#quinlan my baby i’ll always hold out hope

[writer1]

A regretful Wolf and his Beauty

Chapter Two

Beast!Rex x Fem!reader

Summary: As punishment for his actions, young prince Rex was cursed to become a monster by a witch. The only thing that saved him from his fate was an enchantress, who gave him a condition. He has to find true love in order to redeem himself and he only has until the last petal of the enchanted rose falls. Rex's family helps you by guiding your way into his heart. Rex's fate now lies in your hands."

A/N: Rex's brothers are Fives, Echo, Cody, Bly and Stutter. The rest of the clones are cousins and\or uncles. Credit to @suddenly-clones for Cody’s nickname “Bubby”. A collab fic made with @ahsokatano-thetogruta. We hope you enjoy this chapter. 

Warnings: mention of trauma, abuse and mental breakdowns.

After presents everyone gets breakfast, they all head to the main dining hall. Rex is so excited to have his breakfast. Cody already told him that he could have his favorite breakfast, strawberries and waffles, it's always been his favorite. Rex walks into the dining hall, seeing all his cousins. He chuckles at seeing his adopted one year old cousin, Numa eating her pancakes, sitting between his 17 year old cousins Waxer and Boil. The young twi’lek girl is covered from head to toe in syrup, so Waxer does his best to clean up any mess while Boil just chuckles and smiles. Rex runs up to Cody, excited for his breakfast.

“Hey Cody, is my breakfast ready yet?” Rex is smiling until he sees the frown on his brother's face.

“I’m sorry, Vodika. They're all out of strawberries and waffles.” Rex feels disappointment fill him, adding to the building pile of bad things today, he was so excited for his breakfast. Rex forces a smile, he knows that Cody tried his best.

“Its okay, Bubby. I know that you tried, can I have a pancake instead?” Rex uses his nickname for Cody that he's used ever since he was a baby. Cody chuckles, happy that Rex isn’t too upset. He feels bad for being unable to give him his favorite breakfast like promised.

“Of course you can, Rex’ika.” Cody heads into the kitchen, grabbing Rex a pancake.

xxx

After everyone has finished with their breakfast, some of the Knights are armoured up and ready to leave for a patrol around the village not too far away from the castle. 

Yoda is the oldest Knight and has had nearly nine hundred years of experience. His second in command, Mace Windu, is thirty seven years old, but he too has had experience in battle being a knight. Twenty seven year olds Luminara Unduli and Depa Billaba were knighted only a few weeks ago, so they are both hoping to get some action soon. Twelve year old Aayla Secura, thirteen year old Kit Fisto and seventeen year old Quinlan Vos are knights in training, so going out with the older knights will give them a taste of what their duties are as knights.

"All ready to leave now, are you?" Yoda asks. The knights in front of him, wearing shiny silver armour, nod attentively as they all begin to march towards the main entrance of the castle. Yoda sees Rex walking out of the main dining hall. "Back soon, we will be, Prince Rex."

"Of course. Everything will be ready for when you arrive back." Rex smiles as he watches the knights walk out of the entrance, closing the doors behind them as they set out to go to the village. 

Rex turns away from the entrance just in time to see Anakin run into the room, followed by Artoo, he runs over to Rex.

“Come on, Rex. Let's go find Obi Wan and Cody, I don't know where they went.” Anakin doesn't wait for an answer and starts pulling Rex with him, who rolls his eyes and follows.

“Okay Ani, lets go.” He pulls his arm out of Anakin's grip, and they both head out to find their brothers. Artoo yips as he follows behind them, he nips at their feet a few times, wanting them to play.

They both walk into another room, freezing when they see the sight of 

Obi Wan and Cody kissing.

They had their arms wrapped around each other's bodies, Obi Wan cupping the left side of Cody's face, lightly tracing the scar with his thumb. It was love at first sight for the two of them. They met each other a few years ago, when Obi Wan arrived at the castle to be trained to become a knight. Now both at seventeen years old, they plan to get married at some point in the near future. Cody stroked Obi Wan’s cheek, feeling the stubble of a beard that had started growing there. 

Anakin and Rex just stood there, feeling a little grossed out and embarrassed that they walked in on them kissing like this. Being kids, they don't really understand love yet and what people do in a relationship, but they think that love is a bit gross being only thirteen and twelve years old. 

