#n also if the series was well written he could use his death as a form of propaganda

[cat-soap-opera]

tbh i think that tigerstar wouldnt be even that mad abt scourge killing him in the end bc the way he did it was so brutal that he has to respect it. like it was pretty cunty.

[twstfanblog]

*~Period Drama~* Monday-Extended

A/N: SCREAMS EVEN LOUDER. So excited to share this with you guys! Sorry it took me so long to update the series, I took a winter break along with getting ill on the first fucking day of the new year. Another thank you to @bun-lapin for allowing me to use their lovely OCs for this fic series! I love them so much and I'm having so much fun playing with them! Word Count: 6K (This is literally just half the part omfg...) Warnings: She/They Pronouns OC, (Poorly written fight scene, Lilia) Pairings: YuuxJamilxAzulxMalleus (Poly) ~Taglist(Oh wow this got big) @twistedcece @deltrea @krenenbaker @koebishrimpuwu @cat100200 @emyluwinter @obsessionswithfandoms @ady-hilborn @lucid-stories @girl-nahh-two @itz-hydrodeptus-foxy7 @chyluna @riddlesimps @death-the-jo @a-twistedheartslonging @qixlin @chaosistheonlyway @welcome-to-my-horde @abell2029cluster @kirans-wonderland @coffee-or-hot-cocoa @the-ace-reader @iamsoconfusedallofthetime Start, Part 2 (Octavinelle), Part 3 (Heartslabyul), Part 4 (Savanaclaw), Part 4.5 (Here), Part 5 (Diasomnia pt.2), Part 6 (Pomefiore)

Silver was concerned, he could say that truthfully now.

He sat beside Malleus, the horned fae sitting between him and his father pouting. Across from them were Sebek and his friends, minus Yuu and Ortho. The fact the prefect was missing from the ensemble being the reason Malleus was pouting again.

Early Saturday morning, Yuu had contacted Malleus and canceled their planned weekend outings. Only stating they weren't feeling up to doing much for the weekend due to a surprise occurrence, promising to see him on Monday during lunch. Bad news that was only doubled by their dorm advisor telling Malleus he was forbidden to enter Ramshackle grounds until further notice. Silver could still remember the sound of Malleus' dejected cello playing, the chords seeming to echo through all of Diasomnia as the rain outside nearly flooded the dorm. 

Lilia had managed to improve Malleus’ mood that morning with the fact he was going to see Yuu soon. Only to have his hopes crushed once again at Epel's sheepish explanation that Yuu was still sick. And now the incomplete ‘Firstie Squad’ all squished onto one long couch while he, Lilia, and a sulking Malleus sat on another.

The longer the silence lasted, the longer Silver had a chance to really observe Sebek. As his father was busy keeping Malleus from throwing a tantrum, Silver watched Sebek sit with absolute poise and hands clasped together so tight he feared for his bones. Sebek also refused to look him in the eyes, a bead of sweat keeping a trembling presence on his temple as he kept completely silent. A feat that Silver realized the half-fae had managed since early Saturday evening…

Jack had been quick to state they were skipping 3rd period because Sebek wasn't feeling well, bringing him back to the dorm to keep him company since no one was allowed at Ramshackle. Deuce had noticed him when they entered the dorm, doing a double take with wide eyes as he mumbled about him being a second year under his breath. He asked him frantically, hands grasping tight to his shoulders, if he was also sick, if he had been to the school that day. Silver slowly explained that; no, he had not. He chose to stay in the dorm in an effort to right his internal clock. A task his father and Malleus had been helping with since the 3rd years didn't have classes until after lunch that day.

Just as the grandfather clock chimed, indicating the start of the lunch period, Malleus stood from the couch with a sigh, “Enough waiting. If my lover is ill and unable to attend school, I can simply gather their work and bring it to them.”

Lilia giggles, standing along with Malleus as they start to walk toward the massive double doors leading out of the dorm, “A wonderful idea, Malleus! And since you'll already be there it's not out of the question to sit and visit with them. I'm sure some tea and conversation is just what they need-”

“NO!”

Everyone jumps, staring wide-eyed at Sebek's almost screeching outburst. The half-fae sat more hunched in on himself, shoulders up to his ears as he looked down in embarrassment at the desperate voice crack that echoed through the room. Silver only felt his concern growing as he saw how flushed Sebek's face was getting, as if he was struggling to physically hold something in, “Sebek…Are you okay?”

Epel chimes in, eyes wide in what Silver could only call panic, as he leaned to block their view of Sebek, “That's right! Sebek's sick! You guys should, like, stay and help us heal him up or whatever!”

Malleus and Lilia share a glance before Lilia addresses the freshmen, “Sebek seems to have more than enough support with you four. Add on Silver and I'm sure no illness will last long.”

With a soft smile, Malleus holds a hand out to address Sebek, “As a show of our bond, I will gather your work as well, Sebek. I know you wouldn't want poor health to interrupt your studies.”

Malleus turns away to walk toward the door, only to freeze mid-step at the truly pathetic-sounding whine that echoes through the air. The fae turns back around, eyes wide as he looks at Sebek curled into himself and trying to hide his entire being the best he could in Ace’s lap, “...Sebek?”

Lilia steps forward, worry slowly bleeding onto his face as he taps his chin, “Maybe I can stay back a bit longer and make you some nice and healthy stew…?”

Malleus and Silver share a more concerned look at the idea of Lilia's cooking. Silver makes quick glances at the door as a silent plea for Malleus to escape and bring back some form of relief.

“Perhaps I should find madame Oster or professor Crewel to secure a tonic for Sebek…and lunch of our guests-”

Deuce feels Sebek's panicked grasp on his arm. The half fae too embarrassed to possibly make another sound but begging them to help him keep Malleus from entering the school, “DRACONIA-SENPAI! YOU SHOULD STAY AND READ SEBEK A BEDTIME STORY INSTEAD! T-TO MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER!” By the Seven, he's so sorry, Sebek…

“...” Malleus looks to the side, pondering the idea with honest intensity, “Well, I'm not opposed…”

CLICK-CLUNK

Everyone turns, watching the massive front doors of the dorm slowly have their locks twisted shut. Intricate designs coming alive and moving across the wood and stone to turn the ominous castle into an inescapable prison. In front of the doors stood Hui-Yan, dorm advisor to Diasomnia, clipping the black metal key back to her hip before she turned to the group with a stern expression, “No one is leaving the dorm until further notice.”

Lilia looks at Hui-Yan with wide eyes, ruby irises glancing at the now magically barricaded doors and windows before drifting back to the eastern woman, “Why…?”

“Because, I said so.”

Silver couldn't see it, but he knows his father's eye twitched.

Hui-Yan was the dorm advisor to Diasomnia, something he wasn't entirely sure if his father actually agreed with. The Eastern woman was a threat in all aspects; beautiful, deadly, and cold. Though some (Sebek) spoke ill of how she wielded her power over the dorm, none of them could deny the woman was an icon of nobility, even without a formal title. She was also his and Sebek's personal close combat tutor. How his father convinced her of it he'd never know. But, he would like to have moments without the near-constant threat of being ambushed on his way to the bathroom in the middle of the night…

“I just don't see why we're not allowed out of the dorm. Have we done something wrong, dear advisor?” Lilia walked closer to Hui-Yan, a tight smile on his lips as he openly stared at the key latched to her hip.

“Are you questioning my authority, Vanrouge?”

“...” Lilia took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he leaned away from the golden-eyed teacher, “No ma'am.” Lilia knew he couldn't risk a bunch of impressionable teen boys getting the idea that mutiny was an accepted idea in any form…

“I should hope not. So as I said, no one is allowed out of the dorm until further notice.” she gestures to the empty space beside both of them, “Stand aside.”

Lila stepped over, a tight smile on his face as he let her walk past him, “...” his smile turns teasing, “But…since this does deal with the future of the Draconia bloodline, I believe I outrank you in this matter, so~...”

In a move faster than any of them could follow, Lilia closed the distance between himself and Hui-Yan. He quickly snatched the key from the loop on her hip, only pulling away a few inches before her hand was gripping his wrist.

She glared at Lilia's jovial expression, trying to tug the fae's hand closer only to find resistance, “Release the key, Vanrouge.”

“Nope~.”

Hui-Yan's eyes seem to glow as she snarls, leaning closer to growl in Lilia's face, “Release it…”

“Oh!” Lilia leans in just as close, his teasing smile turning into an almost seductive smirk as he growled back, voice deepening, “Are we growling now?”

“What the fuck?” Ace quietly spoke from couches, the other students in the room watching the display with uncomfortable expressions.

Silver catches eyes with Malleus. While the first years were preoccupied watching the growing struggle between Lilia and their increasingly angered dorm advisor, Silver made quick glances toward the side of the lounge area. While the key locked down the dorm so to speak, it left a single side entrance open for exit only. A small fact that his father had shared once he and Sebek started to search for Malleus at night.

Malleus perks up, smiling in thanks at Silver before looking over his shoulder. Lilia and Hui-Yan had escalated to nearly flinging the other around in an effort to gain control of the key. At a decently brutal slam Lilia took to the floor, yet he didn't release his hold on the key, Malleus took that as his sign to exit stage left.

He had just barely walked out of the room, a pep in his step as he fantasized about how happy his dearest lover would be to see him. Turning the corner he jumped as a voice nearly rivaling Sebek's rang out.

“MALLEUS IS LEAVING!”

Malleus doubles back to glare at the panicked-looking wolf beastman. He'd certainly remember to attend the next dorm lead meeting, if only to speak to Leona about his supposed standards for tattle-tales in his dorm. But, his glare as cut off as he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, Hui-Yan had him in her sights. He moved back behind the corner, teleporting to the door to gain as much distance as he could from the infuriated woman.

His hand touched the knob, nearly crushing it in his surprise as the doors leading to the small entryway burst open as Lilia's body flew through the air. Malleus looks on in mild horror as Lilia rolls on the floor, the older fae groaning as he slowly stood to his feet. With his sensitive hearing, he knew Hui-Yan was somehow not far behind.

“Should…I stay?”

Lilia laughed wildly, shaking off his jacket and loosening his tie as he cracked his neck side to side, “Worry not! I can handle her just fine…” Lilia dropped to the floor, positioned to start a sprint as he smiled to Malleus, “Say hello to Yuu for me, okay?”

Hui-Yan slammed the half-closed doors open, eyes blazing, “MALLE-UGH!”

Malleus watched with wide eyes as Lilia made a full tackle to Hui-Yan's stomach. The force of it enough to send them both flying through the doorway and crashing a good few feet down the hall. He stands in almost stunned surprise watching the two of them punch and tumble along the floor in a flurry of movement.

…

Well, it'd do him no good to stay there…

Malleus opened the door, casting one last concerned look to Lilia seemingly fighting for his life before he was off toward the school.

Stepping through the mirror, Malleus stopped beside a group of passing beastmen. He could barely raise his hand in greeting before the cat beastman gained a look of pure horror. He grabbed at his posse, shoving and dragging the other stunned and fearful-looking beastmen with him into the Heartslabyul mirror.

“...” He huffs, turning away and continuing his journey toward the school. He thought his reputation had improved. Of course, it wasn't enough for students to openly walk up and speak to him, but he could at least wave without them running in fear of his stature. Maybe he also needed to speak to Riddle…

The short walk to the main building only soured his mood more, students left and right were practically diving to leave his line of sight. He could slightly understand why, his expression must have been terrifying to have a passing canine Ignihyde student completely crumble to his knees. The dog beastman simply muttering to himself ‘Game over, game over.’

If this was a game, Malleus was not enjoying it. Just as the school building came into view, a scent seemed to tickle at his senses. Inhaling deep it was as if time itself stood still. He stopped at the base of the stairs, eyes staring unblinking at the looming castle in front of him. The smell was sweet, like fresh ripe fruits ready to be plucked from branches and eaten. A spice of some type of pepper, spicy and a hinted flavor to accompany the fruit’s juices. A flower he could not name, but so delicate in its scent he always feared breathing it in too harshly. The scent of his child of man, his dearest love and future partner for life.

And the second scent, the one that coated that first like the inky black tar of blot. Iron, heavy, rusted, and fresh. Blood, he smelled his love and blood.

He barely noticed, eyes locked on the school,  how the clouds gathered and darkened the sky. He entered the building, his storm slowly overtaking the sun with volatile green flashes trapped inside it. He didn't even care for the fear that was thick in the air at his presence, he needed to trace the scent of his poor injured lover.

Following the trail, he swings open a door and growls as his eyes scan the room. Professors looked up in surprise at his entrance, mugs frozen in the air at mid-sip. But he doesn't find Yuu. His growl grew in severity, electricity crackling around his body before he turned and slammed the door back closed behind him, ignoring the sounds of panic from within the room. The scent still went further into the school, then the field, then back into the school. Each new location giving him no relief from the maddening scent.

Opening a door only to be greeted with an empty classroom, Malleus let out a completely horrific growl. The sound of it almost clicking in his throat as it echoed vaguely in the air. His horns felt warm, the ridges slowly gaining a violent green glow as his worry steadily morphed into anger.

“...can't let him find out.”

“I'm aware, Jamil, but Lilia isn't answering and I can't distract him if I don't know where he is.”

Malleus's eyes snap to the corner, standing still as both Jamil and Azul walked around the corner. Azul was typing furiously on his phone, panic clear in eyes and nearly running into Malleus's prone form. Luckily, Jamil was still aware of his surroundings to stop Azul from walking into the ticking time bomb that was Malleus Draconia. 

Azul looks up as Jamil tugs him back, eyes widening as what little color he had drained from his face. He's quick to plaster a wide smile on his face, clasping his hands together as if he was trying to pray for mercy, “Draconia-San! What a…lovely surprise! I wasn't aware you were…going to be in school today…”

“...” He couldn't smell Yuu on either of them, not more than he normally could. Not to mention the smell of blood was just too strong for Malleus to fully focus on his ‘lovers in law’. As they stood in silence, Malleus waited for them to answer his unasked question. When they didn't, he hissed out, “Where?”

Azul perks up with a questioning hum, ignoring Jamil’s frantic grip to the back of his jacket, “Where…is what, Draconia-San?”

“Yuu, where is Yuu?”

“Yuu! Ah…ahahaha…well…you see…maybe we could sit outside and speak about it-”

Malleus stood over Azul, leaning into the cecaelian's face as he whispered harshly, “Either tell me where they are or you will go missing next…”

Azul simply smiled up at Malleus, sweat doting his forehead as he struggled to think up an excuse to curb the fae's anger.

Instead, Jamil sighed, bringing both their attention to himself, “We don't know where Yuu is. They cut their last class.” He braces himself against the overwhelming force of Malleus's magic pouring out, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, “Draconia-Sama…It may do you well to calm-”

Malleus fully turns to Jamil, fangs bared as he bites out, “How are you two this calm?” his eyes quickly look back to Azul, the Mer seeming to fully lose the color in his face, “How are you not in just a state as I am? Can you not smell the blood?”

The hall was quiet, neither Azul nor Jamil suddenly having the will to look Malleus in the eye. The fae looks between them in mild confusion, surely they'd be just as worried as he was. He knew they were still in the budding beginnings of their own relationship, but they were all more than fond of Yuu. They should be worried…unless.

The anger that builds in Malleus was palpable, the ridges on his horns glowing even brighter as he realized, “You knew.” Their silence only showed how guilty they were, Malleus nearly roared as electricity cracked along his body, “You both knew, and didn't tell me!?”

“It wasn't from any malicious means!” Azul somehow kept smiling, though from the look in his eyes and the tremble in his hands, Malleus knew it was more a fear response than any type of mocking.

“Well, tell me now. Why is our lover harmed and neither of you aware of their location?” their new round of silence was truly an insult at this point. He took deep, controlled breaths. They weren't working, the lights flickering in and out as his anger rose, “Well?”

“...” Jamil spoke up again, closing his eyes as though preparing for his own death, “We were sworn to secrecy-”

The growl Malleus released fully echoed through the halls, deep and ancient-sounding reverbs sending students into blind panic. Lights flickered and flashed before bursting overhead and sending the halls into darkness. He didn't bother responding to Jamil’s ludicrous statement, brushing past the two and following the fading scent of blood outside.

Jamil released a breath, his hand still gripping to the back of Azul's jacket. Looking over he grimaced. Azul was trembling, a panicked smile still plastered on his face as his eyes watered behind his cracked glasses, “Azul?”

The Mer turned to Jamil, lips parting to manage out a terrified squeak.

He sighs, pulling Azul along to drop him off at the nurse's office.

Bucchi tried to run from him, the hyena breaking out into a sprint as Grim did the second he locked his eyes on his form. He truly didn't blame him, Malleus could only think about the vision he made at the moment. Glowing horns, angered expression, the violent storm following his every step was also unhelpful. But Bucchi was nothing if not a survivor. It wasn't long after he had caught him that he stated Leona had taken Yuu home. That they were sick with some type of alien ailment.

As Malleus walked through the woods, his annoyance only grew with every step. He couldn't simply teleport to Ramshackle, the storm would easily destabilize without him to guide its path. While it could end the storm, it'd more likely cause it to go wild and turn into a literal hurricane. The campus may be filled with traitorous liars, but he couldn't allow such a fate to befall the local gargoyles. Many were far too old and fragile to withstand such a tempest…so walking it is.

The winds had easily blown away any scent of the blood, but the knowledge that Yuu was in Ramshackle was all he needed. Though he perks up, the smell of floral sand peeking through the winds. Bucchi had said Leona had taken Yuu home. Had he caught up to them? His expression fell when he only saw Leona walking the path. He huffs, eyes moving away and toward the peeking tip of Ramshackle's towers. Only to be hit in the chest with a powerful bolt.

Malleus slid back a few feet, momentarily stunned as he looked at Leona. The beastman kept walking toward him, pen glowing brightly grasped in his hand as he glared.

“Turn around. You're not seeing them like this.”

…

“Kingscholar, I truly never thought I would see the day you'd forfeit your life so easily…”

Leona has the gall to smirk, “Good. Cause I'm not, and you’re not going to Ramshackle throwing a fucking tantrum.”

The winds pick up around them, Malleus taking long strides to move past Leona, “You have no right to tell me I can't see them.” He dodged the second blast Leona sent his way. But the third was shot in quick succession the moment he moved to dodge the first, sending him another few feet back. He snarled, eye twitching as he snapped his head back up to Leona, “Kingscholar!”

“Draconia. Anyone ever tell you you’re a sturdy bitch?” he hisses, managing to dodge and fling up a shield against the onslaught of lightning. 

It was a dangerous dance for too long. On any other day, Malleus would find Leona's efforts to fight him adorable, admirable even, slightly impressive he had lasted this long one-on-one with him. But in that moment it only served to infuriate him further, willingly turning a deaf ear to Leona's words.

Leona huffed, a bead of sweat forming against his temple as he cast another shield for the dragon fae to slam into and lose speed. It wasn't enough to trap him, but he could still get a sense of enjoyment watching Malleus smack into the invisible walls, “Honestly. People have the nerve to call me stubborn when you can't even be bothered to listen.”

“Enough…”

A wave of lightning rushes directly toward Leona. The beastman clicks his tongue, changing his stance to crouch down and condense a shield around his smaller form. It was the only way he'd be able to make a spell strong enough to withstand the power Malleus threw around like nothing.

But Leona knew him getting hit wasn't Malleus's true goal. He simply needed his defensive range to shrink, giving him ample space to finally speed past him and to Ramshackle. He bit his lip, hating to leave his success to chance. He'd have one shot…

Malleus didn't care that Leona had managed to keep track of him through the spell and electricity. He didn't care about Leona anymore. Instead he readied himself to launch past the downed beastman, more than likely to pass by him and arrive directly to his lover's door. He dashed forward and his eyes widened as multiple things happened at once.

Surprisingly, Leona's shield drops in an elegant movement that redirects the still striking lightning away from his outstretched hand. Heartbreakingly, through the lightning strikes and howling winds, he hears the gut wrenching sobs of Yuu echoing from Ramshackle. Annoyingly, he feels Leona's hand tangle in his hair and pull hard. Managing to stop him mid sprint and to pull him off his feet, sending him falling to the ground hard on his back.

For a brief moment the winds stop, leaving only Leona's labored breathing and the sounds of distance rumbles. Malleus blinks, thoughts racing as he slowly propped himself up from the ground by his elbows. Yuu was crying. This illness was severe enough to make them cry. Kingscholar had thrown him. Yuu was alone and in pain and they hadn't even tried to call for him…others knew and he wasn't…important enough to know…Kingscholar had gripped him by the hair and tossed him like a sack of thorn forsaken potatoes.

Malleus blinks, looking up to the panting beastman standing over him. Only now did he realize how dark Leona's mage stone had become, how tired the other 3rd year looked.

Leona drops to a knee, hissing as he hit the dirt path harder than he was prepared for. Catching his breath he finally pockets his pen and rolls his sore shoulder, “Are you gonna fucking listen now?”

“They're crying…”

“Yeah.” Leona sighs, a hand pinching the bridge of his nose then dragging it through sweat misted hair, “As I've been telling you for the past twenty minutes. Yuu's going through some shit right now and isn't emotionally stable. And this-” he gestures to all of Malleus, ignoring the pout that the fae gains, “-is the last thing they should deal with right now…”

Malleus keeps quiet, glare slowly easing and casting his eyes to the ground. Without a word he pushes himself up, not offering a hand to Leona but watching in mild concern as the beastman groaned standing. He sighs, closing his eyes and only growing more distressed as his ears picked up more of Yuu's sobs, “Why didn't they call for me…?”

Leona shrugs, holding back his hiss as his muscles protest, “From what I can gain, this is a normal thing that happens. You know Yuu doesn't like talking about their original world. Not in a way that we'd want anyway…The heightened emotions made them realize some things and they're going through the motions.”

“They're crying as though someone is dead…”

Leona's eyes drift to the side, a soft sorrow in his own expression, an ear twitching as he listens to Yuu cry, “Yeah…crying alone helps sometimes when everything feels like shit. They'll be fine.”

“...” The wind blows, the hairs on the back of Malleus's neck raise as it brings a hint of blood back to his nose, “Did they say the…blood is normal?”

“Bleeding's the main function of it apparently…” Leona groans, stretching his back until a pop sounds, “Look. I'm not gonna hold your hand about this. Yuu's not feeling well and they'll tell you when they're ready to deal with your smothering.” Leona gives Malleus a single pat to his shoulder, gripping to push against the prone fae, “Go back to your dorm. If you go to see them right now, it's just gonna get you both into a tantrum…”

He didn't want to. He didn't want to leave, didn't want to listen to Leona's commands of all people. His dearest was hurting, alone…but they didn't call for him, they didn't call for anyone…

Malleus looks to the tips of the trees, Ramshackle's green shingles only gently bristled from the winds. Even with Yuu's sobs echoing in his ears, he finally lets Leona push him to turn around. He looks at the other 3rd year, voice soft, “They'll be ok without me…?”

Leona looks at him, sighing before he pats at Malleus's shoulder. The hand slips away and Leona walks ahead of him, “Send them a message in the morning. They'll call if they need someone. But, you can stand to get off your pedestal enough to ask for an invitation…”

Malleus watches Leona's tired body walk away, the beastman disappearing over the hill and through the trees. Giving one last look to the lone dorm, Malleus feels his heart go out to the heart broken person alone inside. He could still go, ignore Leona's efforts and simply walk to Ramshackle and ask to be let in. But…Yuu didn't want to see him nor anyone at the moment. It's why they hadn't called for him, why they sent Leona away. They wanted to be alone, and he couldn't fathom why…

But, he turned on his heel, walking the same path Leona had long disappeared from. As he walked the clouds thickened over head, darkening until a soft sprinkle had started to mist the campus.

The scene Malleus walked into was…comical. But it did little to lift his mood.

Surprisingly the locks and barricades had been lifted from the dorm, letting him walk in freely to Hui-Yan being tugged by her arms by Sebek's friends Deuce and Jack. Silver and Sebek both held onto Lilia's legs, trying to pull their mentor from the death lock Hui-Yan's legs made around his throat. It was painfully counterproductive if Lilia's blue-tinted face was anything to go by. The one-on-one fight seemed to have pulled everyone in, Silver and the first years looking at least mildly disheveled and lightly bruised. On one of the couches sat Ace, head tilted back as Epel yelled at him to not tilt his head back.

“You're gonna swallow blood, you dumbass!”

The thunder crack makes everyone jump and freeze, eyes quickly turning to his figure in the doorway. Malleus looked to the ground, already fully shamed as Hui-Yan glared at him. He spoke clearly, bending at the waist to bow in apology to his dorm advisor, “I humbly apologize. You were right to try to keep me in the dorm and I feel deep regret at the trouble I've caused you…”

Hui-Yan doesn't reply, simply unlocking her legs and causing Silver and Sebek to fall to the ground mid pull. Lilia took loud gasping breaths as he choked on air. The woman stands, rotating her arms to easily remove Jack and Deuce’s hold. She points toward Malleus, eyes glaring.

“When I tell you to not do something, it's for the benefit of you and everyone around you.”

“I understand professor Hui-Yan. I apologize…”

His only reply was a stiff nod, Hui-Yan turning to the first years, “You lot are coming with me, I'm delivering you to either your housewardens or your dorm advisor.”

They clearly didn't want to leave, but none of them wanted to be Hui-Yan's next victim. Not to mention the concerned glances they all sent toward Sebek. Each of them flinching at Hui-Yan's demand of ‘Line up’. The first years slowly lining up to be lead out of the dorm.

Deuce whispered toward Hui-Yan, “We tried to help…”

“You failed. March.”

Malleus walked past the first-years, eyes downcast and missing the pleading look Sebek was sending them. He sat on the couch in front of the fireplace, ignoring the first-years all trying to state they were helping and shouldn't be punished. The bitter feeling in him grew as he realized that they knew and deemed it necessary to keep him in the dark.

The creaking echo of the large double doors shutting leaves the lounge empty, silent. Soon Sebek and Silver join him on the couch, Silver placing a comforting arm on his shoulder.

“Were you able to talk to Yuu?”

“...” he sighs, shaking his head and staring into the fire, “They're truly ill…though I must say I'm saddened by the fact…they didn't call for me…”

Lilia had made his way toward them, flopping onto the couch as he wheezed and coughed, “Oh dear. The poor thing really is sick? We should still go see how they're doing…but…maybe tomorrow. Rest is after all the best medicine for ailments…” Just like how his bruised neck will be healed by the next morning light…

Silver nodded, smiling in hopes it would help raise Malleus's mood, “You can check on Yuu tomorrow. For now they can simply rest and-”

“It's not that simple!” Malleus stood from the couch, the fire flaring up along with his emotions. The horned fae scowled, pacing along the floor with clenched fists, “It isn't a simple illness. It's something from their world that we seem to have no understanding of!”

Lilia trades a concerned look with Silver, quickly standing back up to try and lead Malleus back to his seat, “Is it serious? Do we need to send for one of the palace physicians? I know the faculty have decided to avoid any kind of hospital visits, but surely one of the-”

Malleus shakes his head, scowl slowly looking more like a pout, “The faculty knows, their friends know, Azul and Jamil know, Leona knew before me. It's disheartening Lilia! For Yuu to be affected by such an illness that makes them bleed and cry and not be even alerted!”

Sebek flinches, eyes quickly looking anywhere but at Malleus while Silver and Lilia's expressions turn even more concerned.

“Bleeding? They're bleeding!?”

Lilia felt a new wave of adrenaline coursing through his body. Brain racking through years of travel to pinpoint any diseases he came across that resulted in bleeding, “We can…we can go over and check ourselves!”

“No…”

“Malleus.” Lilia gripped onto the once again sulking fae, nails threatening to rip into his school jacket, “Malleus if this is as serious as you state, they need a doctor.”

“Leona has assured me it's ‘natural’. Yuu will have to suffer through this ailment and then they will be returned to proper health…” Malleus looks away, frowning at his reflection in the grand window. Raindrops hitting against the glass, he brings a hand up to touch the pane, “I'm just…upset. They've been dealing with this for who knows how long…and they never reached out to me for comfort or remedy.”

Silver frowns, “Oh…this may be why Yuu canceled your outings?”

Malleus sighs again. If that were true then Yuu had been dealing with this ailment since Saturday. Everyone knew since Saturday…Yuu's friends most likely found out on Saturday, if not on Sunday…Malleus looks outside, frowning as he takes notice of Sebek facing away from him in the reflection of the window. Odd. Sebek normally focused all his attention to him when he was in this foul a mood. Malleus also realized that Sebek had been strangely quiet since he came back from classes early. No…Sebek had been quiet that morning as well. In fact…when was the last time he heard Sebek's echoing call? It was sometime on the weekend he realized, around…Saturday.

Thunder roared, a bright flash of lightning hitting dangerously close to the window making both Silver and Lilia jump in poorly held in surprise. Malleus turned in time with the flash of lightning, catching Sebek's terrified glance before the half-fae quickly turned his head away. He walked to Sebek's hunched-over form, bending at his waist and staring unblinkingly into Sebek's panic-filled eyes.

“...Sebek. Is there something you'd like to tell me?”

Lilia and Silver watched in mute astonishment as Sebek's face slowly cracked, his lemon green eyes quickly filling with tears as his bottom lip wobbled, “I…I…” He turned away, thrusting his phone just past Malleus's face in an effort to not slam it into the fae's nose. “I'M SO SORRY, WAKA-SAMA!!!” Sebek couldn't speak in clear sentences, a jumble of sounds escaping him between his sobs.

Lilia quickly walked over, ready to try to console Sebek as Silver looked surprised. The 2nd year gazed at Sebek as if he was truly seeing him for the first time, “Sebek you know how to keep secrets? From Malleus?”

“Silver, now is…not the time to be focused on that.” Lilia gave a pinched expression, arms already filled with sobbing crocodile fae.

“You can't fault me for being surprised.”

“I can and I will young man. Sebek is sobbing his heart out and-” Lilia stops short, watching Malleus's expression change from empty to slowly enraged, “Malleus…?” 

Silver leans closer to Lilia, watching in mild fear as the ridges of Malleus's horn light up, electricity crackling around him wildly the more he read off of Sebek's phone. With what could only be described as a death rattle, Sebek's phone fizzes out and was crushed in Malleus's hand with a heavy crunch.

Other than the horned fae's heavy breathing and Sebek's subdued sobbing, the room was completely silent. Malleus manages to calm himself, the destroyed phone slipping through his fingers as a serene expression crosses his face. As though the very act of crushing something with his bare hands was the true relief he needed that afternoon.

Malleus turns his gaze to Sebek, “Apologies for your phone Sebek. I will ensure you are given a proper replacement on my own expense.”

With a wet sniffle, Sebek nods his head, still afraid to leave the comfort of Lilia's shoulder, “Thank you Waka-Sama…”

“You're still in trouble.”

“Understood Waka-Sama.” Sebek replies, shoulders already shaking with a new wave of tears choking him up.

“Now, if you'll excuse me. I must send a digital message to my lover to request a meeting tomorrow.” With a subdued bow, Malleus disappears in a flash of green light.

Lilia pats at Sebek's back, cooing lightly, “You're not in trouble Sebek, I assure you.”

“T-thank you, Lilia-Samaaaaaaaaaa.”

“Okay…let it out…”

Silver reaches over, a single hand patting at Sebek's hair in comfort, “Well, I'm glad to see I made the correct choice in not going to school today.”

“Silver.”

[marypaol]

Hogwarts Express [H.P]

Harry James Potter x Fem!Reader

Summary: Reader is right by Harry’s side providing comfort when the Dementor pays a visit. (Based on book)

Warnings: Dementor of course, mention of never being happy again, mention of murder and death, fainting, twitching? I think that’s it let me know if there’s any others!

Author’s Note: This is my first ever Harry story, he’s my favorite character in the series and I’m so glad I’m writing for him! Also, I know the poll results said 6th Year, but 3rd was a very close second and it’s fresh in my mind because I’m currently reading the book. Sorry!

Reader is nicknamed “Flower” sometimes so no use of Y/N

Masterlist

•

Requests closed until further notice

•

“I need to talk to you guys. Alone.” Harry muttered to his three friends, engine of the Hogwarts Express rumbling beneath them.

Ron looked eager to know, and turning to his red-headed sister, ordered “Go away Ginny.” as a way to politely ask her to leave. The sister replied with an eye roll and walked away.

“Let’s find an empty compartment.” Hermione suggested, stroking the hair ball of a cat in her arms as they soon made their way down the corridor. They didn’t seem to be having any luck with finding any one that wasn’t full except for one at the end of the train.

A man was sleeping by the window, soft snores escaping him. He was wearing torn up robes, grey streaks in his hair despite him looking youngish.

“Who do you think he is?” Ron asked.

“Professor R. J. Lupin.” The girl replied, reading his suitcase that was pealing, showing its age.

“How’d you know that?” Ron asked, searching her face with confusion written all over his. She pointed to the case, all three of them taking a look as they sat down.

“Wonder what he teaches.” Ron said, already looking down the corridor for any sign of the women walking around with snacks.

Hermonie rolled her eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“Well he looks like he’s in rough shape; one hex would take him out for sure.” Ron said, adjusting Scabbers in his robe pocket when his tail peeked out. “Anyway, what is it you wanted to tell us?” He said, turning to Harry.

The rest of them did the same, all paying attention to what the boy had to say.

Harry then explained what he overhead Mr. And Mrs. Weasley talking about, as well as what Mr. Weasley made him promise.

The girl’s eyebrows shot up, hand covering her mouth, mimicking Hermione’s reaction. Ron’s mouth was open.

“He escaped to come after you?” Hermiome said in disbelief from beside Ron. The girl seated next to Harry was still trying to register the information.

“Harry you have to be really careful.” The girl said, just about the same time as Hermione added, “Now don’t chase after trouble, Harry.”

Harry seemed slightly annoyed. “I don’t find trouble, Hermione. Trouble usually finds me.”

Ron scoffed at the two girls worries. “Plus, why would he go off and chase someone who wants to kill him?”

“True, but we have to be cautious.” Hermione advised.

“Who knows how he escaped.” Ron said, looking uncomfortable all of the sudden. “No one’s done it before, and he was under high security too.”

“But they will catch him, won’t they?” The girl said, trying to look at Ron and Hermione in assurance. “I mean, they’ve got Muggles looking for him-”

“What’s that noise?” Ron said, head swerving around as he tried to find the purpose. All of them did the same, the whistling noise getting irritating.

“Coming from your trunk, Harry.” Ron said, red head now dug in the luggage rack, hands snapping open the trunk as he brought out the reason for the noise.

“Oh! Is that a Sneakoscope?” The girl said, leaning forward so she could get a better look a the item.

“A very cheap one, mind you; went crazy when I attached it to my owl’s leg.” He said, shaking his head.

“Put it away,” Harry advises, eyes nervously glancing at the sleeping Professor. “It’ll wake him.”

Ron stuffed it in an old sock he found in Harry’s trunk which stopped the noise and snapped the trunk shut once he put it back.

“We got it in Hogsmeade.” Ron explained as he sat down. “The shop was full of all sorts of things. Fred and George told me about-”

“What’s it like there?” Hermione interrupted. “I heard it’s a place in Britain that doesn’t have any Muggles-”

“Sure it is,” Ron said hurriedly, being the one interrupting this time. “But that’s not why I want to go. I wanna go to Honeydukes!”

“What’s that?” The girl asked in wonder, curiosity shining in her eyes.

“It’s a shop that sells just sweets.” Ron gladly answered, sinking into his chair with a dreamlike expression on his face. “Like Pepper Imps that make you smoke at the mouth, or large sherbet balls that make you float a few inches off the ground when you suck on them.” Ron ended his sentence with a demonstration of the size of the sherbets, his hands making a giant circle to mimic their size.

“Oh I’m sure they’re much bigger than that.” The girl informed, holding up her own hands and trying to figure out how to make a bigger circle than Ron’s, just to get him riled up.

“No, mom told me they were like this.” He said, doing the same thing with his hands again.

“Yeah right! And I’m Volde-”

The sarcastic remark was interrupted when Hermione looked over at Harry curiously.

“Wouldn’t Hogsmeade be a fun place to walk around, Harry?” She asked.

Harry rolled his eyes, his arms were crossed and a small annoyed pout was on his lips. The girl couldn’t help but admire him despite his irritation, his green eyes twitching with annoyance.

“I’d like to know. Reckon you’d tell me all about it when you get back?”

The girl snapped out of it. “Why, can’t you come?”

Harry shook his head, untidy hair waving in the process. “No, Uncle Vernon didn’t sign my slip, and Fudge didn’t either.”

The girl slumped in her chair a little, bumped out being an understatement.

Ron looked mortified. “You can’t come? McGonagall or someone will grant you permission-”

Harry laughed disbelievingly, knowing all too well that the Professor mentioned was known to be quite strict.

“Or Fred and George will do something about it, one quick ask and they’ll sneak you right in.”

“Ron, no! Harry can’t be running around risking trouble when Black is wandering about!”

“But he’ll be with us, no one’s gonna-”

“Oh don’t speak rubbish, Ron. Black won’t hold back on attacking Harry just because we’re with him, he’s committed a murder in front of dozens of people.” The girl jumped in.

They’ve settled in a nice little stage of normal discussion while they enjoyed their snacks one the women came (apparently Ron avoided death because he claimed he was dying of starvation) and they ate contently until a certain Slytherin decided to show up to the door with his minions that too far behind him.

“Malfoy.” Harry scolded.

“Pottah.” Draco replied right back, scanning him with irritation in his eyes before turning to Ron. The girl nibbled on her lip on habit, knowing how short Ron’s temper was when Malfoy mentioned his family in any way.

“Heard your father finally got some hands on some gold, Weasley. What’d your mother do? Die of shock?”

Ron stood up abruptly, knocking over Hermione’s cat’s basket in the process.

The sleeping Professor snorted at the disturbance. Malfoy’s eyes snapped to the figure deep in slumber.

“Who’s that?” He asked, taking a cautious step back while pointing a skinny finger at the young man.

“New Professor.” Harry answered, standing up as well in case he needed to prevent Ron from lashing at the Slytherin. The girl, not knowing Harry’s purpose of standing up, misunderstood and thought he was gonna try to fight too, and her hands subconsciously went to the boy’s robes, holding tight just in case.

“You were saying, Malfoy?” Harry said, eyebrow raising in question. Malfoy scoffed, knowing he shouldn’t start something in front of a teacher, and whispered to his minions the plan to depart, and so they did.

The two boys sat down, the girl’s hands staying on Harry’s robes but not as tight; she felt safe knowing he was right there but thankfully the robes are big and Harry didn’t notice her grip.

“I’ve had enough of him making comments.” Ron snarled, face dark. “I’ve had it this year; one more comment on my family and I’ll get a hold his head and-”

Ron did something with his hands in the air, the motion not nice enough to explain.

The girl stiffed a laugh with Harry at the action. Hermione on the other hand wasn’t amused.

“Careful Ron. A Professor is right there!” She reminded, but the future Hogwarts teacher was still fast asleep.

Outside it started to rain, the droplets running down the window satisfyingly. The girl watched as the rain poured down and the sky became grey.

“It’s rough out there, I must tell you.” Ron complained, taking Scabbers at of his pocket but stuffed him right back in once Crookshanks gave a soft hiss.

The train gave a rattle, shaking slightly but hard enough to shake the girl into Harry, her cheek coming in contact with his shoulder.

She leaned back as soon as the force of the train was over, cheeks flushed.

“Sorry.” She mumbled embarrassed.

Harry gave a reassuring smile. “Quite alright.” He said, pushing his glasses up his nose since they fell down a little.

She turned back towards the window to hide her face, watching the rain hammer to the ground. (She would lean forward to get a closer look but the Professor was right there, still deep in sleep despite the practical storm occurring outside.)

All seemed well until the train started to slow, the rain becoming more visible as the thick drops landed to the ground.

“Great, we’re here. I’m starving and dying for the feast.” Ron said, getting up and stretching before looking outside.

“What? We can’t be there quite yet.” Hermione said confused, glancing at her watch.

“Then what’s happened?”

“Well don’t look at me, I don’t know.”

“Flower, let’s look outside.” Harry said, pointing to the door. She nodded, getting up on wobbly legs from sitting down for far too long and walking towards the door.

