#filed under: dash comm

[fracturedfables]

tag dump. ignore.

[baymaxmuses]

*get back here, you little baby man (gender neutral)! you can't escape the long tibia of the law! *ugh... i'm gonna have to kick my own ass, too...

[hitspider]

　　NEW INTEL :　　ryou , how evil are you ?

　　❝ i don't need test to rate my evil level . i am as evil as pebble stuck in shoe . a reoccurring , infinite evil . always haunting , robbing you of your sense of security . like pebble that drove ed boy mad . ❞

[all-the-things-2020]

Quarantine

Finn and Poe are on a mission for General Leia and end up having to be quarantined together for two weeks. This story takes place sometime between the battle on Crait and the events of TRoS. I originally wrote this in 2020 during … well, you can probably figure it out, lol.

Poe Dameron hated this stupid ship. Give me an X-wing any day, he thought as he fought the stiff yoke on the bucket of bolts he and his friend Finn were traveling in. It was a nondescript little freighter, barely big enough for two crewmen and a small amount of cargo, but it had absolutely no connection with the Resistance and it was big enough for what they needed on this mission. So, he was stuck with it.

“You’re coming in awfully fast, Poe,” Finn said.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Poe said through gritted teeth. The engines groaned as he throttled them down and pulled up on the yoke, trying to drop the ship as gracefully as possible onto the landing pad they had been directed to. Finally, he managed to bring her down with only a minor thump.

Finn opened his mouth, but Poe shushed him with a raised finger. “Say one word, buddy, and I’ll blast you. I hate this fucking ship!” He kicked the dashboard as he crawled out of the pilot’s seat, which caused three different alarms to go off. He slammed his fist down on top of the dash, and they went off.

“Whoever bought this piece of junk needs to be fired,” he muttered as he left the cramped cockpit.

“I think it was Leia,” said Finn. Of course, Poe thought. She’d probably gotten a good laugh out of the look on his face when he saw the Firefly and found out he was going to be flying it.

They walked to the hatch and Poe keyed in the sequence to drop the ramp. The flight had been short enough, just over two hours, mostly in hyperspace, but he was more than ready to get off the ship and stretch his legs. Unfortunately, the ramp did not deploy.

“What the …,” he tapped in the sequence again but the ramp refused to open. “I swear …” He was interrupted by the buzz of the comm unit.

“Ground control to Firefly,” said the slightly metallic voice of the flight controller who had directed them to the landing pad. “Please cease attempting to open your hatch.”

Poe thumbed the button on the comm panel. “What? How else are we supposed to get out?”

“You are offworlders,” the flight controller said slowly. “You are under a mandatory 14 day quarantine before you will be allowed off your ship. Was this not explained to you before you filed your flight plans?”

“No, it very much was not,” Poe replied. He looked at Finn, who shook his head, clearly as baffled as Poe was. “Look, we have business here and we can’t wait 14 days to take care of it.”

“You can leave, or you can wait out the quarantine,” the flight controller said. “Those are your options. After the Soronian virus pandemic, we are extremely careful about outside visitors to our planet.”

Poe leaned against the wall. “So, what do we do?”

Finn sighed. “I don’t know. How important is this cargo?”

“Important enough that Leia sent us to get it,” Poe replied. “But is it important enough to wait two weeks for?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Nothing for it but to comm her and ask her what to do.”

They went back to the cockpit to send an encoded message to the General.

***************************

“So, fourteen days, huh?” Finn said. Poe looked ready to punch someone, and since it was only the two of them on board, Finn kept his distance.

“Yeah,” Poe sighed. “I hope this whatever-it-is is worth it.” Leia had commiserated with them over their misfortune but insisted that the cargo was too important to pass up, although she had declined to tell them what it was.

“Me, too,” Finn said. He hesitated a moment before going on. “Is it really going to be that bad having to spend two weeks with me?”

Poe looked up, startled. “Oh, no, no buddy. It’s not you,” he said quickly. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck in quarantine with. It’s this damn ship.” He looked around with a sigh. “I think it hates me as much as I hate it.”

“It is kind of small,” Finn admitted. “I suppose we should check out the amenities, if there are any.” They had planned to simply fly in, collect their cargo, and fly back out. He had no idea what kind of bunk space the ship had, or how big the ‘fresher was.

He stood up and stretched, almost knocking his hands against the walls of the cockpit, before walking back down the corridor. Just past the hatch was the door to the cargo bay; on the wall opposite the hatch were two smaller doors. One opened onto a tiny ‘fresher with a sink barely big enough to wash a child’s hands. The other opened onto a bedroom with a single bunk and not much else.

He felt Poe come up behind him and look around his shoulder. “Well, that’s not good news,” the pilot said. “No shower, not even a sonic? And only one bed?”

“Yeah,” said Finn. “Maybe we should sleep in shifts? I don’t think there’s even enough room in there for one of us to sleep on the floor.”

“Let’s check out the cargo bay,” Poe said. “Maybe one of us can camp out in there.”

They opened the cargo bay door. “Or not,” said Poe. The bay had no floor, just a crisscross of struts on which shelving or flooring could be placed to configure the storage area however it was needed. Unfortunately, there was no shelving or flooring on board.

Finn swallowed the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. “We could share,” he suggested tentatively. “The room’s not that big but the bed looks wide enough for two …” He didn’t know why the idea of sharing a bed with Poe should make him feel so nervous; soldiers and pilots were used to bunking down in all manner of places, with any number of others crammed into the tiniest spaces.

Poe smiled at him, and Finn felt an odd sensation in his stomach. “Yeah, that might work.”

************************

Where did that come from? Poe thought. When Finn suggested they could share the bunk, Poe felt a grin spread across his face and a flush rise in his cheeks. It was a familiar reaction to being invited into someone’s bed, but he’d never expected to feel this way about Finn. They were friends, for kriff’s sake! And anyway, he was pretty sure Finn was in love with Rey. He certainly talked about her enough …

Get a grip, Dameron, he told himself. There were more important things to worry about, like the state of the food supply on board.

“Have you checked on the rations yet?,” he asked. “Fourteen days is a long time without food.”

Finn looked worried, which Poe found endearing. Ever since escaping the First Order, Finn’s favorite part of being with the Resistance was the availability of food whenever he wanted it. Stormtroopers were given nutritional rations at specific times, carefully calculated to provide exactly the right amount of calories and nutrients for each soldier’s height and weight. The existence of snacks, and the ability to choose his own food at meal times had been a revelation.

They started opening cabinets and found a stash of ration bars, about a dozen portions of insta-bread, and three bottles of beer. “Well, it could be worse,” Poe said as they stared at the meager supply.

“How?,” asked Finn.

“There could have been no beer,” Poe replied. Finn hmphed, clearly not amused by his little joke. “Aw, come on, buddy, I was kidding. Maybe the powers that be will send us a care package. Can’t hurt to ask.”

He went over to the closest comm panel and hailed the flight controller.

“Yes, Firefly?”

“Um, yeah, we’re a little underprepared for a fourteen day quarantine. Any chance of getting some food delivered?”

The line was quiet long enough that Poe thought maybe the flight controller was just going to let them die, but then he heard a burst of static. “That can be arranged,” the flight controller said carefully. “We will have to consult with our epidemiologists to determine the best way to transfer rations to you without risk of exposure. Give us a few hours and we’ll get back to you.”

Poe shrugged. “At least they’re looking into it,” he said. Finn still looked dubious, but Poe was already calculating how to divvy up the rations they did have. It wouldn’t be pretty, but they could just about manage two weeks on severely reduced rations if they were careful. He’d been in worse situations before, having once crash landed his X-wing on an uninhabited planet and spent eight days with nothing but the water that dripped from the foliage into his water bottle.

He patted Finn on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, buddy. Even if they refuse, we won’t starve to death.”

“Oh, I know,” Finn said, “but … I’m not looking forward to it.” He sat down, resting his arms on his knees and letting his hands dangle in front of him. He looked up at Poe, smiling ruefully. “Guess I’ve gotten spoiled, huh?”

Poe sat down beside him. “I won’t be thrilled about it, either,” he admitted, “but I know we can do it if we have to. We’re heroes, you know.” He bumped his shoulder against Finn’s, feeling that flush of heat in his face again. He turned his head away so Finn wouldn’t see, but he heard the other man’s chuckle.

“Yeah, that’s true,” he said. “I am kind of a Big Deal in the Resistance.” He bumped Poe back and then slung his arm around his shoulders. Poe tried not to lean into the hug too much, but it was hard not to. Finn gave very good hugs … and he smelled way too good for someone who’d been in a cockpit for two hours.

************************

In the end, the authorities agreed that they could open their hatch for exactly 60 seconds to allow a small droid to deliver a crate of food, on the condition that they keep the droid on board until their quarantine was completed … and pay an exorbitant amount for both the supplies and the rental of the droid.

At least the food was good stuff; the crate even included a selection of desserts and a couple of bottles of something that Poe insisted was strong enough to be used as rocket fuel in an emergency … but tasted much better.

The droid tucked itself into a corner and powered down, beeping a quick message before its lights dimmed. “What’d it say?” Finn asked. He was still at a loss with Binary, but he knew Poe was fluent, having spent so much time with BB-8 over the years.

“It said, ‘See you in two weeks,’” he said. “At least we don’t have to keep it entertained.”

They busied themselves unpacking the crate and sorting out the food, but once that was done, there was nothing left to do but stare at the walls.

“So,” Poe said. “What do you want to do?” He held up his hand and ticked their choices off on his fingers. “We could get drunk, take something apart and put it back together, reprogram the droid to say rude things, play Truth or Dare … or get drunk.”

“Truth or Dare?” Finn asked. “What’s that?”

Poe blinked. “Oh, right, you never … well, it’s a stupid game teenagers play at parties. Someone asks a question and you either have to answer it truthfully … or take a dare.” He laughed uncomfortably. “Mostly it's used to try to get people to admit their crushes, stuff like that.”

Finn pondered this for awhile. “So, if you liked someone, you could ask them if they liked you back.”

“Well, yeah, you could, but usually you’d have one of your friends ask them, so if they didn’t like you, you could act like you didn’t really care,” Poe explained. “Like I said, it’s a dumb kid’s game.”

Finn nodded. “What kind of dares?” He’d never experienced the rituals of adolescence that Poe had been lucky enough to participate in, and he’d found that Poe didn’t mind explaining things to him.

Poe leaned back, his ankles crossed. “Stuff like, Run across the backyard naked, or Eat a bug, or Climb up on the roof and crow like a rooster. Just dumb stuff.” He shook his head. “Occasionally someone would come up with something really crazy, like Steal a landspeeder, but only if we were really, really drunk.”

“But … that’s illegal,” Finn said. “Did you and your friends really do stuff like that? What if you got caught?”

Poe laughed. “No, we didn’t … well, a couple of us did, but … we were just dumb kids. Everybody knew we were just blowing off steam.”

Finn was puzzled. “So you didn’t get in trouble?”

“Oh, we got in trouble,” Poe said. “But not seriously. I mean, no one got arrested or anything … I did get grounded a lot.” He smiled.

“Grounded? They wouldn’t let you fly?” That was probably the worst punishment in the galaxy for someone like Poe. Finn couldn’t imagine the man not being able to fly.

“No, buddy, not literally grounded. It means you can’t leave the house except to go to school. Can’t see your friends, no comms from them … lots of parents used grounding as a punishment. Sort of like solitary confinement.”

“We had solitary in the First Order,” Finn said grimly. He still dreamed about it sometimes, that dark little box the trainees got shoved into when they did something unacceptable. The longest he’d ever had to endure was 24 hours, but a couple of his training mates had suffered multiple day internments and they’d never been quite the same afterward.

Poe leaned forward, his face suddenly serious. “Sorry,” he said softly. “I was just trying to lighten the mood, not bring up something …”

Finn waved his hand. “Nah, you’re good.” He forced a smile onto his face, which wasn’t all that hard once he looked at Poe. “So, what other stupid things did you and your friends get up to?

Poe sat back and regaled him with stories of his youth that Finn suspected were at least slightly exaggerated. If Poe had really done half of what he claimed he and his friends had, it was a miracle he’d survived to adulthood.

Eventually they ate some dinner and took turns washing up in the cramped ‘fresher. The chronometer indicated bedtime, if they were following the time schedule they’d been on back at base, so they decided to turn in.

The bed was larger than a single but not quite big enough to be a double. Finn knew they’d both fit but it would be a tight fit and involve some snuggling. They stood awkwardly in front of the bunk, neither ready to make the first move.

“Big spoon or little spoon,” Poe asked after a long moment.

“What? I don’t see any spoons?”

Poe chuckled and cupped one hand against the other. “Do you want to be the big spoon,” he held up the outside hand, “or the little spoon?” He nestled the inside hand against the other. “Like spoons in a drawer.”

“Oh. Umm, I’m taller so maybe I should be the big spoon?” Finn ventured.

Poe seemed happy to accept that idea and gestured for Finn to get into bed first. He slid back against the wall, leaving as much room for Poe as possible. Once Poe was settled down, there was barely four inches of space between them. Finn didn’t know where to put his hands, and kept them awkwardly pinned to his sides.

“I won’t burst into flames if you touch me,” Poe said. “Relax, Finn.” He shifted back toward Finn just a bit and Finn tentatively draped his arm over Poe’s torso, careful not to touch his hip, even though it was very tempting. “Good night, buddy,” Poe muttered into his pillow.

“Good night,” Finn replied. Only thirteen more nights to go.

****************************

Poe thanked the stars that Finn had suggested he be the big spoon, because Poe was afraid if he was the one snuggled up against Finn’s muscular back, it wouldn’t be long before Finn was aware of just how much Poe admired those muscles and every other part of the former Stormtrooper’s physique. This wasn’t the first time Poe had been sent on a mission with someone he was physically attracted to, but it was the first time where the other person was a close friend, and he didn’t want to screw anything up.

Finn was a fierce fighter, loyal and brave, and quick to learn but in many ways he was incredibly naive. Poe wasn’t sure how much experience the younger man had with simple friendship, let alone romance, and he didn’t want to confuse him or make him feel like he should do something he wasn’t ready for.

To be honest, Poe wasn’t even sure what he was ready for at this point. He knew Finn was important to him; that was abundantly clear when he realized the other man was still alive after the crash on Jakku. But the way Finn talked about his friend Rey, Poe got the impression there was something going on there. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d taken a fancy to someone who wasn’t interested in someone with his, ahem, equipment. He’d learned that lesson the hard way back at the Naval Academy. So for now, he’d just admire from afar and keep his eyes open for any clues that Finn might possibly feel the same way in return. As if I would ever be that lucky, he thought as he drifted off to sleep with Finn’s arm laying lightly across his side.

************************

Finn woke up with his face buried in Poe’s hair and one leg slung over Poe’s hip. The arm he’d carefully draped over Poe’s side was pressed tightly to Poe’s chest, and he could feel the other man’s breath warm against his fingers. It felt weird, but also very right, which made no sense to Finn. He debated whether it was better to extricate himself slowly, trying not to wake Poe up, or whether he should just jump up and hope Poe didn’t realize how intimately they’d been entangled.

In the end, he left it too long and Poe stirred. “Good morning, buddy,” he mumbled, lifting Finn’s arm away from his chest and squirming out from under his leg as if this was a common occurrence. “Dibs on the ‘fresher.” He stood up, stretched, and left the room, leaving Finn lying bewildered. Of course Poe’s woken up in bed with someone before, Finn realized. This isn’t as weird for him as it is for me. Every day brought some new experience that only reiterated to Finn just how unusual his own life had been. So many things people took for granted were new discoveries to him.

By the time Poe returned from the ‘fresher, Finn was sitting up and feeling just about normal. He took his turn in the ‘fresher as Poe got dressed (since they didn’t have a change of clothes, they had hung their shirts and pants over the backs of the cockpit seats to air them out a little bit and slept in their underwear), and by the time he’d gotten dressed himself, Poe had prepared a pot of kaf and laid out some rolls and a pot of jam.

“Thanks,” Finn said, as Poe poured him a cup, adding just enough sugar to counteract the bitterness that Finn was still getting used to. Poe drank his own kaf with no sweetener, but Finn couldn’t do it yet.

They ate breakfast, cleaned up, and then Poe decided to tinker with the ship's controls. He disappeared into the cockpit, his head underneath the dashboard and his feet sticking out past the pilot’s seat. Finn heard a litany of clanks and clunks and screeches punctuated by the occasional swear word.

“Need any help there, buddy?,” he asked.

“Nah, I’m good,” Poe said, his voice muffled from inside the paneling. “Not enough room for more than one person under here, anyway.”

So Finn pulled out a data pad and skimmed the HoloNet for something interesting to watch. Rose had introduced him to the pleasures of cheesy holovids and while most of them were execrable, some were so horribly bad that they were actually hilarious. He found one and spent the rest of the day trying to explain the ridiculous plot to Poe.

They stopped for a late lunch, and then Poe disappeared back under the dash again. Finn got tired of the holovid and downloaded a book to read. It was a historical novel about the Old Republic and kind of dry, but better than the technical manuals he’d been reading recently to get himself up to speed with all of the Resistance technology.

When Poe finally crawled out from under the dashboard, he was smeared with grease and had some dust balls caught in his hair, but he looked happy. “You’re filthy,” Finn said.

“So I’ve been told,” Poe said with a salacious grin.

Finn shook his head. “Just go wash up while I fix us some dinner,” he said. He pulled out a freeze-dried casserole and tossed it in the reconstituter, added a loaf of actual bread to their makeshift table and cracked open two of the beers. When Poe reappeared, his hair damp and falling in ringlets around his face, the casserole was ready and Finn handed him a plate with a generous portion.

They ate in companionable silence, then leaned back in their chairs.

“So,” Finn said, emboldened by the beer. “What other dumb games did you and your friends play?”

Poe laughed. “Ah, the education of Finn in the ways of adolescent stupidity continues,” he said. He swallowed the last of his beer and laid the bottle on the table, giving it a flick so that it spun around. “Spin the Bottle was the dumbest one. I hated that game.”

“What’s Spin the Bottle?”

“You sit in a circle, put a bottle in the middle and someone spins it. Whoever it ends up pointing at, they have to kiss them.” Poe shrugged. “I always found some excuse to leave when it came up. The girls were the ones who liked it.”

“So you just kissed a random person because of a bottle?” Finn said. “That is stupid. What else?”

Poe rubbed his chin. “Let me think … oh, there was Never Have I Ever, that one could be fun.”

Finn finished off his own beer and laid the bottle on the table next to Poe’s. He gave it a lazy flick and it spun slowly until it ended up pointing at Poe. Finn felt a blush rise in his cheeks and was glad his dark complexion hid it. “How … how do you play that one?”

Poe sat forward. “Okay, so you say something you’ve never done before and then anyone who has done that raises their hand, and they get a point. Then the next person says something, and so on, and so on. Whoever has the most points at the end is the winner. And you can’t lie.”

“For example?” Finn asked.

“Um, never have I ever … ridden a tauntaun,” Poe said.

“Neither have I,” Finn admitted.

“Okay, so no points on that one. Your turn.”

“Um, okay … never have I ever stolen a landspeeder.” Poe sheepishly raised his hand. Finn laughed, “I knew it!”

“All right, all right,” Poe said. “But that means I’m winning.” He reached into the closest cupboard and pulled out a bottle of the alien liquor and two small cups. He poured them each a shot. “And how we invoke rule number 78: any time one of us raises his hand, we have to take a shot.” He slid one cup toward Finn and raised the other to his lips, tossing it back. Finn picked up his own cup and sniffed dubiously. Poe raised his eyebrows in challenge and Finn gulped the shot, nearly choking himself in the process.