Cody and Obi Wan pulled away from each other to see the two of them just stood in the doorway, feeling their cheeks heat up a little. "Hello there you two." Obi Wan chuckles. Both the kids look grossed out, making both Obi Wan and Cody chuckle at them.

“Don’t look like that Anakin, once you’re older you’ll find someone you will want to kiss.” Obi Wan rolls his eyes when Anakin makes a fake gagging noise.

“EW!!! I’ll never want to kiss anyone, that's so gross!” Both Cody and Obi Wan laugh.

“You say that now, but you’ll change your mind once you’re older.” Anakin just shakes his head, not believing a word Obi Wan had said. Rex is standing there, laughing quietly. Cody turns to him.

“What are you laughing at Rex’ika, you’ll want to kiss too when you’re older.” Rex stops laughing and glares at Cody.

“That will never happen! Kissing is so gross.” Both Cody and Obi Wan can't stop laughing at the two young boys.

“Sure! You come to me in four years and tell me that.” Rex rolls his eyes at his brother, knowing that he’ll never want to kiss anyone. Ever. 

"Yeah right, it's never gonna happen." Rex can't hold back a smirk any longer.

"Okay. I'll hold you to that one, Rex'ika." Cody teases Rex. He then feels Obi Wan's hand take his and holds it gently, making the both of them smile lovingly at each other. 

"Quick Rex, let's go! They're gonna kiss again!" Anakin pulls Rex by his arm again and they both dart out of the room with Artoo following just behind them.

Obi Wan and Cody can't help but laugh out loud uncontrollably as the pair run out of the room. After regaining their breath, they look at one another again and lean in for a more intimate kiss, just wanting to stay here forever with each other.

xxx

Anakin and Rex ran for a while, both laughing and racing around the castle with each other down different halls. They stop when they see a fourteen year old girl looking out of a big window, enjoying the sight of the frozen lake as the snow gently falls past the window. Padmé turns to look at the two boys who just caught their breath after running around the castle. "Hello Prince Rex. Hello Anakin."

Anakin's heart skips a beat when she says his name. Rex can see that his cheeks have turned a little red, so he decides to give the both of them some alone time. Rex is very aware of their feelings for each other "I've just remembered, I promised to go and help Fives and Echo with something. I'll see you two later." He waves at the both of them, making Anakin glare at him as if to say don't leave me alone. 

Anakin hears Rex chuckles subtly behind him as he turns to look at Padmé who smiles at him kindly, so he returns the smile back to her.

Rex walks down the hall, heading to a room close by, he smirks when he finds mistletoe inside of a drawer, ready to put his plan into action. He plans to set up the mistletoe, then call Anakin and Padme into the room right under it.

Rex walks over to the doorway, grabbing a chair to stand on, he hangs up the plant. It's in the perfect place for Anakin and Padme to get stuck under it. He hops down, setting the chair back and walking out. The two aren't very far away so he calls them.

“Hey, do you mind helping us you two. We need more than three people!!” Both Anakin and Padme glance at each other, wondering what the three could be doing that could need five people. But they shrug and head out to help their friend and his younger brothers, they walk into the room, looking around to find it empty except for Rex.

“What did you need Prince Rex? And where are the twins?” Padmé asks, confused.

“Yeah Rex, where's Fives and Echo?” Rex smirks a mischievous smirk, pointing up. The two look up to see the mistletoe, blushing as they realize what this means.

“You both know what mistletoe means.” He tells them as they glance at each other, Anakin is a deep shade of red.

“Umm, you… you don't have to kiss me if-!!!” Padme presses a kiss to his lips mid sentence, it's a quick one, but sweet all the same. She pulls away, leaving a flustered Anakin looking an even darker shade of red. Padmé giggles.

“You okay, Ani?” Anakin nods, not knowing what to say. Rex holds back laughter at his friend's reaction, Padme turns to Rex.

“Do you think that he's going to be okay?” She asks,and Rex nods.

“Yeah, i'm sure that he’s going to be fine.” Rex reassures her, walking out of the room and down the hall towards the ballroom. Rex is happy that he finally got the two of them to kiss. He's known about their secret feelings for a long time, so he found this to be the best time to get them to confess their feelings to each other. 

