communication, active listening, and conflict resolution skills enable us to navigate complex social dynamics with ease. By understanding and responding to the emotions of others, we can build trust, collaborate more effectively, and lead with empathy. These skills are invaluable in both personal relationships and professional settings.

4. Resilience

Emotional intelligence equips us with resilience—the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change. By understanding our emotions and embracing failure as an opportunity for growth, we can remain resilient in the face of challenges. Resilient individuals exhibit perseverance, optimism, and a problem-solving mindset. They are better equipped to handle stress, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and achieve long-term goals.

5. Leadership

Emotional intelligence is closely tied to effective leadership. Leaders who possess high EI inspire and motivate their teams, fostering a positive work environment. By understanding and valuing the emotions and perspectives of their employees, leaders can build strong relationships, enhance collaboration, and drive innovation. They are adept at managing conflicts, providing constructive feedback, and empowering others to reach their full potential.

Overview

To sum up, emotional intelligence is a powerful skill set that can significantly enhance our personal and professional lives. By developing self-awareness, empathy, social skills, resilience, and leadership abilities, we can unlock our full potential and create meaningful connections with others. Besides, this is a continuous journey of growth and self-improvement, with the potential to positively impact every aspect of our lives. So let us embrace emotional intelligence, nurture our emotional well-being, and strive for a more compassionate and empathetic world.

If you want to explore more, now you can read an article about emotional intelligence and the expert Daniel Goleman.

[smartskill97-sinha]

6 Morning Habits for Wealth, Health & Success 

Introduction 

Are you interested in knowing the Morning Routines of Successful People? I am pretty much sure after reading this blog post, and applying them in your daily routines, that these habits will help you become successful in life. Morning Habits. of highly successful people. To improve your life, and how you can use your full potential, and which daily routines help to make your life more successful in every aspect of life. 

In his book,The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM- Book by Hal Elrod.

As an author, keynote speaker, and life/business success coach, my work is focused on helping people take every area of their lives to new levels of success and fulfillment, As fast as possible. As a dedicated student of human potential and personal development, I can say with absolute uncertainty that The Miracle Morning is the most practical, results oriented, and effective method I have encountered for improving any - or every area of your life, and doing so faster than you probably even believe is possible. 

For achievers and top performers, The Miracle Morning can be an absolute game-changer, allowing you to attain that elusive next level and take your personal and professional success far beyond what you've achieved in the past. While this can include increasing your income or growing business, sales and revenue, it's often more about discovering new ways to experience deeper levels of fulfillment and balance in areas of your life that you may have neglected. This can mean making significant improvement with your health, happiness, relationships, finances, spirituality,  or any other areas that are at the top of your list. 

At age 20, Hal Elrod was hit head-on by a drunk driver at 70 mph, was dead for six minutes, and doctors told his parents that if Hal ever came out of his coma, he would have permanent brain damage and may never walk again. After six days fighting for his life, Hal proved that we all have the ability to overcome any obstacle and create the life of our dreams. 

Not only did he walk, he became an ultra-marathon runner, hall of fame business achiever, international keynote speaker, success coach, husband, father, hip-hop recording artist, and multiple-time #1 bestselling author of The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM and Taking Life Head On: How To Love the Life You Have While You Create the Life of Your Dreams.

When we look at newborn babies, we believe that they can grow up to be whoever and whatever they want to be. Yet, when we grow up, we settle for less than what we want.

Many people are unhappy with their lives—from their jobs to their weight, finances and relationships. Or, they may excel in 1 area of their life (e.g. career) and settle for mediocrity in other areas.

Take a minute to rate each aspect of your life, e.g. love, money, success, health, happiness, and freedom. Are you living at Level 10 in every area of your life?

Living to your full potential means thriving in every aspect of your life and fulfilling all of your goals and dreams. Hal Elrod shares how he bounced back from death, crippling injuries and career setbacks, and how he used The Miracle Morning (TMM) to unlock his full potential. This approach has since been used by thousands of people from all walks of life to become a global movement.

No matter how bad your circumstances are, know that you can turn things around if you set your heart and mind to it.

[skellebonez]

Because I'm sure this is going to be inevitable, how about some angst for the Chaos Trio (Mei, Jin and Yin)? With 61 and 52

Oh I have been looking forward to Chaos Trio angst since you sent me this, anon. Despite how they act in show... I think Jin and Yin are not exactly harmless. Especially if you mess with people they start to consider family.

The Cursed AU and the Chaos Trio in it come from @winterpower98!

Warning: blood and head injuries, enemy demons limbs (not detailed).

That is not a good hiding spot./I am a really bad actor.

Things had been going pretty well, all things considered. Jin and Yin had no problem getting Mei to join them in a little bit of... let's say "competitive insurance" as it were. They had to make sure they were secured in their own little tech related ventures, and after some financial setbacks they needed extra fallback. They’d planned the whole thing out with her help, more than 2 steps and everything! She was good at that.

The problem was that someone got a lucky hit.

They would have made it out with no problems, if they all hadn't decided going on Mei's motorcycle as a group (which, now that Yin thought about it, was probably incredibly dangerous and illegal with 3 of them on it... not that they cared about legality for themselves but somehow when it came to Mei that suddenly made them concerned). But nope. 1 bike. 3 people.

One lucky shot to the rear tire.

The three of them went flying, Mei landing very impressively on her feet whole Jin and Yin bounced on a bush and thanked anyone listening that demons were sturdier than humans. They didn't thank anyone for the pieces of bike that came flying at them all, and they were certain that they heard a piece make contact with something hard, maybe the nearby light pole, but couldn't be sure.

By the time they looked up they just knew they had a group of very angry demons that were pissed they stole and then wiped their code for... something, didn't matter to the twins what it was. They just wanted their competition out of the way. For solely selfish reasons. Nothing else. Not like they wanted it to see what it was and maybe figure out a counter attack so that certain overpowered people with monkey motifs would have an easier time in the future.

Not a chance.

As they fought off the attacking demons they insisted to themselves they didn't care that much.

"That is not a good hiding spot!" Jin yelled across the battlefield as Yin ducked behind crates. "Just chuck it for now and beat em with the blunt end of something else!"

"Just give me 2 seconds, I can fix it!" Yin yelled back, trying his best to reassemble a part of his sword hilt that had broken off.

"Come on, these guys ain't so tough!" Mei laughed out, easily dodging projectiles and backsliding and slicing and dicing as she went. No one was actually killed, but they were lucky because the only reason for that was the young woman wasn't exactly out for blood. They'd be feeling every single hit well into morning though! She was doing much better than the two of them. "Grab a pipe or something! Wish I had MK's magic building power though, I'd rather not be here all-YIN!"

The younger twin looked up from where he had been crouched, eyes widening as he saw the form of a much larger demon hulking over him and ready to batter him with a club.

Things had been going well. All things considered. Then someone got a second lucky hit.

Right as Mei dove in to push the younger silver twin out of the way.

For a second the fighting stopped. There was just the sound of wood hitting hard plastic and fiberglass as the club was sliced in half by her sword and the lopped off half continued it's trajectory and slammed into Mei's head to lead to her crumbling on top of Yin. Jin stood on too of a pile of crates, watching as a line of red seeped through a crack in her visor and stained the white of her suit.

And then his entire vision was red as he lunged at the demon and sliced, sending his arm flying in the opposite direction.

The demon screamed, holding the stump that was his arm from the elbow down, backing away as quickly as he could. "W-what the hell!?"

"Mei," Yin said softly, carefully clicking the emergency release button to make her helmet digitize away. Her eyes were closed, blood dripping from a slice running along her scalp... but as far as he could tell it was from part of the helmet being cracked and cutting her. She was most likely knocked out from the impact, breathing odd but steady in her unconscious state. "You... we're going to get you to the hospital."

His tone hardened as he carefully laid her on the ground, standing tall as he grabbed his broken weapon and a nearby piece of broken steel.

"You. Are going. To pay for that," Yin said coldly, stance no longer lose and half playful as it had been the whole battle. His stood tall, eyes wide and cold and the demons surrounding them felt a chill run down their spines.

Jin stood in front of him, blood from the other demon splattered across his face and chest in a stark contrast to his orange visage.

This... this wasn't the pair of Gold and Silver Demons they had heard about before. They were known for not taking almost anything seriously, making bad deals and pacts and weird blood oaths they wasted on bizarre favors. They were known for being good at tach but not much else, most demons in the area knew vaguely of their history with the Monkey King but even that ended in failure. Their plans were half baked, goofy, and lately they'd heard they'd gotten roped in with the Monkey King's successor and renewed flame of the Six-Eared Macaque.

The two standing before them did not look like the demons they'd heard about.

Mei hadn't wanted to seriously hurt anyone. The demons heard her yelling as much on the battlefield. But now Mei was hurt.

And the twins did.

It happened fast. They wanted to get it over with quickly. Mei had also not wanted to kill anyone at the very least the twins could do was keep up their promise from earlier in the day to avoid that. And they did.

That didn't mean there weren't lost limbs. Hands and arms. A leg or two. More than a couple eyes were lost. Someone lost an ear. Another a tail and horn.

Injuries they could recover from meant as warnings.

All it took was 3 minutes and the entire storage area they crashed in was a mix of grey and brown and red. Demons holding their injuries or running off.

The one who had attacked Yin and hurt Mei stood in awe and fear, looking down at the smaller twins who has decimated an entire group so fast.

"I-how!?" He yelled, backing up slowly. "This isn't possible, you're not this strong!"

"Who told you that?" Yin asked slowly, tilting his head and watching as the demon realized... he'd never heard they couldn't fight. "We don't fight like this because we don't want to. Never meant we can't."

"Why?"

"We are really bad actors," Jin said, wiping the blood off his weapon on an unconscious demon's shirt. "Why bother trying to hold back when we can just hide it by not trying?" He turned to the demon, glowering coldly as he watched his brother pick Mei up carefully. "Tell anyone who asks nothing. We'd like to keep it that way. Unless you want a round two where someone else doesn't hold us back."

And then they were gone.

~

"What in the actual hell happened?" Macaque asked in an even tone. Practiced even. A dangerous even.