“What the kriff…,” he spluttered. “That stuff is nasty!”

“Yeah, but it makes you feel so good,” Poe said, pouring out two more shots. “My turn. Never have I ever worn a Stormtrooper helmet.”

Finn laughed. “Got me,” he said, raising his hand. “I think I get the point of this game. You try to think of something you haven’t done that the other person has.” He stopped, the liquor already starting to muddle his brain. “No, wait, but if the person has done it, they get a point, so you should actually try to say something you think they haven’t done, right?”

Poe drank his shot and shook his head. “No, you’re missing the point entirely,” he said. “The point is … to get stinking drunk.”

Finn lifted his own cup and downed the shot as quickly as he could. “So the points don’t matter,” he said.

“Exactly,” Poe said, refilling their cups. “Your turn.”

“Um … never have I ever flown an X-wing.”

They went on in this manner for several turns, until Finn was pleasantly warm and his eyes were having a hard time staying focused. “Your … your turn,” he told Poe.

Poe was sprawled in his chair, one leg slung casually over the arm. He raised his cup and waved it unsteadily in the air. “Never have I ever … kissed a girl,” he said.

Finn froze. “Wait, what?”

“Never have I ever kissed a girl,” Poe repeated. “Go on, raise your hand so I can take a drink.”

Finn was confused. “Okay, yeah, but … are you seriously telling me that you, Poe Dameron, the poster boy of the Resistance, has never kissed a girl?”

“Yep,” Poe said. “And I know you have, because I saw Rose kiss you on Crait, so one point to you, my friend.” He tossed back his drink.

“Well,” Finn said slowly, “technically I haven’t kissed a girl, because yeah, Rose kissed me, but she was the one who started it, I mean she kissed me, not the other way around …” He was babbling but he couldn’t shut up.

Poe sat up. “What about Rey?”

“What about Rey?” Finn was even more confused now. “I’ve never kissed Rey. And she’s never kissed me. And why haven’t you ever kissed a girl, I mean, come on … oh!” His brain finally clicked into gear. “Really?”

Poe nodded. “Really,” he said, setting down his cup. Finn got the feeling the game was over.

Finn nodded himself. “Okay, this makes sense. I mean, a lot of things make so much sense now …”

“Like what?” Poe asked guardedly.

“Like some things your friends have said,” Finn said. “Or the looks I get when I’m wearing your jacket … do people think we’re … you know?”

Poe shrugged. “Probably. Maybe. Does it matter?”

“No,” Finn answered truthfully. In fact, the idea of other people thinking he and Poe Dameron were … it made him feel all warm and tingly inside.

“So,” Poe said. “That kiss with Rose. Was that your first one?”

“Yeah,” Finn admitted. “She kind of surprised me. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be, to be honest.”

“Because it wasn’t Rey?”

“No,” Finn said. “Rey and I are just friends. It just … I mean, I know kissing is supposed to be nice but it was just kind of … awkward.”

Poe scooted his chair closer and Finn was suddenly very aware of his lips as he opened them to speak. “Is this awkward?”

“Um, no, not really,” Finn said, moving his own chair closer without taking his eyes off of Poe’s face.

“Good,” said Poe. He leaned forward and took Finn’s face gently in his hands before pressing their lips together. For just a moment, Finn was frozen in place, and then he was returning the kiss and it was nothing like what he’d experienced with Rose.

Poe pulled back and looked Finn in the eyes. “Definitely not awkward,” Finn breathed. Poe grinned and leaned back in for another kiss, this one a bit more heated.

“Um, I think it’s my turn,” Finn said when Poe finally leaned back again.

“We’re still playing?”

“Yeah,” Finn said, reaching out to run his fingers through Poe’s still damp hair. “Never have I ever … had sex.”

The smile that crept across Poe’s face as he raised his hand made Finn melt inside. “I think it’s time we adjourn to the bedroom,” Poe said, his voice a little shaky.

“Agreed,” said Finn. As they stood up, he added, “I kind of like this game.”

************************************

This time Poe woke up first. His head was a bit muzzy from the alcohol, but he wasn’t technically hung over. Finn, on the other hand, might be a bit worse for wear this morning, and not just because of the booze. As Poe’s mind cleared he remembered exactly what they’d gotten up to last night, and he hoped there would be no regrets. Finn was new to drinking and that stuff was pretty powerful.

Oh, kriff, I hope he doesn’t think I took advantage of him. He sat up suddenly, which woke up Finn. “Hey,” Finn said lazily, reaching up to pull Poe back down next to him. “Where’re you going?” His eyes were bleary but Poe saw no anger in them, just a softness that made him relax into Finn’s arms.

“Nowhere,” he said. “I just … kind of startled myself awake, I guess.”

Finn yawned and started playing with Poe’s hair. “Uh, Finn,” Poe said, “are we okay? I mean, last night …”

Finn stopped him with a kiss. “Last night was very … gosh, Poe I don’t even have the words for what last night was.” He laughed. “I … never knew what all the fuss was about … you know.”

Poe laughed back. “Yeah, I know.” He snuggled closer. “Oh, buddy, you don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this.”

“Since Tadokana?”

“How’d you know?”

“The jacket. And the way you hugged me,” Finn said. “It was … different than hugging Rey. Better.”

“Definitely better,” Poe said, wrapping his arms tightly around Finn’s waist and pulling him close. They skipped breakfast that morning.

**********************************

The rest of the quarantine went by quickly. Poe finished the repairs and even a few small upgrades to the ship, and Finn read two novels, but they spend most of the time learning about each other. And by the time the droid woke up and announced they could leave the ship to complete their mission, they walked hand and hand down the ramp.

Three hours later, they had collected Leia’s precious cargo, stashed it in the back and were ready to blast off. “Think anyone will be surprised?,” Finn asked as Poe maneuvered the ship into space and set a course for the jump off point.

“Honestly, no,” he answered. “Like you said, the whole jacket thing …” He winked and Finn chuckled deeply. Stars, I love that laugh, Poe thought.

They sat quietly, holding hands, while the ship flashed through hyperspace. Poe had to use both hands to pilot the ship back to base once they dropped back into normal space, but once they had landed, his hand slipped back into Finn’s.

Of course, Leia was there to greet them as they left the ship and he saw her eyes dart immediately to their hands. One eyebrow arched elegantly and Poe simply shrugged at her. “What’d you expect to happen?,” he said quietly.

“Exactly that,” she replied. “I was getting tired of waiting for you two to figure things out. Besides, I had this week in the pool and I hate to lose a bet.” She turned away to supervise the unloading of the cargo.

“And that’s why she’s the General,” Rey said, appearing at Finn’s side with a smirk on her face.

“Were you in on this bet, too?” Poe asked.

“Of course,” she said. “Practically the whole base was.” She laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Just because you two are oblivious doesn’t mean the rest of us are.”

She kissed them both on the cheek. “I’m happy for you,” she said. “Just don’t start making out in public. That’s gross.” She rolled her eyes and walked away.

“I don’t know about you, but I take that as a challenge,” Poe said.

“Challenge accepted,” Finn said, putting his arm around Poe. “Let’s go practice.”

[urias-beast]

@atrappedwolfwill said: "...bloody Sunday?"

“THE BLOODIEST!”

[wisdomsword]

“What did I miss?”

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Attack Of The Winter Wolf: Revealed

Summary- 7.7k Alpha Steve x Little One Reader. Steve and you pack up in the Stark Jet and head across the ocean, this time to Norway. Steve seems to think that there will be the answers needed to help your friends for good. Divider made by @firefly-graphics

Warnings- None

A/N- Those that have stuck with me through this, thank you. I hope this isn’t turning into a “what the hell are you trying to do Amber” kind of deal. Haha. I don’t have any real answers, its just whats coming out. Anyways, thank you for reading, as always its so appreciated to hear what your thoughts are on it. Happy Howling 🐺💙

Chapter Three / Masterlist

It was a rush the following morning, Steve and Tony were busy checking over the jet being loaned for the mission. Meanwhile Pepper showed you around the giant Stark Towers. The last time you had been here you were unconscious, not remembering any of it. Pepper’s heels clicking against linoleum, while you rushed after the fast paced Alpha who was doing two tasks at once. But once she led you on the elevator, hitting some buttons, she tucked her tablet under her arm, turning her attention to you with a relaxed smile. 

“Dr. Banner has been wanting to officially meet you.” She stated as an explanation for the elevator ride. Twiddling your fingers, you shuffled foot to foot a bit nervous, only knowing the doctor had been where Steve rushed you to first when Pierce injected you. 

When the elevator door dinged and the two of you stepped out to what looked like a medical wing. A dark haired man stepped out while flipping through a chart muttering to himself when Pepper cleared her throat. “Bruce, you have a visitor.” His head lifted, blinking at them from over his glasses frames, confused as to who would want to intrude on him. But then recognition crossed his features and he snapped his clipboard shut, striding over. 

“Y/N! Pepper told me Steve was coming back this way for help, and I was hoping he would bring you.” His hand popped out to shake yours. You welcomed it with a tilt of your head, drawing in his scent. A part of you recognized him, the hint of warmth and freshness. 

“ Dr.Banner a pleasure… Steve told me what you had done for me, thank you for everything.” 

Bruce sputtered a bit, giving a shrug. “Ahh, I wasn’t able to do much, just send you along to someone better able to handle what happened to you. Umm, do you have a few minutes? I just really would like to ask you a few questions about your experience. If you are okay with that of course.” He added almost shyly and you smiled reassuringly. 

“I have no problem with that Dr.Banner.” 

“Bruce please.” Bruce looked expectantly at Pepper who checked her watch and nodded. 

“We got time, Tony will have Friday call for us when the jet is ready.” Bruce immediately turned on his heels and led the two of you towards his office. 

Steve went through the jet, checking all the gear stashed on board as well as settling in the controls chair to make sure he was familiar with everything before leaving Stark towers. Tony plopped in the one next to him, making the Alpha in Steve rumble at the intrusion but Steve was able to placate him. 

“So off to Norway huh?” Tony leaned forward to enter the coordinates in the dash for the autopilot. “What's in Norway that can help you with everything?” 

Steve growled as he continued going over the controls. “You saw the file Fury sent along Stark. You know exactly who is there.” 

“Okay you got me.” Tony finished what he was doing and turned the chair to face Steve. “I also know he's basically a recluse now and the chance of you getting him to talk is almost nada, zip, zilch. What makes you think he's gonna spill what you need.” 

“I have my ways…” Steve said coldly, his wolf growling softly at the other Alpha in his space. 

Tony gave a mock shiver. “Alright alright… just be careful okay? I know we're not on the best terms Steve but I do have a lot of respect for what you are trying to do.” 

Steve arched a brow and shook his head. “We’re not enemies Tony, I don’t happen to agree or appreciate that stunt you pulled with Ross. But I think now my stance on that shit is known. We can disagree and still be fine.” Tony next to him brushed it off while continuing with the switches, making his own adjustments to the system. 

“I know Steve, it was still a shitty move on my part, bringing Ross into your home, where your mate was after everything that happened. But she certainly put me in my place.” He laughed, recalling how you kicked all of them out.

Steve glanced at Tony from the corner of his eye and rumbled out a “Thank you Stark, Y/N certainly isn't taking anyone's shit, not anymore.” Tony snorted in agreement to that statement. 

“I don’t think they ever do, Pepper is the same damn way.” 

Steve laughed in return, knowing full well that everything Tony said was accurate about Pepper Potts, Tony had chosen well for himself in Steve’s opinion. For all the tension between Steve and Tony, he respected the Alpha next to him, and knew that finding his packmates was just as important to Tony as it was to Steve. Not to mention finding those responsible for Happy’s murder. Steve turned his chair to face the other Alpha. “I’m sorry about what happened to Happy Tony. I know it’s hard to have lost someone who was family to you.” 

Tony blinked at him, warring with his own feelings about everything that happened. Losing Happy so brutally had taken a toll on Tony, finding the body having been dumped just outside of his territory, he still hadn’t been able to fully come to terms with it. “Thank you. Finding the bastards who did that has become my main priority.” Clapping his hands together to end the topic, he moved to a stand. “You Rogers are ready to go, ready to Captain my jet?” 

Steve waited till Tony moved out of his space before moving to follow him off the jet, keeping quiet about the further mention of Tony seeking out Happy’s killer. After seeing what had happened with Bucky and the rest, he already had his own sinking suspicions as to who killed Happy and he knew Tony did as well. 

“More than ready to go.” Steve stated, coming down the steps off the jet. Tony spoke up right then. 

“Friday, let Pepper and Y/N know that Captain Rogers is ready.” That caused Steve to roll his eyes and fold his arms over his chest. 

“Seriously Tony?” 

A smirk flashed, Tony winked at him. “Come on, I think it's a fitting title for you.”

Bruce was furiously writing notes while you described to him what you remembered being under due to the drug Pierce had injected you with when the AI Friday announced that the jet was ready, as well as Captain Rogers. You and Pepper quirk a confused look at one another, and she rolled her eyes with a sigh. “That's gotta be Tony’s doing I'm sure.” 

You nod in agreement, turning back to Bruce. “Looks like it's time for me to go Dr.Banner…” 

“Bruce.” He was quick to interrupt and moved to a stand to shake your hand. “Thank you so much for this.” He tapped his pad of paper where he had all the notes jotted. “I will put them in my file to share with Shuri. All this is incredibly helpful knowing more about the serum used on you.” 

Giving a vigorous shake back, you smiled genuinely at Bruce, you and your Little Wolf feeling quite relaxed with the man. “If I think of anything, I will be sure to send an email.” The Little Wolf flicked her tail in agreement, half listening while she was napping. 

“Oh! Yes please do with anything you might remember, no bit of information is too small.”   

Pepper walked out with you and joined you in the elevator. Reaching the top of Stark Towers, you both were greeted by Steve and Tony, who waited just inside the jet. As soon as you saw Steve, warmth washed over you, feeling that bond between you two hum happily, your wolves sought each other, in the moment they both were teasing each other, making your mood lift from having to leave once more. The genuine pleasure at seeing Steve melded that away, just as his own did, the wolves happiness being together melded with your own. Steve enclosed you in his arms, nuzzling the crown of your head a moment before questioning if you were all set.

“Tony Stark is funding another trip for us? I’m absolutely ready.” You joked as Steve let you go so you could turn to face Tony who scoffed at you. 

“Don’t let Cap here defile my jet please!” Tony was sure to give you his signature hug, that made Steve rumble a bit although you instead laughed and gave a bop of your shoulder. 

“No promises Stark. Pepper, thank you for showing me around your home.” Embracing her in a thank you. 

“Stay safe and bring my jet back quickly, Cap.” Tony pipped up while walking off the jet with Pepper, cackling to himself at the finger Steve threw up while the doors shut you two in. 

The Alpha muttered to himself while dropping into the pilot's seat and you were quick to join him on the opposite side. You buckled in while he flicked on buttons. “Captain Rogers?” you questioned watching him get the jet ready. 

Steve rolled his eyes as he made sure everything was set and handed you a headset while fitting his own on, the jet rumbling to life around you. “Tony thinks he is very slick, giving nicknames. Apparently Cap is his new one for me.” 

You smirked at him, winking as you settled the headset on and spoke into the microphone. “I think Captain Rogers has its benefits, Steve.” 

His hand went around the handle and started to push it forward, edging the jet forward to take off, the spanse of New York City below you. Much like the night before, you marveled at the beauty only a city could offer. “You would Little One.” 

A voice piped up over the channel, Tony coming over the comms. “I think your mate has a point Cap.” 

Steve growled into the comm for a second while you started laughing in the seat next to him. “Tony! Get off this channel.” 

“It's my jet, Rogers! I will listen in if I want.” He was about to continue when Steve took off his headset, setting the jet on autopilot with the coordinates. 

You snickered into the system. “Sorry Tony, Steve is cutting you off. Bye Stark.” You effectively cut Tony off and slipped the head set off, setting it aside while you leaned forward to get a better look out the window, unbuckling in the process. “You know since I have been with you Steve, I have seen things I never thought I would. Look at this.” You directed your gaze at the expanse of the sky before you, baby blue as far as the eye could see, the skyline rushing closer till the two of you crossed over the cities edged, now nothing but the Atlantic underneath you. “Beautiful.” 

Steve settled back to admire what you were looking at, letting some of his worries sink to the back of his mind. “It is… sometimes I forget you haven't seen all this before.” He held out his arm for you to join him, which you pushed from your seat and settled in his lap, his chin resting on your shoulder. “Do you remember much from the last time I showed you?” 

You perch on his knee and look over the dash, worrying your lip. “Mmh barely.” Your eyes roved over the panels while Steve dragged the tip of his nose along the curve of your neck, inhaling against it and letting it settle him further. Both the man and Alpha wanted to enjoy the long flight with you. 

“I guess we will be getting a crash course, Little One.” He rumbled happily while you seated yourself into a more comfortable position in his lap. 

You looked over your shoulder at him, your eyes laughing at his remark and bringing the exact response he wanted. “Really Captain?” 

Tightening his arm around your waist, he nipped at your lips with teasing affection. “Tony isn't the only funny one around here.” 

Steve spent a few hours describing the functions and some of how to fly. Together you both got to watch the sun going down and eventually you started napping in the copilot's seat, even though Steve tried to get you to go lay down in the back. 

These quiet moments, Steve wandered back to his memories, the Alpha in his mind lifting his head from the Little Wolf’s back where he had laid to rest, flicking his ears back and forth a bit at Steve’s thoughts. 

The first thing that came to memory was the stinging scent of smoke.

“Rogers, don't you dare go into that building!” Fury’s voice commanded Steve who stalled in the doorway, peering into Hydras base, nose flaring trying to catch scent of their missing comrades. “You are not commander in this mission.” 

“But Buck and the rest might be in there… I'm going” Steve defied Fury, darting into the darkness and out of sight, Fury's voice echoing behind him. 

“ROGERS! GET YOUR ASS BACK OUT HERE!” 

Steve continued forward, letting his Wolf out enough to sharpen his senses. His eyes picking up the bit of light in the darkened hallways leading deeper into the compound, his eyes glimmer dangerously in the dark looking for any sign of movement. He could sense others nearby, friend or foe though he was unsure. Footsteps silent, Steve once in a while looking behind him tense to make sure no one knew he was there. Glances in rooms showed them abandoned, cleared in a haste to get out before Shield got there Steve was sure. Ahead he heard scuffles and growls, chains clanking and the sound of voices in hushed tones. The Wolf lowered to his belly, quivering in anticipation should Steve allow him to take over. He eased the door open with a creak when relief washed over him. 

There men, most of them in large cages. Familiar scents washed over him and they all perked sensing Steve. 

“Rogers is that you?” Someone muttered while Steve approached, searching for a key anywhere in a nearby desk. 

“Yes, the rest of the troop is just outside. We haven't found anyone though. Where is everyone?” 

“Bolted man, once they heard Fury was coming they grabbed their shit and left. They didn’t have the bodies to defend this place.” Dugan responded as he pushed to the front watching while Steve searched the desk. Steve opened the last drawer, cursing as he pushed aside papers and flung them to the side. Then he was rewarded with a ring full of keys. Rushing over, the two men tried sorting through them, Steve stuffing them one by one in the locks, quick to go to the next till they found another. 

“They left us and their experiments.” Dugan continued filling Steve in while he tried to find the right keys. “Some messed up stuff, they are in the next room I think.”