“HEY, REX!!!!!” Rex jumps with a scream at his two younger brothers jumping out from behind one of the doors to the ballroom to scare him, Fives has Echo on his shoulders, making them

look bigger. Rex falls to the floor, feeling anger rise up in him.

Echo climbs off of Fives' shoulders as they both laugh at Rex, who is now sitting up on the floor and he does not look happy in the slightest. 

"AHAHA, Rex! You should have seen your face!" Fives wipes some tears of laughter from the corner of his eye. He is enjoying it all too much and so is his twin Echo.

Rex clearly looks annoyed as he finally reaches his breaking point. He stares down towards the floor, trying so hard to hide his frustration from everyone else in the room but he thinks now that he has finally lost it. 

Fives walks closer to him and holds his hand out to help Rex up. "Sorry, Vod. Here I'll help you-" Rex swats his hand away, causing Fives to flinch and making his smile disappear. Echo's smiling soon turns into worry too.

"You think this is funny?" He scowls a little as he gets up slowly by himself. "Y'know...I really don't need this stupid behavior right now!" Rex finally snaps at the both of them, making them feel hurt because it was only meant to be a funny joke. 

Everyone in the room goes silent as they watch Rex's anger rise with every passing moment as he continues to get angry at Fives and Echo.

A few moments later, Obi Wan and Cody are holding hands as they walk past Cody's cousins Heavy, Droidbait and Cutup, then into the ballroom to see Rex yelling at the Twins.

Cody gives Obi Wan's hand a slight squeeze, letting him know that he needs to go and sort out whatever is going on.

"Rex, what's going on?" Concern washes over Cody's face when he sees Fives' and Echo's hurt expressions. 

"Mind your own business, Cody." Rex snaps at his Ori'Vod. Cody doesn't take his tone lightly.

"What's up with you? Is something bothering you?"

"Just leave us alone…" Rex warns Cody, still keeping piercing, direct eye contact with the twins. 

"Oh I don't think so. I'm sure that whatever they did wasn't harmful enough to-"

"Shut up!!" Rex isn't having any of what Cody has to say.

Anakin and Padmé then walk into the ballroom, seeing what was going on, the tension rising with each passing moment.

"Rex, you need to chill out, now." Cody tells him sternly.

"NO!" Rex's yell echoes around the room and Cody gets fed up with his Vod's behavior. 

"That's it!" Cody tackles Rex against a wall as they both start to fight.

Rex ducks down and around Cody to pull him into a headlock from behind. Cody grabs onto the arm around his neck and throws Rex over his shoulder and onto the floor. The air is knocked out of his lungs as he sees Cody go to punch him. Rex uses a block technique to protect himself. He tries his best to counter attack with punches to Cody's side. They yell over each other, so it's difficult to tell what they are saying, but Rex curses a few times towards his brother. 

Everyone watches and gasps at the sight. Anakin looks around the room to see Stutter standing not too far away with a frightened look on his face as he struggles to keep his tears back. Anakin runs over to him to comfort him, holding him close and making him look away from the fight. 

He is only four years old and arrived at the castle a year ago. He was abused by his Father and older brothers for three years. They were all ten years old, so they always looked bigger and scarier in Stutters eyes as they yelled nasty and hurtful things at him. 

Anakin feels Stutter start to shake with fear and anxiety as he starts to remember the trauma from his past. Anakin can't stand this anymore, someone has to do something to stop Rex and Cody from fighting. "Obi Wan!" 

Obi Wan hears Anakin call out his name, knowing too that this has to be stopped. He runs over to try his best to break up the fight by pulling his boyfriend off of Rex. Cody struggles in Obi Wan's grasp that he has around him. Obi Wan decides to get in the middle of the two fighting brothers "Enough!! Both of you, just stop! You're scaring Stutter."

Rex and Cody pause and then look towards Anakin who is still holding onto the trembling four year old. Rex feels so bad now for things getting so out of hand. "I…" Rex decides to walk over to Stutter who doesn't seem to be calming down. Anakin uses his eyes to gesture down at Stutter, who is pressing his little body into him, and then back up to Rex, making Rex crouch down in front of them both. "I'm so, so sorry, Stutter." He says quietly so as not to scare him any more than he already has.