Both their heads peaked out the open door, many students copying them out of confusion.

The lights suddenly went out, leaving the whole train in darkness.

“Woah! What’s happened?” Ron’s voice said behind them, Harry and the girl still standing by the door.

“Don’t know…” Hermione mumbled.

Harry held onto the girl as they felt their way to their seats. “Do you think we broke down?”

“Don’t know.” Hermione repeated.

The previously open door burst open suddenly, someone making quite a loud entrance before they tripped on something and fell forward right on top of Harry.

“Hello, Neville.”

“Harry? That you?” The boy asked confused as the girl heard him getting up.

“Who’s there?” Ron asked the new voice, only for another one to arrive.

“Ginny? What are you doing here?”

“Looking for Ron-”

“Nevermind come sit.”

“Quiet!!” A third new voice broke out, the Professor finally waking. He lit a fire (in his hands?) and started to walk out the compartment to see what the trouble was.

But someone something arrived before Lupin could leave.

A creature of some sort stood covered in a black cloak from floor to ceiling. Whatever was hidden under the cloak sucked in a sharp breath, and that’s when it happened.

A cold chill came through the air, chilling them to the bone. The girl felt hallow, like every speck of life was sucked out and she felt a flick of sadness; like she’d never be happy again. The cold went beneath her skin and traveled to her chest. She shivered uncontrollably.

A hand appeared from under the cloak, shriveled and pale, only for it to go back under.

The girl reached for Harry subconsciously, seeking for comfort only to feel his body board stiff. She turned to him, eyes wide, watching as his once sparkling eyes behind his glasses roll back in an unpleasant way.

His body twitched as he fell to the floor and off his seat, back on the ground.

“Harry!” The girl yelled, worry brewing in her chest. She knelt down beside him, hand lightly slapping his pale cheek nervously as she brought his head to her lap. So many things were happening around her but she didn’t take the time to notice, for his didn’t care. All she really did notice was that the lights flickered back on again. But all she cared about at the moment was Harry and if he was okay.

His eyes fluttered open, looking at her then looking at all the people around him.

“W-what?” He croaked, neck leaning up and the girl helped him sit up, his back leaning against the seat he was previously sitting in.

“Are you okay, Harry?” She asked, anxiety bending her brows. Harry didn’t answer, swallowing thickly.

“What happened? What’s that- that thing?” He said, eyes scanning the room for an answer. “Someone was screaming, who was-”

“No one was screaming, Harry.” Ron said, his face startled but confused.

There was a moment of silence before they heard a snapping sound, and, swerving their heads in the direction of the noise, saw Lupin breaking chocolate into pieces.

“Eat it, it will help, I assure you.” He spoke, looking at them. “Dementors, am I right?” He said, but no one laughed. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m going to talk to the driver.”

Lupin left, and the girl guided the chocolate to Harry’s lips once she helped him sit down.

“Eat Harry, he said it will make you feel better.” She said gently.

Harry took a nibble, and he visibly relaxed as warmth traveled from the tips of his hair to his toes.

Harry looked around then, rubbing his eyes. “I still don’t understand, what happened?”

The girl was half listening to what the person said as they explained what occurred, her hand going to Harry’s as she gripped his fingers. He looked over at her, lips turning into a soft grateful smile. She smiled back but halfway since she was still worried, and she reached up and fixed Harry’s glasses on his face since they were crooked. He gave her another smile, one better than the last.

@idkkkkk1111 @iambored24601 @amayaaaxx@brok3nlegs @capsicle115 @buttersuaa @ghostyluvsyou @thisismyacc11 @cvmtitss @bitchycheesecakecat @earlymorninglow @mariit @iambored24601

[kaliforniahigh]

MEDUSA - Part Six.

This is the longest chapter so far. Finally they're letting some feelings show :')

Warnings: death threat, curse words, mentions of guns.

WC: 2.8k

Summary: Y/N is a private dancer at a Gentleman's Club called Medusa. Noah Sebastian is a crime boss. Their paths cross when one night, Noah pays for one of her dances and they can't seem to be apart from each other.

Series Masterlist

Noah was sitting on his chair in his office when he heard three knocks on the door. Telling the person behind it to come in, he saw Jolly with an envelope on his hands.

"Hey, this was left on the front door not too long ago. No one saw who delivered it and we didn't want to open it because it's addressed to you", he said, making his way into the office and handing Noah the envelope over the table.

"Well, I don't usually receive letters", he responded, with an edge of suspicion in his voice. "I'm gonna open it. Thank you, Jolly"

The other man nodded, and said if he needed anything, they were available, leaving and closing the door behind him. Noah looked over the envelope, seeing that it was indeed addressed to him, his full name written on the front. Flipping it over, there was nothing else written on the back.

Ripping the envelope open and taking out a piece of paper, he saw it was a handwritten letter. He unfolded it and began to read.

I know what you've been doing, lover boy. To be fair, she is a pretty little thing. I wouldn't be able to let her out of my eyesight either. Is she in your eyesight now? What do you think she is doing? Well, too bad whores don't always have a happy ending. Take care, JC.

Noah was used to receiving threats, they're not uncommon in his life and he has send out a few of his own. But they were always directed at him or one of the boys. But this one was a direct message to you.

His hands were shaking and he had to take his coat off because he suddently felt like he couldn't breath. He had to stop and think about what you were doing right now. It was night and you were probably at work. He had to get there as soon as possible. He couldn't afford to think that it was too late.

Before he got the chance to stand and make his way out, his phone rang. It was you. He picked up in a haste and wasn't able to get a word out before you were talking to him.

"Noah, oh my God. He sent me a threat, here, at work. I don't know what to do", he heard the desperation in your voice and he could tell you've been crying.

"I know, I got one as well. Listen, where are you right now?", he tried to talk as quickly as he can, not wanting to waste anymore time. Already grabbing his coat and wallet, making his way out of the room.

"I'm in the room where I usually meet clients. The envelope was on the chair and no one saw who delivered it. How can people not see someone coming in and out, Noah?", you said in disbelief.

"I need you to stay there. Are there keys on the door for you to lock them?"

"No, they don't leave the keys here for our safety. Noah, are you coming here?", your voice was small and he felt a pang in his chest.

"Yes, I'm on my way, honey. Stay on the phone with me, I'm not hanging up until I get there", he looked around and spotted one of his security guards, demanding that they check the security footage on the front door and yard. Running out of the door and getting in his car.

You went quiet, the only indicator that you were still on the line was your heavy breathing. The sound of a car speeding filling your ears.

"Noah, he called me a whore" you broke the silence and also his heart.

"You're not a whore, he only said those things to get to you. Don't let him get to you", he wished he could teleport to you and engulf you in his arms right this moment.

"He said no one cares about whores like me. I mean, he isn't wrong. All I'm good for is shaking my ass for some cash. If I'm gone tomorrow, they're just gonna replace for another pretty girl", you couldn't help but let your thoughts roam out loud.

"Please, don't say those things about yourself. I care about you and I'm coming to get you and nothing is gonna happen, ok?", you answered softly and he heard you take a sharp intake of breath on the other side. "I'm pulling up outside. I'll be there in a minute, don't worry. Can you meet me at the back entrance?"

"Yeah, I'll get my bag and meet you there", you answered, getting up from your position on the couch.

"Can't you come straight to the back entrance? I don't want you roaming around in there anymore than you need to", he tried not to be too paranoid as to not alarm you anymore. But every second that went by with you not by his side, was another second of him wondering if you were ok.

"Noah, I'm currently wearing a bra and panties. I have to get my bag. I'll stay on the phone", he didn't like it, but agreed nonetheless and told you to be quick.

In about three minutes, he saw you leaving. You spotted his car instantly and ran to it, getting in the passenger seat. He got your bag from your hands and put it in the backseat. You could feel the tension leaving your body as soon as you were in Noah's presence, finally feeling some sense of security.

"Noah, what am I gonna do?", you asked, running your hands over your face.

"You won't have to do anything. This is on me and I'm gonna keep you safe. You won't have to worry about that", you got a good look at him and realized that he actually thought this was his fault.

"This is not on you. I texted you, telling you to come here so I could give you the information. I fell into this by myself", you tried to reason.

"And I went to your house and gave you my number", he was unwavering and you decided that it wasn't worth it arguing about whose fault it was at the moment. "I'm gonna take you to a safehouse. I'm not gonna take you to my house because I got a note delivered there as well, so it isn't 100% safe", you only nodded, trying to grasp how your life did a complete 180 in just a few hours.

As he drove, he made a few calls, informing everyone of what's happened and giving orders of things he needed done. Not too long after, you were leaving civilization behind and all you could see were trees lininig the gravel road.

Noah took a right turn, the forest getting denser now, only giving way to the car driving through the marked path. You looked up through the windshield and you could barely see the sky above the top of the trees.

Stopping at a gate, you noticed a few men around the perimeter, all carrying guns on their hands and their holsters. You tried not to think about it. Just after the gate, Noah parked the car in front of a small wood cabin. Despite all those men outside and the situation you were in, you could admit that the place was beautiful.

Noah got out of the car and you followed suit, you noticed the wind was chilly and the air was clean. You looked up once again and as the trees swished from the gusts of air, you could see the sky was littered with stars.

"It's nice out here. I wish we were here under different circumstances, but I hope you enjoy the scenery anyways", he said, your bag was in his hands and you only nodded and gave a small smile. He led the way to the entrance. The lock was automatic, it read his fingerprint and you heard it unlock. You figured this place was only simple from the outside. It is a safehouse after all.

He got in and dropped your bag on a small table by the door. You looked around and there was a living room to your right and the kitchen to your left, a dining table between the two spaces.

"The bathroom is at the end of the corridor, your room is the door on the left and mine the door on the right", he pointed forward and you could see the doors leading to the rooms and the bathroom.

"I think I'm gonna take a shower", you looked at him and saw that he was taking his coat off, a simple black tank top underneath, revealing his tattooed arms and shoulders. For a second you were distracted by the way he moved. His biceps flexing as he reached up to hang his coat. His hair getting in his face, he pushed it out of his eyes as he turned around to aknowledge you.

"Yeah, are you hungry? I can make us something to eat", he totally caught you checking him out if the smirk on his face was any indicator.

"Sure, I'll be right back", you tried to get out of the situation as fast as possible. You just received a death threat, you did not need to have a crush on this man. Grabbing your bag, you made your way to the bathroom and locked the door.

Noah stayed in the living room, making sure everything was in it's place. He had someone come here and clean up every week, but he still wanted to check. He made his way to the bedroom you were going to be staying at. There were clean sheets and pillowcases already on the bed, so he didn't have to worry abou that.

Opening the fridge he started on the task of making you something to eat. A sub would have to suffice for now. He would get someone to pick up groceries later. He heard the bathromm door open and seconds later you came walking into the living room. You hair was wet and he could smell your perfume freshly applied. You were wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie, looking rather comfortable.

You sat down in one of the chairs on the dining table. "What's on the menu for tonight?", you asked, trying to make light of the situation. You felt safe here and figured there was not much you could worry about for now.

He approached the table with one plate in each hand. "I made us a sandwich, I hope that's okay? I'll get someone to buy groceries so we can eat some actual food", he set one plate in front of you and sat down across the table.

"It's perfect, thank you", you really were grateful and you hoped he knew that. After a couple of bites, you couldn't contain your curiosity any longer. "What's gonna happen now?", you asked him.

"You'll have to stay here until we can get this problem solved", he answered, and you could tell he was holding something back.

"And how are you gonna get this problem solved?", you inquired. You felt like you knew how, but you wanted him to talk to you, you needed some sense of clarity amidst all this darkness.

He sighed out loud, setting his sandwich down on his plate and preparing himself to say this to you. He didn't want you knowing anymore than necessary, but since you were already dragged into this, the least he could do is be sincere with you.

"There's this group, you could say they're our competition. They want to take over the bussiness in the city and in order to do that, they have to eliminate my friends and I", you flinched when said "eliminate", he noticed, but continued nonetheless. "When I went to Medusa the first time we met, it was a recommendation from my friend, he said I needed a scape from this situation. Some of our shipments were stolen, some came with only half of the supplies and others disappeared all together. I was kind of losing my mind"

You were paying close attention to his words, he wasn't specific and you were curious about what they shipped from overseas, but refrained from asking. "That day I went to your house, we were at the port talking to our supplier when their group attacked us. They took us off guard but we were able to get out of there with only minor injuries", you smiled, knowing he was talking about Jolly and the fact that you patched him up that night.

"We think that was a test for what's to come", he said this part lower, half hoping you weren't going to hear him or that you wouldn't question it. That was proved wrong when you asked what that means as soon as the words left his lips.

"We have a big shipment coming soon, the biggest of the year. And we think that what you heard at the club can be a reference to that. They're gonna strike again, but this time they're gonna do it for real"

Noticing you were uneasy about this information, he tried to comfort you. "Thanks to you, now we are prepared and we can anticipate what is coming our way. You really helped us." He reached across the table to take your hand in his and give it a squeeze.

You appreciated the way he always tried to take care of your emotions, and even though you were in this situation now, you decided that you did the right thing by telling him what you heard.

When he went to your house unannounced, it made you so angry that you didn't see the way he took care of people around him. He was there because he was worried about one of his best friends. And now he is here with you because he is worried about you. You felt your heart soften for him more and more.

You both finished your sandwiches in silence, but it was comfortable rather than awkward, and you missed the warmth of his hand on top of yours.

You tried to take the plates to the sink to wash them, but Noah didn't let you, telling you to go to the living room instead, and pick something for you to watch and that he'll join you in a few minutes.

You saw an array of DVD's on the shelves on both sides of the TV. You tried to steer clear of any romantic movies or horror movies, so you picked My Neighbor Totoro, one of your favorites. You heard Noah let a hum of appreciation from behind you, pleased with your choice.

You noticed he sat two blankets on the couch, one for you and one for him. The couch wasn't too big, but still, you sat on one end of it and he sat on the other.

"I wish we had popcorn now", you noted and pouted a little.

"I'll make sure to add it to the list", he chuckled a little at your disappointment towards the lack of popcorn.

You both got quiet and settled into your spots to watch the movie. Halfway through, you could feel you eyelids getting heavier, sleep seeping into your body that has finally calmed down from the events of the day.

Noah looked over at you and saw your eyes closed, soft breaths leaving through your nose. He admired you for a few seconds, looking so soft bundled up under your blanket, so different from the tough woman that greeted him on your doorstep just a couple of days ago.

Het let you nap for a while, not wanting to disturb you, but as he started feeling tired himself, he decided it was smart to move to the bedroom. He tried to shake you awake, calling your name softly, but you stirred a little and went right back to sleep. He smiled to himself.

Decided to not leave you on the couch and risk you waking up with a stiff neck, he grabbed your legs and waist from under the cover, lifting you up with ease and carrying you to the bedroom. You arms instinctively went around his neck and you head rested on his shoulder. He shivered a little from your touch, but tried to not think about it.

You were under so much stress and he didn't want to feel inappropriate around you. You were beautiful and he couldn't deny his attraction towards you. But now wasn't the time to act on it. Maybe when this was all over, you would let him take you out on a date.

Setting you on the bed and covering you from head to toe, he smoothed you hair from your face. He closed the curtains so you wouldn't wake up with the sun in your eyes. Taking one last look at you, he softly closed the door behind him and went to his own room to rest for the night.

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[askinkiskarma]

𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕀𝕟 𝕄𝕖 | ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕍: 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖

Pairing: Neteyam x (f)Omaticaya!Reader

synopsis: Memories flood Neteyam's mind as he deals with your accident, making him relieve your history and all the reasons he can't shake you from his life, no matter how hard he tries.

warnings: 18+ minors DNI, aged-up! Neteyam/Reader, enemies-to-lovers, angst (mentions of violence, battle, blood, death)

wc: 5.1k words

a/n: I'm actually really nervous about this chapter, because while I love it, it's different than any other Monster in Me chapter so far. This is also the only chapter I've ever written entirely from the MMC's POV, and I hope you enjoy finally finding out why Neteyam's been acting the way he has, and why he's so adamant in his quest for vengeance. As always, thank you for asking to be tagged, I'd love to hear your feedback, your replies and asks and reblogs make my life, so thank you! Thank you to @cinetrix for her amazing Neteyam art, ilysm bestie x and thank you to @draiochtwrites for listening to me talk about my stupid ideas for hours every day, i love you x

na'vi compendium: txepvi  - spark, ite - daughter, srane - yes, Olo'eykte - female Olo'eyktan, tam-tam - calm, oare - moon, tewng - loincloth, torukspxam - octoshroom, ngaytxoa - I'm sorry, 'itan - son, angtsìk - Hammerhead Titanothere, yarik - herbivore, ftang - stop, tsantu - good guy, tsìltsan 'eve - good girl, kali'weya - arachnoid used in Uniltaron

: ̗̀➛ previous chapter (x) : ̗̀➛ series masterlist (x) : ̗̀➛ series playlist (x)

And maybe in another life We fight all day, kiss all night But I don't wanna break your heart You keep yours, I'll keep mine

Neteyam, for the first time in his life, couldn’t have cared less if he tried that there was a battle underway, that there were humans screaming and charging at the Na’vi around him, that the explosions happening every time a helicopter went down in flames deafened his ears - none of it mattered anymore, not as he heard the screech of an ikran he knew all too well, that he loved, that was now lifelessly falling towards the ground, taking the woman of his worst nightmares and biggest fantasies along, not when, with every second passing where he ignored the rest of his surroundings and dove as fast as his own ikran could possibly fly in order to make it to you in time, another memory flashed across his mind, so many memories he thought he left behind, so many memories that would haunt his every waking moment if he wouldn’t catch you, if he was too late. 

“Teyam, do you trust me?” 

“What kind of question is that? You’re my best friend. Of course I trust you.” 

Your mischievous smile, although more devious than Neteyam liked, always had power to put his heart to ease… after all, it was you. You, his best friend, the girl who knew everything about him, that helped him withstand every challenge life threw at him, just a couple 11 year olds who had gone through more than most adults do, who have been forced to grow up a lot faster than any kid their own age should ever do. But Neteyam didn’t mind. Maybe he used to, back when he was young and naive. Back then, he cried a lot, each morning a dreaded reminder of the pain and ache that awaited him each day, all for a purpose he couldn’t quite understand yet, that made no sense in a child’s mind, that had no way of truly understanding the concept of a future littered with war and loss, a future where he would carry the burden of being the next leader of his clan, the eldest son of the mighty, revered Toruk Makto and Palulukan Makto, the grandson of brave, respected leaders, the next in line of a ruling dynasty filled with great people he had to follow and to live up to. 

Now, he no longer cried, because no matter how hard life got, he was never alone. Because, even though you didn’t have quite the same pressure on your shoulders, you carried your own burdens and a sadness deeper than Neteyam could ever imagine or could ever want to. In his mind, the sting from a few bloodied gashes and the headaches that tried him each night were a small inconvenience compared to the pain that you struggled with and braved every moment since your parents died. When his father told him that you would be joining him for training in the weeks after the accident, Neteyam didn’t know what to expect. But day after day, you managed to blow not only his expectations, but his entire family’s out of the water, each day just another opportunity for you to prove to everyone that your future would be as bright as all the stars in the night combined, that you were special and unique, that you were a talent that only comes once in a few lifetimes.

Now, years later, Neteyam still found it hard to believe how strong you were, how capable and skilled and fearless. Whereas he’s always been more withdrawn and temperate, your fire burned strong and untamed, and you always managed to get both of you in trouble - if he were to be honest with himself, though, he would never mind, not with you. 

“Good. Then let’s go.” 

You didn’t bother looking behind you as you started sprinting, your flowy top and tewng, always one-of-a-kind, undulating in the wind, making Neteyam’s heart flutter in his chest. You were so beautiful. The most beautiful. A purple flush rising in his cheeks was all that was needed for Neteyam to be grateful for the way you always ran ahead of him, too impatient to wait for a boy that liked to take his time and enjoy the moments few and in between in which life didn’t have to go too fast for his comfort. 

"Where are we going, Vi?"

"Shhh, more walking, less talking, 'Teyam. You need to learn to embrace the unknown." you chuckled as you stopped and waited for him to catch up, before taking him by the hand and pulling him until he stumbled softly onto you and you both fell, him on top of you, with a gasp that turned into loud giggles from your side and unflinching groans from his.

"Vi..."

"The mighty warriors have fallen, what will the clan do without us?"

He couldn't help his own exasperated chuckle and the roll of his eyes as he spoke.

"I don't think we're quite there yet."

You shrugged, sure of yourself as always, a trait Neteyam admired and tried to emulate, to little avail most days.

"Soon. Your dad's already talking about the Iknimaya. We're almost ready, Teyam. And if we do it soon, we'll be the youngest Na'vi to ever do it. You and me."

Before he could say anything, you reached for him until your lips made contact with his cheeks, and it didn't help his blush, that was now deep periwinkle and burning his skin from the inside out, like a fire that wanted to escape his body, too powerful to be contained inside it.

"And just like today, if you ever fall, I'll always be there to catch you. You and I, we're meant to fall and rise together."

Those words rang painfully in Neteyam's ears as his ikran dove at full speed towards the ground, as his open, stretched out hand was just outside of your reach, as he watched your body disappear through the trees, where it would inevitably crash, where it might be lost forever.

His heart, that was going as fast as his ikran was, watching your unconscious form collect deep, bleeding scars like Kiri collected pebbles in the woods with every hard branch your body made contact with, stopped racing in his chest as, by the grace of Eywa, your fall was broken by the plush, attenuating force of a torukspxam right before you hit the ground. Despite the fear, so deeply embedded in him, it was impossible to know if he would ever be able to fully detach himself from it again, a seed of hope bloomed in him that maybe he wasn't too late. That maybe, despite not being able to catch you, not now nor for the past 7 years in which he's left built up resentment prevent him from wanting to, maybe he wasn't too late.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

He didn't wait for Seze to land before he jumped and approached you, pushing with all his might against the drag of his own heavy body that felt like it was experiencing the world in slow motion, until one of his hands found the back of your neck, propping you up gently and his other hand placed two fingers on your pulse point, trying to feel for a heartbeat that would either calm his own or stop it altogether.

"Please, Txepvi. Please..."

When the small, barely-felt flutters registered in him, he let out a breath he didn't even realise he was holding and wasted no time in picking you up bridal-style and running back to his beautiful ikran. He had no time to dwell on the cracks deepening in his heart as he watched Seze bumping her snout on the side of Oare's lifeless face, sorrowful trills filling his ears, no time to dwell on the red liquid spilling out from multiple points in your body, dripping down his body and onto the ground, no time to stop yet another memory fighting to come to the forefront of his mind.

Fickle as you are That's exactly why I keep on running back 'Cause I'm brittle at the parts Where I wish I was strong

“I can walk, Teyam.” 

Neteyam decided to ignore you as he grabbed you by the back of your knees and carried you back to the village, the gash in your leg large enough to have hit a couple veins and stain your thigh red, but not deep enough to make it life-threatening - still, Neteyam wouldn’t take any chances. Taking chances… that was the reason for keeping you so close to him, your face buried in the crook of his neck… that was the only reason. 

“Can you, Vi? Isn’t that how this happened in the first place?” He chuckled, yelping a little when your fist made contact with his chest. 

“It was an accident, you know that.”

“Yeah, well, you have a lot of accidents. And so close to the Iknimaya, too…” the shake of his head was mostly a teasing one, and although he tried to push away the nagging fear eating away at him, the one that told him you might not be able to take it with him, the one that screamed he’d be all alone once more, like he was before you, the one that urged bad memories and ugly scenarios into his mind, the one whose ugly head appeared as though from around the corner, staring intently to see if he’ll allow it to approach or banish it from existence. He couldn't decide yet.

He couldn’t do this without you. He needed you to be his first flight. Like you told him last year, and like it’s been solidified in his soul every day since, you and him were meant to rise and fall together. You were meant to fly together, to soar together. And that couldn’t happen if a tiny accident delayed your progress. 

“Aw, it’s sweet you’re worried, although I think it’s mostly selfish and you’re just too scared to do the Iknimaya by yourself.”

The tinge in his cheeks is enough validation for you to start laughing at him, your head thrown so far back, he had to readjust his grip on you, so that you wouldn’t fall out of his arms. 

“I knew it! You scaredy-cat. Why would you be scared, Teyam? Out of everyone here, everyone who’s gonna do this next, out of all of us, you are the best. You’ve always been the best.” 

“No. You’re the best." As much wasn't up for discussion to him, and never will be. "And you promised.” 

Your smile softened taking him in, the little pout he tried his best to conceal, the little scrunch of his nose, the way his ears twitched in slight annoyance and slight embarrassment… he couldn’t tell for sure, but he thought you found it… endearing? 

“I know what I promised. And I intend to keep my promise. You don’t have to worry, Teyam. You and I have always been two sides of the same coin. And as long as you want me by your side, nothing could ever pry me away.” 

"Just hang on, please. Shit. Please don't die. Please don't die."

And maybe when you need my help I like myself when it's over But later in the light, you go Dark and rogue, and I need closure

“Ma ‘ite, you have to be more careful.” The quiet, teasing admonishments of his grandmother do little do deter you, although you keep your eyes on the ground, slight embarrassment visible in the swish of your tail and the flatness of your ears.

“Srane, ma Tsa’hik. Ngaytxoa.”

The thick cream paste made its way from Mo’at’s fingers to your thigh, where it was spread in a hefty layer until the cut was no longer visible. You winced as it made contact with your skin, but said nothing as you accepted the help, and Neteyam saw his grandmother nod in approval at your bravery and inclination to suffer in silence, to not let anyone know you’re in pain at any point. Strong heart. Him, on the other hand, wished you were a bit more forthcoming, wished you didn’t feel the need to go through suffering alone. With a pat on your head and a soft smile, the Tsa’hik raised from her spot on the floor and turned her back on you both.

“You’re all done. It’s just a scratch, this time. I feel like I always have to have extra healing salve at the ready just for you. Now go, and be careful. Your Iknimaya is soon and my grandson would never forgive you if you missed it.” 

“Neteyam, quick, put her on the mat. I need all the help I can get, now! Go get all the healers in training, we don’t have a lot of time.” The barking of orders did little to ease Neteyam’s fear, as he very rarely has ever seen his grandmother this agitated. After sending away the trainees, she turned to her grandson and took a deep breath, to calm herself. As serious her voice was, as rushed and violent the atmosphere around them, she still found the second to put her hand on her grandson’s chest, feeling the erratic, loud, trepidous heartbeat that refused to settle in him. 

“Ma ‘itan, she’s very weak. I know you haven’t been close in a long time, but she is your intended mate. I need you to prepare yourself for the worst. Now go back to the battle.” 

“No. I’m staying here.”

Neteyam didn’t get scared often. A whole lifetime of being raised like a soldier made his skin as thick as an 'angtsìk’s, and little ever managed to get under it. You did. You had unmatched prowess to make him feel so many things, too many things, all too intense, all too powerful, all too overbearing. When he was young, all of them were good and pure, all exciting and hopeful - love. It was love. Now, he feels anger and resentment, vengeful spite and deep arousal, all of which poison his mind and make him a version of himself he hates. Hate. That’s it. It’s all hate, isn’t it? So if it is… why are his limbs trembling and eyes watering, why is his mind jumbled with all these memories, why has the blood coursing through his veins been irreparably polluted with so much deep, earth-shattering terror and grief at the thought of losing you? Why was there a crater in his chest where his heart usually resided when he imagined his life without you in it?

Maybe it's because, for better or for worse, you were a constant in his life. From the second your presence made its way to him, you never left. There hasn't been a day that he hasn't seen you, that he hasn't been in your vicinity, not a day in which you haven't trained together, side by side, friends before, enemies after, but always together. Your words, that he drowned for years, came back like an undying echo ringing in his ears.

"You and I, we're meant to fall and rise together..."

I don't need a reason to keep on dreamin' That we don't lose, yeah, what's the use?

More and more, it felt like you had been right all along. He didn't think about it for so long, so desperate in his attempts to hurt you like you had hurt him, to sour your life like how you soiled his most precious memories, all of you and him, all of a childhood long left behind, all of fantasies he's harboured at the time that long dissipated from the version of future he used to dream about. Nothing about his life now was how he once envisioned, and that was because of you. He would never forgive you, but he couldn't let you go, either. No matter how the visions differed from his current reality, he couldn't shake you, couldn't let you go. Because despite it all, he couldn't part with the girl that used to be his partner in crime, his training buddy, his best friend, his first flight.

"Are you ready?"

Neteyam watched in awe as you confidently nodded at his father, smiling as if the hardest challenge an Omaticaya Na'vi would ever undertake, one that most people did when they were much, much older, was nothing to you, like it was just another yarik hunt that you've done a thousand times before. You turned to him and the smile you gave him dazzled him, left him breathless, not a good thing for the trek he was about to undertake, but still, not something he would could ever find it in himself to be upset about. You turned your attention momentarily to the bowl of paint in your hands before you brought a finger to his face, completing the pattern that was the same as the one you were adorning, one that he painted on you.

You both took turns saying goodbye to everyone, paying special attention to the little bundle in Neytiri's arms. Neteyam couldn't believe this was his little sister, and couldn't believe how attentive you were with her, how careful and loving. Some of his personality must be rubbing off on you, because to the Sully family's surprise, you didn't drop Tuk once in the year she's been born. In fact, you haven’t dropped anything in the last couple of months, including yourself from high places, which used to be one of your favourite past times, and Neteyam couldn't help blush at the thought that he was the reason you were being a little more careful.

As expected, the climb was the hardest thing Neteyam ever put his body through, and he felt suddenly grateful for all the years of torturous training that now felt like a peaceful breeze of the wind in an otherwise unyielding hurricane. Still, seeing you in front of him, not once complaining, not in front of the multiple 15 to 19 year olds that were also taking their rite of passage today, not in front of your Olo'eyktan, made him push through, too. If you could do it, so could he. Because you would do it, so would he.

The rookery was hidden behind a waterfall, and Neteyam watched as one by one, the few Na'vi joining you both either failed or succeeded, and with each attempt, his fear grew stronger, his mind more restless. Eventually, it was his turn, and with a deep breath, he started walking towards the slippery ledge that would lead him to his fate. A hand on his chest not only stopped him in his tracks, but also stopped his heart momentarily, just momentarily, because before he knew it, it started booming again with enough intensity to dizzy him.

"Ma tsantu... you got this. Remember, you and I, we're meant t-"

"-to fall and rise together, I know." you smile, your fingers smoothing the deep frown that gave Neteyam a headache without even realising and he sighed, trying to calm his mind and soul, focusing on you and only you.

"Exactly. So you can't fall, because if you do, I'll have to follow you... and I don't intend to fall yet, Teyam. Not yet."

"How did this happen?"

"Oare... got shot. She's dead. She... fell. I couldn't catch her." I couldn't catch her...

Neteyam couldn't bear to look at the way his grandmother was ripping you apart, although he knew it was all with the purpose of putting you back together again. Her trainees, all girls he knew, some girls he knew more intimately than others, all flocked around you, with wet cloths and trays of balms and powders, of plants and tinctures, and it all hurt, the guilt of knowing to some extent, to a large extent, this was all his fault. This ongoing war between you, never-ending and harrowing, reached a nadir that resulted in the death of your ikran, in your accident, and indirectly, because of your removal and his from the battlefield, might result in the deaths of good na'vi men and women, all of whom had families and a life, and a future they would be robbed of.

Neteyam couldn't leave you and go back. If he did, he knew that much like you, he wouldn't be able to focus enough to matter, and the thought of his mother, of his father, losing one more loved one was too much to bear. Neteyam couldn't leave you, but he couldn't stay here either. It hurt, being here, watching flashes of the girl he hates intertwined with the girl he loved more than anything else in the world, it hurt, having to deal with feelings he buried deep down and memories that came to him like summer rain, uninterrupted and warm, but powerful enough to flood and leave damage their wake.

With one last look at your unconscious form, Neteyam left the village on the back of his Ikran, knowing there was one thing he needed to do, he had to do. His mind was overcome with agonising sorrow as Seze's mourning was felt through his entire being, and the full weight of what transpired came crashing down on him like a tidal wave he could do little to stop, but had to power through, hoping that by the end there was something left of his heart to go on. Oare, much like Seze, has been in his life every day for the last 7 years, and he loved her. She was playful and sweet, and she always played with him when he snuck out at night to give her pets and treats, refusing to let your declining relationship affect their bond. Oare was Seze's best friend, her companion and life partner, and Neteyam knew her death would affect his ikran for a long time, perhaps forever.

With a squeal that matched the banshee, Neteyam watched from the air, on the back of his new mount, his new friend, his new spirit sister, as you made Tsaheylu, and his heart, that has been barely beating in anxious fear, felt finally awake again.

"Ftang! Tam tam, tsìltsan 'eve." your smile was wide and relieved as your eyes searched the sky until they found his, and he swore he never knew it was possible to love someone so much, to feel so connected to a soul, so much so it felt like he could hear you, your heartbeat and your mind, like tsaheylu would have been redundant because he knew. He just knew.

"I did it, Teyam!"

"Yes, you did, Vi! Come, first flight seals the bond."

That day was Neteyam's happiest day. That memory is still something that he cherishes deeply, that he'll never be able to shake, that haunts him at night, that shakes his resolve whenever he's thinking of a new way to make you pay. That memory is still untarnished in his mind, and it will always remain so, especially today, as he's fastening Oare's lifeless form onto Seze, petting her one last time, allowing the tears he's been stubbornly pushing back this entire day to finally fall from his cheeks onto her face, almost like she was the one crying, one last time.

"I'm sorry, girl. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry that I beat you... again. You're gonna have to do much better than this to beat me, Teyam."

The floating rock you landed on, hours after you finished your Iknimaya, was alit with biofluorescence, the colours reflecting in your eyes and on your shiny skin, covered in a light layer of sweat from the flight.

"Give me a break, Vi. It's my first time doing this."

"Yeah, cause I've been doing it for ages." you say, chuckling and rolling your eyes. You prop your body on your elbows and point to the two banshees playing in the air with each other, a mass of ravelling green and purple, so beautiful, and so, so free.

"I can't take all the credit. She did most of the work. I love her already, Teyam. Do you have a name in mind for yours?"

Neteyam didn't have to think about it too much. Ever since he's first found out about the Iknimaya, a story told to him by his mother consolidated a name in his memory that he's never been able to forget.

"Seze. Like my mother's ikran that bravely gave her life in the war against the Sky People."

"That's pretty. And fitting. She's a beautiful flower."

"What about you?"

"Oare."

"Why?"

"I used to look at the moons every night and think I'm so far away from this, from my destiny, from who I've always known I was meant to be, the Iknimaya might as well have been the moon - unreachable, untouchable, a world away. And now, I'm here, with you, way past curfew, and we're gonna get in so much trouble and I couldn't care less because I did it, I reached the moon. And I did it with the only person I ever wanted to. So.. Oare."

"Thank you, Teyam. I learnt a lot from you in these years. Ever since I met you, I knew you were special. And I think, even without realising, I wanted to be more like you. I've looked up to you for so long, I don't even remember my life before the Sullys took me in. If I'm here today, it's because of you. You helped me become more temperate and understand the weight of my talent and my power, and that I have a responsibility to the clan, that this is bigger than me, and my life."

Neteyam was taken aback at your words. You were never this forthcoming with your feelings normally, but he couldn't say he wasn't happy about it. He was so happy.

"I love you, Vi. I may have made you more responsible, but you made me better. Braver. More creative, more inventive. I almost couldn't finish the Iknimaya today, and then one of your crazy ideas popped in my head, and it worked. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't have done this without you, without your influence in my life. Thank you."

You smiled softly, and put your head on his chest, just watching the dance of the banshees, and he prayed that this moment would never end.

"I guess we really are meant to be together then, huh?"

"Yeah. I guess we are."

Neteyam placed Oare in the village, where the elders and Tsa'hik would be able to perform Eywa's funeral rituals, before making his way back to the tent. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him as he was met with your drowsy, blood-shot eyes, so much sadness in them, it broke him. They were so different then the ones that have haunted Neteyam's mind today, so devoid of the innocence and love he remembered, so filled with anger and spite and hurt, so much like his own, such a bitter reminder that the past was only that, the past, and there was nothing left of you, or of him, of the love you shared and the future he envisioned. With one last memory, Neteyam felt the walls surrounding his heart, thick and unflinching, growing harder with every year since the Iknimaya, fortify yet again, as one last memory emerged uninvited and reminded him of why, despite your history, Neteyam would never look at you the same way again.

And I know whatever this is ain't love So I'm goin' I'm gonna let you go, let you go

"I'm going to go back to my tent. I had too much of a good day to spoil it by Jake yelling at me for 2 hours straight. I'd rather save the pleasure for tomorrow."

"That's so unfair, why do I have to suffer by myself?"

A shrug was all the answer you felt was necessary to give him, and he felt his heart drop at the notion of going to his family's tent so late, so far past curfew, without your much more argumentative presence, that his father could never resist. He walked cautiously, silently, praying that his family would be asleep so he could just sneak in and postpone the yelling until tomorrow. To his surprise, he heard whispered voices coming from right outside the tent, whispers he quickly recognised as his father and grandmother's.

"... that it should be her. She should be the next Olo'eykte. That she is the most deserving of it, has been since she was young. It took a long time to see it for myself, but... I don't know. Maybe he.."

...Olo'eykte? You? Neteyam couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't believe how quickly his father was willing to replace him, how quickly he considered you better and more worthy of the title than his own son, than the rightful heir. You were both 12, for Eywa's sake. How could a decision be made so early? Neteyam felt tears gather in his eyes, the betrayal's sting more painful than a kali'weya's, and yet, still, a part of him knew this already. A part of him couldn't find it in him to be upset, because you were better. And you deserved to lead, you deserved to fulfil your destiny, that was made for greatness, made for the songs and the ballads, made for history.

"It's Neteyam's birthright, Jakesulli. It wouldn't be right, no matter how worthy the girl is. What about a mateship? They have been inseparable for years anyhow."

"Ah, she would never want to be Tsa'hik. And she wouldn't be good at it anyway. Besides..." the silence felt like it dragged on forever, and he clung on to it, afraid of what was waiting for him at the end of it.

"I mentioned it to her. She said she... doesn't want to mate with Neteyam. That she couldn't ever love him the way a mate would. She was... very adamant about it."

As Neteyam looked into your eyes, those words forever embedded in his psyche, playing in his ears like a cacophony of sounds that rattled him every time he saw you, even so many years later, solidified in him by all the times you continued to hurt him, continued flaunting your relationships and skills to him, your connection and closeness to his own family, that sometimes he felt like he didn't belong in anymore, like he was the adoptive one... he was reminded that every time, it hurt, every day, it broke him further, and those eyes that were once his guidepost and the reason he got up in the morning, were now empty and bleak, and enough to make anger bubble in his soul once more, until it drowned everything else, until it was all that was left.

I don't need a reason to keep on dreamin' That we don't lose, yeah what's the use? I don't need a reason to keep on dreamin' That I can win this stupid thing called love

taglist: @fanboyluvr @theycallmesia @afro-hispwriter @soleilmoon @crazy4books1 @bakugouswaif@randxmthxughts @xreadersstuff @sirezaya @kimberlyshailany-blog @gyuventure @jujudsmyst @kikookii @nxptury @nonniesworld @koing-slvt @bakugouswaif @isnt-itstrange @tpwkforevermore @alahamums @tallulah477 @gknj9495@aquamarine001 @itssomeonereading @yumimak@sweetbread-m@eqgroil @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @juneonhoth @yagirlheree @jackiehollanderr @legendarynoodlebowl @iameatingmyhair @justasimps-blog@hannabanana-09 @xylianasblog @misscaller06 @yeosxxx @myh3artttt @teyamsbitch @musicownsme @i-live-in-a-fantasy-daydream @zoetrope1997 @itsmy-alteregohere @ntymavtr @curlszx88 @maki-z @riatesullironalite @baahsaama @luna-salem @teyamtesuli @koing-slvt

[zhongliologist]

Research Hazards | 30 Nights Series

Pairing: Alhaitham x afab!reader x Kaveh

Genre: SMUT

Content Warning: threesome, double penetration, blowjob, cunnilingus, anal, creampie, trapped

Words: 5.7k

A/N: Happy Holidays! This is my present to y'all who're still here lmao Anyways, this is part of a series that I barely started, so I won't promise I'll post regularly. Consider this an advance ksksksks Also please ignore genshin lore stuff in this fic, i took all the liberties i had so it's not accurate lmaooo

Tagging: @yostresswritinggirl i know you've been waiting for this lmaooo

Warning: THIS IS AN 18+ FIC, SO MINORS OUT THERE, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.

