#she would hurt a senator though

[monstersflashlight]

Commission for @ilove-hatethecw

A/N: Thank you so much for commissioning! Means a lot and this was such a sweet story to write. Hope you like it! <3

Request: An orc x human, where the reader is a human princess who married the orc in an arranged political marriage. The orc is rather distant because he believes that the reader wouldn’t want him romantically or physically because he’s so large and thinks that she finds him brutish. But she actually is really really attracted to him. Maybe add some breeding and size kink in there.

The princess desire

Orc x fem!reader || size kink, breeding, really fluffy (but filthy)

When the senate told your dad you were to marry the orc king for political reasons, you were resigned. Not ready to marry yet, enjoying your freedom way too much for a marriage with an unknown orc. But a part of you, the part that awoke at night when you were alone with your thoughts and fantasies… that part was more than happy.

As an avid romance reader, you were more than familiar with orc romances. You knew of them, but had never seen one in person. But good goddess did you want to. You had a thousand of fantasies involving orcs, and knowing you were to marry to one? That was more than enough to make you shake with anticipation.

You saw him before he saw you, big and beefy and completely and utterly hot. He filled all your fantasies and a bit more, you didn’t know how good he could look, how attracted you’d really feel to your husband to be until that moment. And your needy clit made you very aware of your husband. But when the reality of marriage came to be, you weren’t expecting it.

It wasn’t reciprocal. Your husband didn’t touch you, you talked a lot after the wedding. You shared meals and conversations, and you became really good friends, but he didn’t seek you out… sexually. He didn’t sleep with you. He didn’t want you as his wife… And that hurt. That hurt a whole lot. But after the sadness, the anger arose.

You were having a nice tea and biscuits when you broke down and asked: “Why wouldn’t you fuck me? It’s because I’m human?” You tried not to sound self-conscious, but you failed, a spark of hurt still shining through your anger.

He bit on the pastries he was eating, coughing as he let out a choked: “What?” He looked dumbfounded, like he wasn’t expecting that from you.

“You don’t like humans? You don’t find me attractive?” You pressed, tears filling your eyes as you tried to stop them from falling down your face.

You didn’t want to be pushy, but you really needed to know if your husband didn’t like you at all in that way. You knew it was a political affair, but you wanted more. You liked him, you liked him a whole lot… You loved him. And you wanted him to want you back, in every way it mattered.

He looked so confused that in any other circumstances you would have found him adorable. “What?! No. Yes,” he stuttered, looking at you like deer caught in headlights. “Yes, I find you very attractive,” he finally confessed, his face deep green as he blushed.

You tried to make it make sense in your brain, not understanding why he hadn’t acted on that then. “Then why aren’t we fucking like rabbits?” You asked, confusion bleeding into your tone.

“What? I- I thought you didn’t want that. I thought… I though you didn’t like me that way. You… You are cute and little and human and… I’m harsh and rough and brutish, too big for you. Too ugly.” Your heart broke a tiny bit at his words, suddenly understanding that the problem was never you. He was insecure and you didn’t realize soon enough.

Your protective instincts arose instantly. “Who said that?”

“I- Nobody.” His insecurities were more clear than ever.

You softened your tone to ask him: “Then why would you think that?”

“I don’t know… You are just so pretty and so great and I love you so much.” He realized a second too late what he just said, covering his mouth and his tusks with a big hand, his eyes as big as plates as he looked at you waiting for a reaction.

Your brain was short-circuiting at his words, not fully believing him. “You love me?” You asked, insecurity showing more than you’d like.

He thought about it for a couple seconds, your heart racing as fast as it could. “I do,” he finally answered, making the butterflies in your stomach go wild.

“Great. Because I love you, too,” you confessed back, surprising both of you. You weren’t planning on telling him like that, but it was out in the world now. And then everything was clear, and you needed one thing more than you needed air. “Now, are you going to fuck me or what?” You have enough time to pull your dress over your head before he’s over you, grabbing you by the waist and throwing you over his shoulder.

He walked to your room in long strides as you groped his ass, and he grunted. “You are playing with fire, little bride.” You did it again, smacking his hard ass as seeing it jiggle as you giggled.

“I want to get burned,” you teased him in return as you got closer to your room.

He threw you over the bed and undressed as you bounced up and down the mattress. He unwrapped his body like it was the best gift of your life and you licked your lips as he approached you like you were nothing more than prey to him. Your pussy getting instantly wet.

You licked your lips again, checking him out completely, his dick hard and huge hanging between his legs like an offering for you. “Fuck me, husband.”

He crawled over your body like he was savoring every second of it, his nostrils flaring as he smelled your desire in the air, groaning. “You don’t know what you do to me, do you?” He asked, his face dark green and his tusks gleaming under the sun coming from the window.

You reached down and jerked his dark green dick. “I have an idea.” You chuckled, his dick twitched in your hands as he grunted, kissing down your neck.

He ravished your boobs as you groaned, his tusks feeling dangerous against your tender skin, making everything more intense. He traveled down your body, kissing and licking your skin as he told you how pretty you were, how soft and wonderful. How much he wanted to be buried inside of you until you were leaking cum, a blabbering mess under him.

When he reached your pussy, you groaned as his tusks framed your pussy and his tongue found your clit. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he found the points that made you squirm and cry out fast as lightning. He ate you out like the best meal he had, grunting and caressing as his hands found your ass and pulled you to him, trying to get as much as you as possible. It was like being consumed in the best possible way.

You were so focused on the pleasure he was giving you that your orgasm caught you off guard, screaming his name as he drank out of you.

When you returned to your body, he was over you, his big body pressing down on you like a warm blanket, his dick asking for permission right at your entrance. “Are you ready, bride?”

“Fuck me like you mean it, orc.” Your last word was just a way to remind him you knew who he was, what he was, and it still turned you on incredibly. Turned you on so much that when he pressed against you, his dick slipped inside almost instantly. You both groaned at the intrusion, so good, so big, so wonderful.

He started at a slow pace, rocking his hips against you, but it soon wasn’t enough. You kept asking him to go faster, harder, and when he looked at you worryingly, you couldn’t do anything else but to kiss him until he forgot about his insecurities. You kissed him to consume him, to convince him you were in love with every part of him, orcish features and all.

He let go of his inhibitions little by little, going faster and harder until he set a punishing pace that made you see starts as he grunted against your parted mouth.

“I’m gonna breed you. I’m gonna fill you so much and so deep you would be feeling me for hours,” his words sounded like a promise and it made you shake under him, your body convulsing as you came around his shaft.

You cried out his name as your release made him lose himself in you, pumping you full of cum as he reached for your mouth once again, kissing you so passionately you felt your heart getting bigger because of how much you loved him.

You broke the kiss to whisper against his lips: “I love you, my orc husband.” He smiled down at you, his face dark green with the prettiest blush.

“I love you, my human bride,” he answered, kissing you again.

Reminder that you can commission me (info here) or suscribe to my Patreon (info here). And that my second account is @whiskis

[micahwrites16]

My Love, My Home - Anakin Skywalker

Note: While writing this I imagined y/n as Padme in AotC, but not actually Padme? Like she’s Senator and she’s with Anakin on Naboo, him protecting y/n, but you can picture her however you want. I don’t specifically explain the circumstances of why they’re together, but it’s along the lines of the scene where Anakin confesses, except I write it… a bit differently. Hopefully you understand, lol. It’ll make sense the further you read. Enjoy!

( Also, please bear with me, I’ve never written anything close to this before. Don’t be shy to comment and let me know what you think of it! I’m always open to suggestions. <3 )

TW: really sappy smut, first times!

5.6k words

I always imagined that love was something you earned; something you had to deserve.

Something that I would never be worthy of truly receiving.

And as I watch the Padawan sitting on the velvety, soft sheets of my bed, I feel as though I am shattering my own heart with every second I allow him in my gaze. It’s as if he is reaching his calloused, worn hands into my chest and brushing his fingertips against the rapid beating of it. One more millimeter and he could crush my life without a second thought. And even though he was the one who tore apart my skin, it was his hand preventing me from bleeding out. Sometimes I can’t help but feel grateful, which is a very clear sign that I lost my sanity long ago.

I am in front of him and I do not pull away. I don’t want to.

I have never felt fear quite like it.

Although Anakin’s hand is not quite in my chest, it might as well be. A measly twelve inches separates us, his eyes searching into me farther than I have managed to explore myself. His lips move as words leave them, but I don’t know what. I’m embarrassed to admit that the sight of someone’s lips can distract me so easily. I know those aren’t just anyone’s lips, however.

“Y/n?”

My eyes snap back up to his, his eyebrows scrunched softly in confusion as he waits for me to answer.

“Hm?”

“Force,” Anakin laughs and shakes his head, resting his elbows on his knees. The laugh isn’t of amusement, that I can tell. “You aren’t even listening to me.”

“What? Yes, I am. I just have a lot on my mind. Keep talking. I promise I’ll listen,” I reassure him. He laughs again, the sound not warming me like it usually would. His head falls into his hands, his teeth shining as he smiles. “Anakin,” I urge, “come on. I’m listening, I swear.”

“Are you?” He turns his head to look up at me, his smile gone and something swirling madly in his eyes.

“Yes.”

“Alright. Then, what did I say?”

I pause for a moment, searching my brain and hoping that I subconsciously picked up his words. It’s not that I was ignoring him on purpose, that’s never the case. I was just preoccupied with other strange things happening inside of me. “You know what, never mind. It was nothing, anyways.” Anakin stands up quickly from my bed and I rise with him. “It’s late and you should sleep. I’ll be in the bedroom across from you.”

“No,” I grab his arm softly through his Jedi robe as he moves to walk away. I’m not letting him run away this time. “Don’t do that, Ani. Just tell me what you were saying. I can tell it’s important.”

His eyes lock on where I am touching him, his lips parting slightly. He seems frozen, lost in something that I cannot grasp. Suddenly, Anakin’s eyebrows furrow again, ripping his arm away from my hand. His eyes meet mine again, fire and so many other emotions stirring in them. “No. You don’t do that, y/n.” Confusion washes over me, the slightest bit of hurt emanating from his face and bouncing off my heart. His voice quiets, a darkness along with a familiar softness coating his words. “I am in agony and you don’t even seem to realize.” Anakin steps closer to me, his neck craned so he can meet my eyes. He’s so close and I am frozen. I feel his breath against my lips, his gaze against mine.

“Ani..”

“Can you not see how I am feeling? How I am practically begging on my knees for you to even look at me?” His voice is so low and I think my brain is short-circuiting and force, all it would take is the slightest movement for his nose to brush against mine. “You are the one instance I allow myself to feel anything at all, y/n. I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. And every moment that I am not with you, the worse my agony gets. It’s as if I am being torn apart. You are in my very soul, tormenting me. Every beat of my heart is throbbing for you, and I feel helpless.” He sounds so wounded, so seeking. “What can I do? I will do anything you ask.”

I am not usually at a loss for words. The thoughts in my head are cloudy and I feel dazed, almost as if my brain is trying to protect me from hearing what he is saying. I would rather die than allow that. Before Anakin, I had never let myself get attached to anyone or anything. I have duties that force me to be strong, independent. But he has sucked me in, and if I were to rid myself of him, he would take a large part of my person with him.

He looks into me like he’s searching for something, anything, and the pounding in my chest is increasing with every second of it. How are we both so blind to each other? He says that I do not see his feelings for me, yet he doesn’t see what I feel for him, either.

“I will get on my knees and beg for you, for any part of you, if that’s what you would like. Any part of you that you allow me to have I will worship. I already do.”

I have never felt the need to touch him more than I do now. I want to give him everything he’s asking for and more. I want to give everything that I have, everything I am, to him. I’ve been wanting that for far too long.

But I can’t.

“Anakin, we can’t do this,” I say quietly. I want to, I scream internally. I want to so, badly. “I’m Senator and you’re about to be a Jedi. We would ruin everything.” Nothing in his expression changes and I feel as though I am not doing a great job of convincing him, or myself.

“So you do feel something.” The corner of his mouth twitches just the slightest bit and I immediately curse myself for giving him hope for something that I can’t give him. “I don’t care about any of that. We can keep it between us and now that I know you feel anything, even the slightest bit for me, I will not stop. I won’t be able to. I will die trying to earn anything you will give me.”

He hesitantly reaches his hand to cup my the side of my face, his thumb stroking softly over my cheek. Am I dying?

“Don’t hide from what you feel. Don’t hide from me, because I cannot take it. I do not deserve you, I know that. But I will spend the rest of my life trying to. Don’t allow stupid, worthless rules to get in between this. In between us.”

Any resolve that I had before has now been thrown out the window. His voice is so gentle and pleading and an exact mirror of something that has been lurking inside of me since the last time I can remember. His thumb that is caressing my face is bleeding into me, filling my blood with a mixture of overwhelming fire, softness, and need.

“Anakin..” I close my eyes, fighting off my desires the best that I can. If I give in, everything will be destroyed.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, y/n. I will not let myself be your ruination.”

I want to fall. I want to lose myself in his deep, promising, dark blue eyes and never resurface. The longer I feel his touch the more I know that I am gone and I am not coming back.

And as I come to the realization that I will never be safer than where I am right now, that I will never be with someone who makes my heart pound as much as Anakin does, I lean closer.

I’m so close to him that I can see every individual blonde eyelash, every slight and rapid movement of his eyes as they flicker from my eyes to my lips. The only thing I see is Anakin. The only thing I know is Anakin.

Everything around us is still, as though even time has paused for us. The only sound is our soft breathing hitting each other’s lips, the crickets halting their chirping and leaving us in a loud bubble of quiet. He brushes his nose against mine, my breath hitching in my throat and my chest rising and falling harder with every second. Every action from him is small and hesitant, testing how I react.

My hand reaches forward, resting on the plane of his chest. He responds by snaking his fingers into my hair, tilting my head just the slightest bit, and causing my lips to brush against his just the smallest amount. A warm tingle flows through my body as I meet his eyes again. This time, there’s a question in them.

As an answer, I seal my lips against his.

I’m enveloped in a world of tenderness and warmth that I have never known before. As he just barely moves his lips against mine, I feel my heart shifting inside of me, flowing through the movements of my mouth. The first few moments are gentle, discovering. The next few are devouring.

He kisses me as if I was the last thread of life he was holding on to. As if I was the only light in a galaxy of darkness. In a planet of complete, utter beauty and peace, I have never felt so overpowered and overwhelmed. His lips are soft, searching into the deepest part of my soul.

He was wrong. I am not tormenting him, he is tormenting me.

Anakin tilts my head further, his tongue tracing my bottom lip and begging for entrance. I greedily let him in, wanting him to know places of myself that no one else has ever discovered. He sweeps in, tasting, caressing, and destroying me from the inside out. I trail my hand from his chest into his hair, my tongue now tangling with his, begging for as much of him as he now has of me.

A low groan rumbles through his throat, and I feel a fire inside of me that I have never known so intense than at this moment. His other hand grabs my hip, both of us stumbling back so he’s against the wall.

Anakin, Anakin, Anakin.

Anakin is now all that I know, and now that I have him, I don’t think I will ever be able to let go.

He kisses my lips until they’re swollen and pink. Until the room is no longer filled with silence, but the sound of his soft rasps and my small whimpers that I cannot stop from leaving.

Anakin’s hands are everywhere. My waist, the curve of my hips, my thighs, my hair, the sides of my face. It’s like he’s taking every bit of me insatiably, almost like he’s afraid I won’t let him do this again. This is all I’ve ever craved, Ani. This is everything I will ever need.

He groans again as I nip at his bottom lip, the sound stirring something deep inside of me. A fire is burning, and I don’t think it will ever be stopped. His lips move from mine to my jaw and down to my neck, sucking and tasting and torturing. I press my chest against him, needing to feel more. Needing more.

“Ani,” I moan, his mouth latching onto my collarbone. He lifts his head, his lips just as puffy as mine. He’s so, so, heartbreakingly beautiful.

“Tell me what you need, y/n. I will give you anything you’ve ever wanted. Anything at all.” His breathing is heavy, his chest rising and falling harshly. “You have every,” he kisses under my ear, “single,” he kisses my throat, “inch of me. I am forever yours.”

His pretty words fuel me like nothing else. I’m sinking, falling into an endless abyss of emotion and ruin, of beginning and end and nothing at all, but everything at the same time.

“Everything. All of you,” I beg, and I can’t seem to care that I do. For no man, for no person, I beg. But Anakin Skywalker makes me want and crave things stronger than I ever have before.

My tone isn’t lost on him, his head dropping to rest on my shoulder. “You can’t say things like that, y/n. You destroy me.”

“I mean it. Don’t reject me now, Anakin.” My voice drops to a whisper, vulnerability hitting me harder than I would like to admit, “Please.” I am yearning for a touch that can only be fulfilled by him, and by the madness spiraling in his eyes, I can tell he feels the same way. I brush my lips against his, communicating something that I can’t say with words.

His head rises from my shoulder, his eyes softer than I have ever seen them before. They’re bright and shining with a million unspoken promises that I could adventure in forever. Comparing them to the moons and the stars that surround us would be an understatement of the complete and torturous beauty that they hold, and the fact that they are focused on me makes my intestines swirl and my stomach warm.

“I will never hurt you,” Anakin breathes, his fingers tracing the edge of my jaw. “I adore you more than you could ever imagine.”

My breathing comes out shaky, my legs trembling softly. I have never wanted to hide as much as I do now, to shy away from the intrusion of Anakin searching into me so deeply. I am scared to my core.

But, I also don’t think my heart has ever been in safer hands before.

“I believe you,” I murmur against his lips. Something passes through his face, an emotion deeper than I can understand, yet.

“Will you let me take care of you, then?”

“Yes.”

Anakin immediately scoops me into his strong arms, holding me like I am glass in his hands. He kisses my forehead tenderly, walking over to my bed and dropping me on it softly. I watch intently as he steps back, me following his every move as he works to take off his belt. His eyes are burning into my skin, but I don’t care. I am mesmerized by every inch of that he uncovers. He has sucked me in and now I am forever locked in the depths of Anakin Skywalker’s heart.

He unravels the many layers of his Jedi Robe until the tanned, sculpted plane of his chest is revealed. I drink him in like I am dying of thirst. I can’t bring myself to be ashamed of my eagerness. How can someone be so perfect? I would be irritated if I weren’t absolutely overcome with adoration and desire for this boy.

He walks forward, climbing onto the bed and hovering over me. I absorb every detail of his bare skin, the small, old scars that litter his chest and abs, the newer ones that stand out more than the others. Every detail is beautiful.

“If you keep staring at me like that y/n, this will be over before it even starts.”

My eyes snap back up to his, my cheeks warming at his insinuation and the fact that I was so obvious. “I’m sorry,” I mutter. My stomach squirms uncomfortably, a mixture of scorching heat and fluttering butterflies making me blush further.

His lips curl into a familiar smile, full of soft amusement. “Don’t be nervous,” he says gently, reading my expression. “I’m just as anxious as you. More, even,” He connects our lips again, the heat inside of me flaring. “I’ll make you feel good, I promise,” he assures me and rests his hands on the side of my hips. “You are everything I have ever dreamed of.”

I bring his lips against mine again, this time more urgently. I need him so badly I feel like I am going to burst into a million pieces. His hands eagerly explore every curve of my body, his fingers fumbling with the zipper on the back of my black dress, revealing that he might truly be as nervous as I am. “Is this okay?” Anakin asks as he slowly unzips me.

“More than okay,” I murmur against his lips, greedily attaching my mouth back to his. I touch every bit of his naked skin, feeling every possible thing that I can. Anakin pulls away as he slips my dress down, his eyes devouring me as more skin is uncovered.

“Force, you are so beautiful. So unbelievably perfect.”

I shiver as he brushes his fingertips against my collarbone, down the valley in between my breasts, across the rest of my torso, and pausing on my thighs. His eyes lock onto my black lace panties, and the amount of heat in his expression makes me want to run away and climb on top of him at the same time. His pink lips are parted and there’s a small blush that lines his cheeks and neck, causing him to look more ethereal than he usually does.

Anakin leans his head down, gently sucking on the skin of my lower abdomen. I gasp softly, my fingers running through his short curls as he continues mapping my skin with his lips. He looks up at me as he slides his hand beneath my back, finding the clasp of my bra. I nod, him immediately unclasping it and slipping the straps off of my shoulders.

I see the exact moment his eyes turn from bright, shining blue into pools of darkness as he looks at my completely bare skin. He curses under his breath, the sound hitting me deep in my core. His lips quickly move from my abdomen to my breasts, locking onto the sensitive skin of my nipple. I feel as though I could burst right then and there.

“Akakin,” I whimper, the stimulation he’s giving me affecting me more than I thought was possible. He kisses and sucks and worships me with his mouth, every flick of his tongue and movement of his mouth sending me higher than I’ve ever been. An overwhelming wave of need washes over me and out of pure instinct my hips push upwards, causing me to grind my softness against his hardness. He groans abruptly and I decide then and there that I will be trying to earn that sound from him for the rest of my life.

He starts grinding his hips against mine as he torments my sensitive skin with his lips, noises leaving both of our mouths relentlessly.

More, more, more, I need more.

It’s almost as if he hears my thoughts, him pulling away just for a moment to fumble with his trousers. He doesn’t even bother unbuttoning them, instead ripping them open and causing a couple of the buttons to fly off. Neither of us cares. I pull his lips back to mine, helping him pull them down. He quickly throws them across the room, leaving both him in only his briefs and me in only my panties.

“Need you,” he rasps, “so badly it hurts.”

“Then take me, Anakin. I’m all yours.”

“Oh, fuck,” he whines as his hips buck against mine.

I’m on fire. I’m engulfed in flames, my body pulsing and thrumming with desire that has been boiling inside of me for far too long. I reach for his briefs, pulling them down quickly.

Oh, Force.

I must have said that out loud. A grin appears on his lips as he watches me stare at him, absolutely dumbfounded. He must have been sculpted by a god. Sparks of straight lava go off in my lower stomach,something inside of me tightening. Despite that, worry shoots through me.

I can’t handle that.

“You can take it. I know you can. I’ll be so gentle, I promise, y/n,” Anakin says softly. How can I possibly burn even hotter than before? “I’ll take such good care of you.”

Anakin’s POV:

I have never been in so much pain–so much pleasure–one time in my life. Desire is coursing through my blood, causing every inch of my body to ache. To ache for her.

As I hook my digits in her panties, I watch every shift in her expression. If there were even the slightest bit of doubt or regret, I would never forgive myself for making her feel that. As much as I have dreamt of this, fantasized about every small thing we could do, the last thing I would want to happen is for me to make her uncomfortable. I couldn’t stand myself if I did.

But as I look into her eyes, I don’t even see the slightest bit of hesitation. I see desire that is just as intense as mine, passion, and trust.

I pull her down her panties slowly, forgetting how to breathe. I’ve forgotten how to function.

So insanely perfect.

During the nights when want coursed through my mind, when I would think of her at the latest hours and in the naughtiest, sinful ways, I never could have imagined her so breathtaking. I was never even close.

I must be in heaven.

Hell, likely.

Her chest rises and falls quickly, the sight of her full breasts and peaked nipples sending me into complete overdrive. I trail my eyes lower, making sure to drink in every bit of skin. I spread her legs slowly, my gaze locking on to her bare core.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Hold it together.

I run my hands up her thighs, not looking away from the sight of her open wide for me. For me. I kiss the inside of her thigh, moving closer and closer to where I yearn to be.

“So pretty. So fucking pretty,” I murmur, kissing higher and higher.

“Anakin- Ani, please.” She hooks her fingers in my hair and I almost lose it. Her voice is so pleading, so soft, so full of heat. Please. She could ask me anything like that and I would do it. If she asked me to kill a whole army of men I would do it and I’d do it gladly. Fuck the Jedi code, she is what I obey now.

“Please what, y/n?” I ask lowly as she pulls me back up to her face, my body hovering directly over hers. My nose brushes against hers, our breaths mingling together. I can feel the heat radiating from her core against me and I genuinely have no idea how I haven’t completely lost it yet.

“You. I need you, now, Ani.” She grinds her hips up against mine, her drenched cunt brushing against my cock. I make a broken noise, my head falling against her shoulder. I’m gone. Absolutely gone.

“Anything. I’ll give you anything,” I pant. I force myself to look at her, softening my eyes. “You’re sure you want to do this? I wasn’t- this wasn’t what I was planning to happen. You don’t have to do this, y/n.”

I’ve never wanted anything more. Not only to have all of her but to give her all of me. I’ve been hers for a long time. I can wait longer for her to be mine if that’s what she needs. I’ll wait forever. From the moment I met y/n, I didn’t belong to myself. I belonged to her. My heart hasn’t been my own for quite a while and nothing would change whether she wanted to do this with me or not.

“I want to. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” She kisses my cheek and I practically melt into a puddle in her hands. I am at her complete mercy.