"Well-" "You see boss-" "we kinda-" "-there was-"

Jin and Yin tried to think of a reasonable excuse, faltering as everything they thought of sounded worse and worse in their heads.

The two sat in Mei's hospital room, towels draped around their shoulders. They’d been smart enough to stash Mei's bike somewhere safe and wash off in the ocean before coming to the hospital, less covered in demon blood meant less scared humans when they rushed in with Mei in tow, and it was easy to make the nurses believe them.

Simple bike accident, friend hurt, help please.

With Macaque staring them down with his patented death glower, shadows growing and warping around the room in response to him, it was infinitely harder.

Of course Mei's emergency contact was MK. Of course MK could call Macaque before her parents (who were apparently on their way back from some kind of dragon family business trip when they learned). Of course Macaque would show up almost immediately and begin asking questions.

"It was my fault," Mei chimed in, voice slightly off from having awoken with a nasty concussion. "I thought it'd be fun to go on a joy ride late at night, I've done it before without issues! But, uh... I've never had two passengers before... and we hit something. Don't be mad at them?"

Macaque looked like he believed Mei as much as he believed Tang would lose interest in the Monkey King and switch his field of study to obscure methods of basket weaving. Which is to say: he didn’t. But he sighed, giving Mei a small smile as the shadows returned to normal.

"Ok," he said softly, tone much more gentle with the dragon descendant as he reached out to brush loose hair out of her face. "I won't be mad at them. I'll be very disappointed-" his tone hardened for a second at those words as he turned to the twins with a glower again. "-but I won't be mad. Do you need anything?"

"Maybe a candy bar from the vending machines outside?" Mei asked with a smile.

"Sure," Macaque laughed and shook his head, moving to the corner of the room. "I'll be right back."

He sunk into the shadows, a cool trick that the twins would always be impressed by, and they breathed a sigh of relief at knowing they were alone. For now.

"You didn't have to do that," Jin said, frowning at Mei in concern. Maybe it was just because he was now the eldest in the room, but some kind of protective feel pulled at him.

"I know," Mei said with a tired laugh, laying back into her pillow. "But you guys are like... my bros. I gotta stand up for my bros."

And that made both Jin and Yin pause. They looked at each other, eyes widening as they both came to a realization that was probably a very long time coming at that point.

"Yeah..." Yin said, a soft smile forming on his face. "We'd do the same for you... you know, if you didn't take that hit for me you probably would have kicked everyone's ass way better than us! We barely got out by the skin of our teeth!" A full truth and a blatant lie, but he hoped Mei wouldn't pick up on that second part.

"You know it, boi!" She didn't.

It was odd for him in particular. Yin had never really thought of himself as an older brother before.

First time for everything.

[bxllafanficc]

For your entertainment

Summary: Loki decides to loosen up your sore shoulders with a tender massage after a hard days work. Little do you know that the God of Mischief also has something else in the back of his mind. And he let's you know it without hesitation. But if he only was prepared for what you were up to. And if he only would have known that there's a different side to you that you have yet to show. 

Pairing: Loki Layfeyson x reader. 

Warnings: smut, dom!reader, sub!loki, unprotected smut (don't be silly, wrap that willy), praise kink(kind of),

Everything feels so out of place where you’re standing in the shower, desperately attempting at washing off today’s hard marks at work today.

Helping Tony Stark moving the boxes of new recently arrived equipment into his storage room would be a piece of cake, you thought.

That man builds way too many things, it turned out as a mountain of heavy boxes waited at your feet that morning.

You finally got to return home after all that heavy lifting.

But your tense shoulders are making it hard to concentrate on the hot water pouring onto your face and down your features as you’re trying to relax into the warm embrace.

It’s not working. Because the annoying headache creeping its way up the back of your neck and through your scalp is not going away without a fight. You feel like moving and stretching your muscles only seem to add to the already rock hard intensity and you give up, stepping out of the shower with a sigh.

—————

“What’s the deal with that sour pouty frown of yours, (Y/n)?” The familiar voice of the man you hold so close to your heart.

Loki is resting in the couch inside the living room with legs and arms lazily spread and resting against the headrest. The tv is displaying some kind of nature program about polar bears living conditions and traits.

“Stark, again. I offered him my help today in oblivion to his odd shopping sprees once in awhile. My neck is hurting like a bitch!” You make your way to the couch and throw yourself onto it with an arm draped around the God’s torso.

“Language, darling.” You groan loudly and throw your head back to stare at his perfect smile and his kind eyes. A pout forms on your lips and your eyebrows furrow. Though, the endless flow of his alluring eyes draws you in and the hard focus you put into taking in every little colored spot on his irises makes your frown loosen up and go away.

“Damn, you’re pretty.” You mumble and lean into his chin against your forehead. A chuckle is heard from the asgardian and a hand strokes upwards past your shoulder and to the nape of your neck. Searching fingers press down your skin and you leans into the warmth. The hand gently leans your head forward to get a better feel and a light gasp escapes both of you as he presses down.

His out of shock and you out of sudden pain.

“(Y/n), your muscles are so tense. This knot was not caused from just today’s activities. Come on, sit down in front of me.”

He helps you on the way down onto the floor in between his legs until your back is resting on the fabric of the couch. A bear cub on tv tumbles over and pushes his friend off a large ice rock and into the cold water.

“Polar bears? Great choice. Didn’t know you liked ‘em.” You speak up and tilt your head to grin at his features above you. He grunts and turns off the tv with a shrugging motion.

“They’re fluffy and dumb. Who wouldn’t like that?”

He rests one hand on your shoulder and then presses down hard onto the hard spot on your shoulder, causing you to jolt away from his touch with a yelp. A chuckle and a firm arms holds you back down and locks you into a steady grip to make it easier for him to work his wonders.

“Ow, ow ow! Loki what the-“

You start whining and moving around but he quickly interrupts you.

“I’m really sorry, petal. Just keep still and relax your shoulders. Let me know when the pain stops.” His voice is soothing and manages to make you to let go of your stance and lean into his touch. After awhile the pain is gone just like he said and you nod at him. His thumbs starts rubbing circular motions at both sides of your shoulders and the intensity finally gives away and disappears.

The headache is gone and a new stream of energy flows into you.

His hands disappear from your skin for a moment and hot breath and warm lips replaces them instead. Apologetic featherlight kisses turns to vicious nipping and you know exactly where this is going.

“Aren’t you satisfied from this morning’s activities?”

A chuckle and a smirk.

“That was the morning. It’s evening now, darling and you smell absolutely incredible.”

You kind of expected this, giving that the god himself always was the one to take the lead. To make you squirm and moan under him every time you came together.

You however, wanted to switch things up a bit; see his reaction and what it would bring.

So you turned around to face him and got up,breaking away from his touch. Your hand made its way to his chest and pushed him down onto the rest of the couch with determined force. Confused eyes met yours as you got on top, straddling him with a hand behind his head to yank at his hair; a sign to stay still.

The new situation you put him through caused his body to react in the opposite way but you quickly silenced the objections by pressing your lips to his rambling ones.

A slight tug on his bottom lip made him get the hint and hands found their place on your thighs, grasping for something to hold. Eager lips press against each other as the heat from your bodies gets to the better of you. Your teeth clash together and you break away to catch some air.

“Sure.. but this time, I want that silver younger of yours work in other ways than down my body. Since your hands already showed off what they can do tonight, lets do a check up on your vocals as well. Does that sound alright for you, pretty boy?”

Glazed eyes meet yours and distressed hips buck upwards with sloppy movements. His panting only seems to get rougher as you respond to his needs, palming his growing erection through the fabric of his pants. Given that you just came out of the shower, the towel covering you just moments ago seem to have loosened up around your body somehow

He leans into you for more friction and reaches for your neck. But you back away and tug at his hair once again.

“Use your words, Loki.”

The sensation of his hair being pulled and the demanding tone in your voice seem to get his mind into the right place, cause a moan of pleasure hits you in response and his eyes are suddenly glued on you. Needy and crowded with lust.

“Y..yes! That’s more than alright...!”

How adorable. You didn’t quite expect this much reaction from him; never thought he would be so sensitive and eager for you taking a turn.

“Then you know what to do, doll.” You hum with satisfaction as he rips off his shirt keeping him prisoner from the feeling of lips and teeth leaving their marks on his skin. Your hands move to remove the fabric keeping you apart, tugging pants and boxers to the side with one swift motion. His cock springs free and the hit of the suddenly cool air around him causes Loki to shudder. His hands are grasping away at your hips and nails are digging into you, the pain only adding to your own needing cunt.

“Aren’t you the goodest boy?” Your hand grants some needed warmth as it strokes up and down his cock with slow motion.

“P-pretty sure that’s not a word...” He pants and closes his eyes from the feeling of your hand and mouth on him together. You sigh and take his jaw in a firm but careful grip and lean close to his face.

“Shut up, I’m trying to be sexy.”

“Oh, but petal, aren’t you always?”

You get up on your feet with ease, aligning your entrance to his aching length. A breath hitches in his throat as the wetness of your already dripping folds reaches the tip of his cock.

Clearly, seeing him melt under your touch did wonders for your own satisfaction as well.

“You want this? Want me to take you to the moon and back?”

The beautiful man under you nods without any hesitation tainting his actions and moans a quiet ‘yes, ma’am.’ Into your ear.

A wave of hotness hits right to your cunt at the sound of the new nickname and a low growl grows out of your chest as you push yourself onto him without any setbacks the wetness of your cunt making it easy for you to take all of him.

The sound coming from Loki is a mess of moans choked on half way through their rhythm and his eyes roll to the back of his head as your warmth embraces him entirely.

The sound is like music to you. It feels so right to have him calling out your name and whining for you.

You pick your pace and start moving fast, bouncing on his hard erection as it hits all the right spots inside you. There’s a whole new sensation to it now when you’re in charge, something you can’t seem to get enough of.

And Loki? God, if he isn’t the most beautiful sight you’ve ever witnessed.

How his lips are parted and his breath cut off by each time you come down onto him. How his knees and arms are shaking under your grasp.