There are three types of people in the world when faced with a life or death situation.

The first one tends to be a little too overdramatic.

“This can’t be the end! I have so many projects to do, so many masterpieces to make! Al-haitham, you take responsibility for this! If you didn’t insist that we take this route, we could have been out by now!”

The second prefers to be more logical; the problem solver.

“Don’t be so pathetic, Kaveh. How about you use that brain of yours to find a way out instead? Out of us three here, you’re the most knowledgeable with machinery. You should know at least one loophole.”

And the last one is what people would call an “opportunist”.

“Take your flirting somewhere else, you two. I’m in the cusp of an academic breakthrough. This room is like no other! Completely unique from all the ruins attributed to the god of time! So exciting!”

“We are not flirting!” “Your imagination knows no boundaries, YN.”

You shrugged, crouching near an impression on the wall. “Hm. Whatever you say.”

This unique arrangement, or whatever it was, simply formed out of necessity.

As students of the Akademiya, it was required to submit a final research paper before graduating—a cumulative opus of all the learnings and skills one has acquired through their time as a student. You never had any trouble in writing your own paper, but the subject you chose was a behemoth, a wide gap in the tree of knowledge that has yet to be studied thoroughly. Despite your brilliance however, you only had one brain and that was hardly enough to tackle the mystery of the god of time. Besides, you needed the expertise from the other Darshans to make full sense of any discovery, and they probably need your expertise as well—a win-win situation, in your honest opinion.

And that was how you ended up with Al-haitham and Kaveh—geniuses, yes, but probably the most insufferable pair in the entire Akademiya.

“Al-haitham, Kaveh,” you called out as you stood up from your position and walked towards the two with notebook in hand. Al-haitham was standing front of a wall, trying to decipher what was written, while Kaveh was busy studying the walls of the room.

“Have you figured it out?” Al-haitham asked, looking up. He was always the sensible one between the two, but only when it comes to intellectual pursuits.

“No, not yet, but I do need a sounding board,” you replied, standing beside him. “An alternative assessment, if you will.”

“Fine by me. We’ll listen to your ideas first before we share our own thoughts,” Kaveh said as he stood before the both of you.

“So our current predicament is that we’re trapped in this room, which was triggered when we stepped on that platform, causing the walls to cave in on us. If we want to get out, we have to at least understand what had trapped us and why.”

Both men nodded at you. Al-haitham glanced at you, his stare a little too long than normal.

“Makes sense. Go on.”

You cleared your throat to divert your attention to the subject at hand. “Well, here’s the thing. Previous research claim that these ruins are dedicated to the god of time, yet now that I’m here seeing it with my own two eyes, touching it with my two hands, I have to disagree. And I believe the both of you think the same way.”

Kaveh and Al-haitham exchanged glances, yet it was Kaveh who first spoke. “While it is important not to jump into conclusions right away, I do agree with YN. The architectural style, the motifs…they do look similar to Istaroth-attributed ruins yet not quite. The flower motifs on the wall could easily be mistaken as triquetras. If we reexamine previous papers and note our recent findings, a trove of new discoveries is possible.”

Nodding in agreement, you listened to what Kaveh had to say, until you were distracted by how his lips moved. Soft, pink and plump…would it feel as delectable as it appeared to be, you wondered. Wait. This is not what you should be thinking in this situation YN!

“We should be careful here,” Al-haitham interrupted your thoughts. “Refuting previously recognized research is already an endeavor in and of itself. While it is disappointing that these ruins are not related to the ruins of Dahri, we can get enough data here to write an additional paper, alongside our main research subject. With that said, figuring out who this place is for should be the first and foremost priority, for the paper and for our safety as well.”

“I’ve seen you look through the writings on the wall earlier. Did it leave any clues?” you asked, gazing up at him. For some reason you felt hot and uncomfortable all of the sudden. Perhaps it was just the jungle humidity finally getting to you.

“Ah yes. It was also the reason why I had to agree with your assessment. The writings sing of praises for the goddess of flowers, as well as of hopes and wishes for ‘new seed’ to sprout and ‘new buds’ to bloom. It was also in a language which emerged at the same time as scripts from King Deshret’s empire and from ancient Sumeru. If these were ruins attributed to the god of time, Khaenri'ahn script should have been used and there should be no mention of the goddess of flowers.”

“How interesting,” you exclaimed, trying to rid of unnecessary thoughts forming in your head. “What you both have noted all points to the goddess of flowers. I assumed the same case as well. Yet there are no records of buildings dedicated to the goddess, so what makes this one different? What does the writings on the wall allude to? What is this place for? Why are we trapped here?”

“Alright!” Kaveh exclaimed, making you yelp when he suddenly placed his hands on your shoulders. They were heavy and big. “Let’s take a break for a while. I, for one, would like to rest on a comfortable place.”

The ‘comfortable place’ Kaveh was referring to was of course, another invention of his. Both you and Al-haitham watched the blond unfurl his portable chaise lounge with jaded eyes, all too familiar with Kaveh’s tactic of showing off. If he wasn’t a master craftsman and architect, you would’ve deemed him a simple man.

“Of course, the both of you are free to take a seat. Don’t be shy now,” he smirked, and at that point you understood why Al-haitham was ceaselessly cruel to him.

“Al-haitham if you’re not going to punch him sooner or later, I will do it.”

The Haravatat scholar simply shrugged at you; indicating that you should get used to it. “If I were you, just humor him to keep the peace and quiet. The archons know we need some silence to think in this situation.”

“Fine,” you retorted back and marched towards Kaveh. In a huff, you ungracefully plopped yourself on the chaise, surprising even Kaveh himself.

“You’re…” sitting so close to me, was what he wanted to say yet it was suddenly so difficult to get the words out of his throat.

“What is it?” you asked, wondering why Kaveh covered half of his face with his hand all of a sudden.  

“No, I just…” he couldn’t say it. There was no way he could tell you that you smelled so sweet and delectable, enough to remind him of baklavas drizzled with honey. Drizzled with honey…he could lick it off of you—

“What’s gotten into you, Kaveh? You wouldn’t be thinking of anything inappropriate, would you?” you asked in the midst of a laughing fit. You just couldn’t help but giggle at the way his face morphed into an expression of horror.

“O-of course not! I…” he stammered but eventually composed himself. “Don’t you think it’s a bit warm in this room?”

“Well, there are no windows. It could also be the combined body heat of us three,” you shrugged. “I’m more concerned if we’re gonna run out of air before we can get out of here.”

“Oh, about that. There is a draft coming from the gaps on the walls, so there’s no chance of suffocation.”

“Well, at least we have that. But I do agree, it’s been warm for a while now, it’s making my skin stick to my clothes. I should at least remove one layer.”

“What…?”

Kaveh stared at you in panic, wide-eyed and flushed. He was already having inappropriate thoughts of you; your bare skin would do massive damage to his self-control.

“Wait…!” he reached out to you, hand on your arm. You gazed at him curiously, mulling over at the weird mood the both of you were in. If you were a little more honest, you could feel a haze creeping around you and Kaveh. You were just too scared to acknowledge it.

“Oh, come on! I’m just removing a jacket, no big deal!” You shrugged him off, finally getting rid of the stuffy outerwear required of students while on field, and went back to your place beside the blond man.

Kaveh had to train his eyes somewhere else to avoid looking at your shoulders and neck. Yet even if his eyes found purchase on a nearby rock, his imagination was betraying him with images of you flushed and ready underneath him, calling out his name in sweet and illicit whispers. There is no way he wouldn’t get hard right now. Get a hold of yourself, Kaveh!

Unbeknownst to the blond beside you, you weren’t in the best of shape either. It took all your mental prowess not to get overwhelmed by lewd thoughts—thoughts which involved the blond and the ash-haired scholar. All the intellectual talk from earlier had you weak and bothered, weirdly turned on from how Al-haitham discussed his thoughts while Kaveh shared his. For some reason, the desire to be pressed between both men was clawing at you. You wanted to feel their bodies against yours, touching and caressing all your sensitive spots until the three of you were one incoherent mess.

“What are you two even doing?”

The sound of Al-haitham’s stern voice brought you back down to Teyvat. You were thankful he was still sane, otherwise you might’ve not been able to come back. Kaveh, on the other hand, was still stubbornly looking at the distant wall.

“YN, scoot over,” Al-haitham ordered. He didn’t wait for you to move however, instead, you were forced to make room for him on the now crowded chaise, making you bump against Kaveh, who was definitely not pleased.

“You could at least wait, you know?” you remarked irately. “It’s already so hot and humid as it is…”

Removing his beret, Al-haitham kept his gaze on the wall in front of him much like Kaveh. “It’s not my fault this chaise lounge could barely fit three people.”

“Do you have a problem with it Al-haitham?” Kaveh interrupted, a lilt of frustration present in his voice which wasn’t there before. “You should be thankful you’re not sitting on the stone floor.”

In your position, the two of them looked rather silly bickering at the walls they were facing, as they avoided getting a glimpse of you and of each other. It wasn’t hard to guess that Al-haitham was feeling the same way both you and Kaveh did, and he was trying his best not to succumb to it.

“Did this room smelled particularly sweet when we went in?” you asked, interrupting the both of them.

“Hm? Oh no, I don’t think so. It was just like any other ruins we previously visited,” Kaveh replied, instinctively looking at you. That proved to be quite a mistake however, as his eyes began to ogle at your bare shoulders, neck and arms. The temptation to touch you was all too real and difficult to resist. Any time now, the tightly-wound thread holding his self-control would eventually snap.

“I’ve noticed it as well…the room does smell faintly of sweet flowers and padisarahs.” Al-haitham added as he glanced down at you, imagining all the things your mouth can do for him. Like slow-moving poison, illicit thoughts were invading his mind, pillaging all that is logical and reasonable until all he could think about is you. You being violated by him and Kaveh; you crying out their names as they fill both your holes; you laying on the chaise stuffed to the brim with their seed.

You watched Al-haitham as his mind wandered. You could tell he was losing his own battles, overcome by intrusive thoughts. If Al-haitham himself had succumbed to these thoughts, then forget about finding a way out. Your minds were too preoccupied to do any analysis at that point. The question now became clear to you—for how long are you three able to maintain self-control? If that wasn’t possible, what will happen to the three of you?

“A conclusion seemed to have crossed your mind, YN.”

It was Al-haitham, who had met your eyes directly. Peridot orbs on yours, you noticed the ferocity of his gaze, as if a fire was smoldering deep within him which he could barely contain. He was at his limit, and you were nearing yours too. You could only withstand so much mental battles, especially not against old leyline energy.

“This was a miscalculation in our part. Who would have thought we’d encounter something like this deep in the forest?” you replied, voice becoming low, body becoming pliant. “The flower motifs, the inscription on the wall, all the scattered decorations. It makes sense for this place to have that kind of purpose.”

“So what now?” Kaveh asked, leaning against the back rest of the chaise. “I don’t think I have the energy to resist whatever is happening.”

“Let’s just see where it goes,” you shrugged, allowing Al-haitham’s hands to cup your cheeks and Kaveh’s arms to wrap around your waist. “We are already too far gone.”

The next few moments were difficult for you to follow. After allowing your carnal urges to took hold of your actions, all you could remember was how everything felt so good.

The two men slowly ravished your body. You remember Al-haitham pressing his lips against yours, nibbling your lower lip until you allowed him to explore your mouth and play with your tongue. Kaveh, on the other hand, had monopoly over your body, lazily embracing your waist with one arm as he fondled your chest with his hand. He liked to bury his nose on the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent and leaving his marks all over your skin. Suffice to say, their ministrations left you bare and naked.

There were no words exchanged at that moment, just pure and unbridled lust.

You delighted at the sensation of having both men caressing you, making you feel good. In the haste of it all, the blond had you sitting on his lap, his hands cupping your breasts and rubbing your nipples, while Al-haitham’s lips travelled down from collarbones to your stomach; leaving nips and splotches of color in his wake. Your hands could only do so much; wrapped around Al-haitham’s shoulders as you accepted it all.

Kaveh couldn’t believe he finally had a taste of you—his deepest desires finally coming into fruition after years of longing. Although he had to share with Al-haitham, there was no other opportunity like this. He could finally touch you, caress you, tease you as he pleased. There were no eyes to stop him, no boorish ego to tell him he was being unprofessional for liking you as your senior. Maybe this was what he needed after all.

“…Kaveh…” you moaned, looking up to him for a kiss which he easily obliged. He went immediately for a French kiss, sliding his tongue against yours in a soft and needy kiss. Kaveh groaned into your lips as you pressed your butt against the tent in his pants, reminding him to remove his clothes as soon as possible.

Al-haitham watched the exchange with half-lidded eyes and lips ajar. It was turning him on in all the right ways. As a man of rationality, he had never thought he’d enjoy a voyeuristic view of you making out with another man, much less Kaveh. But the sight only made his dick harder, prompting him to bite hard on your inner thigh.

 “—!!”

“Come on now, YN. Don’t tell me you forgot about me,” he growled as he lapped on the bite mark he had just left on your skin. “Let’s hear you moan.”

With those words, the man completely ravished your thighs—leaving nips and bites but altogether avoiding the place where you needed him the most. You were trembling, keening in pleasure, mind numbed by the sensations both men had put you through. With hands tightly digging into Al-haitham’s hair, you collapsed against Kaveh’s chest as you begged the other for more.

Annoyed at the attention you gave to Al-haitham, Kaveh had his hand under your chin and turned your head to face him. Meeting his scarlet eyes, you melted under his gaze—once again joining lips in one sloppy kiss. He easily drowned out your moans with his tongue, delving deeper into your mouth until all you could feel were his soft plump lips.

Aware of how quiet you had been, Al-haitham pushed your legs up and dove right at your center; sucking your sensitive nub without any warning. Your body shook immediately, pulling away from Kaveh’s lips as you reveled at the way Al-haitham was lapping your juices which had been spilling out since earlier.

“…Al-haitham…! Wait—!”

All your pleading went to deaf ears as he continued eating you out, even to the point of inserting his tongue into your hole. It didn’t help when Kaveh suddenly pinched your nipples, flicking them until they were raw and sensitive. He was back on marking your shoulders and neck; his bites now more intense and feral. You could only grasp on thin air as both men drove you to your climax. Tears welled up on the sides of your eyes as the pleasure became so unbearable, with no choice but to take it all in.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck….! I’m…!”

As Al-haitham sucked hard on your clit; as Kaveh bit hard on your shoulder, you instantly fell to your climax—body shaking and trembling as the pain and pleasure mixed into something indescribably intense and rendering your mind completely blank. You screamed at the overwhelming stimulation, squirting juices into Al-haitham’s mouth which he gladly licked.

The two men gently laid you down on the chaise as they stood in front of you, breathless and horny with cocks painfully hard. Silently, they undressed as you watched—your eyes tracing the contours of their muscles and biceps, their beautiful skin riddled with beads of sweat and bodily fluids. Desire bubbles up from the pits of your stomach once again.

Finally, you saw a glimpse of their erect members, both glistening with pre-cum. Head overridden with lust, you almost salivate at the sight—Kaveh’s was pretty, pink and rather long and slightly girthy, while Al-haitham was thick and veiny; almost as muscular as his toned body. Both men smirked at how you were ogling at them.

“Seems like you want more, YN,” Kaveh remarked as he sat at the end of the chaise, spreading your legs apart. “Surely, we can give you more. Isn’t that right, Al-haitham?”

Normally, this would prompt more bickering from the two, yet they have different priorities right now, and they can set aside their differences for later.

Al-haitham scoffed, hands giving his cock a few pumps before placing it near your lips.

“How about we start with a blowjob? I’m sure you know how to do it, don’t you YN?” There was a mocking lilt to his tone that normally irritated you, yet at that situation, it turned you on for some fucking reason.

At first, you gave the head tentative licks, lapping at the beads of pre-cum spilling from the tip. You then began swirling your tongue around the head and sucking it. Eventually, you licked the underside of his cock, thoroughly covering his member with saliva and pre-cum which earned a deep growl from the man. Locking gazes with Al-haitham, you finally took him in, mouth stretching at his girth. If you weren’t drowning in lust, you would’ve complained at the pain, but at that point, all you could think about was how you were sucking his large cock while Kaveh was rubbing his on your drenched slit.

And speaking of Kaveh, he was busy pleasuring himself—pressing your thighs together around his dick which was brushing against your sensitive clit. If you hadn’t had Al-haitham’s cock in your mouth, you would’ve moaned every time Kaveh would rub on your sensitive bud; yet you could only roll your eyes to the back of your head; seeing stars on the process. It was a delightful distraction, and both men seemed to have made it somewhat of a contest of who could maintain your attention.

All of the sudden, Al-haitham shoved his dick into your throat, making you gag. Holding your head, he was effectively fucking your mouth, as you took it all in. It was painful, but fortunately Kaveh was there to distract you, pressing his thumb on your clit as he continued sliding his cock on your wet cunt. You could no longer tell which was which, allowing your body to feel everything.

“Fuck, YN….I’m going to come in your mouth…” Al-haitham muttered through gritted teeth.

“Wouldn’t you like that, YN?” Kaveh cooed, face flushed as he continued to fuck your thighs. “We’re gonna cover you with our cum…”

With a few strokes, Al-haitham stilled in your mouth and pumped his cum into your throat, while Kaveh spilled his seed on your stomach, almost reaching your breasts. Not able to swallow of Al-haitham’s essence, you allowed the mess to drip from your lips and down to your body. The image of you covered with their seed was enough to keep both men hard even outside the influence of the room. Even after coming once, it wasn’t enough. They had to have you.

Lifting your chin up, Kaveh captured your lips for the nth time, tasting Al-haitham on your tongue. The thought seemed to drive him crazy, as he probed deeper into your mouth, groaning, sucking your tongue and biting your lips. Lifting you up, Kaveh met eye to eye with Al-haitham, both seemingly agreeing on something.

Smirking as he devoured your lips, Kaveh had you on his lap again, his cock now lined up on your cunt. Without saying anything, the blond lowered you to his dick, grunting at the novel sensation of your walls wrapped around him. His lips kept any of your moans from escaping, as he allowed you to feel the shape of his cock in your pussy.

All you could think of at that moment was how good Kaveh filled you up. He was prodding you at the right places, his size making you stop to adjust to him before he can plow into your cunt. The way he was kissing you didn’t help either. The constant stimulation had made your body so sensitive that even a brush of Al-haitham’s hand on your neck or Kaveh’s low growls was enough to make your body spasm.

“…Kaveh…more…”

You begged for him to move, but the blond could only smirk at you as he laid the both of you flat on the chaise with you above him.

“Oh no, we’re not done here, YN. Al-haitham has to prepare you.”

With those words, you suddenly felt cold wet fingers prodding your other hole, prompting you to turn around. You were greeted by a grinning Al-haitham who pressed a few kisses on your back.

“We don’t have any lube right now, but I’ll make sure you’re ready for the both of us.”

As Al-haitham kneeled down, you could feel his tongue rimming your hole, licking and prodding until you were crying out at the strange sensations.

“Wait…no…! That’s…!”

“Relax, YN,” Kaveh assured you as he nipped on your ear. “It’ll feel good later on. Just let Al-haitham pleasure you.”

You could no longer tell how long Al-haitham took to make you feel good, but you could tell that your rigid body was gradually becoming pliant to his touch. Perhaps you already came several times, you weren’t sure as the pleasure seemed to have overlapped each other with no end in sight. By the time you noticed, he already had four digits pumping in and out of you as he lapped on your juices, while you moaned against Kaveh’s shoulders.

“Look how well you can take my fingers, YN,” Al-haitham whispered to your ear as he continued to pound his fingers into your ass. “You think you can take my cock now?”

“A-Al-haitham…please…I—!”

As the ash-haired man flicked a particular spot inside, you could only cling to Kaveh for support, yet the blond himself was also struggling, trying his best not to come even after your walls keep tightening around him.

“Al-haitham…” Kaveh grunted, beads of sweat falling from his temples. “Hurry up…I don’t think I can last much longer…”

Al-haitham clicked his tongue as he shoved his fingers deep into you, making both you and Kaveh groan. “So impatient…perhaps you both need a lesson or two.”

“Well, how about we switch places instead?” the older man asked, his irritation evident.

Yet the other man only smirked, “Maybe later then.”

Finally pulling out his fingers, Al-haitham coated his member with your essence, rubbing it against your hole until he lined it up. Noticing what he was about to do, Kaveh pulled your now swollen lips once more for a kiss, effectively distracting you.

Gradually, Al-haitham pushed his fat cock into your ass, stretching you out in proportions you had never considered before. Having both Al-haitham and Kaveh inside of you had your eyes rolling to the bank of your head, the intensity enough to make you faint. But you were intoxicated with whatever energy was in the room, so instead of actually fainting, you were flooded with pain that was so good that it had your body shaking uncontrollably.

“Breathe slowly, love. Take it easy,” Kaveh whispered sweetly to you, noticing your heavy breaths. He made carefully placed kisses on your jaw and down to the crook of your neck to soothe you. He knew Al-haitham would definitely abuse your hole, and he had to at least make sure that you’d come out sane after this. His ministrations seemed to have worked though, as you collapsed into his embrace, whimpering while taking in both cocks in you.

It didn’t take a while for both men to begin moving. The contrast of Al-haitham’s sharp and harsh thrusts to Kaveh’s slow but long-drawn pace left you an incoherent mess, no longer able to perceive everything that was happening to you. You felt as if you were one big bundle of nerves, drooling and screaming every time their cocks pushed against a particularly sweet spot in you.

Yet you were not the only one on the brink of losing their sanity. Both Al-haitham and Kaveh were acting on complete impulse and desire—with their hands on your waist, plunging into you as deep as they could, relentlessly chasing after their high. They wanted to fuck you over and over again and spill into you, marking you as theirs inside and out. Then rinse and repeat.

“Hey, can you feel it?” Al-haitham asked Kaveh in a breathy voice, grinning as he continued to pound into you.

“Feel what?”

“My dick—“

In one huff, Al-haitham shoved deep and hard into you, which made your walls contract around Kaveh’s.

“Oh fuck…!” The other groaned out, gripping your waist tight as he threw his head up. That was incredible, if he was being honest.

“You liked that, didn’t you?” the younger man smirked as he bent over your back and took a handful of your hair. “YN seemed to have liked it as well.”

“Shut up,” the other simply glared even though his face was completely flushed.

“You should learn from YN, Kaveh. At least, they’re being honest.”

Al-haitham only chuckled as he continued to drive into you, completely mesmerized at how you were clamping around him, how your hips would bounce every time he would thrust sharply, how you were moaning his name on Kaveh’s lips. In normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have imagined himself desiring you so intensely like this. Unlike Kaveh who obviously had a crush on you, you were more like a like-minded individual to Al-haitham; someone who he could match wavelengths with. He could spend the whole day everyday with you without worrying about anything, and he would feel rather lonely if you weren’t there. Was it different from what Kaveh was feeling about you? He thought it was, but now he wasn’t sure anymore.

Al-haitham felt you tighten around him once more, probably prompted by Kaveh playing with your chest. He could feel himself slowly climbing into his climax, his dick twitching inside of you.

“I can’t…no more…I’m…” you managed to croak out, voice hoarse and dry from all the screaming.

“It’s okay...” Kaveh cooed as he pressed a kiss on your forehead, “we’re cutting it close too…”

“Cum with us, YN,” Al-haitham encouraged.

This was the moment you waited for, feeling both their dicks plunging in and out of you. You reveled at how full you felt, at how you were drowning in so much pleasure that your mind just turned off on its own. This moment where you were all in the brink of your climax was something you chased after—it was the height of all anticipation, of all the build-up. Soon, it will spill over into waves of ecstasy; devouring the three of you whole.

With their erratic paces and their ragged breaths, both men ravished both your holes as they try to reach their peak. You yourself was feeling the brunt of their thrusts, with knuckles white from gripping tightly on Kaveh’s shoulders and eyes rolling to the back of your head. A single hard thrust from both men had you collapsing on your orgasm, walls tightening as your body shook intensely. Following after you, Kaveh painted your walls white, spilling his seed deep into you with a loud growl. Al-haitham finished last, pumping his cum into your ass until it spilt over your hole.

Losing strength, Al-haitham slumped beside you and Kaveh as he tried to catch his breath. You could’ve passed out at the moment, if only the both of them weren’t still hard and ready to go. You yourself weren’t as satisfied as you ought to be, now beginning to miss their deep and sharp thrusts.

“Seems like we’ll have to satisfy this place before it would let us stop,” Al-haitham remarked, pulling out from you with his cum spilling out.

Helping you sit up, Kaveh also pulled out from you, groaning in the process. He wouldn’t want to admit it but he was as eager as you started; evident from how hard he still was despite coming twice.

“You can still take more, can’t you YN?”

“We’ll help you, so don’t worry about anything.”

Climbing back on the chaise, Kaveh pulled you to his lap while Al-haitham captured your lips with a grunt escaping his mouth. That all led you to Kaveh pounding your ass this time while Al-haitham shoved his cock into your pussy—your juices mixing and staining your skin. Imprisoned in the room, the three of you had no perception of time, thus it felt like you were fucking for eternity with no chance of calming down.

The three of you tried every position possible in order to satiate the brewing desire ever-present in the pits of your stomachs. One time you were riding Kaveh while you had Al-haitham on your mouth. Another time you were held by Al-haitham, wrapping your legs around his waist as he fucked your sore cunt raw, while Kaveh was pressed behind you, cock plunging deep in your ass. Both your two holes were full of their cum, spilling out on your thighs and legs.

At that point, the three of you were unbothered where this was going. If this was where you meet your end, you could just imagine Al-haitham’s look of disappointment and disgust. That was hilarious in and of itself, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care anymore. You just wanted to have them both by your side, filling you with their seed over and over again.

By the time you came to notice, you had already awoken yourself from sleep. Both men were lying close, bodies splayed over you as if you three had passed out from fucking too much.

But there, on the periphery of your vision, you saw a door, which wasn’t there before. You rubbed your eyes to check if you weren’t imagining things, but fortunately enough, you weren’t. It was there.

“Kaveh! Al-haitham! Wake up!” you exclaimed, pinching their noses to wake them up.

“Wha…? What happened…?” Kaveh asked, groaning at how heavy both you and Al-haitham were.

“Could you tone it down please?” the younger man scolded, still planning to go back to resting.

But as you were about to move, all the activity you did came crashing on you.

“Oww my fucking back!”

EPILOGUE

“And so, that is the conclusion of our research on Ruin No. 255b. While our paper is far from conclusive, we would like to take another look at it for more study.”

Al-haitham ended your presentation with a resounding applause from the panel of sages. They were more or less satisfied, saying how the three of you always produced great research which definitely warranted high honors upon graduation.

“But still, I’m curious,” the sage from the Amurta Darshan began. “This section here…on how leyline energy affects an individual’s libido. It’s so incredibly detailed that I have to ask how you were able to get this data.”

You smiled nervously, as you exchanged looks with the two men. “Well, we just had a few volunteers…”

[twilightspinkyfinger]

Twilight comforts Reader

A/N: This piece is written with the historian from my Hyrule Historian AU, in mind, but it can be read as a stand-alone piece. For more information and links to previous works in the series, please check out my masterlist here.

The past few days had been a lot to handle.

You were exhausted and desperate to finally be in a situation where you could let your guard down, however, the seemingly constant interactions with monsters and the Shadow along your journey made the task of relaxation impossible.

On this particular night, the chain had set themselves up to camp in a small underbrush in the woods. You hoped to find the other side of the never-ending collection of trees in the morning.

Twilight was on watch, his eyes constantly scanning the treeline for fear that another attack would occur while the rest of the team peacefully slept. A lone wolf in charge of the safety of his pack.

It seemed like the past few days had also taken their toll on the hero as he sat rigid with adrenaline as the skin under his eyes continued to darken from their already purple hue.

You didn't fair much better. Since you were not as well trained of a fighter as the men you traveled with, your body was exhausted and not used to the stamina you had to exert in the act of simply keeping yourself alive, especially in battle. Your body was bruised beyond comprehension, and your muscles and lungs burned like the inside of Death Mountain.

Despite how heavy your limbs felt or how dry your eyes were, you could not sleep. There was something amidst the air. Something you could not shake, no matter how hard you tried.

You were afraid. You were afraid of the red eyes and dark body of the creature that haunted your group from the start of your adventure. You feared the shadows capable of hiding such a foul being with little to no effort. You feared seeing the deaths of your traveling companions, feared seeing them slaughter in front of you, even more than you feared your own death. You were terrified, and nothing you tried was able to lessen the feeling of dread slowly suffocating you from the inside out.

The fear instilled into your body at that very moment worried you, as it was extremely uncharacteristic. You had always been slightly odd in a way. You found yourself drawn to the darker things in life and you revelled in the comfort that the shadows brought. You had never been afraid of the dark, even as a small child. You mused that the monsters would be there, and whether it was light or dark did not matter. But not anymore.

You had seen things, or rather you had seen IT. The Shadow sent shivers down your spine like nothing you had ever encountered before. The Shadow has practically killed Twilight for Hylia's sake. The Shadow left you feeling alone, segregated from the comfort of the shadows, and thrust into the fleeting and unstable arms of the light. You hated it. You hated how weak you felt, how alone, how vulnerable, as the light from the fire graced your trembling body.

You never trusted the light, its harsh light only held lies for the future, but now it was all that you had to grasp onto for any semblance of comfort in these trying times.

You curled further into the ball you had formed with your body inside of your bedroll, and your eyes frantically searched the shadows, feeling like you were being stalked from all sides, rather than the cold embrace you were accustomed to from the night. Your body began to shake and your breath became uneven.

You didn't even register what was happening at first, too caught up in your mind, too caught up in your fear.

Your mind became hazy as you shook in terror in the cold of the night. You nearly jumped out of your skin, pleading for your life, as a pair of boots crunched on the leaves beside you.

"Hey, you're okay, I'm not going to hurt you. It's me Twi, shush darlin' I've got you" He spoke in a soft but stern voice as his arms wrapped around you, shielding you from the shadows that plagued your mind.

He was warm, a pleasant relief from the cold winds of the forest, and he sat there with you for what felt like forever. Arms rubbing your back and words of encouragement and comfort being whispered in your ear as you shook against his chest.

He brought you more comfort than the shadows ever had and more comfort than the light would ever give, you were sure.

You didn't remember much after that, except the voice of Legend grumpily getting up for his shift on watch, but you still curled up in the comfort of Twilight, the personification of the point where the darkness meets the light.

When you awoke at dawn, nuzzled into the hero of Twilight, drinking in his warmth like you were a person starved, you felt safe and relaxed for the first time in days, and safer than you ever imagined you would feel again.

Now your favorite time of day was when the sun began to set, the twilight, the balance between light and dark. A sense of something familiar, yet you couldn't quite place why.

[hugmekenobi]

The Bad Batch (1)

Chapter One: Aftermath

GIF by @sinfulsalutations​ 

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: You joined the Batch 8 months ago and everything was going well. But then, Order 66 happened and suddenly the galaxy around you changed. Now, not only do you need to be careful given your new ‘social status’, but you also need to navigate your feelings towards a certain Sergeant. 

Chapter Summary: You and the Batch have to deal with the way the galaxy has changed. And secrets get revealed along the way.

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers

Warnings: Use of (Y/N) (but I’ve limited it as much as I could), swearing, canon-typical violence, character deaths, slight canon deviation (particularly in later chapters), the Force works according to what I need, angst, mild injury description, reader also digs herself a hole with some poor early choices

Word Count (Ch 1): 18.9K (so sorry, episode one is a long one)

Rating: 18+

Author’s notes: Like I said, just putting this out there cause I finished this last year and I just have it sitting in my docs and figured I’d give it a shot! Majority of the dialogue is from the show but my own parts and voice is in there too! I’ve written the reader to be someone who makes mistakes and isn’t a flawless character because that’s how I want her to be so I can understand if that’s not for everyone, I even got annoyed myself sometimes lol. But yeah, still very nervous about sharing this but if you do read, hope you enjoy! :) 

MasterList

Kaller.

You watched as the young padawan left your group to head back to his master. You remembered when you had been his age. Life had been so different. You never imagined that where you were right now is how your life would’ve worked out. Fighting in a war? Or at least facing conflict of some kind? Sure, that seemed inevitable given the way your life was set out but going from a life of relative peace to a soldier (not that that label was very well accepted but it was what you believed), to a civilian, back to a soldier but fighting with a group of defective clones? No. Nothing could’ve prepared you for that.

“Credit for your thoughts?”

You smiled and turned to face the, more modulated, but all too familiar covered smokiness voice of Sergeant Hunter of Clone Force 99. You’d ran in to him and the rest of the group a long time ago- it was coming up on 8 months ago now- when they were on a mission on Devaron, one of the many planets you had settled in. You’d watched as they got themselves into a bit of bother with a rather large battalion of Separatist droids and you knew you had to help. With your assistance, along with their rather unorthodox tactics, the droids had been taken care of quickly and you found yourself not wanting to leave them so when Hunter offered you a spot on his squad, you hadn’t hesitated. At the end of the day, you were back doing what you enjoyed- helping people. Of course, something you hadn’t fully thought through and something you quickly realised was that, with them being soldiers of the Republic, you were often in the presence of a Jedi which wasn’t ideal. You huffed out a breath before replying, “That would just be a waste of your rather limited funds.”

“You’re okay though?” Hunter asked, lightly touching your shoulder.

Even though his helmet was on, you could feel his eyes looking into yours. You pushed away the heat that began to spread through your body. The last thing you needed was to get that warm and fuzzy feeling you so often felt in front of the clone with enhanced senses. That had been getting harder and harder lately. Yes, upon first meeting him, you’d noticed that he was a rather attractive, but you’d hoped that feeling would only run surface deep, but you’d been wrong.

Over the months you’d been alongside him, that feeling only grew until it became a deeply engrained part of you. There were moments where perhaps you thought those feelings were reciprocated. A few months into your new membership, after spending your time sleeping in one of the ship’s passenger seats, the two of you began share his bunk in both the ship and their barracks because, according to him, ‘sleeping in one of those chairs wasn’t a suitable way to live or prepare for missions’.

Moreover, you were often paired up with him on these missions, but you convinced yourself this was nothing more than him being a good friend and sergeant. Yes, it was all platonic. Friends platonically shared a bunk and often woke up in each other’s arms. Yes, it could only possibly be platonic. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Hunter, can we do this already, I wanna attack some droids!” Wrecker complained loudly.

You drew your hood and mask up and followed Hunter over to where Echo, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair were standing.

You took your weapon from the sheath slung over your back. You’d melted down a bunch of vibroblades to make this. It wasn’t quite the length of a sword, but it was close enough, and it was the nearest thing to a positive reminder of home you had.

“I still don’t understand why you use that and not a blaster. Logically, a blaster is more practical for a battle.” Tech observed.

“You know Tech, sometimes you don’t need to understand everything. This works just fine for what I need.” You replied simply.  

“Okay. Everyone ready?” Hunter asked.

You and the others nodded.

You took a breath to calm your pounding heart. This mission would be the closest you’d come to encountering the many Jedi masters scattered across the galaxy. You’d always managed to not stick around too long after the job was done. You tended to hang back, usually with Crosshair, avoiding any and all interaction whilst the others spoke to them, but you sensed this mission would have you in closer proximity than you would like. You couldn’t put a finger as to why you felt this way, a large factor was probably you and the group were the only reinforcements available so there wouldn’t be many buffers, but there was also something else that was bothering you- you were going to tell them after the mission today and you had no idea how it would go down or just how bad their reactions would be. You couldn’t dwell on it for too long though, Wrecker had dislodged the boulder and it had begun its course down the cliffside, so you all began your descent to the droids below.

--

It was child’s play really. You gelled well with the rest of them. Every droid you came across fell victim to a stab of your weapon and Wrecker didn’t need your help getting rid of the tanks, much to your relief. You weren’t sure you would be able to get away with that today. It was over relatively quickly. Chopping off the last droid’s head, you began walking over to where Caleb and his master were taking cover. Maybe you could hide behind Wrecker and go mostly unseen.

“If you’re done hiding down there, I suggest you launch a counter-attack.” Hunter said, removing his helmet. “Another droid battalion is approaching.”

“The General is the one who gives the orders around here.”

The Jedi Master put her hand up to appease the clone captain. “He’s right Captain this is our chance. Launch the counterattack.”

“Yes General.” He said a tad reluctantly before addressing the rest of the battalion. “Alright men let’s go!” He ordered before he, the Padawan and the General made their way out their bunker towards you all.

Wreaker pushed his way past Echo, leaving you a bit more exposed than you would like. “There you are little Jedi. You missed all the fun!”

“Watching your team in action was the fun.” Caleb replied with a smile.

“Care to introduce your new friends Caleb?” She asked.

Fuck. You watched as the General lowered her hood. That was Depa Billaba. There was a very strong chance she could recognised you. You adjusted your mask over your nose, making sure it suitably covered as much of your face as it possibly could.

“Yes Master. This is Wrecker, Hunter, Echo, Tech, Crosshair and…” He trailed off and looked past Wrecker slightly. “Sorry, I don’t think I caught your name earlier.”

You coughed and stepped forward beside Wrecker as you told her your name.

The Jedi Master let out a hum as she heard it. “Forgive me, that name sounds very familiar. Have we met before?” Depa mused, her eyes peering into your own.

You avoided her gaze quickly. “No.” You replied before retreating back into the safety of the group.

Hunter watched you carefully. He knew you didn’t like interacting much with the other people the mission involved but this time you seemed even more uncomfortable than usual.  

She stared at you for a moment longer before returning her focus back to the group as a whole. “While I’m not sure fun is the sentiment I would express. I agree with my padawan. Your exploits were quite impressive.”

“Exploits?” Wrecker repeated, confusion in his voice.

“Don’t overthink it, Wrecker.” Crosshair said, before walking off.

You followed him; you really didn’t want to be a part of this interaction.

“Thank you General.” Echo said.

“Now would one of you please explain where my actual reinforcements are.”

“Re-routed to the Capital. We’re all you’re getting.” Hunter answered.

“Ha! We’re all you need!” Wrecker added.

“Actually, if my intel is correct, the general will not need any of us. The Clone War will soon be over.” Tech said.

“Better tell that to the clankers headed our way.” Depa’s clone captain countered.

“I am referring to the encrypted comm chatter. Clone intelligence is reporting General Obi Wan Kenobi has found and engaged General Grievous on Utapau.” Tech explained.

“If he captures or kills Grievous, the Separatist command structure would collapse.” Echo theorised.

“And most likely the droid armies along with them.” Tech added.

“A fascinating theory yet unfortunately not something we can control from here. I suggest we focus on the task at hand.” Depa suggested.

“Any orders?” Hunter asked. “Or shall we do what we do?” He added before putting on his helmet.

“Let’s blow something up! Yeah!” Wrecker cried enthusiastically.

“Well Caleb, shall we let them ‘do what they do’?” She asked her young padawan.

“Only if I can go with them.” He answered happily.

“Very well.”

“Hey kid you ready for this? We move fast.” Hunter told him.

“Good, that’s the only way I know.” He replied smoothly before running off.

“I like him!” Wrecker said before him, and Echo followed.

Giving a quick salute, Hunter too ran off.

--

You had noticed the group had dispersed so you and Crosshair ran towards the squad too. You were keeping pace with Caleb at the back but as you were running, your body ran cold, and you knew it wasn’t the Kaller climate. Something was wrong, you could feel it. You knew Caleb did too because you both slowed down at the same time and that was when you heard the blaster fire. You turned around and your heart sank to your stomach.

“Master.” Caleb said, his voice filled with concern.