The Alpha rumbled to catch Steve’s attention. <Bucky isn’t with them.> The mans head whipped up while the lock clicked finally, able to pry it open and release his packmates. 

“Where is Buck?”  

“Bucky… he was brought in there and never came back out.” another said, pointing at the door across the room.

The Alpha rumbled suddenly in an alert and Steve tensed and whipped around when an eerily sharp howl sounded through the building. Dugan pushed the door open, tensing as well. “That's one of them, their experiments.” 

Steve wrangled the keys out of the lock and started to go down the line, unlocking each cage, shifters passing him to get outside. 

“Fury, you have outcoming hostages, they are friendly, don't fire.” Steve spoke into the comm. 

“I hear you Rogers.” Came Fury’s voice in a wave of static. “Any unfriendlies?” 

“No, Dugan notified me they all bailed once they heard we were coming” Steve responded before turning to his friend. “Dugan, get the rest out of here, I’m going to keep looking.” 

His friend bared his teeth at him, bristling at the notion. “You don’t know what's back there Rogers.” 

“If I have to, I will retreat, get these men out of here. I’m not leaving anyone behind.” Steve growled back deeper, the Alpha in him asserting himself and the man backed off with a disgruntled nod. 

Waiting to make sure they were going to leave, Steve approached the door cautiously, using his senses to pick up what might be on the other side, who might be on the other side. He was praying for a miracle, because nothing but death filled his senses as he eyed the door, drawing in any scent left behind. It was all jumbled, multitudes of men and women have passed through the threshhold, making it almost impossible to pinpoint any specific person. “Well… let's see what's on the other side.” Steve shouldered through the door and a lab stretched before him, ominous equipment stretched on either side. A groan came from somewhere ahead and Steve paused till he heard it again. It was so distinct to him that the hair on the back of his neck prickled, the Alphas own fur raising as well along the ridge of his back, it was another Alpha, but this one they knew. 

“Oh thank fucking god.” Steve uttered as he rushed forward to find Bucky strapped down and Steve started pulling at the straps holding him down. Wires were strapped all over Bucky's neck and chest and stretched to attach to some equipment, Steve started yanking them off as well when finally Bucky started to come around. 

“S-Steve?” His eyes sharpened and he clutched at Steve's uniform, worried that he wasn't real. 

“It’s me Buck, we’re getting out of here.” Steve tried assuring him, keeping his voice light and calm even though he was far from that. He had never seen Bucky so scared. Suddenly the howling started again from the back of the room and both men glanced that way. 

“Whoever it is just keeps doing that.” Bucky muttered when a voice crackled in the comms. 

“In-ing” then static sounded in Steve's ear, making him wince as he pressed his hand over his ear. 

“Repeat? What was that Fury?” 

“In-oming! G-t Ou-” The building started to shake and lights started zapping and popping around them. 

“We ca-t hold hi-, Get O-” Fury yelled into the comm but Steve had to rip it out, electricity zapping through it and breaking it up too much. Bucky gripped Steve tighter, his pupils blown in his panic. 

“What the fuck is it now?!” 

“I don't know… but we gotta get out of here.” Bucky started pulling Steve towards the exit, but whatever was in the back rattled its cage with a savage snarl, and Steve couldn’t leave who ever or what ever it was behind. He stuttered to a stop, Bucky pausing at the door with a shake of his head. 

“Man, we got to go… there isn't enough time.” 

Steve’s hands dropped to his pants and felt madly for the keys he had stuffed in his pocket earlier. “We can’t leave him in there Buck.” He waved his hand. “Go, I got this.” 

Bucky cursed but held tight, refusing to leave Steve behind.  

Steve raced towards the cage to free whatever was inside, shoving the key he used before into the lock and it clicked to open. Glowering green eyes blinked at him from the shadowed part of the cage, but he couldn't make anything else out in the seconds he got the door open. Bucky was screaming his name and when he managed to get the door to swing wide, a bundle of black sprang on his chest, bared white fangs yawning open going for Steve’s throat….

“Steve- Steve?” Your voice cut through and he shook his head a bit to clear it before looking at you. 

“Sorry, I thought you were sleeping Little One.” 

“I was, but the computer started beeping on the dash.” You pointed to a blinking light and Steve leaned forward to check the system, smiling. 

“We're here and just in time to. Look” He pointed out the window at the faint purple in the skyline, the sun easing up beyond the cloud cover to turn a brilliant red and orange of dawn. When Steve took over, he started to drop the jet down. Below the clouds the land turned a deep almost emerald wild green shimmering with mist stretching like tendrils to a spiderweb over the land, still in the early morning phase of waking up. 

You weren't lying earlier when you said you saw things you had never expected. From the rainforest and safari of Wakanda to the lush greenery of Norway, you soaked it all in with awe. So long spent locked away in a room, gazing with longing at the upper windows that offered nothing more than peeks of the sky. Now you soared over the world with your Mate. Even the Little Wolf was in awe, slithering away from where the Alpha was half sleeping and prancing excitedly with joy at the adventure. The Alpha stretched out, arching his back and padded heavily after her, nuzzling her affectionately while her tail waved back and forth, unable to stay still in her excitement. 

“The Little Wolf is excited.” You told Steve and he winked at you. 

“I can feel it. What do you say we take her down?” 

Steve easily maneuvered the Stark Jet down to land in a wide open field bordering the ocean. You followed him towards the doors swinging open and already wolves appeared from the long grass with tilted heads checking out the newcomers. You sidled up to Steve’s side a moment, watching the wolves dart back out of sight in the tall grass and heard their howls break the silence, announcing their arrival. It was a welcome sound, you couldn't detect any hostility in the notes. But their songs were so different. Sounded much older, almost like a language all its own. 

Steve cupped his hand and gave a sharp “We’re here” yip, that was answered resoundingly from all around you, the pack having circled you two and remained just out of sight. His arm lowered around your shoulders and you held your breath, unsure of what to expect. A bellow came, joyful and loud as a tall blonde man, even taller than Steve stepped out, his arms opened wide in greeting. 

“Why what a surprise! Are you here for the Asgard hospitality? I didn't think anything would ever get you to leave your corner in the world.” The over sized man strode towards them rather quickly, and the closer he came the more your eyes widened. You didn't think you had seen anyone who was as bigger then Steve in stature. He clasped Steve's shoulder and directed his joyful gaze down at you. “And who is this lovely maiden you bring with you?” 

“If I could be there, trust me I would. This is my mate, Y/N. Y/N, this is Thor, the Alpha here.” Steve protectively wrapped an arm around you, even though you wore his mark for Thor to see, Alphas always had a bit of tension between them no matter how much their human counterparts tried to quell it. 

Thor though seemed unaware of such a vibe as he beamed down at you warmly. “Well Little Pup, welcome to Asgard.” He took your hand in a vigorous pump and you couldn't help but warm right up to him and his exuberant nature. “We run free and feast like we are in the halls of the Old Kings here.” He swept the both of you down the path and all around his wolves started to howl and dance in a joyful manner, playing among each other much like they were participating in the Full Moon Run. “Now Rogers does tell me what has been going on across the water? It's been a while since I've visited there.” 

“Afraid we have been having some issues.” Steve started, filling Thor in on the recent attacks, taking apart the packs and capturing the Alpha’s. The viciousness in the attacks and the destruction left behind. Thor listened patiently until Steve mentioned Hydra. That's when he paused, you and Steve having taken a few steps ahead but noticed he wasn't with you. You turned to see him glowering. 

“That's why you are here, Rogers, isn't it? Because of Hydra. He wont talk to you about it you know.” 

Steve sighed and you had a sinking feeling about the situation, not fully understanding what was going on. 

“I have to try Thor, your brother was the only one who was able to break from the collars power and the mind shit Hydra does to their victims.” 

“He barely interacts with any of us Steve, he mostly stays as his animal out there.” Thor retorted, the sky started to darken slightly and you frowned to yourself at the sudden change in atmosphere while glancing up. 

Steve sighed, letting his arms hang loose at his sides to show Thor he was no threat to him. “I know Odinson, trust me. I wouldn’t be here if there was any other way. Packs, families are all being killed off, Alphas removed. How long till you think it will be till it comes over here?” Steve pointed out and Thor’s face twisted and he looked away. 

“It won’t be like before, I won’t let it.” 

“You don't know that… Shield risked sending the Howling Commando’s over here to help your people, now I’m asking for your help. Just let me try talking to him?” 

Your heart twisted as you saw Thor try to control his emotions on his face and you reached out to touch his arm, Steve for once kept quiet, inhaling deeply to keep himself in check. “Hydra really hurt him, didn't they? If it's too much we will just leave. Right Steve?” 

“If you tell me absolutely not Thor, she’s right. We will leave right now and not bother you again.” 

Thor glanced back at you, his eyes searching yours and you could see everything he was doing was about protecting this person. You bit at your lip nervously, you knew you were invading this Alpha’s space but stepped in closer anyways. “Please let us try? We just want to save those we still have left. Our packmates are fighting a losing battle with Hydra, we don't want to lose them.” 

A sigh escaped the man and he glanced over your head to Steve. “You're lucky you have her you know… she’s softened me. Slightly.” You stepped back towards Steve, who now laid his hand around your waist, chuckling softly. 

“You really don’t know half of it, she has a gift.” You wriggled in his hold a bit but he just tightened his fingers against you. “Thank you Thor for letting us try.” 

He shrugged at you both with a shake of his head. “I'm still saying that he wont talk to you, but I will show you where he stays when he is not hunting.” 

Steve gave a nod of appreciation while you reached for his hand and gave a light squeeze. “Thank you Thor.” You gave your own sentiments. 

The man looked at the two of you a moment, his eyes falling to your linked hands and motioned across the moors. “This way…” He cupped his hands, giving another howling song and the wolves joined them, spreading around Thor, these wolves were even larger than Mountain Packs wolves, giant beasts that were moving gracefully around there Alpha. You could feel the ground beneath your footfalls vibrating from there movements, the lush grass swishing to add to the melody of it all. Above them the thunder still rumbled with strong booms that cackled with electricity but had retreated from the fierceness it had flared up earlier. 

Your Little Wolf kneaded her paws next to the Alpha, lifting her head to inhale the air around them, it spoke of a wildness she was not used to. Something feral that did not adhere to normal pack constraints. The Alpha rumbled next to her, now and then dropping his muzzle to his mate to reassure her, but the pull to shift for both of them was strong. 

You could tell Steve felt it as well, the way he angled his body close to yours in a protective manner, his hand moving from a simple hold to pressing against your hip, wrapping around you. You tilted your head up towards Steve, your confusion clouding your features. He dropped his head to press a nip to your neck, whispering softly just for you. “I will explain later.” 

Thor paused in front of a wood that looked ancient, the gnarled trees had stories to tell. Shadows played deeper beyond the edge, enticing you to wander in. Your Little Wolf huffed slightly, breaking the enchantment you had fallen into. 

<This isn't just a forest Y/N, something powerful lives here.> Her ears flattened and you could feel her unease and the Alpha’s wariness sharpening, his ears pricked forward before twisting listening. 

What is it? You questioned your Little Wolf and she whined unsure. You felt the Alpha slip away, in the same moment Steve tilted his face up, his nostrils flaring. You knew he was scenting for any kind of danger that might come from the old forest.

Next to you Thor boomed out loudly, making it echo. “Come out Loki!” You and the Little Wolf perked, hearing the woods shift and groan, shadows danced closer when a streamlined black shadow emerged to turn solid, the beast was streamlined. His size shifting to grow larger in the presence of you and Steve, a sharp pointed muzzle turned towards you and ears twitched with interest as he took you both in. You were a bit taken aback when you saw Loki, but he paused just after the forest ended and you could see the tip of his nose twitching, green eyes with almost emerald qualities glinting with the bit of light that somehow seemed to filter from the thunderous clouds still rumbling above you. 

What do we have here? An omega to Rogers? A true Omega? Oh what a prize he really does have here. I wonder if he knows… A voice tickled your senses and the Little Wolf spun in your mind, searching for the intrusion. The Alpha returned to the Little Wolf, curling around her with a growl and a laugh echoed through you, not one that belonged to you. 

“Steve…” You whined a bit and he furrowed his brow looking at you, confused as well as to what was going on, feeling you through your bond. 

“Rogers is here to talk with you Loki, come out and quit playing games Brother.” Thor folded muscular arms across his chest and the black canine shimmered an emerald green while disappearing in a wisp of shadow and a sharp yip barking out from nowhere. 

A resounding defiant No. 

Thor shook his head at Steve. “Loki won't interact with Alphas short of me Steve, not since Shield pulled him from Hydra.” 

The Little Wolf unweaved from the Alpha when she heard Thor. 

<Y/N, we’re not an Alpha. Maybe he will talk to us.> 

Steve would never allow us to go in there alone. 

<It's the only way, Loki won't talk to Steve. He's too much of a threat to him. Say something, that big Alpha doesn't seem scared that Loki will hurt us.> 

You took a deep breath and while Thor and Steve discussed other options, you turned to the men, catching there attention. “Let me go in and talk to him.” Steve immediately barked out a no, but Thor tilted his head, considering what you were saying. “I'm not an Alpha, he won't be threatened by me, right Thor?” You pressed for an answer from the man and he nodded. 

“Your Little Pup has a point, Rogers. Loki wouldn't hurt her. I will escort her inside so she’s protected the whole way.” 

Steve felt his chest expand as he drew up to his full height. “I'm not letting Y/N go in by herself, I know you trust your brother, but I don't.” His eyes flared yellow, the Alpha close to the surface with concerns of your safety. You could see that he was winding up to call all this off when you reached up to grasp his face between your palms, tilting his head to look directly at you. 

“Alpha trust me, I know I can do this.” You stressed to him, the furrow in his forehead deepening as you knew he was at war with himself. “If anything is wrong, I will call you. Let me do this.” His hands circled your wrists and you felt that war inside of him. The same one where it was ingrained in him to keep you safe at all costs. It was all right there, flooding through the bond you two shared, your confidence, his worry. Steve huffed slightly before lifting his gaze from yours.  

“Thor, give me a moment with my mate please.” Steve requested and Thor moved away, closer towards the border of his brother’s forest, his broad back turned towards the two of you while he waited. “Little One, if something happens. Loki isn't a normal wolf…” 

“I could tell that as soon as we came near here.” You let your fingers press through his beard on his cheeks and slide down to his neck, sure to rub his scent against you in the process as well as sharing calming touches. “But he has the answers we need, Alpha.” 

Steve knew you were right, but the inner battle was fierce. The Alpha wanted to protect his mate, an animalistic need to not let you go into that forest, every fiber of his being was on edge because of it. His human side knew you could do this and get the answer to save their pack mates. You were confident, he needed to trust you like you asked. 

<Don't you let her go in there with that Alpha. What is Loki going to do to stop us.> 

Loki is not all Wolf as you well know, he won't tolerate the intrusion. 

The Alpha bristled aggressively, licking his muzzle over and over nervously. <We won't be there to protect her should he turn on her.> 

But Thor will be… You know as much as I do that he wouldn't let any get hurt in his care. 

“Trust me Alpha.” Your fingers trailed along the mark you had left on him, your mark that made him belong to you. The most sacred of bonds a mated pair could share and made in the utmost trust that you two would take care of each other. 

She is asking us to trust her. If we can’t trust in our mate, then what hope do we have? Steve was firm and the Alpha had to concede to him. 

Steve moved his hands to your face, cupping the most important part of his life gently in his palms as he inhaled deeply and tipped his forehead against yours. “Little One, if anything happens, anything at all, call for me. I will come get you.” 

The corners of your mouth lifted and he saw it go to your eyes, pride and strength that your Alpha was trusting you to go in his place. “Of course Alpha.” You lifted to catch his lips, nuzzling your nose against his. “I know you will come for me if I need you.” You embraced him fiercely, Steve let his nose bury in the crown of your head and then let you go against his instincts. The Wolf rumbled, anxious as he paced watching you reach Thor. His eyes reached the other Alphas. “Thor…” 

“I understand what is at stake. No harm will come to her, I swear it.” 

You looked so tiny next to the man, your head tilted up to look at him with a warm smile and Thor's tilted down to look back at you. Steve watched the same warm smile cross Thor's face, making your mate proud of you, how easily you had already won Thor over. You had come so far from the runaway he first met and your warmth spread so easily to those around you. Maybe Loki wouldn't be immune to you. 

The moment you stepped into the forest with Thor, it darkened. Looking over your shoulder, the emerald green sea of the moor was almost a picture racing away to be enclosed by old tree trunks. You licked your lips nervously and folded your arms around your body, sure to keep up with Thor. He was confident in his strides, the darkening vibrant woods was just as much home for him as the windswept open land you two left behind. 

The Little Wolf was curious in the new surroundings, pacing and keeping a keen eye on everything you were hurriedly passing by trying to keep up with Thor. 

You weren't wrong that the forest had a life all its own. It seemed to breathe around you, moss stretched across large boulders that sprang tendrils of plant life curling upwards to try and reach sunlight. Heavy thick trees were bristling against your palm and almost seemed to heave in sighs at your gentle touch. Thor glanced back at you, golden tendrils clinging to his face now and his eyes crinkled in watching you loosen from your fear into awe. 

“You feel it, right?” He chuckled and you withdrew your hand from the tree back to your body. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Its soul, the magic in it all.” He braced against a tree and inhaled deeply. “All of this is very alive as you and I, it's old and has been standing long before we claimed this as home.” 

You tentatively touched a nearby tree again, feeling tingles in your palms, making you shudder a bit. “It is certainly… like home, but not quite.” 

Thor nodded with a wink. “Still a baby over there, your packs are just starting to write the stories that will live on after you are gone. One day they will have a life of their own, just like this one.” 

Your brows quirked at his words. He's a funny man isn't he. 

Your Little Wolf curled her tail around herself as she sat down. <He is, but I like him. This place feels like we belong here.> 

There does seem to be a certain calling to be here… 

You two continued on and you risked another statement. “Loki is not like you, is he?” 

Thor shook his head. “No, he is not. But you have no need to worry Little Wolf.” He paused while he glanced around, inhaling sharply. “It's just me and Y/n, Brother, come out of hiding.” 

“I'm not hiding, I can't help that you are not a more observant Brother.” A cool voice came from above and your eyes shot up to a long legged man lounging in the branches, looking almost like he couldn't be bothered. Thor snorted impatiently and motioned towards you. 

“Y/N has some questions for you.” 

Vivid green eyes fell on you and a cool grin formed as he moved to sit up and slide down. He walked in such a predatory way, almost circling you. The Little Wolf's hackles raised at him and you hitched yourself straighter. You felt that tingle in your mind again. 

Why is it your Alpha is sending you in here for Omega? My brother is right, you are just a little pup aren’t you, so new to the world...

You snarled out loud, glaring at him. “You are not welcome in my mind, and I’m no pup.” And a quick withdrawal left you and Little Wolf alone once more. You could feel your Alphas curling warmth in your mind, even if he couldn't be with you. 

Respect crossed Loki's features and he bowed his head. “Forgive my intrusion. It's not often I'm sought out, except by Thor that is.” Thor barked out a deep bellowing laugh, clasping your shoulder. 

“You can't use your tricks on this one, she is small but fierce. Her Alpha has great respect for her.” 

Loki gave a slight sniff, his green eyes sliding over you as he remarked. “I’m afraid you are right.” 

