#you’re a trooper if you read it all lol

[campingwiththecharmings]

hellooooo!! congrats on the one year anniversary<3<3

could I request “how mad would you be if i kissed you?” with poe?

(thank you for doing this event!!!!)

All Your Fault

AN: OMG IT'S A FIC-AVERSAY REQUEST!! lol Told y'all I was still gonna answer all of these! That said, I'm betting you probably don't even remember sending this lmao but I hope you can still enjoy it all the same though. Thanks for your patience 💖

(Un-beta’d)

Rated: T Words: 1,068 Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader (written with f!reader in mind but I'm pretty sure this could be read as GN. please correct me if that's wrong) Warnings: kissing, arguing...nothing else I can think of (please let me know if I missed something) AO3

——————

Commander Poe Dameron is, quite literally, the bane of your existence.  

Sure, he’s a great pilot and, okay fine, he’s not a terrible leader but, damn it if the bastard doesn’t drive you absolutely crazy with his needlessly risky plans. You’re not sure if he has a death wish or if he’s just an adrenaline junky, but what you do know is that if the storm troopers chasing you don’t kill him, you just might. 

You run down the narrow hallway of the First Order compound you’ve infiltrated, Dameron in tow, desperately searching for an escape. You spot a door, thank the Maker when it’s unlocked, and pull Dameron inside with you by the lapels of his jacket, glaring at him when he opens his mouth to complain. 

“Shut up,” you whisper harshly, pushing him against the back of the door. 

He watches you in the dim light for a moment, lips parted, breath leaving him in pants. Your eyes drop to his mouth, lingering longer than you’d like, and you wonder briefly if they’re as soft as they look, how they’d feel against yours, how they’d taste— 

Okay fine, so you’re a little attracted to him. That didn’t mean he didn’t still infuriate the hell out of you. 

The thundering of boots crescendos outside the door, (blessedly) breaking you from your staring contest with his mouth. Still pressed against Poe, you swallow thickly, your face warm as you forcibly avert your gaze. Your eyes land on his neck, and you have to ignore the sudden urge you feel to lick the bead of sweat running slowly down the side of it. 

You’re both still as the troopers pass, as if making even the tiniest movement might alert them to your presence. Poe is still breathing a little heavy, the air puffing against your cheek just another reminder of his closeness. You try to ignore it, ignore him, ignore how good his body feels against yours, how amazing he smells. In an effort to stave off the sudden urge you have to bury your face in his neck and breathe deep, you think of literally anything else: your bunkmate’s dirty socks, General Leia screaming at you, taking a blaster bolt to the shoulder— 

The sound of the troopers fades slowly and you breathe a quiet sigh of relief, backing up as much as you can in the small space.  

“That was a close one, huh?” Poe mutters, looking at you warily, as if you might attack him at any given moment. 

Your anger at him rekindles in your chest at the comment and you can’t stop yourself from punching him in the shoulder. He grunts, glaring at you half-heartedly as he rubs the spot where you hit him. 

“No, Dameron, that was stupid. Completely and utterly stupid,” you quietly scold, pointing at him in accusation. 

He scoffs, almost rolling his eyes and it sends another flare of anger through you.  

“Oh, you don’t think so?” you counter, stepping closer to him. “You think your little stunt helped us?” 

He glares at you, leaning back against the door with an annoyed look on his face. “We got what we came for, didn’t we?” 

“Yes, and we’d be out of here and on the ship right now if you’d just followed the plan.” 

“You mean followed your plan,” he mumbles almost petulantly. 

“Is that what this is about?” you ask, chuckling humorlessly as you take another step closer. “Still sore that the General went with my plan instead of yours, flyboy?” 

His jaw tightens and he moves even closer, his voice so low it’s almost a growl. “Your plan is the reason I even had to pull that ‘stunt’ in the first place, sweetheart.” 

It’s your turn to scoff now, rage flaring in your eyes as you move so close to him his chest brushes against yours. You ignore how incredible he smells, even after all the running you’ve done, ignore how good he looks this close— 

“You are unbelievable, do you know that? Absolutely unbelievable.” 

Poe opens his mouth to retort, a mischievous look in his eyes, but you cut him off by continuing, your voice a harsh whisper. “You’re reckless, hot-headed, impulsive—” 

His finger on your lips stops you, your eyes widening in both shock and rage. 