“Caleb, wait!” You tried to grab him, but he turned and began to run back to the sight where his master was fending of a group of clones.

“Master!” He cried out again, igniting his lightsaber.

Hunter and the rest of the squad too began to hear the blaster fire and stopped and turned around to see what was happening.

You watched helplessly as the Jedi Master took multiple blaster bolts and as you heard her final cry, you felt a pain that wasn’t just from this. It felt like the pain of an entire galaxy, and it took everything in your power not to fall to your knees. You couldn’t give yourself away. You inhaled deeply and saw Caleb making his way back to you, but you heard Hunter and the others approaching and as they did so Caleb stopped and looked warily at the group of clones.

“Stay away from me!” He demanded, before running off into the forest.

“Kid, wait!” Hunter called after him.

“What the fuck was that?” You asked, coming to stand beside Hunter.

“Wha, what just happened?” Echo asked.

“The comm channel is repeating one directive. Execute Order 66.” Tech explained.

“Yeah, I heard that too. What’s Order 66?” Wrecker inquired.

“I am not certain.” Tech said with a slight sigh.

“Well can you get certain?” You snapped aggressively.

The others all turned to look at you.

You sighed. “Sorry. Just shocked, that’s all.”

Hunter studied you for a moment before addressing the group. “Echo, Tech talk to the Reg captain. Find out what you can.” He looked to you and Crosshair. “We will track down the kid and make sure nothing happens to him. Wrecker, stall anyone who tries to follow us.”

--

The three of you ran into the woods. You knew you could find him quicker than Hunter could track him but until you knew what exactly this order was, your secret would have to remain a secret.

“He’s close.” Hunter said quietly.

You looked in the trees around you and you spotted a huddled brown figure on a tree branch. You nudged Crosshair and subtlety pointed up. “There.”

Hunter followed your gaze. “Come on down kid. We’re here to help.”

You noticed Crosshair fiddling with his sniper. “What are you- No!” You watched in horror as Crosshair fired on the branch and the young Jedi deflected the bolt.

“Liar!” He shouted before jumping away.

“What are you doing?” Hunter asked, stunned.

“Following orders.” Crosshair answered.

You just stared at him. “You don’t even know what the order is.”

“Stand down.” Hunter ordered, pushing Crosshair back. “Until we know what’s going on.” He walked off, tugging your arm gently to get you to follow him.

You shook your head at Crosshair before following Hunter.

“Good soldiers follow orders.” Crosshair said once the two of you were out of earshot before he walked after you.

--

The comm linked chirped and Wrecker’s gruff voice came through. “Hunter, you’ve got regs in bound.”

“Copy that.”

“We have a situation.” This time it was Tech’s voice.

“Tell us something we don’t know, Tech.” You answered.

“It appears the regs have been ordered to execute the Jedi.”

You immediately stopped walking. You felt lightheaded and your knees were definitely threatening to buckle and this time you weren’t so sure you could resist, so you leaned against a tree.

“What? Which Jedi?” Hunter asked.

“All of them. They’re saying the Jedi have committed treason.” Tech clarified.

“That would explain things.” Crosshair said.

“It doesn’t begin to explain things!” You snapped, pushing off the tree to walk towards him.

“I suggest you get back here.” Tech inserted.

“Can’t, haven’t found the kid yet.” Hunter explained.  

Crosshair turned and raised his rife. “Wrong.” He fired.

You watched Caleb fall and ignite his lightsaber and come running at Crosshair.

“Stop!” You shouted at Crosshair before trying to grab his rifle, but he pushed you back and continued firing at the padawan.

“Crosshair, stand down!” Hunter ordered.

Caleb landed a blow to the rifle causing it to fall from Crosshair’s grip.

“Don’t!” Hunter called out.

Caleb landed a hard kick to Crosshair’s chest, causing his to crash into the bottom of a tree.

You turned to face Caleb and spoke calmly to him. “Take it easy, kid.” You took a slow step towards him. “Easy.”

You heard the sound of Hunter’s blaster hitting the ground and he also began to slowly walk towards the boy. “We’re on your side.” He said.

Caleb turned and ran.

You shot Hunter a look and the two of you ran after him. As you approached where he was, you saw he had stopped at the edge of a cliff. You and Hunter both slowed your advance.

“Stay back!” He cried.

Hunter removed his helmet, and you followed suit by taking down your hood and mask.

“Just hear us out.” You said gently.

“No. You killed her!”

“The others did. We’re just as confused as you are.” Hunter replied.

You saw the fear and uncertainty in Caleb’s eyes. You inhaled deeply. It was worth a shot, so you reached out into his force signature. Caleb, listen to me.

Caleb turned his gaze towards you, his eyes wide with surprise. You’re a-

Yes, but I’ve not been a part of The Order for a long time.

They killed her. I can’t trust them.

They didn’t kill her Caleb. He wants to help you. Let him, no harm will come to you I can promise you that. Trust him.

Do he and the others know about you?

No. You knew there was no point in lying to him.

Then how am I supposed to believe I can trust them when you haven’t even told them who you are?

There were a series of reasons for why I- You can- Please Caleb listen to me.

No!

Caleb don’t- You shook your head slightly in mild discomfort. He’d pushed you out. You wouldn’t be able to communicate with him like that now unless he was the one to instigate it.

Hunter’s eyes darted between you both. He couldn’t think of how, but he could’ve sworn the two of you just had a conversation. He brought his attention back to the frightened padawan in front of him.  He slowly continued his approach.

“Stay back! Stay back!” Caleb shouted.

“We can help you. Come with us.” Hunter moved forward again and reached his hand out.

Caleb glanced at you whilst backing towards the edge. I won’t tell him, but I can’t go with you.

You nodded sadly but you couldn’t blame him. If you were in his position, you weren’t sure you would go either. Suddenly, you all heard the sound of regs heading in your direction and you knew your time was up.

“No!” Hunter called out but it was too late. Caleb turned and jumped across the river and with one last look back, he disappeared into the woods.

Perhaps, if you were smart, you would’ve followed him, but you didn’t want to leave your squad and you needed answers too. You’d kept it a secret this long, it would just be a little harder now. You and Hunter watched him go and out of the corner of your eye, you saw Crosshair approach.

“Where’s the Jedi?” He enquired.

“I stunned him when he jumped. He didn’t make it.” Hunter answered soberly before turning away.

Crosshair glanced at you. You only glared at him and turned to follow Hunter.  

--

The ship came out of hyperspace. “We are coming up on Kamino.” Tech announced.

“It’s good to be home. How long’s it been?” Wrecker asked.

“One hundred and eighty rotations in a standard cycle but galactic zone changes put the adjusted figure at around two hundred and five.” Tech explained.

“What?” Wrecker replied, face filled with confusion.

Echo sighed. “A long time.”

“You got that right!” Wrecker replied with a laugh.

Despite everything that just happened, you chuckled slightly. Something you never grew tired of was the dynamic between all of them. You adjusted yourself slightly from where you were platonically sitting on the floor, leaning against Hunter’s legs. You noticed that Crosshair was staring at you both.

“What?” Hunter asked, without opening his eyes.

“You sure that padawan died when he fell?” Crosshair asked.

“It was pretty easy to deduce, Crosshair.” You snapped.

Crosshair looked back to Hunter.

“Sure I’m sure. Why?” He replied, looking over at him.

“Well usually when someone falls you look down. Not across.”

“Or some of us don’t like to watch.” You added solemnly before standing up and moving towards the front window.

Hunter got out of his seat and followed you.

--

As you entered the rather wet and thunderous planet atmosphere, two ships set themselves up on either side of The Marauder. “Unidentified transport transmit your clearance code.”

“Clearance code?” Echo repeated. “Don’t they know who we are?”

“Must be a protocol drill.” Tech stated before transmitting the code.

“Authorisation confirmed. Proceed to landing bay one-tac-one.”

--

As the ship landed and you all walked out, you could not only see but feel that something was different.

“Shock troopers? What’s the Coruscant guard doing here?” Hunter thought out loud as he saw a group of red and white armoured clones walk past.

“Something strange is going on here. This doesn’t feel like a simulation.” You said.

Tech looked up from his datapad. “You are correct. This isn’t a drill.”

“Oh, man. What did we miss now?” Wrecker complained.

“The end of the war.” A shock trooper replied.

“Say again, trooper.” Hunter requested.

“General Grievous was defeated on Utapau. The Separatist leadership has collapsed. The war is over.”

“Just like I said.” Tech pointed out.

Wrecker gasped and sounded genuinely impressed. “It is just like you said!”

You weren’t so impressed. Kenobi- your friend- was probably dead now anyway. The end of the war did not feel right to you. Something was wrong and it wasn’t just the dead Jedi. As you were standing there, two regs carrying a stretcher passed you and a hand came free of its covering and a lightsaber fell out of its grasp. You took a step forward and stared at it and felt that cold feeling rush through your veins again.

“Is there a problem?” The shock trooper addressed you.

You tore your gaze from the weapon in his head and spoke calmy. “No problem.”

Hunter came beside you and brushed his fingers against yours. “We’ll just head to our barracks then.”

“Best hurry. There’s a mandatory general assembly at 1500.” The trooper informed you all as you walked away.

--

“It’s not just the clones on Kaller. All the regs are acting strange.” Hunter observed.

“Let’s test that theory.” Tech said before approaching an oncoming group of regs. “Excuse me, Trooper. What division are you from?”

“Step aside.” The clone responded roughly, elbowing Tech.

“Oh. Well, they seem the same to me.” Tech said frankly.

You gave him a small smile and patted his shoulder sympathetically as you walked past him.

--

“Ahh. Good to be back.” Wreaker said as you all entered the barracks.

“The smell’s getting worse.” You and Echo said in unison.

“You’re both still new. You’ll get used to it.” He said cheerfully enough, placing a hand on your shoulder.

“Speak for yourself.” Crosshair said, pushing past the two of you.

“Well, I’ll get the board.” Wreaker pulled out his vibroknife and began adding to the tallies that were etched on the wall.

You took off the strap that had your weapon in it and laid it down on the table in the middle of the room and sat down next to Hunter. Your knees touched under the table.

“Eleven more successful missions. Ha! Like there was any doubt.” Wrecker said proudly before heading to his bunk.

“Kaller wasn’t a win.” Echo added.

“Says who? We completed our objective.” Wreaker argued.

“Not every objective.” Crosshair said.

You glanced at him suspiciously. Ever since Kaller, he had been acting strange.

“Those two let that Jedi kid escape.” He continued, pointing in your direction. “Or do you want to keep lying to us?”

You clenched your fists tightly to stop yourself from doing or saying something stupid.

Hunter stood up and walked towards the window. “I don’t like to think of executing our commanders as a mission objective.”

“An order is an order.” Crosshair stated.

“Since when?” You questioned as Hunter turned to face him.

Crosshair stared harshly between the two of you before Echo spoke up.

“None of this makes sense. Those clones served alongside General Billaba for years. How could they turn on her like that?” Echo said, a hint of anger coming through.

“Because of the regs programming.” Tech replied.

You looked at him. “Come again?”

“What programming?” Hunter asked.

“It’s been well documented that the Kaminoans inhibited the cognitive functions of clones to engineer them to follow orders without question.”

“Ha! We sure don’t!” Wrecker said smugly, pushing his Lula toy into Crosshair’s face who was having none of it and pushed against it.

“Obviously we are different.” Tech said. “They manipulated pre-existing aberrations in our DNA, resulting in your brute strength, Crosshair’s sharpshooting skills, Hunter’s enhanced senses and my exceptional mind. My guess is we are immune to the effects of the programming. Though I can’t be 100% certain of it.”

You stole a look at Crosshair who only narrowed his gaze at you. You looked away. “What about Echo? He was a reg before he joined you, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah, if all regs were programmed, why didn’t I react like the others?” Echo asked.

“The damage you sustained on Skako Minor most likely wiped out all your present behavioural modifications. You are more machine than man… percentagewise, at least.” Tech answered.

Echo sighed. “Lucky me.”

You gave Echo a sympathetic smile before a PA announcer sounded. “All personnel report to the staging area for a briefing on the state of the Republic.”

You grabbed your weapon casing and jumped out of your seat and walked towards the door. You needed this briefing. Maybe after it you would finally be able to make sense of all that happened.

“This is one meeting I don’t want to miss.” Hunter said, following you.

“First time for everything.” Tech said before he and everyone else made their way out.

--

You were stunned by the image on the screen in front of you. Chancellor Palpatine had certainly had a rough time of it. His skin looked like it was about to fall off his face, it was scarred and damaged to the point where if you hadn’t been heard so many of his previous senate meetings, you might have struggled to recognise him. But what shocked you even more were the words that were coming out of his mouth.

“And the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated.”

Jedi rebellion? They wouldn’t have- they couldn’t- would they? No. You had your issues with them, but you couldn’t believe this. You felt sick to your stomach.

“The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger!”

You were too focused on the screen in front of you to notice Hunter glance up to the platform where the top Kaminoans were. With them he noticed someone he did not recognise.

“What is it?” Tech asked him.

He turned to him slightly but by the time he looked back up, the person was gone. “Nothing.” He replied. Then he felt a hard grip on his wrist, and he looked down to see your hand there before he looked back at you and saw that the colour had drained from your face.

“The Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire!”

“Galactic Empire?” Echo repeated quietly.

“For a safe and secure society.” Palpatine finished with a smile and applause rang through the assembly.

“Still don’t think the regs are programmed?” Tech pointed out.

You glanced around you; everyone was cheering in unison. Everyone was happy about this new reign. Everyone except the six of you. All this assembly did was confirm your suspicions. You couldn’t ever tell them what you were. Not only would that put you in danger, but it would put them in danger too. You had to do everything in your power to supress that part of you, you’d gotten good at it when you were on your own. You only started to embrace that part of you again when you joined this group. You had to do this, or you were screwed.

--

As you all walked down the corridor from the meeting, you were still trying to process what you had just witnessed.

“Galactic Empire? We’re soldiers of the Republic.” Echo said.

“Republic, Empire… What’s the difference?” Crosshair inserted.

You scoffed in disgust. “I can think of a few.”

“The systematic termination of the Jedi is a big one for me.” Tech responded.

“That being the main one.” You agreed.

Just then, Hunter held his hand up to stop you all. “We’ve got company.”

You all turned round and what greeted you left you quite surprised.

“Hello.” The young child said with a smile and wave.

“What’s that?” Wreaker asked, bending down.

“Adolescent human female. Origins… uncertain.” Tech replied.

“Or in layman’s terms, Tech, a young girl.” You said with smile and a roll of your eyes. You walked forward and kneeled down in front of her. “What’s your name?”

“My name’s Omega. I was wondering when you guys would come back.”

“You know who we are?” Hunter asked, nudging past Tech.

“Hunter, Echo, Tech, Wrecker, Crosshair and (Y/N).” She said looking back to you. “You’re Clone Force 99. Although-”

“Yeah, I know. I’m clearly not a clone but I helped these fellas out of some hot water, and they’ve needed me ever since.” You grinned up at Hunter who shook his head, a small smile on his face.

“Technically-”

“No, Tech. Everything I’ve said is true.” You turned back to him with a smirk.

Omega let out a small laugh.

“What are you doing on Kamino, kid?” Hunter asked.

“Her job, of course.” A smooth, calm voice answered for her.

You stood up and saw a female Kaminoan approach your group. “She is my medical assistant. One with a curious mind that causes her to wander. Come Omega, there is work to do.” She turned away and Omega followed her but not before giving you all one last wave.

You glanced at Hunter and the others and were pleased to see that they all looked just as confused as you were. In your time on Kamino and all that you knew about it, that was quite unexpected.

“This day keeps getting weirder and weirder.” Hunter said.

“Can’t disagree with you there.” You said.

--

You didn’t know if it was because you’d been living off rations for so long, but this canteen food was quite possibly the best food you’d tasted in a while. You were at what was now your usual table.

“Clones being programmed. Nothing controls me.” Wrecker said authoritatively, standing up at the table.

“Wrecker, it is a logical conclusion that your affinity for destruction would stem from your conditioning.” Tech explained.

“You take that back!”

“I am merely stating a scientific hypothesis based on factual data.”

“Well, I’ve got a fact for you. I like to blow things up because I like to blow things up!” He yelled, slamming his fists down on the table. “Got it?”

“Well, I’m convinced.” Crosshair sneered.

“Will you sit down.” You hissed, grabbing Wrecker’s arm, you didn’t want any more attention being drawn to you and the squad right now.

Hunter joined your table, sitting across from you. “An Imperial’s been sent to evaluate the clones. Everybody’s talking about it.”

“What kind of evaluation?” Echo inquired.

“Hopefully not mental. Clearly, we’d never pass that.” Tech said.

You couldn’t help but huff out a laugh at the looks on the others faces. Then another strange thing happened.

“Hello again.” Omega said as she sat down at the table next to Hunter.

You all just kind of stared at her.

“Omega. From earlier? In the corridor?”

You cleared your throat. “Sorry. Come on guys, back to basic human interactions please. Staring like this is just weird.”

Hunter spoke up. “Yeah, kid we remember. Don’t you have someplace to be?”

“No. I’ll stay.” She said before dipping into her food.

“You want to sit with us?” You asked sceptically.

“That’s never happened before.” Tech added.

“I like you. You don’t fit in around here either.” She said.

“What are you really doing here on Kamino, kid? Don’t you have a family somewhere? Parents?” Hunter asked.

“Parents?” She repeated, looking at him slightly puzzled.

“Check it out. The defects squad’s got themselves a new recruit. Another member added to the Sad Batch. Gotta say, I preferred it when they brought back the hot loner.”

Don’t be an idiot, don’t be idiot. You don’t want attention right now, you thought to yourself. So, you just joined the others in glaring at the two regs that walked past your table. You went back to focusing on your food, but you seemed to have lost your appetite now. Then all you heard was a squelch and you looked up to see Omega standing on the table, one roll in hand, the other seemed to have exploded all over the one reg’s neck and the side of his face.

“Who threw that?” He demanded angrily, eyes scanning the area.

“I did.” Omega said seriously. “Now apologise to my friends.”

“I like this kid!” Wrecker said.

“What did you say to me?” The reg pointed in her direction and began walking towards her.

“Whoa, whoah, whoa. Back off.” Hunter stood in front of him. “I suggest you keep moving.” He said firmly.

You and Wrecker both stood up behind Omega. You hoped this would be all you had to do.  

“Know your place, lab scrapper.” The reg started to walk away but as he did so a bunch of food trays hit him.

You all turned to look at Wrecker who was holding two more trays. “Oops.”

You put your head in your hands. “Wrecker, did you have to?”

“That’s it.” The reg said heatedly.

“Oh yeah!” Wrecker shouted before throwing the trays, those ones hitting another reg straight in the face.

“So much for lack of attention”. You grumbled to yourself before landing a punch to a clone that was coming from your left.

A quick look around told you that everyone was doing just fine, even Omega was handling herself and Crosshair… well, he was just being Crosshair, eating his meal, not phased by what was happening around him. That was until a clone kicked Echo into his tray and his food went everywhere… then he got involved.

You came round the table to go to the clones near Tech, but a clone stood in front of you. “You’d be better off getting out the way. Save yourself the black eye and sore ribs.” You stated.

“I’ve got a better idea. Come back to my barracks. Save us both the fight. Unless you into that sorta thing.” He said with a smirk.

“I just threw up in my mouth.” You said with a disgusted scoff.

“Sorry, guess I just thought clones were your type or is it only the one’s with a higher military rank?” He jeered.  

You glowered at him before darting forward and landing a punch to the right side of his face and a quick kick to the middle of his body sent him onto his back. He groaned. “Did try to warn you.” You said smugly.

You stepped over him and made your way to Tech. You both were able to easily deal with the few clones that came over but then you heard a crash. You turned to see Echo being tackled to the ground. You had to turn away quickly to push back another clone that had advanced towards you. As you did so you heard Tech call out.

“Echo, watch out!”

You looked and saw the reg bring down the metal tray straight on to Echo’s head and he slumped to the side. You ran over to the reg and pushed him away and knelt down by Echo. “He needs to go to the medical bay.”

--

Machines. That was all he could see. No, he couldn’t be back there. “No! Get them off!” Echo sat up quickly, pushing the scanners away.

“But my tests are not yet complete.” The small droid said calmly.

“Echo. Echo, it’s okay. It’s me. Omega.” She soothed, moving the droid to the side. “I understand. I don’t like being hooked up to their machines either.”

Echo looked at her and took another few breaths to calm himself down.

The droid spoke again. “Hello, CT-1409.”

“His name is Echo.” Omega pointed out.

“I am AZ-345211896246498721347. Your assigned medical droid.” The droid said with a spin of his body.

You walked through the medical bay doors alongside Hunter and were thrilled to see that Echo was awake.

“Ha told you he’s alive. You owe me two credits!” Wrecker said smugly to Crosshair who only shook his head.

“How you doing, Echo?” You asked.

“CT-1409’s condition is stable.” The droid answered. “But I have some distressing news for the four of you. According to your test results, you all appear to be genetically defective clones.”

The droid’s sincere and distraught tone meant you had to turn away to choke back your laughter.

“I will leave you to process the shock of this revelation.” He said gravely before going away.

“We’ve got a problem.” Echo announced.

“Not really. We’re more deviant than we are defective.” Tech interjected.

You studied Echo’s face, and you could tell whatever he had to say had nothing to do with any medical information. “You’re not talking about that are you?”

Echo nodded. “Admiral Tarkin’s here. He’s the one evaluating the clones.”

You scoffed in disgust which caused the others to stare at you.

“How would you know anything about him?” Crosshair asked.

“Uh… I had a life before you guys you know. I heard rumours.” You said quickly. You couldn’t tell them the reason you knew he was kind of an asshole was because of your time in the Jedi Order where you had argued with him as he helped the Order ruin the life of your friend. It didn’t surprise you that he was already an important person in this new Empire. He was definitely someone you needed to avoid, if there was even the slightest chance he recognised you, you all were fucked, and you couldn’t have that.

“This is the same Tarkin form the Citadel rescue when you, uh… How shall I put this?” Tech paused.

“Blew up.” Wrecker finished the sentence.

“And turned into that.” Crosshair added, taking his toothpick out his mouth.

“Way to be sensitive guys.” You said with a shake of your head.

Echo sighed. “Yes, and he’s not a big supporter of clones.”

“We’ll soon find out. We’ve been summoned by the prime minister.” Hunter said, crossing his arms.

“Guess he didn’t find that mess hall fight amusing. But I sure did.” Wrecker said.

“Come on. Let’s get this over with.” Hunter said.

You all made your way to go but Omega called after you. “Wait!” She darted in front of doorway. “The fight was my fault. I’m going too.” She said determinedly.

“Not happening. We’ll handle this.” Hunter said firmly before walking past her.

“But I-”

“Listen, kid.” Hunter turned sharply to look at her. “Our squad’s nothing but trouble. For your sake, keep your distance. Got it?”

Your heart went out to her as you watched Hunter walk away. “He was a little harsh, but he’s right. I love them all, but we tend to end up in tight spots and as you’ve seen, we’re not the most popular group there is. I’m sure we’ll see you around though.” You placed a hand on her shoulder before walking out the door to join Hunter and the others as they waited for you.

--

You began walking towards the prime minister’s office but as you were walking a shock trooper addressed you harshly. “Where do you think you’re going? The training facility is that way.”

You all turned to look at the trooper.

“Training facility?” Hunter asked.

“For a battle simulation. Admiral Tarkin has requested to see more of your squad in action.”

“Then we’re not being reprimanded?” Tech questioned.

“No, you’re being tested.” The clone answered severely.

I sure as hell am not, you thought to yourself, this was the last thing you needed. “Well, you guys enjoy that. I’m just going to head back to the barracks. Good luck, sure you’ll do great.” You said casually with a click of your fingers. You slowly etched your way out the group and began to walk past Hunter and the shock trooper. As you did so, the trooper grabbed your arm.

“That includes you.”

Hunter reached his hand out and he felt the others behind him take a step forward, but he caught himself just in time and waved them back. He was sure you could handle this yourself plus he didn’t want to get his squad into any more trouble.

You looked down at the grip the clone had on your forearm and looked into his helmet, an unimpressed expression on your face. “Is this not part of the clone evaluation?” You asked him.

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re an observant fellow and those eyes of yours can see that I’m obviously not a clone.” You removed yourself from his grasp. “So, I’ll not be participating in Admiral Tarkin’s evaluation.”

“He requested your presence too. As far as he’s concerned, you’re an equal part of this squad so that means you’re being evaluated too.”

Shit, you thought to yourself. You could only hope enough time had passed and the hood and mask would be enough that he wouldn’t recognise you. You made your way back into the group, ignoring many of their quizzical stares.

“Now, go gear up.” The shock trooper ordered.

“So, we’re not in trouble, and they want us to fight more? Ha! Maybe this Empire thing’s not so bad after all.” Wrecker said merrily.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” You muttered as you headed to the training facility.

--

As the lift to the training facility began to rise, you kept adjusting your ensemble. You couldn’t afford any slip ups when you were doing this.

“It’s fine.” Echo muttered to you.

You glanced at him but before you could say anything else, you all were in the facility, and you kept your head down whilst Tarkin spoke to you all from the observation area where the prime minister was too. His suave voice echoed around the room. “The value of all clone troopers and other personnel…”

You didn’t need to lift your head; you could feel him looking at you.

“Is being challenge by the Empire. To demonstrate your effectiveness, a combat-proficiency test is in order. Take your positions.” He finished speaking.

“We’ve done these a thousand times, guys. You know what to do.” Hunter stated before putting on his helmet.

“A battle simulation? Give us a real challenge.” Wrecker voiced through his helmet before you all broke off into your positions.

You crouched behind one of the barriers that had Tech and Wrecker behind them too, whilst the other 3 took up their positions on the opposite one.

You waited a few moments before you heard the whirring of the training droids, and the towers came online and fired down on you. You knew Crosshair would be sent to the towers and sure enough, you saw him make his way over to them. You didn’t have a blaster, but you did have another vibroblade strapped to your thigh, so you took that out and threw it at one of the droids. It implanted itself deep within the face of the droid and it collapsed to the floor. You noticed a few more fall too as the other’s shots met their targets.

--

As Crosshair took the towers down, Hunter signalled you all to move in. You ran out from behind the barrier and drew your modified vibro-weapon. You picked your knife up from the fallen droid and dodged a few of the shots headed your way, managing to cut down a couple more before you took shelter behind another barrier. You couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated, if you could use your ‘special’ skillset effectively this could all be over so much quicker.

You peered out from behind it to see Wrecker doing exactly what you wished you could do: just taking on all the droids. You made eye-contact with Tech who only rolled his eyes. To be honest you were grateful for Wrecker’s antics at this point, you needed this to be over. Plus, it was enjoyable to watch him get so much fun out of a drill like this.

“What else you go? Gimme more!” Wrecker shouted up to the watch platform.

Admiral Tarkin thought this had been over much too quickly. This group hadn’t been tested nearly enough. “If the Galactic Empire is to be stronger than the Republic which preceded it, it’s soldiers must follow suit. Switch to live fire.”

The prime minister didn’t like that idea one bit. “Admiral Tarkin, I must protest. I don’t care so much about the woman, but live rounds could damage my clones and my facility.”

“For which you will be fairly compensated. Do it!”

The prime minister reluctantly nodded towards the Kaminoans at the control panel.

 --

You had been studying their interaction, something didn’t look right. You attention was brought back to the current situation as new, more advanced droids appeared in the area in front of you. This combined with what you had just seen above you didn’t look good. “Wrecker, hold on a minute!” You called out as he began running towards them. His shots were useless, even his brute strength didn’t have an effect.

Then it all went to hell.

You watched as the droids used live rounds, one of them hitting Wrecker. You darted out quickly, managing to cut the arms off the first droid. You ran over and grabbed Wrecker’s right arm. “You alright?”

“I felt that one.” Wrecker said, his voice straining slightly.

Tech had dashed out to grab his other arm so together the two of you were able to scurry behind the barrier before the other droid’s blaster fire made contact with you.

You sat helplessly whilst blaster fire surrounded you. Why was it the one time you actually needed to use the abilities you had the one time where you absolutely could not. If it got bad enough, you might have to anyway. You knew where that would leave you, but what about the others? A whistle brought you out of your head and you looked over to see Hunter giving the three of you hand signals.

“Oh! I hate hand signals!” Wrecker complained.

“They’re not too difficult to understand Wrecker once you know them.” You said, taking your knife back out and throwing it into the arm of one of the other droids. It didn’t do much to stop it, it just focused its attention on you causing you to duck quickly.

“Perhaps if you memorised them.” Tech suggested.

“Why don’t you memorise them?” Wrecker snipped back.

“We have.” You and Tech said at the same time.

“What we did on Felucia.” Tech clarified.

You jumped out from behind the small wall, jumping over the head of the droid that had your smaller vibro-blade in it, grabbing it as you did so. You knew that was foolish but if you needed to, you could talk your way out of it. You’d done it before.

You distracted the droids to allow Wrecker the time to move in. You slid on your knees, avoiding the blaster fire, and sliced through the legs of one of the droids. As it fell, you stabbed your weapon through the head of it, rendering it useless. Great, two down, lots more to go, you thought. You felt a blaster bolt whizz past your head as you ran quickly to where Hunter and Crosshair were taking cover. “How do you think we’re doing?”

“Could be better.” Hunter replied.

You saw that Tech was in the middle of reprogramming the droid. If all went according to plan, the playing-field should even out shortly.

--

Admiral Tarkin watched this display with intrigue. “These are rather unusual tactics.”

“The clones of experimental Unit 99 have a tendency to veer from standard combat protocol. Something that the woman who is a part of their group has also embraced.” The prime minister explained.

Tarkin peered down at you. There was something about you that didn’t quite sit right with him, and he needed to know what it was.

--

Oh, thank fuck, you thought. Tech had successfully reprogrammed the droid so now your life was simpler. With Tech taking down most of the advancing droids, the rest of you were able to finish the ones that remained. Everything seemed to be going fine… right up until it wasn’t. Tech had already started to struggle keeping the connection with the droid he was controlling and to make matters worse, a last droid appeared at the top of the training facility and fired at Tech’s droid. He fell to the ground.

“Tech!” You cried out. You saw Hunter throw his vibroblade into its arm and you used that to run up to it to stop it from continuing its fire in Tech’s direction but you severely under-estimated how fast it would react. Before you could use your weapon, it landed a kick to the centre of your chest that sent you flying backwards. You collided into Hunter, who quickly got to his feet and grabbed you. The two of you scrambled to get to cover. You leant back against the barrier and Hunter kneeled in front of you. “Sorry about that.” You said sheepishly, trying to get the air back into your lungs. “That was really dumb.”

“Are you okay?” Hunter asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m sure I’m supposed to feel like my entire chest has just caved in on itself.” You said with a laugh.

Hunter sighed, hoping you couldn’t pick up on the extent of the relief he felt. He looked away from you. “Crosshair, we need more cover fire!”

You looked to see how Tech was. He was still on the ground and that droid wasn’t stopping its assault. You needed one of them to come up with something quick or you really wouldn’t have much of a choice. If you had to die in order to save your squad, then you’d do that but at the same time you really hoped there would be another option. Crosshair’s voice then sounded.

“Wrecker, knife!”

You watched as Wrecker threw his knife into the air and Crosshair’s shot hit it perfectly. It spun in the air and hit the middle of the droid’s head, deactivating it. Out of all the shots you’d seen him do, that was by far the most impressive. You rested the back of your head against the block in relief. Your secret was able to stay a secret still.

“Here.”

You looked to see Hunter holding his hand out to you. Calm yourself down and just take the hand like a normal human being. Nice and casual, you reminded yourself. You took it and let him bring you to your feet. “Thanks.”

Hunter wanted nothing more than to keep that feeling of your hand in his for as long as possible, but he knew this wasn’t the place or time. Not to mention, you probably didn’t view it in the same light he did. He let your hand go once you were on your feet. “Nice work.” He directed to Crosshair.

You had made your way over to Tech and helped him to his feet. You glanced up at the observation platform to see Tarkin walking away. Please let that be the last I see of him, you thought.

--

Omega looked at the man who was studying the birthing pods and she felt a sense of unease.

“Extraordinary. Aren’t they?” The head scientist Nala Se said.

“That remains to be seen. Tell me about Clone Force 99.” Tarkin requested.

“They are medically defective clones whose cellular mutations enhanced traits desirable in a soldier.” Nala Se responded.

“And the woman who is with them?”

Lama Su told him your name before continuing with explaining your background. “She came back to Kamino with them the last time the clones were here. According to them, she assisted them on a mission, and they offered her a place on the squad. As far as I’m aware, she’s been with them ever since. Her tendency to stray from the normal rules also means she fits in well.” The prime minister replied.

Tarkin thought for a few moments, but your name didn’t ring any bells with him unfortunately. “Where did she come from?”

“They met her on Devaron. As to her original origin, I do not know.”

Tarkin pondered this before continuing. “How many of these enhanced clones do you possess?”

“Five are all that remain.” Nala Se answered.

“They could be an asset to your new Empire. Their female included, she’s bonded with them in a way I’ve not seen their fellow clones do.” The prime minister added.

“Yet reports indicate they exhibit a concerning level of disobedience and disregard for orders.” Tarkin countered.

“A side effect of their mutation.” Nale Se explained.

“Yet one that has never hindered the completion of their missions.” The prime minister inserted.

“Then they executed Order 66?” Tarkin asked.

“Since both the Jedi General and Padawan on Kaller were eliminated, one would assume-”

“Assume nothing.” Tarkin interrupted the Kaminoan prime minister. “Only the general’s death is confirmed. A counter-report filed by one of their own, says the Padawan escaped. Let us see where the loyalty of these clones and their friend truly lies.” Tarkin said before leaving the room.

Omega watched as he left. She didn’t like him, and she worried about what he had in store for all of you.

--

You removed your mask and hood as you entered the barracks and sat down at the table, head in your hands. What the fuck was that evaluation? Live rounds? What the hell? Apparently, Wrecker shared your unhappiness.

“Live rounds? They used live rounds! On us!” He said, throwing his helmet on the table.

“We were there, Wrecker. We know.” Tech replied.

“I tried to warn you about Tarkin.” Echo added.

“Yup. Major Dickhead.” You concurred.

“Who’s that Imperial snake think he is?” Wrecker voiced angrily.

“Stow it already. You got shot. It happens all the time.” Crosshair said coldly.

You stared at Crosshair and made eye-contact with Hunter who nodded back at you. Good, at least I’m not the only one who has noticed this, you thought.

“There’s a fundamental difference between taking fire in battle and being used for target practice.” Tech refuted.

“Exactly! We’re not dummy droids.” Wrecker agreed, looking at Crosshair.

“That much we agree on.”

Shit. You quickly put your hood and mask up and went to stand next to Crosshair as Admiral Tarkin entered the room. You felt Echo and Hunter’s eyes on you as you did that, but you didn’t care. You couldn’t exactly avoid him now so this was the closest you could get.

“That was quite an impressive display.” Tarkin said, walking down the middle on the line.

“Didn’t have much of a choice.” Hunter answered.

“Our new empire may have methods which seem a bit unorthodox but so does is this squadron. Particularly your presence here, (Y/N), is it?”

“Yes.” You said quietly, avoiding eye-contact. You felt his cold hands through your mask as they placed themselves on your chin, angling your face up to look at him. You resisted the instinct to tear his hand away and send him crashing into the barrack wall.

Hunter had to fight the urge to pull his hand off of you, but he noticed your left hand moving. The signal was clear, you were fine. He looked to the others who were all frowning in Tarkin’s direction, well, all except Crosshair who kept his expression neutral, and shook his head to stop any of them from saying anything.

“Your choice of weapon is rather unusual. How did you come by such a device?” Tarkin asked you.

“I made it myself. Gathered a bunch of vibroblades together.” You replied.

“And no blaster?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like them.” You answered simply.

Tarkin paused. In all his time in military command, he’d never come across an ordinary soldier who didn’t fight with a blaster by choice. Only the- no that couldn’t be possible. He continued his questioning. “You weren’t a part of this squad in the beginning.” Tarkin stated.

“That’s correct.” You answered curtly.

“Yet they allowed you to join them after only knowing you for a brief amount of time.”

“I made a good impression.” You said coolly.

“Clearly. Tell me, your military and fighting background, what was it?”

“Self-taught.” You lied smoothly.

“I doubt that. A person of your skill had to have received training from somewhere.”

“I pick up quickly, working with this squad helped me figure a few things out.” You replied easily.  

You were good. He had to hand it to you, but his suspicions were not yet quashed. Your voice and eyes felt familiar to him. There was only one way he’d know if he was right or not. “Take of your mask.” Tarkin ordered.

You felt your heartbeat start pounding in your ears. “No.”

“That’s an order.”

“Not one I’ll be following and if you try anything, you’ll end up in the medical bay.” You said defiantly.

Tarkin narrowed his gaze at you but before he could say anything, a clone voice grabbed his attention.

“You got a mission for us sir?” Hunter asked, wanting Tarkin’s attention to be away from you.

“Indeed.” Tarkin responded, releasing his grip on you, until either you slipped up or he had further information he would just have to wait. There was a larger issue at hand here. He walked to face the clone who spoke to him. “We have tracked a group of insurgents to the Onderon sector. They must be dealt with.”

You took a shaky breath as he turned away from you. That was too fucking close.

“What sort of insurgents?” Echo asked.

“Separatist forces intent on keeping the galaxy at war. If you neutralize this grave threat, you will be looked upon most favourably as I assess the needs of the Imperial army.” He informed you all before walking out of the room.

You felt all the eyes in the room turn to look at you. “Problem?” You asked casually.

“What was that all about?” Wrecker asked.

“What?” You said with a shrug of your shoulders.

“If you were trying to get yourself thrown in the brig, that was an excellent way to go about it.” Tech added.

“I wasn’t trying to- I didn’t- I-” You broke off with a sigh.

“What’s going on?” Hunter asked you, his tone softer than what it usually was, as he moved to stand in front of you and laid a hand on your shoulder.

You looked into his eyes. You hated this. You wanted nothing more than to tell him- to tell all of them- what you were but you couldn’t, the time where you could safely tell them was gone and now it was killing you inside, way worse than it was before. “Nothing.” You shuffled away from him. “Come on, we got a mission to get on with.” You left the room quickly and walked down the corridor to the ship.

--

Echo and the others came to stand by Hunter who had watched you go. “She’s been acting strangely. Have you noticed?”

“Of course, I have. She’s been different since the mission at Kaller.” Hunter agreed.

“I too have observed several alterations in her behaviour since landing here.” Tech added.

“Do we think she’s okay?” Wrecker asked.

“Why are we talking about this? She’s right, we have a mission to be getting on with.” Crosshair frostily.

Hunter glared at him. “Since when don’t you care?”

“Never said I didn’t but I think we all know why you do.” Crosshair replied. “I’m just focused on the mission as we all should be. Certain feelings should be pushed aside.”

Hunter turned away from him. He wouldn’t have this conversation again. “Come on, let’s go.” He could only hope there would be a moment where you would feel comfortable enough to tell him what you were going through.

--

You were sitting on the steps leading into the ship after Tech and Echo arrived, trying to push your anxiety and self-loathing away but to no avail. All that had happened had overthrown any denial you were able to hold on to.

You couldn’t convince yourself otherwise; your entire relationship with them had started with a lie.

You had lied about the biggest part of your life to your team. No matter how you acted around them, no matter how much of it was genuine, your lie remained, and that lie was going to have to stay a part of you forever and you couldn’t do it anymore. This part of you would either kill you or them and you cared too much to see that happen to them. After this mission, you would leave them, as much as that hurt you to decide, you knew it was the only way out. You’d been on your own before, you could do it again. You stood up and walked over to Echo who was staring at the datapad. “Find any more intel on the insurgents?”

Echo looked up from the screen. “Negative. Imperial files are locked down tight.”

“That’s annoying. Maybe Tech-”

“Yes, give me time. I’ll crack them.”

You turned to see Tech walking down the steps. “Yeah, I figured as much.”  

“I’ll say this for the Empire. They know fire power. You should see the new armoury.” Wrecker announced as he and Crosshair came over with what you assumed was a box filled with explosives.