You shrugged out of Thor’s grasp now, wanting the answers you came for. “Loki, our packmates have been collared by Hydra. Steve seems to think that you know how to break from their control. Please, is there any way to break the hold they have on them.” Loki suddenly appeared next to you, his fingers catching a lock of your hair and pressing it between his fingers for a moment as if further inspecting you. You jumped and pulled away from him, making Thor growl a warning at him. But you narrowed your gaze at him, knowing well that he was testing you. You had seen it all before while living with Pierce. “Don't touch me Loki, only Steve is allowed to. How did you do that anyways, appear next to me?” 

His fingers swirled slightly, green wisps dancing around his nimble long fingers. “Magic Dear. I'm part Coyote, a Trickster. Sure your Alpha told you?” 

You shook your head. “No… He doesn't talk much about his life in Shield.” Your Little Wolf crooned in comfort, knowing sometimes you were worried about how he would be so vague about it. 

“Well it was a dark time for the shifters.” Loki admitted and glanced at his brother. “I don't much like discussing that time either.” You clenched your jaw a moment, worried he was going to flat out refuse your requests but he dipped his head. “But for you Dear, you boldly come out here without your Alpha, that deserves to have your questions answered. Come…” He beckoned to you and led you away, Thor was not far behind. Soon a small dwelling came into view and the door yawned open, which Loki stepped in. 

Inside was different from what you were expecting. Books lined shelves upon shelves, seeming to go on forever. Plush chairs were dotted near a fireplace and wooden carvings dotted the entire area. Wood shavings littered the floor, making you smile a bit because it reminded you of your Alpha, the fresh wood scent enveloping you. The place was cozy, almost like something from a story book. Of course, this whole experience was making you feel that way, like some sort of fairytale your mother would have told you before bed. Thor heavily fell into a nearby chair, quiet as his brother waved at a seat in offering to you.   

Loki approached a shelf and whispered under his breath till a box fell into his hands. Easing it open, he pulled out a collar. Silver strands weaved together into an intricate design. “This one was mine, but it stopped working on me after a time. So it was just useless metal. Why Hydra had kept me caged when Steve found me.” He handed it to you and you were caught by surprise at how light it was. Studying it closer, you could see twists of coarse black fur wedged through it where it sat on Loki’s neck. 

“Why did it stop working?” You asked curiously and Loki settled down in one of the seats. 

“Simple, I willed for my freedom. Most of the wolves have such a strong desire to follow an Alpha. Even the Alphas themselves can be forced to follow a stronger one should they come across one. Hydra didn't know I wasn't a Wolf, not completely. I can't be controlled in the same way for long. But it's that simple in how to get your wolves back. Your Alpha has to challenge them for control. Assert that he is stronger than the one controlling them with the collars.”  

You handed his collar back to him and Loki flicked his wrist to send it back to the box, the box flashing away in the same green blaze you had seen earlier. “That's all it takes?” You asked incredulously. Loki shrugged with a nod. 

“Hydra though is led by someone who has a power that no Wolf should have. It's how they are able to control such a large and secret organization for such a long time. But such power can always be challenged.” He drifted off, looking away into the fire he had burning in the fireplace. 

You let the silence sit for a few moments before speaking up. 

“Why wouldn't you talk to Steve?” 

Loki gave a slight roll of eyes. “I don't care for Alpha’s, they always feel the need to challenge and dominate. I've dealt with that enough in my life. I choose to live on the edges of my own Pack, still a member should Thor need my assistance and the rest leave me in peace.” 

“Then why me? You seemed interested in me being an Omega.” The Little Wolf stopped her pacing for just a moment, head tilted in curiosity. 

“Because true Omegas do not need to dominate or be controlled by anyone.” Loki turned towards you, his head tilting into your direction. “You might always submit to your Alpha, but that's a choice you and your wolf make together, consciously or not. If you were to ever truly want to defy him, you easily could. It's why you were able to make me leave when I was exploring your mind.” You rolled your eyes a bit at the trickster, clearly not believing him. A life time of being made to submit to Pierce against your will and the recent incidents with Steve... you felt he had you mistaken. “ You can roll your eyes at me all you want Little Pup, but I know what I’m talking about. Omega’s can be a threat to Alpha’s or for the right one, there everything. Really depends on the Alpha they are connected to. So I like you Little Omega, you are a challenge for me.” He winked and you rolled your eyes, but couldn't help the smile you gave to him. After all was said and done, you liked the Trickster. 

“Is there anything else you can tell me? How did you get the collar off?” You asked and Loki motioned towards Thor. 

“That was me. After Fury contacted me that Loki was with the Howling Commando’s Unit, I went to bring him home. I can provide you two with a special knife made to deal with unnatural made materials.” Loki rubbed at his face and his front door sprang open, a rush of air billowing into the dwelling. 

“Now I have answered your questions Omega, I can feel your Alpha pacing my border anxious. It's getting on my nerves. Return to him so he can settle back down.” 

You nodded, letting your senses open a bit and sure enough Steve was anxious, although far physically, you could feel him. Nodding as you approached Loki, you held out your hand to him. He eyed it a moment, and then slid his own in yours respectfully to give a shake. “Perhaps soon we will cross paths again, Little Omega.” 

“Perhaps we will Trickster.” You bid a final goodbye and now you left a bit more at ease, having the information you and Steve needed to save your family. 

[liquid-luck-00]

My Life is One Complication After Another 3

Cursing Ahead 🤬

Ao3 *** First *** Previous *** Next

~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since Mari's classmates stopped talking with her, they also stopped asking her for favors. Along with a blocked and rotating schedule for patrols meant that she actually had a sleep schedule. Sure she didn't get nearly enough but that was what coffee is for.

That was how she found herself down in the bakery with her papa. Roy had called her and the four of them talked and it was comfortable. Mari was the one who opened and was watching the front. She was still talking with Roy, but now it was on a headset, as he was out patrolling In Starling City.

"So as I was saying before we were oh so rudely interrupted." came Roy's voice in her ear. "So Ice cream and movies?"

A soft laughter escaped her and a smile on her lips.

"Sounds gre..." the bell at the door chimed. "Hey guys come in," she greeted the Waynes.

"Let me guess the bats?" Roy supplied as Dick bounced towards the counter.

"Good morning Marinette!" Dick practically sang loud enough for even Roy to hear.

"God how the hell is he so chipper so early." she heard Roy grumble.

"God damn morning people," she grumbled. That elicited laughter from both Roy and Jason.

"Amen to that!" Tim seconded in a monotone lifting a coffee cup. "Maman I'm going to take the Waynes up." she called poking her head into the kitchen. Her Maman nodded so she picked up her phone and walked towards them.

"I'll Let you go," Roy was about to hang up.

"Wait how about we give the Bats a heart attack." she smirked changing to the ancient language of miracles.

"I like the way you think, I'll catch you later." he responded in the same tongue.

"See ya then." she smiled, switching back the language. Ending the call and removing the ear piece. “Are you guys coming or do I have to drag you guys?" she turned back already at the door. Granted most of them showed confused faces and side eyes, but she smiled. They followed her without saying a word.

Once they were in the apartment she excused herself to change into more appropriate gear. She activated Kaalki’s miraculous, who then silently portaled out.

That being said she changed into a pair of black skinny cargo pants with red combat boots. A black long sleeve shirt under a cropped red sleeveless hoodie. Her hair was half down with red and pink streaks and a mini white gold backpack with three patches in the same white gold finished her outfit. She grabbed four parcels and went down.

"So we can either do the boring ground tour or," she held up the bundles. "we can turn up the speed."

"I like the way you think Pixie Pop." Jason stood and she handed him his.

"Roy sent me you guy's sizes, so I altered and customized a few things." she smiled. "bathroom is over there and the guest room is next to it." Dick looked torn between excited and horrified when handed his stack.

Tim seemed awake, but she knew better, "go change and I'll have a fresh pot of coffee ready." He nodded robotically as he got up.

She set the last bunch next to Damian, who was looking like an angry kitten. She sat down next to him and leaned in.

"What are you.." he started but Mari whispered in his ear.

"The jacket has a hidden sling for a katana, which will be practically invisible when on." His eyes widened slightly and there was a bit of slack in his jaw now. Before turning into an amused smirk. "Use my room up the stairs and through the hatch." she finished as he headed up the stairs.

"I'm impressed he let you close without struggling," Bruce broke his silence, as she finished prepping the coffee maker.

"Well he would have if," she began as Damian practically crashed down the stairs and all but tackled Bruce before rushing out the door. The closest she had ever seen her baby brother smile, which effectively made her smile.

"Holy crap! What are you?!" Dick made himself known.

"More importantly what the fuck did you do with Demon spawn!" Jason shouted from next to Tim, who was being propped up by both Jason and Dick.

"Tt. I am right here Todd." The scowl reappearing on his features. "It is adequate Dupain-Cheng."

"I'll take it as a compliment on one condition."

"And that is?" he rose a brow.

"You call me Marinette not Dupain-Cheng. I'm your sister aren't I?"

He seemed to war with himself for a moment before stating. "That is acceptable, Marinette."

At this point all the bats in the room were playing a game of ping-pong between Marinette and Damian. They were trying to figure out what magic spell Marinette must have used, when in reality she just seemed to fall into Damian’s good graces automatically. OK so maybe Marinette being the holder of the ladybug miraculous as well as being the great guardian of the order has that affect on most people, a sense of respect and trust that seems to permeate her aura.

She was handing Tim a huge mug as the front door swung open to reveal her Maman.

"Hello Bruce," Sabine greeted.

"It is good to see you Sabine," was his response.

“Maman," Mari pulled her mother's attention from her biological father. "These are Bruce's boys and my brothers. Tim, Jason, Dick, and Damian." she motioned to each one respectively.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Sabine smiled, "why don't all of you get something from the bakery before you go."

After finishing their small breakfast in the park Mari pulled out a map and a marker.

"So what do you guys want to see?" They listed off places that she marked down. She added a few to the list to fill it out, marked the route and took a picture and sent it to Roy. "Okay so this will work." she glanced at her phone. A quick look on social media showed no one has found Andre yet. She pulled out a case of comms and added, "Also keep your eyes out for Andre."

"Who is that?" Dick asked taking the earpiece.

"Andre's Ice cream cart, the best ice cream in Paris." Marinette answered.

"Then why must we look for him?" Damian added.

"Well he changes locations daily and turns it into a game of tag of sorts."

"Alright, lead the way Pixie." with a smirk she dashed off her brothers close on her heels.

Yes this is the best way to get to see the city, but this was also a test to see how the bats did without their toys.

Getting to Notre Dame was uneventful. Dick kept up a steady conversation with her, just a step behind with Damian, Jason brought up the rear but would constantly toss in quips and questions. Damian and Tim were mostly quiet, unless they were trying to get one of their brothers to stop a particularly embarrassing story.

Getting to the Louve was even more entertaining. Now that Dick had a feel for the Parisian roofs he would do flips and vaults to make her laugh. In the Louve is another story.

They had accidentally ran into some of her classmates, quite literally. She and her brothers were taking goofy 'walk like an Egyptian' group photos on the second floor of the Egyptian exhibit, the mini Ladybug camera was reattaching to her phone charm when Tim began asking her questions about it.

"Well my best friend loves anime, and we kinda sorta binged the entire Dragon Ball series and when we saw the ladybug camera. He said it would be impossible to create and maintain the quality of the image. So I kinda sorta made it out of spite." she mumbled the end.

"Hell if you weren't my sister I would beg Bruce to adopt you," Tim stated. "Do you have the files I would love to look through them. Maybe send them to Babs or Cy!"

"Sure I think I have it on a flash drive." That was when a tall body, walking backwards slammed into her, pushing her into Jason. "oof."

"You okay." Dick was in full mama hen mode fretting over her.

"I wasn't watching where I was going." the figure spoke as he turned around. "I'm sor." the words died on his tongue, Kim.

Max, Alix, Nino, Alya, and oh kwami no Lila, who were now all snickering.

"I'm fine Dick," she smiled to reassure him. However her classmates were shocked.

Lila of course was the one who broke the silence, by beginning to cry. "I'm so sorry about her. I know she hates me but to be so rude to a complete stranger!" her sobs breaking the sentence while her lackeys went to console her, glaring daggers at Marinette.

"Seriously girl," Alya began to scold her. "Your little out burst not only made Lila cry. Your insulting someone who is just trying to be nice."

She and her brothers were now standing awkwardly being scolded by a teenager. After three minutes of trying to figure out what they were being scolded for and why the guys hadn't apparently left.

"What the fuck did she do that your yelling at her for?" Jason finally broke Alya's rant. Now it was the five Parisians and the Italian to stand there confused.

"She called him a dick," Alya sighed exasperated.

"Yes." Dick answered confusing them further.

"Dick."Tim now called.

"What?!"

"Dick!!" Damian, Marinette, Tim, and Jason all called, and immediately began laughing.

"What? Oh, oh," a sheepish smile now on his face. “Names Richard but I go by Dick,” he explained to those who weren’t laughing, smiling at them.

"Tt. this is why I call you Grayson." Damian rolled his eyes. "Besides this one still has not apologized." he jabbed a finger to Kim.

"It's not worth it Damian,” Marinette shook her head. "We should head back to the bakery anyways. Maman has probably finished scolding Bruce." she smirked.

"Damn I wish I was a fly on the wall for that conversation" Jason lamented.

"Well..." she held up the ladybug charm and flipped it over showing an empty space.

"Two!" Tim shouted.

"Anyone who beats me back gets a copy," she smiled.

"Your on." Jason nodded as he vaulted over the safety wall from the second floor. Damian and Dick sprinted in opposite directions.

"Sorry Mars your gonna loose." Tim shouted as the last to leave.

"We'll see," she shot back. "Bye," She turned to her classmates as she grabbed the railing above and flipped up and over to the third floor, running to one of the secret zip lines the miraculous team set up.

"What the fuck" was faintly heard behind her, all but Lila and Max shouted by the sounds of it, as she jumped from the window.

She made up quite a bit of distance and seemed to be on Damian's heel. She had passed Tim and Dick was a few steps behind. Jason was just out of arm reach. So with a burst of speed both she and Damian were shoulder to shoulder with Jason.

The three of them simultaneously practically crashed into the side door of the bakery.

"I won."

"In your dreams Todd."

"I beat both you and Pixie"

"Check your eyes, or do you need the camera installed in your helmet." Jason's gaze hardened at Damian's words.

"How about we call it a three way tie and you both get a copy." Mari interrupted. "We should head up." Laughing Marinette opened the door and went up.

Lunch was rambunctious, but she was coming to expect that with her brothers.

“Too bad we couldn’t find that ice cream guy Mari,” Tim spoke up once everyone had finished eating.

“Oh let’s see if anyone has posted where he’s at today!” She went to check her phone but a message ended up distracting her.

Andres in your favorite spot I’ll meet you there at 7 your time.

"Cool he’ s in my favorite spot in all of Paris which just happens to be the last spot on our list today," she announced, sending off a text, setting her phone down, screen up.

Can't wait Katniss

"Why don’t you all go and Mari can get to know Bruce," Sabine offered.

OK granted it’s a good idea, maybe I should get to know my biological father but am I ready to? Do I want to? Am I yes, yes I want to get to know my biological father, yes I want my family to grow, my brothers are such protective goofballs and I love them already.

"Sounds good," she smiled.

That was when her phone lit up from a message. She went to pick it up, but she was to slow.

Jason was the one who snacked her phone. "Message from Katniss says see ya then Peeta. So who's Katniss Pixie."

"Well..." she started but she began to blush furiously.

"That would be her boyfriend," her Maman decided to add before heading back down to the bakery with Papa.

Dick pounced asking a million and one questions, Bruce physically froze but she could tell his mind was racing because that look was much the same as hers. Jason was pensive, while Tim and Damian just seemed bored or tired.

So that was how she found herself talking about Roy, blushing furiously. While simultaneously avoiding his name and details that would tip any of them off. After about a half hour of her answering questions did Dick start telling her about his fiancée. How they were planning on setting a date for the wedding.

After that the next few hows was spent sharing stories and tidbits of themselves.

However, thanks to Dick a design was swimming in her mind. so she did the only logical thing and ran up to her room. Grabbed three drives, her tablet and pen and ran back down. She tossed the red drive to Tim, and Jason and Damian each a black drive. Plopped down and began stretching out an Italian suit with a nock lapel. A rough coloration of a midnight blue offset by a sapphire. Accents of golden thread, emerald buttons and an Osiria rose in the lapel. She signed the design 'Mira Luck' and handed Dick the tablet.

"So I couldn't help myself," she begun to fidget. "But in my defense you told a designer about a wedding and my brain wouldn't stop screaming at me until this was on something. So what do you think? I know its rough but."

"Holy Shit your Mira Luck as in M, Jagged Stones personal designer. You are M as in the designer for the Lucky Spot!!" Tim screamed lunging to take the tablet from Dick.

"That's me," a blindingly bright smile lit up her features.

"So what do you think?" she asked again.

"It's amazing we were actually hoping to talk to you about Kori’s dress." Dick smiled. "I could call her it's not too late there."

"Perhaps it would be best to discuss it in person when Marinette next goes, that way she can get to know Gotham." Bruce interjected.

"That actually might be sooner than you think," she responded.

"I was actually accepted to be an exchange student for the next semester at Gotham Academy."

"Wait you’re willing we going to Gotham to study! You ’re going to Gotham willingly. Bruce I think your daughter might be a little crazy." Jason surprisingly brought up.

"I might be but but it’s no crazier than Paris and it’s a Akumas. Besides I would love to design your fiancée’s dress and we should head over to Andre’s ice cream before the sunsets that way we can watch the lighting of the Eiffel tower." She got up and called out. "Hey Jason mind passing me my backpack."

"Yeah sure," he went around he couch to grab it and toss it to her but before he did he finally seemed to notice the patches. "Wait are these The Outlaws."

"Yeah Red Hood, Arsenal, Star Fire, and Bizarro." she was smiling.

"Why choose The Outlaws?" Tim brought up.

"Honestly it was because Roy mentioned something about Arsenal and Red Hood and I ended up liking of the logos, so I made them into the backpack," she shrugged. "Besides unless you’re looking at it close enough you can’t tell which is always fun to see if people pay attention to it, let’s go."

At that the six of them walked out of the apartment, away from the bakery towards the Palais de Chaillot.

"So what's so special about Andre's Ice cream?" B asked.

"Personally I think he is a meta. But what he does is he can either see your true reflection or that of the person best suited to you."

"So he sees souls?" Tim added.

"Not quite, more like he sees the main qualities of you or your go." she tapped her chin.

"But he is meta,” Tim tried to figure.

"That's the only explanation I can come up with but I have no idea." Marinette shrugged.

"So how does he do it." Tim was now fully invested in this.

"Well you either ask for love or self and he usually does three to four ice cream flavors and gives a short reason."

They were now at the top of the stairs at the Palais de Chaillot looking out at the Eiffel Tower. They stood there as the last of the light faded from the sky. The city was dark for a moment as the Eiffel Tower lit up and slowly the lamps lit up.

"So that's why this is your favorite spot Minnie." A voice behind her chuckled. She turned around and nearly tackled him.

"Hey speedy." she pecked his cheek.

Not a second later did Jason scream, "Roy!"

"Ready for that movie?” Roy asked her an arm around her shoulders.

"Of course," she smiled. "See you guys around."

"What the fuck are you doing in Paris Roy!?" Jason screamed.

"Um... Date night," he answered. The Waynes were now practically surrounding the couple.

"What?" Apparently it was Dick's turn to yell.

"Seriously. I thought you said the bats and birds were detectives." she spoke just loud enough for them to hear. "It's kinda hard to believe with the big bat having a heart attack over there." Sure enough Bruce was seriously hyperventilating.