My forehead drops against hers, my hand moving to rest on her hip. I let out a shaky breath, positioning myself up to her core, but not allowing myself to touch her yet.

“Tell me to stop at whatever time, okay? If it hurts I want you to tell me to stop.” She nods and kisses me softly, my heart beating so fast I’m sure she can hear it.

“I trust you more than anyone,” she whispers against my lips and kisses my shoulder, and I would probably fall to my knees by the sweetness of it if I were standing.

I look down at where our hips are inches apart, grabbing my base and sliding myself up at down her heat, both of us shivering deeply at the feeling.

This is going to be over far too fast.

I meet her eyes one final time, looking for any indication she wants to stop. All I see is an intense look of heat and adoration, that I’m sure is on my face just the same.

I line myself up, unable to look away from our hips so closely together. I find a hard time believing this is real, even though I’m feeling everything so intensely. Being here, being like this with y/n might be the death of me. I’d be lucky to die like this. I’d thank the god that allowed me to be so close to her, only if it were for one time.

Both of us take one deep breath as I shift forward, taking that final movement to push myself all the way into her.

And then my world is shattered.

Y/n’s POV:

Anakin falls forward, his forehead resting against mine as he connects us completely. A choked noise falls from Anakin’s mouth, a noise so wonderful I would do anything to hear it again. I hold on to him like I’m dying because I think that I am.

He doesn’t move, letting me adjust to the new feeling. The truth is, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to adjust to this. I feel so incredibly, overwhelmingly filled.

The first thing I feel is fullness, the next, sharp, stinging pain.

It’s a kind of pain that I would go through over and over again.

“Are you all right?” Anakin asks, his voice so full of worry it makes my insides go even crazier than before.

I take a deep breath, the pain slowly subsiding into something else. Something more intense. “Yes,” I plead, “you can move.”

Anakin stays still for another moment, before pulling all the way out of me and then plunging back in. My face twists, a completely indescribable feeling hitting me so hard I lose my breath. My mouth opens into a small “o” shape, small whimpers leaving my mouth as he moves slowly.

He’s being so gentle I could cry if I weren’t on the brink of exploding into a million small pieces.

He brings his lips down to mine, searing me in a kiss that could end worlds, create entire galaxies. As he continues to move, the pain fades away, bleeding into pleasure so extreme it’s like he’s sucking my soul out of my body and pushing it back in over and over again.

The noises that fall from his mouth I’m sure were sent from heaven just like the rest of him. Some of them are deep and guttural and sometimes when my body tightens around his, a small, whiny sound leaves his lips, each and every one causing pleasure to spike through me.

“You feel so f-fucking perfect. So tight. I can’t- fuck,” he groans loudly as my cunt clenches around him. It’s like my body is trying to trap him inside of me, like it’s trying to prevent him from ever leaving. He’s practically molding himself into me with how much I’m being stretched, my walls constricting and tightening with every deep thrust.

“Ani, so- so full,” I moan, my fingers hooking into his short curls, my eyes not being able to leave the sight of him thrusting in and out of me.

“I know, I know. You’re taking me so well, doing such a good job, y/n.”

If I didn’t know for sure that Anakin was a virgin before this, I wouldn’t have ever believed he was. It’s like he knows exactly what spots to hit, how hard to go, and what will make me spiral.

Full is now not the right word. Complete is.

I watch his face as he looks at where his cock is impaling me over and over again, a complete look of awe on his face. His lips are parted and his eyebrows are scrunched, everything indicating that he’s in just as intense a state of pleasure that I am, maybe even more so.

His hand snakes in between our bodies, his thumb reaching my clit and pressing softly. My eyes squeeze shut, sparks going off and short-circuiting my brain. “Ani- Anakin,” I cry.

“Being so g-good for me. It’s like you were fucking made to take me, y/n,” Anakin groans as he slams his cock into me so deeply I feel like I’m being split in half. My eyes roll back, my back arching instinctively, pulling a sound that’s almost a whimper out of Anakin. “Beautiful, so beautiful.”

My pussy clenches around him so tightly I’m almost worried it hurt him, but he makes the loudest, most broken noise that I’ve heard come out of him yet.

“I- I- y/n, I can’t hold on. You feel too good, it’s too much.” His face falls into the crook of my neck, my arms cradling his head softly. He thrusts into me relentlessly while still keeping his movements gentle. I moan loudly into his ear, something in my lower stomach tightening and tightening. “Keep making those pretty noises, y/n. Please.”

The almost begging tone in his voice causes my heart to swell in my chest. He sounds so beautiful. I push my hips up to meet his, creating friction that causes both of us to let out excruciatingly loud moans. “An- Anakin-” His eyes roll back and his hips stutter, his thrusts becoming desperate.

“Fuck, fuck,” He hisses, “you’re squeezing me so fucking tight. Doing so, so amazing.” He rubs his thumb faster against my clit, my mind going completely blank. His groans turn into whimpers as his thrusts get sloppier, him clutching onto my hips so tightly they would probably leave bruises in the morning. I don’t think he realizes it, since he would immediately stop if he did, but I want to have marks. I want to have a reminder of what’s happening right now.

I feel this unexplainable tingling in my abdomen, the pleasure becoming so immense it’s like I could physically snap.

“Come for me, y/n. Let me feel you, okay? You’re safe with me,” he says softly, and the words make the rubberband inside of me tighten. I pull his lips to mine, both of our moans mixing. And as I wrap one of my legs around his back, he slides so deep into me it’s like I can feel him from my face to the bottom of my toes.

“Ani, I’m gonna- I think-” I cry out, sparks of white flashing behind my eyelids and my toes curling.

“Y/n, y/n, y/n,” Anakin pants as he pushes into me one final time.

And then, the world erupts around us.

My eyes squeeze shut, my fingers tightening in Ani’s hair as he slumps on top of me, his face nuzzling into my neck. My mind goes fuzzy, everything turning into a blur around me as I hold on to him for dear life.

Anakin’s body twitches and practically melts into my arms as he fills me to the brim, his hips still moving in and out softly, riding us through our insanely intense highs.

“Anakin, oh, force,” I whimper.

“I know. I know,” he mumbles into my neck. He presses soft kisses on my throat and collarbone, rubbing my hips with his thumbs softly. He pulls back after letting us catch our breath, a sudden look of worry on his face. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“It was perfect, Ani. Don’t worry, okay? You were so, so perfect,” I reassure him, kissing his jaw.

I notice the hint of vulnerability in his eyes and I bring my lips to his softly, wanting to wish away every bit of his insecurity. “You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of,” Anakin whispers against my lips,

“You’re my love. My home.”

Note: I really hope this isn’t super insanely boring, lol. This was my first time ever writing smut or anything like this at all, so don’t go too hard on me! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! If anyone has any suggestions on things you want me to write, I’d be happy to do it. <3

[galactic-rhea]

It's ranting hours sunday for me: Y' know, I think when people complain soooo much about Padmé getting with Anakin, they're failing to see a lot of things. BUT ESPECIALLY...That it was her choice, and if speaks a lot of her character and personality.

She was already done dirty by the movies by getting so many deleted scenes, but then if you try to take away the agency she had on marrying a human disaster or her choices, like her forgiveness/understanding, it's actually undermining and flattening her character.

The fact is that she's actually very similar to Anakin, she's stubborn, deeply traumatized, compromises a lot for the sake of others and loves beyond reasoning. We, the audience, know that Anakin will become Darth Vader and one of the most iconic villains of history; so everything he does can be seem as a red flag that really isn't there.

From Padmé's POV, Anakin has done terrible things, but it's capable of incredible acts of love and compassion. They're in circumstances that aren't normal at all, she was queen at 14, and he was born a slave and joined the space wizard monks and his normal is kill or be killed. Our modern and omniscient POV can't be applied onto them because there's no point of comparison in this sci-fi-shakespearen tragedy-soap-opera-fantasy.

Besides...she was actually right in the end, and I don't believe is "feminist" or progressive to take away a big part of her core personality, that actually had repercussions in the whole story, and make her out to be either unaware and naive of marrying a monster, or (the worst one, imo) being jedi-mind-tricked-brainwashed-abused by her husband.

The "right, correct, girlboss and queen" actitude does more damage than help, leave Padmé to be a person. A person who wanted to have a fairytale romance with some guy who would fight for her and makes her laugh.

Also, the hell why you wanna blame her for something Anakin does, come on. That's a whole other can of worms, though. My point is, that trying to avoid or re-work-or re-contextualize the fact that she chose Anakin despite him literally telling her about murdering a whole village, is actually changing a big chunk of her personality traits.

She was a child queen, then a politician at the edge of an inminent war, manipulated by the same guy that groomed Anakin into a massive murderer, saw her people being taken into camps, had assasination attempts weekly and had to rip off of her individualism by becoming a public figure, giving up her sense of being a person by having several almost identical decoys, she had to stop being just Padmé to be Queen and then Senator Amidala and she did all of that showing little to no emotion.

Then Anakin does all what she herself had to rip off of her in order to be a politician: Honest, passionate, and able to show emotions; like love or anger.

She has morals and she represents democracy and justice, in a way. But I fully believe that inside her she had the same passionate anger and love capable of burning the galaxy that we know Anakin had, which makes them different sides of the same coin, and I think she realized that. Anakin perhaps didn't , as he never stopped of seeing himself as a slave and therefore inferior, whereas he held Padmé very highly, but I think Padmé saw them both as equals. She didn't have a "I can fix him" mentality, she had a "We're the same, we're both lonely, confused, hurting and scared of losing everything. And if he's like me, then I know he can do the right thing for love."

In other words: She was as insane as her husband, she only seems normal because she wasn't put into the monk warrior order and groomed by the devil for over a decade. (And I don't mean insane as, 'she's crazy for loving a murderer' harley quinn style, I just meant it on a daring, hopeless romantic and tenacious way)

[saphronethaleph]

Storms and Urge

Padme Amidala opened her office door, and tried to show only the smile as her reaction to her junior partner, Representative Binks.

They’d been working together for two years, now, and it was… still an experience.

“Oh, heyo there Senator!” Jar Jar said, waving, and trying to hide something behind his back. “How has yousa been?”

“The Senate is… the same as always,” Padme replied. “What are you trying to hide, Jar Jar?”

Jar Jar looked surprised. “Yousa think mesa is tryin’ to hide something?”

“I could tell by your awkward pose,” Padme replied, with a smile. “And the way the thing you’re trying to hide is almost as big as you are.”

“Aww…” Jar Jar said, then sighed and turned around. “Mesa got yousa some new guard animals!”

Sure enough, the thing Jar Jar had been carrying was a pet carrier, containing two sleepy-looking canines which each looked like they weighed about twenty pounds.

“Theysa still little!” Jar Jar declared. “Mesa accompanied some gungs on a big journey to a planet with lotsa weird plants, theysa had plenty of metal in theirsa trunks. And some of these guys got hurt, an’ the big ones are bombad nasty! But the little ones seemed nice to mesa, and they didn’t have parents no more, and… mesa thought… it’d be nice?”

The gungan’s voice got more nervous with every word as he got to the end of his explanation, and Padme looked at the canines before turning back to Jar Jar.

He was doing better puppy eyes than the actual canines.

“All right,” she said. “We’ll try them out here in the office suite, but if they become too difficult to manage we’ll have to sort out another home for them.”

“Okey-dokey!” Jar Jar said, nodding firmly.

He followed her into the suite, putting down the carrier on the floor, then opened it and took out one of the canines.

Despite his words about the adults being nasty, this one certainly seemed more sleepy than anything, yawning and flicking a short tail before padding over to the nearest couch and inspecting it.

Then it jumped up onto the couch, turned around in a circle, and sat.

“It’s a good thing we have plenty of chairs,” Padme chuckled. “Do you know what they eat?”

“Theysa liked fish,” Jar Jar provided. “An’ Tarpals helped mesa train them in house!”

That took a moment for Padme to parse, and she offered her hand to the other canine to sniff.

It made a sort of buzzing noise, tail waving, and Padme frowned.

“...what’s up with their tails?” she asked. “That doesn’t look natural.”

“Mesa thinks… they got hurt in the fightin’?” Jar Jar said, uncertainly. “Mesa is not sure, though.”

“Well, we’ll see how they work out,” Padme declared. “I’m sure training some feral predators from an unknown world will be a nice respite from dealing with the Senate.”

Some hours later, Padme was most of the way through the data work, and one of the young canines was snoozing next to her chair.

She wasn’t really sure if they were just sleepy or actively nocturnal, and if the latter was true then there might be a more serious problem keeping them occupied. But Jar Jar had certainly seemed proud of himself, and if she was going to reject the little creatures she wanted to have a solid reason at the very least.

Then the canine next to her rolled upright, and began growling. A similar growl came from elsewhere in the office, and Padme frowned.

“Captain Typho?” she asked, reaching for her comlink. “Is there anything wrong?”

“Nothing at the moment, Senator,” the captain of her security services replied. “The Chancellor’s just arriving for his meeting. I’ve cleared him already.”

The door to the office opened a moment later, and Chancellor Palpatine stepped through.

“Senator, I’m glad to-” he began, and both canines’ claws skittered against the floor of the office as they lunged. The sudden burst of speed completely caught Padme by surprise, while Jar Jar let out a yelp of pain that suggested he’d just been used as a launchpad.

“Stop!” Padme tried to order, even knowing there was no way the canines would respond to her voice instructions this early – knowing that only tone of voice could possibly stop them from attacking the Chancellor.

It didn’t.

One of them tried to bite Palpatine’s knees off, the other sprang towards his hand, and the Chancellor waved his arm to fling the one who’d attacked his hand against a window-

-Padme stared.

He’d done it without actually touching the canine? Was he a Jedi?

The second canine bounced off the window, rolled and pounced again, this time going for the Chancellor’s throat, and his hand dipped into his robes before bringing out a lightsaber. It flashed ruby-red as he swung it – only for the first canine to bite his wrist extremely hard, forcing the ‘saber to drop from suddenly-nerveless fingers.

“Get off me, you pests!” Palpatine shouted, his voice full of an anger Padme had never heard from him before, and lightning fizzed out to strike one of the canines. It actually endured being struck by lightning quite well, and a second afterwards the other one tore Palpatine’s throat out.

The Chancellor collapsed, looking quite surprised, and both canines abruptly stopped attacking and began wagging their tails.

Then, while Padme was still staring, the Chancellor exploded.

“...must have been a Sith,” Mace Windu said. “It’s the only explanation.”

He glanced at the pair of somewhat battered canines, trying extremely hard to escape from their carrier and savage him. “These little animals must react strongly to the Force.”

“Mesa had no idea!” Jar Jar said, trying extremely hard to hold on to the carrier. “Mesa did not mean for this to happen!”

“You exposed a Sith by accident?” Mace asked, sounding amused.

Padme was thinking hard.

“The other Sith, the one that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fought,” she said. “He was working with the Trade Federation, wasn’t he? During the Naboo crisis, he was on Tatooine and then he was blocking us…”

“I see the direction of your thoughts,” Mace replied. “If the whole Naboo crisis was caused by the Sith, then the goal may never have been about your planet at all. The goal may have been to raise Palpatine to the position of Chancellor, through sympathy for your planet’s plight.”

“Hesa very big-nasty,” Jar Jar summarized. “Mesa not sorry about what happened to himsa any more.”

[jediavengers]

I know you’re in love with him

WARNINGS: Smut, p in v, choking, oral (f recieving), dirty talk, dom!anakin, sub!reader, unestablished relationship

WORD COUNT: 4.3k

Summary: Anakin find out a little too much when eavesdropping on Y/N and Padmé.

"I can't thank you two enough for coming here on such short notice."

The sound of birds chirping and the feeling of the golden warm sun calmed both Anakin and Y/N, which made them kindly smile to the Senator in front of them.

"Of course, Padme. Anything for a friend." Y/N pulled Padme into a embrace. Anakin stood back, letting the two reunite.

As they pulled away, Padme politely nodded to Anakin. "I'm sorry to pull you away from more pressing duties, but it seems like my life is on the line yet again."

"Don't apologize." Y/N insisted. "Besides, we'd both rather be on Naboo for a few weeks then be fighting in the war. It's exhausting."

Anakin nodded in agreement. "It's kind of like a vacation for us."

Padme smiled at them both. "I'm glad you guys have some downtime then. I doubt anyone is going to try to hurt me here, but they just wanted someone to stay with me until the threat is caught." After a few more minutes of catching up, Padme began to lead them inside.

Y/N and Anakin had been to her lake house before, but the beauty of the interior still didn't fail to make them both look around in awe.

"I'll show you to your room." Padme gestured for them to follow her, leading them down a long hallway. "Here."

Padme opened a large oak door, leading them inside. As they walked in, Y/N's jaw dropped at the sight. A beautiful four poster king sized bed sat on one end of the room, and on the other end was a living space. An attached bathroom with two large doors that were wide open was on one wall, and Y/N could see the large jacuzzi that was implanted in the floor.

Even though it was glorious, her mind was on one thing. There was only one bed. Anakin's mind had drifted there too, obvious confusion and concern adorning his features.

"Padme, it's beautiful but.. There's only one bed." Anakin spoke, setting down his and Y/N's bags on the ground.

"Sorry about that, but I wanted to make sure you guys got the best room of the house." Padme smiled excitedly. "It's almost as nice as the master. I figured since you two have had a lot going on, as well as the fact that i'm taking you away from more pressing matters, you would enjoy a nice room like this."

"I love it- i really do, but um.. would it be possible for me to stay in a separate room?" Y/N asked.

"Do you not like it?" Padme frowned, sadly looking around at her decor.

Anakin shook his head quickly. "No, no, we both love it. It's just, one bed and there two of us."

"It's a king sized bed, i'm sure you'll have plenty of your own space." Padme smirked, causing Y/N to furrow her eyebrows. "Well, feel free to get unpacked. I'm going to go check if the chef has started on dinner yet." Padme gave no time for interjections, leaving the two Jedi alone.

Padme shut the door behind her, causing Y/N and Anakin to awkwardly stare at each other for a couple moments. Eventually, Y/N turned away, walking over to what she assumed was a closet. She began to unpack her clothes, hanging her robes and other pieces of clothing up. She left her panties and bras in her bag, figuring it would be better to hide them away.

"I'm sorry." Anakin spoke.

Y/N confusedly turned to him, furrowing her eye brows. "Sorry? For what?" She questioned, zipping up her bag.

"For having to share a room." Anakin shrugged. "I mean, it's not ideal. I'll try not to hog the bed."

"No, it's okay." Y/N turned back around, placing her bag in the closet. "We're best friends, it's not that big of a deal."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Y/N had gone to spend some girl time with Padme a few hours ago after dinner, leaving Anakin to have some time for himself. He was nervous, but honestly excited, about sharing a bed with Y/N so he took some time to calm his nerves.

After leaving them alone for a while, he figured he could give them some company. Stepping out of his room, he began to walk to Padmés room.

As he approached her room, he heard their voices through the door.

"God, I just wish there were some suitable men." Padme groaned. Anakin could hear shuffling through the cracked door, making him flinch and back away a few steps.

"I know there's someone out there for you, Mae. What's your type? Maybe I could hook you up with someone." Y/N suggested, chuckling at the finish of her sentence.

"You? Set me up with someone? I'm sorry, Y/N/N, but you're a Jedi. You don't know many men who are on the market." Padme replied.

"I guess you're right. Anyways, so tell me, what is your type?" Y/N asked again. Anakin could hear a heavy sigh and then a groan.

"I guess.. I like guys with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Tall, obviously. Oh and I don't like super sensitive men. Like grow up, ya know?" Padme ranted, making Y/N laugh.

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows at the last comment, but continued listening.

"What about you, Y/N? What's your type?" Padme questioned.

"I don't have a type." Y/N answered.

"Come on, Y/N/N. Even though you're not allowed to have attachments you can still think guys are hot." Padme teased, making Y/N giggle. "Come on girl, tell me."

"Fine. I guess.. Blonde curly hair. But not platinum blonde, more like a dirty blonde. Blue eyes.. Tall, muscular but not beefy. And ambition is really attractive. Loyalty and bravery. Oh and I love a man who's dominant." Y/N rambled, making a light blush appear on Anakin's cheeks.

"For someone who isn't supposed to have attachments and doesn't have a 'type', it sounds like you're describing a certain someone down to every small detail." Padme giggled. Anakin leaned against the wall, trying to hear them better. His heart fluttered followed by his stomach twisting.

Anakin heard a thump and then a soft groan, followed by Y/N huffing. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Don't hit me! And of course you don't." Padme teased. "It's not like you just described Anakin almost perfectly. The one thing you're forgetting about him is that he's a big baby. I don't know how you can handle being around him that often. He's such a whiner!" Anakin frowned deeply, folding his arms across his chest.

"Hey!" Y/N snapped. "First of all, don't say that. He's just sensitive. Second of all, I was not describing Anakin!"

Padme let out a loud cackle, another thump and groan sounded after a moment. "I said that to get a rise out of you. And save it, Y/N I know you're in love with him."

Anakin's heart rate quickened, and he couldn't help but smile softly.

"Love? Seriously? If anything I just think he'd be good in bed." Y/N snorted. "I've had casual hookups before with no attachment, so thinking he's attractive isn't against the code."

"Whatever you say." Padme answered. "All I know is that friends don't look at friends that way."

There was a few moments of silence, causing Anakin to assume the conversation was over. Just as he was about to walk away, Padme began to speak again.

"You know, I'd bet if you asked him to fuck you he probably would."

"Padme!" Y/N scolded. "What's the matter with you?"

Loud giggles erupted and Anakin couldn't help but smirk. "Even though I wouldn't mind getting laid, I couldn't do that. Especially not with him. The council would flip if they knew two of their Jedi fucked each other, not to mention the fact that he's the chosen one and all."

"I guess." Padme whispered. "Good thing you're not on Coruscant right now.. No one would know."

"Mae, you can be such a bad influence, I swear." Y/N's tone of voice was irritated. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm never having sex with Anakin, as much as I'd like to." Anakin's eyes widened at the last statement, and he could feel his pants become uncomfortable as his mind began to wander.

"So you admit it! You do want him!"

"Fine. Yes. But even though I may feel something for him, I could never act on it." Y/N softly replied.

"At least you get to share a bed."

"Yeah, about that, what the hell were you thinking? Putting us in a room together?" Y/N shouted.

"Quiet down, unless you want Anakin to hear us." Padme whisper screamed. "I told you why I did it. I did it so you guys could have the nicest suite."

"Cut the bullshit, Ms. Matchmaker. I know for a fact every room in this damn house is nicer than any bedroom i've ever had." Y/N replied.

"Fine. You guys just needed a little shove, okay? You both are stubborn and would never admit to your feelings, so why not help out a little?" Padme reasoned. "Come on, just admit it. You know you like sharing a bed with him."

After a few more minutes of eavesdropping, Anakin backed away. Heading back to their shared room, he closed the door and began to nervously pace.

It wasn't long after that Y/N had entered, oblivious of Anakin's newfound knowledge. As she walked in, Anakin stopped pacing, facing her with his brows furrowed.

"You good?" She rose her brows, heading over to the closet.

"Yes! I- i mean yes." Anakin's voice was high pitched at first, but he quickly deepened it.

"Uh- alright." Y/N grabbed her pajamas, walking to the bathroom. "I'm going to get changed."

Y/N braided her soft Y/H/C hair, the thick locks falling over her shoulder. She slipped on her pajamas, the less revealing pair that she brought. She thought she would be having her own room, so most of her pajamas consisted of either satin nighties or thin and very revealing night dresses. She did pack one less suggestive pair of pajamas, which was a matching button up and shorts. It was black with small pink hearts adorning it. The trim was a matching pink, and the shorts had a satin bow.

She felt childish, but they sure were comfortable. After Y/N finished getting ready to sleep, she took a breath and exited the bathroom.

She internally groaned when she saw Anakin laying on the bed. He was under the duvet, but she could see his upper half which was bare. He had his flesh arm draped over his eyes, not noticing that she had come out of the bathroom.

Y/N stayed quiet, walking over to the closet and placing her dirty clothes in a hamper that was provided.

"Aw, your pajamas have little hearts on them!" Anakin laughed, causing Y/N to turn back so she could glare at him.

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes, walking over to the bed. She slipped under the covers, giving them a good amount of personal space. "At least i'm not shirtless."

"Hey, I don't like to sleep with one on. It's uncomfortable." Anakin defended, which made her furrow her eye brows and shoot him a glare.

"Whatever."

Y/N's irritated demeanor was definitely from the conversation her and Padmé had earlier. Her sexual frustration as she well as the fact that Padmé called her out for her obvious feelings for Anakin made her on edge. Especially since these feelings had been building for years and this is the first time someone had called her out for it.