You cup his cheeks between your hands which causes him to meet your gaze, not that he hasn’t been watching you with awe the entire time when the intense pleasure didn’t force him to shut his eyes.

His neck arches towards you and begs to be held by your comforting lips. It’s visible how unbearable the feeling is becoming as his breathing becomes more rapid.

You lean in to kiss the God of Mischief but keep it sweet and tender for now. Your main focus is to make Loki see stars.

“(Y/n)... so good to me. Makes me.. doubt if I deserve such a blessing.” His words are slow and hesitant, unsure if speaking is something he’s capable of doing at the moment.

You comb your fingers through his soft hair and leans to his ear.

“Nonsense. You deserve it all. A sign on gratitude for you... My king.”

You were well aware of Loki’s past and his desire for the throne of Asgard, something he had put behind him as now today and buried with his past. But you figured a little something for his pride would fit right about now.

And oh, how you were right.

His body tensed and a groan seeped its way through gritted teeth. You met his eyes once again. This time they’re not only loving and clouded with lust, but also a desire for something. Affirmation, maybe.

“Say that again.”

You speed up your pace even though your legs are starting to go numb. Rest can wait until you’re finished.

“My king.”

That sets off a different kind of side to Loki than the recent events leading up to this. You’re almost surprised to hear the growl coming from him, but only almost.

Then everything comes down all at ones as he bites down into your neck with the intention of cutting out the scream of pleasure as he reaches his climax. Hot seed spills into you and the feeling is so overwhelming of everything coming together at last. You ride out both your highs as your own orgasms hits you and loud grunting and moaning dies down to soft pants and gasps.

You collapse onto him with lazy grasps to hug his frame, your legs trembling under you. Loki collects himself after a moment and proceeds to stroke your head, small attempts to comb your wet strands.

“You’ve revealed another side of yourself today, (Y/n). And I didn’t possibly think that I would be capable of loving someone even more than previous days, as much as I feel for you right now.”

You smile and you both shift positions so that you’re able to both lay on the couch. His strong arms holds you so close and you can still hear his rapidly heart beating in his chest.

“Well, guess I’m full of surprises.”

A moment of silence and just pure bliss; the relaxation you need.

Until Loki once again speaks up with slight hesitation.

“As much as I enjoyed this dominant side of you... I have to ask you something. Something that I didn’t quite understand.”

You hum and trace patterns against his biceps from where you’re nuzzled against his chest.

“Yes?”

...

“What is a ‘moon’?”

[acurlygirlamy1]

I’m a lot.

I am.

I know I am.

I’ve always known I am.

I get over-the-top excited about mundane things. I get overly-emotional about mundane things as well.

I have ten thousand ideas flowing rapidly through my brain at any one point in time.

I think fast. I speak fast. I type even faster.

I sing at the top of my lungs whether I’m in church, or sitting alone in my car. I think the world is falling, and then realize maybe I just haven’t had any sleep the last two nights, and I need a glass of water, and everything appears sunny again.

I send ten text messages in a row. And, oh yes, you’d better believe they are full of exclamation points and emojis. I plan girls’ trips at the drop of a hat. I work really hard to make everything magical.

I apologize all the time.

I talk way too much.

I take up too much space.

I dance anytime music is on—grocery store, car, bank, doesn’t matter.

I build businesses and then new businesses and new businesses.

I see clothes that I absolutely HAVE to have. I think every movie I’ve ever watched is the “best ever.” I like every song that comes on the radio, and I rave about them, and I research the lyrics and try to figure out the deeper-meaning. I cry about situations, and then turn around with my next breath and flip the switch and find the ever-elusive silver lining.

I’m a lot.

I’m passionate.

I rarely walk.

If I’m going somewhere, I run. (Metaphorically-speaking, of course. If I’m literally running, something weird is up.)

When I’m chill, I’m chill.

But when I’m not—watch out, sister.

I don’t tiptoe. I jump in without looking back. And I splash water everywhere. I have energy, and I like for energy to be given back to me.

I used to hate this about myself. Everything I just mentioned made me blame myself, and question myself, and want to be by myself, and also somehow, made me want to be with everyone all the time.

I used to think being too much was my worst quality. I thought it was the reason I was misunderstood and lonely. I thought it was my greatest setback.

And so I quieted myself up.

I played small.

I bottled my excitement.

I convinced myself to become less.

BUT I WAS NOT MADE TO BE LESS.

I am too much, but it’s not my kryptonite. It’s what makes me dynamite.

I give hard. I forgive hard. I work hard. I laugh hard. I cry hard. I mess up hard, but then I get back up and I keep on moving forward.

I dream hard. I believe hard.

I live fierce. And I love free.

There is nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with meeting someone and instantly clicking with them. There is nothing wrong with telling people how much you love them. There is nothing wrong with laughing and crying and feeling other people’s pain.

If your’e an “a lot” person like I am. If you bounce around from place to place. If it takes a while for you to settle down, and you lie in bed at night wondering what in the world is wrong with you, and oh-my-gosh why did you say “you too” when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal. That’s such an odd thing to say.

It’s okay.

You’re okay.

It’s going to be okay.

Stop beating yourself up. Stop with the constant worrying that people won’t like you, and start liking yourself.

Cause, yeah, you’re a lot.

You’re a lot of love.

You’re a lot of joy.

You’re a lot of beautiful.

You’re a lot of real.

You’re a lot of passionate.

You’re a lot of empathetic.

You’re a lot of what makes a good friend.

And you’re also a lot of what this world needs. Don’t hide, sister. Don’t shy away. Don’t back down. Don’t try to be someone else. Don’t shrug off your gifts.

Don’t change. Ever.

But do breathe, and do at least try to be more on time.

By Amy Weatherly

[papistrouble]

I’m a lot.

I am.

I know I am.

I’ve always known I am.

I get over-the-top excited about mundane things. I get overly-emotional about mundane things as well.

I have ten thousand ideas flowing rapidly through my brain at any one point in time.

I think fast. I speak fast. I type even faster.

I sing at the top of my lungs whether I’m in church, or sitting alone in my car. I think the world is falling, and then realize maybe I just haven’t had any sleep the last two nights, and I need a glass of water, and everything appears sunny again.

I send ten text messages in a row. And, oh yes, you’d better believe they are full of exclamation points and emojis. I plan girls’ trips at the drop of a hat. I work really hard to make everything magical.

I apologize all the time.

I talk way too much.

I take up too much space.

I dance anytime music is on—grocery store, car, bank, doesn’t matter.

I build businesses and then new businesses and new businesses.

I see clothes that I absolutely HAVE to have. I think every movie I’ve ever watched is the “best ever.” I like every song that comes on the radio, and I rave about them, and I research the lyrics and try to figure out the deeper-meaning. I cry about situations, and then turn around with my next breath and flip the switch and find the ever-elusive silver lining.

I’m a lot.

I’m passionate.

I rarely walk.

If I’m going somewhere, I run. (Metaphorically-speaking, of course. If I’m literally running, something weird is up.)

When I’m chill, I’m chill.

But when I’m not—watch out, sister.

I don’t tiptoe. I jump in without looking back. And I splash water everywhere. I have energy, and I like for energy to be given back to me.

I used to hate this about myself. Everything I just mentioned made me blame myself, and question myself, and want to be by myself, and also somehow, made me want to be with everyone all the time.

I used to think being too much was my worst quality. I thought it was the reason I was misunderstood and lonely. I thought it was my greatest setback.

And so I quieted myself up.

I played small.

I bottled my excitement.

I convinced myself to become less.

BUT I WAS NOT MADE TO BE LESS.

I am too much, but it’s not my kryptonite. It’s what makes me dynamite.

I give hard. I forgive hard. I work hard. I laugh hard. I cry hard. I mess up hard, but then I get back up and I keep on moving forward.

I dream hard. I believe hard.

I live fierce. And I love free.

There is nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with meeting someone and instantly clicking with them. There is nothing wrong with telling people how much you love them. There is nothing wrong with laughing and crying and feeling other people’s pain.

If you're an “a lot” person like I am. If you bounce around from place to place. If it takes a while for you to settle down, and you lie in bed at night wondering what in the world is wrong with you, and oh-my-gosh why did you say “you too” when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal. That’s such an odd thing to say.

It’s okay.

You’re okay.

It’s going to be okay.

Stop beating yourself up. Stop with the constant worrying that people won’t like you, and start liking yourself.

Cause, yeah, you’re a lot.

You’re a lot of love.

You’re a lot of joy.

You’re a lot of beautiful.

You’re a lot of real.

You’re a lot of passionate.

You’re a lot of empathetic.

You’re a lot of what makes a good friend.

And you’re also a lot of what this world needs. Don’t hide, sister. Don’t shy away. Don’t back down. Don’t try to be someone else. Don’t shrug off your gifts.

Don’t change. Ever.

But do breathe, and do at least try to be more on time.

Written by: Amy Weatherly

[raiseyourcups]

Sorry that I lost our love

Pairing: Din Djarin x Ex-Mandalorian Reader Warnings: Not so vague allusions to sex, Star Wars cursing, actual cursing, violence (more than canon-typical imo), angst peppered throughout, angst ending Word Count: 4.2k (because I can’t write short things to save my life) Notes: If you think I should add anything else as a warning, let me know. I wrote this in an inspired rush and it was 3:30am by the time I finished this. Also please let me know if there’s any stray she/her’s that refer to the reader or anything that describes reader in any way. Thank you!

Summary: A Mandalorian lands on Tatooine and you would like nothing more than to dig a hole and hide in it until he leaves. Too bad you work for Peli Motto and have no choice in the matter. Thankfully he leaves for a bounty but of course that’s when things go sideways. 

Sequel with less angst

The armor was new, all silver beskar but you would recognize that stance anywhere. You had grown up learning everything about him and vice-versa. There was a time when the two of you knew every inch of the other’s body, fumbling around in the dark together, twin blindfolds covering their eyes just in case the lights turned on. Yes, you used to know Din Djarin like the back of your hand. But then he had gone against Guild Code and they came after the Covert. Someone had pulled off your helmet before you could get them off of you and that was the end of that. 