"Oh mind giving this to LB?" He handed her a small nondescript red box.

"Sure," Marinette took the box, "Au Revoir."

From there they left and oh kwamii did she wish she could replay that again, oh wait I can.

Next

~~~~~~~~~~

Permanent Taglist: @itsmeevie01 @miraculouspenta

Taglist: @dolphin-ghost @unabashedbookworm @bookgirl14 @laurcad123 @mochegato @vixen-uchiha @jjmjjktth @deathwishy @toodaloo-kangaroo @stackofrandomstuff @megaafangirl @trippingovermyfeet @chocolatecatstheron @nathleigh @nyx-in-line @indecisive-mess-named-me @ichigorose @maribat-is-lifeblood @user00000003 @gimpedmercy @el-zabethh @mickylikesstuff @a4-machete @stainedglassm @greatcatblaze @lady-bee-fechin @adrestar @moonlightstar64 @corporeal-terrestrial

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Do you have any good coffee shop au fics? Danke schön!

Hey Nonny!

Ahhh, Coffee Shop AUs aren't totally my thing, BUT I did find a couple I loved, and I've a few on my MFL list that's tagged with Coffee Shop. Check it out, and feel free to add more, friends!

COFFEE SHOP AU

See also:

Coffee Shop AU (Updated Nov 2020) (COMM RECS)

Coffee Shop AU Fics (Alexx's)

Coffee Shop AU – Part 2 (Alexx's)

Teenlock Coffeeshop AU (Alexx's)

Caffeine and Adaptive Programming by DemonicSymphony (E, 5,540 w., 1 Ch. || Androids AU / Bond Fusion || Android Sherlock, Coffee Shop AU, Pining John Hinted Bond / Q, Toplock) – Sherlock is a coffee shop android slowly falling for a regular customer. But he's not supposed to be able to feel emotions.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

-----

MARKED FOR LATER (TO READ)

Espresso Patronum by zigostia (T, 1,750 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Clueless Sherlock) – “I'm joking,” John said breezily. “Girl's name or not. I don't mind, if you know what I mean.” “Ah,” Sherlock said with uncertainty.

Giveaway Fic #4 - Coffee Shop/Mary Has Left/Sherlock Is Not Okay by ConsultingPurplePants (T, 2,498 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Everyone is Unhappy, Happy Ending) – They sit in silence for a moment. Sherlock fumbles a sugar packet when he tries to get it into his coffee. He looks up to find John staring at him. “It’s… good to see you, John,” he tries. John doesn’t look at him; he’s too busy looking at the way Sherlock’s hands are trembling. Too late, Sherlock realizes that no matter how well he washed his hair this morning, there’s no hiding his emaciated appearance. “When did you last eat, Sherlock?” John asks, but there’s none of the friendly teasing from Before, only a hard-edged, muted anger. Part 4 of the 1000 Tumblr Followers Giveaway Fics series

Whatever you say, Gobbo by Ewebie (T, 4,608 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Balletlock, Rugby John) – “I purposely get your coffee order wrong just so you’ll talk to me again” AU. Part 33 of the Tumblr Shorts series

Crossing Paths by prettysailorsoldier (T, 5,346 w., 1 Ch. || Uni/Teenlock Coffee Shop AU || Crosswords, Christmas, Fluff) – It seemed like a great idea, a 24-hour coffee shop near a thriving university campus, but, when everyone goes home for the holidays, John finds himself trapped in a ghost town, wiling away the hours of the overnight shift any way he can. Of course, that gets a whole lot easier when a handsome insomniac starts making regular visits, and, somewhere between the case files, crossword puzzles, and copious amounts of coffee, John discovers he doesn't mind the late shift so much after all.

Not Your Doctor, Not Your Captain by weneedtotalkaboutsherlock (E, 8,645 w., 1 Ch. || AU || Daddy John, Barista Sherlock, Legal Age Difference, First Kiss/Time, Blow Jobs, Texting/Phone Sex, Anal, Rimming, Felching, Praise Kink, Hurt/Comfort, Pet Names, Doctor John) – "Coffee for John Watson," a voice calls, a low, deep rumble that sends a shiver down John's spine. The thought is pushed aside, his shoulders sagging at the sight of his long-awaited coffee. "Thank God." His eyes lock with long, elegant fingers around the rim of the cup, dimpling the carton in a way that John can only describe as sensual. It shouldn't be. It's seven-thirty in the bloody morning. "I'm afraid that God had not much to do in making your coffee this morning," the barista replies. "I, on the other hand…"

Percolate by cwb & Ellipsical (E, 13,793+ w., 6/16 Ch. || WiP || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Insecure Sherlock, Patient John, Case Fic, Flirting) – This work is a collaboration between Ellipsical and cwb and promises to be a lighthearted, fun romcom with strong themes of mutual pining, awkward flirting, and panicked impulsiveness. POV will alternate between Sherlock and John; cwb writes Sherlock, Ellipsical writes John.

Mistletoe and Misdemeanours by Robottko (T, 20,738 w., 12 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Christmas, Fake Relationship, Coffee Shops, Victor Trevor, First Kiss, Holmes Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Drama, Kidnapping) – When Victor Trevor backs out of the Holmes family Christmas at the last minute, Sherlock panics because he has no way to impress his parents. Thankfully there is a handsome army doctor with nowhere to go in his coffee shop, though it would be more helpful if he were a bit more willing.

sherlock and his daddy series by rory_kent (M, 24,433+ w. across 6 works || Series WiP || BDSM / Sugar Daddy AU || Sugar Daddy John, Age Difference, Sub Sherlock, Daddy Kink, Military Kink, Subspace, Hurt/Comfort, Coffee Shop AU, Unilock) – Sherlock didn't mean to upset daddy he really didn't!

A Wizarding Barista's Field Guide to Seducing a Muggle by paradigmfinch (T, 29,344 w., 9 Ch. || Harry Potter Coffee Shop AU || Fluff, Wizard John, Muggle Sherlock, Bisexual John, Flirting, First Dates, Harry Watson, Secret Identity) – To help pay for Healing tuition, John Watson gets a job at a coffee shop in Muggle London, where he soon sets his sights on a particularly gorgeous customer. John's seen plenty of Muggle films. How different can it really be to woo a Muggle?

Four Shots Series by Opy3332 (T, 34,736 w. across 5 works || Series WiP || Coffee Shop AU || MI6, Barista John, Developing Relationship, First Dates) – Series of stories revolving around John and Sherlock meeting under different circumstances--when John takes a job as a barista at SIS headquarters and meets Sherlock there.

Blond Barista Seeks Dashing Ballet Dancer: Inquire Within by prettysailorsoldier (E, 43,847 w., 1 Ch. || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Rugby/Barista John, Ballet Dancer Sherlock, Fluff) – Between classes, his job at a local cafe, and being captain of the rugby team, John Watson's life is plenty stressful enough without the addition of a mysterious ballet dancer he can see through the windows of the dance studio across the street, but, somehow, he can't bring himself to mind.

Captains of Industry Series by 221b_hound (E, 131,398+ w. across 34 works || Series WiP || Australian Hipster Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Security Consultant Sherlock, Awkward Flirting, First Kiss/Time, Panicking Sherlock, Patient John, Cuddles, Grooming, Anal, Bathing/Washing, Coming in Pants, Frottage) – Captains of Industry is the most hipster of Melbourne hipster cafes. It's bespoke suits, artisan shoes, sculpted facial hair and the most exquisite food and coffee all the way. Sherlock Holmes, Digital Security Consultant, has become a regular patron. And one day, perhaps one day soon, he will work out how to successfully flirt with the hot barista, John Watson.

[iptvpremiumx]

What Is Iptv And What Are The Types Of Iptv Providers

IPTV companies are deployed by several service providers corresponding to satellite TV corporations, phone companies, cable TV carriers, and tons of extra. In addition to video, IPTV expertise also presents VOIP in addition to net entry for the info. These three companies offered concurrently by IPTV technology are popularly generally recognized as triple play, whereas the fourth feature contains mobile telephony, which gets added, which is known as quadruple play. Catch-up TV is probably the most engaging incarnation of IPTV – it mainly bridges the hole between traditional TV and streaming VOD providers. Many leading providers like FOX, CBS, and NBC now provide apps that viewers can download to compensate for the TV content material they missed. FOX, CBS, and NBC offer devoted IPTV apps that enable viewers to look at the shows that they missed on stay TV with out the need to document anything by way of a TiVo or one other set-top field with recording performance.

Apple is a extremely popular method of accessing premium iptv content via dedicated apps. It runs a slimmed-down working system , to handle the method of streaming video by way of the Internet. The VOD platform may be built-in with the IPTV’s central unit. Cable TV methods use a complicated system referred to as Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification , developed by CableLabs.

It's unclear by the appears of your code, whether your trying to make use of 'hls' or 'dash'. Anyway, I've been enjoying with 'hls', and I'll have some outcomes to report, in one other day or two. MinoliD.2008IP multicast with purposes to IPTV and cellular DVB.Canada, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the source code of the mysqlInstance objects implementation as a result of it is encoded with IonCube and the license forbids us to the touch the category file. Our only choice was to black box test the features which are answerable for dealing with the controlled values. After some tests, it was clear that the keys handed to the orderby, select and like functions were vulnerable to SQL Injection. As we management keys in the question, we are in a position to perform either blind or reflected SQL injection. Ministra is Infomir’s net management platform that controls the STB gadgets. It is PHP based mostly, and like most web-based platforms, it has an admin interface that requires authentication.

The features that Yeah IPTV has on every plan are detailed under. Cruise InfoTech is an IT answer firm established in the yr 2015. The company has emerged as a key player in Information Technology throughout Mumbai.

Les entreprises IPTV sont déployées par plusieurs fournisseurs de services correspondant aux sociétés de télévision par satellite, aux compagnies de téléphone, aux opérateurs de télévision par câble et à des tonnes d'autres. En plus de la vidéo, l'expertise IPTV propose également la VOIP en plus de l'accès Internet pour l'info. Ces trois sociétés proposées simultanément par la technologie IPTV sont généralement reconnues comme triple play, tandis que la quatrième fonctionnalité contient la téléphonie mobile, qui est ajoutée, connue sous le nom de quadruple play. La télévision de rattrapage est probablement l'incarnation la plus engageante de l'IPTV - elle comble principalement le fossé entre la télévision traditionnelle et les fournisseurs de VOD en streaming. De nombreux fournisseurs de premier plan tels que FOX, CBS et NBC proposent désormais des applications que les téléspectateurs peuvent télécharger pour compenser le contenu télévisé qu'ils ont manqué. FOX, CBS et NBC proposent des applications IPTV dédiées qui permettent aux téléspectateurs de regarder les émissions qu'ils ont manquées sur la télévision en direct sans avoir besoin de documenter quoi que ce soit via un TiVo ou un autre décodeur avec des performances d'enregistrement.

Apple est une méthode extrêmement populaire pour accéder au contenu iptv premium via des applications dédiées. Il exécute un système d'exploitation allégé, pour gérer la méthode de streaming vidéo via Internet. La plateforme VOD peut être intégrée à l'unité centrale de l'IPTV. Les méthodes de télévision par câble utilisent un système compliqué appelé Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification , développé par CableLabs.

L'apparence de votre code n'est pas claire, que vous essayiez d'utiliser 'hls' ou 'dash'. Quoi qu'il en soit, j'ai apprécié avec 'hls', et j'aurai des résultats à signaler, dans un autre jour ou deux. MinoliD.2008Multidiffusion IP à des fins premium iptv et de DVB cellulaire.Canada, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Malheureusement, nous n'avions pas le code source de l'implémentation des objets mysqlInstance car il est encodé avec IonCube et la licence nous interdit de toucher au fichier de catégorie. Notre seul choix était de tester en boîte noire les fonctionnalités qui sont responsables du traitement des valeurs contrôlées. Après quelques tests, il était clair que les clés remises aux fonctions orderby, select et like étaient vulnérables à l'injection SQL. Comme nous gérons les clés de la question, nous sommes en mesure d'effectuer une injection SQL aveugle ou réfléchie. Ministra est la plate-forme de gestion de réseau d'Infomir qui contrôle les gadgets STB. Il est principalement basé sur PHP et, comme la plupart des plates-formes Web, il possède une interface d'administration qui nécessite une authentification.

Les fonctionnalités de Yeah IPTV sur chaque plan sont détaillées ci-dessous. Cruise InfoTech est une société de réponse informatique créée en 2015. La société est devenue un acteur clé des technologies de l'information à Mumbai.

[generallynerdy]

I wonder if he can taste the sadness (Ahsoka Tano & Anakin Skywalker & Rex)

Summary: Ahsoka motions for the younglings to stay behind what little cover she was able to provide as the door wheezes open. She pokes her head out just enough to see and— “Master!” she cries, leaping up. Anakin is at the door, his lightsaber in his hand but unlit. He looks mildly surprised to see her, but takes her hug without hesitation. “Thank the Force,” she breathes out. “We heard blasters and then Master Nu told us to hide. What’s happening?” In her embrace, Anakin is unmoved. She frowns, looking up at him. “Master?”

Warnings: major character death, lightsaber wounds, lots of children die but only one is shown, canon genocide, canon divergence but only to make it sadder Word Count: 1,826

Prompt: Angstpril Day 4 - Betrayal

Author’s Note: WOWWW why do I do this to myself lmfao. I was like ‘oh hey what if Ahsoka was in the Temple during Order 66 would that suck or what’ and then I. Wrote it. For some reason. I’m sick and twisted. Also, not to make you sadder or anything, but can you imagine Obi-Wan finding her body? Shit dude. Anyway, you might think Anakin wouldn’t go to the dark side if the whole Ahsoka thing hadn’t happened, but, like...he already murdered a village of Tuskens before the Clone Wars. I do not doubt that it would’ve happened somehow. I know this is super late but I wanna get all my Angstpril stuff written down no matter how late it is or else I’m gonna feel terrible about it. Title is from My Mother, My Mother by Luther Hughes. (Also, Jinnel, the Kiffar, and her future Master are my ocs. Zett is a canon character but he has barely any appearances so, uh, dibs.)

Read on AO3

*

“Master Nu! I was just looking for you in the archives.”

Ahsoka bears a wide smile as the old Master of the archives turns to her. The young Padawan, though not so young now she thinks, bears a couple of datapads, old ones she’d borrowed before her last assignment.

“Ah, Padawan Tano. Apologies, but I’m a bit occupied at the moment.”

She gestures behind her, where a youngling Clan chatters excitedly. At the sight of Ahsoka, one Nautolan girl lights up and turns to her friend, whispering furiously.

Ahsoka smiles and waves a little, getting a few waves back. “Sorry, Master, I didn’t realise. I can come back later,” she offers.

“That’s quite alright.” Master Nu waves her off. “Just leave it on my desk, and I—”

She stops. Her gaze drifts to the far end of the hallway, but when Ahsoka follows it, she finds nothing there. She’s about to ask what’s wrong, but then she feels it, too: a roil of darkness and fear.

“What is that?” she whispers, unmoving.

The younglings finally notice, a long moment after their seniors, and begin speaking frantically.

“Is the Temple under attack?”

“What do we do, Master Nu?”

“What’s happening?”

“I have to go find my Master!”

With a raised hand, Master Nu silences them all. “Quiet.” Quickly glancing around, she spots a meditation room with an open door. “Quickly, into the meditation room. Padawan Tano, watch our backs.”

“Yes, Master.”

The younglings file into the room obediently, still whispering to one another. One girl, a young Kiffar, bursts into tears, so Ahsoka pulls her aside immediately.

“My Master left to go to the Senate Building,” the Initiate blubbers. “She doesn’t know we’re in danger! I have to find her!”

(She’s too young to have a Master, Ahsoka realises, and doesn’t have a Padawan braid. The Master must’ve found her on a Search and bonded with her.)

“See if you can contact her on your comm, but you need to stay here until we know what’s going on, okay?”

She shakes her head. “I can’t leave her!”

“I understand. My Master is out there somewhere, too,” Ahsoka tries to reassure. “But I can’t let you leave alone, either. As soon as it’s safe, we’ll go find her together.”

The Initiate wipes at her eyes and nods, following the rest of her clan into the meditation room. Ahsoka looks back to Master Nu, who is glancing down the hall with wide, horrified eyes. Something has pulled in the Force.

Someone skids to a stop around the corner.

It’s a young human boy, a Padawan that Ahsoka has seen trailing behind Master Drallig for the last few weeks. On his sleeve, a scorch mark has burned through the fabric to his skin: a blaster wound.

At the sight of Master Nu and Ahsoka, his face twists in relief and he runs toward them.

“Zett,” Master Nu breathes out, taking his arm as soon as he’s close. “What’s going on?”

Through panting breaths, he speaks the impossible. “The clones—the clones are killing us!” he cries. “They got Master Drallig and I can’t find the Council—”

“What?” Ahsoka questions fiercely. “What are you talking about?”

“I know you won’t believe me, but I really saw it! It’s the 501st, they have their armour and everything and they’re killing everybody—!”

Master Nu squeezes his uninjured shoulder. “Breathe, Padawan. I believe you.”

“What!?” Ahsoka turns on her. “They would never—!”

“It may be someone else in that armour, but you know he’s telling the truth, Ahsoka. You can feel it,” she says warningly. “Don’t let emotion cloud your instincts.”

She backs down, but her chest tightens. “Yes, Master,” she says quickly.

“How many of them are there?”

“All of them. Master Drallig—” Zett chokes on his name. “—he told me to go to the landing pad, to get out and find help.”

“I’ll go with you!”

Ahsoka jumps when the young Kiffar reappears, running up to Zett.

“I’m a good tracker,” she says quickly, “and I know where my Master’s going! We can find her!”

Zett looks to Master Nu at the same time she does, uncertainty in his bright eyes. The old archivist casts her gaze to the end of the hall, where the chaos is starting to get louder. With a deep breath, she kneels before the younglings, a hand on each of their shoulders.

“Do not stop, especially for anyone in clone armour. Don’t trust anyone you don’t recognise and whatever you do, do not return to the Temple until you are given the all-clear, do you understand?” When they both nod, she reaches for their hands and presses them together, letting Zett take the girl’s. Master Nu gives him a firm look. “Hold onto each other. Do not let go. This is not a game.”

“Yes, Master,” they say at the same time, equally shaky.

She stands. “Go.”

The pair run off, Zett tugging the Kiffar girl closer to him as they dash down the hall. Ahsoka watches them go, waiting until they’re around the corner to turn her attention back to Master Nu, who has apparently done the same. Before she can speak, the archivist puts a hand on her shoulder as well.

“Stay with the younglings. Lock the door behind you and defend them with your life,” she instructs.

The girl’s eyes widen. “What? You’re leaving?”

“If the Temple is being attacked, there are things I have to do,” is her grim reply. “No one can get their hands on the archives, Padawan, no one. I’ll come find you when I get the chance.”

If I get the chance. The thought is there, though unspoken.

Steeling herself, Ahsoka swallows roughly but nods. “Yes, Master.”

With a glance over the Padawan’s shoulder, Master Nu lowers her voice. “Above all, make sure they make it out.”

“May the Force be with you,” she says quietly, a hope more than a comfort.

Master Nu smiles, a little sad, a little proud. “It is always with us, Ahsoka. It is always with you. Be brave.”

Her words echo in the young Togruta’s mind even as she departs. When she finally pulls herself together, she rushes into the meditation room, counting heads and closing the door behind her. She enters a code to lock it down completely before turning back to her charges.

“I need you all to listen carefully and do exactly as I say, okay?”

There are scattered nods and ‘yes, Padawan Tano’s, so she gives out instructions.

They build barricades throughout the room, providing cover for themselves. Initiates with lightsabers pair up with those without and the latter group gets a few weapons from Ahsoka. Her clone troopers—the ones killing Jedi—gave her quite a few vibroblades and pocket blasters over the years and she’s kept them all. It’s more than a little useful right now, she thinks as she hands them to the younglings.

“Keep your heads down and trust in the Force,” Ahsoka orders, ducking behind a gathering of meditation chairs and tables with three Initiates. She places a hand on the shoulder of the youngest, a small Mirialan with teary eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”

Footsteps thunder from the hallway outside. The younglings fall silent in an instant, poised for battle.

Something catches in Ahsoka’s chest. They’re ready for this. They’re children and terrified but they’re ready for a fight. Is this what her Master used to feel when he looked at her, 14 standard and standing on the front lines? Like something was desperately wrong with this picture?

“The scanners indicate life forms in this room, sir.”

Ahsoka freezes.

It sounds like a clone, though she can't place who. Could Zett have been right? Are the clones—the 501st, of all battalions—turning against them? What in the Force would make them do that? Something here is horribly, horribly wrong.