Unfortunately, you’re silent long enough for him to ask, “How mad would you be if I kissed you right now?” 

Your brow furrowing in confusion, lips parting as much as they can with his finger still pressed against them. Instinctively, your gaze falls to his mouth, eyes dragging over his plump bottom lip as your brain reminds you of all the times you’ve fantasized about a moment just like this one. You watch as the corner of his mouth quirks slightly in a smile and know you’ve somehow given him all the permission he needs. 

He leans in, spanning the meager distance between you as he pulls his hand away, tentatively pressing his lips to yours. He’s giving you a chance to push him away, you realize, to decide you don’t want this but…You do.  

You melt into him, pressing your body against his and pushing him back against the door. He groans softly, the sound going straight to your core and you wonder what else you could do to pull sounds like that from him.  

You hope he gives you a chance to find out. 

His hands cup your cheeks, holding you in place as he presses his tongue against the seam of your lips. You part them without resistance, shivering when he licks inside. The taste of him is divine, a mix of sweetness and spice and something so inherently Poe. You could spend hours, maybe even days, like this, just kissing him, enjoying the taste of him, the feel of him. Already you can’t get enough, can feel your need for him clawing at the base of your spine as your fingers plunge into his soft, dark locks.  

You’re forced to break for air, foreheads pressed together as you both try to catch your breath. 

“This isn’t over, you know,” you pant, pulling back to shoot him what you hope is a stern look. 

He chuckles breathlessly, reaching out to trace the curve of your cheek with his knuckles, his lips quirking slightly when you unconsciously lean into the touch.  

“I’d be disappointed if it was, sweetheart.”

If you enjoyed this, please let me know! I appreciate every single reblog and/or comment. Thank you. 💖

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#my fic #fic-aversary celebration #poe dameron x you #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron fic #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron reader insert #starwarsficnetwork

[soaringthroughthegalaxy]

hi!! just read both of your wrecker works and rineicbeijcwjkdjs LOVED THEM!! wrecker’s my fav of tbb and i really feel like he needs more love😭 i'm gonna be checking out some of your other works later lol

anyways i saw that you were taking requests, so i went through your prompt list and saw two that caught my eye. they're 24. “You need to wake up because I can't do this without you.” and 18. “I almost lost you.”

i was wondering if you could write something with those prompts for wrecker please? like tbb + reader were able to rescue omega, crosshair, and tech (i am believer in tech surviving season 2 finale), but the reader got seriously injured during the rescue and is now in a coma. wrecker would be the one to say the prompts and it would be angsty like wrecker thinking the reader might die. but please let this end happily.

other than those details i trust your writing skills and process for anything! take your time writing, there's absolutely no rush!! and again your writing is soooo awesome!!😊😊

Well hello there!

I'm so glad you enjoyed those fics, and thank you for popping this request in - so sorry it's taken me so long to write it! I had a lot of fun with this one, and I hope it hits the spot 😁

I guess it's also technically canon divergent now S3 is out, haha 😅

Through the Darkness

No one said rescuing the rest of the Batch from Mount Tantiss would be easy - you just didn't expect it to go like this.

Pairing: Wrecker x F!reader

Word count: 2.7k

Warnings: canon typical violence, reader in a coma for a bit, little bit of angst, but also dashes of hope, happily ever after.

Translations: sarad - flower

Hemlock has his hands on you, his blaster pressed to your temple. The sounds of fighting cease. Dead TK Troopers litter the floor. Wrecker and his siblings freeze, slowly lowering their weapons.

Your back is pressed to Hemlock’s chest, and there isn’t a clean shot at him.

“Anyone moves and your dear liaison will pay the price,” Hemlock states.

Rage flows through Wrecker. You were in danger, too far for him to grab and shield, and he had no idea what to do. He glances at his siblings – Omega curled against Hunter’s side with weariness painted on her face, Tech leaning heavily against Echo for support as his body protests the prolonged time standing. Crosshair had peeled off from the group earlier, searching for what or who none of them was sure. They were all back together again. A family again. He wasn’t about to let Hemlock take you from them.