The Armorer had been understanding but everyone knew the Creed, your helmet had been removed by someone other than your family. Not that you had any family. Once upon a time you had wished for it to be Din but now…

You had been able to get passage on a ship, got as far as Tatooine which still wasn’t far enough for you but you hadn’t been able to catch another ride yet. Rather than wallow in your sorrow, you found somewhere to work despite being utterly useless at everything outside of fighting. Peli Motto was a beacon of hope, had taken one look at you and taken you in as an employee. At first it was small things, cleaning up after the droids but eventually she began to trust you with a spanner. 

And now back to the present.

You didn’t know how much time had passed since that bounty hunter had damned you, when a familiar ship limped its way to the spaceport you had started to call home. You made yourself as scarce as you could as Peli went out to speak with the owner of the ship. You were close enough to hear what was being said but hid behind a piece of junk that even Peli couldn’t fix. 

“No droids.”

“It’ll cost ya more but fine,” Peli said before turning her head in the direction she had last seen you. “Starbird, get over here!”

Peli had given you the nickname when you told her you didn’t want to reveal your name to her, not because you couldn’t trust her but because you hadn’t heard someone say it in so long. Well...hadn’t heard someone other than Din but that would never happen again now. You had taken to wearing a scarf, covering your hair even though it wouldn’t matter, and you adjusted it as you walked over. It made you feel more secure, like you weren’t dar’manda even if you knew the truth. He wouldn’t recognize you, had never seen you without your helmet and those nights didn’t count with the pitch black of the room. As long as you didn’t speak around him, you could help Peli fix his ship and he would be gone again. 

“Mando here doesn’t like droids so it’s just you and me fixing this rust bucket, got it?”

You nodded silently, ignoring the confused look your silence got you from Peli. The Mandalorian, the one you thought you had known so well, tilted his head and you could almost feel his gaze on you. You and Peli move towards the ship to take note of the obvious damage and you can’t help but cringe when you finally see how bad of a shape it is. 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in a shootout and you have a fuel leak!” Peli kept muttering to herself as she found more and more things wrong with the Razor Crest. You pointed out a few more things to her, still keeping your mouth shut. “This ship is a mess, the fact you were even able to land it! This is gonna set you back.”

“All I have is 500 Imperial credits.” The Mandalorian held the credits out and Peli wasted no time snatching them away from him. “That’s all you got? What do you think, Birdie?”

You shrugged and held a hand out, palm facing the ground as you tilted it from side to side. It was going to take a hell of a lot more credits to fix up the Crest, the fact that it was pre-Imperial making it even harder to find spare parts. 

“Well then, this should at least cover the hangar.”

“I’ll get you your money,” The Mandalorian said bluntly, but you could just about hear the desperation beneath the vocoder in his helmet. You were taken aback, had never heard him sound like that before. 

“Hmm, we’ve heard that before.”

“Just remember…”

“Yeah, no droids. I heard ya, you don’t have to say it twice.” Peli watched as the Mandalorian walked away before letting out a scoff. “Womp rat.”

Peli sat with the droids, starting up a card game with them, dealing you in without asking. You let out a sigh because she knew how kriffing bad you were at every card game. 

“What was that?” You asked, staring at the gangway of the Crest as a loud shriek echoed from the Crest.

“Oh so you are gonna speak today?”

“Sorry, I just-”

Peli cut you off, “Nope, I said I wouldn’t ask questions when I hired you and I meant it.”

You were about to thank Peli for being so understanding when you both hear a cry coming from inside the ship. Peli turned to the droids, “Shh, quick, grab my blaster rifle.”

“Peli, I don’t think you’ll need it.”

“Better safe than sorry, who knows what he has on that rustbucket.” The two of you inched closer to the Crest slowly, Peli with a trigger finger ready to go. “I’d stay in that ship if I were you!”

The tiniest creature you had ever seen started walking down the gangway, smoke and dust getting in its eyes. You let out a gasp, bringing up a hand to cover your mouth when it dropped open. Peli looked at you confused but lowered the blaster rifle, there was no way this...thing was a threat. The little thing let out a coo and looked at you both with its sad eyes. You couldn’t help but move forward to pick it up when it raised his hands in the air. 

“Oh honey, did he leave you all alone on the ship?” You asked it, cradling it in your arms before looking up at an equally confused Peli. You gave her a shrug, unsure what else to do. She moved closer and looked into the child’s big eyes and was stumped. 

“Would you like some food? Are you hungry?” The child seemed to like that idea, letting out a loud coo as his little stomach growled. Peli turned to the closest droid. “Fetch us something to eat, quick!”

“Maybe something with bones in it,” you added when you caught sight of his little teeth. The droid took off in search of food. “Okay, so here’s the plan, little one. I’m gonna look after you until the Mandalorian gets back.”

“And then I’m gonna charge him extra for watching you, see how that works?” Peli added before heading off to do some repairs, a new pep in her step at the thought of a bigger pay day. 

You couldn’t put the child down, just stunned. Was this why he had broken Guild Code? Was this tiny little thing the reason you could never go back home? If it was then more of the anger you had let fester inside of you dissipated, you couldn’t blame Din. As more time passed, the more sleepy both you and the child seemed to get which led to you telling Peli that we were going to give the child a nap. She waved you off saying that she probably would take one too, it wasn’t like you two could do anything for the ship without more credits.

You didn’t even notice when you fell asleep but a loud shout scared both you and the child awake. You let out a quiet shriek and the combination made the child start crying. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay. I”m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Where is it?” You heard the Mandalorian growl to one of the droids and you walked as fast as you could to where he was. 

“He’s right here, now keep your voice down. He was taking a nap,” You tried to keep your voice steady, not only to calm the child down but also to still your beating heart. You bounced the kid in your arms a few times, staying light on your feet in order to sway a little as you tried to shush him. The Mandalorian tilted his helmet at the sound of your voice but then he realized that you were still holding the child. 

“Give him to me.” He pointed at you threateningly, or at least you supposed he was trying to be threatening. It wasn’t going to work since you were so annoyed with him right now. 

“No. You can’t just leave a child alone on a ship like that!” You didn’t mean to raise your voice but you did as you pointed your own finger at him. “I can’t believe someone would trust you enough to have a child with you.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Oh I know more than you think I do,” You said, glaring up at him and hoping that you were making eye contact so he knew how serious you were. 

“What’s going on out here?” Peli asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes but alert nonetheless. 

“Mando’s back. And he woke up the baby.” You said your last words with a glare towards that kriffing rustbucket. 

“Oh well, while you were gone, I started the repair on the fuel leak while Birdie here watched the kid.” Peli gestured towards you but you paid her no mind as you made sure the kid was okay. “There were a couple of setbacks that I want to talk to you about.”

Peli kept going on about the repairs, how they took longer without the droids or your help since you were preoccupied with the child he hadn’t warned you two about. He walked into the ship and you moved back over to Peli, unsure what he was doing. He came back down with a bag and looked at you both.

“We figured you were good for it since you have an extra mouth to feed,” you said, no longer worried about speaking in front of him. He once again tilted his head at the sound of your voice. 

“Thank you.” He said before walking away. You were, once again, stunned at how rude he was being. First he leaves a child alone on his ship, threatens you when he realizes you’re holding the kid, and now he’s just going to leave again. You shot a look towards Peli before you followed after him, kid still in your arms. 

“You know it takes a lot for Peli to keep those droids powered up, right?”

“Hey, Mando, what do you think? Not too shabby, huh?” A new voice spoke once they were out of the spaceport. You rolled your eyes at the sound. Calican. 

The Mandalorian gave the speeder bike a once over, looking over Calican in a way that made it obvious he wasn’t impressed. “What? This isn’t Corellia. Hey, Birdie, still looking good.”

You rolled your eyes at him before turning around to head back inside of Peli’s shop. Those brief seconds of speaking to Toro Calican were more than enough for you. You heard the speeders take off and knew they probably wouldn’t be back until later. 

“Well now that we’re all awake, let’s get some more repairs done,” Peli said, already getting ready to do so. You joined her, placing the child on one hip in order to pass her any tools she may need. The suns went down and there was still no sign of the Mandalorian or Toro so you and Peli just kept working. There was nothing else to do. But even repairs couldn’t take forever and soon enough it was just you and your thoughts. 

With no sight of either bounty hunters everyone decided to head in for the night, you kept the child with you since you knew Peli already had her hands full with the droids that were like her own children. Morning came quicker than you were prepared for knowing that the Mandalorian and Toro would probably be back soon. 

Part of you knew you couldn't wait for the Mandalorian to leave the planet but another part of you, the younger and dumber part of you wished that he would recognize you before he left. You didn’t know what that would do for you, it wasn’t like he could do anything. You were dar’manda now, you could never be together again, no matter how much you missed him. 

“Hey, Birdie, I’m gonna head out to the cantina for a bit. Wanna come?” Peli came out of her room, having changed into a slightly cleaner jumpsuit. 

You looked down at the child in your arms before looking back up at Peli. “I’m not taking a baby to a cantina.”

“Suit yourself, and if that Mandalorian comes back while I’m gone, make sure he pays before he leaves.”

“Got it, have fun and don’t drink too much.”

“What are you, my mother?” Peli replied shortly but with a smile on her face as she left. You shook your head, a smile on your own face as you looked down at the child. 

“Looks like it’s just you and me, kid.” 

“Hey, Birdie.” You flinched at the sound of Toro’s voice from behind you and spun on your heel to face him. Your brow furrowed when you noticed that he was alone. 

“Toro? Where’s D-- Mando?”

“About that, put that thing on the ground before I shoot you.” He was aiming his blaster at you before you could even blink.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I really don’t wanna shoot you, you’re too pretty to die.”

You weighed your options and knew that it would best to listen to him and put the child down before making your move. So you did, placing him on one of the empty fuel drums that you and Peli used as a table. 

“I said the ground, are you stupid?” Tora asked as he moved towards the child which is when you moved. Faster than he could react, you rushed forward and hit him with your shoulder, knocking him off balance. He didn’t lose his grip on his blaster, unfortunately, since you hadn’t been able to hit him on that side but you took advantage of his being off balance. You rolled forward and grabbed a spanner as you got back up on your feet and rushed towards Toro again. You pushed him against the Crest, hitting him with the spanner several times before he finally grabbed your arm and held it out to the side, letting you throw a punch with your other fist. You dropped the spanner without meaning to but you had another idea.