There's some beeping on the other side of the wall and someone out there must have the codes, because the door starts to slide open.

Ahsoka motions for the younglings to stay behind what little cover she was able to provide as the door wheezes open. She pokes her head out just enough to see and—

“Master!” she cries, leaping up.

Anakin is at the door, his lightsaber in his hand but unlit. He looks mildly surprised to see her, but takes her hug without hesitation.

“Thank the Force,” she breathes out. “We heard blasters and then Master Nu told us to hide. What’s happening?”

In her embrace, Anakin is unmoved.

She frowns, looking up at him. “Master?”

Light washes over her, the stark blue of his lightsaber being lit. She glances down to get a look at where he’s pointing it, what he could possibly be defending her from in a room of younglings. But then pain strikes her abdomen, squeezing her lungs. A choked gasp drags itself from her lips and she finally sees it.

The saber in her chest. Anakin’s saber in her chest.

A youngling screams and blaster fire echoes throughout the room, but Ahsoka can’t see what happens. She can’t even cry out for the Initiates she was meant to protect. All she can do is look back up at him.

His expression is blank, untouched by her apparent agony. He stares down at her with those yellow eyes—

Yellow eyes?

Her mouth falls open a little, her legs wobbling. She loses her balance, falling into him. And he catches her. There isn’t any sort of purpose to the movement, but he catches her.

He has yellow eyes.

Ahsoka thinks of Dooku, of his last moments spent glaring at her and her Master, those burning yellow eyes. She thinks of his red lightsaber fitting perfectly into Anakin’s hand and how nauseous she’d become at the sight.

“Anakin?”

It’s weak, hardly there. She doesn’t even know if he hears it.

And then she’s falling, falling to the floor. He drops her, lets her crumble underneath him, unable to hold herself up.

He walks away.

Breathing raggedly, Ahsoka wants to reach out, wants to grab the bottom of his robe before he can leave her. But her hands won’t cooperate, her entire body screaming at the scorched wound she bears.

The meditation room has fallen silent, leaving the troopers to follow after Anakin. They start to leave, but one notices she’s still breathing, still trying to move.

He lifts his blaster and she finally sees him.

“Rex,” she breathes out.

The jaig eyes on his helmet, carefully painted, give him away instantly. He lifts his pistols and she wants to cry. She doesn’t have the strength for even that. But she doesn’t need any strength to see that his hands are shaking. Ahsoka will never know what’s going on in his head, what’s driving him to lift his blasters in her direction. All she knows is that his hands are shaking.

“It’s okay, Rex,” she says, sounding far from it. “It’s okay.”

He fires.

*

River’s Tags: @hahaboop & @mystoragehatesme

Reblogs are better than likes and deeply appreciated!

If you tag this as an Ahsoka ship, I will block you so fast.

Masterlist

[mulderist]

Wicked Game

Previous chapters // read on A03

Washington, D.C - 1948. Fox Mulder is a detective on the top vice unit; scandal, corruption, and lies come with the territory. He is forced to investigate a fellow officer and finds the lies go much deeper than the truth.

tagging @today-in-fic

CHAPTER 6

Navy Yard Washington, D.C. 10:13 p.m.

The Navy Yard sits on an unappealing southeast corner of the city pressed up against a polluted strip of the Potomac. It was used for ship maintenance and ammunition manufacturing during the war and continued for a little while after. The surrounding warehouses and docks became defunct once the war effort projects dried up. The shipyard devolved into a revolving door for small-time criminals which begat large-time mobsters. Security was usually an older night watchman who was past his prime and easy to track. Smaller boats would pull up and drop off cargo whenever they could. Deals were quick and dirty. Soon, respectable businesses in the southeast east district wanted a piece and formed a “two ships passing” style agreement. I suppose it saved them from having their goods sent to Anacostia or down towards Virginia. 

A flash of lightning brightened up a cluster of clouds. A rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Fortunately, I had arrived and got into position just prior to the downpour. I sat on a dirt driveway off the access road, which was quickly becoming a muddy river. There was a canal to my left at the nine o’clock position, the Potomac dead ahead at my twelve, and the edge of a warehouse was at my three o’clock. The rain sounded like I had parked my Pontiac under Niagara Falls. Water pounded against the roof, rushed down the windshield in sheets of grey making the wiper blades useless. The water-logged Buddy Rich solo played on against the car and I had a feeling my view was not going to clear up anytime soon.

I fidgeted with a sunflower seed I pulled from the half-empty bag on my dashboard. Ideally I would toss the shells out the window but given the weather and trying to keep a low profile, there was an unsalted graveyard on the floor of the sedan. I cracked the shell with my teeth and added it to the discarded brethren. The seed danced around my tongue and I turned my wrist trying to make out the time on my watch. The minute hand eased a tick past the quarter hour. I then picked up the radio and connected with the precinct dispatch.

“This is Detective Mulder, over.”

Static. Click. Click.

I pressed the button again on the comm as I leaned over and grabbed my hat.

“This is Detective Mulder, do you copy? Over.” 

“Evening detective, this is Officer Stanz. Always nice hearing your voice in the dead of the night.”

“You too, sweetheart.”

“So Mulder, what’s your status?” 

“Waiting for this storm to strip the paint off my car,” I replied as I ran a hand over my face. “Visibility is shit sitting here in the driver’s seat. Regrettably, I think I’ll have to go on foot. Over.”

“Copy that,” she said, “Hopefully you won’t need to build an ark.”

“Honey, I’d rather swim for it. Over and out.” 

I placed my hat on my head, pocketed the small binoculars that were resting on the seat next to me, and opened the car door into the deluge. The rain sounded different as it slapped against the water in the canal, rang against the scrap metal, and beat against the dock. I dashed towards a scrap pile and crouched down amongst rusted metal and what I hoped were empty oil drums. If there was a gunfight I didn’t want to go up like a Roman candle. I peered over an oil drum and got eyes on the warehouse through the binoculars.

The info Krycek had provided Skinner said three was the magic number; Vincenti favored odds over evens. Guess I know how he’d play the roulette wheel at the casino. I saw a worn metal sign tacked to the side of the building letting me know I was in the right place. There was a dim light piercing through a shadow on the dock so somebody was home. Suddenly, headlights came down the other end of the access road and I got out of sight. The car went dark and I counted to ten then shifted my position. Rain poured off the brim of my hat, dripped down my neck so I flipped up the collar; glad I chose the dark grey trench coat. The new vehicle slowly crept closer to the front of the warehouse and idled. Once the hood touched the dim light source I knew it looked familiar; the distinct yellow paint job of a D.C. cab. I squinted and tried to memorize the plate number through spikes of rain. The passenger door opened flashing the checkered pattern on the side panel. A figure stepped out and rounded the front of the car then paused at the driver’s side before heading into the warehouse. Just then, a headlight shone on the river. I listened to the putter of the engine as it pulled up to the edge of the dock. Once the engine was cut I watched through the binoculars and saw one of the goons wave as the boat approached the dock. It was the same goon who was with Lodi at the restaurant. He approached the boat as they cut off the light. My grip switched and my eyes strained.

The D.C.cab was still idling along with the boat at the dock. I kept to the shadows. I could feel moisture collect at my mid back from an adrenaline surge. That all too familiar feeling. Suddenly as a thunder clap sounded, I had a flashback to a sunrise mission on Wake Island: Rain made my hands very slick on the Carbine as I tried to ready my aim. Bullets whizzed around me. The mud was so thick. An explosion went off nearby, my ear was ringing. My sergeant was yelling commands. I held my breath for three counts and pulled the trigger, a bright spray of red marked where I hit a Japanese soldier square in the throat. First time I successfully made that shot. Confirmed kill.

  I closed my eyes and dug my nails into the palm of my hand, one pain replaced another and the memory faded. My breath was short but steady. I needed to focus. If the goon was there, Lodi was surely lurking somewhere inside. I just needed to get eyes on him. The backside of the building seemed like a safer option and I pressed against the rotting wood as I moved around to a shabby staircase. A quick glance up and I climbed towards the single door. The steps were slippery and I was waiting for my foot to punch through a soft spot in the warped planks. At the landing I readied my gun and turned the knob, slowly opening the unlocked door. The upper level looked clear. It was a nice respite from the storm. I held my position and holstered my weapon. My trenchcoat felt like it took on about twenty pounds of rainwater and I would have enjoyed shaking off like a wet shaggy dog. Drips from the edge of my coat marked my hiding spot like an X on a treasure map. Luckily I didn’t need my binoculars from my perch because, as if on cue, Carlo Lodi’s hulking frame lumbered across the floor. 

He blew a puff of smoke from a dying cigarette. His goon handed over a white package which Lodi bounced in his hand with approval. He gave a wave and a couple of men filed out of the warehouse and approached the boat. I could just barely make out the edge of it bobbing at the side of the dock. The lackeys quickly transferred packages from the boat to the trunk of the idling taxi. I adjusted my stance and craned my neck. The cab had a picture of the Capitol dome and what looked like the word ‘Speedy.’ They were using the taxi company to move the heroin. I heard the boat engine rev and pull away from the dock. One of the men approached the driver’s side door of the cab and pulled the driver out. He pushed the confused cabbie away from his vehicle. Then the man swiftly plunged a knife in the cabbie’s side, repeating the motion until the poor driver went limp. He was then dropped in the Potomac like yesterday’s garbage. The goon took his place behind the wheel and I knew I needed to get back outside to tail him.

I saw the headlights from the commandeered taxi so I was careful not to be spotted. I couldn’t tell which direction he was going to pull off so I waited behind a different wood and scrap pile. The chug of the engine caught my attention. The lights appeared to be moving backwards and when they were far enough, I made a break for my car. Inside via the passenger door I fished out my key and started the engine then grabbed the radio comm.

“This is Mulder, does anyone read?”

I backed up on the access road and spun the wheel in the right direction. That sweet voice came through my radio once again.

“This is Stanz. Over.”

“I got eyes on Lodi. Shipment confirmed at Dock 3 at the Navy Yard, get anyone from the Southeast Division who isn’t asleep down here now. Beat cops, vice, narco, I’ll take whatever I can get. Take caution, he isn’t alone.”

I pressed the gas a little harder keeping textbook distance as I locked onto the cab. I clicked the comm again. 

“I’m in pursuit of an accomplice heading west on Waterfront Dr. It’s a taxi, plate number: TK-0421. Speedy Capitol Cab Company. Over” 

“Roger that. I’ll relay to Captain Skinner. Over and out.”

I tapped the break as I pulled around a corner and turned up Patterson Ave. then on to M Street. The cab slowed to stop at a red light a block ahead of me. Mighty nice of him to use a turn signal. He switched lanes and merged onto New Jersey Ave. angling towards Capitol Hill. The street cut a sharp diagonal and the famed white dome came into view. I heard my radio crackle but ignored it. My eyes felt like I had rubbed them with sandpaper, I hated to blink for fear of losing my target. I was dangerously tired, a second wind was long overdue. 

Street lights and neon bounced against puddles in the street. The rain had slacked off to the point where it was an annoying stubborn mist that couldn’t make up its mind if it wanted to stop or go full tilt. I had cracked my window and listened to the rush of tires on slick pavement, splashing in potholes and against manhole covers. 

The cab turned right onto Independence Ave. I tailed a little closer than protocol distance, keeping only one car between us. I missed the signal change and watched my target turn left on First St. Impatiently I waited for the signal, hoping I hadn’t lost them. After I made the turn I slowed down and searched for the taxi. I spotted it parked in front of the Library of Congress, parked like he was picking up a fare. There was a man standing on the curb holding an umbrella. I performed a u-turn maneuver and pulled into an empty parallel space, threw the gear shift into park and advanced on the suspect.

“DCPD!” I yelled as I approached the driver’s side door with my badge and gun drawn. The driver calmly rolled down the window and lifted a meaty hand from the wheel. A thick signet ring on his pinky finger looked like butcher’s twine around a sausage link. 

“No, keep ‘em on the wheel! Don’t move.”

He smirked and obliged. I held my gun on him and glanced in the backseat; a red ember glowed from the tip of a freshly lit cigarette.  

“Is there something we can do for you, detective?”

That voice. That distinctive snake hiss I couldn’t forget; it slowly coiled around like a wisp of smoke. The smoking man. Spender’s father. 

“Fancy meeting you here. Looks like you chose the wrong taxi tonight.”

“On the contrary detective, it’s you who chose poorly.”

“Yeah I have a knack for doing that,” I retorted, fingers gripping the handle of my gun, “Alright, you — out of the car. Hands where I can see them.” I pulled the door open and took a step back, letting the goon out. I made him turn to face the car, hands atop the roof. The smoking man leaned forward from the backseat, cigarette tucked between his lips.

“You have no idea what you’re doing.”

“Hey! You are next on my list.” I shouted then continued frisking the goon, finding a small handgun and a switchblade. I stuffed them into my trench coat pocket.

“Careful, you’re gonna make me stiff,” he said with a laugh as I patted his legs down to the ankle, finding another blade in a clever holster. I pulled out my handcuffs and clasped his wrists behind his back. I pushed my gun in between his shoulder blades, directing him toward the rear of the taxi and told him to open the trunk. I felt the heat from the exhaust pipe blowing against my pant leg, creating a small dry patch on an otherwise drenched pair of trousers. The goon shook his head and flipped the latch. The trunk appeared empty.

“Alright where is it?” I asked,

“Where’s what?”

“The package. The white package.”

“Ain’t no package here.”

I leaned in and felt around, searching for a latch or tab or something that would indicate a hidden compartment. As my free hand finally found what it was looking for, my occupied hand dug the tip of the standard issue deeper into a lesser known pressure point in the goon’s back. The pulled a section of fabric loose, revealing a hidden compartment that was packed full of white packages. 

Sirens wailed in the distance. I tossed the goon in the back of my car, adjusting his handcuffs so there was no funny business, then radioed in my location. The smoking man approached under the cover of his umbrella.

“I could have your badge for this, detective.”

“You can try.”

“This small incident won’t change anything.”

“Just keep telling yourself that. I have officers from every direction to bust up the little party at the Navy Yard. This is the tip of the iceberg and I’m willing to go all the way to the core.”

We stood silent, listening to the approaching sirens. The rain had finally stopped but the percussive sound of drips could still be heard in the surrounding trees. A plume of smoke wafted in the air. He was about to say something to me but a squad car had arrived coming to a stop in the middle of the street. Two unis got out with guns drawn. 

“I’m taking my suspect back to the 3rd,” I called out, “You boys can take this one for a ride.”

[all-the-things-2020]

Quarantine

Summary: Finn and Poe are on a mission for General Leia and end up having to be quarantined together for two weeks.

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 5000+

Notes: This story takes place sometime between the battle on Crait and the events of TRoS. I wrote this during the quarantine lockdown in early 2020.

Poe Dameron hated this stupid ship. Give me an X-wing any day, he thought as he fought the stiff yoke on the bucket of bolts he and his friend Finn were traveling in. It was a nondescript little freighter, barely big enough for two crewmen and a small amount of cargo, but it had absolutely no connection with the Resistance and it was big enough for what they needed on this mission. So, he was stuck with it.

“You’re coming in awfully fast, Poe,” Finn said.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Poe said through gritted teeth. The engines groaned as he throttled them down and pulled up on the yoke, trying to drop the ship as gracefully as possible onto the landing pad they had been directed to. Finally, he managed to bring her down with only a minor thump.

Finn opened his mouth, but Poe shushed him with a raised finger. “Say one word, buddy, and I’ll blast you. I hate this fucking ship!” He kicked the dashboard as he crawled out of the pilot’s seat, which caused three different alarms to go off. He slammed his fist down on top of the dash, and they went off.

“Whoever bought this piece of junk needs to be fired,” he muttered as he left the cramped cockpit.

“I think it was Leia,” said Finn. Of course, Poe thought. She’d probably gotten a good laugh out of the look on his face when he saw the Firefly and found out he was going to be flying it.

They walked to the hatch and Poe keyed in the sequence to drop the ramp. The flight had been short enough, just over two hours, mostly in hyperspace, but he was more than ready to get off the ship and stretch his legs. Unfortunately, the ramp did not deploy.

“What the …,” he tapped in the sequence again but the ramp refused to open. “I swear …” He was interrupted by the buzz of the comm unit.

“Ground control to Firefly,” said the slightly metallic voice of the flight controller who had directed them to the landing pad. “Please cease attempting to open your hatch.”

Poe thumbed the button on the comm panel. “What? How else are we supposed to get out?”

“You are offworlders,” the flight controller said slowly. “You are under a mandatory 14 day quarantine before you will be allowed off your ship. Was this not explained to you before you filed your flight plans?”

“No, it very much was not,” Poe replied. He looked at Finn, who shook his head, clearly as baffled as Poe was. “Look, we have business here and we can’t wait 14 days to take care of it.”

“You can leave, or you can wait out the quarantine,” the flight controller said. “Those are your options. After the Soronian virus pandemic, we are extremely careful about outside visitors to our planet.”

Poe leaned against the wall. “So, what do we do?”

Finn sighed. “I don’t know. How important is this cargo?”

“Important enough that Leia sent us to get it,” Poe replied. “But is it important enough to wait two weeks for?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Nothing for it but to comm her and ask her what to do.”

They went back to the cockpit to send an encoded message to the General.

***************************

“So, fourteen days, huh?” Finn said. Poe looked ready to punch someone, and since it was only the two of them on board, Finn kept his distance.

“Yeah,” Poe sighed. “I hope this whatever-it-is is worth it.” Leia had commiserated with them over their misfortune but insisted that the cargo was too important to pass up, although she had declined to tell them what it was.

“Me, too,” Finn said. He hesitated a moment before going on. “Is it really going to be that bad having to spend two weeks with me?”

Poe looked up, startled. “Oh, no, no buddy. It’s not you,” he said quickly. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck in quarantine with. It’s this damn ship.” He looked around with a sigh. “I think it hates me as much as I hate it.”

“It is kind of small,” Finn admitted. “I suppose we should check out the amenities, if there are any.” They had planned to simply fly in, collect their cargo, and fly back out. He had no idea what kind of bunk space the ship had, or how big the ‘fresher was.

He stood up and stretched, almost knocking his hands against the walls of the cockpit, before walking back down the corridor. Just past the hatch was the door to the cargo bay; on the wall opposite the hatch were two smaller doors. One opened onto a tiny ‘fresher with a sink barely big enough to wash a child’s hands. The other opened onto a bedroom with a single bunk and not much else.

He felt Poe come up behind him and look around his shoulder. “Well, that’s not good news,” the pilot said. “No shower, not even a sonic? And only one bed?”

“Yeah,” said Finn. “Maybe we should sleep in shifts? I don’t think there’s even enough room in there for one of us to sleep on the floor.”

“Let’s check out the cargo bay,” Poe said. “Maybe one of us can camp out in there.”

They opened the cargo bay door. “Or not,” said Poe. The bay had no floor, just a crisscross of struts on which shelving or flooring could be placed to configure the storage area however it was needed. Unfortunately, there was no shelving or flooring on board.