After a few moments of silence, she felt the bed shift, which caused her to glance over at Anakin. His expression was unreadable, but the fact that he was slowly inching towards her made her swallow nervously.

"What did you and Padme talk about?" He asked in a sing song voice. He was now right next to her, laying on his stomach with his chin resting in his hands.

"Girl stuff." She shortly replied, furrowing her eyebrows at his weird behavior. Slightly uncomfortable since she was in fact talking about him with Padme, she picked at her nails.

"Girl stuff? Like the guys you want to fuck?"

Y/N's head shot up to look at him. His head was still in his hands and he had a goofy grin on his face. "I have no clue what you're talking about." She looked back down at her hands, resuming the picking she was doing to her cuticles.

"That's not what I heard." He sang, sitting up. Y/N dead panned, looking up to meet his blue eyes. "Are you seriously going to make me say it outright? i heard you, Y/N. I heard that you want to fuck me."

"Uhhhh-" Y/N shot out of the bed, her heart racing. She wasn't one to face her problems, she usually avoided them.

"Hey! Where are you going!?" Anakin shouted, standing up as well.

"What? Sorry can't hear you!" Y/N croaked, rushing to the door. Guess she'd be sleeping in Padmé's room tonight.

But right before she could leave, Anakin grasped her wrist and spun her around so they were now facing each other. His face was no longer teasing, but now it was serious.

"Come on, Y/N/N. We need to talk about this." He spoke, furrowing his eyebrows.

"There's nothing to talk about, Anakin. You invaded my privacy. I wasn't going to say anything to you for a reason." Y/N snapped, glaring up at him.

"Why not?" He conveniently ignored the invasion of privacy comment, making Y/N roll her eyes. "Why weren't you going to say anything?" He was still gripping her wrist which made Y/N nervously swallow.

"We're not having this conversation. Now let me go." Y/N sternly spoke, looking up into Anakin's blue eyes. She could feel her self control slipping.

"No, you don't just get to act like you didn't say what you said. You can't leave me hanging." Anakin pleaded.

"You invaded my privacy, you twat. You found out something I wanted no one to know. You and l both know we're not supposed to have attachments so i'm not-"

"Fuck the code. I don't care." His voice was deadly, which made Y/N freeze and gulp nervously. "I've been controlling myself for years now. I haven't done or said anything because I wasn't going to do that to you. Not if you didn't feel the same. But, fuck, you do feel the same and now I can't not have you."

"What are you saying?" Y/N whispered, searching his cerulean eyes.

"I'm saying that I not only want to fuck you but I want you. Not just your body. I love you." His words were quiet and strained.

Y/N's eyes widened, and after a moment, all self control was gone. Their lips were smashed together perfectly, their bodies shoved against each other. Y/N was slammed against the wall, all sense of gentleness thrown out the window. 

Anakin's hands were gripping her hips and her hands were tangled in his curly blonde hair. Their kisses were quick and rough, teeth clashing and lips already growing sore from the desperate roughness.

"Need you." Anakin spoke in between kisses, his hands finding their way down to her ass and cupping it. He squeezed it firmly, making her whimper into his mouth.

"Then have me."

That gave him the permission to do what he's always wanted to do. He picked her up, their lip lock not breaking as he carried her over to the bed. He threw her onto the plush mattress, their kiss breaking momentarily.

He crawled on top of her, running his hands all over her body before smashing his lips back onto hers. Y/N swiped her tongue against his bottom lip, asking for entrance. He complied, letting their tongues meet in a messy battle of dominance.

Anakin's hand found her breast, squeezing it firmly through her shirt as he continued kissing her. He broke the lip lock, letting his kisses find their way to her neck. He wasn't being merciful. he immediately started harshly sucking on her sensitive skin, bruises sure to form.

Y/N arched her back a small amount as he found an extra sensitive spot, making Anakin smirk against her skin. His kisses traveled down until he let go completely, wetting his lips as his hands ran their way down to her shorts. Without wasting another second, he yanked her pajama shorts down, taking her underwear with them. He immediately spread her legs, taking in the sight of her dripping sex.

"Fuck." Anakin whispered. "So wet." He took his index finger and thumb, spreading apart her slick folds so he could have a better look at her soaked hole. "All for me?" He teased, not taking his eyes off of her tight cunt.

Y/N's cheeks burned red and she embarrassedly covered her face with her hands. "Ah ah ah," Anakin tutted. With his free hand he swatted her hands away. "Look at me when i'm touching you." Y/N took a shaky breath and looked back down at him, wetting her lips as her eyes met his. "Atta girl."

Without any foreplay or warning, Anakin shoved his face into her pussy, his lips attaching to her clit immediately. His vigor made Y/N arch her back and let out a loud moan.

She wasn't expecting him to touch her so roughly as quickly as he did, but Maker, did it feel good. "Anakin!" She cried out, making him pull away and give her a stern look.

"Gotta stay quiet for me, Angel." He purred, immediately attaching his lips back to her swollen clit.

Her moans were now soft and quiet, eager to listen to his demands. Anakin ran his tongue up and down her slick pussy, wanting her to feel every touch and every movement of his tongue. He slowly pushed one finger into her cunt, making her bite down on her fist to suppress the sounds she was so eager to release. As she arched her back, Anakin shoved his face harder into her pussy, quickening his pace so he could bring her to her orgasm.

He swiftly added another finger, pumping in and out of her hole with such ease and vigor that made her whole body tremble.

She was basically a mewling mess, which made Anakin smirk into her pussy. He could feel her walls clench around his fingers, signaling she must be close to her orgasm. He didn't stop his movements, he continued to desperately lap at her clit and dip his fingers in and out of her.

"Fuck! Ani- i'm so-" Y/N was too caught up in the pleasure to finish her words, instead, she bucked her hips up to his face, needing more.

Anakin knew what she wanted, so he harshly sucked at her clit and added a third finger, causing Y/N's back to arch so much that it began to hurt.

Anakin curled his fingers in her sopping cunt, brushing against her spongey g-spot she so desperately needed stimulated.

"Im-" She began to speak, but her impending orgasm interrupted her. Instead of finishing her words, her slick gushed all over Anakin's face and fingers. He didn't slow down his pace, causing her whole body to twitch and tremble in pleasure and overstimulation. "Oh- oh my g-god!" she whimpered as he eased her out of her orgasm.

He eventually pulled away, the lower half of his face completely soaked in her cum. He had a cheeky smirk on his face as he sucked her juices off of his fingers. Anakin wiped away her slick off of his chin with his bare arm, not taking his eyes off of her as he did so.

Her heart was pounding as he looked deep into her eyes, and as he slowly inched towards her so he was hovering over her, she felt small. Anakin smirked at her shyness, so to distract her, he began to unbutton her pajama shirt. He let it fall off her shoulders, exposing her skimpy black bra.

"For someone who wasn't expecting to get fucked, this sure is a slutty little thing." Anakin snapped her bra strap making Y/N shiver. She was still trembling from her orgasm, and couldn't help but whimper as she thought about how his cock would soon be buried into her cunt. Anakin unclipped her bra and groaned lowly as he saw her perky breasts, her nipples already hardened. She had goosebumps erupt on her body now that she was completely naked. "Tell me what you want." Anakin whispered, beginning to softly kiss her neck again. "Tell me."

"I-" Y/N shakily began. "I need you!" She whined.

"What do you need me to do, baby?" Anakin pulled away from her neck, grinning down at her. Y/N couldn't help but roll her eyes at his cockiness, but still gave in.

"Need you inside of me." She cried, huffing and tugging on the waistband of his sweatpants.

Anakin hummed. "Alright, if that's what you really want." He quickly pulled down his sweatpants, throwing them off to the side. He was left in black boxer briefs and Y/N could see the tent his length made through the material.

Making eye contact with her, he slowly pulled down his boxers, biting his lip as he saw her reaction. Y/N whimpered at the sight of his thick length, wondering how the fuck that would fit in her little hole.

"Don't you worry pretty girl, i'm gonna make that pretty little pussy feel so good." Anakin wrapped his large hand around his cock, pumping it a few times before he spread her legs again and rubbed it through her folds, still slick from her first orgasm. "All for me." He whispered under his breath.

Y/N wrapped her legs around his waist and bucked her hips, desperate to be filled. Anakin complied, slowly pushing his cock into her needy cunt.

"Fuck!" She threw her head back and let out a shaky breath, digging her fingernails into his back.

Anakin hissed at the feeling and continued to sink himself into her pussy. As he bottomed out, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. His gentleness soon subsided, him drawing his cock out of her tight hole and shoving it back in with a single thrust.

They formed a steady, rough rhythm, his cock stretching her walls out so much that her legs were shaking. One hand held himself up, sitting next to her head. He gripped the sheets, and with his other hand, he snuck it onto her neck. Squeezing her throat lightly, it made her roll her eyes back into her head from bliss.

"That's it," Anakin groaned, continuing to vigorously thrust into her cunt. Y/N could feel his cock touch every part of her, something that no man had ever truly fulfilled.

"A-Ani!" Y/N whined, digging her heels into his lower back.

"Shhh," Anakin bit down on her earlobe and gently squeezed her throat again. "Gotta stay quiet for me, pretty girl."

Y/N's mouth was wide open and she complied with his request, the sounds in her throat subsiding. Her boobs bounced as he continued to thrust into her, Anakin placing the hand that was once around her throat on her right boob. As he continued to pound her relentlessly, he kneaded and squeezed one of her breasts while he sucked and bit the other one.

Anakin spoke sweet nothings to her, pushing her towards her impending orgasm. It was beginning to grow nearly impossible for Y/N not to make any sounds, so she clasped one hand over her lips while the other tugged at Anakin's blonde curls.

"Fuck baby, you feel so good." Anakin purred, throwing his head back as he thrusted into her.

"Anakin- Anakin i'm so close!" She whined, closing her eyes and letting her lips part in heavenly bliss.

"Yeah? You're gonna cum for me? You're gonna cum on my cock?" Anakin chided, squeezing the boob that he was still kneading.

Y/N nodded vigorously, wrapping her arms around his neck and whimpering quietly. "I'm gonna- i'm gonna come, Ani!"

Her walls clenched harder around his cock, pushing him towards the edge. "Hold on baby, i'm almost there." He began to thrust harder and faster, making it so they could come undone together. "Okay pretty girl, cum on my cock."

Y/N arched her back and let out a pathetic whine, the walls of her cunt clenching around his fat cock. She felt herself gush all over his length just as spurts of his cum shot into her quivering pussy. "Oh my god-" She moaned, scratching her nails down his toned back.

"Fuck, yes," Anakin let out a small whimper which made Y/N cum even harder, loving the sounds he was making.

After they rode out their highs, Anakin pulled out and collapsed next to her, the both of them breathing heavily. He wasted no time pulling her close, wrapping his long arms around her trembling and sweaty figure.

Y/N hummed clinging onto him. Their sweaty skin stuck together and the smell of sex filled the air. It was quiet for a few moments before Y/N spoke up.

"What the fuck did we just do?" She whispered, burying her face in his neck. She was still slightly out of breath.

"We just fucked."

"Anakin, i'm serious." Y/N whined, slapping his chest. "We just broke about 20 different rules."

"I don't care." Anakin shrugged, pulling her closer and pressing a soft kiss on her sweaty forehead. "I love you, and i'm not going to let the code get in the way of that."

Y/N leaned up, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you too."

[phoward89]

Banner by me, dividers by @saradika-graphics

Based on this ask

Head Gamemaker!Coriolanus Snow, Young Politician!Coriolanus Snow, Coriolanus and Reader are 25 in this.

Warnings! Cussing, Premature labor, mention of suicide, mention of death, heavy angst, underage smoking um I think that's it...

Hate That I Love You

There's an old saying that goes 'There's a fine line between love and hate'. An old saying that would ring true about your relationship with Coriolanus Snow.

Coriolanus needed to marry for power and money in order to cement his path to political (presidential) success. Which is why he married you.

Lucky you…

Anyways, he brokered an arranged marriage with your step-father, who was a high ranking general in the Peacekeepers, by reminding him that your real father Colonel Halvir had served with his father, General Crassus Snow. That they had died together in the woods of 12 by the hands of rebels and it's only fitting that the heirs of both military greats marry.

Honestly, he just wanted your step-father’s money and political support. What better way to get a seat on the war council then to marry the step-daughter of the Head Of The War Department.

Yea, your step-father was given that position after Dr. Gaul met a tragic and accidental death. It's such a pity that she ‘accidently’ slipped and fell into a tank of deadly mutts.

Well, Coriolanus was given her position as Head Gamemaker at only 23 while your family got an even bigger boost in political power.

Of course, your step-father agreed to the match. Your mother was leery about it and your older brother, Rein, honestly didn't give a shit since he was off in one of the districts serving as a peacekeeper. Your younger half-brother, Darius, thought that you were marrying a cold blooded snake.

Oh, how he couldn't be more spot on if he tried.

9 months of marriage (7 of them being pregnant) and your husband was still cold and offish to you. He seemed to avoid you, unless he wanted to get his dick wet.

Hell, he even avoided eating meals with you.

It was a miracle that he even ate Sunday dinners with you, considering he would grab the plate you made up for him and take it to his private study to eat.

All alone and locked away from you. As if you disgusted him.

You'd be lying if you said it didn't bother you, because it did. It hurts (especially since you were pregnant) having a husband that hates you. What makes it worse is that you fell in love with the cold hearted bastard. You don't even know how you managed to do that, but you did.

And on top of everything, your pregnancy wasn't the easiest one either. Even though you’re young, you've been extremely stressed (of course you're stressed, look at who your husband is) and your OBGYN told you that you needed to calm down or else you'd be at risk for a few health issues.

Mostly high blood pressure and…well…you didn't even want to think about the other one the doctor mentioned.

Of course, since your husband’s too busy campaigning for the Senate (he claimed that he needed to become a Senator before he could even think about running for President) he never went to any of your appointments. He offered though. He always offered to go with you, but you always waved him off and told him to worry about his campaign.

That you'd be fine going to the doctor by yourself.

But the truth was, you just couldn't handle pretending to be a happy couple in at the doctor's office. It was easier to let everyone at OBGYN’s office to believe that Coriolanus was busy with his political ambitions along with being the head gamemaker then having them see how uninterested he was in your pregnancy.

How fake his smiles were; how his hands shook with disgust when holding yours.

You were afraid the little cracks in the facade you put on with Coriolanus for the public would crack in the doctor's office. It was too much of a close, intimate setting for the cracks not to be easily hidden.

It wasn't like when he drags you around to galas, showing you off on your arm to the right people only to shoo you off to talk to the rich Capitol housewives. You didn't spend too much time at galas with him. You spent your time playing the part of a pretty perfect housewife that got along with other rich women while your husband spent his time networking.

Talk about your husband, Coriolanus was currently in staring at his reflection in the floor length mirror near the closet while tying his red and black damask tie in a Windsor knot. He looked perfectly handsome today. His platinum hair (Which you were shocked to find out was natural. Say what?!) was perfectly styled and slicked back with gel and his face was freshly shaved. Like always, he was dressed in one of his custom suits that cost more than what somebody in the mines, fields, and factories of the districts made in a month.

It was a black one with a matching waistcoat. Which was a far cry from all white and various shades of red he wore.

Hell, it wasn't just him that wore white and various shades of red, but you too since he deemed what dresses were in your closet. Eh, at least he had his cousin design you some pink dresses to wear in-between all the white and reds he curses you with.

Pink was your favorite color, but you know that he's got no clue. Having his cousin design a few pink dresses for you was just a coincidence.

It didn't mean anything.

As Coriolanus tied his tie with a Windsor knot, his icy blue eyes watched you from the mirror. You were across the room, sitting at the your vanity. Your were brushing your hair and looked a bit lost in your thoughts.

He wanted you ask you what was on your mind, but he was…

Scared.

Yes, he was scared to put himself in a situation where he had to have an actual conversation with you outside of the clipped responses and simple questions that are detrimental to married life.

Coriolanus was afraid that if he talked, truly talked with you, then the well kept secret he's been keeping for the last few months would come spilling out. That he'd have to confront his feelings for you because he knew that once he started to listen to you share your thoughts that he'd be a goner.

That his hard, cold mask he wears around you would shatter.

He just couldn't have that.

He couldn't allow himself to admit that he's in love with you.

Coriolanus swore to himself that he'd never fall in love again. That he'd never give somebody so much power and control over him and his emotions ever again.

That he'd never make himself become weak for a woman.

After Lucy Gray broke his heart by betraying him, manipulating him, and using him to keep her ungrateful ass alive, he swore off love.

Love was painful.

He learned that the hard way.

Love was a weakness that he couldn't afford.

So, he decided to marry somebody that he felt that he'd never be able to love. Somebody that he could even hate. And that's why he picked you.

Yes, your step-father was a very prominent general, but it was your mother's blood running in your veins that made you the perfect candidate for marriage. It was the worst best kept secret in the Capitol that your mother, Helenium, had baby trapped your father, an officer in the peacekeepers, into marrying to rise out of poverty in District 12. The fact that you had district blood, not any district but 12, blood running in your veins was reason enough for Coriolanus to hate you.

So, assuming that he'd hate you til her grew old and died, he approached your step-father about marrying you.

Unfortunately, he didn't anticipate how easy you truly were to fall in love with.

Fuck!

He hated it.

Coriolanus hated having feelings for you.

He didn't like feelings.

He refuses to acknowledge them.

As long as he ignored his feelings then he couldn't get hurt. You couldn't hurt him.

He's never let himself get hurt over love ever again.

Coriolanus was about to turn away from the mirror and walk out of the room, but stopped himself whenever he heard your breath hitch and saw you quickly place your hand on your rounded belly.

Was something wrong? The last time you had a doctor's appointment he intended to take the morning off, but you insisted that he meet with his political team and work on his Senate campaign. But when he got home he asked you how the appointment went and you told him everything was fine.

Did you lie to him?

Turning around to look at you, he asked, “Are you alright, Y/N?”

You powered through the sharp pain and nodded, “I'm fine, Coriolanus.”

“Are you sure?” Your husband asked, starting to make his way over to you with worry in his striking blue eyes.

“I'm sure, Coriolanus.” You lied.

You weren't fine. You were having sharp pains; felt a bit nervous too since you were only 7 months along in your pregnancy. But, you couldn't tell your husband that.

Coriolanus was as cold as his name- Snow.

He didn't give a fuck about you.

Hell, you could die in childbirth and he wouldn't even care. He'd just hire a nanny to raise his heir, your baby boy Cassian Xandros, and then he'd just find somebody else to marry. Somebody else to hate and make miserable.

You felt that Coriolanus wouldn't shed a single tear if something went wrong and you died in childbirth. That he wouldn't mourn you, wouldn't give a shit if your headstone was overrun with weeds and overgrowth.

You were so wrong though. So very wrong about that.

Coriolanus would be utterly heartbroken if he lost you the same way he lost his mother and baby sister. He'd blame himself.

He'd be eating a bullet and joining you in that graveyard, making your son an orphan, if you died in childbirth.

A thin, but fake smile, graces your lips as you assured him, “I'm fine, Coriolanus. It's probably just braxton hicks or something.” You felt him stop right next to you as you set your brush down. His shadow fell over you, but you refused to look up at him. Instead you reached for your powder compact.

Coriolanus gave it to you as a gift after you told him you were pregnant. It was silver and had roses engraved on it. The face powder inside of it smelled like roses too.

Unknown to you, him giving you that compact was his love language.

It belonged to his mother.

The first time he gave it to somebody it was filled with poison to help that manipulative performer of a bitch Lucy Gray to cheat in the arena during the 10th Hunger Games.

The second time he gave it to somebody, the reasoning wasn't twisted, but was genuine. Coriolanus thoroughly cleaned his mother's compact, filled it with rose scented face powder, and gave it to you after learning that you were carrying his child.

He gave it to you because you made him happy. Because you were giving him a family.

It was also the moment when he realized he didn't hate you at all, but actually had feelings for you.

Coriolanus would never admit it, but your pregnancy wasn't a happy one for him. He imagined that he'd be more involved, but you were pushing him so hard to focus on his campaign.

Even though he avoided talking to you for longer then he had to, he still wanted to be involved with your pregnancy. Maybe the next one’ll be happier since he won't be campaigning.

And yes, he planned on having at least one more child with you. Cassian Xandros needed a sibling after all.

Opening the compact and grabbing the puff inside, you told your husband, “I'm fine, really.” Patting the puff into the compact’s powder, you urge him to leave. “If you don't go, you'll be late for your political meetings and duties as head Gamemaker.”

Coriolanus nodded, only to rub your shoulder and say, “If you need me, call me.”, before pivoting on his heel and walking out of your master bedroom.

You thought that your pains would ease up, but they didn't. As the day progressed, so did they.

It got to the point that as you gazed outside the window, looking at the bustling city streets below, you debated on whether or not to call your husband.

Coriolanus told you to call him if you needed him. But, did you need him? Maybe. Hell, you didn't know. All you knew was that he didn't care about you; would probably be upset that you called him. He was a busy man; you doubt that he actually meant it when he told you to call him.

He probably just said it because it was the husbandly thing to say to a wife that seemed upset.

He didn't mean it. No, he was cold and unfeeling towards you so the less you bothered him the better.

Coriolanus was busy preparing for the start of the games and running a Senate campaign. He didn't need to be bothered by you and your pains.

You let out cry, feeling like a thunderbolt has struck your side. Oh god, the pains were getting worse.

Clenching your teeth, you turned away from the window to shuffle over to the phone.

You weren't going to call your husband. No, you couldn't do that. But, maybe you could call your doctor instead.

You never called your doctor.

Your sure as hell didn't call your Coriolanus either.

Instead, your 17 year old brother did. And that call, well, it gutted your husband.

He just replayed it over and over again in his mind as he rushed to the hospital (opting to snag the car keys from his driver, Bentley, and just gun it to Capitol General Hospital himself).

“This is Head Gamemaker Coriolanus Snow, to whom am I speaking with?” Coriolanus answered his office phone, like he always did, with a polite but professional greeting.

“Coriolanus, bro, it's Darius-” Your brother began to say, only for the aspiring senator to cut him off with a question of, “Darius, what are you calling me for? Shouldn't you be in class at the Academy right now?”

“Dude, you're the damn Head Gamer, did you forget how the top students are stuck mentoring tributes from districts without Victor's to act as mentors?” Darius asked in a ‘duh, you're an idiot’ type of tone. “I'm stuck being a mentor for District 8 and was given half the day off to go to the Tribute Housing center to make sure everything's all prepared and shit. So, before going over to that shit hole of a glorified hotel, I went to visit my sister, but I found her passed out and bleeding. I had to call the medics.”

Coriolanus’ couldn't believe his ears. You passed out and bleeding! Were you alright? Were you hurt? Was something wrong with the baby? Were you downplaying your pains this morning so he'd go to work instead of staying home with you?

So many questions ran through his platinum blonde head, but before he could string his thoughts together to form a coherent sentence, Darius told him, “You need to get to the hospital quick, Coriolanus. I'm just her brother and can't make any medical decisions for her since she's married to you.” Your little brother let out a shaky breath. “They saved the baby; it's in the NICU cause it came so early, but it's touch and go with Y/N.”

“What?...” Coriolanus let out in a whooshing breath.

Touch and go…

Did that mean?...

No…

No!

He couldn't lose you. Not now, not when he finally realized that he didn't hate you at all, but truly did love you with every fiber of his being.

“I’ll be right there. Thank you for calling, Darius.”

“Don't thank me, Coriolanus.” Darius spat, only to go on a long rant of, “I only called you because I can't make medical decisions for my sister and the hospital staff’s pussies that are too scared shitless of you to do it. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have called cause you're a cold hearted snake that doesn't deserve my sister. Y/N deserved a man that actually cares about her, not somebody that just takes her off a shelf and plays with her like a fucking doll when the mood hits.”

All Coriolanus could do was blink as his brother-in-law hung up on him.

Coriolanus' knuckles were holding onto the steering wheel with a white knuckle grip as he broke every traffic law known to man to get to the hospital.

The fact that he could lose you just like he lost his mother was fucking with his head. It was breaking him in ways that he never knew he could be broken.

Love is a painful thing. Love hurts. Love is the only thing to bring him to his knees. A feeling that he hates.

A feeling that he's tried to avoid.

But he couldn't avoid his feelings for you anymore.

Once he reached the hospital, Coriolanus inquired about your room, only to rush to your side. When he reached your room, you were hooked up to some machines and monitors.

Your little brother, Darius, was by your side. He was smoking a cigarette (which is not allowed in a hospital, by the way) while watching the Makary Show, which was a TV talk show where district women dragged peacekeepers and Capitol men they claimed were their baby daddies to do paternity tests.

“You can't smoke in here, Darius.” Coriolanus told your little brother while making his way to your bedside.

“It's a private room, cause the name Snow gets the VIP treatment, so it ain't like anyone's gonna complain bout it.”