You grabbed his blaster, spinning away from him in an attempt to get him to let go of it, even throwing your head back to headbutt him. He wrapped his arms around you and picked you up, dropping you onto another fuel drum. You groaned out in pain, wishing you still had your armor, but you didn’t let go of the blaster even as he picked you back up and you two fell to the ground. You forced him up, grip still hard on the blaster as you tried to break it on a piece of metal. Kriffing Toro and spending all his credits on high end bantha shit. You heard something pop and took the chance to punch him again, followed by a quick elbow to keep him down just a little while longer while you looked for another weapon.

Where was Peli? Or Din? Was Din even still alive?

You didn’t have time to ask yourself anymore questions as Toro grabbed you by the arm, dragging you to your feet, and throwing a punch at your face. Using your arm as leverage he tossed you into the side of the Crest and you turned just in time to block another punch with your arm before bringing your knee up into his side. You put your arms around his neck and flipped both of your bodies over and onto the ground. It was getting harder to catch your breath and you had no idea Toro had that much stamina when fighting. It had been too long since you fought anyone. 

You tried to get to your feet before Toro but he beat you to it, throwing several punches your way. You got up, kicking out at him just for him to grab your leg again. But it left you open to punch him yourself, one to the face and another to the stomach. He grabbed your arm, bringing up his own knee to your wrist causing you to let out a shout of pain. He put a hand around your throat but you brought your knee up to his crotch making him fall to the ground. He wasn’t unconscious though so you went for another kick, this one to the face, but he grabbed your leg and flipped you onto your back again. 

Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t get back up and you felt so weak all of a sudden. Maybe it was the blood gushing from your nose or the fact that you had now been dropped onto your back twice or the ringing in your ears. Either way, Toro had won. You could hear the child crying from where you had left him, it was amazing that you two hadn’t slammed into it during the fight. 

“Didn’t think you had that in you, Birdie.” Toro said as he forced you up. “That was stupid though, I was going to let you go but now...now you get to be my hostage.”

He pulled your hands behind your back, wrapping a cord around them tightly. You could feel it digging into your skin but there wasn’t anything you could do now. You willed yourself to not let him see you cry, cursing yourself for being so Maker damned emotional. “Why are you doing this, Toro?”

“Because that thing has the highest bounty I’ve heard of and Mando...well he’s worth even more with that armor.” The unspoken meaning behind his words hit you like a flash of lightning. 

“No!” You thrashed in his grasp, he couldn’t. No, he couldn’t take Din’s armor, he couldn’t be like you. He couldn’t. 

“Stay still or I’ll shoot you right now,” Toro growled out. You did as he said because you couldn’t help Din if you died before he made it back. He dragged you along as he went over to where you had placed the child and you winced as he picked him up roughly. As the hours passed, you grew more and more worried for Din. Toro was just getting angrier and you were scared he’d shoot first and ask questions never. You hoped Peli stayed at the cantina a little while longer. 

The suns had already gone down by the time he showed up and your breathing had gotten a little more labored. You were also sure that your back was bruised to haran and back. Toro stood a little straighter, pushed you forward a step before speaking. “Took you long enough, Mando. You missed a hell of a fight.”

He shoved his blaster into the middle of your back and you walked down the gangway and into the moonlight to see Din pointing a blaster at you. Really it was on Toro but you were in the way. He took half a step back and his helmet twitched to the side when he caught sight of your face. You were sure you looked a mess, Toro hadn’t even bothered cleaning the blood off your face. 

“I’m the one calling the shots now. Drop the blaster and raise ‘em.” 

Din did as he was told and placed his hands behind his head. Toro pushed his blaster into your back again before undoing the cord around your wrists. “Cuff him and don’t try anything.”

You let out a quiet growl of anger but ripped the cuffs away from Toro and moved over to where Din was.

“You’re a Guild traitor, Mando.” Toro said, before pointing a gun towards the child. Your hands tightened on the cuffs. “I’m willing to bet this is the target you helped escape.”

You moved to place the cuffs on Din’s wrists when a light clink caught your attention. You looked up and saw your potential saving grace. “Oh you smart man.” You couldn’t help but whisper, only loud enough for him to hear. 

“Fennec was right, bringing you in won’t just make me a member of the Guild, it’ll make me legendary.” Toro said. You pretended to shut the cuffs on Din’s wrists, shuffling them behind you as you walked out from behind Din to stand next to him. “Say, Birdie, one last thing before I shoot you.”

“What?”

“What is your real name?” 

You didn’t have to answer, you could give Din a signal to set off the flash charger but you couldn’t stop yourself. “...Y/N.” You answered.

A delayed second later and Din pressed down on the flash charger and you shut your eyes before dropping to the ground and rolling behind a fuel drum. You would just get in the way now. You watched as Toro blindly shot at nothing while Din moved behind the crates to the left, popping back out in time to shoot Toro just as he turned. You rushed forward as Toro fell off the gangway, he had still been holding the child. 

“Stay back.” Din’s voice was a weird mix of stoic and emotional, the vocoder in his helmet making it sound off. 

“He had the child,” you said as Din leaned down to move Toro onto his back. There was no child. “Where did he go?” 

You didn’t mean to cling onto Din’s arm as you both looked in every direction. A quiet babble caught your attention as the child game out from behind a couple of baskets. Your heart slowed down from its rapid pace as soon as you saw him. “Oh hun, there you are,” you said as you picked him up. 

“You’re okay now,” you bounced the child a few times as Din grabbed something off Toro’s body. He came over to where you were and you pretended to be very interested in the child. 

“Y/N.”

“Yes.”

“What happened?” He asked you and you weren’t sure if he meant the wounds on your face, as he reached out to oh so lightly stroke your cheek, or if he meant the fact that you had broken the Creed you both took. 

“I tried to fight back, I lost.” It was true of both occasions. Din stared down at you as the child continued to babble. You still couldn’t look up from  looking at the child. 

“Come with me.” That got your attention, head snapping up to look at Din like he had lost his mind. You knew he could be dumb sometimes, breaking Guild Code an obvious example, but this took the uj cake.

“I can’t.” 

“Why?”

“Din, you know why I can’t go with you.” The fact that he could see you, really see you should have made it clear why you couldn’t go with him. 

“I don’t care.”

“You say that now but what about tomorrow, or next week, in two weeks? I’m dar’manda.”

“And it’s my fault, cyar’ika.”  Din said as he moved forward, bringing his helmet down to gently rest against your forehead.

“Don’t call me that, not anymore.”

“Y/N…”

You let out a shuddery breath, blinking away the tears that threatened to rise. “Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be, you need to find somewhere safe for the child, and I cannot go with you.” 

Din stared at you for one more long moment before reaching out to take the child, silently passing you the pouch he had taken from Toro. You opened it and let out a gasp, looking back up at Din in shock. He started to reach out again but stopped himself, nodded once, and turned to get back on the Crest. And you just watched him. Kept watching as the Crest took off, leaving you behind once again.

You wished you could go back to the beginning, when you had first met Din as kids with scraped knees and elbows from trying to do all the fight moves the adults could do. Growing up with each other, feelings changing until that first kiss in the pitch dark of someone’s room, you couldn’t remember whose it was. The first time you two snuck out of the covert to rent a room, tying blindfolds around your eyes in order to show how deep your love went for each other. 

But you couldn’t. You never could.

[imforeverjustyours]

I’m a lot.

I am.

I know I am.

I’ve always known I am.

I get over-the-top excited about mundane things. I get overly-emotional too.

I have ten thousand ideas flowing rapidly through my brain at any one point in time.

I think fast. I speak fast. I type even faster.

I sing at the top of my lungs when I’m in the house or sitting alone in my car.

I send ten text messages in a row. And, oh yes, you’d better believe they are full of exclamation points and emojis. I plan road trips at the drop of a hat. I work really hard to make everything magical.

I apologize all the time.

I talk way too much.

I am lot for many and not enough for some.

I build businesses and then after those I build new businesses.

I see clothes that I absolutely HAVE to have. I think every movie I’ve ever watched is the “best ever.” I like every song that comes on the radio, and I rave about them, and I research the lyrics and try to figure out the deeper-meaning. I cry about situations, and then turn around with my next breath and flip the switch and find the ever-elusive silver lining.

I’m a lot.

I’m passionate.

I rarely walk.

If I’m going somewhere, I run. (Metaphorically-speaking, of course. If I’m literally running, you better too. Something is chasing us.)

When I’m chill, I’m chill.

But when I’m not—watch out.

I don’t tiptoe. I jump in without looking back. And I splash water everywhere. I have energy, and I like for energy to be given back to me.

I used to hate this about myself. Everything I just mentioned made me blame myself, and question myself, and want to be by myself, and also somehow, made me want to be with everyone all the time.

I used to think being too much was my worst quality. I thought it was the reason I was misunderstood and lonely. I thought it was my greatest setback.

And so I quieted myself up.

I played small.

I bottled my excitement.

I convinced myself to become less.

BUT I WAS NOT MADE TO BE LESS.

I give hard. I forgive hard. I work hard. I laugh hard. I cry hard. I mess up hard, but then I get back up and I keep on moving forward.

I dream hard. I believe hard.

I live fierce. And I love free.

There is nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with meeting someone and instantly clicking with them. There is nothing wrong with telling people how much you love them. There is nothing wrong with laughing and crying and feeling other people’s pain.

If your’e an “a lot” person like I am. If you bounce around from place to place. If it takes awhile for you to settle down, and you lie in bed at night wondering what in the world is wrong with you, and oh-my-gosh why did you say “you too” when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal. That’s such an odd thing to say.

It’s okay.

You’re okay.

It’s going to be okay.

Stop beating yourself up. Stop with the constant worrying that people won’t like you, and start liking yourself.

Cause, yeah, you’re a lot.

You’re a lot of love.

You’re a lot of joy.

You’re a lot of beautiful.

You’re a lot of real.

You’re a lot of passionate.