Finn swallowed the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. “We could share,” he suggested tentatively. “The room’s not that big but the bed looks wide enough for two …” He didn’t know why the idea of sharing a bed with Poe should make him feel so nervous; soldiers and pilots were used to bunking down in all manner of places, with any number of others crammed into the tiniest spaces.

Poe smiled at him, and Finn felt an odd sensation in his stomach. “Yeah, that might work.”

************************

Where did that come from? Poe thought. When Finn suggested they could share the bunk, Poe felt a grin spread across his face and a flush rise in his cheeks. It was a familiar reaction to being invited into someone’s bed, but he’d never expected to feel this way about Finn. They were friends, for kriff’s sake! And anyway, he was pretty sure Finn was in love with Rey. He certainly talked about her enough …

Get a grip, Dameron, he told himself. There were more important things to worry about, like the state of the food supply on board.

“Have you checked on the rations yet?,” he asked. “Fourteen days is a long time without food.”

Finn looked worried, which Poe found endearing. Ever since escaping the First Order, Finn’s favorite part of being with the Resistance was the availability of food whenever he wanted it. Stormtroopers were given nutritional rations at specific times, carefully calculated to provide exactly the right amount of calories and nutrients for each soldier’s height and weight. The existence of snacks, and the ability to choose his own food at meal times had been a revelation.

They started opening cabinets and found a stash of ration bars, about a dozen portions of insta-bread, and three bottles of beer. “Well, it could be worse,” Poe said as they stared at the meager supply.

“How?,” asked Finn.

“There could have been no beer,” Poe replied. Finn hmphed, clearly not amused by his little joke. “Aw, come on, buddy, I was kidding. Maybe the powers that be will send us a care package. Can’t hurt to ask.”

He went over to the closest comm panel and hailed the flight controller.

“Yes, Firefly?”

“Um, yeah, we’re a little underprepared for a fourteen day quarantine. Any chance of getting some food delivered?”

The line was quiet long enough that Poe thought maybe the flight controller was just going to let them die, but then he heard a burst of static. “That can be arranged,” the flight controller said carefully. “We will have to consult with our epidemiologists to determine the best way to transfer rations to you without risk of exposure. Give us a few hours and we’ll get back to you.”

Poe shrugged. “At least they’re looking into it,” he said. Finn still looked dubious, but Poe was already calculating how to divvy up the rations they did have. It wouldn’t be pretty, but they could just about manage two weeks on severely reduced rations if they were careful. He’d been in worse situations before, having once crash landed his X-wing on an uninhabited planet and spent eight days with nothing but the water that dripped from the foliage into his water bottle.

He patted Finn on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, buddy. Even if they refuse, we won’t starve to death.”

“Oh, I know,” Finn said, “but … I’m not looking forward to it.” He sat down, resting his arms on his knees and letting his hands dangle in front of him. He looked up at Poe, smiling ruefully. “Guess I’ve gotten spoiled, huh?”

Poe sat down beside him. “I won’t be thrilled about it, either,” he admitted, “but I know we can do it if we have to. We’re heroes, you know.” He bumped his shoulder against Finn’s, feeling that flush of heat in his face again. He turned his head away so Finn wouldn’t see, but he heard the other man’s chuckle.

“Yeah, that’s true,” he said. “I am kind of a Big Deal in the Resistance.” He bumped Poe back and then slung his arm around his shoulders. Poe tried not to lean into the hug too much, but it was hard not to. Finn gave very good hugs … and he smelled way too good for someone who’d been in a cockpit for two hours.

************************

In the end, the authorities agreed that they could open their hatch for exactly 60 seconds to allow a small droid to deliver a crate of food, on the condition that they keep the droid on board until their quarantine was completed … and pay an exorbitant amount for both the supplies and the rental of the droid.

At least the food was good stuff; the crate even included a selection of desserts and a couple of bottles of something that Poe insisted was strong enough to be used as rocket fuel in an emergency … but tasted much better.

The droid tucked itself into a corner and powered down, beeping a quick message before its lights dimmed. “What’d it say?” Finn asked. He was still at a loss with Binary, but he knew Poe was fluent, having spent so much time with BB-8 over the years.

“It said, ‘See you in two weeks,’” he said. “At least we don’t have to keep it entertained.”

They busied themselves unpacking the crate and sorting out the food, but once that was done, there was nothing left to do but stare at the walls.

“So,” Poe said. “What do you want to do?” He held up his hand and ticked their choices off on his fingers. “We could get drunk, take something apart and put it back together, reprogram the droid to say rude things, play Truth or Dare … or get drunk.”

“Truth or Dare?” Finn asked. “What’s that?”

Poe blinked. “Oh, right, you never … well, it’s a stupid game teenagers play at parties. Someone asks a question and you either have to answer it truthfully … or take a dare.” He laughed uncomfortably. “Mostly it's used to try to get people to admit their crushes, stuff like that.”

Finn pondered this for awhile. “So, if you liked someone, you could ask them if they liked you back.”

“Well, yeah, you could, but usually you’d have one of your friends ask them, so if they didn’t like you, you could act like you didn’t really care,” Poe explained. “Like I said, it’s a dumb kid’s game.”

Finn nodded. “What kind of dares?” He’d never experienced the rituals of adolescence that Poe had been lucky enough to participate in, and he’d found that Poe didn’t mind explaining things to him.

Poe leaned back, his ankles crossed. “Stuff like, Run across the backyard naked, or Eat a bug, or Climb up on the roof and crow like a rooster. Just dumb stuff.” He shook his head. “Occasionally someone would come up with something really crazy, like Steal a landspeeder, but only if we were really, really drunk.”

“But … that’s illegal,” Finn said. “Did you and your friends really do stuff like that? What if you got caught?”

Poe laughed. “No, we didn’t … well, a couple of us did, but … we were just dumb kids. Everybody knew we were just blowing off steam.”

Finn was puzzled. “So you didn’t get in trouble?”

“Oh, we got in trouble,” Poe said. “But not seriously. I mean, no one got arrested or anything … I did get grounded a lot.” He smiled.

“Grounded? They wouldn’t let you fly?” That was probably the worst punishment in the galaxy for someone like Poe. Finn couldn’t imagine the man not being able to fly.

“No, buddy, not literally grounded. It means you can’t leave the house except to go to school. Can’t see your friends, no comms from them … lots of parents used grounding as a punishment. Sort of like solitary confinement.”

“We had solitary in the First Order,” Finn said grimly. He still dreamed about it sometimes, that dark little box the trainees got shoved into when they did something unacceptable. The longest he’d ever had to endure was 24 hours, but a couple of his training mates had suffered multiple day internments and they’d never been quite the same afterward.

Poe leaned forward, his face suddenly serious. “Sorry,” he said softly. “I was just trying to lighten the mood, not bring up something …”

Finn waved his hand. “Nah, you’re good.” He forced a smile onto his face, which wasn’t all that hard once he looked at Poe. “So, what other stupid things did you and your friends get up to?”

Poe sat back and regaled him with stories of his youth that Finn suspected were at least slightly exaggerated. If Poe had really done half of what he claimed he and his friends had, it was a miracle he’d survived to adulthood.

Eventually they ate some dinner and took turns washing up in the cramped ‘fresher. The chronometer indicated bedtime, if they were following the time schedule they’d been on back at base, so they decided to turn in.

The bed was larger than a single but not quite big enough to be a double. Finn knew they’d both fit but it would be a tight fit and involve some snuggling. They stood awkwardly in front of the bunk, neither ready to make the first move.

“Big spoon or little spoon,” Poe asked after a long moment.

“What? I don’t see any spoons?”

Poe chuckled and cupped one hand against the other. “Do you want to be the big spoon,” he held up the outside hand, “or the little spoon?” He nestled the inside hand against the other. “Like spoons in a drawer.”

“Oh. Umm, I’m taller so maybe I should be the big spoon?” Finn ventured.

Poe seemed happy to accept that idea and gestured for Finn to get into bed first. He slid back against the wall, leaving as much room for Poe as possible. Once Poe was settled down, there was barely four inches of space between them. Finn didn’t know where to put his hands, and kept them awkwardly pinned to his sides.

“I won’t burst into flames if you touch me,” Poe said. “Relax, Finn.” He shifted back toward Finn just a bit and Finn tentatively draped his arm over Poe’s torso, careful not to touch his hip, even though it was very tempting. “Good night, buddy,” Poe muttered into his pillow.

“Good night,” Finn replied. Only thirteen more nights to go.

****************************

Poe thanked the stars that Finn had suggested he be the big spoon, because Poe was afraid if he was the one snuggled up against Finn’s muscular back, it wouldn’t be long before Finn was aware of just how much Poe admired those muscles and every other part of the former Stormtrooper’s physique. This wasn’t the first time Poe had been sent on a mission with someone he was physically attracted to, but it was the first time where the other person was a close friend, and he didn’t want to screw anything up.

Finn was a fierce fighter, loyal and brave, and quick to learn but in many ways he was incredibly naive. Poe wasn’t sure how much experience the younger man had with simple friendship, let alone romance, and he didn’t want to confuse him or make him feel like he should do something he wasn’t ready for.

To be honest, Poe wasn’t even sure what he was ready for at this point. He knew Finn was important to him; that was abundantly clear when he realized the other man was still alive after the crash on Jakku. But the way Finn talked about his friend Rey, Poe got the impression there was something going on there. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d taken a fancy to someone who wasn’t interested in someone with his, ahem, equipment. He’d learned that lesson the hard way back at the Naval Academy. So for now, he’d just admire from afar and keep his eyes open for any clues that Finn might possibly feel the same way in return. As if I would ever be that lucky, he thought as he drifted off to sleep with Finn’s arm laying lightly across his side.

************************

Finn woke up with his face buried in Poe’s hair and one leg slung over Poe’s hip. The arm he’d carefully draped over Poe’s side was pressed tightly to Poe’s chest, and he could feel the other man’s breath warm against his fingers. It felt weird, but also very right, which made no sense to Finn. He debated whether it was better to extricate himself slowly, trying not to wake Poe up, or whether he should just jump up and hope Poe didn’t realize how intimately they’d been entangled.

In the end, he left it too long and Poe stirred. “Good morning, buddy,” he mumbled, lifting Finn’s arm away from his chest and squirming out from under his leg as if this was a common occurrence. “Dibs on the ‘fresher.” He stood up, stretched, and left the room, leaving Finn lying bewildered. Of course Poe’s woken up in bed with someone before, Finn realized. This isn’t as weird for him as it is for me. Every day brought some new experience that only reiterated to Finn just how unusual his own life had been. So many things people took for granted were new discoveries to him.

By the time Poe returned from the ‘fresher, Finn was sitting up and feeling just about normal. He took his turn in the ‘fresher as Poe got dressed (since they didn’t have a change of clothes, they had hung their shirts and pants over the backs of the cockpit seats to air them out a little bit and slept in their underwear), and by the time he’d gotten dressed himself, Poe had prepared a pot of kaf and laid out some rolls and a pot of jam.

“Thanks,” Finn said, as Poe poured him a cup, adding just enough sugar to counteract the bitterness that Finn was still getting used to. Poe drank his own kaf with no sweetener, but Finn couldn’t do it yet.

They ate breakfast, cleaned up, and then Poe decided to tinker with the ship's controls. He disappeared into the cockpit, his head underneath the dashboard and his feet sticking out past the pilot’s seat. Finn heard a litany of clanks and clunks and screeches punctuated by the occasional swear word.

“Need any help there, buddy?,” he asked.

“Nah, I’m good,” Poe said, his voice muffled from inside the paneling. “Not enough room for more than one person under here, anyway.”

So Finn pulled out a data pad and skimmed the HoloNet for something interesting to watch. Rose had introduced him to the pleasures of cheesy holovids and while most of them were execrable, some were so horribly bad that they were actually hilarious. He found one and spent the rest of the day trying to explain the ridiculous plot to Poe.

They stopped for a late lunch, and then Poe disappeared back under the dash again. Finn got tired of the holovid and downloaded a book to read. It was a historical novel about the Old Republic and kind of dry, but better than the technical manuals he’d been reading recently to get himself up to speed with all of the Resistance technology.

When Poe finally crawled out from under the dashboard, he was smeared with grease and had some dust balls caught in his hair, but he looked happy. “You’re filthy,” Finn said.

“So I’ve been told,” Poe said with a salacious grin.

Finn shook his head. “Just go wash up while I fix us some dinner,” he said. He pulled out a freeze-dried casserole and tossed it in the reconstituter, added a loaf of actual bread to their makeshift table and cracked open two of the beers. When Poe reappeared, his hair damp and falling in ringlets around his face, the casserole was ready and Finn handed him a plate with a generous portion.

They ate in companionable silence, then leaned back in their chairs.

“So,” Finn said, emboldened by the beer. “What other dumb games did you and your friends play?”

Poe laughed. “Ah, the education of Finn in the ways of adolescent stupidity continues,” he said. He swallowed the last of his beer and laid the bottle on the table, giving it a flick so that it spun around. “Spin the Bottle was the dumbest one. I hated that game.”

“What’s Spin the Bottle?”

“You sit in a circle, put a bottle in the middle and someone spins it. Whoever it ends up pointing at, they have to kiss them.” Poe shrugged. “I always found some excuse to leave when it came up. The girls were the ones who liked it.”

“So you just kissed a random person because of a bottle?” Finn said. “That is stupid. What else?”

Poe rubbed his chin. “Let me think … oh, there was Never Have I Ever, that one could be fun.”

Finn finished off his own beer and laid the bottle on the table next to Poe’s. He gave it a lazy flick and it spun slowly until it ended up pointing at Poe. Finn felt a blush rise in his cheeks and was glad his dark complexion hid it. “How … how do you play that one?”

Poe sat forward. “Okay, so you say something you’ve never done before and then anyone who has done that raises their hand, and they get a point. Then the next person says something, and so on, and so on. Whoever has the most points at the end is the winner. And you can’t lie.”

“For example?” Finn asked.

“Um, never have I ever … ridden a tauntaun,” Poe said.

“Neither have I,” Finn admitted.

“Okay, so no points on that one. Your turn.”

“Um, okay … never have I ever stolen a landspeeder.” Poe sheepishly raised his hand. Finn laughed, “I knew it!”

“All right, all right,” Poe said. “But that means I’m winning.” He reached into the closest cupboard and pulled out a bottle of the alien liquor and two small cups. He poured them each a shot. “And how we invoke rule number 78: any time one of us raises his hand, we have to take a shot.” He slid one cup toward Finn and raised the other to his lips, tossing it back. Finn picked up his own cup and sniffed dubiously. Poe raised his eyebrows in challenge and Finn gulped the shot, nearly choking himself in the process.

“What the kriff…,” he spluttered. “That stuff is nasty!”

“Yeah, but it makes you feel so good,” Poe said, pouring out two more shots. “My turn. Never have I ever worn a Stormtrooper helmet.”

Finn laughed. “Got me,” he said, raising his hand. “I think I get the point of this game. You try to think of something you haven’t done that the other person has.” He stopped, the liquor already starting to muddle his brain. “No, wait, but if the person has done it, they get a point, so you should actually try to say something you think they haven’t done, right?”

Poe drank his shot and shook his head. “No, you’re missing the point entirely,” he said. “The point is … to get stinking drunk.”

Finn lifted his own cup and downed the shot as quickly as he could. “So the points don’t matter,” he said.

“Exactly,” Poe said, refilling their cups. “Your turn.”

“Um … never have I ever flown an X-wing.”

They went on in this manner for several turns, until Finn was pleasantly warm and his eyes were having a hard time staying focused. “Your … your turn,” he told Poe.

Poe was sprawled in his chair, one leg slung casually over the arm. He raised his cup and waved it unsteadily in the air. “Never have I ever … kissed a girl,” he said.

Finn froze. “Wait, what?”

“Never have I ever kissed a girl,” Poe repeated. “Go on, raise your hand so I can take a drink.”

Finn was confused. “Okay, yeah, but … are you seriously telling me that you, Poe Dameron, the poster boy of the Resistance, has never kissed a girl?”

“Yep,” Poe said. “And I know you have, because I saw Rose kiss you on Crait, so one point to you, my friend.” He tossed back his drink.

“Well,” Finn said slowly, “technically I haven’t kissed a girl, because yeah, Rose kissed me, but she was the one who started it, I mean she kissed me, not the other way around …” He was babbling but he couldn’t shut up.

Poe sat up. “What about Rey?”

“What about Rey?” Finn was even more confused now. “I’ve never kissed Rey. And she’s never kissed me. And why haven’t you ever kissed a girl, I mean, come on … oh!” His brain finally clicked into gear. “Really?”

Poe nodded. “Really,” he said, setting down his cup. Finn got the feeling the game was over.

Finn nodded himself. “Okay, this makes sense. I mean, a lot of things make so much sense now …”

“Like what?” Poe asked guardedly.

“Like some things your friends have said,” Finn said. “Or the looks I get when I’m wearing your jacket … do people think we’re … you know?”

Poe shrugged. “Probably. Maybe. Does it matter?”

“No,” Finn answered truthfully. In fact, the idea of other people thinking he and Poe Dameron were … it made him feel all warm and tingly inside.

“So,” Poe said. “That kiss with Rose. Was that your first one?”

“Yeah,” Finn admitted. “She kind of surprised me. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be, to be honest.”

“Because it wasn’t Rey?”

“No,” Finn said. “Rey and I are just friends. It just … I mean, I know kissing is supposed to be nice but it was just kind of … awkward.”

Poe scooted his chair closer and Finn was suddenly very aware of his lips as he opened them to speak. “Is this awkward?”

“Um, no, not really,” Finn said, moving his own chair closer without taking his eyes off of Poe’s face.

“Good,” said Poe. He leaned forward and took Finn’s face gently in his hands before pressing their lips together. For just a moment, Finn was frozen in place, and then he was returning the kiss and it was nothing like what he’d experienced with Rose.

Poe pulled back and looked Finn in the eyes. “Definitely not awkward,” Finn breathed. Poe grinned and leaned back in for another kiss, this one a bit more heated.

“Um, I think it’s my turn,” Finn said when Poe finally leaned back again.

“We’re still playing?”

“Yeah,” Finn said, reaching out to run his fingers through Poe’s still damp hair. “Never have I ever … had sex.”

The smile that crept across Poe’s face as he raised his hand made Finn melt inside. “I think it’s time we adjourn to the bedroom,” Poe said, his voice a little shaky.

“Agreed,” said Finn. As they stood up, he added, “I kind of like this game.”

************************************

This time Poe woke up first. His head was a bit muzzy from the alcohol, but he wasn’t technically hung over. Finn, on the other hand, might be a bit worse for wear this morning, and not just because of the booze. As Poe’s mind cleared he remembered exactly what they’d gotten up to last night, and he hoped there would be no regrets. Finn was new to drinking and that stuff was pretty powerful.

Oh, kriff, I hope he doesn’t think I took advantage of him. He sat up suddenly, which woke up Finn. “Hey,” Finn said lazily, reaching up to pull Poe back down next to him. “Where’re you going?” His eyes were bleary but Poe saw no anger in them, just a softness that made him relax into Finn’s arms.

“Nowhere,” he said. “I just … kind of startled myself awake, I guess.”

Finn yawned and started playing with Poe’s hair. “Uh, Finn,” Poe said, “are we okay? I mean, last night …”

Finn stopped him with a kiss. “Last night was very … gosh, Poe I don’t even have the words for what last night was.” He laughed. “I … never knew what all the fuss was about … you know.”