“Y/N doesn't need to be exposed to it while she's fighting for her life. Be considerate of your sister.” Your husband hissed at your little brother.

“Oh, so now you give a fuck about her all of a sudden? Oooo…that's nice to know.”

Coriolanus' frostily stared Darius as he seethed, “Don't stand here and assume you know how I feel about my wife because you don't. Now, you need to leave.”

“I’ll let my parents know what's going on with Y/N.” Darius sighed, tossing his half smoked cigarette into his water cup before standing to his feet.

Without another word, your brother left your husband alone in your room.

Coriolanus took vigil by your bedside. He never left your side. Not even when a nurse came in and asked if he wanted to be escorted to the NICU to see his son.

He refused, saying that he'd see Cassian Xandros with you when you woke up.

The nurse sadly nodded and left him be. She thought he was grasping at straws since there was a chance that you wouldn't wake up.

Coriolanus begged you to wake up. Promised to make an effort to be around more of you'd only open your beautiful eyes from him.

And finally, after 3 days in a coma, you blinked your eyes open. At first your vision was a bit blurry as you heard a gasp from next to you. As your vision cleared, you saw your that your husband's face was near yours.

And he was crying.

He was crying?

Why was he crying?

You took in his appearance and realized that he looked like shit. His platinum curls, usually slick back with gel, were disheveled and greasy. He also had light blonde stuble covering his jaw.

But it was his icy blue eyes that tooth your breath away.

They held so much relief in them as they welled with water.

“Corio-” You began to ask, only for your husband to cut you off. “My darling, I thought I was going to lose you.” Coriolanus held you close to his chest and his voice cracked.

“Lose me? What happened?” You asked, pulling away from his hold to look up at him with confusion shining in your eyes.

“Darius found you passed out and bleeding, Y/N. You've been out of it for roughly 3 days.” Your husband explained, his usually firm voice a bit unsteady.

The air was knocked out of your lungs as the realization of what happened hit you. “The baby?...” You shakily asked, hoping that your baby boy survived.

“Cassian Xandros is strong and a survivor, just like us.” Coriolanus smiled. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, he explained, ‘He's in the NICU; the nurse can take us to see him.”

Assuming that Coriolanus has seen your son already, you innocently asked, “Does he look like me or like you?”

“I don't know, darling. I've been waiting for you to wake up so we can see him together.”

Your husband's answer blindsided you. You weren't expecting that.

But what he said next, well, that rendered you speechless.

His baby blue eyes met yours as he poured out his blackened soul to you. His fingers threaded with yours as he confessed, “I was terrified that you weren't going to make it, Y/N. I was afraid that I'd have to go through the pain of heartbreak all over again.”

Your eyes widened at his words. Heartbreak? Did that mean…

“The first time I fell in love it was 7 years ago, when I was Lucy Gray’s mentor.”

You didn't need to hear that. You already knew he fell for her. Hell, everyone that was in the Top 24 of the Academy graduating class of 10 ADD knew that (yourself included).

Great, so he was going to tell you that he was still hung up on his lost first love while you lay in the hospital bed? What a cold hearted man you were married to. Hell, why would he even do that.

A glazed over look appeared in his eyes and his baritone grew tight. “I nearly destroyed my entire life for her. For love. And you know where it got me? Heartbroken, used up, betrayed, and alone.”

“Corio-”, You began, not understanding where he was coming from, only for him to interrupt you with the simple request of, “Please, call me Coryo.”

You nodded, prompting him to continue his holy confession, “Lucy Gray and her love left me feeling like a fool. I hated feeling like that and swore that I'd never let myself feel that way again. That I’d never fall in love again.” Coryo's thumb brushed over your knuckles. “I swore to marry a woman that I could never love, but only hate in order to never feel weak, broken, humiliated, and manipulated again.”

Great…so now it's confirmed that he hates you. You always suspected it, but now you know the truth for sure. You swallowed down a lump in your truth and softly said, “I understand, Coryo.”

“No, I don't think you do, darling.” Your husband shook his head, making his blonde curls rustle around. “I hate myself for loving you, my darling rose, because you have the power to destroy me if you wish.”

“Y-you love me?” You gasped as tears began to tickle your eyes.

“Yes.” Your husband smiled. “Very much and it frightens me because of what happened between me and that manipulative bitch all those years ago.”

Oh wow…Lucy Gray sure did do a number on your husband. Oh, if you ever got your hands on her, you'd rip hair hair out and claw her eyes out for the emotional turmoil she put Coriolanus through. If it wasn't for her breaking his heart so badly, you would’ve had a better marriage.

“I love you too, Coryo, and I'll never hurt you the way she did.’ You promised your husband.

“You better not or else I'll burn down all of Panem this time in the wake of my heartbreak.” Your husband teased before pressing a kiss to your lips.

A kiss filled with every single emotion he's ever held back from you these last few months. His lips fit perfectly against yours as he drank in your soul with every moment they made against yours.

You broke apart whenever you heard a nurse loudly clearing her throat. Once you looked to the woman, she smiled and simply said, ‘I’m glad to see you're up, Mrs. Snow. How would you like to see your son?”

3 Months Later…

The way Cassian Xandros Snow entered the world was very dramatic but you wouldn't change a thing about it. In fact, if it wasn't for his dramatic birth then you and your husband might have gone your entire lives without confessing the love you have for each other.

Oh, that would've been horrible.

You were sitting in a white glider, rocking your son to sleep after feeding him, whenever the sound of barefeet slapping against the marble floor made you look up towards the doorway.

“Happy anniversary, darling.” Coriolanus smiled, single pink rose in his hand, as he walked into the nursery.

*Happy Anniversary, Coryo.” You smiled back, watching your husband as he made his way over to your side. Flickering your eyes between the pink rose and his icy blue eyes, you remarked, “I was expecting a white rose, not a pink one.”

“Yes, well, it's only fitting that I give you a pink rose today. After all, pink roses are your favorite; the white ones are mine.”

“How did you know that? I never told you?”

“I can be quite observant and a bit obsessive when I'm in love.” Was Coriolanus' answer as he passed you the rose, only to take your son into his arms.

Pecking your husband on his plush lips, you honestly told him, “And I wouldn't want you any other way, Coryo.”

Because, honestly, you preferred his obsessive love over his cold and distant hate. After experiencing both, well, you quickly discovered that it was better to be the center of Coriolanus Snow's world than to not be in it at all.

He hated that he loved you, but you loved that he loved you.

Tags: @kuroosbby001, @purriteen, @poppyflower-22, @meetmeatyourworst, @whipwhoops, @bxtchopolis, @readingthingsonhere,@savagenctzen, @ryswritingrecord, @erikasurfer, @tulips2715, @universal-s1ut, @thesmutconnoisseur, @squidscottjeans, @sudek4l, @wearemadeofstardust0, @mashiromochi, @gracieroxzy, @belcalis9503, @shari-berri , @aoi-targaryen, @whiteoakoak, @spear-bearing-bi-witch, @gisellesprettylies , @loverandqueenofdragons, @qoopeeya, @mfnqueen1

[ginnyluna]

I've been thinking about Reyna lately. Specifically, about her romantic interests. Like, how she was supposedly in love with Jason before the swap, but did nothing when he disappeared, and then developped a crush on Percy in like three days. I know i'm not the only one thinking it's a bit weird and out of character for her, and i had a thought on that.

Headcanon alert: Maybe becoming Praetor isn't just about leading the legion. Why are there always two praetors, a boy and a girl? What if New Rome expects their praetors to get together, after their service? You gotta understand, yes there are many citizens in New Rome, but the thing is, there are very few actual demigods, those people are almost all legacies, several generations after an actual demigod, and almost none of them have any real power anymore. Maybe New Rome needs to insure they keep having powerful warriors to fufill their leadership positions. What better way to insure that than artificially putting two of their most powerful warriors together?

It's not necessarily obvious, more like an unwritten rule, but when two praetors are chosen, they know it comes with expectations. Praetors are good at meeting expectations, after all. And New Rome's senators are there to remind them of those expectations. To make things easier, when picking their next two praetors, sometimes, the Senate chooses two teens who are already a couple, if both are powerful enough. Sometimes, they may pass over a potential praetor if they explicitly refuse to be a part of this kind of engagement, or if their parents want to protect them from that. And sometimes, the Senate picks two powerful orphans, one who spent his entire life following the rules and trying to meet expectations, and one who just lost her family and would do anything to belong to a new one - bonus points if one is an extremely rare son of Jupiter, they'll definitly want to insure that this specific genetic will be passed on to the next generation.

So. I don't think Reyna was ever in love with either Jason or Percy (at least, to me, it really didnt' feel like it when reading her pov chapters). I think maybe she was just expected to be, so of course she tried to be. Reyna has always been a rule-follower, after all, she always does what is expected of her, she understands the hierarchy's needs. And maybe she longs for a family of her own, too, and Jason is a really good guy, it would be a really good match, so if that's what the legion expects of her, why not go for it.

Edit: more under the cut

Also, it would kinda explain Reyna's reactions, i think? Even though she's not in love with Jason, she still likes him, they're friends, and they have both unexplicitly agreed to this match when they accepted the role of praetors. So when Venus tells her that Jason will never end up with her, Reyna just... doesn't get it? Why wouldn't they end up together, that's part of the deal, right? Why would Jason change his mind? Reyna probably already knows he's not in love with her like she's not in love with him, but that's never been a problem for her, and it wasn't gonna be a problem for him either when he took the praetor badge, so what changed? Does he actually dislikes her that much?

So yeah, she's a bit hurt by that. She thought they had an agreement (unspoken, prehaps, but still, for her it was quite clear).

But then Jason vanishes. No one really knows what to do, they don't even know what happened, did he leave? was he kidnapped? is he dead? Of course Reyna is worried, he was her friend, but she has an entire camp to run, all by herself now. She also thinks, that's what Venus meant after all, doesn't matter if he's dead or if he left willingly, he'll never be a part of her family, the family she's been longing for. Reyna probably thinks she's cursed to be alone now, the forever-alone single praetor, what a depressing thought. But then comes Percy.

Percy is powerful. He's another very rare demigod. He's brave, strong-willed, a natural leader - all important qualities for a potential praetor. So when he succeeds his quest, brings back the golden eagle and saves Camp Jupiter, of course he is chosen to replace Jason. Reyna thinks, is this her second chance? Percy is also handsome, funny and kind, he would be just as good match as Jason.

But when Percy agrees to become praetor, he has absolutly no idea what expectations comes with it - it's not like anyone ever takes time to explain, everybody just usually knows about it, it's tradition and what not. So when he tells Reyna he already has a girlfriend, of course she's disappointed, her hopes for family and a sense of belonging are shattered, again.

My point is, what Reyna had for Jason and Percy, it was never about love. It was mostly about rationalizing New Rome's expectations, and a little about wanting to belong, to be a part of a family of her own.

[fanfic-obsessed]

Duty

Here I try a hand at Emperor Obi Wan. It just feels right. 

It starts after Order 66, after the march on the temple. When Obi Wan says that he cannot go after Anakin, Yoda believes him. Instead of Yoda going for Sidious and Obi Wan for Anakin, they reverse it.  Yoda heads for Mustafar. 

Obi Wan goes for Sidious.He’s so done, traumatized and tired. He is also somewhere between passively suicidal and actively suicidal.  He attacks Sidious in front of the newly formed Imperial Senate and no one is more surprised than him when he takes Sidious’s head off cleanly (Sidious did not consider this one tired, hurting Jedi to be a threat and Obi Wan went in full throttle, hoping to do some damage before his death). Even though the Empire is only a few days old at this point, there are some old rules that are already in place, backed by the Force (which is why no one really questions what happens next). One of those rules is the right of conquest. 

To the winner goes the Empire. 

Now Obi Wan is the recognized Emperor, including to the chips in the Clones.   Obi Wan does not want to be the Emperor. Obi Wan wants to go sit in a depression cave and contemplate his infinite sadness in peace, please. 

Bail Organa manages to convince Obi Wan that being the Emperor and helping to unfuck everything is his duty (Bail is both semi reluctant-he knows that duty is Obi Wan’s buzzword and hates that he needs to take advantage of that-, and not, as he is pretty sure that is all that is keeping Obi Wan alive right now). 

So Obi Wan agrees to be Emperor until they can figure out how to undo the Sith’s great plan (while all 1000 years was not spent creating a web of fucked up laws that slowly built the trap they all fell into, a good portion of that time was).  He manages to rescind the Order that the Jedi are traitors, but is not able to deactivate the chips (this is another where the chips turn the clones into Automatons, with no independent thoughts). There is some code phrase that will shut the chips off, but only Palpatine knew it. The Kaminoans are sure that, now that the chips are active, removing the chips will cause brain damage and death to the clones (this is not true, but we are still several months away from Ahsoka and Rex-as the only two who have proof this is patently false- coming back into Obi Wan’s life).  Obi Wan has recalled the 212th, unable to stop himself from wanting them around him, even as they are. Yoda successfully captured Anakin, who is currently being held in a medically induced coma until they figure out what to do with him (he is decidedly fallen, but also is coming off as being in middle of a clinically psychotic episode-also both Yoda and Obi Wan are not so secretly hoping there is something that makes his actions…not Anakin of his own free will slaughtering children). Now Yoda is off in the galaxy trying to find Jedi survivors. Mace Windu was found and is Bacta and would be there for a minimum of a year. 

Padme is on bedrest for her own safety, and the safety of her children. She is also subject to frequent lectures on seeing an actual medical professional while pregnant. It turns out that she had an uncommon, but not rare, condition that meant that a natural birth would kill her. This condition can only be diagnosed in the third trimester (also notably that this condition could not be fixed with the Force, Light or Dark). Obi Wan cannot bring himself to visit her, if asked he would have the excuse of ‘too busy’ ready to go but the truth was he couldn’t face Padme, whom he had considered a friend, after she had spent so much time lying to him about her relationship with Anakin (Also he now has access to all the instances that Palpatine knew about where both of his dear friends abused their power for the sake of the other).  Even after the children are born, Obi Wan keeps his distance. 

So we have Obi Wan, holding himself by a thread as he simultaneously tries to: figure out how to undo hundreds of years of damage against democracy, run an empire (if he has to do this, he will do it right), deactivate the chips (this means going through every single Palpatine has ever recorded in hopes of discovering the code- no matter how horrific), figure out a place that the remaining Jedi can live (the temple is out of the question with the death that clings to the walls like a slime).  There is no one he can truly trust, not even Bail (For all that Bail entreaty to remain emperor was 100% necessary, it did damage Obi Wan and his friendship in a way that it would take a decade to recover).

It will eventually get better. Other Jedi will come from hiding, giving Obi Wan people he can fully rely on. But right now, about a year into the Empire, Obi Wan is running on the barest fumes, heart sick. He is surrounded by the Senate, whom he does not trust, and the puppeted bodies of the clones, whom he forces himself to treat just the same, to never forget that these are people. He has had to order the clones to ignore any order that contradicts his (in order to prevent abuse by senators) and make an explicit order for the clones to defend themselves and to see to their own needs. He is facing the prospect that there may be no way to undo this damage.  

However there is something that no one knows about the chips. Like in cannon, they do eventually break down, as the clones are forced to go against their own morals and fight the chip, it wears it down.  The irony is that Obi Wan treating them as sentients causes less wear than Palptine’s treatment. 

The 212 love their general, none more so than Cody.  As part of that, each one made a point to memorize the signs that Obi Wan was overworking himself.  Now Obi Wan is, to the clones trapped by the chips, overworking himself beyond anything they had seen. The chips do not allow for this kind of care, which starts to cause the same kind of wear that cannon saw. While most of the clones do not fight the chips with Obi Wan in charge, the 212th begins to fight even harder. 

Their general needs them. 

It starts around the 1 year mark, and is so small that Obi Wan thinks he is imagining it.  It starts with Cody frowning faintly at a senator bringing another unnecessary problem to the Emperor to solve (something that they should have been able to solve themselves).  Then Obi Wan realizes his cup of tea keeps getting refilled (Boil does it when Obi Wan isn’t looking-it both is and is not a breakthrough, the chip means that if Obi Wan had asked for the tea Boil would have provided it, but it is Boil himself that is able to anticipate the need and choose Obi Wan’s favorite tea). Several of his guards (all members of the 212th) subtly herd him down lesser known hallways and paths to his destination, causing him to avoid other senators trying, badly, to curry favor. All the while not able to say anything but “Yes, Sir” or answer direct questions with the least amount of words in a monotone.

Something shatters, just a little, in Obi Wan’s heart at those responses. He continues to talk to any of the clones,including promises that he will find a way to fix this, but does not ask as many questions. 

The first substantial sign that the chips were wearing out on their own came from Cody. It was late, Obi Wan had not slept in days, had not eaten in even longer. Cody's voice was raspy, and his words were slow, deliberate (if you have ever spoken to someone with mild aphasia, think of that with long pauses between words). He looked right at Obi Wan and said “You…have…not…eaten.”

Obi Wan found himself whipping around so fast he nearly tripped on the pretentious robes he had been forced into to stare at Cody, whose face was twisted into this incredibly focused look. 

“Cody?” Obi Wan asks, breathless. 

“You…need…to…eat” 

Obi Wan takes another step closer, almost close enough to touch “Cody?”

Cody’s jaw tightens,  “We…are..still…here…we…we…we...can…hear…you.”

Then all at once Cody’s face smoothed out again, responding to Obi Wan with a monotonous ‘yes sir’, back under the chips' control.  

It is both better and worse for Obi Wan. He now knows for sure that the clones are in there, but he still does not know how to free them.  His mindset and self care is bad enough that he actually cannot make the connection between what seems to bring members of the 212th forward in spite of the chips (and Cody is only the first, the spark is usually Obi Wan taking particularly bad care of himself, and that definition is variable for each clone-Helix the head medic is almost himself more than he is controlled within a few weeks).

It is a few weeks after this that Rex and Ahsoka finally arrive. They had been found by Yoda, who convinced them that it was safe to return to Coruscant.  Part of the reason they had not believed it before hand was that it was clear that the Clone were still controlled by the chips. 

They are the ones to break the news to Obi Wan that the Kaminoans were wrong (and it was they were wrong, not they were lying, they truly did believe that the chips could not be removed after they had been activated), the chips could be removed. 

Obi Wan takes that news in, asks a few questions on what is needed to remove the chips, then makes arrangements for the medics to have their chips removed (with the idea that they can then supervise the surgery of everyone else-Obi Wan currently has trust issues and cannot think of letting anyone who is not a clone operate on the 212th, in particular). At that point he sits on the floor of the room they were in and has a small breakdown (Disturbing both Rex and Ahsoka, and bringing his current guard, Wooley, to the point of breaking the chip entirely). 

There is still so much to do. Obi Wan still knows that. He still has a duty to keep the Empire together and undo enough damage that it can become a republic again.  He still has to live with the horrific things that Palpatine had recorded (experiments, thoughts, his plans for Anakin) and figure out what to do with Anakin (who is still being held in a medically induced coma). The knife’s edge of the politics he has been balancing on has not grown any easier (in fact Ahsoka and Rex, having internalized Anakin's beliefs more than they realized are going to make it more difficult not less). 

But Obi Wan has hope, hearing that the clones would soon be free. Through he does not make any kind of suggestion or let himself have an opinion on who goes when for choir removing (save that all of the medics needed to go first so they could sort out who was going next), the medics in charge prioritize the 212th, because Obi Wan desperately needs his battalion back. Also because no one is completely sure that they won’t all give themselves brain damage fighting against the chip. 

There are enough medics that Ghost Company is dechipped at the same time, with minimal recovery.  Boil and Wooley immediately take charge, while the others lock Cody and Obi Wan into Obi Wan’s ‘temporary’ apartment (What had been Palpatine’s living space- the senate insisted) opening the door only for to provide food while Obi Wan is made to take an enforced ‘vacation’ or at least a ten day (They accept no criticisms, or questions from the Senate. The first senator to protest was shot with a stunner and told to be glad for it-the others decide that they will accept Wooley and Boil as a substitute Emperor).

Cody cuddling Obi Wan produces the first true sleep he had since Utapau.  Obi Wan sleeps for a full 24 hours.

[aliciaasky]

It is love

Paring: Anakin Skywalker x Reader

Warning: Angst, heartbreak, fluff, Anakin is a senator here, not a Jedi.

Summary: In which Anakin does realize his mistake before it is too late, but will you be waiting for him?

Part two to: it was love.

A/n: I am so sorry for how long it has taken me, I was so busy with school, but proud to say I have my diploma now!! Enjoy xx

Also: English isn’t my first language so feel free to make me aware of any mistakes you may find. Ps: not proof read! Please point out my mistakes x

He felt all the eyes on him, felt his throat go dry as everyone waited for him to say those two important words.

But he couldn’t, how could he possibly marry her?

Padmè was everything he had ever wanted. Ever since he was merely a child and had first met her, he knew he was going to marry her, how could he not? She was so beautiful, and so nice.

But she wasn’t as beautiful as you, and she surely wasn’t as nice as you. She didn’t have your hair, or your eyes. Her heart didn’t beat the same way yours did and her hand wouldn’t look the same with the ring on as yours did.

Padmè blinked at him confused as he stayed silent “Anakin, I believe it is your turn.” she whispered while keeping the smile on her face.

He swallowed.

He looked into the crowd, away from the eyes that weren’t yours, “I can’t” he whispered as gasps were heard all over the room.

“I can’t.” He repeated as he looks back at Padmè, her face containing the same shock as everyone else’s. “I have loved you for all my life, I have fought for your love for years, and you never even looked at me. And now, while I’m standing here in front of you, I realize what love actually means,”

He swallowed again, though there wasn’t much to swallow, his mouth was completely dry,

“It means friendship,” he looks at the Preacher “It means that I won’t have to fight for that love, that I can just be myself.” He finished “and I don’t have that with you, I’ve had it before, but it wasn’t with you.”

He looks down as his heart felt heavy again, being reminded of the love he had received, and how he had taken it for granted.

Padmè looks at him, tears in her eyes, as she ran out of the room, letting her wedding dress flow behind her.

Anakin made no move to stop her.

And while she would always hold a place in his heart, somewhere deep inside, his heart didn’t burn for her anymore, perhaps it never did.

A few hours later, Padmè and Anakin stood together on the balcony they had shared their first kiss on, a few years prior. Nothing ever happened again after that, but it was still a dear please in both of their hearts.

She looked at him, and she told him she understands. She knew, somehow, why he was doing this.

Perhaps woman always know, he wondered.

“I know, Anakin.” She said, as he opened his mouth, “I was wondering how long it takes you until you figure out that you actually do love her, but I told myself I was just delusional, after all you left her, for me.”

She smiles sadly,

“The universe has its own cruel ways, I suppose,” she adds, as she looks at him again.

All he could do was look away, “I am so sorry, i never wanted it to come to this. I thought I was doing the right thing, divorcing her for you.”

Padmè nods at that, “You should leave, get her back, you shouldn’t waste any time.”

And with that, he was through the door, leaving Padmè all on her own, mourning the wife she could’ve been.

But she knew love was rare, and if Anakin had found it in you, she wished him the best of luck, praying that she will one day find her own man to love.

And it surely wouldn’t hurt if he hadn’t been married before.

Anakin started his ship, immediately flying to Aldeeran. He hoped he would find you at the senate, he wouldn’t really know where else to look.

As his ship landed a little while later, he felt his heart ease a little as he felt the grass under his feet, knowing he was one step closer to bringing you back home.

Back home as his wife.

He arrived at the senate, his eyes immediately spotting your bright smile as you stood with another senator, nodding your head along to what he was saying.

His body froze, suddenly all of his thoughts had vanished, all of the things he wanted to say died in his throat.

As your eyes made contact with his, and slowly widened at seeing him, his feet immediately started moving in their own accord.

Anakin moved towards you as he tackled you in his arms, closing his eyes and finally enjoying your presence again.

“Ani, what on earth are you doing here?” you exclaimed, your voice shaky as you tried wiggling out of his arms to look at him.

“I’ve missed you, I wanted to see you.” was all he could force out, his throat feeling even more dry than earlier.

You took a good look at him up and down, “did you get married today?”

He blinks at that “something like that,” he said quiet “but I needed to see you.”

at that, your eyebrows knitted together “on your wedding day?”

He shook his head,

“On my engagement day.” he whispered out as he got on his knees, desperately taking both your hands.

“I’ve been a fool, such a fool that it pains me to even think about it” he said slowly, his eyes watering a little “I made a mistake by leaving you, a terrible mistake and I plan on spending our whole lives making up for it, if you will only let me” he choked out.

You blinked at that “ani, stand up, what are you doing?” You asked shakily, not even believing what was happening right now.

“No.” Anakin Said determined “I want you back, I need you back. I will never disappoint you again if you will just give me this one chance.” he begs.

you just shook your head “you don’t mean it, you’ve said it yourself, you never loved me. And I can’t be the backup for you, I’m sorry.” your own tears slowly streaming down your face.