Stutter sniffles some, still pressing himself into Anakin. Rex rubs the back of his neck in guilt over what he has done.

Anakin decides to try and calm Stutter down. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you. We're all here for you, including Rex." There was no movement for a moment until Stutter pulled away to look up at Anakin who smiles reassuringly down at him. 

Stutter sniffles in response and turns around to see Rex with a nervous smile, hoping that Stutter understands that he is in a safe environment now and that Rex hadn’t meant to scare him. Stutter walks towards Rex and gives him a hug. Rex wraps his arms around his little brother. "I'm sorry, Vod'ika."

"I-It's okay, O-O-Ori'Vod." He can't help but cry a little bit more into Rex, creating a little damp patch on his shirt, but he doesn't mind it one bit. All that matters is that Stutter is safe now. Rex still feels so bad for scaring his Vod’ika, especially knowing about his past. Rex and his family absolutely hate Stutter's “Family”, they promised that they won't let them hurt him anymore, and that's a promise they intend to keep. 

"Shh, it's okay now. It's okay…" Rex whispers as he places a kiss on top of Stutter's head, holding him close to him. Rex swears that he will never hurt Stutter like this ever again, he can’t stand to hurt his Vod’ika.

Obi Wan has calmed Cody down now too, giving him a quick, loving kiss on the lips before they walk over towards the crowd.

Everyone is glad that everything has calmed down now. Rex lets go of Stutter, looking around to see everyone staring at him. He feels so bad and embarrassed that he runs out of the room, heading up the stairs and into his room. He jumps on his bed and presses his face into his pillow, hot tears of embarrassment and regret wetting it.

xxx

It's been an hour since the fight and Cody is sitting in a chair, quietly thinking. He doesn’t know what to do, he tried talking to his older cousins, Fox and Thorn, both two years older than him. They told him that the way he had handled the situation was wrong and so did his uncle 99, his uncle said that he should go talk to Rex, but Cody doesn’t know if Rex would want to talk to him.

“Cody?” He turns to see Obi Wan and Knight Plo, Wolffe, Sinker, Boost and Comet’s adopted father, walk in.

“Obi Wan, Knight Plo. do you two need something?” They both look at eachother.

“You do know that you have to talk to him at some point, right Cody?” Cody sighs in frustration.

“I know, but what do I even say. I don’t know what to do this time Obi Wan, I’ve really messed things up. My dad would have handled the situation so much better than me.” Plo places a hand on Cody’s shoulder, who looks up at him.

“I know that it's hard Cody, you’re only a young man yourself. But Rex needs you right now, I can feel it in the force. Take it from me, even grown adults make mistakes.” Cody nods, and Obi Wan walks over. He grabs Cody’s hand, pressing his lips to his fingers, then to Cody’s forehead.

“He needs you, he’s hurting and he needs his big brother.”

 Cody sighs nodding again, he stands up out of his chair. “You’re right, thanks sweetheart. Knight Plo.” Plo nods, Cody thinks he’s smiling, but can’t be sure because of the mask.

“You can just call me Plo, we’re family after all.” Cody nods, heading to try to make amends with his Vod’ika.

When he reaches Rex's room, he's about to knock on the door when he hears a few sniffles from the other side. "Rex?" It suddenly goes quiet on the other side and there's no response. "Rex'ika, it's me...can I please come in?" 

He's about to walk away, but he finally gets a response. "Come in." Rex's voice was slightly muffled, but it was clear enough for Cody to understand and enters his little Brother's room. 

Cody sees Rex laying down on his back on his bed, his right arm draped over his eyes, not wanting to even spare a glance at Cody. "I've come to apologise for my actions earlier. I shouldn't have started that fight. I'm sorry." He apologises, sitting down on the bed. Nothing. "Please, Rex. Just look at me."

Reluctantly, Rex removes his arm from his face and sits up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He looks a mess. His eyes are red and his nose is a little runny from crying regretful tears into his pillow. Cody goes to fetch Rex a tissue and brings it back, handing it to him. "Thank you." He wipes his nose, still a bit sniffly. "I'm sorry too, it was my fault. My day just got worse and worse, then it was all too much to handle anymore and now I've ruined Christmas. And I made Stutter cry. After all he went through before we took him in, I brought back all of those traumatic memories and-" he chokes back a sob. "And I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for being so selfish." He puts his head in his hands, huffing a deep breath out trying to stop the tears from coming back.