You’re a lot of empathetic.

You’re a lot of what makes a good friend.

And you’re also a lot of what this world needs. Don’t hide. Don’t shy away. Don’t back down. Don’t try to be someone else. Don’t shrug off your gifts.

Don’t change. Ever.

But do breathe, and do at least try to be more on time.

[forever-rogue]

Soft prompts!!! Din and reader land on a planet near a town that's having a celebration. She wants him to dance with her, and he admits after some prodding that he doesn't know how. Either she teaches him how to dance OR they do something else equally soft (star gazing? A silly game?)

Hi, I love this and I love you. It’s apparently soft Saturday, so please enjoy!

Mandalorian Masterlist

»»————-　♡　————-««

“Are you sure you want to go?” Din’s soft voice was laced with worry as he looked between you and the sprawling village that was in the distance. You’d come to this random planet that you’d never heard of before for a bounty, but after it was all said and done you’d reminded there for some time. There was something so peaceful and relaxing about the lush, forest over place that kept you there, despite not having any reason. No one here questioned you, who you were or what you were doing they were…kind. Welcoming.

“Please, Din?” you as you tugged on his arm and give him the biggest and most innocent eyes possible (you’d taken to learning from your little adopted son), as you silently pleaded with him. You knew he’d eventually give in; it never took him long when it came to you. But you already about the hold you had over him; you were just as enamored with him after all. You swore you could see his brows furrowing under the helmet, “I promise it’ll be fun!”

“Okay,” he agreed after a few moments, a light sigh in his voice. He paused for a moment before quickly talking a glove off and putting his hand on your cheek. You closed your eyes as you made a sound of content and leaned into his touch, “we’ll go to the festival this evening. What are they even celebrating?”

“O-oh,” you feigned dumb for a moment as you felt your cheeks heat up. A woman at one of the markets, the one that mentioned the festival to you in the first place, did mention what all the festivities were for - the changing of seasons, and on top of that love, “just the coming of the spring and summer - the warm season. Harvest season.”

He seemed to sense your slight hesitation, a little smile spreading across his features, but he wasn’t about to push you. Besides, he thought it was cute when you got flustered, your cheeks would flush and you’d bite your bottom lip in a way that drove him crazy, “sounds like it should be fun. Alright, we’ll go this evening, okay?”

“I promise you won’t regret it!” you beamed at him, bouncing on your heels as you leaned up and attempted to press a kiss to his cheek. You stopped when you realized he was wearing his helmet, both of stopping to laugh for a moment before you proceeded to press a kiss to his helmet, where his cheek would have been, “I’m going to go change! I’ll be ready soon!”

»»————-　♡　————-««

Everything about the festival, which you had thought would a small celebration as you were led to believe, was extravagant and over the top: the colors, the music, the entertainment, the foods, the games - all of it. Your eyes lit up at all the sights and sounds as you surveyed everything, trying to take it all and ingrain it into your memory.

You had opted to wear something simple, and what you considered rather plain, but it was a nice change from the garb you normally wore - no, those were left behind for the everything, to be forgotten until the next time you had to go on a hunt. You thought it was nothing special, but that didn’t stop Din from looking at you like you had hung all the glittering stars in the night sky. Sometimes he was glade for the helmet. Otherwise you’d probably have caught him staring at you many times over.

Your arm was looped through his as you walked around and looked everything, words spilling out of your mouth with excitement, so much so fast that Din was hard pressed to keep up with everything. He had changed, opting to keep the armor on, you know, just in case,  but you were almost positive that he had polished everything extra well and changed his under clothes from new ones you hadn’t seen before. He maintained the slightly intimidating look of a Mandalorian but he still looked good. Handsome. You almost felt a small sense of pride at the fact that you knew, and virtually only you, knew what looked like underneath it all. But that had been a privilege earned by a build of trust - you trusted him like he trusted you.

You almost stopped dead in your tracks when you’d approached the town square, finding a small stage with a band and lots of people dancing around everywhere. Mostly couples, that fact wasn’t lost on you. Din hadn’t noticed you stopped at first and had continued to walk on, almost dragged you behind him until you almost fell, stopping yourself with a soft oof.

“Y/N! Are you okay? I’m sorry I didn’t -”

“Dance with me?” you asked, completely cutting him off as the sounds of a familiar tune met your ears. It was one that was familiar from your childhood, you couldn’t quite place it, but it was comforting. When he didn’t respond, you knew something was up. He seemed to be looking anywhere but your face, and you titled your head to the side, “Mando?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked if you’ll dance with me…”

“I know…it’s just that there’s a lot of people already…”

“Please?”

“It’s crowded and we’ll probably-”

“For me?”

“Knock elbows with everyone-”

“Just one dance?”

“Music is very loud-”

“It won’t be bad.”

“And-”

“Mando,” you stopped him by grabbing his hands and holding them tightly in your own, facing him and all but forcing him to look at your face, “do…do you not want to dance with me?”

He felt a little pang tug at his heartstrings at the question you posed. Of course he wanted to dance with you, nothing would make him happier there was just one thing little setback, “I…don’t know how to dance.”

“What?!” you almost shouted at him before giggling lightly, “really? That’s all?”

“I never learned,” he admitted quietly and you desperately wished you could pull off the helmet and press gentle kisses all over his face, “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me,” you promised him, taking his hand and dragged him closer to the center of the dancing area, “and I promise you, it’s the simplest thing ever. I’ll teach you!”

And who was he to refuse an offer like that? He let you take the lead as you placed one of his arms around your waist and the took in yours, your free hand reaching up and snaking around his neck, pausing for just a moment to touch the slightest bit of exposed skin at the juncture of his shoulder and neck. He swallowed thickly as you slowly started swaying to the music, watching your feet to pick up the pattern. You thought your face might break from the size of smile on your face.

Like with most things, it didn’t take him long to pick up on how to move his body perfectly in time with yours, his footwork almost immaculate. Soon enough, he was taking the lead, which you gladly let take, eventually leaving almost no space between the two of you a time seemed to stand still. There was only one thing left on Din’s mind; how much he would have preferred to be armorless, just like you, and hold you directly almost his body.

“Credit for your thoughts?” you asked after he was silent sometime? He shook his head lightly before leaning down slightly and pressing his forehead against yours. You didn’t need anything more, you knew what it meant it.

»»————-　♡　————-««

By the time you had returned to the Razor Crest, it was late and the Child was fast asleep, much as you were sure you’d soon be too. You’d quickly changed into bed clothes and were about to climb into bed when you heard the soft sounds of music coming from the small living area. Maybe it was just your tired mind, but you decided to investigate it anyway.

When you had made your way to the source of the music, your heart almost stopped at the sight of Din, only in sleeping clothes, looking back at you with the sweetest eyes and softest smile you had seen. It was a sight you had grown accustomed to, but it still took your breath away almost every time. What a shame, you thought to yourself, that such a wonderful face was hidden from the world. But you understood, you knew why.

“Hi,” he said as he took a few steps closer to you, almost seeming nervous.

“Hi,” you repeated as you took his face in between your hands, studying it momentarily before gently kissing his laps; they were soft, always so soft and every kiss told you more and more about him, “what’s all this then?”

“Will you dance with me?” he echoed your words from earlier and you were sure this was it. Your heart must have stopped and you had ascended.

“W-what?” was the only question you managed to get out as his hands found your waist.

“Will you,” he started as he pulled you closed against his warm and your hands instinctively found their way around his neck, “dance with me?”

“Yes,” was your simple reply as your buried your face in his shoulder, letting him hold you tightly as he started to sway to the soft music in the background. This is was it, this was pure and unadulterated happiness. You were content to stay in his arms forever.

Eventually, he mumbled something you couldn’t quite hear, his head resting on top of yours, occasionally pressing a few soft kisses to your hair.

“Hmm?” you asked, the sound in your throat vibrating against his chest as you tried to keep your eyes open. The soft motions were making harder and harder to evade sleep, but you would have been more than happy to remain just like that.

“I-I love you,” he repeated, almost shy, almost unsure if this was the time or place to finally, finally, say those words to you. But they felt right, they felt natural, and there was nothing but a sense of warmth flooding through his veins at the revelation. He could feel you grinning his skin as you gave his shoulder a few butterfly kisses. This was definitely it - everything.

“I love you too,” you said quietly, and the sensation in his body increased as he closed his eyes and let out a small sound of happiness, “that is one thing you will never have to question.”

Everything. This was it. With just a few small words.

[jabbajambler]

20

Human

The Mandalorian/Din Djarin x f!OC

Word Count: 2,267

*GIF by @gffa​*

         "That doesn't make any sense." Din sighed as we walked back through the entrance to the hangar. "You're contradicting yourself."

         "No... All I'm saying is that while facial hair is attractive, it can get really annoying and scratchy when you're kissing and stuff." I explained while waving my hands around my face.

         It was a strange topic of conversation, sure, but he asked what made me so 'attracted' to Toro and I had to make something up. It got me thinking though. Does Din have facial hair? When does he shave? Does he cut his own hair or does he grow it out?

         "You've kissed someone before?" His voice lowered as he stopped and turned towards me.

         "Oh, Din." I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows. "I've done a lot more than kissing before."

         I heard him let out a quiet, shaky breath before walking up the ramp of the ship. I giggled as I ran after him. It was fun when it was just the two of us goofing around. It reminded me of my earlier years here on Tatooine.

         Of course I enjoyed teasing him as well. It was hard to break through his shell. Now, I wanted to see how far I could go.

         This was dangerous territory, us traveling together. Since the beginning I felt this...passion. Passion was dangerous for Jedi, that's what they were told.

         I was thankful that I was no Jedi. At least, I wasn't trained to be.

         My thoughts were interrupted by Din running over to me and grasping my forearms tightly. His breathing was heavy and his hands seemed to shake.

         "The kid... He's gone, he- Hey!" He shouted and ran towards the woman in her glass office.

         "I'm awake! I'm awake!" The mechanic, Peli, had come out of the room with the crying child in her arms, trying to shush him.

         "Where is he?" Din growled, threatening the droids. I quickly snatched my blaster, readying it to fire.