“Don’t say that, don’t you dare say that, you were never the backup for me.” he said desperately, “I was just too late, too late in realizing that i do love you. I love you as my wife, I love you as my friend and I will love you as the mother of my children. I don’t want anyone else.” he begs for your understanding.

you just blinked “how can I be sure?”

He slowly slid the ring you have left behind back in your finger, “you can be sure by becoming my wife again, and letting me show you all the love for you that I have been suppressing.”

Your teary face lit up at that as you looked at the ring on your finger yet again and gave him a tight hug.

He kissed your temple, “I shall never be as stupid again, you will be my wife in this, and in the next lifetime.” He promised.

And he held that promise.

A week later they stood before the same Preacher that Anakin had stood before just a week ago, and as he talked about love and friendship once again, his eyes watered, knowing he had finally found it again.

“I do, again!” you smiled happily, and this time, Anakin wasted no time.

“I do.” Anakin smiles, too.

And then, he took his wife home again, giving her many, many years filled with happiness.

Because love was always worth it.

And this,

This is definitely love

He thought, as he looked at his beautiful wife, playing with their son.

Yeah, this is definitely love.

A/n: wow, this was hard to write, but I had such a fun time!! Let me know what you think, and if you still want the sad version of this (which will probably take its time again). Love y’all!

[blackkatmagic]

What are you wroking on right now?

:3

Unease is thick enough for Feemor to choke on, but he nods carefully, following Yoda's steps across the room. When Yoda sinks down, settling himself at a right angle to T'ra, Feemor takes the open spot, and tries not to look like he’s about to crumple in on himself, even though it feels a little like there’s a big, yawning hole right behind his breastbone.

“Is—is the senator all right?” he asks, the words wanting to catch in his throat. Plo had managed to get to the woman in time, but—it was supposed to be Feemor's job, and he’d failed to protect her.

“Safe, she is, and well, hrmm?” Yoda says, and reaches out, patting Feemor's knee gently. “Resume later the negotiations will.”

That’s something. Feemor didn’t actually get anyone killed, even if they would have died without Plo there. It still feels uncomfortably like the end to his chances of ever being a Jedi, but—at least no one was seriously hurt. That’s what Feemor should be focused on.

“It’s not unusual for a padawan to retake their Trials,” T'ra says gently, and she leans in, the thin branches that make up her hair dotted with flowers that fill the air with a calming scent. “And, Feemor—it was normal for a padawan taking the trials so early to struggle.”

Feemor tries to swallow around the lump in his throat. “I—” he starts, but saying I should have been ready in front of two of the oldest Jedi in the Order feels guttingly like whining. “What happens to me now?” he asks instead, which still sounds pitiable, but bearably so. Feemor's gotten used to feeling pathetic over the past few weeks.

There's a pause as T'ra looks at Yoda and Yoda looks back, and Feemor feels his heart sink down into the pit of his stomach. If the Senate wants to call for him to be prosecuted for his mistakes, there's nothing the Order can do, and—Feemor hadn’t thought it was that terrible a mistake, but—

[vodika-vibes]

What about an enemies to lovers with Fox. Maybe Reader stumbles upon him, bruised and injured after Palpatine lets off his frustrations. Fix is embarrassed and doesn't want Reader to see, but instead, Reader treats him with absolute dignity and sweetness as they tend to his wounds, and for the first time ever, they have a real conversation.

Thank you. Love oo

Waiting On A Miracle

Summary: Commander Fox has a list of people he never wants to see him when he’s injured, the youngest aid to Senator Amidala is probably at the top of that list. So when he’s struggling after a particularly brutal session with Palpatine, the last thing he wants to see is her. Unfortunately, she’s the only one there.

Pairing: Pre Commander Fox x F!Reader

Word Count: 1436

Warnings: Torture, though nothing detailed

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: So I didn't follow the prompt exactly, it's less enemies to lovers and more Fox hates her and she doesn't hate him, lol.

White hot pain lances through Fox’s body, and he releases a quiet oath in mando’a as he slumps against the wall, his badly injured arm wrapping securely around his equally as injured ribs.

Palpatine was in a mood today. And he suffered the consequences of it.

All he has to do it get to the lift that the clones are allowed to use.

That’s it.

As soon as he’s on the lift, he can get to Vacc and his brother will put him back together.

Unfortunately the lift is on the other side of the floor that he’s on, and it feels like it might as well be in the Outer Rim.

The good thing, the only good thing, is that it’s late enough that he doesn’t have to worry about anyone stumbling over him when he’s this injured. It would be a disaster if Wolffe or, force forbid, Cody found him in this condition.

The pain fades long enough that Fox feels like he’s able to walk at least a little bit, and he straightens up from the wall. Only for the pain to slam back into him with a vengeance.

This time his curse of pain is much louder.

Behind his helmet, Fox grinds his teeth to try and push through the pain. But it’s not working.

Kriff Palpatine and his kriffing lighting, seriously.

Fox is so distracted by his pain, that he doesn’t notice her right away. Not until he hears a quiet, and deeply concerned, “Commander?”

Fox lifts his head, and his heart sinks.

There are three people that he absolutely never wanted to see him in this condition: Wolffe, Cody, and her.

She is Senator Amidala’s youngest Aide, a recent graduate from the Law School of Theeds, and an even more recent transplant from Naboo. According to his brothers, she goes out of her way to learn about the Clones, to learn their paint and their names and them.

And he thinks he hates her.

No one goes out of their way to learn about the clones unless they want to use them. No one at the Senate is that good.

“Commander!” She steps closer to him, “You’re hurt!”

Fox pushes away from the wall and drops his arm from around his ribs, “I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not.” She argues, “You can barely stand up straight!”

“It’s not your concern.” He bites out, “Excuse me.” Fox tries to push passed her, only to stagger when the pain slams into him. She catches him as he staggers, surprisingly strong for all that she has the same build as Senator Amidala.

“Let me help you Commander,” She says, “My office isn’t far.”

Fox is silent for a moment, and then he sighs, “Fine.”

Her office really isn’t far, only several doors down, and she carefully guides him onto the couch that fills a good portion of her office. There’s a blanket and pillow on the couch.

“Were you sleeping here?” Fox asks, groaning as she lowers him onto the ridiculous looking fleece blanket.

“I had some stuff I was looking up-” She explains as she hurries to her desk and pulls a massive first aid kit from inside her desk, “It’s not important, really. Um...can you take off your armor?”

Fox stares at her silently for long enough that she shifts, nervously.

“Please?”

“...not without help.” Fox finally admits.

“Okay. Tell me what to do.” She replies as she sets the first aid kit on a side table and walks over to him.

Slowly, Fox walks her through popping the seals on his armor and removing the pieces, and he watches as she carefully sets each piece on the floor next to her. It’s surprisingly intimate, and he can’t help but wonder if it’s because she’s a woman, or if it would be just as intimate if it was any other natborn helping him.

“Okay,” She says to herself as she sets the last piece of his chest armor on the floor, and then casts her gaze over him, “And your shirt?”

Fox makes a face, but uses his good arm to unfasten it at the collar, “Gonna need your help with this too. And it’s going to hurt.” He hisses.

“I’ll be as gentle as I can.” She promises as she carefully started removing the top of his blacks. But, in spite of her care, Fox still releases a deep groan of pain as she peels his shirt off.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She whispers as she tosses the thick material of his shirt to the side, “It’s over, it’s off.”

And then she gets a proper look at his injuries and her face falls. Bruises and lacerations cover his torso, and his left arm is covered in deep electrical burns.

“Who did this to you?” She asks.

“Doesn’t matter.” Fox replies.

“It absolutely-” She stops mid-sentence and takes a deep breath, before she turns to the medkit and opens it, fishing around for something, before she turns back to him with some supplies in her hands, “You don’t deserve to be treated like this, commander.” She finally says.

Fox scoffs, but doesn’t say anything one way or the other.

She stands and carefully steps closer to him to tilt his head back so she can start treating the injuries on his face.

Her hands are gentle against his face, and she’s so warm. Somehow Fox wasn’t expecting that, though he’s not sure why.

“Didn’t know you cared about clones.” He says after a long silence.

“You’re still men.”

“Not legally.”

“Kriff legally.” She turns his head to the side slightly, her gaze solemn as she looks at the electric burn on his cheek, “I’m sorry, these are going to scar.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not. It’s not fine and I don’t know why you keep saying it is.” She applies some ointment to the burn on his face, and the burning pain fades slightly, “You have so many brothers, why haven’t they done something?”

Fox’s smile is bitter, “We went out drinking the other day,” She glances at him, slightly bemused by the non-sequitur, “We decided to play a drinking game called would you rather.”

“Sounds familiar. Go on,”

“One of the questions was, would you rather save Fox or Ponds. Not a single one of my brothers chose me.”

Her fingers pause against his cheek, and then she continues moving, “That’s...that’s unfortunate.” She finally says, “Maybe they didn’t mean it how it sounded?”

“They did.”

She’s quiet for a moment, “I’m sorry. You deserve better.”

“Yeah, well...if life was about what you deserved, we wouldn’t be in this situation, would we?” Fox leans back against the couch, “If my brothers knew, had proof, that we were being mistreated, of course they’d do something. But, well, it’s just me.”

She’s very quiet for a moment, “Just you is still too many people being hurt, Fox.”

He watches her for a moment, “I misjudged you. You’re a good person.”

Her smile is wry, “No. I’m kind, but I’m not very good I’m afraid.”

“You care about me.”

“The bar is on the ground there.”

“You’d be stunned at how many people are more than happy to start digging.”

She drops the supplies she was using on the table, to grab something different, but instead she turns and presses her hands against his cheeks, “If I could get away with it, I’d steal you and your brothers from here.”

“All 2 million of us?” Fox asks, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Well, maybe the 600 or so of you in the Guard at least.”

“Where would we go?”

“Outer Rim? Maybe further? Somewhere where no one will ever hurt you again.”

This is nice, Fox decides. Even if it is pointless fantasizing. “And then what?”

“Dress you all up as Mandos, and make our own society. Rescue slaves. Overthrow the Hutts-”

“Sounds nice. Shame it would take a miracle to actually pull off.”

For a moment, Fox thinks he sees something sliding though her pretty eyes, though it’s gone as quickly as it appears as she tilts his head to the side and starts treating the wounds on his neck. “Lets finish getting you patched up,” She murmurs, “And then you can get back to your brothers in the guard, hm?”

Three months later, under the noses of the Supreme Chancellor, The Senate, and the Jedi...all 600 men from the Coruscant Guard vanish overnight, along with with junior aide from Naboo and a ship big enough for all of them.

Turns out, Fox’s little lawyer is quite good at performing miracles.

[dindjarindiaries]

Senator's Shadow - Chapter 10 (Epilogue)

summary: Years later, you reflect upon your first mission with Hunter and the squad, now experiencing the sergeant's love more openly than ever.

pairing: hunter (the bad batch) x fem!reader

rating: mature (18+)

tags: bodyguard romance, forbidden love, fluff & angst, emotional & physical hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, injuries & blood, trauma, eventual/mild smut

word count: 5.258k

chapter 9 ⟸ series masterlist

chapter 10 (epilogue) ⟹

“Then what?”

Omega’s eyes were lit up in a way that made you laugh. She was on the edge of her seat, which, in this case, was a rock just off the shore of Pabu’s luscious blue waters. You shrugged and continued to smile at her eager expression. “My people elected a new senator, and I joined the squad. Hunter had me stay with Cut and Suu whenever they had to go back to Kamino.”

“Oh, yeah! I remember you telling me why you were with Cut and Suu when we met.” Omega raised her brow, and you took a moment to observe her in the twilight. Stars, had she gotten old, but so had all the rest of you. “Were you on that mission with them to Onderon?”

You shook your head. “Hunter told me about it, but I stayed behind because of his hesitance—mostly thanks to your warning.”

Omega smiled and jostled your shoulder with hers. “You’re welcome.” She let out a soft sigh, her expression becoming more serious. “Thank you for sharing that story with me. I’ve always wanted to know.”

You beamed, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “Thank you for listening to it. It’s very special, and I’m glad you’ve finally reached the age where I can start telling you these things.”

Omega narrowed her eyes playfully. “Hunter wouldn’t let you tell me before, would he?”

You laughed. “He never specifically said as much, but… you know him.”

You heard a crumble of rock from up above, and both you and Omega glanced at where Hunter had so obviously been perching to listen to the story for the past half-hour or so. You and Omega both chuckled before you looked at her with a raised brow.

“Protective.” You grew more serious. “He didn’t want anyone to know I used to be a senator, and I agreed with him. The only reason why we didn’t tell you is so no one would try to use you for that kind of information. But…” you gave her a proud once-over, “clearly, you’re old enough to handle yourself, now.”

Omega beamed at you before resting her head against your shoulder. You kept her hand and gave it another squeeze, your stare fixating on the Pabu horizon as she spoke. “At least somebody around here thinks that.”

You chuckled and rested your head against hers. “Give them time.”

Omega’s eyes glanced up at you with an amused sparkle. “They’re already all gray and complaining about their joints. How much longer do they need?”

That drew a louder laugh from you. All you could do was shake your head at her and shrug, minding her head on your shoulder. “Good question.” You heard more crumbling from above and it created a skip in your heartbeat. “Bold of you to say it within Hunter’s earshot, though.”

Omega made a psh sound. “I doubt he could hear it. His senses are fading.”

“You wish.” Hunter’s gravelly voice was already close to your free side. You turned your head to look at him.

Nothing about that first glimpse at him had changed over the years. In fact, the flutters he brought you were only more intense.

Especially now, as the smile he wore on his lips caused the corners of his eyes to crease and wrinkle. His hair had gotten longer, much to your pleasure, and the pieces that fell over his woven bandana gave him an even softer edge. Somehow, time had made him even more handsome. You hadn’t realized that was possible.

His stare caught yours, and you smiled as you looked down, your ears burning. Something about that look in his eyes told you that you would be hearing about this later.

“How much would you be trying to get away with if that were true?” Hunter had stopped next to you, his arms crossing over his chest as he raised his brow at Omega.

Omega rolled her eyes and sat up from your shoulder. You let her hand go. “You’d want me to get into trouble just so you could help me.”

Hunter’s brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble, period.” His jaw ticked. “You’ve gone through enough for one lifetime.”

Omega’s gaze softened at the moment your chest tightened. It had been hard for him to let go of everything Omega had been through over the years. You had spent many late nights reminding him that it wasn’t his fault, nor his burden to bear—and that it was because of him and his brothers that she now had an entire life of peace ahead of her, if she wanted it.

Omega stood to her feet and pasted on a reassuring smile. “Maybe, but I’ve learned how to keep going, anyway.” She stepped forward to wrap her arms around Hunter, who was surprised enough at first to widen his eyes. “Thanks to you.”

Hunter melted against her, and your heart did the very same inside your chest. You stood up but continued giving them space as you watched Hunter’s eyes close in sweet satisfaction. After a few heartbeats, Omega pulled away, her brow raised at him.

“So, you really managed to pull a senator?” Omega gave one of his shoulders a playful punch.

You and Hunter both laughed as he shrugged, his gaze finding yours again. “I got lucky.” Even in the darkening night, you could see the sparkle within his brown depths, one that never failed to make your heart beat just a bit faster. There was no doubt he could hear it.

You beamed and stepped closer to his side. Your hand found his, and you laced your fingers together in a way that completed you. “Luck had nothing to do with it.” 

The two of you kept staring at one another. That was a habit you had failed to slip out of. The corners of Hunter’s mouth were lifted in a warm smile that remained even as he lifted your entwined hands to his lips and kissed the back of yours, the hair on his upper lip and jaw gently tickling your smooth skin.

Omega clasped her hands together before she spoke into the suspended silence. “Awww, that’s the thing!”

That broke your gaze quickly. Hunter’s eyes betrayed his confusion as his brow shot up at Omega. “What thing?”

Omega rolled her eyes and gestured to your entwined hands. “The hand-kiss that made you two fall in love. Obviously.” She looked at you and shook her head. “I told you he couldn’t hear us.”

It was Hunter’s turn to roll his eyes. No wonder where Omega had gotten that from. “I heard everything, Omega. And even if I hadn’t…” he paused, his stare finding you again, “I would always remember the moment my life changed forever.”

There he went again, effortlessly making your galaxy nothing but him for the moment. You smiled so wide your cheeks hurt, and your free hand rose to cup the side of his bearded face. The pull between you was like gravity, bringing your foreheads and your noses together as you both closed your eyes and savored your closeness.

Given everything that had happened since you two had met, you took every chance you could get to savor him.

Omega squealed, a sound that brought you both back to reality. “This is so much more adorable to see with context!”

You giggled as you lifted your head from Hunter’s to look at Omega. “And don’t you ever settle for anything less.”

Hunter’s hand gave yours a panicked squeeze. “Let’s not talk about that.”

You and Omega both laughed at his protectiveness. Hunter narrowed his eyes at you as you nodded in his direction. “Yeah.” You leaned closer to Omega and lowered your voice. “Wait ‘til you’re off the island.”

Omega huffed and gave her head a fond shake. “Speaking of getting off the island… I’ve gotta go to a quick meeting.” She gave you a hug, and you dropped Hunter’s hand in favor of embracing her back. “Thank you again for telling that story. It means a lot that you can trust me.”

You smiled at her as you pulled away and held the sides of her face. Really, when did she get so grown-up? “We’ve always trusted you. It’s just that now, we know you can keep yourself safe, too.” You lowered her forehead to your lips and kissed it. “Safe travels. Okay?”

Hunter’s tone was low as he questioned her. “Who are you meeting with?”

Omega gave your wrists a squeeze and stepped away. “I’ll be back soon!” She grinned before turning and jogging off.

Hunter raised his voice for her to hear. “Is it Hera?” Omega didn’t respond, but he continued to call after her anyway. “It’s Hera, isn’t it?”

You took his hand again and gave it a squeeze. “You know the answer.”

Hunter’s brow creased, though he kept his gaze focused on Omega’s fading image. “She’s gonna get caught up in that rebellion.”

“She already is.” The nod you gave him was as reassuring as you could make it. “And when the time comes, you’ll have to let her go.”

Hunter let out a heavy sigh before he ultimately returned your nod. He turned his full attention back on you, which only heightened the intoxicating effect he’s always had on you. The worry etched in his expression dissipated as he drank in the sight of you, his warm eyes giving you a familiar once-over that made your knees weak.

“I liked your retelling of our story.” Hunter wore a mischievous smile as his forehead found yours again. “But you were missing a few… details.”

You raised your brow, chuckling as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “If you want to tell your daughter about our sex life, be my guest.”

Hunter’s nose scrunched up. “Why did you have to say it like that?”

You laughed, the giddiness within you rising when Hunter’s hands caressed your waist and held you in place against him. “You’re the one who brought it up!”

Hunter shrugged, though it wasn’t hard to catch the amused sparkle in his eyes—especially when you were this close to him. “That’s not the only thing I was talking about, though.” A knit formed in his brow as his gaze searched yours. “You didn’t tell her you resigned.”

You let out a soft exhale, your gaze falling to your hands as they slid down from his neck. Once they reached his waist, you held him tight and pressed your cheek against his chest, and the hand he set upon the back of your head welcomed you there. “It doesn’t matter how it happened.” You closed your eyes and let his warmth wash over you. “I was always going to come back to you.”

Hunter said nothing, no doubt rendered speechless as he kept you close and rested his head against yours. There wasn’t a single day where you regretted taking the path that led you to him and the rest of your newfound family. It hadn’t been easy, but you would do it all over again to be exactly where you are right now.

After a few more long moments of sweet silence, you spoke up again. “Has Echo gotten back to you yet?”

Hunter tensed underneath your grasp. “No.” His response was a sigh coated in concern. “He’s probably on a mission.”

Your lips pulled tight. “He hasn’t visited in a while.”

“I know.”

Your eyes reopened, watching the Pabu sun as it slid beyond the horizon. “Telling Omega our story reminded me of how much I miss him.” You held your breath and hoped the pressure would dull the sudden pain in your chest. “And Tech.”

Hunter’s chest also stalled underneath your cheek. You lifted your head to look at him, but his gaze couldn’t meet yours. Your hand cupped his cheek while your thumb ran along his skin to soothe him. When his eyes did meet yours again, he gently shook his head. All these years, and it still wasn’t something he could talk about—at least, not like this.

You offered him a reassuring smile. “Come on.” You gestured with your head to Pabu’s night sky, where only a few lingering lights of twilight were left. “It’s getting late. Let’s get you to bed.”

Hunter returned your smile, but it was one of both gratitude and amusement. “You think I’m old enough for a bedtime this early?”

You laughed as you took one of his hands and held it tight in yours. You wrapped the other around his arm. “Going to bed doesn’t mean going to sleep.”

Hunter’s stare returned to you again. You looked up at him through your lashes, enjoying the hard swallow he took before he circled his jaw and focused on the way ahead again. There was a blush creeping up his neck.

You let out a softer laugh and rested your head against his arm. “Still nervous, Sergeant?”

Hunter huffed. “You’ll always make me nervous, Senator.” He gave you another quick glance. “But only in the best way.”

“I know.” You were beaming now as your thoughts returned to the story you had just told. “I really enjoyed telling Omega our story.”

Hunter’s hand gave yours a gentle squeeze. “I did, too.”

“What was your favorite part?”

Hunter hummed thoughtfully. You watched his dark eyes sparkle as he reviewed each memory. “Our first kiss.”

Your brow shot up at him. “When you had a fresh blaster wound in your side?”

Hunter shrugged. “It wasn’t that bad, honestly.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Need I remind you that you passed out from blood loss and I had to drag you to that base myself?”

Hunter was silent for a moment, but the tension wasn’t bad. It was the kind that made your galaxy hazy. “Now that you’ve reminded me, we have to pick up the pace.”

You giggled as he gently tugged you along. “You weren’t this excited about all of that happening at the time.”

“Because I didn’t know the outcome yet.” Hunter glanced over at you with a look warm enough to rival the last rays of Pabu’s setting sun. “If I had known I’d get a lifetime with you, I would’ve reacted differently.” He added the last part under his breath. “And bleeding out wasn’t helping, either.”

You lifted your head and pointed your finger at him. “I told you it was a factor!”

Hunter gave his eyes a dramatic roll. “Whatever.” He stopped the two of you for a moment, and the hand of his you weren’t holding held the side of your neck. “It didn’t stop me from doing this.”

He leaned in for a kiss so breathtaking and passionate that it made your knees buckle for a moment, but Hunter sensed it easily enough to steady you with his arm around your waist. The movement brought you flush against him, his hips caressing yours in a way that had you gasping for breath. Hunter let you borrow his own air, his parted lips offering everything he had for you to take. You accepted and relented, your hands now busy with the long hair at the nape of his neck as you easily lost yourself in your familiar rhythm.

Hunter’s tongue had only just started a breathtaking exploration of your mouth when the sound of a rock hitting the ground just beside your feet broke you apart. He shielded you for a moment before you both looked at the source.

A smirking Crosshair was sitting beside Wrecker, the former tossing another rock in his left hand as the latter cupped his hands around his mouth. “Get a room!”

You laughed and shrugged, too familiar with them all now to feel embarrassed that you’d been caught. Hunter was just unfazed as he yelled back at them. “Your aim’s getting better, Crosshair!”

Crosshair rolled his eyes and abandoned the rock in his hand. Wrecker jostled his brother’s shoulder just to earn a glare for the action. Meanwhile, you and Hunter took the opportunity to “sneak” away, his hand returning to yours as he led the two of you to the aforementioned room.

“Crosshair’s only getting grumpier with age,” you joked, though the statement was quite true.

Hunter chuckled and raised an eyebrow at you. “You say that like it’s surprising.” After a few moments of peaceful silence between the two of you, Hunter spoke again, his voice even softer than before. “It’s your turn, now.”

You furrowed your brow and looked up at him. “For what?”

His stare met yours. “To tell me your favorite part of the story.”

You grinned. “Oh, right.” You mused on the question for a small while, swinging your entwined hands between the two of you as you did so. Finally, you made your decision, and you took a deep breath before saying it. “The banquet.”

Hunter glanced over at you in surprise. “Really?” You nodded. “Why?”

You beamed. “Because that’s when I knew.”

Hunter’s expression morphed into confusion as he processed your words. You let out a soft laugh and rested your head against his arm again.

“You knew exactly what I needed without me having to say it, and the way you treated my holster situation spoke volumes.” You hesitated before adding more. “And when your hand touched my thigh…” you huffed and nodded, “yeah, I knew what we had, and what we could become.”

Hunter smiled at you. “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that.” His brow raised, instantly making his sweet smile a lot less innocent. “Especially about your thigh.”