Shakes start in your thighs, slowly creeping up your body until your arms and hands tremble, too. You’ve been in dangerous situations before, had your life threatened before - but you’re certain Hemlock would do it. The man is crazy and will stop at nothing to get his hands on your family. The sound of his verbal back and forth with Hunter is like white noise.

The slightest movement in the rafters above catches your attention, and your eyes dart up. Battered and bruised, Crosshair has found a vantage point and a rifle. Those hawkish eyes meet yours, and a silent conversation is shared. You do the maths. There’s only one way out of this. Thank the Maker you still trust him, even after everything.

You give an almost imperceivable nod, knowing he’ll catch it. You flick your gaze to the others, taking one last look, just in case. Echo, who’d joined you all near the end of the war and had so seamlessly slipped into the fold of your family. Tech, worse for wear after his fall on Eriadu, but with that same solid determination in his eyes. Hunter, the man who’d welcomed you into the squad all those years ago, listened when you shared your thoughts and didn’t make a fuss when you broke terrible news to them about the next mission. Omega, trying to hide her fear through bravery – so much for a young girl with such a pure heart to endure. And Wrecker, the imposing force of a man who’d always put himself between you and danger, who reached for you at every opportunity and consoled you when things had gotten too much – the man you’d quietly loved for some time.

With a shaky breath, you close your eyes, placing all your faith in Crosshair. The quiet sniper who’d at first sneered at you and flicked toothpicks in your face before he’d thawed out and helped perfect your aim, taught you how to use his rifle, and what to look out for when scouting.

The sound of his shot reverberates around the hanger, and milliseconds later, searing pain tears through your shoulder, pulling a piercing cry from your lips. Legs giving out, you crumple, welcoming the cold durasteel you hit.

You don’t know if they all made it out, but you pray they did.

Wrecker hasn’t moved in weeks, refusing to leave you alone. The memory of you being shot won’t leave him; the sound of your agony is stuck on repeat. You’d been in bacta for what felt like forever, the shiny skin on your shoulder a testament to its healing power, but it wasn’t enough to wake you from the coma you’d slipped into. Pabu’s only Doctor had insisted on removing you from the tank once your physical wounds had healed, transferring you to a standard medical bed.

Crosshair’s shot had torn through your shoulder, but the angle had been perfect. Wrecker hadn’t expected any less from his little brother. The bolt had exited you and entered Hemlock, hitting him straight in the chest. A kill shot. That hadn’t killed you. Or so Wrecker hoped. Even if you woke, your shoulder would likely ache for the rest of your life, and your arm would not be as strong as before.

The sound of the door opening pulls Wrecker’s gaze from your prone form and across the small room in Pabu’s clinic. Crosshair slides through the crack in the door, thin lips pressed together, brow pinched. He visits often, guilt in his eyes every time he looks you over. You might’ve okayed the shot, but it still tore at the sniper’s soul to have hurt you.

“Nothing?” Crosshair rasps, sticking close to the door as he glances between you and his brother. He’d never admit it, but fear was starting to settle in his gut. If you didn’t wake…

“Nothin’.” Wrecker confirms, shoulders slumped. “Been talkin’ to her. Doc said she might be able to hear us. Not that it’s doin’ much good.” He sighs, gaze shifting back to you. “Told her we all got out okay. That you and Tech and the kid are alright. Don’t want her worryin’.”  

Crosshair makes a slight noise, acknowledging his brother’s words as his gaze lingers on your prone form.

“You stayin’ a bit?” Wrecker asks, using one foot to push out the spare chair at his side – the rest of their siblings often visited, too.

Hesitating, Crosshair lets out a small sigh as he moves across the room, lowering himself silently into the chair. He hadn’t stayed before, preferring to flit in for any news before disappearing. It hurt too much to see you this way, knowing he’d caused it. That and he was still working through everything that had happened during his time with the Empire, trying to fix his relationships with his siblings. But Wrecker needed him, so he’d stay.

You’d always hated the dark.

The shadows surround you, pressing in from all sides. Yet amidst the inky darkness, you find yourself standing in a solitary spot of light, its glow offering a semblance of warmth amidst the chill of the void. The lights kept appearing, and you’d learned quickly that when a new one glistened on the horizon, you had to run for it before the light you were already standing in disappeared. 