         "Quiet!" Peli approached up, bouncing the sniffling child. "It's okay... You woke it up! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it to sleep?"

         "Give him to me." I hissed and placed my blaster back on my thigh.

         "Not so fast! You can't just leave a child all alone like that. You know, you two have an awful lot to learn about raisin' a young one."

           Din and I both went quiet, silently agreeing with the woman. She was right. Neither one of us knew anything about taking care of a child. We thought that we would just figure out along the way, but it wasn't going so well.

         "Anyway, I started the repair on the fuel leak." She began, messing with a machine next to the ship. "There you go. I had a couple setbacks I want to talk to you about. You know, I didn't use any droids, as requested, so it took me a lot longer than I expected."

         Din sighed, trying to block out the rambling woman as he walked up the ramp to grab a bag of necessities for the both of us.

         "But I figured you were good for the money since you have your girl and an extra mouth to feed."

         The child cooed in response, gazing up at us. I practically melted under his loving stare.

         "Thank you." We said in sync, looking to each other before agreeing to say nothing else and walk out the door.

         "Oh, I guess I was right. You got a job, didn't you? You know, it's costing me a lot of money to keep these droids even powered up." She followed us, continuing her never ending rant.

         "Hey, Mando, Pretty girl, what do you think?" Toro sat against an old dingy speeder bike with another one across from him. "Not too shabby, huh?"

         Din set the back on the back of the bike, refusing to acknowledge either one of the people talking to him. I saw Toro's eyes watching me so I finally decided to stroll over to him.

         "My name's Myrah, actually, but thank you." I messed with the front of his open vest, cautious of my fingers brushing against his chest.

         Toro looked over my shoulder, presumably at Din who was likely staring at us with a disapproving look. He was protective as hell and for what?

         "What'd you expect? This ain't Corellia." He nodded towards Peli, his eyes narrowing as they landed on the green child. "Ma'am."

          He sat on his bike gesturing towards the extra space on the back. I sighed. "I'm sorry Toro." I looked back at Din who focused on fastening our bag. "I have to stick with my partner, you know? He wouldn't be able to do it without me."

         I could see Din's chest lift as he chuckled and swung his leg over the seat. I followed his actions and wrapped my arms loosely around his torso. He seemed to hesitate, his body relaxing in my touch. I would have relished in the feeling, but the sound of Toro's bike speeding off ahead of us brought me back to reality.

         "Are we going?" I teased as I laid my head on his shoulder. He scoffed and revved the bike's engine. Before I knew it, we were shooting off after Toro.

         We raced over the sand dunes, occasionally speeding ahead of the other. I laughed and tucked my face in his neck to shield myself from the flying sand. I wondered if I could see my old home from here.

         I couldn't help but enjoy the moment of freedom. Flying through the air with my hair flowing behind me made me forget that we were on a mission in the first place.

         As long as we were together, I was sure that any place could be as wonderful as Sorgan.

         Din raised his fist and slowed down our bike with Toro quickly following his actions.

         "What's going on?"

         "Look. Up ahead." Din pointed in the distance where a couple of large animals stood. I lifted my head and rested my chin against his shoulder, following his gaze.

         Toro hopped off of his bike and grabbed his binoculars. He gazed through the scopes and moved closer to the edge of the sand dune, his face scrunching up in disgust.

         "Tusken raiders. I heard the locals talking about this filth."

         "Tuskens think they're the locals." I loosened my grip on Din as he spoke, relaxing against the back of the bike. "Everyone else is just trespassing."

         "They're not so bad if you try to reason with them." I shrugged.

         Toro scoffed. "Whatever they call themselves, they best keep their distance."

         "Yeah?" Din spoke, his tone becoming more humorous and sarcastic. "Why don't you tell them yourself?"

         Toro spun around to be met by two Tuskens, their hands loaded with weapons. I snorted, watching him jump back in fear of the raiders.

         Din slid off of the bike and helped me down as well, his hand loosely grasping mine until we stood next to Toro. "Relax." He mumbled under his breath.

         He began communicating with the sand people through their native sign language. I was shocked that he could communicate so well with them, but managed to sound like an absolute idiot with the Jawas.

         "What are you doing?" Toro spoke, clearly confused by Din's actions. I guess if you didn't know their language, it would be a bit odd.

         "Negotiating." He spoke quickly before continuing the silent conversation with the two.

         "What's going on?"

         "We need passage across their land... Let me see the binocs."

         "Why?"

         Din gave him an annoyed look, tilting his head. He held out his hand, completely unwilling to argue about the situation. If this was their land, then my home couldn't be too far. Maybe I could pay it a visit.

         Toro set the binoculars in his hand while rolling his eyes. Din tossed them at the Tuskens' feet and spun on his heel, walking back to the bikes.

         "What- Hey- Ugh!" Toro sighed and threw his head back in annoyance. "Those were brand new."

         "Yeah?" Din asked. "They were."

         I laughed and covered my mouth in an attempt to muffle my giggles. I threw my leg over the bike's seat behind Din, unable to contain my laughter anymore resulting in a sharp look from Toro.

         Din revved the entire and almost immediately sped off, catching me off-guard. Before I knew it, we were already stopping again. This time, however, he immediately hopped off the bike.

         "Get down." He demanded.

         "What? Oh." Toro followed us as we crouched behind a sandy hill.

         It appeared to be a body on the ground, dragged by a grunting Dewback. Strange. Not exactly a normal sight in Tatooine.

         "Alright, tell me what you see." He told Toro.

         "Well..." He turned to me, a smirk evident in his features. "I see a gorgeous woman."

         I smiled and rolled my eyes playfully while Din gave us both a sharp look, his voice going monotonous. "I meant over the hill."

         "Dewback. Looks like the rider is still attached... Is that her? Is that the target?"

         "I don't know... I'll go." Din grabbed his blaster and looked between the two of us. "You two cover me. Stay down."

         He stood and jogged towards the large animal while Toro and I grabbed our blasters.

         "So, are you two not a thing?"

         "What?" I felt my cheeks grow warm at the question. "No, no we're just partners."

         "You two seem pretty close."

         "We've been through a lot together. I trust him with my life."

         He hummed. "You ever seen his face?"

         "No." I shook my head. "I haven't. It's against the code."

         "Don't you ever wonder what he looks like?" He questioned and leaned towards me.

         I opened my mouth to deny it, but nothing came out. I had thought about what he looks like. In fact, I think about it every time I talk to him. Every little piece of him was left a mystery and I both hated and loved it. It left me feeling like I needed to know more.

         "Well, is it her? Is she dead?" Toro shouted as he looked over the hill.

         "It's another bounty hunter."

         "Hey, I hope you don't plan on keeping all that stuff for yourself... Can I at least have that blaster?"

         I rolled my eyes and continued to watch my partner. The more time I spent with the newbie, the less attractive he became. Still, I couldn't ignore what my mind was trying to tell me. Was I supposed to be careful with him? Or was I supposed to play into this?

         "Get down!" Din yelled back at us.

         I heard the soft ding of a shot hit the beskar of his armor. I knew he was safe, that was the important thing.

         There was another ding and Din was flung over the edge of the hill. My eyes widened as I grasped his arms tightly in my hands, scanning over his body to check for any injuries.

         "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I asked, the panic clear in my voice.

         "I'm fine." He sighed and relaxed in the sand.

         "What happened?" Toro looked over, confused.

         "Sniper bolt." Din took another breath and crawled next to Toro. "Only an MK-modified rifle could make that shot."

         "Are you alright?"

         "Yeah... Hit me in the beskar, and at that range, beskar held up."

         "And thank Kriff for that." I let out a breath of relief, unable to take my eyes off of him. If he had gotten hurt, I don't know what I would have done.

         "Wait..." Toro paused. "I don't wear any beskar."

         Din shrugged. "Nope."

         "Well, so what do we do?"

         "There isn't much we can do right now." I put my blaster back in its holster. "When it's dark, we can go. She has the high ground here and trust me, she won't waste it."

         Din nodded and slid towards the bikes. "I'm gonna rest. You take the first watch." He pointed to Toro. "Stay low."

         I smiled and slid after Din, leaving Toro to stand guard alone. "Mind if I join you?" I watched as he sunk down and leaned against the speeder bike.

         He raised his head and shrugged. "Nope."

         I lowered myself next to him and rested my head against his shoulder. I cautiously reached for his hand, threading my fingers between his. "You're okay? Like, really?"

         "Yes, I am." He huffed and allowed himself to relax as he rested his head on top of mine. "You worry too much."

         "It's because I care... You know, this planet really isn't so bad." He hummed in slight intrigue. "I used to live here... On Tatooine. Before everything got chaotic and people began supporting the Rebellion. I lived with this kind couple and their little girl. She lives on Coruscant now, but I would love to visit her again."

         "Why did you leave?"

         "The man had to go help some boy, roughly my age, I guess. So, us three girls all left for Coruscant... Then we heard threats of the Empire coming to find us and I had to leave." I shrugged, my grip on his hand tightening.

          He sighed and began rubbing my hand with his thumb. I glanced down at our intertwined hands and felt a flurry of butterflies in my stomach.

         "I wish we could stay like this..." I mumbled.

         "I know."

[twokinkybeans]

The Arachnoids: ROCK BAND AU [Starker] - Chapter 3: “WORLD TOUR WISHES”

READ “CHAPTER 3: WORLD TOUR WISHES” ON AO3

Other Chapters: Prologue Chapter 1: Soundcheck Setback Chapter 2: Roadie Rush (To be continued)

Taglist: @crystallinecrimsonmoth​ & @staticwhispersinthedark​

Find the fic’s Masterpost here ^^

- 

Chapter 3: World Tour Wishes

The show is on fire. Not literally, of course, but Peter can’t stop smiling and jumping around the stage. The audience is super enthusiastic and responsive, much better than most of the crowds they played for so far. It’s the blessing and the curse of being an opening band when people don’t know your songs yet. It’s a great shot at promoting your music, but sometimes it results in an audience that sells you off as background music while they keep chatting to their friends. Peter doesn’t blame them, before he was in a band himself, he did the same thing.