You laughed away your shyness, letting your gaze study your feet as you brought yourself closer to his side. “Did you do it on purpose?”

Hunter’s free hand found your chin. He tipped your head back up towards him, a habit he certainly hadn’t grown out of—and you hadn’t grown tired of. “Do what?”

Hot flames licked down your neck as your shyness grew. Only he could still make you feel this way, despite all the years you had spent together. “Touch my thigh.”

The warmth in Hunter’s brown eyes, still golden in the dying lights of Pabu’s sunset, became hotter. “Not at first, no. But your reaction made me want to do it again.”

You held his gaze, no matter how intense it was. “What was my reaction?”

Hunter gave his head a fond shake and lowered his hand from your face. His gaze settled on the horizon as he recounted the memory. “It was probably too quiet for you to even notice you had done it, but… there was this little sigh it got out of you, and I thought about it endlessly until you gave me another sigh to obsess over.”

You looked up at him through your lashes. “How many do you have to obsess over now?”

Hunter’s jaw tightened, as did his grasp on your hand. He exhaled and spoke in a low yet playful voice. “I can only walk so fast with these old knees, love.”

You laughed and rested your head against his arm. “Then it’s a good thing we don’t have to rush.” Hunter’s gaze began to burn upon you again, but you were too busy looking at your entwined hands to meet his eyes. “We have all the time in the galaxy, now.”

That had perhaps been the biggest adjustment after settling down on Pabu. No longer did the two of you have to sneak around and scrounge for spare moments to spend quality time with one another. Part of you missed the thrill of it all, but you were more overwhelmed by your gratitude for this peaceful life you had earned.

But that wasn’t on Hunter’s mind when you listened to him force his next words through a tightened throat. “We have half the time.”

You frowned and found his stare. Hunter had already started to grieve what his and his brothers’ accelerated aging would take from them, and you could see that in the darkened depths of his golden gaze. You raised your free hand to the tattooed side of his face and pulled your expression taut in severity.

“Even just a single second with you is worth the entire galaxy to me, Hunt.” You stopped your stride for a moment and held his face between both your hands, your brow furrowing as you gave him a once-over. “You know that, right?”

Hunter sighed and cut his gaze away from you, but only for a moment. “I do.”

Your heart ached for him. All the things that were taken from him—a proper childhood, a life of his choosing, all of it—made you want to curse those who put him and his brothers in such a position, but without them, he wouldn’t exist. It was conflicting even for you, and you had had enough conversations about it with Hunter to understand how it was for him.

“It’s just…”

You ran your thumbs under his eyes. “I know.” You pulled his head down enough for you to kiss his forehead before gesturing towards the open path ahead of you. “C’mon, Sarge. We’re almost home.”

The word alone made Hunter brighten as he managed a small smile and nodded. You cracked a few jokes on the rest of the trip to lighten Hunter’s spirit even more, mostly at the expense of his brothers, and it worked to relax him back to his normal self by the time you reached the door of your private home. Even just stepping inside filled you with a wave of relief like no other.

But you learned long ago that home wasn’t a place for you. It was a person, and the people he had brought with him into your life.

You looked up at Hunter as the door slid closed behind him. Your hands found the sides of his face again, and in the privacy of your home, you took your time studying him up close. He didn’t let himself grow shy, or at least show his shyness, as his palms splayed over your back and kept you close.

“You know,” your voice was feather-light as you spoke, your gaze flickering all over his face, “you’re only getting more and more handsome with time.” Your fingers gently brushed over the long piece of hair that framed his face.

Hunter beamed, and your chest warmed in relaxation as you failed to find any self-deprecation in his expression. “I would say that you’re only telling me that to make me feel better, but I saw how you looked at me earlier.”

He huffed as you looked away for a moment in your own shyness. “I knew you were gonna bring that up.”

Hunter’s hand found your chin as he gently held it and turned it back towards his face. There was no escaping the adoration in his dark eyes, not that you would want to escape it anyway. “It was the same way I was looking at you the whole time you were telling our story.”

You softened, your finger tracing the outline of his tattoo on his cheekbone that disappeared into his beard. “Yeah?”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah.” He took your wrist and held it delicately, running his thumb over your pulse point. “It’s the same way I looked at you the first time I saw you.”

You would have rolled your eyes if the words weren’t so genuine. You believed him because you had seen it, even if it was all so new that day. It truly had been love at first sight.

“Speaking of which…” Hunter grinned as he eased your other hand off his face. “I have something for you.”

Your eyebrow quirked up. “Is that right?” As soon as Hunter began striding towards your bedroom, you let out a gasp of delight. “Are you finally gonna show me your super secret project?”

Hunter laughed, creating a flurry of butterflies within your stomach. “Sure, if that’s what you wanna call it.”

Hunter needed to keep his hands busy without battles to fight or knives to flip, even if he did still carry his knife with him, and so he had taken up a hobby he hadn’t let you know about yet. He had insisted he was saving it for a special occasion, and as it turned out, that occasion was now.

You were aching to find out what it was.

“Okay.” Hunter’s voice was muffled through the door to whatever place he had been hiding his secret project. “Close your eyes.”

You obeyed, rocking back and forth on your heels in anticipation. You heard Hunter walk back into the room, but you kept your eyes closed until he told you otherwise.

“I know you left a lot of stuff behind on Eirus, and anything you kept with you got destroyed with the Marauder. But there was something I wanted you to have again.”

His voice was quiet, tightened in his nerves. It made your soft smile widen in sweetness.

“You can open your eyes now.”

You did as he said, and as soon as you caught sight of what he held in front of himself, you gasped again.

It was a near-perfect recreation of the dress you had been wearing the day you met Hunter and the rest of the boys. Every color, every stitch, and every accent mirrored exactly what was on that same dress, and it was evidence enough that Echo’s words from long ago were true: Hunter’s good at just about everything. Exceptional, even.

“Hunter.” Your voice was a mere, amazed breath as you finally unfroze and took a step forward. Giving it another once-over, you shook your head in disbelief. “Hunt, this is…” you shook your head, “I don’t even know what to say.”

Hunter shrugged, his stare fixed on the dress as he handed it over for you to hold. “I was at the market when I was trying to find something new I could do with my hands, and I saw this fabric and thought…” Hunter paused and ran a hand over his hair. “It just reminded me of this dress, and I thought you might like to have it again.”

You looked between him and the silky fabric in your hands, still unable to form a proper thought. Hunter shifted his weight and let out a huff.

“I don’t know where you’d wear it, or if you even would, so I probably should’ve asked you first…”

You still didn’t have the words, but you weren’t going to let Hunter begin doubting his incredibly thoughtful work. Stepping forward to close the gap between you, the arm not gripping the dress wrapped around his neck, bringing his parted lips to yours. Hunter breathed his sigh of relief into your mouth, and you smiled in the hope that he would do the same. It was only after he did that you pulled away.

“Thank you, Hunt.” You hugged the dress to your chest and gave him an enthusiastic nod. “I’m gonna try it on.”

Hunter’s brow shot up. “Right now?”

You nodded again. “Right now!” You maneuvered yourself around him and stood in the threshold of your bedroom. “Stay out here.”

The last thing you heard was Hunter’s chuckle before the door slid closed. You held out the dress in front of you and gave your head another fond shake. He had gone from a clone sergeant to a seamstress.

Two things he did perfectly.

You were quick in exchanging your comfortable island clothes for the dress. It fit you just right, as if Hunter had taken your measurements—which you were sure he had—to perfect the way every single part of it hugged your body. You checked over your reflection in the nearest reflector and grinned, the corners of your mouth stretching towards your ears as you gave yourself a spin.

You didn’t necessarily miss being a senator, as the weight of responsibility had been a hefty one, but this allowed you to play dress-up in that role again. Not only that, but it also brought you right back to the day that had started the rest of your forever.

Unable to keep it to yourself, you walked up to the door and spoke directly against it. “Are you ready?”

Hunter’s voice was muffled from the other side. “Whenever you are.”

You grinned and opened the door, keeping your gaze fixed on Hunter. He blinked a few times, his stare warming every inch of you as his jaw worked in poorly concealed admiration—not that he was trying to conceal it. You gave him a spin just like you had done before in the reflector, drawing a sweet, giddy laugh from him as he clasped his hands together over his middle.

You lifted the corner of your skirt and glanced down at yourself. “It fits perfectly.”

When your gaze met his, your ears instantly began to burn at the intense affection you found there. It was as if every loving moment you had spent together over the years was replaying in each golden fleck of his dark eyes. “It does.”

You stared at one another for way too long, though neither of you cared. After a few more prolonged breaths, Hunter extended an open hand to you, inviting you to set yours within his grasp. You complied, beaming as he took it and, without his gaze ever breaking from yours, raised it to his lips, gently kissing the soft skin on the back of your hand.

But this time, he didn’t let go. Instead, he gave your hand a tug, his other hand coming up to support your upper arm as he drew you towards him. You were more than happy to fall into his arms, laughing as you caught yourself on his shoulders. This shared gaze didn’t last as long, as the two of you were eager to share in another kiss, one more passionate than before.

Your arms had only just wrapped tight around Hunter’s neck when he suddenly lifted your legs and eased them around his waist. You broke away to look at him with a raised brow. “Be careful, Sergeant,” you warned, your voice breathy as you kissed his upper lip. “You might rip this beautiful dress you sewed.”

“Don’t worry, Senator.” Hunter was already walking forward with you into your bedroom, his other senses no doubt guiding him as he focused on returning your stare. “I can just stitch it right back up.”

And as Hunter laid you down on a bed you were grateful to share with him, you thought about each early moment and memory that led you here. You both had exchanged enough sentiments of love over the years for you to know how he felt, but it was always his actions that proved it above all else. This dress was certainly a pinnacle of that, almost equally matching his actions that came directly after.

You both had made a gamble the day you decided to pursue one another, but thankfully, it had paid off—and it made you grateful for everything you had gone through back when you were the senator being protected by the sergeant.

chapter 9 ⟸ series masterlist

hunter tag list: @zenrobbins0021 @cw80831 @yunggoblin @maddiedrmr @Molmcb @jellybeanstacey0519 @violetlilly2020

senator’s shadow tag list: @callsign-denmark @dindadjarin @clintbarton-anon

[tranakin-skywalker]

It’s a lazy morning, the likes of which they rarely get. But with the end of the war so close, Padmé dares to hope for more mornings like this. Waking up lazy and happy and safe, her husband curled around her side and not off fighting a war he has no say in.

Three years ago it felt like a dream, but today she can practically taste the hundred mornings she’ll have just like this.

Hopefully with less datawork, though.

Padmé scrolls through her senate reports, trying to ignore the way they make anxiety knot up inside her chest. There is a slope the Republic is slipping down, and she fears she won’t know how steep it is or how deep it goes until they finally hit the bottom.

Her husband’s face pressed against the side of her belly is so much more pleasant to focus on. He hums sweet nothings to it, the naked metal of his right hand brushing tender fingers over her nightgown. It’s a lullaby he’s singing, she thinks, but she doesn’t recognize the words. It’s in a language she’s only heard him speak a handful of times, so much softer and sweeter than Huttese could ever sound. She likes his voice when he speaks it.

“What are you doing?” she murmurs, no longer able to focus on her reports.

The hand against her stomach pauses. "I want them to know I'm here, that I love them.” She can feel Anakin swallow, his throat bobbing against her side. Softly, he adds, “I want to make sure they know my voice… just in case.”

It breaks her heart, hearing him say things like that. Implying in any shape or form that he might die out there fighting. That he might ever die at all. She cannot imagine her life without him.

The hand not holding her datapad finds his scalp. Padmé runs her fingers through his hair, savoring the feeling of him there, beside her. Where he is supposed to be.

“They’ll know you,” she promises. 

Anakin hums, the sound reverberating against her stomach. She feels the baby inside her shift. His thumb starts rubbing soothing circles over it again, and the movement inside her settles.

“I never thought I’d get to be a father,” he whispers, soft enough she almost misses it. “Even as a kid, back on Tatooine, I just... it wasn't something I thought I'd be able to have.” The metal fingers press in a little firmer. Not painful, never painful. Just holding her in that desperate, adoring way of his. Like he can’t quite believe that she’s real. Like she’ll disappear between his fingers if he doesn’t hold in. 

“I wanted to, though,” he continues. “Be a dad.” The next breath he takes shudders out of his chest. “I thought the closest thing I would get was having a padawan. And even that... I didn't think the council would let me... let me take on a padawan..."

Hurt lingers in the silence. Padmé knows he’d been so terrified when he was first given Ahsoka. Scared out of his mind that he was going to ruin her, somehow. She thinks there’s a part of him that thinks he did. That blames himself for what happened. 

"We need to tell Ahsoka when she gets back…” he finally says, fingers curling. “She needs to know she's going to be a big sister."

@padme-amidalanaberrie asked for some soft Anidala so here you go

[storywriter007]

You Came Back - Jason Grace x Fem!Reader

summary: in which y/n tells jason grace something she thought she'd never ever say

warnings: cursing, emotional turmoil, heartbreak, mention of sex

genre: heartbreak/angst

word count: 826

-> heroes of olympus masterlist

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y/n heard someone shuffle through the door of the principia. they tried sneaking in, quietly, but it was a failed attempt.

"you missed it." she said, not even turning around, and continuing to organize papers. "it's over."

"y/n," he sighed. "i'm sorry, i'm so, so, sorry. i was at camp half-blood, and i lost track of time-"

"don't apologize to me." she said calmly. "apologize to the kids. they were upset when you didn't show up."

fifteen little kids, all between the ages of six and ten, wondering why their hero hadn't shown up to spend the day with them. fifteen little kids asking y/n, "where's jason?" with disappointment in their eyes.

"maybe, i can talk to them tomorrow? or maybe, thursday?" he suggested.

"tomorrow, we have a senate meeting. thursday, we've got paperwork due. the next date you can take the kids around new rome is in around two months." she said. "when did i become the organized one, grace?"

"i know, i know. i fucked up. i was with piper, and i completely forgot i had to be here. i came here as fast as i could."

of course he'd been at the other camp, with his other friends, with his other girl.

"they were so hurt, jason." she said, feeling upset on behalf of all the younger children. "they were so excited to finally have a one-on-one with their hero. just for me to tell them that you got caught up in some last-minute, saving-the-world shit. and still, they left with their feet dragging and their heads down." she said, finally turning to meet his blue eyes.

he looked ashamed. he should be.

"thank you, for protecting my reputation." he said. "but you didn't have to lie for me."

"what was i going to say? i knew where you were, you're always there. 'sorry kids, jason's at his other camp right now, he probably forgot.' or should i have gone with 'don't worry kids, he probably lost track of time because he's with another girl right now. he'll be back when he's done.'" she said, sarcastically. "c'mon."

she was extra pissy with him today. usually, it would just be, "it's alright, don't do it again" even though it always happened again. but today was different.

the principia door opened, and a group of young children stood at the door frame. there were four of them, two boys and two girls. y/n knew them, since she'd taught all of them.

"what're you kids doing out of bed?" y/n smiled, her voice softening.

"hey, jason's back!" one of the kids pointed out.

"yes, yes he is. but why are you bunch out of bed?" she laughed.

they shuffled forward, and gave her a cupcake.

"happy birthday y/n!" they said in unison.

jason's face fell to the floor.

"aw, thank you guys." she smiled, giving the kids a big hug. "real sweethearts, aren't you guys?"

after a few minutes of further talking, y/n walked the kids back to their cabins, and returned to the principia.

"oh my god. y/n, i'm so sorry-" jason started once again.

she chuckled. "y'know, in the ten years i've know you, and in eight and a half you were my best friend, i never thought you'd be one to forget."

"i'm so sorry. i can't believe i forgot-"

"i can." she said. "you seem to forget just about everything relating to this camp."

"that's not fair. that's not fair, i didn't want to forget." he said.

"i'm not talking about your amnesia. i'm talking about now. i'm talking about the missed senate meetings, and missed deadlines, and missed expectations." she said. "you've forgotten everything about this place and everyone in it. it's been this way since you came back. and you say sorry, but you don't change."

"camp half-blood is my home just as much as camp jupiter is." he defended.

"i waited a long time for you, grace." she started. "i waited for eight months. i waited for you while everyone else thought you were gone. i thought you were dead, but i still waited."

"i came back."

"you did." she agreed, feeling her voice break. "but, sometimes, i really wish you didn't."

they were standing face to face, but her gaze was to the side, while he looked at her.

"because i would rather spend the rest of my life wondering what happened to you than you coming back and not recognizing my face." a tear fell from her cheek.

"i would rather have lost you forever than knowing a ghost of you." she paused. "i would have rather lived in misery than grief ."

"you came back. you sure as hell did." she smiled. "but your body came back, not your character." her voice broke.

she could see the hurt in his eyes. they were both grieving.

jason grieved over what he had done.

y/n grieved over who she had known.

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there is not enough jason grace content on tumblr

[varpusvaras]

The dusks on the planet surface were always the most dangerous time to be out.

The cooling air would hit the still searingly hot currents and build up storms that would make even the most hardened traveller think twice. No one would bat an eye if someone had their whole body and head covered once the sun began to set and the winds began to pick up, and nobody would bat an eye at people hurrying to take shelter in more unconventional places, either.

That suited Rex just fine.

The drew up the cloak on his back a little tighter around himself as another group of people rushed past them, and then turned into the alley the door was marked to be in on the map.

The roofs of the buildings on the both sides of the alley didn't let the winds through so much, which gave Nemec the opportunity to come closer to speak to him.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked quietly. "The Senator has been a great help, but things have been a little too convenient, as of late."

"And you are voicing these concerns now?" Rex asked back. "It's a little late to turn back now."

He nudged his head towards the entrance of the alley, beyond which the road and houses had started to disappear behind the wall of dust. Stepping in it would hurt, even with their armors on.

Nemec shrugged.

"Maybe because it is a bit too late to turn back now", he said. "We're pretty much boxed in."

"I know", Rex said. "But like you said, Senator Chuchi has been a great help to us. She wouldn't betray us, or let us walk into a trap, if she could help it."

He put all of his conviction into those words, and it seemed to satiate Nemec, who fell back into step with Howser and the rest behind them.

The correct door was the third last on the alley. A shade of rusted red, with a number eighteen welded onto it. Rex knocked at it, two timed briskly, and then three more after a few seconds had passed.

Fifteen seconds later, the door opened.

It was another clone on the other side of the door. Rex recognised him as one immdiately, from the height and from the build, even with his face covered with a simple mask. He could see a brief glimpse of familiar pair of eyes behind the goggles, before the clone stepped aside and let them in.

Senator Chuchi was sitting by a metal crate, that had chairs and smaller boxes arranged around it, so it could serve as a table. She was dressed in a bit more casual set of clothes, in a simple pair of dark red pants and a dark coat over it, her hair pulled back into equally as simple ponytail. They all made her look younger, Rex thought. More close to her actual age, than what the carefully chosen outfits and professionally done hairdos of a Senator made her look.

She tood up from her chair as they stepped in, and smiled as the clone at the door closed it behind them.

"Captain", she greeted Rex, and extended her hand for him. "It's so good to see you again."

Rex couldn't help but to smile back at her. She had always been their friend, and it was always nice to see a friendly face.

"It's good to see you again, as well, Senator", he said, grabbing her hand. "How have you been?"

She looked a bit tired, even when smiling. Not that Rex didn't feel tired, either.

"Busy", she said. "As I can imagine you have been as well. Please, get something to drink, and sit down. I'm sure you've had a long day."

"Thank you", Rex said, and motioned for his brothers to come closer. "First, though, I must thank you again. The way you've managed to set up new cells of clones, and handled things at Coruscant and at the Core in general...we really, really can't thank you enough."

"It has been my pleasure to help", Senator Chuchi said. "And besides, I cannot take all the credit. Your brothers have been a greater help to you than I ever could've been."

She glanced towards the other clone in the room, then, reminding Rex of his presence. Well, reminding everyone in the room of his presence, if everybody also turning to look at him was anything to go by.

The clone had made his way closer to them as well, after carefully latching the door shut. He was wearing parts of an armor underneath the long coat he had on, but any color that could mark him as part of any particular battalion had been sanded and painted away.

He had a reason to remain unrecognisable. For safety, most likely, Rex thought. His, or someone elses?

"Why don't you introduce us?" Howzer asked. Rex could see him and the rest eyeing the clone warily from the corner of his eye.

He couldn't blame them for it, even if he thought it was a bit excessive.

"Oh, I'm sure you know each other already", Senator Chuchi said. She did turn properly towards the clone, who had made his way wordlessly behind her shoulder. "Could you...?"

He nodded at her, and then reached for his mask.

"We've met, certainly", he said, as he took the mask off. "Captain."

Rex felt his shoulders tense before he could stop it.

"We have", he said. "Commander."

Thire nodded at him, and then at everybody else, before his eyes returned back to looking at Rex. They were sharp, and if there was any of the same exhaustion in him that Rex certainly felt, it was nowhere to be seen.

It had been a long time since Rex had seen him. He still remembered Thire, how he had been during the war. The youngest Commander of the Guard, always dutiful, smart and loyal, keeping his hair neatly cut and his armor in order, usually better than most of them, no matter the still clinging baby-fat on his face and his wide eyes still regarding things with wonder.

Most of it was gone, now. He had gotten older, which had taken some of the softness off his features. He had let his hair grow longer, and some of the curls made their way to his forehead now. He was sharper all around, not just for the look in his eyes, and to Rex, he looked a bit like-

No, it was better to not think about it.

"I agree with Riyo", Thire said. He clipped his mask on his belt. "It is good to see you. There are few brothers I could rather have leading parts of this operation."

He said it all very matter-of-factly, and he did not extend his arm for Rex. He did sound sincere enough when he said it, though, in contrast with the still remaining, sharp look, that had not moved away from Rex again.

Rex tried not to be bothered by it.

"This is an effort by us all", Rex said. "I don't lead by myself, and cannot definitely take most of the credit for myself. Especially now, as I'm taking it that you have been handling things in the Core?"

"I have", Thire nodded. "I was the only Commander remaining of the Guard, by the time I had my chip removed. Most of the knowledge from the workings of the inside I had has remained intact until now, and the change in structures has been slow enough for me to adapt to them."

Rex tried not to let the sting he felt for the words the only Commander remaining show.

"It has all certainly been of great help", Rex said. "I have to thank you too, for continuing to put yourself at risk. Dealing with the Core is not an easy task."

"It certainly isn't", Thire said. There was a tone in his voice, now, that was different from how he had been speaking just a moment before. "Things there have never been easy, and have only gotten harder after the Order, and what came after it."

He took a step forward. Senator Chuchi raised her hand, like she was going to grab at him, but she ended up simply drawing her hand at her chest.

She did look a bit nervous now, though.

Thire took another step forward, forcing Rex's eyes to snap back at him.

"I believe that", Rex said. "I really do."

"That's nice to hear", Thire said. The tone was stronger now, a full warning. "Would've been nice to hear before it was too late."

Rex noticed his raised fist by the time he noticed him draw it back. He took a step back, but Thire followed, faster than Rex could retreat, and his fist collided hard with the side of Rex's face.

Rex had been punched by other clones before, and his body adjusted to the hit before his mind could. He stumbled back, but his feet moved to keep him upwards, the rest of his body stabilizing itself for his head, that had snapped back with the strike, and then braced itself for a second one.

The second one didn't come.

Instead, there was commotion, and multiple pair of hands on his body.

"What the kriff?!" It was Nemec yelling the loudest, and Rex saw him and two others, from his slightly blurred field of view, lunging towards Thire. "What do you think you're doing, you-"

"Stop!" Rex shouted. "Everyone, stop, now!"

The room went still. Awkwardly and tensely, but everyone did stop, frozen to their places.

Rex brushed the hands off of himself, and tapped at his face. It certainly stung, and he knew that he was going to get a nasty bruise on it, but it was certainly not the worst he'd ever gotten. Far from it.

Rex shook his head, and looked at Thire. Thire, who did not look at all phased by the fact that multiple people had been trying to rush him just a moment ago. Thire, who just looked back at him, with calm, sharp eyes.

He looked so much like Fox.

Rex breathed in.

"It's alright", he said. "We're good."

Howzer scoffed.

"You can't just let him-" he started, but stopped when Rex raised his hand.

"We're good", Rex repeated. He had not moved his eyes away from Thire. "Right, Commander?"

Thire nodded.

"Right", he said. "Captain."

Rex nodded back.

"Take a drink and then a seat, everyone", he said. "We have a lot to discuss."

Everyone did move on, slowly and certainly warily. Senator Chuchi finally put her hand on Thire's arm, and Thire finally turned to look away from Rex, in order to look at her. It was impossible not to notice the way his eyes softened instantly as they met hers, and how careful he was when he lifted the same hand he had just punched Rex with, and laid it on top of hers.