You’d lost track of how many lights you’d chased so far. 

Each one varied in intensity – sometimes brilliant beacons, other times mere flickers barely piercing the gloom. Yet, regardless of their brightness, they all held a magnetic pull, drawing you forward with an unyielding force. And each time you reached one, a brief respite washed over you, a fleeting moment before the next journey into the unknown began.

Scanning the horizon, you spot another light starting to beckon, its faint glow a promise of safety. With a heavy heart, you know what you need to do.

Taking a deep breath, you burst into a sprint. Each step forward is a battle against the darkness, its tendrils reaching out like icy fingers, eager to drag you into its embrace. Goosebumps prickle your arms, heart pounding as fear gnaws at your insides, but a stubborn determination fuels your movements. You can’t afford to falter, to succumb to the darkness, not after everything.

Worry lingers at the edge of your consciousness, a constant reminder of uncertainty. What lay beyond the lights? Will you ever find your way back to the world you once knew? The questions taunt you, echoing in your mind relentlessly the longer you spend here.

Yet, a glimmer of hope remains amidst the fear and uncertainty. Though the darkness threatens to overwhelm you, there must be a reason for the light. There has to be something causing it. Blessing you with it. Giving you these small moments of respite and keeping you in one piece. 

You keep going. One foot in front of the other.

A shove yanks Wrecker out of sleep, and the big man jolts awake with a small yelp.

Crosshair snickers, leaning back in his seat, drawing his hand back towards his chest. “Sleeping on the job, vod.” He can’t help but jibe, his smirk melting into a frown at the sound of Wrecker’s stomach growling. “When’s the last time you ate?” He asks. He hadn’t wanted to wake him, seeing him finally getting some rest, but the sun was high in the sky now, and Crosshair knew it wouldn’t be long until Omega and Hunter swung by.

Blinking, Wrecker’s mind takes a moment to catch up with the fact he’s awake. “Urm, yesterday? Maybe?” He guesses, not really sure. The days were starting to blend together.

With a huff, Crosshair stands, long legs unfolding. “Will get you something. Can’t wither away before she wakes.” He mutters, grateful for the opportunity to leave and not have to sit any longer in silence with his feelings – he’d done enough of that for the day.

With a slight nod of appreciation, Wrecker watches as Crosshair heads out the door, hearing the gentle click of it shutting behind him. Hand wiping over his face, Wrecker shifts in the chair, stretching a little. But he can’t avoid the inevitable forever, and although it pains him, he looks you over for what feels like the millionth time. 

Despite his imposing stature, he feels powerless.

He hadn’t been able to protect you - the woman he loves. He’s loved you since the moment he first met you in the hanger of a Venator, as you’d been assigned to him and his brothers as their liaison. You’d offered them a smile that had rendered him speechless, and his booming laughter had then filled the hanger when you’d quipped back at Crosshair as he'd sneered about them not needing a babysitter.

You kept them on their toes and blended in so seamlessly with their chaotic lives.

Without an audience, Wrecker clears his throat, leaning forward in his seat to gently take your tiny hand in his much larger one. “I hope ya can hear me, sarad.” He starts, voice mellow. “Been a few weeks now since we got ’em back.” He’s not sure how much you’re aware of, if the passing of time is something you’re experiencing. “Cross was just here. Finally sat for a bit. Think he feels guilty.” Wrecker pauses, brows furrowing, face pinching. “I feel guilty. Should have protected ya, kept ya close.” Wrecker’s voice cracks a little, emotion seeping through. 

“We’re all here, though. Ain’t leavin’ ya, no matter what. Can’t wait for ya to wake up and tell us all how much trouble we’re in.” He chuckles softly, a hint of sadness in the sound. “Just...ya need to wake up ’cause I can’t do this without you.” He admits, a well of emotion pressing down on his chest.

Wrecker’s words hang heavy in the air, the weight of his emotions palpable even in the silence of the clinic. He wishes he could shake this feeling of helplessness and do more than just sit by your side, waiting for a sign of life. But for now, all he can offer is his unwavering presence and a steady stream of conversation, hoping against hope that somewhere within your subconscious, you can hear him.

Keep going. You need to keep going.