Poe laughed back. “Yeah, I know.” He snuggled closer. “Oh, buddy, you don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this.”

“Since Tadokana?”

“How’d you know?”

“The jacket. And the way you hugged me,” Finn said. “It was … different than hugging Rey. Better.”

“Definitely better,” Poe said, wrapping his arms tightly around Finn’s waist and pulling him close. They skipped breakfast that morning.

**********************************

The rest of the quarantine went by quickly. Poe finished the repairs and even a few small upgrades to the ship, and Finn read two novels, but they spend most of the time learning about each other. And by the time the droid woke up and announced they could leave the ship to complete their mission, they walked hand and hand down the ramp.

Three hours later, they had collected Leia’s precious cargo, stashed it in the back and were ready to blast off. “Think anyone will be surprised?,” Finn asked as Poe maneuvered the ship into space and set a course for the jump off point.

“Honestly, no,” he answered. “Like you said, the whole jacket thing …” He winked and Finn chuckled deeply. Stars, I love that laugh, Poe thought.

They sat quietly, holding hands, while the ship flashed through hyperspace. Poe had to use both hands to pilot the ship back to base once they dropped back into normal space, but once they had landed, his hand slipped back into Finn’s.

Of course, Leia was there to greet them as they left the ship and he saw her eyes dart immediately to their hands. One eyebrow arched elegantly and Poe simply shrugged at her. “What’d you expect to happen?,” he said quietly.

“Exactly that,” she replied. “I was getting tired of waiting for you two to figure things out. Besides, I had this week in the pool and I hate to lose a bet.” She turned away to supervise the unloading of the cargo.

“And that’s why she’s the General,” Rey said, appearing at Finn’s side with a smirk on her face.

“Were you in on this bet, too?” Poe asked.

“Of course,” she said. “Practically the whole base was.” She laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Just because you two are oblivious doesn’t mean the rest of us are.”

She kissed them both on the cheek. “I’m happy for you,” she said. “Just don’t start making out in public. That’s gross.” She rolled her eyes and walked away.

“I don’t know about you, but I take that as a challenge,” Poe said.

“Challenge accepted,” Finn said, putting his arm around Poe. “Let’s go practice.”

[red1culous]

Ice Cold.

“NATASHA!” 

“NATASHA!”

“NAT WHERE ARE YOU?!”

You knew shouting was pointless. The blizzard that brought freezing winds that nipped at your minimally exposed flesh and snow that assaulted you almost horizontally swallowed all your cries. 

You were frantically searching for Natasha in a sea of nothing with only a flashlight and a headlamp for illumination. You may as well have been blind, visibility was down to just 1 metre before the inky blackness of night swallowed everything. You refused to entertain the idea that this search was in vain and could end in 2 members of the Avengers dead.

Only 3 hours ago you and Natasha had been sent on a mission to Iceland to collect some ‘sensitive data’. It was one of those get-in-get-out jobs that either of you could have done with your eyes closed. No-one knew that the supposedly empty factory was in fact a fully operational Hydra biological warfare laboratory. The two of you would have been able to deal with this situation easily if it were not for Natasha hopping onto a snowmobile and dashing after a Hydra operative in the worst snowstorm in a decade.

“He has the files…I’m going after him” she said before her comms cut off.

“Hill did you get that? I’m going after her” 

“No Y/N stay put we’re 10 minutes out”

“That’s too long she’ll be lost out there”

“We have no way of finding you out there! Stay put that’s an order”

“Sorry Hill I can’t leave her. You can kick my ass when you find us”

That’s how you found yourself standing beside her overturned snowmobile shouting her name. Tying a rope to the vehicle you ventured away from it still shouting for her even though your throat was hoarse. You were pretty sure there were tears falling from your eyes…if only you could feel your face.

Just as you were about to lose hope you see something. It looks like a lump on the ground and you approach it holding your breath. It’s Natasha lying face up with her eyes open. She looks peaceful and for once since you two became an item you hated how peaceful she looked.

You start thumping your fists on her chest over and over. And over and over. And over and over until finally she blinks. Right now you’re babbling incoherently overjoyed that you weren’t too late. With the adrenaline coursing through your body you grab the shovel strapped across your back and start digging into the snow. 

“Maria I really hope you can see this” you say to yourself as you throw a grenade into the snowmobile setting it on fire.

You dig and dig like a madman while glancing off and on at Natasha hoping that she holds on just a while longer. You’ve never dug a hole so fast in your life. And when you're finally done you can no longer feel your arms or legs but you will yourself to drag her lifeless body into the snow shelter. 

Inside the snow cave you strip Natasha off her clothes while checking for injuries. Satisfied that she was reasonably unscathed you start to undress yourself and lay down beside her hugging her chest to yours. You cross her limp left arm under your right one as you rub your hand across the length of her back hoping to generate some heat to her body. It feels like you’re hugging a block of ice but at least you can feel the faint thud thud thud of her heart beating against yours.

“Babe, listen. You need to get up ok”

Silence.

“Hill is sending a team over and we need to be dressed before they get here”

Silence.

“I’m not wearing my good undies and I swear if anyone sees me in these tatty ones…”

You think you heard something.

“Babe? Hey can you say something?”

Silence.

“Or just move your arm a little? Please...just do something”

Silence.

“You can’t leave me ok. You’d better come back or I swear to God you will never hear the end of this”

…

…

…

“hmmph...I…omf…”

It’s so faint you almost miss it for the howling of the winds outside.

“Nat!…babe…hey...say that again”

“S’cold”

“I know, I know. Listen Steve is coming soon ok. You’re alright, I got you, you’re safe ok”

“I…l-l-like…”

“What Nat, what do you like?”

You hold her to you even closer and for the first time since you dragged her into the ice cave she pulls herself tighter into your chest.

“Y-y-your un-underwuh-wear”

[writing-in-april]

Last Name

Vague Poe Dameron x Gender Neutral reader 

Starring- Reader, Hux, Poe (mentioned)

Warnings- Torture, blood, swearing, guns, normal Star Wars content just a little bloodier

A/N- This is a new fandom for me to write for so here’s to branching out! I’ll still post for Spencer Reid hopefully once a week but I have a bunch of other things I’d like to write for as well!! Thank you Discord for helping me with this especially my beta readers @agntprentiss @fanficlibrary82 and @onedirectionfansarelegends​ (This was the only way I could tag her for some reason) This idea literally came to me in a dream and I just had to write it down (it was supposed to be a blurb then came out to be 2k words 🤷‍♀️) Requests are open!! @april-14-blog​ is my main blog where I reblog smut and fluff.

My head felt like it was on fire, that was the first thought that shot through my head as I came to. I struggled to pry open my eyes, it felt as if I had the weight of a starsystem pulling them closed.

Slowly my senses started coming back to me, I could tell I was strapped to a metal chair with binders around both of my wrists. They were bound tight, tight enough that I could feel the harsh metal digging into my flesh. I must’ve been captured from my latest mission for the resistance, though I could barely recall the details. All I could evoke from my memory was landing on the planet Kashyyyk, I was supposed to meet up with a spy who had critical information for new hyperspace lanes.

Suddenly the metal panel slid open snapped me out of my memories. The harsh scraping of metal on metal setting my teeth on edge. The anticipation of who was going to walk through was like sitting on needles and the hairs of my neck where standing straight up. My eyes were still adjusting to the harsh lighting that was casting varied shadows throughout the room. A silhouette came into my view and I could immediately tell who it was even without being able to see the details of his figure.

General Hux, a smarmy high ranking officer of the First Order. Well at least it wasn’t Kylo Ren.

“Y/N Y/L/N data analyst for the resistance.” Hux sneered from the shadows. “We have a whole file on you, you hold key information about resistance tactics and locations. Resistance is futile, just give us the data” he stepped forward which allowed me to take in his slimy appearance. His eyes looked dead, no emotion was given away, I knew there was no weaseling my way out of this. I’d have to fight my way out.

I completely blocked out Hux’s voice, letting it play in the background like a broken audiobulb, which helped me absorb the blows that started coming at my stomach from a stormtrooper. Eventually they moved up to my upper shoulders and face when it was clear they were getting no reaction from me.

My mouth was steadily filling with crimson blood, which gave me an idea to further goad the general. I spit the blood at Hux spraying his face scarlet and delivered a devilish insult.

“Eat my shit, you flaccid son of of a street whore” I said with a bloody smirk, he was going to have to try harder if he wanted to get me to speak.

“You rebel scum” he spat out at me. Then with a raised fist he punched me in the nose with a sickening crack. “You’ll never leave here, you’ll rot in a cell. Even if you do attempt to escape it’s not like you know how to fly. We’re in the middle of deep space and you’re just a simple analyst.” He taunted at me, this was subtle confirmation that the pilot I came with was dead, at least it wasn’t Poe I thought selfishly.

Through the threshold of my cell a probe droid came through, I started to unconsciously squirm, I knew what was coming next. The black floating sphere droid hovered over to me and shot out a syringe which was surely filled with something they were sure would make me talk.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way” Hux sneered out- Kriff I wish he’d just shut his mouth. “What where you doing orbiting Kashyyyk?”

I shook my head in defiance, I didn’t care about pain, I just cared about the survival of the resistance.

“Very well” he grumbled before waving the torture droid towards me. The needle pricked my right forearm giving me a slice of the pain that was to come. It didn’t creep up on me, but hit me with full force, making me feel as if fire was running through my veins. Hux started screaming at me again to try and pry out the information, even though whatever they injected into me didn’t let me form a single thought. My eyes started to give way- I didn’t know if I was going to pass out or die- just that I needed to do something to escape the burning pain. Relief flooded through my veins as the galaxy around me faded to black.

———————

When I came to again my head was pulsing harder then before, plus there was a sharp ringing in my ears. Pushing my pain aside I promptly started to look for an escape route. Then I remembered how Poe and I had gotten out of being captured by Weequans on Felucia. I prepared myself to scream out to the troopers, I’ll fake being sick and hopefully they’ll let their guard down.

“Help please!” I shouted in the most convincing scream I could managet. “I’m going to throw up! You’ll have to clean it up if you don’t give me a bucket or something!!!”

The two stormtroopers stationed outside finally relented and opened the door with another whoosh. They clambered in obviously miffed that they would have to deal with me. One unlocked the binders and forcefully pulled them off me, giving some relief to my already bruised wrists. They shoved me out of the cell out towards the refresher that was reserved for prisoners.

“Hurry up.” The second one snapped at me in a brusque tone while they shoved me through the door.

I assessed my surroundings trying to find anything to gain the upper hand, sadly it seemed as if I would have to use brute force to escape. I hunched over the toilet pretending to make a gagged sound and called for one of them to help me again. Swiftly I kicked the trooper’s legs out from under them and grabbed his blaster, the second immediately put his hands up knowing that I had the upper hand. I decided to spare the two, by knocking them out with the butt of the blaster.

My legs were burning as I ran out of the detention block with black spots dancing around my vision but, I wouldn’t let myself stop for anything, I needed to get home. The Star destroyer I had gotten myself stranded on had an unnecessary amount of seemingly useless hallways. I was certain I had gotten lost in the deep dispensable cesspool, I had barely even run into any troopers, seemingly signaling that I was off course. Finally I saw the light of a hangar bag coming into view, then of course the alarm went off painting the col clinical hallways a deep red. They must’ve realized that I had escaped, my poor legs were close to giving up, the stress of being tortured had nearly beaten me into submission. Yet I willed myself further as I came in through the hangar doors, troopers were running around looking in every nook and cranny trying to find their lost prisoner. I hid my frame behind a stack of crates and peeled my eyes for a ship to pilot.

My pupils fixated on a tie fighter around the bend that luckily had no troopers snooping about. I made a mad dash towards the open hatch of the ship and hopped inside. Buttons and switches adorned the small ship looking slightly foreign to me. Instead of worrying about taking off I tried to apply basic flight knowledge that Poe taught to me and I got the ship hovering off the ground.

The troopers finally realized what was happening and started to fire at the ship, even though the tethering cable was still attached I grabbed the controls to swerve around incoming fire. I swung around until the end of the tethering cable came into my sights, I quickly swiveled over to the blaster controls. Aiming expertly I shot down the only thing holding me back from leaving this Sarlacc pit. I made my way back to the piloting controls and quickly passed through the exit out into deep space. Several tie fighters followed me trying to shoot me down as a crackling came through the comms.

“You’ll never outrun us!” Hux shouted through the comms, they must’ve still been connected through the enemy ships.

“Are you so sure about that Hux?!” My shaky hands were attempting to program the coordinates of the D’Qar base into the navicomputer which was harder without an astromech to aide me.

“Even if you did escape the star destroyer Y/L/N you wouldn’t get very far- you’re no pilot” his voice like steel scraping through the comms.

“ Did you know my name isn’t Y/L/N anymore Hux?” I mocked as I prepared to jump into hyperspace, I had him right where I wanted him.

“The name’s Dameron, Hugs” I slammed down the hyperspace lever and blasted off ready to go back to my husband who taught me how to fly.

[moodays]

Suicide Squad: Chapter 1

Happy Holidays @zealousdelusional!!

Here’s your gift for the @exolssecretsanta​ 2020! You mentioned liking superhero aus so I wrote a suicide squad au for you! I have so many more easter eggs (OT12!!! 👀 👀 👀 ) and references that I couldn’t fit in here because I’m an incredibly slow writer and I have no time management skills. 

(You also mentioned you liked darker concepts and gore and I rly tried to write some, but its not going so well right now, so you’ll have to wait a few more days for me to finish those parts. BUT I will definitely update you with the rest of the story!)

In any case, here you go!

Description:  Commander Junmyeon recruits Xiumin, known as the villian Killer Frost, to deal with a disturbance on their radar. Turns out, Xiumin’s advice is not what the team initially had in mind.

Word Count: 1k — short and sweet!

Warnings: possible gore and violence in upcoming parts.

The storm from the night before had left a snowy blanket as a present atop the mountain range. The blinding white laid starkly against the dark brick and dull metal of the building hidden in the rocks of the northeastern side of the mountain slope. It was almost serene with the glittering landscape and occasional breeze sweeping up a gust of powdery snow. Inside the fortress base, however, the environment could not be more chaotic.

Flashing red lights painted themselves on the walls of the hallway. Voices urgently bellowed out to each other, and people in dark uniforms dashed from room to room. An officer scurried out of the comms room and dashed down the metal stairs to the main foyer. Pivoting sharply to his right, he raced through the maze of corridors before approaching a large metal door at the end of a hall. He clutched a manila folder tightly in his left hand and slammed his right onto a touch pad. It chirped softly after scanning his palm and the heavy door slid open, revealing the blue illuminated room within. 

“Commander!” His voice echoed in the large war room, and the two people sitting at the long table in the center of the chamber turned at the sound. The officer’s footsteps tapped lightly as he rapidly walked towards them, saluting in acknowledgement. The figure at the end of a long table stood as he neared, his black hair swept neatly to one side and the rows of badges glinting in the light on his uniform.

“Lieutenant Commander Sehun,” Commander Junmyeon smiled kindly and accepted the folder from the hands of his lieutenant. He furrowed his brow and scanned the contents of the files, setting pages down on the table as he finished for the rest of the group to see.

“We’ve located the source of the disturbance, sir,” Sehun reported, slightly out of breath. He straightened his uniform and then pointed to a spot on the map in the file. “The Joker has set up some sort of base in a facility in the depths of Gotham City. It’s kind of small here, but—actually hold on” Sehun rummaged through his commander’s pocket and pulled out a tablet.

“Hey, you should ask first!” Junmyeon scolded lightly-almost endearingly. His eyes and hands were still busy with the file, but nonetheless he never let go of the chance to chide his second in command. 

“Come on, Sehun. Show us what you need to show us,” Officer Yixing gestured from his seat to the right of Junmyeon, used to the antics of his colleagues. Sehun pulled up a map on the large screen behind Junmyeon and zoomed in on a decrepit lot.

“This is where we believe the Joker and the few prisoners he had managed to break out of Arkham Asylum last month are hiding out.”

“Hmm. This is Batman’s territory, though.” muttered Junmyeon.

Yixing sighed. “Yeah, it would be a hassle to execute a covert operation under Batman’s radar.”

“Well. That’s the thing,” Sehun cleared his throat. “Batman gave us this tip himself. This is where Joker and his accomplices are conspiring to rip into the space-time continuum. We should send out a team to elimin—”

“They would never willingly conspire with the Joker.” A soft voice sliced through the air. All heads turned toward the man leaning against the wall. His ice-cold voice rang out in contrast to his gentle look and cat-like eyes. With a gummy smile, Xiumin pushed off the wall with his foot and ambled towards the group. He hopped onto the table and sat cross legged in front of the commander. 

“The three prisoners that the Joker had taken in addition to Harley.” Xiumin simply stated. His bright, cyan outfit looked out of place-and rightly so-amongst the dark uniforms of the officers. “I’ve worked with these guys before. They hate his guts. If there’s any form of disturbance originating from their powers, it's being done against their wishes.” 

“Killer Frost, I know they’re your friends, but we can’t ignore the fact that they are villains still.” Sehun raised an eyebrow disapprovingly at the contract killer sitting casually on top of their war table. 

“Not friends,” Xiumin wagged a finger at him lazily, small snowflakes appearing at his fingertip like a brush painting the air with ice. “Co-workers. We villains don’t trust each other any more than you do me. But I do understand their mindset and work ethic. They are vigilantes, not greedy, evil psychopaths like the Joker.”

“Work ethic,” Sehun scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Junmyeon, we need to contain this mess before it gets out of hand. And sending in a team to neutralize all villains in there is the safest way to get this done.”

“You guys hired me.” Xiumin stretched and sat back on his hands. “Don’t come crying to me when your plan backfires, and you force the trio into allying with Joker to survive.” He stared straight at Junmyeon, who all this time had not lifted his head once. 

There was a minute’s pause as Junmyeon continued to rummage through the papers. Finally, he raised his gaze and nodded at Killer Frost. “What do you suggest then?”

Sehun’s eyes bugged at his commander’s words, and the ice villain smiled again, revealing his gums.

“A rescue squad. With familiar faces that won’t spook them.” Xiumin reached over to the telephone and pushed it towards Junmyeon. “You know the ones.”

Sehun balked at his suggestion. “Commander, I must insist. This is way too risky. His ‘buddies’ are—” 

“Done.” Junmyeon folded his arms and stared down at Killer Frost. “But you will lead the team and Officer Yixing will accompany. If any of your comrades attacks Yixing, you will terminate them. If any of your comrades betrays us, you will terminate them. If any of your comrades act up in any way shape or form, you will terminate them. And then you will have me to deal with personally. Understand?” 

Xiumin grinned. “Oh, Yixing can handle his own. But don’t worry. It’s under control.”

Junmyeon smiled back at him, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He grabbed the phone off the receiver. 

“Get me Waller on the phone. We’re getting a shipment from Belle Reve.”