It all at least confirmed who he was protecting with the featurless armor. A Commander of the Guard could be far too easily be traced back to the one Senator who was outwardly vocal about the rights of the clones.

"Captain", Howzer called, quietly. "Here. One for the face."

He handed two cold hydropacks for him, and Rex did press the other one on his face. It wouldn't help with the swelling too much, but some, still.

"Thank you", Rex said. Howzer kept looking at him, frowning.

"Are you sure you're good?" He asked. His eyes drifted towards Thire and Senator Chuchi, and Rex glanced at them too.

Senator Chuchi had let go of Thire's arm, but was now holding his hand instead, their fingers laced gently together.

"Yes", Rex said. "Now take a seat."

Howzer nodded, and turned towards the table. Rex followed him, after one last look towards Thire.

Senator Chuchi was whispering something to him, and there was a brief, soft smile on Thire's face, and the only thing Rex could be at that moment, was the be relieved for the fact that Thire was not alone.

[hollandorks]

in flames

battisnon! bruce wayne x CEO! vigilante! reader

summary: The reader encounters the Batman when stealing information from a murdered man one night. The next day at a meeting to merge her business with Wayne Enterprises, she meets Bruce Wayne for the first time--and he has a cut on his face exactly like the one she gave the Batman. When sparks fly, will they go down in flames?

a/n: look it's me back with another "oneshot" in which I'm too long winded! This one's smutty and full of banter--enjoy! (and yes I do have to use this gif whenever there's something sexy in the content oops)

***not affiliated with middle of the night***

*content is NSFW. 18+*

word count: 10,497

The window opened with barely a creak. Y/n slipped through carefully, quietly, every one of her senses on high alert. 

Getting caught at an active crime scene would be a terrible look for her company, to say the least. Especially the night before a huge meeting about a potential merger. 

But that part of her that had always existed–the part that fought against injustice, no matter how big or small, the part that used her position in life for good–wouldn’t let this rest. 

A man had been murdered, after all. 

A man who was a murderer himself. A man who hurt people, repeatedly, for his own gain. 

She left the window open the barest crack in case she needed to make a quick getaway, but  still closed enough that it didn’t look like it had been tampered with. She’d learned that lesson the hard way over the years she’d been doing this. 

She waited a beat in the silence of the night to make sure nothing was stirring. 

The penthouse apartment was utterly quiet. 

She knew from a couple of hours of observation that there was only one cop posted outside the apartment door and another in the lobby. She guessed they hadn’t expected anyone to come in from the roof. And hadn’t that been how the Riddler had gotten in to kill the mayor the year before? GCPD were never going to learn. 

Y/n bit back a sigh. A year, and things in Gotham were still shit. 

Well, she was working on that. Not only did she shore up charitable donations in the city, but she also had taken notes from the Batman and decided to take matters into her own hands–in secret of course. She did good work with her money and her company by day, and a different sort of work by night in disguise. 

While she didn’t have the gadgets or physical strength like Batman did, she had her own set of skills. Namely, plenty of friends in places both low and high, willing to help her out because they all owed her favors. She dealt in secrets, and secrets were what led to real change in the city.

Not violence. Not death. Not even good, old-fashioned police work. 

Secrets from the right person leveraged in the right way wrought change with little effort.

And secrets were what she was currently after. 

The man who’d been murdered–a former city councilman who had just announced his run for Senate and his plan to eventually run for president–was scum just like all the powerful people the Riddler had murdered a year before. 

Y/n didn’t condone murder, but she did believe in bringing the darkness into the light. That part of the Riddler’s manifesto, at least, she could get behind. As fucking crazy as the guy was, she really couldn’t blame him for wanting to correct some of the shitstorm that was the city of Gotham. His methods had been all wrong, though. She didn’t hurt anybody. She merely told the truth about them. 

It was pure chance that her target had been murdered. There had been a string of robberies in the upper class neighborhood–and this time, the apartment hadn’t been empty as expected. The thieves had killed him in their surprise. It had always been her plan to rob the man, just not his valuables. She was after his secrets so she could expose him and ruin his political career. 

Now one man was dead and the thief turned murderer was in a jail cell. The city was lauding one and villainizing the other. But they didn’t know what she knew, what she was seeking to reveal to the city at large. 

Y/n knew the truth. Not only was the Senate campaign paid for with all kinds of dirty money, but that money had also been stolen from all kinds of charities–several of which y/n was directly involved with and one she had started herself. 

Even if she hadn’t been involved in the aforementioned charities, her blood would have curdled at every other secret this former councilman had hidden. The skeletons in his closet were overflowing, all clambering over each other, multiplying the more she dug. 

And apparently, the man was old fashioned and had several paper copies of his nefarious dealings hidden in a personal safe. The police had checked the other safe, the one the thief had been trying to get into when he shot the former councilman. All along there had been another, smaller, much more important safe underneath the man’s desk. 

It was this safe y/n aimed for. 

She bent underneath the desk and got to work picking the lock. 

It took nearly ten minutes, not her best work, but finally the damn thing opened with a soft click. Sadly, her informant hadn’t known the code, but y/n was adept at safe cracking and lock picking.

Every hair on the back of her neck rose. 

It was instinct born of her nightly activities, or it was the soft movement of air as someone snuck through the apartment, or maybe it was the barest sound of a shoe against the hardwood. Somehow, she very suddenly knew she wasn’t alone.

Y/n didn’t hesitate. She whirled and threw one of the many knives on her at the person sneaking up behind her. The aim was to scare, not to kill. In the same moment, she grabbed everything from the hidden safe and tucked it under her arm. 

The knife nicked the side of the Batman’s jaw as he easily stepped out of the way. 

Shit, she thought, because she had expected another thief or maybe a cop. And he was close, closer than she’d expected. 

She hadn’t expected Gotham’s favorite vigilante to be right behind. 

The Batman didn’t hesitate either. He darted forward so fast she barely saw more than a blur of shadow. With a curse out loud this time, she dodged, hip banging painfully against the corner of the desk as she moved out of the way. 

“It’s not what it looks like,” she said in a low voice.

“It’s exactly what it looks like,” the masked man said. They were both keeping as quiet as possible. She didn’t think either of them would want the cop outside knowing someone had broken into the apartment. 

He lunged. She ducked under his arm and kicked at the back of his knee. He grunted but didn’t go down. She frowned but had no time to alter course before his hand grabbed her upper arm and yanked. All of the papers she’d taken scattered across the floor. 

Y/n chopped at his elbow, hand stinging as it connected to whatever his armor was made out of. 

“Ow,” she muttered as she tried to release herself from his tight grip. Damn, he was strong. She aimed a kick towards his balls but his free hand caught her ankle. Now he had her arm and her leg. She bared her teeth at him and forced herself closer to take him off guard. He wasn’t easily fooled, though, and only held her tighter. 

“I’m not stealing, you fucker,” she hissed. Her chest pressed up against the hard planes of armor. Batman stared down at her, eyes almost blank underneath the mask. He was taller and broader than her, and showed no signs of his grip lessening. 

“Then why did you take papers out of that safe?” he asked in a gravelly baritone that made her shiver. She hadn’t realized that the Batman was…kind of hot. 

“Take a look at them and you’ll see why.” She wriggled again but he didn’t let go. 

He stared down at her for a long moment. Finally, he moved enough to bend over and gather up the papers with one hand. His other hand still had her by the wrist. 

“I’m not going to run,” she said with an annoyed sigh. “I’m doing what you do–fixing corruption.” 

The vigilante straightened and glanced at the topmost paper in his hand. He frowned. 

“Is this all true?” 

She craned her neck to see what, exactly, he was looking at. 

“Yes, it’s all true.” She gave up trying to get out of his hold. He was too strong, too fast. “That’s all I was after. I have a contact at GC1 news I was going to send it to. Make it public that this guy was a piece of shit who’s better off dead.” 

Batman simply stared at her. The cut across his jaw was shallow but bleeding steadily. 

“Then why break in?” he finally asked. 

“Why’d you break in?” she countered. His grip loosened slightly. She silently began to count down. She didn’t want this asshole taking her hard-earned information to the police or anyone else. She wanted it public and she needed the papers in his gloved hands in order to do so. 

“I’m investigating,” he said with a slight narrowing of his eyes. “And catching thieves.” 

“I’m not a thief!” 

She used his distraction to yank her hand back, grab the papers, and dart away. 

Batman caught her by the suit at the scruff of her neck. 

Rage welled up inside y/n and she struck out with her leg. In the same movement she twisted to face him. Her foot connected with his chest. He barely moved. He didn’t make a sound, either, as if she was simply an insect bothering him. 

“If you’re not a thief,” he said while blocking the blow from her fist. She kept backing up towards the window she’d left cracked, even as they exchanged a flurry of blows. “Then why did you break in? Why did you throw a knife?” 

She almost winced. “You snuck up on me, okay? You were closer than I thought. I wasn’t aiming to hit you.” 

“But you were aiming to steal.” Again, he caught her by the ankle as she tried to kick him. She growled as she was forced to hop on her other foot to remain balanced. 

“Yes, we went over this. Nothing else nefarious is going on.” She crossed her heart with her free hand for emphasis. 

Quicker than she thought possible, the Batman released her foot. It knocked her off balance and she stumbled. 

He pulled off her mask. 

Her heart stopped. She froze, panting heavily from their little bit of sparring, and stared at him in fear. 

“Don’t–” she said, but no other words would come. 

“I’m keeping this,” he said as he held up the mask. “Do what you want with those papers. Then stop breaking into places.” 

He had her mask. He was looking her dead in the eyes. She might not have been easily recognizable like other wealthy CEOs in Gotham, but if her merger with Wayne Enterprises went through the next day…her picture would be everywhere. And then he’d know who she was. 

She half-snarled and darted towards her mask. The Batman easily kept it out of her reach. 

“Give it back!” she said in a voice that was much too loud. 

They both froze as the apartment door clicked–a key in the lock. 

Shit, the cop was coming to check on them. 

She and the Batman exchanged a glance. 

Her mind tripped over itself trying to get past her fight, flight, or freeze instincts all warring for attention. She needed her mask, but if she got caught…it was over. 

Fuck it, she had to leave the mask. 

“Fucker,” she mumbled to the other vigilante as she fled for the window. He didn’t stop her. 

As she closed it behind her, she chanced a glance in the window. The Batman was gone. A cop was walking through, shining his flashlight over every shadow. 

Y/n stared for a beat longer. 

Then she scrambled up to the roof to grab her things and run like hell. 

First she had information to leak to the press. Then she had a board meeting to prepare for. At least she had the files now. 

She could get revenge against that asshole vigilante some other time. 

–

Y/n dressed carefully for her meeting the next morning. It never hurt to dress to impress, she reasoned. She needed to look strong, capable, but not dowdy. Men were simple creatures and she figured Bruce Wayne was no different. If she could impress him, the merger would go through. 

Her pantsuit was simple and black, tailored to perfectly accent her body. Underneath she wore a red silk shirt–red for power, red for purpose. Red to match her favorite lipstick. 

The news played in the background as she finished her makeup and hair. The information she’d given the news was already everywhere. She tried not to feel too smug, but it was hard. She’d taken that bastard’s reputation down, sent it to hell where it and he belonged. And now investigations were starting–investigations that would hopefully help the people he wronged. That would give money back to the charities and families he had stolen from. 

She was so focused on her triumph that she didn’t have time to be angry at the asshole vigilante who’d stolen her mask. She could get another one made–but it would take a while. It was custom made, bulletproof and made to perfectly fit her face. Maybe this time she’d request it hook to her suit, too, that way it wouldn’t be so easy to steal next time. 

She and her team were the first ones in the boardroom at Wayne Enterprises. They were early, but only by a few minutes. She shuffled her papers quietly and pulled up the current contract on her laptop. They would be discussing terms in that meeting and hopefully everyone would win. In another tab she had cost and profit projections in neat little graphs. 

Merging with Wayne Enterprises was going to change her life. Her business would thrive even more, have more reach, be able to give more to charity. She knew Bruce Wayne liked charitable giving–his parents had been philanthropists and he had started a relief. She had made sure to include all this in her pros and cons list that she’d emailed the Wayne CEO at the beginning of the merger talks. 

“Good morning,” said a member of the Wayne Enterprises board from the doorway. She and her team stood and started shaking hands. 

Bruce Wayne was the last one in the door. He didn’t shake anyone’s hand, merely went to the opposite end of the conference table from y/n. 

As they all sat, Bruce Wayne looked up and met her gaze. 

They both startled. 

Recognition flitted across his face before he could hide it. 

Her own mouth parted in shock. 

Bruce Wayne had a long cut across one side of his jaw. A cut that perfectly matched the one she’d given a certain vigilante the night before.

Bruce Wayne was the Batman. 

–

“–not saying that we shouldn’t, but after all the bad luck with the Riddler last year–” 

Bruce Wayne interrupted y/n with a growl in his voice. “Bad luck? Bad luck? He’s a psychopath who murdered people and blew up half the city! It’s not–” 

“You know what I meant!” she shot right back. 

There had been a moment, at the beginning of the meeting, where everyone was introduced and the terms of the contract were read aloud and y/n and Bruce had simply stared at each other. The moment stretched into silence, and all she could think was, Holy fucking shit. 

Bruce Wayne was the Batman. 

It had devolved from there. 

Bruce had immediately shot down several of the terms she had insisted on, which pissed her off. Her rebuttal had been appropriately angry, which had pissed him off. Every beat of her heart had her more and more worried he’d reveal her identity and she’d be fired on the spot. 

After half an hour, they’d argued about several things, and she finally started to stop worrying about him outing her. 

That didn’t mean he didn’t piss her off with every word out of his mouth. 

Now, here they were, half-shouting at each other from across the long table, both of them the only ones standing. Bruce had his hands flat on the table as he shot daggers at her with his eyes and his words. She stood with a hand on her hip, just as angry as she was. 

The worst part was, they’d been using an intermediary to even draft the contract they were there to discuss. And now he suddenly had a bunch of issues with it? It was in his fucking favor. 

There was a soft clearing of a throat that shut them both up mid bickering. 

“I think we should table this for the day,” said the intermediary. She was pretty sure he wasn’t there to act as a literal mediator. “We can reconvene at the same time tomorrow. Why don’t we have both sides draw up new proposals in the meantime.” 

Everyone was staring at them, at their behavior, and it only served to piss her off more. 

“Well I’m okay with getting this finished today,” y/n said petulantly. She glared at Bruce Wayne. 

“Let’s table it,” he said as he glared right back. She had a feeling that he was only saying that to disagree with her, not because he actually thought it was a bad idea. 

She ground her teeth together so hard she was pretty sure the whole table could hear it. “Fine, same time tomorrow.” 

She was too angry to feel embarrassed at her squabbling with the CEO of Wayne Enterprises like two rival schoolchildren. Not only had this fucker taken her mask, but he also was trying to fuck her with her company too. All this work she’d put into the contract, into the merger, and he was blowing it off like it was nothing.

She stormed out of the room without another word, headed straight for the elevator, and muttered curse words under her breath the entire way. It didn’t help her feel better, but she had to blow off some of the steam rising in her somehow or she was going to burst into angry flames and take down the whole building, his apartments included.

Inside the elevator, she took a deep breath. She’d have to rewrite the entire contract, which would probably take all night. The only thing that made her feel better was that Bruce Wayne had to do the same thing if he wanted any of his terms put up for consideration. 

She imagined him in his full Batman costume pouring over the contracts and snorted to herself. Of course, he probably just had someone do it for him and send it to him to review, but the mental image cheered her slightly. 

As if her thoughts had conjured him, a hand caught the closing elevator doors, and in stepped Bruce Wayne. 

The doors slid closed beside them. 

Y/n had to bite her lip to keep from making a rude comment. There were several of them warring to get out at once. 

“Mr. Wayne,” she said instead, but she let all of the built up anger and venom come through her words. 

He put his hands in his suit pockets and sighed. She had to admit, even as mad as he made her, he looked damn good. He was wearing a tailored dark blue suit that made his blue eyes pop. His long, dark hair was tousled as if he’d woken up right before coming to the meeting. He was tall, his shoulders broad, and his damn jawline was so sharp it looked like it had cut itself with the damage her knife had inflicted. And the cut along the jaw just made it worse–he looked mysterious, handsome, like he was full of secrets waiting to be discovered. Which, she guessed, he was. 

He stared down at her, back ramrod straight, and seemed to grow in the small space. He reached a hand out and without looking hit a button that made the elevator stop. 

She simply waited. She was pretty sure she knew what was coming. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. 

Bruce leaned in very close–close enough that she could smell whatever fresh scent of shampoo or deodorant he used. It was a masculine scent that made her pulse jump as he got close enough for her to feel his breath. 

“If you tell anyone,” he said in a voice that definitely dredged up all sorts of images of darkness and shadows and bat wings. It also made her think of silk sheets and shadowy beds. 

Feeling bold, y/n stepped closer. Their chests brushed now. “Is this a threat, Mr. Wayne?” 

Something flashed in his eyes and her traitorous body decided to get really, really turned on. His jaw clenched so tightly she expected to hear an audible snap. She could practically see his internal struggle not to be an asshole and it made her want to laugh. It was almost too easy to rile him up. 

He took a step back, expression suddenly vulnerable. “It would be…very bad for me, and those close to me…if you told anyone. So, please. Just don’t–please.” 

She softened a little. She hadn’t expected the please. “Hey, I’ve got a big secret too, remember? I won’t tell.” He gave a single sharp nod. “I want my mask back,” she added. 

“No,” he said as he leaned against the elevator wall. She could see their reflections in the shiny metallic ceiling. He was a blur of dark blue, she a pop of red. Opposites, of course.

“Why the fuck not?” she asked. She crossed her arms again. The softness she’d felt towards him was completely gone just like that. 

Bruce straightened and got into her space again. Granted, it might not have been on purpose since he was so tall and the elevator was small. He lowered his voice, eyes flickering to her red lips, and said, “To keep you out of trouble.” 

Y/n had no excuse for what happened next. As if possessed, she matched his step forward and let her hand slide up his chest to his shoulder. He swallowed hard, seemingly nervous. 

“I can get into all kinds of trouble without the mask,” she murmured. Her eyes traced his lips this time. 

And maybe it was because he was handsome and he was there. Maybe it was because they shared so many similarities. Or maybe she wanted to one up him somehow, and knew this would do the trick. 

No matter the reason, y/n stretched up and captured Bruce Wayne’s mouth with her own. 

He froze for a second, going unnaturally still, before he seemed to shake it off. 

She couldn’t help the small groan that escaped when his tongue traced her bottom lip or the one that slipped out when he grabbed her waist and pulled her flush against him. One of her hands slipped inside his suit jacket while the other tangled in his hair. He groaned this time, and it went straight through her like a meteor, lighting her on fire as it went. 

Her back bumped against the cold elevator wall, the railing digging into her, and she let herself be lifted so her ass sat on top of it. It was barely big enough to balance on, but provided enough leverage for Bruce to slide between her legs. She could feel his arousal press against her, right where she wanted him, and she couldn’t help the small shift of her hips. 

Bruce grabbed her tighter. 

She bit his lower lip and grinned when he jerked back. 

“That was for being a jerk earlier,” she said. 

He stared down at her. His dark hair was mussed. The blackness of his pupils had almost overtaken the bright blue. 

Y/n lifted her hips to grind against him. His breath shook, eyelids fluttering closed. He felt so good against her like this, warm and strong and solid. 

But then he let go and stepped away from her. He straightened his suit and wiped her lipstick off of his own mouth. 

“Was it something I said?” she asked, teasing to cover up the hurt that was stinging through her like small thorns. 

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said. He jabbed the same button from earlier and the elevator lurched into motion once more. 

She frowned at him. He didn’t bother looking at her. “So you’re going to leave me and my business high and dry?” 

No answer. She scoffed. “And here I thought you were different from the typical rich man.” 

His shoulders stiffened but he still didn’t say a word. Above their heads, the elevator counted down as they slowly got closer and closer to the ground floor. 

“Don’t you live in the penthouse?” she asked with another frown, distracted from her annoyance by the descending numbers. 

“Yes,” he said, but didn’t elaborate. 

“Then let’s go up there so you can give me my damn mask back.”

The elevator dinged as they reached the lobby. 

“No,” he said over his shoulder as he stepped out. 

She watched him stride away on impossibly long legs. 

“Fuck,” she said, half annoyed with him, half with herself. She wanted to chase after him and slap some sense into him. Or chase after him and kiss him again. Her whole body tingled from the adrenaline of their meeting followed by quite possibly the best kiss she’d ever had. 

And he still wouldn’t give her damn mask back. 

With another soft growl of frustration, she stepped out of the elevator. She had no choice but to head home and start working on the damn contract. That, and she had to order a replacement mask. Hopefully her supplier still had her measurements on file. 

– 

The next morning, y/n decided to do something stupid. 

She left two hours early for their makeup merger meeting and stopped at the reception desk with her most winning smile. 

“Good morning,” she said brightly. “They messed up my order this morning so I have an extra latte. Do you want it?” 

“Oh–Yeah, sure, thanks. I was running late this morning so I haven’t had time to get coffee,” the young girl said. She took the proffered coffee and inhaled deeply with a soft sound of appreciation. “You’re a lifesaver.” 

“Oh, don’t worry about it, it was free.” She smiled again. It definitely hadn’t been free and was, in fact, part of her stupid plan. “I’m just heading up to see Mr. Wayne. He forgot to give me the code to get up there. I don’t think he’s awake yet.” She winked and laughed. “We’re going over this merger contract some more before we bring all the big boys in on it.” 

She waved a file folder in the air. It was a copy of her amended contract, to be fair. And she did want to talk to Bruce about it. But she also wanted to maybe snoop around and get her mask back and maybe also find out where he hid his Batman armor. 

“Sure, no problem,” the receptionist said cheerfully. She scribbled a note with one hand and sipped her coffee with the other. Y/n relaxed. She thought for sure she’d be told a very firm no. She’d imagined Bruce being summoned from the top of the tower to come curse her out in front of all of his employees. She supposed being a CEO in her own right made it easier to get into a forbidden space. Hell, this girl probably thought she and Bruce were going to go over the contract naked. 

And wasn’t that an idea. 

Y/n thanked the girl and practically skipped to the private elevator she was directed to. It gave her no small amount of joy to get one up on Bruce again. She spent the whole long ride up to the penthouse smiling as she imagined the look on his face when she interrupted his breakfast. 

She knew it was stupid–really, she did. The merger was tentative now because of their show in the boardroom and she was sure their kiss hadn’t helped matters at all. 

She didn’t stop and question why she was doing this or what she hoped to get out of it. Mostly she wanted to bother Bruce, get her mask back, and maybe, hopefully iron out some of the kinks in the merger plan. She had a feeling they would both be better without an audience. 

The elevator made no noise as it slid to a stop and opened its doors. 

Y/n stopped in her tracks. 

Wayne Tower’s penthouse was…like the inside of a gothic church. The ceilings were tall and sweeping, full of detailed arches, sculptures, and well, a lot of dust. 

“Hello,” said a soft, accented voice. She turned and saw an aging man with a cane, his salt and pepper hair styled perfectly neat, his clothes pressed and clean. “Is Mr. Wayne…expecting you?” 

She didn’t miss the way his hand strayed to his side and the telltale bulge underneath his shirt. He was armed. His expression was polite, kind even, but there was a glint in his eyes that said he meant business. 

She held up her trusty file folder. “I came to go over some stuff about the merger. I’m y/n. I don’t know if he told you about uh…our argument in the meeting yesterday, so I’m here to apologize and smooth things over.” She shrugged as if sheepish. 

“The day you apologize is the day my father becomes mayor,” said a familiar voice. 

She turned, and there was Bruce. He was dressed in dark sweatpants and nothing else, running a towel over his damp hair. She hated that her entire body reacted to the sight of him shirtless. He was muscular. Scarred, too, but it made sense with his nightly activities. 

Her mouth was too dry to talk. Finally, she cleared her throat and said, “Well, you better get out the confetti because I really am here to say I’m sorry.” Okay, maybe it hadn’t actually been part of her plan but…she could say two little words in exchange for saving the merger. 

Bruce and the older man exchanged a look. Bruce made a dismissive wave. The man nodded once and disappeared down a hallway. 

They stared at each other in silence. Bruce slung the towel over one bare shoulder. She tried not to stare, she really did, but it was next to impossible. God, did he have to be so fucking good looking on top of everything else? 

“How’d you get in here?” Bruce finally asked. He crossed his arms, which only served to show off his biceps and pectorals. 

Stop staring! y/n mentally shouted at herself. She tore her eyes away and met his gaze. 

“I flirted with the receptionist,” she said. She was rewarded with Bruce’s shock. He opened and then abruptly closed his mouth before he schooled his expression. 

“Poor Stella,” he said after a beat. 