The darkness claws at you, desperate to slow you down and draw you into its embrace. But the light grows closer with every step you take, with every thud of your heart as you race forward. Amidst your footsteps echoing in the void is the faintest whisper of something familiar.

No.

Not something.

Someone.

“Wreck!” You cry out into the darkness, feet faltering for a second as you recognise the deep voice. The darkness tries to take advantage of your momentary hiccup, but with a yelp, you pick up your pace. The hope that lingers in your heart explodes. As you draw closer to the light, Wrecker’s voice comes into focus. “Ain’t leavin’ ya, no matter what.”

With renewed determination, you push yourself harder, every muscle in your body screaming for rest, but you refuse to give in. The light grows brighter, its warmth now palpable against your skin.

And then, just as you’re on the verge of stepping into the light, a sudden force knocks you off balance, sending you sprawling onto the cold, hard ground. Panic grips your chest as you scramble, desperate to continue your pursuit.

But the darkness has other plans, closing in around you like a suffocating blanket, obscuring the light. Amidst the coldness creeping through your body, you cling to the memory of Wrecker’s voice, a lifeline in the darkness.

Body straining, you crawl forward, ignoring the pain and exhaustion, determination burning bright within you. You don’t belong in the darkness. You belong in the light. With them. With him.

Straining, you reach out an arm, trembling fingers skimming the edge of the light as Wrecker’s voice comes through loud and clear. “…ya need to wake up ’cause I can’t do this without you.”

The darkness recoils. 

With a final surge of strength, you propel yourself forward, breaking free from the suffocating grip of the void. The light envelops you, wrapping you in its warm embrace as the shadows recede into the distance, getting further and further away. Relief floods through you, tears of joy mingling with sweat on your cheeks.

Head tilting back, you look up at the light, a bubble of laughter escaping as you bask in the glow. Eyes fluttering shut, you savour the moment. Yet this time, when you open your eyes, there’s no darkness or blinding light anymore. 

You blink. Once. Twice. The soft hum of medical equipment fills the air. And there, beside you, is Wrecker, head bowed, the weight of his hand wrapped around yours. 

Everything seems to freeze except the frantic thudding of your heart. “Wreck…” You whisper, your voice hoarse from disuse as you dare to hope you’re back. Really back. 

Wrecker’s head jolts up at the rasped sound of his name, his good eye widening as he meets your gaze, your name falling from his lips as his features crumple, a heaving sob of relief escaping him.

You slowly sit up, wincing at the ache that shoots through your shoulder. It’s still tender, but the pain is nothing compared to the overwhelming flood of emotions that wash over you at the sight of Wrecker’s tear-streaked face. 

You reach out, cupping his cheek in your hand, the warmth of his skin grounding you in reality. “I’m here.” You murmur softly, your voice barely above a whisper, unsure if you’re trying to convince yourself or him.

Wrecker’s grip tightens around your hand as if afraid you might slip away again if he lets go. He leans into your touch, his words catching in his throat momentarily before he stands, leaning over the bed to envelop you in an embrace, protective yet gentle, conscious of your shoulder. “You’re back.” He murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “Thought I almost lost ya.”

Weak but grateful, you return his embrace, feeling the warmth of his presence washing over you, grounding you in reality. A lump forms in your throat at the thought of him worrying about you, thinking he would lose you. “Not going anywhere, big guy.” You reassure him, sniffling as you try to keep a lid on your emotions. “The others?” You ask cautiously, dread curling in your gut. 

“All made it,” Wrecker confirms, arms slowly uncurling from around you as he sits back in his chair, hand scooping up yours so he can maintain some contact. 

Your dread is swept away and replaced immediately by relief; this time, you don’t bother holding back your sobs.

“No cryin’, pretty girl. Please.” Wrecker’s heart aches at the sight, his free hand moving to cup your face and wipe away the tears.

You smile through your tears, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. Wrecker’s touch is like a lifeline. “Sorry.” You manage to choke out between sobs, trying to reign in your feelings. “Just...so relieved.”

Wrecker offers you a tender smile. “No need to apologise, sarad,” he murmurs softly, his voice filled with warmth and reassurance. A bolt of courage has him leaning forward to gently kiss your forehead.