"Oh Rex'ika. It's alright, you haven't ruined Christmas. We all have bad days, so I understand now that you were probably just stressed, right?" Rex nods in response, not wanting to look up. "C'mere."

Rex gets pulled into a hug, feeling Cody trap him in a comforting embrace. He relaxes into his Ori'vod's arms, still having regretful thoughts racing throughout his mind. "I'm so sorry, Bubby."

"It's alright. I love you, Rex'ika. No matter what, I'll always be here for you."

"Thank you. I love you too." Rex smiles as he sits up a little, giving Cody a Keldabe kiss.

"Are you ready to go back down now?" Cody doesn't want to force Rex to do something he doesn't want to, but he also knows that staying in his room for the rest of the night isn't going to do him any good.

Rex sits quietly for a few moments, thinking quietly to himself. "Yeah. Could you go down with me?" 

"Of course." Cody smiles at his Vod'ika.

"Thank you, Bubby." Rex smiles in return.

"You're welcome. That's what brothers are for." He gives Rex a little nudge and a playful wink as they both stand up and head out of his room into the corridor, walking towards the ballroom to meet again with everyone else.

Taglist: @captainrexisboo @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life

[animalhead]

Top 10 Albums/Songs of 2018

Top 10 Albums of 2018

10. Death Grips - Year Of The Snitch - All I could think about on my first listen of this album was Michael Jackson. It's pure theater, pure performance. Multi-layered and captivating. Metal af.

9. Olafur Arnulds - re:member - For the past couple years I've managed to slip a random soundscape/classical album into my list which I'm sure everyone greatly appreciates. Well, this year is no exception. I'll explain myself again - I live in a noisy-ass, toddler-and-baby world and my brain needs some quiet every now and again. I won't pretend to know the state of modern classical music, or what makes a classical album important today, etc. I'll just say that listening to this album makes me feel good. Olafur Arnulds never fails to give me my space.

8. Ashley Monroe - Sparrow - Maybe the saddest album of the year thematically. I don't know if I've heard a more powerful blend of poetry, soul, and country music. Sparrow feels like a crossover, but a crossover from what to what? Where did she come from? It's like Bill Withers and Carole King secretly raised a kid in Nashville. "Hands on You" is the sexiest jam of the year.

7. John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness - I think the last time I put John Prine on my Top 10 list, I said that I had a feeling it would be his last album. Thank god I was wrong. I can't remember where I heard this, but someone said that the genius of Prine is that he infuses the absolutely domestic with sacred meaning. It's so true: who else can sing about putting stuff on layaway and taking the garbage out and somehow make it seem like the meaning of love and life? And The Tree of Forgiveness proves that he hasn't lost a single step. Just listen to "Egg & Daughter Nite, Lincoln Nebraska 1967" and then "Summer's End". Laugh, cry, repeat. I will forever love John Prine.

6. Sarah Louise - Deeper Woods - Joanna Newsom has been on hiatus and I've been getting desperate for the sort of ethereal, naturalist root music that she does so well. Luckily I found Sarah Louise, who has a Grace Slick-meets-Joan Baez-meets-Nico thing going on. I'll always be a sucker for stripped down spooky Robert Frost folk, and this one covers all the bases. Haunting. 

5. Remember Sports - Slow Buzz - I actually really liked this album so thanks TZ for recommending it; I wish I had more time with it prior to now.  Lyrically it is excellent - it's unique, vulnerable, smart, and relatable all at the same time. The vocals have that indie Pinegrove guts-exposure that makes it so believable. I would absolutely go to a show and stand in the back in my Violent Femmes t-shirt and nod along unassumingly. That said though, I can't get it out of my head that there is something so heartbreaking about this album - it's world-weary and it dares to ask the universe to give back the prom queen angst and Nick-and-Nora breakup 'sad's that were par for the course before weekly school shootings and nazis part deux. I respect it for that.