She couldn’t help her laugh. “I bought her coffee and told her the truth. I came to talk about the contract. And…okay, maybe I wasn’t going to apologize, but I did intend to smooth things over. That counts for something, right?” 

Bruce’s lips compressed like he was trying not to smile. “I should have let Alfred shoot you.” 

She let out a startled laugh. “I did sneak into your home, so…” 

“Well, come on then,” Bruce said, gesturing for her to follow him. 

“Where are we going?” she asked uncertainly. 

“We’re going to have breakfast and go over the damn contract.” 

“And you’re going to give in to all of my demands and grovel at my feet, right?” she said to his unfairly muscled back. 

He turned his head just enough that she could see his arched eyebrow. 

“Hey, it was worth a shot.” 

Breakfast went well, at first. She and Bruce joked together like they were old friends as they ate. He told her about the time he’d snuck out on break from college and had tried to sneak back in, only for Alfred to catch him and threaten to shoot him. 

Then the talk shifted to business, and they started arguing all over again. She shouldn’t have brought up the controversial Renewal Fund, she knew that, but it had been an accident. An accident that pissed Bruce off, apparently. 

“I’m just saying that we should have more checks and balances,” she said through gritted teeth as Alfred cleared their plates. He was Bruce’s butler, apparently, though he seemed more like an uncle or something. 

“I don’t disagree,” Bruce said. He rubbed the space between his brows with his thumb. 

“You are literally disagreeing!” She threw her hands in the air in exasperation. 

“Not about that!” 

“Then what? That the Renewal Fund wasn’t used to fund the corrupt? That it wasn’t an absolute shit show?” She tapped her pointer finger on the table with every other word. 

Bruce stared at her. “All of that is true.” 

“You are so–” She made a frustrated noise. “So fucking annoying!” 

“If you would listen to me for a moment, maybe you wouldn’t get so frustrated.” He glared at her between his fingers as he continued rubbing at what was apparently a massive headache caused by her. 

“I am listening! I don’t–I mean, come on, you run around dressed as a bat every night to try and make a goddamn difference in the city. And now suddenly your morals change?” She smacked her hand against the wood table so hard it hurt. “Of course I’m frustrated.” 

Bruce’s gaze went flat. “That has no bearing on what I do in my company,” he finally said after a long pause. 

She inhaled deeply. “Shouldn’t it, though?” 

“What are you saying?” Both of his palms were pressed flat on the table. Every line of him was rigid as if he were about to snap. 

“Jesus, if you’d chill for a second,” she muttered, then straightened. “I’m saying that my company is charitable. That’s one of our core values. We hire the underprivileged, we give back to the community, we work to build up Gotham brick by brick. And what does Wayne Enterprises do? Give to charity once or twice a year? Sometimes help with relief funds where there’s a flood caused by a psychopath?” 

“You’re saying you don’t think this will work because I’m not charitable enough?” Disbelief colored his tone even though his face remained carefully neutral. His nostrils flared though as he breathed in deep and let it out, the only sign she was truly getting under his skin. “Because I shut down the Renewal Fund?” 

“I know what you do every night. I commend it. It’s–actually pretty fucking amazing. But that’s only one thing. Bruce Wayne, CEO, can do…so much more in the light of day. Why do you think I do both, too? So all I’m saying is, maybe if we join forces….we can really make a change. At night and during the day. You understand?” 

Bruce stood abruptly and started pacing. “You shouldn’t be doing that kind of stuff.” 

“Neither should you,” she said dryly. “And that’s not stopping you.” 

Bruce paused in his pacing. He opened his mouth but she interrupted, her annoyance rising all over again. 

“I swear if you say it’s different for you, I’ll punch you so hard you’ll forget your name.” 

He closed his mouth again. 

“Seriously,” she said. She stood to better face him. “You’ve got some kind of weird savior complex going on and it’s getting on my nerves.” 

He raised one dark eyebrow. “Savior complex?” 

“Yes!” She resisted the urge to stomp her foot like a child. 

“And you’re qualified to comment on this after–” He pretended to check a watch he wasn’t wearing. “Only knowing me for about thirty-two hours?” 

“You’re not as much of a mystery as you like to think, Mr. Wayne. You run around every night and yes, you do plenty for the city. But you think you have to do it alone. I don’t know if it’s because you think you’re better than anyone else or what, but newsflash–other people want to help Gotham too.” She crossed her arms again and stared him down. His eyes narrowed. “Other people can help Gotham.” 

“It’s dangerous,” he finally said after a long minute of glaring at each other. 

“No shit, Sherlock,” she said. She couldn’t help the roll of her eyes that went along with the words. “I’m not hurting anyone. Hell, I usually wait until places are empty to steal information. That’s what I deal with–secrets and information. I’m barely in danger.”

“How do I know you won’t steal information from me?”

She grit her teeth. “Are you doing anything illegal? Other than, you know, being a vigilante, I mean. I don’t care about that.” 

“No.” His jaw flexed and he looked away. 

“Then what the fuck is your problem?” She’d been doing so well at squashing the annoyance that kept rising within her. “Are you just trying to be an asshole? You lose nothing with this merger, don’t you get that? All I’m asking is for you to use your fucking money for good. You know, I bet your dad would be so disappointed that–” 

“Get out.” The words were a growl. All at once something in him shifted and she saw a shadow of a cape and mask. Something in him was all predator now. 

She hesitated. She hadn’t meant to actually piss him off. “Bruce–”

“Get. Out.” He pointed a single, threatening finger. He seemed to loom even larger, his body taking up twice the amount of space with its anger. 

“I just meant that–” 

He took a step forward and damn it if she didn’t feel a small jolt of fear. She scrambled to grab her stuff.

“The meeting is canceled,” he said in a calmer voice. “Now get out.” 

“You’re canceling?” She paused in the process of gathering her things. “No way. I’m going to talk to your board about canceling the merger, I–” 

“Not the merger, just the meeting.” Without another word, Bruce turned and left. She imagined a shadow following him, a physical manifestation of his anger. Somewhere, a door slammed. 

Grinding her teeth, y/n grabbed all of her stuff and stomped back to the elevator. “Stupid, stubborn, asshole of a man,” she muttered the whole way. Sure, maybe she shouldn’t have brought up his dad. But she had a point and he knew it. That was why he was so pissed off. 

And canceling their meeting? What a dick. 

She stopped before hitting the button that would take her to the lobby. 

“You know what?” she said out loud. “I’m just going to wait.” She glanced around at the imitation of a spooky castle. “Hear that?” she shouted. “I’m not fucking leaving until you see sense!” 

Her voice echoed around the space. She half-expected a hoard of bats to take off from the rafters far above. She bit back an almost hysterical laugh. Maybe there were bats hiding up there. That’s probably where he got the idea from. 

She leaned back against the wall next to the elevator. 

“Am I going to have to have you arrested for trespassing?” 

Y/n jumped. Standing in the entrance to a hallway on her left was Alfred, the butler or…whatever he was. Security. Uncle. Bruce hadn’t ever actually clarified that point.

“Oh–Uh–” It was one thing to try to get back at Bruce. Alfred, frankly, intimidated her. And he seemed nice, unlike Bruce, which made her loathe to get on his nerves. “I was just–” 

“I take it the meeting didn’t go so well?” he said, letting her off the hook. 

She relaxed slightly. “Oh, it went perfectly. We yelled at each other for half an hour, debated the morality of vigilantes, and then when I accidentally brought up his dad, he kicked me out.” 

Alfred’s eyebrows practically disappeared into his hair. “Oh?” he said. 

Right. She probably wasn’t supposed to know that Bruce was Batman. “I uh…we actually met the night before last,” she said. “He stole my mask.” 

She was impressed that he didn’t show any emotion. “Did he?” 

“And I cut his face. It was an accident, but at yesterday’s meeting I noticed and…well. You probably know what I noticed.” 

Alfred hummed and relaxed his posture. “You didn’t tell anyone?” 

“Like I said, he stole my mask. I don’t give a shit what he does.” She shrugged. It was the truth. “All I want is for this merger to not only benefit our companies, but Gotham too. And for some reason the guy who runs around at all hours of the night protecting the city is suddenly waffling about using some of his buckets of cash to do some fucking good.” 

Alfred did the last thing she expected. He laughed. “Oh, I like you. Come on.” He waved her over and went to, of all things, another elevator. 

“Where are we going?” she asked, wondering if maybe there was a dungeon beneath this place that Alfred was tricking her into. “And why does this goddamn tower have so many elevators?” 

Alfred put in a code and stepped inside an elevator that was a lot…grungier than the others she’d been in inside of Wayne Tower. He pressed his thumb to a keypad and entered another code. He then hit a button labeled only B before the thing started to lower. Basement, maybe? 

“This one is only for Bruce and I.” 

“Are you taking me to the dungeon?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. 

Alfred chuckled. “You’ll see.” 

“So that’s all it takes to get into Bruce Wayne’s inner sanctum, huh?” She leaned against the side of the elevator. “Sneak into the penthouse, pick a fight, and reveal that I know his deepest secret to his…uncle?” 

“Butler,” Alfred said. He shifted grip on his cane. “And Bruce needs someone to pick a fight with him.” 

“I really feel like you’re about to lock me in a dungeon.” 

The elevator jerked to a stop. There was a gate across the opening that rattled as it parted. 

Alfred gestured for y/n to step out, so she did. She was surprised to see Alfred was staying inside. He winked at her and was gone as the elevator ascended again. 

“Is she gone?” Bruce’s voice echoed around her and a chittering noise started in its wake. 

The space around her was…dark. She was standing on a platform with steps in front of her that led down to a wide open space. The edges of the area were in deep shadow and everything echoed strangely. Her eyes lifted to the dark ceiling and–holy shit, those were bats. 

Her gaze landed next on two words carved into the stone overhand: Wayne Station. 

“No, actually, she’s not,” y/n said as she followed the stairs down to where Bruce was. He had a shirt on now, at least. He was standing at a desk with several computer screens, hunched over as he scribbled something down. All around them were tables, computers, various tools, random pieces of Batman’s suit, two motorcycles, and a car on a ramp with one of those cloth covers over it. 

Bruce whirled at the sound of her voice. “What–” 

“Alfred let me in,” she said with a triumphant grin. The pen in Bruce’s hand cracked from the force of his grip. 

Bruce growled and turned back to what he was doing, unceremoniously flinging his pen to the side. “Alfred,” he muttered as if it were a curse. 

“He said you need someone to pick a fight with you. All I did was tell him I knew your secret and poof, here we are.” She greedily took in the space around her. It was so interesting. She had a feeling she was seeing a manifestation of Bruce’s mind. There were blueprints, all kinds of gadgets in various stages of completion, and a dummy dressed in his Batman armor and mask. 

“He–” Bruce muttered something else she didn’t catch. 

“Listen, I can pick a fight if you want, or you can show me all of this cool stuff.” There was almost a giddiness rising within her. He had so many cool gadgets, things she’d never dreamed of having. No wonder he was such a good vigilante. 

Bruce glared at her for a moment before turning back to whatever it was he was doing. It looked like he was making notes on a blueprint of some sort. The drawing looked like a car. Kind of. “It isn’t stuff,” she thought she heard him mumble, but she wasn’t sure. 

“Ooh, okay, fine. Let’s pick another fight. Will you get pissed off if I start moving stuff around?” It was too easy to tease him, she thought as she reached out and lifted something that looked an awful lot like a grenade. Her fingers had barely wrapped around it when Bruce’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. 

“Put that down.” 

She grinned at him and obliged. “That’s a yes, then. What if I touch this?” she asked as she picked up something that looked like the armbands he wore on his wrists. It was a lot heavier than she expected. Goddamn, he wore those things every night? Her wrist felt like it was about to break just from holding it. 

He snatched it from her. 

A small laugh escaped her lips. “You’re too easy a target.” She reached blindly for something else. 

He caught both of her wrists in his hands this time. “Stop doing that.” 

“Who pissed in your wheaties this morning, huh?” she asked as he yanked her away from the tempting pile of stuff. 

“You did,” he said. He still hadn’t let her go. 

“Listen,” she said after a beat. “I didn’t mean to–bring up anything by mentioning your dad, okay? I was frustrated.” 

“Understatement of the year,” he muttered. He glanced away but didn’t let her go. 

“I’m going to let that one slide because I really am sorry.” She shrugged as best as she could from within his grip. Her eyes trailed past him, over his shoulder, and she jerked. “Hey! That’s my fucking mask!” 

She yanked hard against him but he didn’t let her go. 

“I told you, you’re not getting it back,” he said firmly. He was scowling down at her. 

“You fucker,” she said. “I already ordered a new one, anyways. Made some improvements.” 

He sighed long and loud through his nose, eyes closed as if he were trying to find inner peace or something. 

“Will you let me go?” she asked.

“Will you stop touching stuff?” he asked, eyes opening. She didn’t miss the way his pupils expanded as he continued to stare at her. 

“That depends,” she said with a bold step forward. “Is there anything I am allowed to touch?” She said it so seductively that there wasn’t a question about her meaning. She let her chest brush against his. 

Bruce said nothing but his grip loosened. 

She slid one of her hands up his chest and rested it on his shoulder. “Do I really piss you off that much?” she murmured. 

“Yes.” 

“So you don’t like me…at all?” She pressed herself closer against him. His sweatpants did nothing to hide the fact that he at least liked her some. 

“I didn’t say that.” His hands fell to her waist, his touch burning hot even through her clothes. 

“Should I get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness?” she asked in a low voice. Just imagining it turned her on so much her breath stuttered. Bruce’s fingers flexed against her and she felt the words go straight through him as his cock twitched against her stomach. “Or maybe you should get on your knees,” she murmured as her hand tangled in his hair. His eyes fluttered closed for a second. 

“Which one will make you shut up faster?” he asked after a second. His blue eyes flashed as they opened again. 

She laughed and leaned up to whisper in his ear. “Sounds like you want my mouth full.” 

Bruce stopped breathing for a split second. Then his lips were crashing against hers. Her back smacked against the nearest table. He was everywhere. The warmth of his body surrounded her and she again had a moment of thinking he was larger than he was. His hands strayed up her shirt, the calluses on his bare palms dragging a shiver from her as they scraped across her skin. 

This time he bit her lower lip and the mixture of pleasure and pain had a soft noise escaping from her before she could stop it. 

“You’re so infuriating,” he said against her lips. “You drive me crazy.” 

“Right back at you,” she said and kissed him again. 

“I mean it,” he said as his nose traced her jaw. He pressed a kiss against her pulse. She was certain he could feel the way it suddenly jumped. “I have never been so aggravated by a person before.” He kissed down her neck and sighed into her skin. “And I’ve never wanted someone so much.” 

“Then do something about it,” she said with a challenge in her voice. It didn’t come out as strong as she’d hoped though, because his lips were distracting her, and one of his thumbs had chosen that moment to brush the underside of her breast through her bra. 

In one swift movement he had rid her of her shirt. His eyes were hungry as they took her in. “You’re beautiful,” he said. 

“Finally, a compliment,” she said but the words choked off as his lips touched the top of one breast and then the other. 

“One of us has to be nice,” he said, and the way his breath brushed against her skin made her shiver. He glanced up at her through his dark, dark lashes. 

“I can be nice,” she said defensively. What she really wanted to do was demand that he touch her already, but that would defeat the purpose of her comment about being nice. 

Bruce quirked an eyebrow at her. “Oh?” 

She pulled him back to his full height and settled on her knees before him. And bless him, he had some sort of cushioned mats underneath the tables so she wasn’t on hard concrete. Her hands settled on the backs of his thighs as she leaned back enough to stare up at him. 

“I can be very nice,” she said as she tugged his sweatpants down. 

His breath and hers both caught when his cock sprang free. Her mouth practically watered at the sight. His hand caressed the back of her head encouragingly but he made no move to force her forward. He simply watched, and waited. 

She licked the underside of him slowly. Her reward was a choked noise. His hand tightened spasmodically on her head but again, he didn’t force her forward. 

She licked him again, experimental this time, letting her mouth very slowly explore him, moistening him so when she decided to, her lips would slide right over him. 

She took the head of him in her mouth first and swirled her tongue. This time he moaned out her name. The sound of it made her squeeze her thighs together. Her want was a living, breathing thing within her. She didn’t want to tease anymore. She took him into her mouth fully, swallowing him as deep as she could. 

The sound Bruce made was desperate. It echoed around them and only served to make her hungry for more. She was doing that to him. She was making him feel that good. 

Her head bobbed, his hand a gentle guide on the back of it, the noises he was making becoming more frequent the more she moved. His body trembled. She wasn’t entirely sure he was breathing, either. 

All of a sudden her mouth was empty as he jerked away from her. It was instinct to follow but he tugged gently on her hair to stop her. 

“My turn to be nice,” he said, voice deeper than she’d ever heard it. He guided her upwards and kissed her so hard it left her breathless. He palmed one of her breasts with one hand and her ass with the other. Then her bra was falling off and to the floor. 

“You?” she said on half a gasp. “Nice?” 

He grinned at her. “I can be very nice.” 

He unzipped her skirt. It puddled around her ankles. She kicked off her shoes and the skirt in anticipation. 

“Yeah?” she said as both of his hands gripped her ass and pulled her closer. She wiggled against him, his cock against her bare stomach about to drive her wild with need and they hadn’t even done anything yet. “Prove it.” 

One of his hands was between her legs before she finished speaking. He brushed a thumb against her clit through her underwear, making her squirm. He leaned down to kiss the pulse point in her neck again. 

She made a noise of complaint when he stopped touching her but all he did was lift her so she was situated on the table. 

“Spread your legs,” he said and her body instinctually obeyed without her permission. He pulled down her underwear. His eyes were hungry as he lowered himself to her knees. He was devouring her with his gaze. His lips parted as his tongue darted out. She knew that tongue was about to be on her and the anticipation was killing her. 

“This is the part where you beg for forgiveness,” she said in a breathy voice. All of her bravado went out the window as he smirked at her and traced a finger through the wetness between her legs. 

He moved teasingly slow as he continued to trace her, staying just outside where she wanted him, every other pass stopping to circle her clit. He kissed the inside of one thigh and then the other. Then he paused, staring up at her with eyes like blue flames, and lifted one of her legs to rest on his shoulder. The new position made her lean back against her hands. 

She moaned at the first touch of his lips. His tongue gently traced her clit and she squirmed all over again.

“Bruce,” she said like a plea. 

He listened to her unspoken demand and inserted a single finger into her so slowly she wanted to scream. His tongue worked her clit as his finger moved in and out of her. The sensation started to build and build and build. She reached out for an anchor with one hand, something, anything to keep her grounded. Her fingers threaded into Bruce’s hair. He hummed against her, eliciting a moan from her as the vibrations moved through her body. 

“Fuck,” she said because there was no other word for it. 

He pushed a second finger inside her. His movements started to quicken. 

Her orgasm built within her as he moved faster and faster. The sensation of his tongue on her clit coupled with two of his fingers inside her was almost too much. She couldn’t catch her breath. 

Bruce slid a third finger inside her and every muscle in her body clenched around him. 

She shuddered as the orgasm washed over her, pleasure rolling on waves throughout her body. 

When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her. Somehow, that was hotter than anything he’d done up until that point. The look in his eyes, feral and hungry, made her feel more naked than her actual nakedness. 

“How do you want me?” she asked, voice thick in the wake of her orgasm. Her body shuddered with an aftershock and Bruce’s piercing blue eyes didn’t miss any of it. He stood slowly, the bulk of him seeming to unfold little by little as he towered over her. He pulled his shirt off with one hand and somehow kept eye contact the whole time. 

He stepped between her legs and she shivered again. The air was cold but the warmth pouring from Bruce’s magnificent body was enough to keep her from feeling it. 

“How do you like it?” 

God, his fucking voice. Deep and sexy and with a hint of a growl that turned her on. 

How did she like it? Was he serious? She just wanted him inside her, she didn’t care where or how. 

“Just fuck me,” she said when she could find her voice. 

“You’re so bossy,” he said with half a smile as he bent to kiss her. 

She clutched his shoulders. “I mean it, Bruce,” she said with as much bravado as she could muster. “Fuck me. I have an IUD so we have nothing to worry about.” 

“Are you sure?” he asked after a second. He studied her face calmly as if she weren’t half-mad with lust. As if his cock wasn’t dripping for her, angled perfectly to go inside her. 

“I don’t know how I could make my consent any clearer.” She rolled her eyes. Then she realized that maybe Bruce wasn’t sure. “Are you sure?” 

“Yes,” he said against her lips, and then pushed into her so suddenly she cried out. 

She said every cuss word she knew which only served to make him laugh. The vibrations traveled between their connected bodies in a delicious way. He stayed still for a moment, letting her adjust to him, his lips moving up her neck and to her breasts and to her lips. 

“Fuck,” Bruce said as he began to move. She agreed with the sentiment. With her leaning back on the table, him between her legs, the angle was just right to immediately send shivers up and down her spine. Every thrust made her muscles clench. 

The feel of his cock within her was almost transcendent. She grabbed him tightly, pressing their bodies together, keeping him close to her as he thrust in and out. 

He slid a hand between them to circle her clit and she cried out as she came almost immediately. When she opened her eyes she expected to see that she had burst into flames. Bruce was staring at her again, his expression tight. 

“You’re beautiful when you come,” he said and the words almost made her do so again. 

“I bet you are too,” she said with a grin. She wrapped her legs around him so that their bodies were flush. The new angle made them both gasp. His big hands splayed across her back and her own hands tangled in his hair. He seemed to like it when she pulled, so pull she did. 

“Y/n…” he said into the crook of her neck. His thrusts picked up speed. She saw stars as his cock hit her just right, over and over and over. The grip she had on his hair was a lifeline now, the only thing grounding her and keeping her from exploding into a million tiny pieces. 

“Come inside me, Bruce,” she said. It wasn’t at all bossy like she’d intended it, but he groaned anyways. 

He rocked into her, harder and deeper than before, the sweat on their skin making their chests slide together. His fingers deftly swept over her clit again. Her cry echoed, almost a scream, as she came for the third time. 

Bruce wasn’t far behind. His thrusts stuttered, rhythm uneven, as his hips jerked into her. She could feel it spill out of her even as he continued to move. 

“Fuck,” he said as his hips slowly jerked to a stop. They were both panting. 

“Fuck,” she agreed. She was still clinging to him. They stayed tangled together for a minute more. Her body shivered with aftershocks every few seconds. Her mind was blissfully blank. Her limbs were warm, her body languid. She felt completely wrung out in the best way possible. 

Bruce kissed her jaw. His hands rubbed idle circles against her bare back. It was…sweet. She liked it. Usually the men she fucked pulled out and yanked their clothes back on in the same movement. 

“I had no idea Bruce Wayne was such a…generous lover,” she said, breath still heaving. 

“Now you know all of my secrets.” He toyed with her hair, his face softer than she’d ever seen it. She let her legs fall from around his waist. He stepped back, sliding out of her, and passed her a small towel from God only knew where. “It’s clean, I promise.” 

“I highly doubt I know all your secrets.” Their eyes met and they shared a smile. She cleaned herself up to the best of her ability. “I’d like to, though.” 

“Oh?” he said, and there was a vulnerability in his expression that wasn’t there before. 

“Feel free to say no, but I’d like to take you on a date.” She nudged him gently. She pulled her bra and underwear back on. 

“I’d like that. But I should pay.” He pulled up his sweatpants but left his shirt off. She couldn’t say she minded the view. 

“Oh, I only meant I was driving. You’re definitely paying.” 

He laughed, long and loud, and the sound stirred something in her gut. 

“Who knew that all you needed was to get laid to loosen up?” she teased as she gave him another playful nudge. 

“I doubt this is what Alfred had in mind when he said I needed someone to pick a fight with,” Bruce said with another slight laugh. “But it worked, didn’t it?” 

Y/n glanced around, suddenly panicked. “There aren’t security cameras in here, are there?”

Something glinted in his eyes. A playfulness, almost. “No, there aren’t.” 

She squinted at him, suspicious. “If you tell me know and I find out you’re beating off to the tape every night–” 

He laughed again, this one a short, surprised burst of sound. He raised his hands as if in surrender. “I promise there’s not.” 

She finished straightening her hair with a soft hmph. “Fine, fine. Date’s still on then, I guess.” 

Bruce leaned in and brushed a kiss to her temple. It was as if he couldn’t help it. As if the sex had softened all of his rough edges. Maybe it had softened her, too, because she couldn’t drum up an ounce of annoyance at him if she tried. In fact, she leaned into the touch. 

“Seriously,” she teased as she bent to pull her shoes back on. “It’s like you’re a different person.” 

“What can I say?” he said. He spread his hands. “You’re not all bad.” 

“Does this mean you’ll accept all my terms with the merger?” 

There was a long, long pause. “Absolutely not.” 

She snorted, and they fell into what was becoming their new routine of bickering as they went upstairs to get lunch.