“That impressive huh?” You asked.

“He actually cried.” Crosshair revealed.

“Hey, we both did.” Wrecker protested.

You let out a small laugh. That was the Crosshair you’d been familiar with, the one you’d seen glimpses of earlier was unknown to you, but it was good to see that he seemed his usual self.

“There’s no room on board for that.” Tech said.

“Yeah? Well, I’ll make room.” He sighed happily as he made went to pick up the container. “A new mission and unlimited explosives. Things are back to normal.”

“That’s not going near my rack.” Tech objected as he followed Wrecker on to the ship. “I refuse to sleep by a projectile again.”

You smiled fondly as you watched them go on board. You were going to miss that. “Hey.” You lightly grabbed Crosshair’s arm as he walked past you. “Where’s Hunter?”

Crosshair looked past you. “There.”

You turned to see Hunter walking through the doors.

--

Hunter noticed you looking over at him. He knew you shouldn’t affect him this way, in fact his life would be a lot simpler if you didn’t, but he couldn’t help it. Within two months of you joining his squad, you had grown to become a key part of him, and he couldn’t stop it, not even if he wanted to and right now, whatever was happening with you, was driving him crazy. He wanted to help you, but he didn’t know how, and he couldn’t know how until he knew what was bothering you which you clearly didn’t want to tell him or anyone else for that matter. A familiar voice brought him back to the current moment.

“Hunter!”

He sighed and turned to see Omega running to catch up to him. “I told you to keep your distance.”

“I know, but I need to talk to you.” She said.

He kneeled down in front of her. “Alright. What is it?”

“That Imperial officer, I think he has it out for you. I overheard him talking to Lama Su. He doesn’t like clones or (Y/N).”

Hunter let out a chuckle. “Ah, that’s nothing new for us. But we get the job done and (Y/N) has already made it clear to him she could handle any trouble he throws her way.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“A mission’s a mission. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Then let me come with you.” Omega pleaded.

“Kid, you’re not a soldier. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous here too. Things aren’t like before. We need to leave Kamino.”

From the distance, Hunter heard Wrecker calling for him. They were ready to go. “Change takes getting used to. You’ll see. Just give it time.” He stood up and began to walk away.

“Hunter.” Omega called quietly after him.

He turned to face her.

“Um, never mind.”

He carried on walking to the ship.

--

You stood next to Crosshair as Hunter approached. “She okay?”

“Ah, something about her I can’t figure out.”

“Well, she’s a kid, they’re not supposed to be easy to figure out. Hell, most adults aren’t.” You patted his shoulder before going on board the ship.

I’ll say, Hunter thought to himself as he watched you climb the steps.

“Well, I guess kids aren’t quite your area of expertise either.” Crosshair added before he followed you up.

--

Omega watched Hunter board the ship and watched as it flew away. She hoped they would be okay.

“Omega, come along. I told you to stay close.” Lama Se beckoned.

Omega turned away to follow her out the docking bay.

--

The ship landed in the Onderonean jungle, and you all left the ship, helmets, and masks on, hoods up. You could hear the sounds of many creatures roaring in the distance.

“What was that?” Echo asked.

“You don’t want to know.” Tech replied bluntly.

“Well, at least it’s not a swamp.” You added brightly.

“Close enough.” Crosshair griped.

“The Separatist encampment’s two clicks south. We’ll continue on foot and do a full perimeter scan.” Hunter ordered. He stopped Wrecker as he went to run past him. “Covertly.”

“Oh, come on. It’s been days since I’ve blown something up.” Wrecker moaned.

“Easy, Wrecker. Your programming’s kicking in.” Tech pointed out.

“Hey, don’t start with that!” Wrecker said before knocking Tech in front of him.

You smiled to yourself and shook your head at Tech. “Was that really necessary?”

“I was merely pointing out-”

“I know, I know.” You said with a laugh. “Come on, you’re the man with the scanner, lead the way.”

--

The rest of you followed behind Tech as he scanned the jungle area.

“How many droids we talking about, Tech?” Hunter asked.

“I can’t tell from this distance. Something’s blocking my scan.” Tech replied, hitting the side of the datapad.

“Clankers always travel together in packs. Let’s get a closer look at what we’re walking into.” Hunter said.

You all climbed up one of the large trees and laid down flat.

“Tell me what you see, Tech.” Hunter directed.

“I’m clocking twenty-five heat signatures ahead but zero droids.” Tech answered.

“Tarkin said insurgents, not droids.” Crosshair said.

“I’m not sure they’re either.” You pointed out as you peered through your macrobinoculars. You passed them over to Echo.

“She’s right. There are children down there.” Echo stated.

“Children? Out here?” Hunter said, confusion in his voice. He grabbed the binoculars from Echo and sat up as he looked through them.

You sat up and looked at him. “Something’s not right, Hunter.” You felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

“What are you waiting for? Give the order.” Crosshair instructed, the scope of his rifle focusing in on one of the people.

“Negative. Stand down.” Hunter ordered.

“What?” Crosshair responded.

“You mean, we’re not blasting any droids?” Wrecker asked.

“There aren’t any droids, Wrecker.” You replied. You felt the like there were many sets of eyes on you.

“Well, so what do we do?” Wrecker asked.

“We finish the mission.” Crosshair answered. “Make the call, Hunter.”

“We’re not alone. Now stand down.” Hunter commanded.

Just as he did so, a group of who you guessed were the so called ‘insurgents’, surrounded you all. You drew your weapon and kept your eyes on them.

“Let’s hear them out.” Hunter pushed your sword down. “Trust me.”

You looked at him and nodded. You followed his lead and put your hands behind your head, as did the others, but you noticed that Crosshair hadn’t yet done so. “Crosshair.” You hissed.

Crosshair only let out an incredibly irritated sigh before he lowered his rifle and raised his hands.

--

Before you began the walk down to the camp, the troops came and took some of the equipment you all were carrying, including the helmets. One of the soldiers took your hood and mask down. You went to quickly push them back up, but he held his gun up at you.

“Don’t.” He said sternly.

“Hey, easy with that.” Hunter said to the soldier, turning back to look at you.

“It’s fine. I’m sorry.” You said calmly, lowering your hands slowly. The others had their helmets taken so you would have to make do too. “I’ll leave it down.” Please let there be no one here who could possibly recognise me, you thought.

--

The sight which greeted you left you lost for words. Aside from a few soldiers, most of the people at the camp were ordinary civilians, not a weapon or threat amongst them. What had Tarkin been talking about?

“These aren’t Separatists. They’re Republic fighters.” Echo said.

“Why would Tarkin send us to attack our own forces?” Tech asked Hunter.

“Because we refuse to fight for an Empire.”

Oh, of course. It would truly be too much to ask that you could go an entire day without the threat of being recognised. That voice belonged to Saw Gerrera and you’d only helped him utilise some more of his forces after Obi Wan, Rex, Anakin and Ahsoka had assisted him earlier in the war. You stepped behind Wrecker, hoping his size would shield you a little bit. He turned back and glanced down at you, but you just shook your head gestured for him to turn back around.

“You’re Saw Gerrera. Trained by Captain Rex and General Skywalker to fight for the Republic.” Tech stated.

Hunter watched as the man stepped towards him and took his blaster out it’s holster.

“So, the newly declared Empire sent you to wipe us out?” Saw said, turning away from the clone in front of him.

“Well, we’re here to neutralise a group of insurgents.” Hunter explained.

Gererra chuckled and turned to face him. “Well… here we are. What are you going to do? Strike us down like you did the Jedi?”

Your blood ran cold as he said that. The images in your head so vivid it was like you were back on Kaller.

“Is that a request?” Crosshair sneered.

“Enough.” Hunter said firmly. “We expected to find battle droids, not-”

“Civilians? Times change, targets change.” Saw interrupted. “Why don’t you take a look at the insurgents you were sent to destroy.”

Hunter studied at the group in front of him, they looked worried and afraid. These people weren’t a threat that needed to be taken out.

“Makes you wonder what else they’re lying about.” Saw said before turning to address his group. “Let’s mobilise. Pack up the camp.”

Hunter took a few steps towards Saw. He glanced back to see the others following but you weren’t where you had been standing when you first arrived. Wrecker coughed and tilted his head back. He then noticed your silhouette behind him. He turned back to face Saw. “What’s going on here? Who are these people?”

Saw stood up and responded to the clone. “Villagers, croppers, former Republic fighters, all now displaced refugees since Palpatine unjustly appointed himself Emperor.”

“According to reports, the Jedi made an attempt on the Supreme Chancellor’s life. His actions were a defensive measure.” Tech said.

You couldn’t help but scoff.

Saw paused. “You boys got yourself someone else?”

Stupid. Dumb. Idiot. Shit. Fuck. You could’ve kept thinking about all the words that described the stupidity of your actions, but you knew you would have to move out from behind Wrecker anyway, so you stepped out and as soon as you did so, you saw the flash of recognition in Saw’s eyes. You reached out quickly. Please don’t. They don’t know. I’ve been with them for a while and now more than ever they can’t know. Telling them puts them in danger and I can’t have that. Please.

Hunter looked between you and Saw. You had that same intensity in your eyes that you did on Kaller before the padawan jumped.

You let out a sigh of relief as he gave you the tiniest nod of his head. Again, you ignored the side-eye the others were giving you.  

Saw looked away from you and back to the clone with the goggles. “And I figured you for the smart one. With the Jedi decimated and the clone army under his command, Palpatine will have control over the entire galaxy. Unless we stop him.”

“The war is over.” Crosshair said.

“If we give up now, everything we fought for… everyone we lost, will have been for nothing. I won’t let that happen. The Clone War may have ended but a civil war is about to begin.”

You didn’t know what to make of this. You weren’t keen on the idea of this new Empire, but you didn’t like the war either, too many people got caught in the crossfire, too many people got hurt but this regime would probably do just as much damage. You couldn’t remember the last time there had been peace in the galaxy.

“With a handful of fighters and limited firepower? You don’t stand a chance.” Hunter said straightforwardly.

“Not alone we don’t.” Saw insisted.

“We should leave if we’re gonna make the rendezvous.” A soldier informed Gerrera. “What do we do with them?”

Saw paused and looked at the group in front of him. “The clones and others.” He paused slightly and looked in your direction, but he saw your gaze quickly drop down. He continued. “Once helped us free Onderon, so we’ll give them a choice. The old ways are done.” He pointed the clone’s blaster at him.

You took a slight step forward just in case.

“You can either adapt and survive, or die with the past.” Saw carried on as he turned the blaster around before he handed it back to him. “The decision is yours.” He finished before turning of the lamp and walking into the jungle with the rest of his squad.

You watched him as he walked away, and you reached out one last time. Thank you. You saw him stop for a brief second before continuing to walk on. You put your hood and mask back on and waited for Wrecker to gather the gear. You stood next to Hunter and pulled on his arm but just as the two of you were about to walk away, you both stopped. You made sure to stop a second after he did. You had that suspicious feeling again and you knew Hunter did too but neither of you could see anything. You glanced at him, but he just gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, you knew that meant he wasn’t sure what it was. You both turned to go, unaware of the probe droid in the treeline.

--

“At least with the Republic we knew where we stood. Tarkin and this Empire are a whole different story.” Tech stated as you all made your way back to the ship.

“Why are we debating this? We need to complete the mission.” Crosshair said.

You turned around sharply to stare at him. “Wake up Crosshair. They sent us to eliminate innocent civilians.”

“Who said they’re innocent?” Crosshair replied, holding your stare.

“What’s wrong with you?” Hunter said frustratedly, turning back to face Crosshair.

“Me? What about her display back there? That didn’t strike you as unusual?” Crosshair snarled, turning to look at you.

You avoided Hunter’s gaze as his eyes flicked towards you. “You don’t know what you’re talking about Crosshair.”

“Technically he’s referring to-”

“Not now, Tech.” You interrupted quickly.

“That aside.” Crosshair continued. “I’m following orders.”

“Exactly.” Hunter countered, taking a few steps towards him.

“Those insurgents are plotting against the Emperor.”

“Are you serious? Why does that matter? This Emperor isn’t providing safety or security, him and this regime are going to crush people and tear them apart. There’ll never be an end to the conflict that people have had to deal with for so long.” You said angrily.

Crosshair only glared at you before looking back at Hunter. “If you don’t have the stomach to do what needs to be done, then you’re not fit to lead this squad.”

You watched as the two of them stared each other down before that recognisable feeling of being watched returned to you. “Hunter, I think-” You didn’t need to finish your sentence, since Hunter had already drawn his blaster and fired it past Crosshair’s head. You looked to see a probe droid crash to the ground.

“We’re being followed.” Hunter said before brushing past Crosshair.

You all followed him towards the site where the droid fell.

“That is a probe droid.” Tech explained.

“Oh, joy.” You said sarcastically.

“Tarkin’s spying on us now?” Wrecker asked.

“The Jedi never did that.” Echo added.

“Not that you know of.” Crosshair refuted.

“No, they didn’t.” You argued, immediately regretting it. What was your problem? Were you trying to get yourself killed? Clearly you were suffering from an ill-timed case of word vomit. For months, no for years, you were able to keep this secret why all of a sudden was every word that came out of your mouth one that could lead into it. You glanced around the group; everyone was staring at you. Perfect.

“How would you know?” Tech asked.

“Um, you know, I hear things and from what I’ve heard, the Jedi were pretty stand-up guys.” Maker, what the fuck did you sound like? Never in your life would you have described the Jedi, or anyone for that matter, this way.

While he desperately wanted to know what was going on with you, he also wanted to save you from any more awkwardness. “Omega.”

“What about her?” Echo asked, turning his eyes from you to look back at Hunter.

You huffed out a breath and nodded a thank you as Hunter walked past you, before following him back to the ship.

“She warned me about the mission. And Tarkin.” Hunter replied. “She said not to return to Kamino, that it’s not safe for us anymore.”

Wrecker grunted. “Maybe she’s right.”

“We’re taking the word of a child now?” Crosshair asked stonily.

“I would not discount Omega’s insight. A state of heightened awareness is not unusual for an enhanced clone such as herself.” Tech said simply, looking up from his datapad.

You angled your head to face Tech as he leaned against the ship’s doorway. “She’s a what now?”

Wrecker just laughed. “Good one Tech, you almost had me.” He joined you on the steps of the ship.

“When Nala Se spoke of five clones, Tarkin assumed that meant us, but Echo’s a reg. The fifth is Omega. I confirmed my suspicions after analysing her DNA while we were in the infirmary.” Tech explained.

“And you waited until now to mention it?” Echo asked, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“Well, I thought it was obvious.” Tech replied plainly.

“Hey, Tech, here’s an idea. If it seems obvious to you, it’s probably not to the rest of us. These are things that are good to know well in advance.” You said with a shake of your head, standing up and joining him in the doorway.

“We’re going back for her.” Hunter said, turning away from the jungle.

Crosshair stepped in front of him. “Disobeying orders again over a kid? Bad play, Hunter.” He pushed a finger into his chest.

Hunter just pushed his hand aside and stepped past him. “She’s one of us. We’ve added a new member before, and it worked out.” He said, glancing at you.

You met his stare, but you couldn’t help but feel the guilt of what you were doing come crashing through you.

“We’re not leaving her there.” Hunter continued before stepping past you and into the ship.

--

Lost in thought, you stared out the ship window, your eyes following the droplets of rainwater as they slowly trickled down. You found yourself picking two beads of water and waiting to see which one would reach the bottom first. It was funny, you knew of Kamino’s climate before coming here and the times you had the weather had always been the same, dark, and stormy, yet you were always surprised to see it be that way. You couldn’t imagine anything good was waiting for you all once you landed but you knew Hunter was right, Omega had to leave with you all. Tech’s voice took your attention away from the trickling water.

“I’m getting no response from com-scan.”

“That’s unusual.” You said quizzically.

“Indeed.” Tech replied.

“Bring us in. We’ll find out what’s going on.” Hunter directed.

Before you stepped out from the ship, you drew your hood and mask back up- to protect you from the harsh weather more than anything else right now. You all walked towards the- now sealed- bay doors but before you all entered, Hunter spoke. “Stick to the plan. Split up, find Omega, meet back here at the ship.”

You nodded and walked over to open the door and you weren’t comforted by what greeted you. The bay was encased in darkness, the usual hustle wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The eeriness of it made your skin crawl. You stepped forward but before you could make it very far, shock troopers came out, blasters drawn, and your group was surrounded in an instant.

“As expected.” Crosshair sniped.

“Shut up, Crosshair.” You hissed back. You looked over to see Admiral Tarkin make his way over to Hunter. Dammit. Your mask and hood would be useless now, that probe droid would’ve caught you without it. You could only wait with bated breath and hope that time and Tarkin’s general distaste for the Jedi would have meant he still wouldn’t recognise you.

“The Empire does not tolerate failure, Sergeant.” Tarkin said, his displeasure evident.

“There were… complications.” Hunter replied.

“Yes, the probe droid’s report was quite detailed. Conspiring with Saw Gerrera. And you made your position quite clear.” Tarkin said, directing his gaze at you.

At least he didn’t recognise you. You’d be dead already if he had, you thought before replying, “Yeah, that position being I’m not a fan of a system or an Emperor that likes to go after innocent civilians. Not to mention, some of his employees are assholes. Oh, sorry, that’s a big generalisation, I meant at least one of them is.” You responded, glaring at him.

Tarkin did his best to maintain his composure. The probe droid had managed to send an image of your face and he was annoyed to admit that your profile meant nothing to him but this attitude of yours was becoming a problem and it would have to be dealt with. He nodded to the shock trooper closest to you and smirked as the butt of his blaster made contact with your cheek and then your stomach.

You grunted and kneeled down in pain. “Make that two employees. That feel good?” You panted, looking back at Tarkin. You took Echo’s outstretched hand and stood up, taking a few deep breaths to get air back into your lungs.

“Quite. You would do better to learn your place.” Tarkin answered.

“You need to stop.” Echo whispered.

“I can handle it fine.” You muttered back.

“You might, but he can’t.” Echo said, jutting his head in Hunter’s direction.

You glanced over to see Hunter’s fists clenched at his sides; his jaw tight as he stared at Tarkin. Any other day, you would’ve let your thoughts run wild with what that could mean, but now was not the correct time for that sort of thought process so you just skipped to the last part of your routine and dismissed it as nothing special. It was nothing more than a leader who cared about the general wellbeing of his squad, if it had been anyone else, it would’ve been the same.

“I assume you know the punishment for treason.” Tarkin resumed, speaking to the clone sergeant.

You went to open your mouth again but Echo’s tug on your arm stopped you.

“Treason?” Hunter replied, shocked.

“Throw them in the brig.” Tarkin ordered.

--

This was how you would die.

This was the way Tarkin would kill you.

No, not by finding out your Jedi secret.

But by locking you in the brig with Hunter wearing only his blacks.

The material clung tightly to him, accentuating every ripple of muscle he had. You simply could not handle it. Yes, the two of you shared a bunk and when he had the time, you knew he would remove his armour and sleep in them, but it was usually always dark, and you were too exhausted to actually notice and appreciate what they did for him. You weren’t the most focused waking up either, so you’d never had, what you supposed was the pleasure given the way your body was reacting right now with heat spreading throughout it and your heart rate dramatically increasing, of seeing him in them.

Now it was happening at the worst possible time.

You were trapped.

In a tight space.

With every other squad member.

Who in the galaxy had you wronged to receive this punishment? To have him in front of you, looking like that, and not being able to act on every impulse that your body was wanting to do, was torture.

It felt wrong, not to mention a little bit creepy, to let your mind wander this way when there was no way his had ever done the same, but you couldn’t help it. This was going to kill you.  

“You’re staring.” Echo uttered quietly to you.

“Shut it.” You shushed back, no malice behind it, before turning away from Hunter swiftly and you sat down on the bench, so out of it that you didn’t notice the small child sitting in the corner of the cell or really register that Hunter had been looking at you just as intensely.

Hunter couldn’t help but look at you. If Tarkin wanted to give him a hard time, this was a good way to do it. Being trapped in the brig with you was doing things to him that he should be better at ignoring. Your top layer had been taken off you so you were left wearing your leggings and undershirt which meant much of your skin was exposed and it was making his mind create images and thoughts he absolutely should not be having. He began thinking about the various ways he could make the goosebumps on your arms disappear, but he stopped himself. It was not the correct time for this, it was never the correct time for it, but he couldn’t help himself. This was going to be a struggle.

“You’re staring.” Wrecker whispered to him.

“I’m not.” Hunter replied defensively, before looking away from you quickly and facing the back of the cell.

Echo glanced between the two of you as you both looked away from each other at the same time. He sighed internally. He couldn’t believe you both were so clueless. Everyone else could see how you felt about each other but nothing had happened. He’d lost track of the number of conversations he and the others had with each of you individually about it, only to be faced with pathetic denials and excuses from both of you. They’d even tried a couple of times to set up situations were the two of you were alone, to try and force one of you to talk because it was just getting ridiculous and still nothing happened. You both were, somehow, too oblivious to what you felt for one another.

“Well, the plan wasn’t a total failure.” Tech spoke up.

You looked at him and followed his gaze and there was Omega. Huddled against the wall of the cell. Wow, your brain had short circuited after seeing Hunter. How did you not see her? What happened next wasn’t helping either. You watched as Hunter made his way forward and kneel down in front of her, it took all your willpower to not stare at the muscles in his back.

“I warned you not to come back.” Omega said.

“Had to. We were looking for you.” Hunter responded, making sure he was keeping his eyes on her and not you.  

You couldn’t help but smile as you watched her face light up in surprise.

“Me?” She replied.

“What do you say, kid? You wanna come with us or did we get captured for nothing?” Hunter asked.

“You came back for me?” She repeated.

“That’s right. Or you can stay on Kamino if-”

“No, it’s like I said before. I want to go with you.” She said eagerly, standing up.

“How touching.” Crosshair sneered.

You turned to look at Crosshair before glancing back at Hunter as he stood up and stared back at Crosshair. You cleared your throat, trying to disperse the awkward tension that had arose.

“Uh, Hunter, how are we breaking outta here?” Wrecker asked.

“I’m working on it.” He replied sternly, his eyes staying on Crosshair.

“You know what you should work on? Explaining when you went soft. I have a pretty good idea though.” Crosshair said, his eyes focusing on you.

You looked away awkwardly. Apart from Echo, Crosshair had been one of the main people who had spoken to you about the whole Hunter situation despite your many denials. Even though he’d done it in his Crosshair way, you had never got the impression it was a serious problem for him. Until now.  

Hunter stole a glance at you before looking back at Crosshair.

“Stow it, Crosshair.” Echo said.

You noticed Omega glancing in your direction. You gave her what you hoped was a reassuring smile and stood up and walked just behind Hunter, so you were standing next to her.

“Don’t you see we’re locked up in here because of him?” Crosshair said angrily. “He had us disobey orders.”

“So what?” You asked.

“I never thought you disobeying orders was a problem.” Tech added.

“Yeah. We do it all the time.” Wrecker agreed.

“Good soldiers follow orders.” Crosshair said aggressively, taking a few steps closer to Hunter. “Every choice you’ve made since Kaller has been wrong. First the Padawan, then Gerrera. You’re becoming a liability.”

You shook your head in disbelief but when you saw Omega look anxiously back up at you again, you put your arm around her shoulder. Judging by your most recent displays, if you spoke up more, you would probably only make things worse.

“We can debate my choices later.” Hunter replied. “For now, let’s focus on getting outta here.” He took a step away from Crosshair.

You studied Crosshair as he went to sit down. He was clutching the side of his head. Something about him now just felt weird to you, he felt like a stranger. You felt Omega leave your side and watched as she made her way over to him. She was a medical assistant after all, maybe she could figure out what was going on with him. You sat back down on the bench and placed your face in your hands, wincing slightly as you forgot about the bruise that was forming on your cheek.

“Does it hurt?”

You lifted your eyes to see Hunter kneeling in front of you, his eyes focused on you. You shook your head. “Nah not really. There’ll be a bruise but it’s fine if I just leave it alone. I should’ve seen it coming though, there was only so much of my charming demeanour Tarkin could take.” You said with a small smile. Before you could say anything else, you looked past Hunter to see a shock trooper approaching. You stood up.

Hunter mirrored your actions and turned to see what was going on.

“CT-9904, you’re coming with us.” The trooper dictated, whilst another brought the shield down.

You took a couple steps to the right whilst Hunter darted in front of the trooper. “Oh, no, no, no. We stay together.” He said firmly.

The trooper only hit his blaster into Hunter’s stomach.

“Hunter!” You quickly made your way over to him and grabbed his arm to haul him back to his feet. “Are you okay?” You asked softly.

“I’m fine.” He replied, grimacing slightly as he straightened up.

“Yeah, being on the receiving end of one of those isn’t the greatest feeling in the world.” You let go of his arm and made to step towards the clone, but he held his blaster up.

“Stand down!” He ordered.

You and the others stilled and all you could do was watch as Crosshair left the cell and walked out the door with them. You didn’t know what they wanted with him, but one thing was certain, it could not possibly be good.

--

You were situated on the other end of the cell, opting to lean against the wall rather than the bench. You told yourself it would be more comfortable for your back and not because you had a better view of Hunter that way.

You straightened your back against the wall. It had been a while since you’d all been sent to the brig, and you were getting fed up. You couldn’t be bothered wrestling with your inner turmoil anymore. All it would take would be a simple flick of your wrist and the switch controlling the shield would be lowered and you all would be able to leave. You could deal with the other soldiers easily enough and then you could leave them and… and never look back.

You sighed sadly but as you looked to where Hunter was sitting, that feeling of sadness changed in to one of amusement as you saw Omega mimicking each movement he made. That was another reason to do this, at least you guys had actually done something to piss Tarkin off, Omega was just a kid and didn’t deserve this. You inhaled deeply. “Guys I can-”

“I’ve got it. Why didn’t I think of it before?” Tech interrupted before pausing to looking back at you.

“No, go ahead Tech.” You said quickly. Just because you’d been at peace with that decision didn’t mean you wanted to do it, doing that would still put them in danger so if Tech had a plan, then you weren’t going to stop him.

Tech moved Echo aside and sat where he had once been before continuing. “This isn’t a prison.”

“Yeah, well I beg to differ.” Echo said.

“This is a Kaminoan facility. It was built prior to the Clone Wars. There were no barracks or prisons when it was constructed.” Tech clarified.

“Well, how does that help us?” You asked.

“Because while these cells were retrofitted to hold normal individuals, they could not possibly account for someone like Wrecker.” Tech replied.

“Oh! You mean I could punch our way out?” Wrecker asked eagerly, standing up.

You glanced over to where the troopers were and noticed them looking back to where you all were.

“Ssshh.” Hunter and Omega both said.

“Oh. Right. You mean I could punch our way out?” Wrecker repeated at a whisper this time.

“If you punch the correct spot.” Tech confirmed.

“Right. Show me where.” Wrecker said, rubbing his knuckles keenly.

“If this is gonna work, we’ll need some cover. Form a wall.” Hunter ordered.

You, Echo, Hunter, and Omega stood up to conceal the area of the wall Tech was examining. Omega had taken up what was your usual position next to Hunter, so you just stood next to her.

Hunter glanced down at Omega and then looked over her head at you only to see you look back at him and shrug with a small smile on your face.

“Hit this. Here.” Tech directed to Wrecker before coming to stand next to you.

“Right.” Wrecker kneeled down. “Tell me when.”

“Now.” Hunter said.

Wrecker punched the area and quickly sat back down.

The rest of you stood casually and waited for the troopers to look away again.

Wrecker examined the spot that he hit but let out a grumble. “Nothing happened.”

“Are you sure this is going to work?” You asked Tech quietly. You needed to know if your services would actually be required.

“Try it again. A little harder.” Tech said.

“You’re all clear. Make it count.” Hunter said.

“Okay.” Wrecker said before pulling his arm back and crashing his fist into the metal wall.

Again, you all waited for the soldiers to look away from you.

“Oh, it still didn’t work.” Wrecker said.

You kept your eyes on the soldiers in front of you, but you felt Tech leave your side to examine the wall.

“Oh yes, it did.” Tech corrected.  “Look.” He pulled back part of the metal to reveal an opening behind the wall.

“I’ll never fit through that.” Wrecker pointed out.

“Astute as always Wrecker, but I was actually going to suggest-”

“I’ll do it.” Omega agreed.

“You sure, kid?” Hunter asked.

“I’m sure.” She confirmed.

“I’ll go with her.” You said, looking at Hunter.

He nodded. He knew you could handle these guards just fine; he didn’t need to be worried. “Okay. Omega, get to the console and hit the lever to lower the ray shield.” He looked back at you. “The guards are all yours.”

You smiled before glancing down at Omega. “Come on, Omega, let’s go.” You both stepped back and squeezed through the gap in the wall. You let Omega start climbing first, you followed closely behind.

“Incoming.” Echo warned as the group of shock troopers approached.

“Wait, where are the other two?” The guard at the front asked.

“You tell us.” Hunter replied calmly.

“Harm them and you’re a dead man.” Echo said.

Another one of the clones spoke into the commlink on his wrist. “Operations, we need a status report on prisoners 0219 and 0220.”

--

You and Omega paused as you heard this echo up through the vent, she had stopped just on top of it, you were just behind her.

Omega felt the vent buckle under her slightly and she glanced back at you.

You held your finger up to your lips and raised your hand to tell her to wait. You kept an ear out for what was happening below you and from the sounds of it, Wrecker was doing his best to provide an excuse, but he didn’t quite have the knack for that sorta skill, for as long as you knew him, he never had.

You kept listening and knew you had your opening once you heard the guard ask again for where the two of you were. You nudged Omega’s leg and gave a single nod of your head. As she hit the vent and came tumbling down with it, you jumped down quickly after her and you noticed that most of the guards were trapped under it, so your job had just gotten a lot simpler. “Hit the switch, Omega!” You called before landing a kick to the trooper that had gotten up to grab her and that kick sent him right into Wrecker’s oncoming fist. You took in the scene around you and sighed.

“What?” Hunter asked, walking over to you.

“Oh, nothing. Just thought I’d have more to do.” You pouted. “Omega did a lot of my job for me. Nice job, kid!” You said smiling at her.

Hunter chuckled before addressing the wider group. “We need to find out where they took Crosshair. Let’s move.”

--

You all carefully made your way through the hallways before stopping at the next new corridor. You sighed. “We’re not going to get very far without our gear.”

“They started moving all your things to the hangar. Your gear might be there too.” Omega suggested to Hunter.

“This way.” Hunter directed.

The six of you began to quickly head towards the hangar. You only hoped you would be able to find and help Crosshair in time.

--

The group of you silently made your way into the hangar and you were pleased to see that all your kit was there. You grabbed your hooded layer and hastily put it on, and you immediately felt comforted. You knew you shouldn’t have let it, but the ensemble you had put together provided you with a deep sense of security, something you’d only ever found at one other time in your life and that involved lying next to a certain someone in the quiet and darkness of space. You were losing one, so you were glad to still have the other.

You slung your sword over your back and tied your smaller vibroblade to your thigh. You looked around you to see the others finishing putting their gear back on, though Wrecker seemed to have lost something.

“Tech, power up the ship. The rest of us will go after Crosshair.” Hunter instructed, grabbing his blaster.

Yet again, you felt a disturbance in your veins as you heard the beeping of the door behind you. You turned to look towards it. “I don’t think we’ll have to go far.” Just as you said that the door opened. You and the others ducked swiftly before peaking over the crates in front of you and what you saw filled your heart with dismay. Amidst the shock troopers that ran through, came another soldier, armour all black, sniper rifle in hand. You weren’t fast enough.

“Is that… Crosshair?” Wrecker asked, his tone filled with disbelief.

You saw out of the corner of your eye that Hunter had stood up and walked into the middle of the room, so he was standing across from Crosshair. Your eyes darted between them, you had to be ready just in case. You wouldn’t let anything happen to Hunter.

“Best stand down, Sergeant.” Crosshair warned. “Make it easy on yourself.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Hunter replied.

“We should’ve killed that Jedi. You disobeyed orders.”

Your heart stopped. What had happened to him? You bit your tongue to stop yourself from saying anything that would only prove to escalate the situation. You took a moment to glance down at Omega who had taken cover by the crate you were positioned at. You laid a hand on her shoulder, hoping that it would provide some comfort before focusing your attention back on Hunter and Crosshair.

“I did what I thought was right.” Hunter answered.

“You never could see the bigger picture. Now surrender.”

One look at Hunter and the others told you everything you needed to know. No one here was surrendering.

“Is that an order?” Hunter asked.

“Heh. I guess it is.” Crosshair responded with a smirk.

“Well, I guess I’m disobeying that one too.”

You took a deep as the two of them stared each other down. You knew one of them was getting ready to shoot and you just knew Crosshair would be the one to shoot first so if it looked like Hunter wouldn’t be able to get out the way in time, you would be ready. “Stay close, Omega.” You whispered to her whilst keeping your gaze on the men in front of you.

You waited, everyone else tensed their blasters but you waited.

You’d had a lot of practice in patience. In everyday situations, you weren’t great at it but when it came to scenarios like this, you pretty much had it nailed.

You tuned out the thunder in the background and watched.

You exhaled deeply as you watched Hunter duck out the way of Crosshair’s shot and you turned back to face him, your back against the crate, as he hunkered down in front of you. “Don’t do that to me.” You chastised him but your voice was filled with relief.

Hunter couldn’t let his mind wander about what your relief meant in regard to him right now, so he only nodded at you before putting his helmet on and taking up position next to you.

“Omega, keep your head down.” You told her as blaster shots pinged off the crate and your surroundings. You cursed under your breath as the shock troopers threw smoke charges, concealing your view, well only partially concealing yours. You could sense where the others were, but you couldn’t reveal that without answering other questions and given Crosshair’s new allegiance, you most certainly couldn’t do anything to remove the smoke yourself. You and Hunter ducked as a blaster bolt fired past your heads. “Tech, we gotta move. Now!” You called into the comm on your wrist.

“I’m working on it.” Tech responded.

“Wrecker, clear the smoke on three.” Hunter directed.

“You got it, boss.” Wrecker replied, grabbing two crate lids.

“Omega, stay low.” Hunter reiterated. “One… two…”

“Three!” Wrecker finished, jumping up and hitting the trays together, the impact dispersing the smoke.

You watched as he flung the lids into the oncoming soldiers, one making contact, but Crosshair managed to get out of the way of the other before getting a shot away in Wrecker’s direction. You quickly moved a finger, keeping your hands at your side but it wasn’t enough, the bolt still made contact with the upper left part of Wrecker’s chest, and you watched with worry as he fell down. “Omega, don’t!” You grabbed the girl’s arm and pulled her next to you just as a shot whizzed past. “He’s using Wrecker as bait.” You told her, keeping her from going again.

“But he needs help.”

“I know.” You said, looking at her with a nod. You turned to face Hunter. “What’s the plan, Hunter?”

“Tech, we’re out of time.” Hunter called to the ship, looking away from you.

“Almost got it!” Tech called back, powering up the engines.

“When I say go, you both head for that ramp and don’t stop. Got it?” Hunter said, his helmet turning from Omega to look at you. “Echo, we go for Wrecker.”

“No way, I’m not-” You began to protest.

“I need you to be safe.”

Any quick retort you were about to give vanished from your lips. “What?”

“I meant I need you to make sure the kid stays safe.” Hunter corrected quickly. Now was not the time.

You sighed, of course that’s what he meant. “Okay.”

“Go!” Hunter stood up and repeatedly fired his blaster in the direction of Crosshair and the other troopers.

You grabbed Omega’s hand and the two of you ran to the ship, but you couldn’t shake the deep feeling within you that Echo and Hunter would need your help. Clearly Omega felt similarly because you both stopped at the same time. You noticed a blaster on top of one of the crates. You grabbed it and handed it to her. “Go to the stairs of the ship. Trust yourself and take the shot. You’ll know when.” You told her urgently. You watched her take the blaster with a nod, fear but also determination behind her eyes.

“What about you?”

“I’m going to circle back around this crate. Don’t wait for me.” You both split up, you making sure you moved to the crate closest to you, your eyes never leaving Crosshair.

Just as you got yourself situated, you saw Crosshair raise his rifle towards where Echo and Hunter were struggling to get Wrecker to the ship.

You lifted your hand, closed your eyes, and called on the Force to push him down. Just as you did this, you heard Omega’s shot hit his blaster and you opened your eyes to see Crosshair sprawled on the floor. You knew he wouldn’t stay down very long. With Hunter and Echo’s gaze fixed on Omega, you darted out and grabbed Wrecker’s feet to help bring him on board the ship.

Crosshair couldn’t understand what just happened, one minute he was getting ready to fire his rifle, the next he was knocked to the ground. He recovered quickly and stood up, drawing his other blaster.

“I told you to go.” Hunter said, voice straining slightly with Wrecker’s additional weight.

“That wasn’t going to happen.” You replied, ducking your head as some of Crosshair’s hurried shots rang around you. You all made it onto the ship, and it took off, leaving Crosshair and Kamino behind you.

--

“Ouch!” Wrecker complained as you stuck the needle in his shoulder between the gaps in his armour. “Hey, hey, hey. What’s that gonna do?” He asked anxiously as he saw the next needle you brought out.

“You’ll be okay. Just hold still.” You replied.

“Is this what you were looking for?” Omega asked, holding the stuffed toy up to Wrecker.

“You found my Lula!” Wrecker gasped, taking it from the small girl.

You used that moment to quickly stick the other shot into his neck.

“Ow!” Wrecker cried out.

“I saw an opportunity and I took it.” You said with a smile. “It’s done now, don’t worry.”

Omega giggled and moved out the way as Tech came over to Wrecker.  

“Hold still.” Tech instructed, holding out his scanner.

“Don’t examine me. I’m not a computer.” Wrecker said huffily.

“This will take just a second.” Tech responded.

“Get that thing away from me.” Wrecker grunted.

You huffed out a laugh and looked away from the two squabbling clones to see Omega heading for the cockpit. You took a few steps forward and turned around to look at Hunter, tilting your head in Omega’s direction, indicating that he should follow.

Hunter nodded and walked with you into the cockpit. He glanced at you, not knowing if he should speak first. He wasn’t sure how this was all was supposed to work.

“Go on.” You murmured. You stayed back a couple paces, waiting for him to go first.  

He took a deep breath before approaching Omega. “Your first time in space?”

“First time anywhere.” Omega replied, looking back at him.

There was a slight pause before he spoke again. “That was an impressive shot back there. Where’d you learn to do that?” Hunter asked.  

“I don’t know. She told me to trust myself but I’ve never fired a blaster before. I guess I got lucky.” She said, with a shrug of her shoulders.

Hunter faced you. “You told her to take the shot?”

“Figured you’d need to the help. I didn’t want anything to happen to you.” You told him as you came to stand beside him. “Or Echo, or Wrecker.” You included quickly.

Before Hunter could say anything else to you, Tech and the others wandered through.

You took that moment to step aside and sit down in the seat behind the co-pilots chair. That was a bit close. You chuckled as you saw Echo come through bearing much of Wrecker’s weight, it definitely looked like a struggle. “How’s he doing, Tech?”

“He got lucky, but he’ll be fine.” Tech replied.

“It’ll take more than a blaster shot to take me down.” Wrecker said with a laugh.

“You were down.” Echo corrected, removing Wrecker’s arm from his shoulder.

“Yeah, well, not for long.” Wrecker responded with a chuckled before grabbing his shoulder in pain.

“What’s the plan, Hunter?” Tech asked, swivelling his pilot’s chair slightly.

“I thought we could go off on our own. Lay low. But with Crosshair gunning for us, I’m not so sure.” Hunter answered.

“What about your friends? Could any of them help us.” Omega asked, looking back at Tech.

You barked out a laugh.

“That would be a short list.” Tech replied, before looking back out the window.

“I can think of one.” Hunter revealed. “Plot a course for J-19.”

“J-19?” You and Echo asked.

“We know a guy.” Hunter said, glancing between you both before looking back at Omega and turning the co-pilot seat towards her. “Strap in kid, you’re not gonna want to miss this view.”