4. Mitski - Be the Cowboy - Such great instrumental breakdowns, such strange melodies, such a well-crafted album from start to finish. The way Mitski blends synth with acoustics with electric strings is perfect. She manages to be obscure and 'out there' while simultaneously being so open and accessible; no easy feat.

3. Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog - Hop Along was a breath of fresh air this year and I think I listened to BYHOD the most of any album. It's light and airy, but cutting and witty also. It plays like a 90s femme alt-rock collection and it's glued together with poignant lyrics. The vocals of Francis Quinlan are fantastic, whose improvised repetition and early indie style rings with the urgency of someone who knows something big is going to happen but can't get anyone to pay attention.

2. Saba - CARE FOR ME - Remember a little album called Good Kid, M.A.A.D City? CFM is the Chicago version. Saba takes you to the honest extremes of his emotion, pulling out raw despair and depression at times and love and hope at other times. No other album this year had me hanging on every word, rooting for the artist throughout the entire track list. To say the album feels like a movie seems to cheapen it, though it has the dramatic peaks and valleys of a blockbuster. No, it's a memoir. Saba treats the listener like a friend, venting and raging on "LIFE", laughing and dreaming on "SMILE", utterly disassembling the music industry on "GREY", and storytelling like a master on "PROM / KING". Listen to this again and then go amend your lists. Oh yeah, Chance is on it.  

1. Snail Mail - Lush - I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly why I loved this album so much this year. Maybe it's the vocals - smooth and swaying, sort of pissed off, sort of disappointed. Maybe it's the space - tracks are minimalist, echoed, and beautifully bare. I tend to lean toward the personality of it all. It feels like Lindsey Jordan is breaking free of something, and that gives the whole album an optimistic, eyes-on-the-horizon vibe that is intoxicating. Top notch album that defined the year for me.

Worst Album of 2018

Decemberists - I'll Be Your Girl - I used to get pumped when a new Decemberists album came out - their stuff was interesting, smart, nerd fuel. These days when they release an album, I only find myself thinking 'ugh just please don't be complete shit'. And this album wasn't exactly that, but it wasn't exactly anything. It's just the last of the crinkled post-its on the bottom of Colin Meloy's weird poem trashcan. There's no real heart or message anywhere. Their last good album was The King is Dead (and it was a really good album), but the band itself is increasingly feeling like Meloy's jackoff mirror. I'm pretty sure he's holding the rest of the band captive in his grapevine garland-draped, all-too-rustic cellar.

Top 10 Songs (that weren't on my Top 10 Albums) of 2018

10. Parquet Courts - "Total Football"  -  "...and FUCK TOM BRADY!"

9. Metric - "Dressed to Suppress"  -  Great track on a really fun album.

8. Natalie Prass - "Short Court Style"  -  Now That's What I Call Music 1,563.

7. Old Crow Medicine Show - "Look Away"  -  OCMS still finding beauty in the rust of the south.  

6. Kanye West - "Ghost Town"  -  Most heartfelt track on a decent, but maybe a little lazy (?) album.

5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "American Guilt"  - Making Americans examine our own social presence.

4. Israel Nash - "Rolling On"  -  Big full-bodied sound wall.

3. Courtney Barnett - "Need A Little Time"  -  CB gettin' deep.

2. Leon Bridges - "Beyond"  -  Pure, wonderful love song.

1. Dawes - "Crack The Case"  -  Beautiful. One of the best current singer/songwriters.

Top 5 Players from MTV's The Challenge (so sue me)

5. Sylvia - I don't know why I like Sylvia so much. She headbutted that drunken, cig-smoking mom, Marie. She's just a little firecracker. A fiesty underdog with a lot of heart.

4. Shane - Shane is a self-titled bitch. He's the snakiest, slimiest player there is. He actually threw an entire challenge so that a certain player on his team would be voted out.

3. Wes - Arguably the arch-nemesis of Bananas before Devin came along. Always hatching schemes that are way too complicated and get him thrown out.

2. Devin - The way this dude fucks with Johnny Bananas is hilarious. Someone had to come in and usher out the old heads - Devin is the man for the job.

1. Cara Maria - She's a force and completely independent. She was the first woman to ever win The Challenge solo. She can be a bit cringey sometimes, but she's a beast.