Not this crowd. Some of the teens squeezed together in the front even wear some of their merch. Peter is 99% sure that all of this is a dream. That he’ll wake up any second now and sigh when reality comes crashes down on him. But then, he also knows that all of this is in fact very much a real thing and it has his mind blown. 

“This is our last song for tonight,” MJ breathes into her mic. She gracefully accepts one of the other roadies handing her her bass guitar for the final piece of their set. Quickly, she puts the strap over her head. “But that doesn’t mean the party is over! Who… Is ready for The Avengers?!” 

The crowd cheers and whistles and it’s a sign for MJ to continue while the energy is at its high. She nods, Ned brings his drum sticks together four times to count down to the beginning of the song. Peter’s fingers easily travel their way across his guitar and he stalks over to Ned, playing towards him. Ned laughs and adds a little more energy and the crowd breaks into yet another wave of cheers. 

“We were The Arachnoids, you’ve been amazing for us. Thank you so much and enjoy the rest of the show!”

-

The second they set foot backstage, the three of them break into a series of squeals and a very uncoordinated, jumpy group hug.  “Holy fuck, that was-” Peter rushes out and shakes his head in disbelief. MJ squeezes both boys into her sides and chuckles, just as amazed as the others.  “This, this is what I want for the rest of my life,” Ned states and Peter bumps into him a little more. “Yes, please, I don’t want this to ever end.” “Crazy, it was absolutely-”

MJ never gets to finish her sentence when suddenly there’s a scoff coming up from behind them. Peter turns around. “So,” none other than Tony Stark mumbles as he stares them up and down. “I didn’t know you’d be this young. You legally drinking yet?” Peter frowns, unsure what to respond.  “We’re young enough to not crash after one shot, unlike you,” MJ retorts. Tony huffs dismissively and shakes his head. “You must be… Venus.” “Pleasure to meet you.” “Mmmh,” is all the famous guitarist responds. He sniffs and looks around, clearly trying to find something he can use as an excuse to get away from them. Peter feels his heart sink. During the show, he’d somehow forgotten about the mood-killing presence that was Tony, and now it hits him right in the face.

“Alright, we’ll get going. Wouldn’t want to mess up your precious extra time to set up the stage.” The man raises an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. He laughs. “Go on then, little spiders,” he sneers at the boys. “Follow your Queen.”

MJ keeps her head up proudly when she walks past him. Peter and Ned quickly follow. Peter can hear how Tony diverts his attention to someone else and he lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Fucker,” MJ mutters under her breath. “God, I didn’t know I could hate someone this bad. Seriously, what’s his issue?” She takes off her bass and sighs, carefully placing it in the designated standard. Peter does the same with his guitar. 

“I should go help the roadies with my drum kit” Ned whispers apologetically. “I’ll meet you back here to watch the show?” “Yeah!” Peter confirms. He feels a tad bit conflicted about having to watch The Avengers now. He still likes the music, obviously. He should just enjoy it as much as he can “I saw a bottle of champagne in the trailer by the way. We should celebrate after their set ends!” “Oh my god yes,” Ned piques up with newfound interest. “Well, they better hurry up then!” “Ha, gotta wait till midnight, honey,” MJ teases and she waves as Ned walks over to the stage again to help with the drum kit. Peter finds the cases of his guitar and MJ’s bass, and together they put them in there. 

“Guys!” Harley comes rushing past and he gives them a double thumbs up. “I don’t have much time right now, but you were absolutely amazing out there. I fucking loved it! I’ll talk to you after the main set, ‘kay?” With that, he’s gone again. MJ stares after him and Peter grins. “Harley’s nice, isn’t he, MJ?” “Oh, fuck you,” MJ snorts and shakes her head, her eyes sparkling playfully. “I’ll take back what I said earlier.” “Which part exactly?” Peter teases. MJ nudges him and wraps her arm around his shoulders.  “That, little spider, is anyone’s guess.”

Peter smiles and presses a quick kiss onto her cheeks and then grabs his guitar case. “Let’s get these back to our trailer and then we watch the show?” “Solid plan.” Together, they walk back to the trailer. Peter’s mind is still buzzing with a post-concert haze and he loves it. Tony Stark may not like ‘em, but everyone else seems to have a different opinion and that’s all that matters. 

-

The Avengers’ show is amazing. It’s very different, watching them play from the sides rather than the crowd. Peter never imagined his first time actually seeing the band live would be from this angle. He enjoys every single second of it. Ned found his way back to them easily and the three of them are vibing, singing along, and having lots of fun overall. At one point, some of the roadies and crew join their little party and Peter loves it. Loves this; meeting new people within the industry. He finally feels like maybe, maybe, this is what his future might look like. 

Just as with the soundcheck, as soon as Tony sets foot on the stage and starts singing or playing every trace of his appalling behavior has vanished. He looks like a true rock star out there. He is a true rock star. He owns the stage fully; pacing around with big strides, playfully cracking a joke here and there between songs. Even Natasha and Steve seem to loosen up slowly but surely. The redhead smiles wide when Tony walks over to her for a little guitar vs. bass play-off, and Steve’s motions become grander with every single hit on the drums. 

The stage lights, the smoke, the gravely warm voice coming from Tony’s throat combined with the audience singing along every single word… It’s magical. Marvelous. 

“Aaaahhh, thank you so much, everyone! Woah, what a way to end this beautiful year!” Tony breathes into the microphone, slightly out of breath after ending a particularly fast-paced song. He raises his hands and bathes in the cheers from the crowd. “Now!” He continues and looks behind him where there is now a projected timer, indicating it’s no more than one minute until the new year starts. “I want us all to count down from ten to one together! Anyone got any good resolutions… Nat? Steve?” Natasha laughs and she leans in a little closer to her mic. “What about a world tour, Tony?” “Ah!” Tony exclaims and bounces on his toes. “What a good idea! We’re definitely doing that! Should we drop the tour list after our show? Steve?” “Why not!” “Alright, that’s settled then!” Tony stops moving and cocks his head, glancing at the timer quickly. It’s at 00:00:13. He rubs his hands together and raises his mic towards the audience this time.  “Ten!” Everyone screams. “Nine!” “Eight!” “Seven!” “Six!” “Five!” “Four!” “Three!” “Two!” “ONE!”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Everyone fucking loses it at this point. The pyrotechnics detonate the stage gerbs and it sets off in fountains of sparks. Peter grabs Ned and MJ and pulls them in for a tight hug. “Happy new year, and may it bring a series of life-changing events for our band!”

Harley stalks over towards the band and the other roadies with a large plate filled with long champagne glasses. He hands them out to everyone, wishing them a happy new year too. After he’s handed them to the backstage crew, he makes his way onto the stage to give the last three glasses to The Avengers. Tony raises his glass.

“Who’s ready to mosh?!”

-

It feels so utterly surreal now that everything’s over. Peter can’t quite understand the feeling. Happiness flutters inside him, but a hint of sadness clouds his brain as well. He wishes the night would never end, but it already had. The band had their little after-party in the small trailer with some random people from the tech crew and now they were packed up and ready to go home. It was only a short ride. They could’ve stayed here and slept in the trailer, but honestly, they were all longing for their own beds to crash in. “I’ll go get the van,” Peter says with a smile and grabs the keys. He’d only had one glass of champagne at midnight, and that’d been two hours ago so the alcohol has left his system already. He’s good to drive. 

The van is parked not far from the stage terrain, but he makes sure to dress up warmly to face the outside world. It’s not freezing at all, but cold enough to want the comfort of a good winter coat. He jumps out of the van and starts walking. He passes the stage and shakes his head. It looks so massive from down here, and he can’t believe he was on it. 

“Howdy, space boy?” 

Peter freezes, startled. He immediately realizes who spoke to him, though. Peter grits his teeth together and slowly turns to face The Avengers’ guitarist. He’s so done, so utterly done with the man’s cocky behavior. And you know what? Peter’s got nothing to lose anymore. They played, they had their fun out there, it’s time he stands up for him and his band. They might be young, and new to the industry- but he’s proud of what they’ve built so far.

“Seriously, what’s your problem with us?” Peter clamps his teeth together right after he’s said it. The surprise sparking in Tony’s eyes is worth it, though. “I beg your pardon?” “Everything we do, say, or even look at is reason enough for you to humiliate us over. I looked up to you, big, big time. Guess I was wrong about you.” Somehow, that’s enough to silence the other man. He simply stares back at Peter, clear astonishment written over his face. It confuses Peter.

“You got some nerve, kid,” Tony says, finally. His voice wavers. Peter shrugs, unsure what else to do. He expected Tony to fight back instantly, but the man looks truly thrown off-guard. Tony sniffs. “I gotta admit, I admire that.” “You what?” “I’m serious. People don’t talk back to me unless they know me. Until you and your band came hopping along apparently.” “Still doesn’t explain a thing.”

“Look, Bambi-” “Bambi?” “Spiderling, then. See, it’s nothin’ against you- or your little band. On the contrary, I think you kiddos got something unique going on out there.” Tony pauses for good measure. “The thing is, I’m just having an incredibly shitty day.” For the first time, Peter believes he can see through the cracks of Tony’s persona. He doesn’t look annoyed. No, it’s definitely no annoyance. It’s fear. “Oh?” Peter asks quietly, not sure how to handle the different turn of this conversation. Not sure which boundaries he might be overstepping.

As soon as the cracks showed, they’re gone again. Tony straightens his shoulders and presses his lips together into a thin line. “Right.” The man sniffs once. “I forgot how clueless I was when I was your age.” Peter snorts. “You got issues man, I hope you sort them out soon. People are fed up with you.” “You don’t know me. Or them.” “No, that’s true. But I do know that simple annoyance can turn into resentment real fast. Don’t be a dick.” “Oh, fuck off. You’re too young to be wise like that.” “And you’re too young to be so cranky.” Peter says and he sighs. He shrugs, feeling a little bit helpless. It’s actually rather pathetic how Tony behaves. It’s not Peter’s problem to solve.

“My band’s waiting for me. I gotta go.” Peter starts to turn around again but Tony stops him. “Wait, kid, what’s your name?”

“Peter. Peter Parker.”

And with that, he walks off.

-

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