You smiled warmly as you watched him and as you saw Omega study what Tech was doing to prepare the jump to hyperspace but that smile quickly became one of sadness. You were dreading the conversation you needed to have once you reached this new destination. You sighed and left your seat just as the ship entered hyperspace.

--

You stepped away from the cockpit and were just about to take your sword off and lay it down when you heard Echo say something that made you freeze.

“I still can’t believe Crosshair just fell down like that.”

“Yeah, that was pretty weird.” Wrecker agreed.

“Anyone see what happened?” Hunter asked.

“Oh, that was (Y/N).” Omega answered innocently.

Shit. You were rooted to the spot. You thought you’d gotten away with it.

“It couldn’t possibly have been her, she was nowhere near Crosshair. She was helping get Wrecker on board the ship.” Tech corrected.

“Yeah, how could she have done that?” Wrecker asked.

“Her attention was on Crosshair when he was getting ready to shoot. I saw her close her eyes, raise her hand slightly and the next thing that happened was he was on the ground.” Omega explained.

Fuck.

“Ha nice one kid, way to cheer me up. No way she can do that.” Wrecker said with a laugh. He turned to face you, expecting to see you smiling at such a ridiculous suggestion but instead he was met with your back.

Hunter had turned to look at you, only to see you frozen in place. Omega couldn’t have been right, could she?

“She does not possess such an ability.” Tech argued. “Only the…” Tech trailed off, turning to look at you. You had been behaving differently ever since Kaller and this could be a reason as to why. Was it true?

“Yeah, sorry Omega, only the Jedi can do that and she certainly isn’t one. We’d know.” Echo added. “Right?” Echo turned to look at you only to be met with the sight of your back at the other end of the ship. “(Y/N)?”

You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t lie anymore. You felt all their eyes on your back.

“I’m sorry, did I say something I shouldn’t have?” Omega asked worriedly.

You sighed and finished taking off your weapon. “No.” You probably would’ve had to tell them when you told them you were leaving, they wouldn’t have let you get out of that one without a series of questions. You squeezed your eyes tight before opening them and turning to face the many pairs of eyes that were focused on you. You might as well start over. You introduced yourself again with a new piece of information. “Hi. My name is (Y/N) and I used to be a member of the Jedi Order.”

Next Chapter>

[soapybutt17]

Coldest Night

Summary: What if your worse nightmare has come to life?

Character: John Price x F!Wife!Reader. Simon "Ghost" Riley. Kyle "Gaz" Garrick. John "Soap" MacTavish.

Word Count: 1,702

Chapter Warnings: Angst. Character Death(s). Life threatening injuries. Mentions of blood loss. Mentions of violence. Major Spoiler for MW3.

A/N: To the anon that sent me the request, just know that i know you had good intentions, but i am not over mw3 and what they had done to my boy Soap and now i'm just down right sad again. didn't go into too much detail for soap's part cuz the wound is still fresh and my boy did not deserve what happened to him. :'(

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John “Soap” MacTavish

The day that you had learned Soap was KIA, you had fallen to your knees in the middle of the base and had sobbed your heart out. Johnny had always had a special place in your heart. Out of the three, you had worried about Soap the most knowing how his tendency to act brashly had ended with him more injured than he needed to be.

You mourned his death worse than anyone else in the base. You were the one that had to make the call to his family, letting them know about Soap’s passing. How it had been so hard for you to hold the tears as you listened to his parents crying through the other line. You still held a level of professionalism as you explained to his family the next step that was needed to be taken and you would be helping them all throughout wherever they may need you.

Early on, a part of you would begin to blame each and every single one of the boys. They had made a promise to you that they would keep an eyes on each other. But they broke it, you had unfortunately displaced most of your anger towards your husband, who’s already filled with guilt knowing Soap had died under his command, Soap had died saving him from Makarov.

But slowly but surely you began to heal, learning that you should not have blamed anyone of the boys for what has happened—especially your husband. The man was already plagued with his own guilt, Survivor’s guilt as the therapist you had forced all three of them to take had explained. You had your own guilt, knowing if only you had been there for the mission, you could have made difference. But at the end of the day, there was no use thinking of the what ifs. It was about learning to move on.

It was in Soap’s death that you and your husband have decided to retire. The fear of having to lose either Gaz or Ghost haunted you both. It was no a decision either of you would be willing to make any longer. You couldn’t in your conscious allow another meaningless death because of a war be on either of your hands.

Even as the years has passed since Soap’s death, you had never forgotten the man and all the memories that you had shared with him in your time as part of the Taskforce. You were still mourning just as much as your husband, but it was slowly but surely getting better. It had also become your mission of constantly checking up on the two boys, proud that they’ve gotten themselves promoted as Captain and Lieutenant respectfully. They had both deserved it, more than either of them would believe, Soap would have been their number one support should he still been alive to witness it all.

Simon “Ghost” Riley

“Don’t you fucking die on me, Riley!”

Even as hard as you try to keep the wound covered, Simon was losing so much blood that you were slowly but surely doubting if he would be able to make it. It was stupid of him to take the bullet to save you. Completely and utterly stupid of him to do this to you now when he finally has a life to live.

“You deserve to live, you’ve got the Captain and the little princess waiting for you back home.” Simon gasp, even as hard as he tries to be strong, pain was very well written on his masked face.

Your hands dug further onto his stomach where the bullet wound resides. All of your medical training has faded from your mind as panic continued to settle. Tearing your sleeves off, you placed it onto his stomach, hoping it would add to the gauze stopping the wound from bleeding further out.

“You fucking deserve to live too.” You snapped, radioing back up again. A single tear was shed as you were given an ETA of an hour.

Simon might not make it in an hour.

“I want you to promise me something, Rookie.” He coughed, his shaking hand slowly pulled off his mask revealing his pale face, and blood loss was slowly but surely manifesting. “Promise me that you’ll bury me in my home town, not as Ghost, but as Simon Riley.”

You sobbed, knowing what his request had entailed. His past that had once haunted him all throughout his life and his career. He was ready to leave it all behind and live and die finally as the man behind the mask.

“Bury me with me Mum and brother.”

“Okay.” You nod, sobbing now as he clasped onto your hands pulling it away from the wound on his stomach.

“Thank you for being the Mum I thought I could never have again.” He whispered cupping your cheeks with his bloodied hand before his hands fell and his eyes closed.

Death had taken him from you and all you could do was sob, shaking him awake, ignoring the voice of your husband and the rest of the team that had grown concern that your sobs would notify their enemies of your whereabouts, but it truly didn’t matter. You’ve lost Simon, your boy. The man that you had loved like he was your own, and the man you had promised your husband to protect when you had agreed to go on this mission with him.

You had failed Simon, just as much as you had failed to keep your promise with John. You would never see yourself ever stepping back onto a mission again after this. You had vowed to yourself never to because of it.

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

“How is he?”

It’s been three days of no sleep for you. You had refused to leave the confinements of the cold plastic chair that was situated outside of the hospital room where Kyle was in. No one, not even your husband could coerce you into leaving your place outside of the room.

John, Soap, and Simon had begun taking turns in giving you food, coffee, or change of clothes. But nothing could truly make you leave your position until you were sure that Kyle was stable and as far away from any sorts of danger.

But you should have expected something like this to happen. A mission gone wrong would always end with someone getting compromised. You were thankful that it was just an injury—as severe as it had been for the past few days, it was better than dealing with a funeral and paper works that come along with it.

You were still shaken up after you’ve been notified that Kyle was compromised. You dropped everything and made your way here in the hospital. All thoughts of work and your obligations were placed in the backburner until you were certain he was going to be alright.

“Stable.” The Doctor’s single word had washed all the relief onto your body. It was all you needed to know.

“Damages?” You inquired.

“Broken collar bone and hairline fracture to the skull, but they will heal. What I want him to focus more on is healing the few bullet wounds to the stomach he dealt with. We were able to remove most of the bullets and fragments, but we will not be certain about any underlying damage until after he wakes up.”

You nod. In the years of knowing Kyle, you know he would be able to get back from this, but knowing the damages that he had to endure because of this mission, there was this fear that just doesn’t seem to leave you. What if there was something wrong that would change his life in a way that no one would help him with.

“When will he be able to wake up then?”

“When he is good and ready.”

You nodded, thanking the doctor for the update. Slumping back onto the chair, you sighed resting your face onto your hand. Only now did you feel the fatigue and lack of sleep finally get to you.

“How are you holding up, Darling?”

Looking up, the sight of your husband was a welcome comfort for you in this very moment. He sat beside you with his arm immediately wrapping around your shoulder. Only now did you also come to realize the shiver that run through your body at the lack of coat.

“Better than Kyle is.” You muttered.

“He’s gonna be alright.” John’s reassurance did nothing to you in the moment, but you held onto it still. Every single reassurance that was given to you, you would take.

“I hope so,” You muttered. “He was supposed to be on drill duties next week.” You hoped a little humor could ease away your worries.

“And he still will when he wakes up.” John reassured with a chuckle. “I’ll make sure of it, My Love.”

“What if he doesn’t come out of this the same way?”

“Then we will help him adjust to the civilian life should it be the choice he makes for himself.” He answered immediately. “We will not know for sure, but whatever happens, it is our duty and our responsibility to make sure all three of those Muppets are well taken care of whether they still work for us or not.”

You nodded understanding very well what he was trying to say.

“I just can’t stop worrying about him. I don’t know how he’s doing right now and what he’s feeling.”

“I worry about him too.” John admits sighing. “But we will resolve nothing if all we do is worry about him and the other two.”

You nodded. Only now did you realize that for the past few days, your husband had allowed you the time to take it all in. How one member of your team being compromised as Kyle was right now would not be the first time that it would happen and you were certain it would not be the last.

You had your duty just like John did. With Kyle now in the clear, it was only time for you to regroup and deal with the mess you’ve left behind in the base.

[bibbityboppitybillyharvgrove]

Always There - Twenty - S.Snape

Summary: Y/N Potter was left with a baby to care for after her brother and sister-in-law were murdered by Voldemort. One person was there for her, a person she didn’t expect but soon became her comfort person, Severus Snape. During Harry’s third year at Hogwarts and her third year as Herbology professor, a few old friends come around again. Y/N has to handle the feelings of these old friends being around again as well as handle her feelings for a certain potions master all while she tries to hide these things from her godson.

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Pairings: Severus Snape x Female Professor Reader, Potter!Reader x friend!Remus, Sister!Reader x James Potter, Potter!Reader x Friend!Sirius

Chapter Warnings: Female Reader, Potter Reader(No physical description of reader) probably shitty writing, Harry growing up in a loving home, Voldemort, not proofread, Death Eater talk,

Series Warnings: Female Reader, Potter Reader (No physical description of reader) probably shitty writing, OOC Snape, Harry grows up in a loving environment, mentions of death and murder, poorly written angst, Remus is a shitty friend, poorly written pining,

Please let me know how I can improve my writing and being more inclusive to POC as I am whiter than white. Please also let me know if I have to add more to the warnings! My messages are open as well as my asks!

I am starting a taglist so leave either a comment or something in my asks if you would like to be tagged in any of my works or just this series!

Author's Note: I know this is short but I'm trying to get this set up for the end of the series. This is more of a filler than anything. I hope you guys enjoy!

Please let me know how I can improve or if you find any errors! Correct me, don't be afraid to! I want to improve my writing and become a better writer so any feedback or advise is welcomed!

Word Count: 1241

dividers are @firefly-graphics

My asks are open for questions, suggestions, requests and feedback!

Feedback is welcomed and encouraged!

Enjoy!

True to his word, Severus had mentioned to the Dark Lord that she was interested in joining the death eaters. He requested that she come with Severus to meet him and tell him her true intentions. She was set to meet the dark lord later that day, she was somewhat nervous but kept wits about her. Severus knew that she was nervous, he knew that facing the man who murdered her brother was not going to be easy, facing the man that tried to kill her nephew wasn’t going to be easy. 

He had been assured by Voldemort that he could stay with her, to ease his own nerves. The couple apparating to Malfoy Manor, walking hand in hand. Y/N’s grip tighter than usual, using his hand to keep herself grounded. “Do you need a moment, love? I can speak with him first, give you time to yourself,” Severus offered.

“I’m okay, the sooner we get this done the better. As long as I have you, I’ll be fine,” She replied, a shaky smile on her face.

“Severus, what a pleasant surprise! And Y/N Potter! Or is it Snape now?” Bellatrix’s ear piercing tone rang in her ears. 

“Still Potter for now. It’s in the process of getting changed to Snape,” Y/N said politely.

“I heard you want to join us, how surprising! A Potter, wanting to become a death eater, may I ask why?”

“That’s for me to ask Bellatrix, Miss Potter, Severus, come, join me,” The dark lord interrupted the conversation. Severus let go of her hand only to wrap his arm around her waist, the two of them following the fraction of a man into one of the studies. “Take a seat, please.” The couple doing as they were told, sitting in the two chairs across from the big lounge chair. “So Severus tells me you wish to join our cause. May I ask why?”

“I am loyal to Severus and Severus is loyal to you, my lord. Anyone he is loyal to, I will be loyal to,” She told him, making eye contact with him the whole time.

“What of your nephew?”

“What of him, my lord?”

“What about him? If you are loyal to me, then that means you are no longer loyal to your family.”

“Severus is my family, my lord. My nephew will always have a special place in my heart but Severus is the one that owns it. Whatever he does, I will do.”

The dark lord contemplated for a second, he thought it odd that the woman would want to join now, knowing who her nephew was and that he was the man to murder her family. “Why now?”

“Pardon?”

“Why now? Why come to me now? You know what I did to your family, why choose now?”

“I need the protection to be frank, my lord. I know how loyal your followers are not only to you but each other. I can be a spy for you as well. The Order will have no idea that I am with you, it’s a perfect opportunity to get more information. They would never expect me to be with you,” She explained.

“Why do you need the protection?”

“We’re expecting, we need the protection not only for her but the baby as well, my lord. This will also give you the chance to have 2 spies working for you. I happen to be a bit biased but I believe she would be a great addition to our cause,” Severus chimed in.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, my lord. We just found out about two months ago. Nobody knows, not even my nephew,” Y/N replied.

“Very well. I will allow you to join, Ms. Potter. If Severus believes that you’re a great addition, then I can’t help but agree. You will keep up your appearances with the Order but you must come to me or send a letter here after every meeting. Are we at an understanding?”

“Yes, my lord. Thank you!” She smiled at the man, grabbing Severus’ hand, feigning excitement. 

The couple left the Malfoy Manor, returning to Hogwarts, Y/N promptly rushing to the bathroom to empty her stomach. She so desperately wanted to as she spoke face to face with the dark lord but she was able to keep up appearances. Severus was right beside her, rubbing her back and keeping her hair out of her face. “Godric, this is worse than puking slugs,” She complained as she caught her breath.

“You’ve thrown up slugs?” Severus asked, trying to distract her from the unease in her stomach.

“My third year, Sirius thought it was funny to try and jinx you but I stepped in front of his wand. I was throwing up slugs for hours,” She replied as she stood up slowly, she went over to the faucet, turning it on, cupping water into her hands and swishing the water around her mouth. 

“Are you feeling better?” He questioned as she spit out the water.

“A little bit. It’s just a lot you know? Albus expects so much of me, expects me to put not only myself in danger but you and Harry just so he could have another spy, he wants me to pretend that he’s not dying, that Draco is supposed to kill him. A teenage boy is expected to kill Albus for the mistakes of his father. I just want this war to be over, we’ve lost enough people now.”

“I know, love. I want it to be over too. I’m tired of being a pawn to Albus and the dark lord. I just want to be with my family.”

The day had dragged on longer than it should have, Albus desperately wanting an update which was given. She had begun to see Albus for who he truly was, a master manipulator. She had finally gotten the chance to witness it head on when he asked her to become a spy. The man did whatever he could do to benefit him and she finally took note of it. She kept these thoughts to herself, however. Unwilling to mention them to anyone in fear of being judged or becoming a target for the order. 

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As Halloween came and went, Christmas was quickly approaching. She was still able to keep her pregnancy concealed from the students, telling Harry the night she became a death eater. Her heart was heavy with guilt because she couldn’t say anything about her being a spy for the Order without the possibility of being figured out. Her bump was showing through her clothes now, her old potions professor taking note of this as well as Minerva. She was able to hide it with a cloak but during dinner, the other professors couldn’t help but notice that her usual glass of wine was replaced with water. Nobody dared say a word about it, letting the herbology professor come to them when she felt ready.

Severus and Y/N were two of the most private professors in the castle. The students only knew that the couple was together but they had no details about the relationship itself. The couple liked it better that way, the only ones who knew any details being Harry, his friends and a couple of the professors. Now there was an added darkness into their relationship, the added factor of Voldemort and trying to fool the man as a couple.

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[rashomonss]

Late Nights

a/n: I’m kinda tipsy and I’m listening to jazz rn so ofc I’m in my feels, also I’ll post a dateables version if y’all like these (*´▽`*)

“I enjoy your company”

Late nights with Lucifer consist of sitting in the comfort of his office as the fire crackles its hypnotizing little sparks.

Just the two of you, listening to some of his favorite music as it plays in the background.

His tie is loose and his top buttons are undone. You on the other hand are wearing something comfortable but still use his large fluffy coat as a blanket; not that he minds.

The two of you just sit and end up talking about yourselves as well as life in general. It’s times like this where Lucifer truly bares everything he is to you without the worry of any judgement on your end.

You also in turn, bare your true self to the Avatar of Pride who relishes in the thought of learning more about you.

Maybe it’s due to the drinking you both have been doing, or maybe it’s due to the comforting atmosphere you both share; but no matter what it is Lucifer finds himself enjoying moments like this the most.

And the simple reason behind that is the fact that he will always enjoy you and your company no matter what, for he truly loves your whole being with all his heart.

Late nights with Mammon are you both cuddling up together on his couch staring at the large tv in his room.

Candy and chip bags are scattered across his table but the two of you are too warm and comfortable to go throw them away.

A stack of DVD’s can be found on his side of the couch; this pile contains the ones both of you have already watched. Another stack can also be found on your side of the couch, those are the movies you both have yet to watch.

Currently on the tv, a cheesy Devildom romcom plays and the two of you joke and make fun of the main couple. His laughter and yours mix together until they become one unified laughter filling up his room.

Mammon bashes the main love interest for being to chicken to tell the girl he likes his feelings, to which you laugh and reply “that sounds like someone I know”

Immediately his face goes red, however he does explain to you that he’s never be like that loser, because he claims that you already know he’s head over heels for you. In response you smile at his protests.

The longer the movie drags on the more you both find yourselves snuggling closer. You two have no room to talk because you’re cheesy enough just being yourselves, but it’s okay neither of you actually mind.

After the movie ends Mammon does claim that he truly does love you, and how he always will.

Late nights with Levi end up in tears and screaming, as the two of you hold each other and cry after finishing an anime.

Before the two of you were gaming, but Levi decided to take a break brace he just wasn’t in the mood to game, so you suggested a few new shows that had just come out. And of course he could never deny that.

You both went to the kitchen before starting your anime marathon and grabbed a few things then went back to his room and settled down together in his bean bag and blankets pile.

You had suggested cuddling and finally after awhile he had given in.

how as each episode passed you began to wonder, how many have the two of you binged today alone? Five? Maybe seven? If you’re being honest you lost count awhile ago.

You both had currently just finish watching a new series that came out, and honestly it was a lovely romance at first…until the main character died that is.

The story was so well written and animated that by the end of the season you both were a crying mess as you hugged each other with a death grip.

Levi cried and begged for you not to leave him, and you in turn did the same as the two of you rolled around in each others arms on the floor, whispering how much you two loved each other.

Sometimes others only realize and express their true emotions through the pain of watching others.

Late nights with Satan consist of you laying your head on his lap as he reads another chapter of the new book you both were currently fond of.

You both had finished two books already earlier in the day, so was one more so wrong?

As Satan sat on his bed reading aloud your head rested on his lap and he had unconsciously been running his fingers through your hair for the past 15 minutes.

He was unaware of how tired he made you with this action but you were determined to stay awake for the rest of the book, after all it was just getting to the good part.

So after he finished the last chapter you decided to take over and read aloud instead, to which he greatly appreciated it. Now it was his turn to lay on your lap. And if he’s being honest he had been waiting to for awhile.

As you began the next chapter Satan couldn’t find himself concentrating on the words at all, instead he took in the scenery of his room at that very moment.

Over at his table was a pot of tea and your two matching cat tea cups. Next to it was a small desert tower that was now empty, if he remembers correctly you had eaten most of the top snacks. The rest of his room may have been messy yes, but messy or not the scenery made you look beautiful.

As you continued to read he looked up at you and admired how the moonlight hit you as it shone through the window. Then sighting to himself Satan relaxed as he felt your hands in his hair, softly running your fingers through it.

There was truly no place in the world he would rather be than here with you in this very moment.

Late nights with Asmo have the two of you laying on his soft bed with matching pajamas and face masks.

Asmo sits up and does your nails, as well as inform you about the latest gossip while your head lays in his lap.

Soft music is played to set the mood and he has a dim lamp on as well, and the TV can also be heard in the background.

After he finishes with your nails you both head to his private bathroom to wash off the face masks and take a nice bath together.

When he’s with you, he makes sure to use all of his expensive bath salts and bubble bath products, after all they’re only used for special occasions such as these. He loves spoiling himself and you.

Asmo always sets the bath at the perfect temperature as well as the perfect fragrance when you both get in, to the point it makes you sleepy. Not to worry though, Asmo has no qualms against washing you, as long as you’re okay with it. But be warned he will want you to wash him back.

Once your bath is done he does his skin care as well as yours if you deem yourself to tired; and will also apply his favorite lotions and creams to your skin for that extra soothing feel. Lastly once the two of you are finally done you cuddle up under his soft fluffy sheets and listen to him tell you how much he truly adores you.

Late nights with Beel take place in the House of Lamentation kitchen.

You both wanted a small late-night snack and thus met in the kitchen to prepare one.

He decided to take over the cooking this time so you sat on a stool and listened to him talk as he cooked your favorite food.

Every now and then you’d have to remind him to stop eating the ingredients because he’d run out eventually. He would always smile in return but no matter what he’d still nibble on a few here and there.

Beel then began telling you about his upcoming fangol matches as well as how practice was going. He liked talk to you about matter such as these, he wanted you to be the first to know after all, but don’t tell Belphie he said that, he might get a bit sad.

As you listened to him talk he took the liberty of feeding you small bites of food asking if it was to your liking as well as if you had any feedback for him.

Once the food was finished he pulled up another stool and joined you, continuing to talk about anything he found interesting.

However you had become full quite quickly from being fed so much earlier that you decided to feed him the rest of your food, which he happily enjoyed.

After you finished he then insisted that you needed to feed him the rest of his food too. You smiled and kissed his cheek as he happily continued eating.

Food does taste the best when it’s shared with the people you love the most.

Late nights with Belphie consist of you both laying on the roof of the House of Lamentation and looking up at the beautiful night sky.

Sure it took a bit of convincing on his end to get you up here but it was worth it, after all the view of the Devildom sky during this time was incredible.

You both spent your time pointing out stars and Belphie continued to tell you interesting facts about his favorite ones.

He pulled you close to him and for once, let you lay in his lap as he continued to talk about his love for the stars.

The way the stars sparkled off his two-toned eyes was the most beautiful thing in the world. Not to mention the way he talked to you.

His voice is so full of love and warmth you found it hard to pay attention to what he was telling you. As he spoke he too watched the stars reflect off your eyes as well and felt his heart stop for just a second.

He had never seen anything more beautiful than the views he would look up to see when he was with you. And it was then he believed, that you were the best thing to ever happen to him, and he wouldn’t change anything for you.

[friedbaekhyunandeggso]

found you - ch. 2 (part I)

pairing: gojo satoru x female oc (ara natsuna)

tropes: psycho! rival! athlete! yandere! gojo x introvert! booksmart! oc

warnings: 18+ only babes, profanity, mentions of abusive parental figure, stalking/possessive themes, death, pet-names (princess, kitten, baby), grinding, fingering, dub/non-consented sex, begging, rough sex, creampie (pls don't b silly & cover ur willy irl), manipulation

word count/plot: [9.5k!] ara catches gojo's attention when news breaks that she is the top academically ranked student in their grade. he is ranked second. he tries to befriend her but she ignores him. despite her obvious disinterest, his obsession begins...

a/n: hi guys so yes, i've decided to make this into a mini-series. honestly i was a bit hesitant to post shi like this bc its obv hella messed up/toxic so pls read at ur own risk. i also want to mention that it is never my intention to glamorize or romanticize a relationship like this-this is simply a dark "romance"/smut story that i happen to write in my free time. i also split this chapter into 2 parts bc it got too long LOL. The second part of this chapter is already written so hopefully i can edit and upload it fast enough but pls look forward to that!

ch. 1 , chapter 2 [ part 1 | part 2 ]

“No. fucking. way.” Millie gasped through the phone, “You had sex with Gojo?”

Ara lowered her phone as she shot a nervous glance towards her bedroom door. It was the weekend so her Dad was home.

She raised the phone to her ear again, whispering-her tone laced with disappointment, “I just told you that Gojo might’ve hurt Noel, Jaemin and Arman just for talking to me and that’s what you're worried about?”

“Wait, you didn’t hear? Jaemin’s dead.”

Ara froze, “What.”

“You left when the cops came but when they searched the house they found his dead body in Nanami’s freezer.”

Ara went silent in shock as Millie continued, “Yeah, there’s like a whole fucking investigation going on. Nanami was pisssssedddd. Poor guy’s probably never gonna throw a party again.”

Ara sputtered, “What-how is that even-“ Ara shook her head, “Is Jaemin really dead?”

“Yes, girl. Why would I lie about that?”

Ara’s heart pounded in her chest. “I-I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah, it’s fucking insane. His pretty face will be missed-but how the fuck do you lock yourself in a freezer?”

Ara’s eyes widened, “He didn’t.”

“He did.”

“No-no, I’m saying he didn’t lock himself in. Someone else could’ve locked him in.”

Ara closed her eyes, fear making her voice waver, “It was probably Gojo.”

“What? Are you serious, Ara.. There’s no fucking way. I get the guy’s into you but that would just be extra.”

Ara swallowed, “Millie—“

“You really think Gojo would do all that cuz Jaemin talked to you?” she asked, doubtfully.

Ara spoke fast, “Yes, he was the one who laced Arman’s drink as well.”

“What? No way. Everyone knows Arman’s took Molly before, he probably overdid it and sent his own bitchass to the hospital.”

“Millie, you don’t understand. He showed me the Molly he used to lace his drink.”

“Huh—Girl, I know you're not super crazy about Gojo and yeah, he’s a total narc but he’s not the type to do that or commit murder.” she stated, flippantly.

Ara’s heart sank.

Millie continued, “Anyway, tell me how the hell you lost your virginity to him because that’s like, major.”

Ara closed her eyes once-more, her brows furrowing, “It wasn’t my choice.” she gritted out.

Suddenly she heard someone call Millie’s name through the phone.

“Shit, my mom’s calling me—“

“Wait,” Ara nearly yelled but quickly clamped her hand over her mouth-eyeing her bedroom door nervously. Her Dad could enter at any second if he wanted to.

“What?”

“I-I need plan B.” she whispered. (a/n: if u don’t know what plan B is, it’s a contraceptive)

Millie gasped, “For real? Jesus—y’all went at it, huh? No condom?!”

Ara squeezed her eyes shut, “Millie, I’m serious.”

“Shit, I don’t know if I can get it to you today. My brother’s out of town so he took the car but-why don’t you ask Gojo?”

“I did-“

Suddenly there was a knock on her window and Ara froze, her head swiveling to see a shadow behind the curtain. He was here.

Ara swallowed, “I-I gotta go.”

“Shit-okay, okay, I’ll try to get it to you by Monday, okay? You better tell me all the details about you and Gojo on the bus.”

Suddenly the sound of the window opening could be heard and Ara quickly ended the call.

Gojo popped his head from around the curtain and stepped out, a bright smile on his lips as he ran a hand through his tousled white hair.

“C’mon, princess—when you gonna open the window on the first knock?”

He had stayed over the whole night since the party. He’d even wanted to shower with her-which she adamantly refused. She just wanted him to leave.

He finally left this morning, telling her some excuse that she didn’t care for—she just needed him to go. She just hadn’t expected him to be back, especially so soon.

He tossed a McDonald’s bag onto her bed.

“You hungry? There’s fries in there. I don’t want em, I just wanted the apple pie. There’s one in there for you too.”

Ever since he entered he kept walking towards her and she kept stepping back.

He went still before raising a brow, “What’re you doing, kitten?”

Her throat felt dry as she stuttered out, “Y-you shouldn’t be here, my Dad’s home. He’s awake.”

“So? Isn’t your door locked?”

“He has a key.”

He smirked, smugly, “I’ll hide if he comes.”

He searched her face before adding, “Happy?”

When she didn’t respond-merely rooted in spot-he tilted his head, “Now let me give my baby a hug.”

Before she could move he sauntered over and pulled her into a hug. Due to her shorter height he had to hunch over to press his face into her neck—planting kisses under her jaw. His hands caressing her sides.

He squeezed her hips while nuzzling his nose further into her neck, “Just wanna squeeze you to death.”

His words sent a shot of fear through her body.

And yet, his intoxicating cologne filled her nostrils—the scent so inviting and rich it was almost seductive. The slight masculine husk at the end of the scent only enhanced its effect. He’d changed his clothes to a simple long sleeve and pants. The shiny watch on his wrist glimmered.

She pushed herself out of his grasp, shaking slightly. His blue eyes attentive as he stared at her.

“I- I need plan B.”

A grin split across his lips, “You’re still on that, kitten?”

“I’m not joking, Gojo. I can’t get pregnant.”

He reached over, placing his hand over her stomach. His hand so large it felt like he covered most of her torso.

“We’re both adults now, aren’t we? We’ll make it work—“

She shoved his hand off.

His grin widened, “You think your tits would get bigger?”

“That’s not funny.” she spat, face flushed, “I need plan B, Gojo—I’m not joking.”

Suddenly he moved towards her, easily cupping the sides of her face as he kissed the top of her head.

“Okay, okay—so stubborn,”

She trembled in his hold but did her best to not wrench herself away just yet. She needed to get him to bring it for her. She looked up at him.

He was already looking down at her, “Be a good kitten and I’ll think about it.” he mused.

He slipped his thumb past her lips and her eyes widened. His other hand moved to her nape-to hold her in place.

“Suck.” he ordered gently.

When she didn’t move, his fingers at her nape tightened, “Or do you want the real thing?”

She wrenched herself away from him. Fear bouncing within her body as she stared at him, out of breath.

His eyes flashed with desire as he stared down at his glistening thumb, “If you weren’t sore I’d fuck you so hard right now.” he murmured.

He’d tried to fuck her again last night. But the second he cupped her cunt, she’d writhed so bad—he decided to listen to her little mewls and whines. He figured she was sore due to the number he’d done on her.

He lowered his hand before looking at her, “I’m leaving. I won’t be back till Monday.”

She was frozen—keeping her face as blank as possible to not show her relief.

He stepped towards her, cupping her chin to keep her looking up at him, “You better answer my texts, okay? Don’t make me upset.”

She swallowed before nodding.

A light smile slipped across his lips, “Good girl.”

He bent low, tilting his face to kiss her. She fought the urge to wrench her face away. Her lips trembled as he pressed his lips into hers—letting him nibble on her bottom lip before he pulled back.

The small smile still on his lips, “Don’t miss me too much.”

She nodded slowly.

His eyes dropped to her lips once-again, his hand slipping around her back to draw her chest flush against him. She fought the urge to wince when she felt his hard-on press into her lower belly through his jeans.

Her heart raced a mile per minute as she looked up at him. She was terrified.

His hand on her chin slid to her cheek, his thumb playing with her bottom lip.

“So pretty, kitten. Too pretty,” he mused.

His hand on her back slid down to her ass, giving it a nice squeeze. She jolted a bit, a slight gasp leaving her lips.

“M’gonna miss you so much.” he muttered, before kissing her once more. His lips more insistent this time.

He finally pulled away, his eyes wistful as he looked her up and down.

“Don’t know how I’m gonna go without you.” he spoke huskily.

She closed her eyes, locking her jaw as he showered a trail of kisses down her temple to her neck. Each kiss making her pulse go faster.

His lips found hers once more, giving her one last kiss before finally stepping back, his face flushed and lips parted—as if he didn’t want to be done. His blazing blue eyes were half-lidded and hazy with lust.

She shivered.

He raised his hand to playfully tap her nose.

An easygoing smirk slipped across his lips, “See you at school, princess.”

She swallowed before looking away from him and nodding. School? How am I gonna face him at school? Just thinking about it made her uneasy.

He turned around and pushed the curtains aside. He easily pulled the window open and jumped out, disappearing downwards somewhere.

She waited a beat before running towards the window. She looked around to see that he was nowhere to be seen.

She swiftly closed the window and pulled the curtains over.

She stood still for a moment before falling to her knees. She felt like a complete mess. She covered her face with her hands.

What do I do?

Everyone was talking about Nanami’s party. Everyone.

People seemed worried, confused and shocked. Especially after it came out that Arman had died. He supposedly went into a coma at first and then his heart had completely stopped.

An unnecessary amount of police officers loitered the halls. They were calling in students-that had reportedly been to the party-to the office. Luckily, she hadn’t been called in yet.

To say Ara felt sick wouldn’t be covering it. She felt absolutely morbid. First, Jaemin and now, Arman. She had hoped that Arman would make it. Noel hadn’t shown up to school either.

The rumors were spreading like wildfire. Everyone seemed to think that Jaemin locking himself in the freezer was a drunk accident. As well as Arman overdosing. Just a bad mistake. But Ara knew the truth. Gojo had flat out told her.

But would anyone believe me?

She frowned as she remembered Millie’s reaction. She had completely thought she was crazy. Even when she’d met her on the bus and she tried to bring it up again, Millie dismissed it—saying that she must've been envisioning things because she was crossed. She even went as far as saying that she would trust Gojo with her drink.

As-fucking-if!

All Millie had wanted to know was how her and Gojo’s night had gone. Ara didn’t even bother trying to express that he’d forced himself on her. Simply just saying that he was horrible in bed and that she never wanted it to happen again. Millie had been astonished.

As much as Ara wanted to be mad at the girl she couldn’t help but be grateful for her because she brought her the contraceptive that she asked for. She was terrified of having waited too long to take one. She had googled it and heard that they were the most effective the sooner they were taken.

She needed to take it as soon as possible.

She stepped out of the classroom, readjusting her bag’s strap over her shoulder. She walked quickly down the hall.

She slowed down her pace when she turned the hall and saw a policeman walking down the opposite way. Her throat went dry.

For a second her mind wandered to what would happen if she just stopped the police officer and told him everything. From top to bottom what happened at the party—Noel’s and Arman’s parents deserved to know the truth. And the students deserved to know that their fellow ‘heart-throb’ classmate was a psychopath murderer.

And maybe she could get justice for herself—before it was too late.

But admitting that meant it was definitely going to get back to her father. And if her father had even heard about her whereabouts that night.. what she’s done and seen…

She stopped in the middle of the hall, indecision making her tense up.

The officer frowned, stopping mid-step before approaching her.

“You okay, miss—“

“Officer Miles!” a familiar, enthusiastic voice greeted from down the hall.

Ara’s heart stopped.

The officer’s face lit up, “If it isn’t Gojo Satoru.”

She took a couple steps back to watch Gojo approach the Officer, greeting him with a pat on the shoulder before effortlessly roping him into a conversation.

It was common knowledge that Gojo’s father was the past Director of National Intelligence for the former President. Despite that, money had always been flooding in his family for generations. Eitherway, it wasn’t unexpected that Gojo knew the cop by name because his family was closely integrated with law enforcement. It seemed not only on a federal level but also local.

Her throat was drier than the Sahara desert as she quickly scurried away—barely looking in Gojo’s direction. She did not need to catch his attention right now-but in the back of her mind she knew she had.

Questions ran in her mind a mile per minute. Did he interrupt the police officer on purpose? Did he know I was considering snitching? Does he think I’m gonna snitch? Is he going to ask me about it later—

She shook her head. She needed to focus on getting to the bathroom right now and downing that contraceptive pill—worry about everything else later.

She entered the bathroom and sighed in relief when she found it was empty. She glanced back to make sure no one was behind her-she felt the need to, for some reason.

Her heart raced as she placed her backpack on the counter before pausing when she realized maybe she should take the pill in the bathroom stall. That way if anyone entered the bathroom no one could see her.

She quickly went into the bathroom stall only for a hand to stop the door a second before it closed. Suddenly Gojo stood before her, locking the stall closed behind himself.

His platinum hair was left in its typical ruffled state. His uniform was perfectly ironed, as usual. His classic black sunglasses peeked out of his dress-shirt’s chest pocket. And his scent, that masculine, deep yet alluring cologne that felt too expensive to be filling the air between them.

Her eyes widened in fear. She was certain he was going to be angry-he’d just seen her almost speak to the police officer. There was no way he wasn’t—

“Fuck, I missed you so much, baby.” he cooed.

He reached out to touch her and she immediately backed away, despite the small space.

Her heart raced in terror. “Gojo, w-what are you doing?”

“What else? I saw you in the hall and followed you. You saw me too—“ he pouted, “but you ignored me, meanie.”

He reached out to grasp her chin, making her look up at him, “You didn’t miss me?”

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. He felt too large in the cramped space of the bathroom stall. Her body had broken out in a cold-sweat.

Her instincts screamed at her to get as far away from him as possible—and yet, she was terrified to do anything too rash. She was still in shock that he hadn’t suspected her of snitching on him.

Fear made her voice waver as she looked into his intimidating, diamond-like cerulean eyes. She felt like they were going to swallow her whole.

“Gojo…”

His platinum brows drew together at her shakiness, “Yeah, kitten?”

She locked her jaw, hating the concern in his eyes. She was terrified to even bring this up but she knew she had to.

“Arman and Jaemin—they’re dead, Gojo. They’re dead.” her voice cracked.

Something dark seemed to blaze within his eyes before his fingers tightened around her chin.

His voice was tight, “You worried about them?”

She grabbed his wrist, attempting to pull away from his grasp.

“You killed them.” she spat-an undercurrent of hopelessness in her fierce tone.

Before he could respond the sound footsteps entering the bathroom was audible. Her eyes widened.

Suddenly his hands were on her, turning her around so that her back was flush against his chest. Her heart jumped in terror when she felt his hard-on against her lower back.

Just as she gasped, his hand clamped around her mouth. He leaned low, his lips brushing her ear with each word he spoke, “They died because of you.”

She writhed in his grasp, only to easily have her head shoved back against his chest by his hand on her mouth. His other hand pressed into her lower belly, making him feel more of his erection—this time against her ass.

“Don’t make a fuss, kitten, you don’t want anyone to hear you now, do we?” he whispered into her ear.

Her eyes widened as she heard feminine voices speaking a short distance away.

His hand at her navel slipped down to her leg, slipping right around her upper thigh to hoist her smaller frame higher so he could press his throbbing erection fully against her ass.

He began to grind his cock against her.

“Mmm, missed you so much.” he muttered, lowly.

Just as she made short noises of protest, his hand squeezed around her mouth. “Don’t whine, kitten. It’s your fault I’m hard. I couldn’t stop thinking about you all weekend.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, locking her jaw as she tried not to be too loud despite wanting to desperately get away from him. The feeling of his hard-on sliding between her ass was the oddest sensation.

“F-fuck,” he gritted out in a harsh whisper.

His hand on her upper thigh slid to her cunt, his fingers rubbing against her clit through her underwear. She jolted in his grasp-a light squeak leaving her lips.

The feminine voices in the bathroom went quiet.

Gojo froze-only to continue rubbing at her sweet spot when the voices resumed. He chuckled darkly in her ear.

She writhed against him as his fingers worked her clit through her underwear. She bit back the squeals threatening to leave her lips at each of his ministrations.

Her hands went to his at her core, attempting to shove his wrist away but he released her mouth to clasp both of her wrists in one hand. He held her hands to chest.

She attempted to get his hand away from her cunt by squeezing her legs together but instead his fingers dipped deeper into her core. Another low chuckle left his lips when she gasped.

His hand gripping her wrists tightened, “You’ve got to stay quiet now, kitten-since you wanna act so bad.”

She bit into her lower lip when he slipped a finger into her warmth. Somehow she was incredibly warm down there-almost slippery-wet.

She felt his chest vibrate when he groaned into her neck. She clenched her teeth when she felt his hard-on throb behind her. He began to grind himself against her once-more.

She resisted the urge to squeal when his finger slipped deeper inside her. His finger was just too long. Her body jolted when he slipped another in.

“Ha-aah,” he bucked his hard-on further into her, “So warm.” he groaned.

He nipped on her ear as he rubbed his cock against her, letting himself fully revel in the soft curve of her ass. Her breathing was all over the place as his actions made her cunt squeeze tightly around his fingers.

He stopped grinding against her, instead bending lower to drop a kiss to her temple. His fingers moved within her.

“You need some attention down here, don’t you?”

His fingers in her cunt began to pump in and out of her. Her body jerked forward—if it weren’t for his hand pinning her wrists to her chest she would’ve certainly fallen over.

His fingers never left her cunt, only traveling deeper when she jerked forward.

“You know,” his voice husky at her ear, “You never came last time.”

His fingers pumped in and out of her faster. She glanced down to see her skirt bunched up and a hint of her underwear shoved aside for his fingers to gain access to her cunt. His fist was slick with her wetness as he pumped in and out of her.

“Need to change that.” he spoke lowly into her ear.

Her thighs squeezed around him.

Suddenly the sound of the bathroom doors closing echoed. Before she could even think to get away from him, his hand at her cunt ripped off her underwear. Her body buckled at the action but he gripped her hip to steady her.

He then straightened up, letting go of her hip to unbuckle himself.

“Can’t wait anymore.”

Her eyes widened in realization and she shoved herself away from him. She struggled against his hold on her wrists but managed to make him let go.

Just as she moved towards the door, her head was slammed against the stall wall. His hand was at her nape, holding her still against the door. He pushed her head lower, making her ass stick out.

He flipped her skirt up, revealing her bare, slick cunt. He shoved the full length of his cock in her.

She cried out. His hand slid around her nape to her jaw—cupping her mouth. Her body writhed at the sensation of feeling so stuffed.

She shivered when she heard a low, relieved sigh leave his lips. His dick twitched within her.

He slammed his cock into her once more-making her body buck against the door. She cried out into his hand, turning her face aside to reach around and place her hand on him anywhere—in attempt to stop him.

Before her hands could make contact, he grabbed both of her wrists in one of his once-more. Pinning her wrists to her back.

She squealed when he delivered another harsh thrust of his hips to her bruised cunt.

“N-no, Gojo-please-please, not here..” she begged-her low voice muffled by his fingers.

His hand around her wrists squeezed. He bent over her, pressing his dick deep into her as he did so. The tip of his cock seating itself in places no one else had been. She writhed against the stall door.

He spoke right beside her ear, “I’ll keep your hands cuz you’re still being bad.”

“Gojo, please, let me go. Let me go.” she whisper-cried.

“Call me Satoru, princess, Satoru.”

She closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. How did I get here?

“Please..” she begged, helplessly.

His cock pumped in and out of her slowly. She felt her wetness travel down her thighs.

“C’mon, say it.” he urged, like a devil in her ear. “Satoru.”

She was silent, merely taking in the sensation of his cock fucking her slowly as quietly as she could.

Suddenly his cock snapped into her sharply, making her wince as she cried out. The tip of his cock hit somewhere deep enough to hurt, though she couldn’t deny the jolt of pleasure that ran up her spine.

“Please!” she whimpered.

His hand on her mouth tightened, “Say it.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, “S-satoru-“

Suddenly his cock slammed into her again and again—much, much rougher. Her body bucked against the stall doors. Tiny gasps leaving her mouth with each rough fuck. The sound of his balls hitting her cunt echoing within the bathroom.

“Again.” he ordered huskily into her ear.

“S-satoru.” she mumbled, her mind going blank.

His pace picked up. His cock pulsating appreciatively in her cunt. She swore it’d grown in size.

She moaned, her thighs squeezing together in pain.

“Ha-aah,” he breathed into her ear, his cock pummeling into her so hard she forgot how to think.

“Sounds so fuckin’ pretty coming from your mouth.” his voice rough against her ear.

Her cunt squeezed around him once more and he groaned. He ground his cock into her, letting the tip of his cock touch places that felt too deep for her. Suddenly he withdrew his hips, keeping his cock halfway buried in her before shoving his full length into her again.

Her body jerked against the door again, wincing, “Gojo!”

“Satoru.” he corrected, darkly before delivering a series of deep fucks at an unwarranted pace.

Her mind was too fucked out to think.

His cock moved too fast—too deep within her. Accessing spots she didn’t think possible. His cock felt too thick, too hard-pulsing as he moved roughly in her slick walls.

“How can you ask me to let you go when you feel like this?” he gritted out.

Just then, his cock hit a spot she didn’t know existed. The tip of his cock simply pressing a spot so delicious she crumpled in his grasp. Her whole body shook so hard, she lost all her balance. 

She was too shocked to moan. Simply letting her body quiver as Gojo slid his hand down from her mouth to her neck, pulling her flat against him to hold her up.

He kept-up his rough pace, only slowing down when her body stopped quivering. She was completely out of breath, simply too overwhelmed.

He released her neck, letting his hand slide lower to squeeze her tits through her uniform.

“Fuck, that’s it, kitten.” He closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of how her cunt continued to spasm around him. The feeling was heavenly, especially coming from the narrow space of her cunt around him.

He palmed her hard nipple, “I made my pretty princess feel good, didn’t I?”

Her cunt walls twitched from the aftereffects of her first orgasm—from anyone that wasn’t herself.

He drove his cock into her once more. Making her groan in pain. Bits of pleasure scattered throughout her body as his cock began to slowly thrust into her.

Her arms were still at a rather uncomfortable angle, pinned behind her back-causing her to arch against him. The angle all too perfect for his cock to continue abusing her cunt.

He pressed a deft kiss to her temple, “I know it hurts, baby, but it hurt too good just now, didn’t it?”

His cock gradually thrusted faster into her, “I’ll keep making you feel good.”

She couldn’t find it in her to speak. Simple too mind blown and worn-out by the overwhelming sense of pleasure she’d just experienced. It was almost scary how good she’d felt.

She winced as his cock seemed to take full advantage of how soft her cunt had grown. Her insides felt completely messed up as his cock pumped in and out of her.

His fingers tightened around her neck before he buried his face into her hair, “Missed you so much.” 

Suddenly he thrusted into her far too deep, searing his cock completely into her. Her soft insides squeezing around him so tight, his cockhead twitched.

She felt the entirety of his cock pulsate before feeling spurts of something warm fill the narrow space between her legs. The substance all too sticky as it slipped down her legs, simply already too full inside.

Her eyes were wide in shock as he slowly thrusted into her a couple more times—letting her feel his cock twitch till it didn’t anymore.

Finally he went still, his breath completely haggard as he removed his face from her hair.

His diamond blue eyes scanned the side of her face before he slowly withdrew his hips from her. Just as his cockhead was about to slip out of her, he slammed himself back inside.

She flinched, moaning.

His fingers on her neck caressed her, “Sorry, baby, don’t wanna go just yet. Feels too good.”

She stood still for a moment. Completely stunned to silence as she caught her breath. She was absolutely terrified of how to proceed.

She squeezed her eyes shut-wanting to sob. He came in me again.

She slowly wriggled her hips, “L-let me go.” she whispered.

His hand on her neck tightened before he nuzzled his face into her shoulder.

“No.” he whined, reluctantly.

He pressed his cock into her slightly, making her shiver. He stayed like that for a moment before finally pulling out. He took his absolute time, dragging out the action enough for the sound to echo in the quiet bathroom when his cock finally popped out of her.

Her body trembled when she felt that familiar substance leak down her inner thighs. She glanced down to see streaks of white lining the insides of her leg.

Her insides twisted at the sight.

“Made a mess, didn’t I.” he muttered before reaching over to swipe a streak of his cum and stuff his finger into her. She jolted sensitively.

“Want you to keep every drop.” he mused through gritted teeth.

She immediately stepped away from him, yanking her hands from his grasp to turn around. She stood with her back pressed to the stall door.

His hands went to her hips to keep her upright as she stumbled.

“Baby.” he warned, subtly admonishing her for moving too fast.

She shoved his hand away, “Don’t call me that.”

A handsome grin split across his lips, “You like kitten better?”

Her eyes widened at the playfulness in his tone. She couldn’t understand how he was like this.

She sharply looked away, not wanting to look at his half-erect cock that he still hadn’t tucked away.

She quickly reached for the stall’s lock—the urge to get away from him growing stronger by the second. He blocked her hand a second before she could touch it.

“You’re not gonna clean yourself up?” he asked before his spare hand squeezed her hip. “Naughty girl.”

“I’ll clean you up.” he added.

She shoved herself out of his grasp. “I can clean myself up.” she spat-unsuccessfully trying to keep the shakiness out of her tone, “J-just get out.”

“Ara-“

“Get. out.” she bit out before whispering, “please.”

He was quiet for a moment, she couldn’t see his face due to facing aside. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

“Fine,” his voice was low, “Only if you look at me first.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, resisting the urge to scream. Instead she spoke-even quieter than him, “T-then zip up your pants.”

She thought she heard a faint chuckle before the sound of a zipper was audible in the silence.

She opened her eyes, facing him.

His face was completely devoid of emotion. The only emotion was a touch of softness swimming within his sky-blue eyes.

He cupped the left side of her face, “Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

She resisted the urge to flinch. She wanted to say so much but she was scared-terribly, terribly scared. He could react so differently-it gave her whiplash.

He pressed his forehead to hers, “I just missed you so much. I got so happy when you texted me y’know, but it wasn’t enough. I need you. Just you.”

She hated how strained he sounded, as if he were helpless to his impulses. As if those words could justify his actions. She had texted him over the weekend-her responses short, dry and inconsistent compared to his timely, emoticon-filled ones. She was just scared of what he would do if she didn’t.

Not that it mattered because he ruined her the second he saw her anyway.

“I just like you too much.” he murmured.

She squeezed her eyes shut-wanting to cry.

He pushed his forehead further into her, “Talk to me.” he urged.

Her lower lip wobbled before she burst out-unable to hold back as she whispered, “Y-you’re hurting me.”

His sterling blue eyes widened as he searched her face, wildly, “No-no, I made you feel good, didn’t I? Tell me-tell me what-“

Suddenly the bell rang and his expression grew distraught. They both knew the bathrooms were bound to fill up in seconds during the five minute breaks between classes.

She resisted the urge to shove him back, merely facing elsewhere instead. Her rapid heartbeat making it hard for her to focus.

“Shit, kitten, we’ll finish this convo after school, okay? Or later-at your house, okay?”

She froze at the idea of him coming to her house again.

“Okay?” he insisted.

She nodded, quickly. He pressed a deft kiss to her lips before unlocking the stall door and stepping out.

She stood still for a long moment after that-biting into her lower lip to resist the urge to break down and cry.

She shakily reached into her backpack, pulling out the contraceptive with trembling hands. She hoped-prayed-it worked. Out of all nightmares occurring in her life, she needed the nightmare that was pregnancy to not become real.

She was shuffling around the books in her locker. Too lost in a funk to realize she was already holding the book she was looking for in her hand.

“Ara Natsuna?” an unfamiliar voice spoke from nearby.

She looked over to see a girl she didn’t recognize, but from the aura the girl exuded she had to be a junior or a senior, like herself.

“..Yes?” she croaked out, before clearing her throat.

She hated the once-over the girl gave her. She didn’t miss the look of judgment that passed over the girl's face-though it did nothing to her state of confidence because her father's looks of judgment were much worse.

But she couldn’t blame the girl. She knew her skirt was slightly rumpled after what Gojo had done to her in the bathroom hours prior—and her eyes were probably still swollen despite the countless amount of times she’d splashed water on her face.

She just wanted to go home.

Instead of saying some nasty comment, the girl merely smiled. A smile so wide that Ara immediately saw through its fakeness.

“Are you and Gojo dating?” she inquired, with an innocent blink of her eyes.

Ara was instantly stunned.

It was then she noticed that a couple of the surrounding students were eavesdropping on their convo. Some were trying to be discrete but after one look at her surroundings it was rather obvious.

She spotted the girl’s friends huddled a little distance away, staring eagerly. It looked like a little fan club of juniors-or underclassmen.

Are you fucking serious?

Ara spoke fast, “What makes you ask me that?”

The girl’s eyelashes fluttered-Does that really work?—“Gojo said it.”

Ara wanted to scream-but instead her response was impulsive. Her voice tight, “No. We aren’t dating and we never will.”

She slammed her locker closed, not bothering to look back as she fast-walked down the hall. She needed this day to end.

I need to get rid of him.

Ara squeezed her eyes shut—terrified out of her mind. She’d come up with a short term-very half-assed-plan in the midst of doing her school work earlier.

She didn’t know how she’d managed to complete all her homework but she had. If there was one thing she wasn’t willing to fuck up it was her grades. Sure, she had her dad on her ass about them but it was her only ticket out of ‘here’—aka this hellhole called her family house and now high school. She needed to go to a good college-far, far away from here.

She glanced back at the window before hesitantly opening her bedroom door. It was a weekday so her Dad usually slept early. She peeked through to see her Dad’s bedroom light turn off through the crack underneath the door.

Perfect.

Her heart raced as she grabbed her pillow and blanket from the bed. She knew Gojo was going to try come over today and she was going to do everything in her power to avoid it, if possible. She knew she shouldn’t trigger him—that she should think of a better plan but she couldn’t help but feel bile rise up into her throat whenever she thought of him. So acting on her short-term plan would do.

She just didn’t want to see him.

She stepped out of her room and wandered downstairs. She was going to sleep in the basement. Lucky for her, the basement was furnished but she was sure when Gojo arrived he wouldn’t go there.

At first she had contemplated trying to find a way to lock the window—but it was no use, the lever on the window was broken. She wasn’t sure when that happened but she wouldn’t put it past Gojo to have done it on purpose.

Then she had contemplated sleeping in the living room and finding a way to lock her bedroom door from the outside-but then she knew Gojo would automatically know she was locking him out and she was terrified of what reaction that might invoke.

So she settled on simply sleeping elsewhere in the house-the basement. She would simply lock the basement from the inside and sleep within. She was sure he was going to search the house but she refused to think too hard about it. She almost hoped her Dad would catch him sneaking about. She just had to be cautious of making sure her Dad didn’t catch her sleeping in the basement.

Gojo had called twice and texted several times since school had ended. Giving her short random updates of his day and asking about hers but she hadn’t responded. She wanted to block him but she was scared—too damn scared. She was relieved he didn’t seem too angry over text just yet though.

But she knew she was playing with fire.

She shivered when she entered the basement. The heating wasn’t the best down here but it would have to do. She quickly locked the door before laying out her pillow and blanket on the couch and laying down.

Her fear made it hard for her to feel relaxed enough to sleep. She rubbed her eyes, a wave of exhaustion overcoming her.

She was so tired of feeling scared. First her Dad and now Gojo. When is it all gonna end?

She sighed, sleep overcoming her rather quickly as her mind wandered to dark places.

She hastily closed her bedroom window before falling to her knees. Her legs trembled as she buried her face in her hands.

Her plan had worked. She hadn’t seen Gojo last night—and she muted his messages so she didn’t see the 150+ unread messages he’d sent her throughout the night. But she was scared shitless—she didn’t want to go to school.

She’d set an alarm to wake up before her Dad so she could make it back to her bedroom in time-in case he decided to check on her. She was terrified that she might find Gojo in her room but he was nowhere to be seen. The only thing that signaled he might’ve been there was the curtains being pushed aside. She tried not to think about it too hard.

But it all came crashing down on her when she was trudging to the bus stop in the morning. She had been staring at the home screen of her phone, at the daunting number of 157 at the corner of her message app. She knew who all 157 of those texts were from. It didn’t help that there were about 23 missed calls either.

And she realized she couldn’t go to school. She knew-knew-something bad was going to happen. He’d violated her in school before so what was going to stop him from doing it again?

She started to sob.

The little voice in the back of mind reminded her that she needed to call the school before they called her Dad to notify him of her absence. She’d only done it twice before, but sometimes she pretended to be her Mom and call the school about her absence before they contacted her actual parents.

She threw her backpack off. She was so tired of having to worry about things like this. She felt like everything she did she had to overthink because of the egg-shells she had to walk around with everyone. It was exhausting.

Everything she did could cause a reaction. Like sleeping anywhere but her room would not only upset Gojo but her Dad. Just like taking a day off from school would make her Dad livid. So much so, that she avoided coming back home through the front door because she knew her Dad would see it through the camera.

Why couldn’t her life just be normal?

And now-on top of everything-she had a killer obsessed with her.

Why is this happening to me?

She wiped her tears, frustration making her weary despite her rather pleasant sleep. For some reason, she’d slept decently in the basement-even if she’d woken up in a cold sweat.

She slowly stood up, forcing herself to head downstairs and grab the home phone to call the school in the best Mom voice she could muster. Her Mom was still out of the country. Lucky her.

She plopped onto the couch in the living room. She grabbed the home phone from the coffee table and cleared her throat, making the call in the most assertive, motherly tone she could.

Once the call ended, she laid back against the couch. She turned on the TV for some background noise. The several churning emotions running rampant within her making her feel completely worn out.

She closed her eyes, telling herself that she’d just relax for a bit, only to become lulled into a deep slumber.

The sound of the TV turning off woke her up. She blinked, sitting up groggily as she looked at her reflection in the dark screen of the TV.

She squinted when she noticed a tall, white-haired male standing behind the couch-behind her.

Gojo.

She bolted up, scrambling to the other side of the living room.

His expression was blank as he watched her stand in front of the TV. Her eyes blown wide in fear.

He tilted his head, strands of his icy hair falling over his forehead in the process, “You’re avoiding me.”

She didn’t like how flat his tone was. Or how absurdly imperfect he looked. He always looked perfect but his hair was more messed up than usual, his uniform’s blazer nowhere to be seen-not that he ever wore it in the first place-and his dress-shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbow, showcasing the prominent veins crawling up his forearms.

He held up her phone and her heart jumped to her throat.

“You changed your lockscreen,” he mused, before a dry chuckle slipped out of him.

He had changed her home and lock screen to a shirtless mirror selfie of himself in her bathroom. An obvious thirst trap. He’d taken the picture the night he stayed over after their 'first time'. She assumed she was asleep when he changed it.

“Fine, I can take that but.. ignoring my calls, my texts-“ another dry, incredulous chuckle leaving his lips, “-you didn’t even open them. In fact, you muted me—and now you don’t show up at school?”

Her throat went dry. She had no choice but to assume he either knew her phone password or used her Face ID to unlock her phone while she was asleep. Eitherway, he clearly had seen that she silenced his notifications.

Suddenly his intricate blue eyes zoned in on her, any humor in his voice dissolving, “Where did you sleep, Ara.”

Her breath stopped short.

His eyes never left hers-his half-lidded gaze would’ve made him appear bored if his tone wasn’t so offhandedly calm, “I know you were home, but where.”

She took a hesitant step backwards.

He took a step around the couch, playing with her phone in one hand. “I know you weren’t with Millie so where’d you go? Did you leave your phone here and go somewhere?”

She couldn’t believe it. He must’ve activated her phone location.

His gaze hardened, “I’m asking you something, Ara.”

She couldn’t find it in herself to respond. How the hell am I supposed to respond to that?

Her whole body was alert with fear. She wanted to run but she was terrified he would outrun her. He was an athlete after all.

She hadn’t missed that the wire attached to the home phone on the coffee table was now disconnected. Undoubtedly, his work.

She needed to think ofsomething-anything to get out of this situation. And because she couldn’t think, she simply acted.

She ran so far down into the downstairs hallway, swerving into a turn into a wall. She was certain he could’ve easily chased her if he chose too but he somehow hadn’t.

She thought she heard a faint chuckle a distance away-probably still in the living room.

“Okay, we can play the cat and mouse game,” his voice seemed to carry into the hall, “but I’ll tell you right now, Ara. You won’t win.”

“I’ll always find you.”

Her body seemed to go cold at his words. She couldn’t go on like this-she needed a plan. She contemplated running straight for the front door-it would alert the front door cameras and automatically notify her Dad of her presence at home.

But contacting her Dad made her throat constrict. It didn’t help that Gojo might be anticipating that course of action.

She trembled. Maybe the back-door? Through the garage? But that meant passing the living room. He could still be there.

She had to do something. She had to try and check.

She slowly walked further down the hall, turning to peek into the living room from the opposite turn of the corridor. He was nowhere in sight.

Her heart jumped in her chest. Her gut told her not to do it—to not run across the living room. She was certain he was near. Her gut told her he was anticipating it.

But what he wouldn’t anticipate was her going upstairs. There was nowhere to get out upstairs. Except for the balcony attached to her Dad’s office and the master bedroom. Then there was her room window.

She dashed up the stairs as quietly as she could. A scream nearly ripping from her throat when she swore she saw his blurry figure move downstairs from the corner of her eye.

She ran into the guest bedroom, before scurrying into its attached bathroom. She quickly stepped into the bathtub, pulling the shower curtain to hide herself.

Fuck! That was too loud!

She silently jumped out-her heart pounding in her ears as she hastily stepped into the bathroom’s walk-in pantry. She slipped inside, hiding behind the pantry door just as the bathroom door opened.

She stopped breathing, watching his tall figure through the crack beside the door. The look of precision and focus in his gaze was unlike anything she’d ever seen. His straight posture exuding lethality.

His footsteps were soundless as he walked over to the bathtub. He harshly pulled back the curtain—making her flinch.

He stood there for a second before opening the other bathroom door. This bathroom was attached to two guest bedrooms.

He didn’t spare the rest of the bathroom a glance as he swiftly exited through the other door. He clearly assumed she’d left through there—and she nearly had, if she hadn’t spotted the bathroom pantry first.

She covered her mouth as she remembered to breathe. This was bad. He knew she was upstairs now. There was no way she could go anywhere.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

All he needed to do was chill in the main upstairs hallway and she’d reveal herself eventually. That was if she moved.

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling incredibly uneasy. She couldn’t sit and wait like this. It was gonna kill her. She couldn’t risk Gojo coming back into the bathroom to catch her like this.

She shook her head, staring down at her wobbly legs as she ran her hands through her hair. Think. Think. Think!

In the midst of her despair, an idea flashed within her mind. Something so unlike her and risky, she wanted to puke. She wasn’t sure if it was even gonna work.

There’s no way I can do this. She wanted to gag, but in the back of her mind she knew she had to. It was the only way.

Suddenly-something within her turned off. Turning off the tremors running along her body. The tight feeling in her throat. The mind-numbing fear.

She waited a beat before stepping out from behind the pantry door. She walked into the guest bedroom he’d entered moments ago, her restless heart rate stuttering as she walked further into the room.

To her surprise, he was nowhere to be found. Instead the other door leading out the guest bedroom was left partly open.

She closed her eyes, she knew she wasn’t going to be alone soon enough.

She closed her eyes, “Satoru.” she called out, her voice sounding weak to her ears.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, resisting the urge to tremble as her hands shook imperceptibly at her sides.

“Satoru.” she called out, her voice clearer.

Suddenly the aura in the room changed and she knew. She knew.

Her body tensed instinctively. Every nerve in her body backfiring as her instincts screamed at her-telling her this was wrong-downright wrong. Signaling she was in danger.

She squeezed her hands into fists, forcefully willing herself to calm. Forcing her thoughts to go quiet at the pain of her nails digging into her palm.

She slowly opened her eyes and caught sight of the mirror in front of her. The large mirror was attached to the vanity and showcased the sight of him.

He stood as still as a statue, directly behind her—yet not close enough to touch her. His tall frame towered over her.

But his eyes. His eyes are what made her stomach flip flop. He was looking directly at her, jaw locked. He looked at her as if he wanted to rip her apart.

But since he was looking down at her, he didn’t seem to catch her alert gaze staring at him through the mirror. She felt her body tense up further. She couldn’t lose her resolve..

“S-satoru..” her voice a soft plea.

She saw him tilt his head, his eyes flitting closed. She swore she felt his cool breath run down her spine.

She saw him slowly open his eyes, “Why are you saying my name so prettily.”

Despite knowing he was behind her, she nearly flinched at the sound of his voice anyway. She bit into her lower lip-doing everything she could to resist the natural instinct of wanting to scurry away from him.

Her voice quavered, “Because I'm tired of running from you.”

“Quitting?”

Her breath caught. She didn’t know how he managed to sound so cold yet amused at the same time. He always caught her off-guard but she had to convince him.

She hung her head, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. She didn’t want to say her next words.

She lowered her hand-her voice coming out oddly calm, “What’s there to quit, Satoru.. I’m already yours.”

His eyes widened.

Suddenly he grabbed her hair, pulling her back flat against his chest. He dug his face into her temple, nearly growling, “Then why ignore me?”

She gasped slightly before swallowing. The sight of herself in his immovable grasp in the mirror was doing something to her.

“Because I’m scared,” her voice cracked as she whispered, “I’m scared of falling for you, Satoru.”

She saw his eyes flash with surprise before his hand in her hair suddenly forced her eyes away from the mirror, turning her head up to look at him.

Tears swam in her eyes as he searched her face. His sterling blue eyes unreadable.

A moment of silence ensued before he suddenly pressed his forehead to hers, “But I want you to fall for me, kitten.”

Just as he lowered himself to kiss her, she impulsively turned her head away. Her heart thumped rapidly when she realized she shouldn’t have done that.

She came up with something on the spot, “I-I can’t fall for someone who doesn’t care about me.”

She saw his white brows furrow in the mirror, “You don’t think I care about you?”

She turned around, staggering out of his grasp. “I know you don’t. You don’t care about what I want.”

His gaze was attentive as he stared at her, “What do you want.”

She swallowed. She had to be careful about this..

She took a step back from him, “I.. I don’t want to be a Mother till I’m 25. J-just like my Mom.”

He paused before his gaze hardened, “You want me to wear condoms.”

She bit her lower lip, before speaking as softly as possible, “For now.”

His hand clasped her hip, drawing her close. “I’ll be the one to put a baby in you anyway.”

She closed her eyes, keeping her face down—resting her forehead against his chest. She had to see how far she could push her luck.

“What else.” he asked.

She paused, “I want to keep.. us private.”

He grasped her chin, forcing her to look up. She didn’t miss the subtle disappointment in his expression.

“Why.”

She hesitated before speaking quietly, “I think.. keeping things secret is funner.”

A devious smirk split across his lips as he teased, “Such a naughty girl.”

Suddenly he nuzzled his face into the side of hers. She resisted the urge to freeze up.

“I wanna show you off though.” he whined.

“L-later.” she stuttered out, half heartedly.

His hands found the sides of her waist, easily fitting his large palms into the slight curve. He squeezed her sides before sighing as he reluctantly withdrew his face.

“Anythin’ else?” he asked, weary.

She was terrified of even bringing this up. But he was being.. somewhat understanding right now, so she wondered..

She shifted slightly in his hold, her hands coming to lay flat on his chest before her.

“No more.. hurting people.” her voice wavered.

“What do you mean.”

She swallowed, her eyes searching his before she spoke hesitantly, “T-the party.”

Noel. Jaemin. Arman.

His eyes seemed to narrow slightly, his voice somewhat cold, “That’s not up to me, kitten.”

She tensed, unsure what to make of his words but she was too scared to speak on it further. 

Suddenly his face was nudging hers, “Kiss me.” he ordered, gruffly.

She hesitantly tilted her face up and he took full advantage. His lips kissing hers intently—as if trying to take all of her in by the lips.

He tilted his head, letting his tongue slip past her lips to taste her. The action making her tense slightly but he easily took the lead. His hand went to the back of her head to hold her in place as he kissed her deep.

By the time he withdrew his lips, she was breathless.

His diamond-like eyes searched her face, “I can get you anything in the world you want. Just tell me and it’s yours.”

She didn’t doubt his quiet, confident words. She knew he had access to money like that. But how could she tell him that she wanted him to forget her.

His fingers caressed her hair, “You’re scared because it’s your first relationship, hmm?”

She merely nodded.

A small smile tugged at his glossy lips, “S’okay, it’s my first too.”

Everyone knew Gojo didn’t have to try when it came to girls. Ever since he moved here girls threw themselves at him. Maybe he hadn’t been in actual relationships but she was certain he’d fucked around enough for the both of them.

Besides his long-time fuck buddy, Katrina, liked to act like she was his ex.

She stepped away from him, her face red. “You don’t have to lie to me.”

His smile widened into a grin, his eyes glittering with amusement. “Jealous?”

Before she could look away, he caught her jaw–easily turning her face to look up at him as he said, “This is the only relationship that matters to me.”

He pulled her into a hug. His scent engulfing her, as did everything else of his huge stature. She closed her eyes, willing her body to stay calm and not cry. He hadn’t hurt her yet so she supposed she’d done well.

His hand ran over her hair as he murmured, “I’m gonna make you love me.”

Her eyes flashed open—her heart rate picking up. He sounded so calm, so definitive.. It was then that she realized getting rid of him was going to be a lot more dangerous than she thought.

a/n: wooooohoooo ty for reading this ish if u made it this far. the next part of this chapter still occurs on the same day which is y i didn't wanna make it a whole nother chapter but pls lemme kno ur thOTS or whatnot. ill link the next part of this chapter in this post once it's uploaded. also excuse any spelling/grammar mistakes bc i kinda skim edited this (oops) have a good dayyy ya'll

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[recurring-polynya]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because obvs I have done it). Spread the self-love ❤

I spent a really long time thinking about this because I feel like I'm always shilling the same handful of fics from 2019. So maybe this list isn't my all-time favorites, but it's five fics that I am feeling fondly towards at the moment, and would put forward if people are looking for samples of my work to read. I think I came up with a pretty good sampling of old and new, and also length and genre. They're basically all Renruki tho. I write about other characters sometimes, but the only fics I actually care about are the ones about Renruki.

(recs below the cut, because it got long)

go places. [2023. 28k words. Rated T.] Young Rukia and Renji leave Inuzuri and spend three weeks at the South Rukongai District 70 Consolidated Shinigami Recruitment Station, waiting to find out if their applications have been accepted, and learning what it means to be a shinigami.

Boy, this was such an agonizing fic to write. I simply couldn't make it come together. In the time since I've finished it, I've grown more and more affectionate toward it. I think the prose is better than my usual, it hits a lot of the notes I always want my fanfic to hit, and I just really really love dreadful teen Rukia and Renji. It's definite a weird fic, and it's melancholy and goes down a hundred bizarre world-building tangents and R U K I A, but I'm just inordinately proud of it.

Damage History. [2024. 109k words. Rated T. Some violence, medical stuff.] Long ago in Inuzuri, Abarai Renji broke his arm. It healed. At least the bones did. His kidou ducts have never been the same. Now that Renji's finally having the surgery to get them corrected, Rukia is determined to make sure he gets the love and care he deserves during his recovery-- whether he wants it or not.

I go around and around about which chapter of my long slow-burn series, The Heart is a Muscle, is my favorite. I think that in the long run, this one isn't going to be it, but it is the most recent one I wrote, and I actually just re-read it, and I think it's pretty good, actually. It brings together a lot of the threads I've been weaving into all the stories that came before it, and I think the resulting story is both well-crafted and has a lot of heart to it.

Rukia's Birthday. [2023. 2.5k. Rated T.] Short-n-sweet lil contrast story between the only birthday Rukia celebrated at the Academy, and one in more recent times.

Ha ha, I wish this one had a better title, but that was the name of the prompt for one of the days of Renruki Week. Even though it's just a shorty, it really hits all the notes I want in a romantic Renruki story. (It's not like...romantic romantic, but it's romantic to me). Anyway, I very frequently find myself re-reading this one. Very, very rarely I manage to write a thing that is exactly what I want to read, and this is it.

Portions for Foxes. [2019. 28k. Rated E. Graphic sex, graphic violence, major character death. There's an M version with less sex, but it still has the rest] After his captain's death at the hands of As Nodt, Renji just wants to sink into the shattered wreckage that used to be his life. But Byakuya has left him with a few things to take care of, and Renji is nothing, if not loyal.

lol I said I didn't want to pull out the same 5 fics I always rec, and here it is. I can't help it if it's a banger! Anyway, the thing I like about Foxes is that it's got an actually intriguing premise, unlike the other 98% of what I write, which is like "why is the food bad in Soul Society?" or "what if paperwork," and then I actually think I did a good job with it. I keep hoping that with the Blood War getting animated, that people will rediscover this fic, which is the real reason I put it on the list. I think it's safe to say that this is one of my fics that I have re-read the most times.

Squad 10 Day. [2022. 4k. Rated T.] It's October 10, Squad 10 Day, but Hitsugaya and Matsumoto are in the World of the Living, so they do the obvious: declare the rest of the Advance Team (and Chad) members of Squad 10 and eat soup about it. (It's actually titled "Time to Celebrate" but in my heart, it's just "Squad 10 Day")

The Advance Team arc is, in my opinion, the best time to write Bleach fanfic, and I think this is my best Advance Team fanfic. If you don't want to read 4k of Chad thinking about shinigami and how much he loves his precious friends, I don't know what to tell you. This is the least Renruki fanfic on this list, but that insane B-cipher letter Rukia sends Renji is something that it so important to me and I think of it often.

Bonus!! I allowed myself (1) smut, so here it is:

Rukia and Renji Flagrantly Misuse Valuable Gotei-13 Field Equipment (for Science!) [2020. 8.6k. Rated E for VERY graphic sex.] Squad 12 has developed a new hot-swappable gigai, an amazing innovation that could save lives, reduce mission costs, and provide new scientific insights into the nature of the soul. Rukia and Renji, asked to test out the prototypes, immediately use them for 🐒🐍🕶️🍑🍆❄️🐰 purposes.

This was the first smut I ever wrote (not counting Portions for Foxes, which was at least plot-related sex) and I have not improved with practice. The reason this fanfic is important to me is because anytime someone makes a raunchy joke about the omake to Episode 335, I want someone else to say "hey, someone wrote a smut of that" and now that is possible, because of me. If I have but one contribution to the fandom, I hope it's that.

Thank you for the tag on this, I think this was good for my ego. I get very self-conscious whenever I am supposed to tag people, but if anyone reading this got even the slightest urge to toot their own horn, please consider yourself tagged (and I would love to read it, I love to read people talk about their own work)

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

All Along the Watchtower (Chapter 10)

[Can also be read on AO3]

Pairing: Captain John Price x Fem!OC (3rd person POV)

Word count: 6.2 K

Warnings: Minors DNI - gun violence, physical violence, strangulation, blood and injuries

Summary: Rory faces down Zorokov in the VIP area of Helios, and things go from bad to worse.

Get ready for a chapter involving violence, hurt/comfort and the ship's "first" kiss

(This is the chapter this whole fic was written for folks)

A/N: Rory Sinclair is a dual citizen (both Canada and the UK) who's been living in the UK since she was 14. She is 28 at the time of this fic, Price is 32. This series is set in 2017 before the events of the first MW game. Rory's thoughts are bold and italicized, other italics are used for emphasis

October 20, 2017 22:18 - Helios - VIP Area

Rory tossed her clutch aside, the bag skidding across the polished floor as her hand quickly lifted to block Zorokov's attempts to make a physical connection. Striking out at him with her weaponized fist, it collided with his jaw, wiping the grin off his face before his hands clamped down around her neck. Tightening. Squeezing . Her breath caught in a choke hold, squeaking out of her, leaving her with nothing in her lungs to hold onto. Wrestling against him on the couch, her mind raced, the strain on her shoulder from her last fight gnawing at her and restricting her movements. The makeup covering her bruises wiping away to show her fragility.

The Russian’s fist broke her skin as it collided with her cheek and mouth. Fight or flight kicking in and the reptile brain ran away with itself before she could focus on what her training had taught her to do. It didn’t help that she had two drinks in her. Her normally controlled mind was becoming frantic. In a situation like this, it was all about waiting the attacker out, fighting them off until backup could arrive. She wasn’t alone. Her cover was blown, but someone was coming. This was a combat situation. She had to persevere. Even as the minutes passing felt like hours with the adrenaline coursing through her body, seeming to slow down time.

Her vision began to blur with the tears that welled at the corners of her eyes as she continued to gasp for air, wheezing in a pointless exercise in futility while his hands were still wrapped around her. Lifting her knee, Rory slammed it up into his groin, knocking the fight out of him as he slumped against her. A loud groan leaking from her as she managed to finally catch her breath. Quick to push him off of her, she rolled off the couch and landed on top of him, making a b-line for the door. Crawling forwards on her hands and knees, she dragged her limbs behind her, weighed down and heavy as she sucked in mouthfuls of air. Like wading through a tar pit, the marble floor turned into thick bands of black holding her back from reaching the door, her arms and legs shaking as the room seemed to tunnel around her. 

John, where are you? Of all the things to be her first thought while in the midst of danger, this was the last one she had expected. Caught in a life-or-death scenario, it wasn’t a thought of her father, or some memory of her mother, it was a desperate plea for the man who promised he would be there in a heartbeat for her. She didn’t care if he’d end up ripping a strip off her. She didn’t care if she’d never see the field again for her actions. She just needed the support. She didn’t want to be alone, not anymore.

Zorokov grunted as he pulled himself up to his feet, and in a short time he was in pursuit of her. Grabbing at the hem of her dress and pulling her along the floor back towards him. “Ты маленькая сучка!” <Russian: You little bitch!> His fingers dove into the short, choppy strands of her hair and yanked back on them, forcing her up to her feet. “I know who you are. I know you’ve been tracking me.” Dragging her over to the wall, his free hand clamped around her neck and shoved her back against it. “You think I wouldn’t know about my investments! I’m going to make you pay for what you’ve done.”

The cold marble stung her back, sending a shock down her spine as a pained hiss escaped her. His grip only got tighter on her hair and her scalp burned. A tremor shaking in her arm, spread through her body like wildfire. Her knees buckling. Fear hitting her faster than her self-preservation could hold it off. The dam was breaking. 

She shook her head, pushing that doubt out of her thoughts. Willingly ignoring it. She was a soldier. A good one. Special forces. An asset. Trained to survive until another day at all costs. To do whatever it took. Contending with blood and dirt and threats, acts of violence few should ever see, people who hated her, who wanted her dead. She would fight and show no quarter. 

The Russian freed his hand from her tresses, wrapping it around her throat as well, pulling her towards him just to toss her back against the wall again. Her head snapping back to crack against the hard marble, the reverberations causing her teeth to rattle in her jaw. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, a ragged roar ripped out of her throat as her hands rose to his face, clawing at the cheeks leaving angry red lines speckled with blood in the wake of her nails against his skin. Heart jackhammering in her chest, Rory's throat began to seize up as his hands squeezed tighter around it in response, his thumbs pressing in against her windpipe. Constricted . 

Choked groans and gasps leaked out of what little room she still had available for air. Straining to breathe, she just kept hitting. Struggling . Desperation setting in. Looking like a prey animal backed into the corner with large eyes turning red and bloodshot as the veins in her forehead throbbed against the skin, the tendons in her neck squeezing back against his hands. Thrashing . She threw her head forward and collided straight into the bridge of his nose, allowing her a chance to catch her breath as his hands released for just a moment only to come straight back. 

Dragging her to the floor with a growl, he showed no mercy even as her legs started to kick under him. Her high heels slipped off her feet as she scraped them across the cold, sterile floor. Bare feet left skidding back and forth as every part was still inclined to keep her alive like some wild, feral beast. Leaning down, his face coming closer, he forced more of his weight onto her throat, watching intently as her features shifted through shades of pink and scarlet. She continued to maul at him, her punches barely landing, making the brass knuckles she wore feel obsolete.  

Still trying to gasp in a futile plea for help, Rory knew John and Andrew were on the other side. Listening . An audience for what Zorokov decided would be the end of her life, but she had other plans. Backup was on the way, she swore she could hear Price in her ear, it was either that or some figment of the imagination to instill hope. Either way, she needed to make sure to keep herself breathing long enough for help to arrive. Grabbing her attacker by the face, digging her nails into his cheeks until the warmth of his blood touched her fingertips, Rory pulled him down towards her mouth. Biting into his lip with all of her might, she forced her teeth to meet and clamp down together, ripping out a chunk of it. With a quick turn of her head, she spat it out onto the floor. The wet, fleshy bit of meat splattering on the floor in a small pool of blood, while more of it spilled from the Russian’s open wound down onto her. Proving to herself, once and for all, that she was no lamb, never meant for the slaughter, and Zorokov was no predator – not like her .

His eyes went wide, like a crazed and rabid animal. “чертова сука” <Russian: Fucking bitch>, he screamed, howling as blood pumped through his fingers while he fondled at his mouth.  

Crawling backwards, her feet and hands slid against the floor in her desperate attempt to make as much space between them as possible. Lungs straining for oxygen, her neck already swollen and bruised from the crushing strength of Zorokov’s hands, she couldn't get enough distance before he pounced on her, his fingers knotting into the material of her dress, clenching it in a fist. 

“Get the fuck off me, you cunt ,” Rory rasped. Swinging her brass-knuckled fist towards his face, she connected with his jaw and shattered it, sending several teeth flying from his slack mouth, enamel tinkling along the marble floor.

Falling backwards, Zorokov’s suit jacket opened to reveal the shoulder harness he wore underneath, and her hands flew to grab the gun. Hands shaking – but not from fear – she was overcome with rage. Primal . Working off pure instinct. Snarling like a wolf, she shot him twice through the gut, but she never flinched, not even as the muzzle flashed and the boom of gunshots rang out. Standing there, staring down at him, catching her breath as her chest burned, each rasp coming from her was another reminder of how close she got to the end, of just how dangerous her chosen career could be. 

Keeping her gun pointed at the oligarch while he rolled and writhed on the ground, she waited for her cavalry. One false move and she’d shoot again with no remorse, knowing well enough the shots she had already made were nowhere near a killing blow. They were simply enough to subdue him, to keep him down. 

Each muffled noise of exertion Price could hear over the comms was enough to drive him insane. That part of him, that violent part that he controlled while in the middle of a battlefield was being riled, shaking at the bars of its cage to get out and make the one who was hurting her suffer. The choked hisses that slipped past her lips, the groans of pain… he could half imagine the light fading from her warm hazel eyes already and it turned his stomach. 

Storming his way through the bouncer and into the club, not caring about any pretense of being there for a good time or just being a civilian, he carried his M1911 .45 pistol at the ready – if anyone was stupid enough to take him on now, they deserved the bullet they were going to get. His blood rushed through his ears, pounding against his eardrums louder than the music through the speakers. So long as he could hear those choked gasps, it meant she was still alive. He could do as he promised. 

Keep fighting, sweetheart. Just keep fighting. It was a ticking clock, her life in the balance and he would stop at nothing to get to her. This was his fault; he should have never agreed to this. He knew better. 

Hearing the gunshots over the comms only put the fear of God into him, his heart beating so fast he thought it would tear right out of his ribcage. Any restraint on his part was now totally lost at the sound of the thunderous bang, not once but twice, and his steely gaze went wide below a furrowed brow. “Rory,” Price growled into his earpiece, practically snarling as he marched up into the VIP area, skipping multiple steps at a time to get there that much faster. 

There was no real security presence blocking him yet, even after he had decked the bouncer outside to get in. The music was so loud it was likely impossible for most to have actually heard the shots anyway, drowning it all out while blending in with the hard bass thumping through the speakers that vibrated up through the legs of the patrons from the floor. It was a clear route. His MI6 assistance en route with the authorities. There was finally something they could pin on the Russian prick, allowing them to take him in for questioning. He hated that it had to happen at her expense.

Shooting the lock off and bashing open the heavy door into the marble laden room, Price quickly found it had all gone silent, up here the music was nothing more than a low hum. Strained, rasping breaths filled the room in stereo. The target lay crumpled on the floor, his dress shirt pooling with red and considering the tang of metal in the air, Price was sure it wasn't wine. While standing over Zorokov's body, with a gun in her hands pointed at the Russian's head, Rory was frozen stiff. A loud wheezing coming from her with each strained inhale. Her eyes affixed on one spot – the point between her target’s eyes.

“Rory?” Her name was spoken in a hoarse whisper, and she said nothing in return. Didn’t move. She just stayed vigilant over the beaten and bloodied body of a man who had done horrendous things and showed no guilt or remorse, a monster with a distinct utter lack of humanity. 

Price circled the situation slowly, weapon drawn, coming around to stand at the head of their target. Confronted by the Sergeant coated in blood, her dress stained and clinging to her, trembling as her eyes remained firmly planted on the man on the ground in front of her.

“You can put the gun down, Sergeant. He’s in custody, we have him.”

Her jaw clenched tighter, her brow furrowing deeply, lip twitching into a sneer. The wolf inside her barely held back by a thin leash, ready to protect itself at all costs. 

“It’s over, Rory. It’s over!”

Each ragged breath of Zorokov’s on the ground punctuated the fact that she had very nearly killed him, the expanse of his injuries not entirely known yet – that mattered little to Price at that moment.

“Hey, hey…” he drew closer to her, moving slowly. Her pupils were like pinpricks, eyes flaring wide, her muscles shaking and twitching. “Look at me, sweetheart. Owen’s on his way, he’ll deal with the target. I’m gonna get you out of here, alright?” Stepping as close to her as he thought she’d allow, Price stopped, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You can put the gun down, Rory, he’s not going anywhere.” 

Looking back over at the bedraggled appearance of the Russian bleeding out on the floor, his scowl deepened at what she had been forced to do to protect herself, at what she was capable of… the wolf she said she was … 

“You made damn sure of that.”

When she refused to drop the weapon, he took no action to try to take the gun from her. That was the security she needed after what she had been through, the protection she craved, a shield she required to keep her from seeing herself as the victim. And while he knew she had been fighting for her life, it was obvious she was the victor. She wasn’t the unassuming, pretty face. She fought tooth and nail for her survival. That was training and skill. 

Shrugging off his coat, Price draped it over her shoulders, keeping the chill off her skin as the blood started to dry. Her unwavering stare on Zorokov not shifting even as the doors opened once more and Andrew entered the room with several members of law enforcement. 

The MI6 agent ran over to her, pushing his way past the captain to run his hands down Rory’s arms. “Christ, she’s in shock.” Bright blue eyes tried to look into hers, but she was empty. His hands cupped her cheeks, thumbs stroking them gently. “What the hell did he try to do to you, Lamb?” Andrew whispered.

The steely gaze of the veteran soldier scanned over the scene, remaining hard and unbreakable, even in the face of something horrendous happening to someone meant to be under his protection. “You have this covered, yeah?” Price’s voice a low growl as he spoke to the MI6 agent in his midst. “I’m taking her back to the safehouse.”

“We’ll get the bastard some medical attention and then deal with him properly.”

Giving Andrew a curt nod, Price slowly directed Rory away, not forcing her to do too much, her head turning to stay trained on the target. His hand bracing her lower back, reminding her she wasn't alone. He had her. 

Approaching the door, her grip began to loosen on the gun in her hand, her fingers slipping free of it until Price was finally able to remove it from her grasp completely. Some part of her must have realized her harrowing ordeal was over. He knew it likely wouldn’t count for much now, that she was far afield after what had happened to her, her mind catching up, but he needed to keep her aware. Informed. 

“Taking you back to the safehouse, my girl.” 

Careful about not touching her too much, gentle with how he placed his hands upon her, Price held back every ounce of anger that chewed him up inside. Furious with how this had all gone down and how badly he wanted Zorokov to face brutal justice for it. 

Keeping his voice hushed to a rasping whisper, he kept talking to her, “You’re with me, Rory. You’re safe.” Her silence in response was deafening. He had to remain calm for her. Strong . She needed someone she could rely on. Support was critical. He could do that much for her at least. 

Sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle, Rory’s hands shook as she lifted the cigarette to her lips, the lighter weaving back and forth causing the flame to flicker as she tried to light it. The warm amber glow on her face made it clear that what had happened had taken a toll on her. The skin around her eyes was left red and puffy, sore with the lack of tears spilled. Shuddering breaths and a trembling lip were shrouded by the cigarette as she inhaled, letting the smoke fill her painful lungs. Running her other hand up and down her throat as if she were trying to massage the bruises away from under all the dried and caked on blood, reassuring herself that she was alive, that she had made it. 

Staring out the windshield, her vision blurred as the lights of the downtown core haloed out towards her. The window beside her opened just a crack to let the smoke out as she exhaled a gray plume. Sitting in total silence, Rory didn’t say a single word to anyone. There was nothing to say. 

Moments later, Price climbed into the driver’s seat beside her, his piercing gaze lingering on her, but she couldn’t even offer him a sideways glance. She just kept smoking. The constant rhythm of the inhale and exhale of air, the inflation and deflation of her lungs, it was all she had to keep her steady. The pounding of her blood in her veins still hammering in her ears, dulling everything else around her. She’d been shot at, her body wounded by shrapnel, bruised and beaten in hand-to-hand, but this … what she was feeling now was far worse. She came so close, staring right into the eyes of a man who wanted to kill her. It wasn’t some faceless, nameless enemy soldier on the other side of drawn battle lines. It was a man who had no qualms about taking what he wanted and breaking it, and he had aimed to do that with her as well. 

As she continued to smoke, Price’s voice droned in her ear. She didn’t hear the words. She couldn't make out a damn thing. In that moment, it was like her body wasn’t even hers, she was sitting outside of it. Merely observing. A passive witness to something horrific. She had felt this way before, after returning to base the night of Al Ghulam’s capture. All she could do then was try and shut it all out. Sleep it off. Close her eyes and forget about what had happened. Another memory to push down. 

Pull yourself up by the bootstraps, Rory. Stiff upper lip. 

The vehicle moved, streets disappearing behind her. The flashing traffic lights reflected off the drops of rain that had started to streak down the windshield, decorating the vehicle interior like stained glass. Looking down at her lap, her shaking hand clung desperately to the cigarette held between her fingers, and her eyes began to sting. Tears welling in the corners. No matter how hard she fought to hold them back, they still fell, rolling down her cheeks with each heavy sob. Even biting down on her lip could do little to stop them. 

Rory wished she could curl herself up into a ball. Imagining the look on her father’s face if he saw her like this. This was never the life he had wanted for her. It wasn’t the one her mother would have wanted either. Yet, it was all she knew now, she was aware of the risks, and tonight she had come all too close to being just another soldier in a casket dying for a war that never seemed to end.

Price could do nothing as she sat there and cried in the passenger seat beside him, her shoulders shaking with each heave of her chest. His eyes had to be kept on the road. She likely wouldn’t want him hanging all over her anyway in the state she was in. If anything, she needed the release. A pressure valve allowing whatever she had dealt with to finally wash over her, all the adrenaline and the fear leaving her system with each new tear that fell down her cheeks. 

That didn’t stop him from wanting to lean over and wipe away the streaks that stained her reddened skin with his hands, to hold her in his arms and tell her nothing would ever harm her again, that he would never let anything harm her again. But that wasn’t his place, and it wasn’t the time either. She was the type who would tell him to shove it where the sun didn’t shine while she was at it too. A career soldier didn’t let others tell them they needed to be protected. His heart ached having to see her so distraught, so broken by what had occurred up in that room while she was trapped and alone. He should have gotten there sooner. It was stupid to even let her enter that club by herself, let alone be left in the clutches of a bastard like Zorokov, but she was so sure of herself, and he trusted her. 

He took a deep breath and sighed as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles shifting from red to white. He shouldn’t be thinking that way about her, seeing her as just some woman who couldn’t defend herself. She was the living proof that she absolutely could. Covered in blood, her enemy left worse for wear, and she was right there sat beside him – in shock, perhaps – but she did that, she fought for her survival. She was a warrior through and through. Seeing her as the defenseless little lamb is what got people in trouble with her, he should have known better by now, that was just the face she chose to wear. 

Driving down a back alley, he brought Rory into the safehouse building through a side access door and led her straight upstairs into their room. Rushing her into the bathroom, he stood her against the sink where she continued to stare out, her rasping breaths the only sound she made. “You’re a mess,” John rumbled as he took in the sight of her under the fluorescent lights. Her skin slick with the blood of another man and her own. Tears cutting through the grime that covered her face, leaving a trail like veins through sedimentary rock. Held against the sink counter, her fingers wrapped around its edge, white knuckled, Rory trembled as the reverberations of her actions coursed through her body. 

Looming over her, and despite the imposing force he usually presented, the bulldog broke as he took in the sight of the normally stoic soldier crumbling before him – some things were even too much for someone like Rory to bear. “I’m gonna clean you up,” he purred softly, the rasp of his voice melting away as her hazel stare remained absent. Reaching around her to turn on the sink faucet, he moved carefully so as not to spook her, letting the water run, consistent like white noise out of the tap. 

Grabbing a washcloth, he ran it under the water, letting it soak into the fibers. Squeezing out the excess liquid into the sink, he leaned into her and began by rubbing the cloth against her hairline, getting the blood out of her hair. All the while he stayed focused on her eyes, the way they’d softly flutter shut with each touch of the cool water against her. Slowly but surely, she lost the rigidity of a body post-mortem, and her gaze finally lifted to focus on him. 

“There you are.” A gentle smirk tugged at his lips as he continued to wipe her face clean of the viscera splattered against it, his free hand coming to rest on her jaw as he tilted her chin up to catch the streaks of bloody water that rolled down her neck with the cloth exposing the bruises that darkened her skin. His stomach twisted at the sight, but he refused to let that show on his face. “‘Fraid I might’ve lost you back there, Sinclair.”

She rolled her jaw, blinking several times. “Did I kill him?”

“Came damn near, wouldn’t have blamed you if you had. But what about you, eh?” Lingering on her pinprick pupils, he could tell she wasn’t quite clear of the woods yet. “You with me?”

Lifting her hand from the counter’s edge she rubbed at her brow, pulling her hand away to find her skin awash with rust-stained water. “Is that my blood or his?”

“ His .” He took the cloth and wiped the blood away from the palm of her hand, rinsing the cloth out once more. 

With most of the blood removed, her split brow and lip were clearly visible, the skin already swelling and sore around the vicinity of the injuries. Red dribbled down her temple from a cut on her scalp as well. She’d put up one hell of a fight, there was no mistaking that. She was a scrapper, refusing to be prey – yet more proof of the wolf that lay below the skin of the lamb that she presented to the world. 

“Rory?” Price whispered out her name and her eyes snapped up towards him, the laser focus of a sniper burning a hole straight through him. “You did what you had to do back there, you know that, yeah?”

“I know. It was him or me.”

“Exactly.” He dabbed the cloth against her split brow, putting pressure on the wound while wiping away the blood that had begun to clot into the hair. “You did a good job, Sergeant.” She huffed out something between a laugh and a sigh as she winced. He already knew the reaction wasn’t from the pain of the wound, but rather the sting on the ego. “I mean it. You gave him hell.”

Laughing if only not to cry, she stared up at him with bloodshot eyes. “So I’m not going to be sent back to the SRR then?”

“No. Just gave me more of a reason to keep you around.” He looked down at her through his creased brow, his voice raspy and low. “You’re a fighter, Rory. We want to stand any chance of protecting the rest of the world, we’re gonna need that.”

His fingers curled under her chin as he brought the cloth to her lip, dabbing away the blood that bubbled up to the surface of the pink flesh, his focus set on her mouth. Her doe-eyed stare brightening as she watched the way his tongue poked at the corner of his lip as he cleaned her up, putting all of his attention on her. How despite the roughness of the skin of his hands, and the callouses that hardened his grip, he could be as gentle as he was with her. 

“You better not be falling in love with me, Sinclair.” Price’s hardened gaze lifted to look her in the eye. “I’m still your Captain.” His smirk causing the creases around his eyes and the lines on his face to deepen. 

“You’re not as charming as you think, you know?”

He gave her a half grin before rinsing the cloth again and bringing it to her scalp, squeezing the cool water from the rag, letting the drops fall down the contours of her face and drip down the bare skin exposed at the neckline of her dress. His eyes never left hers, observing her pupils slowly start to expand and return to normal. “Better?”

Rory barely moved an inch as she tried to nod, her hands wrapping around the ledge of the sink counter once more as the blood rushed to her head. Swallowing thickly, she shifted against the sink, struggling against a sore throat. “He was our target, I shouldn’t have –” she stopped herself. “We needed to question him.”

“We still will, but that’s none of your concern right now.” His steely gaze focused on her eyes, tenderness in his voice, “You got us the in we needed. That’s what matters.”

Her eyes fell from his, her stare landing on the tremor that continued to shake through her hands and up her arms. “I should take a shower,” she stammered. “Get as much rest as I can.”

“Whatever you need, Sergeant.” He backed away, giving her some space before placing the bloodied cloth into the sink behind her. 

Rubbing at her throat once more, her fingers traced over the imagined indents from phantom hands that still wrapped around her. “Thank you, John.”

“For what?”

“Looking out for me. Cleaning me up.” She cleared her throat, trying to cough out the tender swelling in her trachea. Her eyes lifted to look at him once more, a sincerity in her eyes that her words couldn’t truly express in the moment. “I appreciate it.”

“Wasn’t gonna let anything happen to you.” 

“It’s not your job to protect me.”

“You have my six, I have yours,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Right.”

Her eyes fell to the cheap linoleum floor and his brow furrowed at her reaction. It was clear her ego was still bruised after the fight she went through. Caught off guard, made to feel weak, powerless – she didn’t deserve to feel like that. She was no lamb, despite the callsign, she had that beast in her just like him. Just like every veteran soldier. Nose wrinkling as he tightened his jaw, he had to say something. “Hey, I didn’t save you, Rory. Did that all by yourself. Don’t go thinkin’ that I don’t know you can hold your own, because I do. You’re tough. I mean that. You don’t become a Sergeant ‘cause of a pretty face,” he said earnestly, his voice hoarse. “You have the experience. Not everyone could have done what you did in that situation. Not everyone would have lived.” He moved closer, shifting his weight on his feet. “You don’t need me protecting you, but I’m happy to do it.”

Before he even realized what was happening, her hands lifted to cup his jaw and card her fingers through the whiskers on his cheeks. Rational thought failed to hit either of them as she brought his face down to meet hers in a kiss. It wasn’t hungry or rushed like the last time they had been this close. It wasn’t hormones and alcohol fueling it. It was soft…and safe . 

His forehead pressed to hers, but he didn’t dare touch her with his hands, not after what she’d been through. Grabbing the sink ledge instead, he leaned down into her, letting her take the lead, happy to let her steal the very oxygen from his lungs. 

Her lips were soft, more tender than anything he had felt in years. He did his best not to get too carried away, lost in the sensation of a mouth he had thought about when he had been away on duty. That random encounter he had never planned on making as much of an impression on him as it did, especially as they had come back together after so long. Knowing just how kiss-bruised he had left her mouth the last time, full lips left that much plumper, the taste of her clung to his lips for what felt like days. God, she was gorgeous then – and having gotten to know her as the soldier – she was even more stunning now. 

The kiss ended as quickly as it happened, her hands dropping as her lips pulled away from him, her forehead remaining pressed to his as she looked down at her feet. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Do you see me complainin’?” The grizzled soldier was made soft, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  

She closed her eyes and pushed her hands through her hair. Sighing as she dragged the limp, wet locks back and refusing to make eye contact with him. 

“It’s okay. Shit happens,” he kept his rasping voice low and quiet, the way someone would speak to calm a frightened animal. “We can just chalk it up to stress.”

“But what if it’s not, John?”

It was his turn to clear his throat, pulling back as he crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed the back of his neck, the lines in his face creasing as he grimaced. 

“I see the way you’ve been looking at me. The way we’ve been flirting. Circling around each other. It’s not just me feeling this, is it?”

“It’s being in close proximity with someone you –” He paused, staring into her eyes. “Rory, I –”

“I’ve explained it to myself a million different ways. Trying to remind myself that we’re professionals, that this is just another mission. That whatever I’m feeling is some residual from that time we had together…and who knows, maybe it still is. With us trapped in close quarters, it doesn't make it any easier. I know that even bringing up this conversation with you is stepping out of bounds. You’re my commanding officer. This is fraternizing with a subordinate…I don’t do this sort of thing.”

He tightened his jaw, wincing slightly before speaking, “We seem to have a history of going outside of our norm with each other.”

He wasn't wrong.

Groaning, she rubbed her hands over her face. “So what do we do? Finish out the rest of this mission like nothing’s happened and then we go our separate ways again?”

Stepping away from her, severing the tie as much as every muscle in his body wanted the exact opposite, his hands instinctively rose to where his tactical vest would normally sit on his shoulders, wishing he had that sort of protection right now. “I don’t think this is the right time to be bringing this up, eh? You’re worn out. Have your shower, get some rest. We’ll start fresh in the morning,” he said, giving her a friendly tap on the shoulder.

Rory nodded, her eyes dimming as they fell once more. “Yes, Captain.”

And just like that, the floodgates between them were shut once more. 

Leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind him, Price sat on the edge of his bed lighting up another cigar. Rubbing at his brow in a concentrated effort to ignore the taste of her on his lips, trying to drown out the pervasive smell of iron that clung to her and filled his nostrils as the sound of water spraying from the shower head began. His heart and head were telling him two very different things. It was a dangerous game to get tied up with someone you worked with, especially as a soldier. Things weren’t supposed to get personal. Taking his mind off the mission, off the task at hand, meant people could get hurt, or worse, killed. 

She was almost killed. 

He heaved out a sigh, blowing out smoke with the intensity of a dragon. There was no denying the fact that he’d already let her get close, closer than most. And God help him, he had been jealous. He wanted her . It was as simple as that. But nothing about what they might have felt for one another was inherently simple. She was right about fraternizing. They were edging up to the line and if they crossed it, if even a whiff of that reached their superiors, they could lose everything. The only saving grace was that this was just one mission. One mission, and then she could go back to the SRR and he’d be back with SAS and no one would be any the wiser. 

Christ, he shouldn’t have been thinking like this. Trying to come up with ways to work around the rules, but it’s what he was used to. Skirting around the red tape to do what was necessary, going above the law to make things right. What was happening here though, it wasn’t the same thing. This wasn’t about what served the greater purpose for others, this was about him. And her . 

God, the things he was already willing to do for her.

[callsigndragon]

Seeing Red | Ch. 18: Meet the family ✍️📲

Word count: 1.9k

Warnings: Red has F E E L I N G S (don't we all?), mentions of the divorce, fluff, angst, tensionnnnnnn, mentions of food, ann Liam bc he deserves his own warning. ALSO DAD JAKE. mentions of death and more sadness and well, just go read it.

A/N: Seeing Red began officially 8 days ago, and we already have 18 chapters (only six of them are fully written), which means that I've been writing non-stop since the year began. As I’ve been telling y'all, I have a big exam in, actually, 9 days, and I’ve been procrastinating a lot on that area of my life. So, even if it saddens me, it’s time to stop writing and start studying. 

Lucky for me, I’ve been working all semester and I know the majority of the things already, so it’s not too much work, but still, priorities come first. I’ll be around, I’ll read your comments, and you are free to send as many questions as you want about the series. I want to read your doubts and theories, and you know, whatever you want to tell me! I’ll answer them whenever I have some free time. 

Promise that the first thing you’ll read when I come back is Daggers playing with the kids at the beach!

Masterlist on pinned!

For a week, you are haunted by the image of Jake singing to Liam. You didn’t tell him what you saw, wanting it to be a special moment between father and son. Liam needs to create memories with his father, too. You know that, eventually, Jake will ask to spend more time with him without you being present, and you’ll start missing a lot of beautiful moments. It’s a special memory for them, but for you? It’s becoming a nightmare. Not exactly a nightmare, but it never leaves your mind; the memory returns to it whenever you allow your mind to wander. 

Being away from Jake is proving to be a difficult task. 

It’s Sunday, it’s your day off, and you don’t have to see him today. You can rest at home, keep unpacking things, and have a nice day with your son. No Jake. No problems. No messy feelings just you and Liam.

Well, shit.

Half an hour later, Jake rings your doorbell. Liam runs to the door, waiting for you to open it. He knows that no matter what, he cannot open the door. You still don’t know why you accepted when Jake offered to share a car to go to the beach. Well, maybe the idea of him driving and having Liam in the backseat was so alluring that you just took the opportunity when it presented itself. 

“I gave you a key; why aren’t you using it?” You ask Jake while opening the door. 

“You said it was for emergencies. I’m not gonna use it to enter your house when I feel like it.” He explains matter-of-factly.

“Fair enough,” You concede, walking toward the living room, where you are packing Liam’s bag. “Shit, I forgot to buy more sunscreen.” 

“Language.” Liam and Jake say at the same time, earning a glare from you, eyes narrowed. 

“Don’t you dare team up against me, Seresins.” 

Jake smirks as he raises his hands. “I would never do that.” 

“You better. Can we stop somewhere and buy sunscreen?” 

“Sure. Actually, we’re supposed to meet with the rest this afternoon.” 

You almost drop Liam’s spare clothes on the floor. “But you told me to be ready before lunch?” 

"Yeah, about that," he scratches the back of his neck, "I was hoping we could meet Penny and Amelia." 

You look at your outfit: a sundress over your swimsuit. “I’m gonna need to change clothes.” 

“You’re absolutely beautiful like that, Red.” He promises, a jovial smile accompanying his words. 

You scoff, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in your dress. “I look like a mom.” 

Jake gets up, grabbing your chin softly, and makes you look at him. His green eyes are pools of sincerity. “That is exactly what you are. And you’re one hell of a mom, if you allow me to say that. But you’re also a fighter pilot and the best fucking Commander that Top Gun has ever seen.” 

“Language.” You mutter, a small smile expanding over your features. 

“Whatever. You’re the hottest mama around. Everyone at the base calls me an idiot, you know?” His eyes glance at your lips for a second. You feel the tension—the same one that you felt five years ago when you met him. That tension that led to making out sessions in the back of his car, in empty offices at the base, and in empty corridors when you were deployed together. The tension that somehow ended with him knocking at your door one rainy night and, in that moment, you just knew. You knew that he was the man you wanted to share your life with. 

Your breath hitches in your throat. “Why?” 

He wets his lips and leans a bit closer, so close that his nose touches yours when he whispers. “‘Cause I walked away from you.” 

“Dada look my drawing!” Liam demands, you two pulling away, as if you were two kids who were doing something they weren’t supposed to 

Actually, you are not supposed to kiss your ex-husband, who still hasn’t told you why he left. 

Pull yourself together, Red. 

“Is that my plane?” Jake kneels down and looks at the piece of paper in the kid’s hands. You have drawn an F-18 before, and Liam had ‘painted’ it with his crayons. It’s just a bunch of circular scrabbles in different colors. “Woah, bubs, that’s an amazing drawing. Can I keep it?” 

“Yes. You keep it.” 

You clear your throat, returning to whatever you were doing before. Oh, yeah, Liam’s bag. “Jake, you should get the baby car seat from my car.” 

“Don’t need to. I bought one last week when I went to buy toys with Payback.”

“You bought a car seat?” 

“Yes. Why?” 

“Nothing. You’re gonna need to stop with the DILF attitude.” 

You mutter the last part to yourself, but you fail to see Jake’s knowing smile.

“I’m so glad to finally meet you, Red.” Penny claims once you enter her home, She hugs you closely. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you these past few days.” 

“Only the good stuff, I hope.” 

“Of course! Let me introduce you to my daughter. This is Amelia.” She says while patting her daughter's head. She’s definitely not ‘little’ as Jake kept saying. Amelia is a young, pretty girl. She looks like 17, more or less. 

“Well, if we’re introducing our children…” You grab Liam’s hand; he’s hiding behind you, suddenly scared of all the new faces. “This is Liam. Can you say hi, sweetheart?” 

“Hello. I’m Liam.” 

"Oh my God, he is exactly like Jake!" Amelia says, kneeling down. “My name is Amelia. But you can call me Ames.”

“Ames. You pretty.” 

Amelia coos, placing a hand on her chest. “You’re the pretty one. Do you like dogs, Liam?” 

“I have a doggy! Lady.” Liam informs her, playing with Amelia’s hair. 

“My dog is called Theo. Want to see him?” 

“Yes, pwease.” 

“Can I take him with Theo?” Amelia asks you, and you nod, watching the pair leave. 

Jake and Mav, who have been too immersed in their own conversation, approach the two of you. “Amelia has kidnapped my kid already?” 

“What did you expect? She’s been waiting to meet him since you showed her those photos last weekend.” Mav says, hugging you. “Jake told us about the migraine, are you feeling better?” 

You look at Jake, who is looking at the floor. “He talks about me?” 

“The question is, does he ever stop talking about you?” 

“Penny, please.” Jake groans, his ears turning red. This isn’t exactly what you need to hear after what happened in the morning. 

“Are you hungry? Food is almost ready. Come with me.” Penny ignores the pilot, and you follow her and Jake, who are now talking about how she ‘isn’t supposed to expose him like that’.

Once lunch is over, Amelia and Liam go watch a Disney movie in the living room, Jake and Mav are doing the dishes, and you and Penny go sit on a bench in the backyard, enjoying the wonderful view of the beach while drinking a cold beverage. 

“You know why he left, right?” You mutter, looking at the vast sea in front of you.

“Yeah, I know. And it’s not my place to tell you, sweetheart, even if I want to.” Penny answers, her hand moving to cover yours. 

“It’s frustrating, you know? You, Mav and Amelia know why he left me, and you seem to be okay with it. You accept him as a member of your family, and it seems that what he did has not changed those feelings at all. You still trust and love Jake, right?” 

“If anything, I love him even more.” She confesses, taking a deep breath. “Honey, just give him time. He had a reason, and it was a good one.” 

“Really?” Penny nods, and let your face fall. “I’ll wait. I’ve been waiting three years, a few more months won’t change anything.” 

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you. How long were you married?”

“Five months. We got married in December and he left in May”

“I think those five months left a big impression on him.” Penny mutters, deep in thought.

“How did you end up being Jake’s 'adoptive' family?” You ask, wanting to change the topic completely. 

“Well, you know that when he turned 18, he left home and joined the Naval Academy, right?” 

“Yeah, he told me that, and that his parents weren’t too excited about it, so they stopped talking when he left.”

Penny nods, sipping her iced tea. “Jake’s mom sent a letter each year since he left, somehow always knowing where he was. They were birthday cards. She never said too much in them, but a mother always remembers her children’s birthdays.” 

“Did he tell you all this? I never heard any of it.” You know he kept a box in his side of the closet with birthday cards, but he never brought it up, and you knew better than to look in that box. 

“When the card didn’t come two years ago, he came to the Hard Deck late at night and asked to use the landline. It was a really odd petition because he had his cellphone in his hands, but I didn’t ask. He called someone; it was a brief conversation, and I'm not sure what he said, but he hung up and began crying."

“Did they tell him that his mom was dead over the phone?” You feel your heart tighten at the idea of being in his place, if someone told you that your mom was dead on a phone call… You don’t want to find out how it feels. 

“Yes. He told me ‘it was the only family I had left’” Penny tears up at the memory. “I told him that it wasn't true. He had the Daggers, Mav, Amelia, and me. He wasn’t alone.” 

“He’s the type of person that isolates himself from the rest. He doesn’t want to give others the opportunity—or rather, the power—to abandon him and hurt him.” 

“Yeah, that’s Hangman. But the man I saw that night... that was Jake. We've been taking care of him ever since.” 

“You know, I always thought that he cheated and left me before I found out. But he isn’t like that.” 

“He had many opportunities to move on; he’s a good-looking guy, and ladies and some guys, even, had been throwing themselves at him over the last three years. But he rejected them.” 

“All of them?” 

“Every single one. One day I asked him why, and he said that ‘someone told him he didn’t deserve to be happy’” Penny finishes her drink and gets up. 

“Who the fuck told him that?” 

“Until you showed up, I actually thought it was you. Well, not you, because I didn’t know about your existence. But his last girlfriend.” 

“I don’t want Jake to be unhappy, Penny.” 

“No, dear. You wish that he had told you the truth. You wish you could be the family you’re supposed to be. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you look at each other.” 

“We don’t look at each other.” You protest, getting up too. 

“There’s nothing worse than two idiots in love!” She says as she walks into the house, leaving you with an empty glass in your hand and a million questions in your head. 

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[it-happened-one-fic]

Dancing With Visions - Do The Hustle - The Hustle - Cyno

Author Notes: The third fic for my "Dancing With Visions" fic series for Genshin Impact! The Hustle is typically a sort of line dance, but for this fic I used a variation that is referred to as a 'Tango Hustle' that largely came about because the film "Saturday Night Fever." This performance is based on the dance from the very same film that is done to the BeeGee's song "More Than a Woman." This fic was also written while I listened to that song. Just like the rest of this series, reader is female. I hope you enjoy!

If you would like to read more of this series, the fics can be found here: Dancing with Visions Masterlist.

Type: Female reader/ Implied romantic/ fluff/ dance/ sfw

Word Count: 1666

I admit that when I had considered my future, I had never seen myself doing the hustle, of all things, with Cyno, of all people.

But when Cyno had heard about the hustle dance competition and how its reward was a limited-time specialty Invocation TCG card, that was all that had mattered to him. He’d been at my doorstep in moments, a worryingly serious expression on his face as I opened the door.

I’d honestly expected some drastic news regarding someone’s health or something to do Mahamatra business, but instead the first thing he’d said was: “I need you to do the hustle with me.”

He’d said it with such graveness, like it was a life-or-death situation. And I suppose, to him, it practically was one. But he’d caught me so off-guard that I’d hardly known what to do other than invite him inside so that he could explain.

And explain he did, with that same seriousness, before he finished, in a very Cyno like fashion, by saying: “We have to hustle our way to the finish and win.”

I’d shaken my head, at long last learning what it felt like to be in Tighnari’s shoes, “Can’t you just join in a large group and do the line dance? It isn’t like a couple versions of the hustle are especially common.”

He’d merely nodded, peering at me from under his hat, “Exactly. Not many people will do the partner dance version of the hustle. Being unique will increase our chances of winning.”

It had been a good argument, but I’d still found myself shaking my head with a half-fond smile, “You don’t want to have me as a dance partner, Cyno. Someone like Nilou would be better.”

Unmoved by my argument, he’d shaken his head, “No, Nilou is a professional, so dancing with her would be cheating.”

When I’d remained silent, he’d leaned forward, pushing the issue, “If you won’t be my partner, I’ll be like a skeleton at a dance party Y/n.” He’d paused, and I’d felt myself tensing for whatever was going to come next.

And then, with an unmoved expression, he’d delivered the punchline, “I’ll have nobody to dance with.”

That was when I’d relented, if nothing else to stop him from telling anymore jokes, and agreed to dance with him. But now that I was on the light-up floor under the flashing lights that I was pretty sure had been installed especially for this competition, I had some regrets.

Cyno was a surprisingly good dancer, but he fully intended to win this competition and had no doubt put countless hours into learning how to do the hustle. He’d also gotten Nilou to tutor both me and him as well as put together our choreography.

The music choice and surprisingly delicate vein to the dance showed her mark on our performance for a hustle that didn’t look like the speedy dance I’d been expecting, and she’d been a wonderful teacher, but I swallowed thickly as the dancers just before us exited the floor. 

They no doubt were here for the monetary reward, which they would split amongst themselves, but that didn’t change the fact that they had been very good.

In fact, for this competition to be happening in a country where dancing had once been practically outlawed, there were a lot of really good dancers who’d apparently been very keen to show off their moves.

And then there were me and Cyno. The determined Mahamatra and his nervous partner.

I felt myself tense as the announcer called our names and the polite applause occurred. Nilou, Collei, and Tighnari had come to support us, as had Kaveh, who’d dragged Alhaitham out of his house, and I could feel all of their eyes on us as we walked hand in hand out onto the floor.

I spun to face Cyno as the dreamy yet undeniably disco song started up and the lights dimmed in an almost condemning fashion. 

“Ready?” His voice was surprisingly soft as his gaze held mine, almost like he realized that the nerves had already kicked in for me, but I nodded. At the very least, I couldn’t disappoint him or our friends after we’d put this much effort into this. 

It was as if my nod were a cue since we immediately joined hands, with him leaning me into a careful dip where I had one arm carefully outstretched so that it reached past my head as I looked up at him. Trusting him to hold me up as I made myself focus on him rather than letting panic take over.

After I returned to an upright position, our motions began very quickly, with two steps to the side and then two steps back before he spun me out. 

Looking towards each other, we returned to one another again, this time side by side, with his arm crossing over my back to reach my hand as my other arm crossed his front to reach his free hand. 

We spiraled like that before freeing one another and reentering a closed hold, but the crowd had already gone totally quiet. 

What had been a hushed clamor of whispers about how the General Mahamatra himself was in the competition had already withered away to stunned silence as everyone stared at us. 

We repeated our interlocked spinning once more before slowly dancing in the middle, focusing on one another rather than the crowd.

At the very least, I didn’t have to be worried about the steps since Nilou had grilled us on memorizing the steps until we could do the entire sequence of motions with absolutely no difficulty at all.

He spun me with my arms reaching back over my head so that he could spin himself before spinning me yet again as soon as he finished in a smooth rolling motion that interconnected seamlessly. Underarm turns were what Nilou had giddily called them when she’d put them into our choreography.

The smooth motions led to a steady dip where Cyno only barely leaned me backwards before quickly pulling me back upright. Sparing me from gazing up into his far too steady gaze yet again.

But Nilou had told us, even during our earliest practices, that our connection and eye contact would be the strongest parts of our performance. Because, according to her, even the best dancers in the world could not fake a connection.

I was relieved that I’d recalled her words at a period when Cyno was carefully leading me across the floor into a side-by-side position where I didn't have to hold eye contact with him. I wasn’t sure I could do so while recalling her words without flushing slightly.

But it was true; being with Cyno was easy to be with and I was always relaxed when I was with him. It was probably the only reason I was able to dance with him, period. And that was even accounting for the strange shyness that came from dancing with him that I never experienced when we were just talking.

With that said, though, I could tell the very instant he looked my way, mere seconds before spinning me so that my back was to him, where we did the same simple step motions that Nilou had taught us. Except this time with Cyno carefully holding me in front of him.

His grip tightened slightly on my hand that he held outstretched before he spun me outwards before we looked towards each other, a smile working its way onto my face as we did the one hand motion that we’d joked was so similar to raising the roof.

The idle smile stayed on my face as we separated and practically strutted our way around the dancefloor before, inevitably, returning to one another.

As soon as our arms wrapped around one another’s torso and we began to spin with our other arms outstretched, applause began. I found myself looking towards him once more, holding eye contact as I smiled slightly.

If nothing else, it sounded like Cyno had a good chance of winning his card. But what I saw in his eyes was not victory. Instead, it was a uniquely soft gaze filled with a quiet sort of awe that had the smile slipping from my face as I inhaled slightly in quiet surprise. 

I twisted, though, reentering a more formal dance hold as he walked me across the dance floor, pausing slightly to lean back with me in an almost exaggerated motion. 

Our motions slowed though as he led me back to the center of the floor, twirling me twice as if I were a dancer that was just as fluid as Nilou before he stopped me just as I had my back to him.

I inhaled slightly, bracing myself as I leaned back against him, and he lifted me carefully as he spun, which had another round of applause starting up as I exhaled. Relieved that we’d managed what was probably the most difficult move in our choreography while also not knowing what to think.

He sat me down, and I spun out, my hands finding his as I faced him before he twirled me and leaned me down into a dip. Far lower than either of the past ones, as our dance ended and the song faded out so that we were surrounded, for at least a brief moment, by silence.

But then, as he pulled me back up, the applause began with the announcer all but bellowing that he did believe we’d found our winner, even as Cyno’s eyes stayed on mine. 

I didn’t know which one of us smiled first, but soon both of us were smiling at each other as people cheered around us.

I may not have ever seen myself doing the hustle with Cyno in my future, but I could certainly say that I was glad it had happened. And I could definitely see it happening again. Perhaps even sooner than one might expect.

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