As Wrecker’s lips meet your forehead, warmth seeps through you, chasing away the last remnants of the dark coldness. He pulls back a little, his gaze meeting yours, and the air feels electric. Without a word, you lean forward, closing the distance between you as your lips finally meet his in a soft, tentative kiss. 

And you realize that amidst the chaos and darkness, love has always been the guiding light, leading you back to where you belong.

Tag list: @clonethirstingisreal @starrylothcat @cw80831 @dreamie411 @issa-me-bry-blog @leftealeaf @isaidonyourknees

Sign up to be tagged in my future fics.

#Soarings Ask Box #the bad batch x reader #the bad batch x you #bad batch x reader #bad batch x you #tbb x reader #tbb x you #tbb wrecker x reader #tbb wrecker x you #wrecker x reader #wrecker x you #tbb wrecker #wrecker the bad batch #wrecker bad batch #bad batch wrecker #wrecker #the bad batch #star wars the bad batch #star wars clone wars #clone force 99

[vodika-vibes]

True Love

Summary: Fives is a man on a mission. His mission? Remind his riduur that she’s the only one for him.

Pairing: ARC Trooper Fives x F!Reader

Word Count: 828

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: So, full disclosure, this was supposed to be the event request for @l0nesome-dreams but I only read the first part of the request and went, yes, ideas, and only realized I went off the rails when I finished writing it, lol. SO. That will be properly written at a later point in time. So, uh, have a random Fives story?

The worst part of having a secret wife, is the fact that he can’t be as blunt to the people flirting with him as he’d prefer. The second worst thing is the fact that his brothers think that he’s lonely and needs help getting dates.

That leads him to this situation. Where an, admittedly pretty, woman is leaning into his personal space, and his mind is racing for what to say that won’t be too insulting, but also won’t out the fact that he’s a happily married man.

She leans further into his personal space, and Fives takes a half step back, keeping some distance between them. He glances at his chrono and his heart sinks. He’s late. 

His poor riduur is probably wondering where he is.

The woman leans closer to him, and Fives moves quickly to keep her from touching him, “Aww…you’re shy.”

“Look, I’m flattered, but I’m really not interested.” He says.

“Your brothers said that you would say that.” She smiles at him, it’s a pretty smile, but Fives really isn’t interested in her. “I can go as slow as you like.”

“Again,” Fives says slowly, “I’m flattered, but not interested.” He glances at the chrono one more time, maybe, if he’s quick, he can stop at the bakery that his riduur likes so much and get her a lemon bar.

The woman huffs, “Do you have somewhere to be?”

Fives grabs the chance with both hands, “Yes. Actually. And I’m late. If you’ll excuse me.” He almost makes it to the entrance of the Club before Rex flings his arm over his shoulder, “Son of a kriffing-”

“Where are you going, Fives?” Rex asks.

“Cap, Rex, I’m late. I have to go.”

“Oh? Have a hot date?”

Fives doesn’t answer, and he averts his gaze from his brothers, it’s a damned shame he isn’t a better liar, “I just have to pick something up before the store closes.”

“We went through all of this trouble to help you find a date, vod-”

“I’m not interested.” Fives blurts, “Not in her. Not in anyone you’ll ever pick for me. Rex, I have to go. I’m late.”

Rex presses his hand against Fives’ chest plate, “Late for what?”

Fives flounders, and then he sighs, “I was supposed to meet my wife half an hour ago, and if I leave now I can bring her a lemon bar from her favorite bakery to make up for being late. Can I go?”

“You’re married!?”

“REX!”

“Yes! Go.”

Fives pushes past his brother and out of the club.

He’s lucky, the bakery is still open when he arrives, and he’s able to get a whole box of the lemon bars his riduur prefers, before he runs home. He takes the stairs two at a time and impatiently keys in the door code before he stops in the front hallway.

Home smells like her. Like vanilla and flowers and everything good and nice in the galaxy that he never thought that he’d have. Home also smells like stew and fresh baked bread.

Fives quickly pulls his armor off, with one hand, and he heads into the kitchen. His riduur, his perfect beautiful Riduur, is still making dinner.

Thank the Force.

“I’m home,”

She turns and a bright smile crosses her face when she sees him, “Fives, welcome home.” She lays her spoon over the pot and turns to greet him with a hug, “You stopped at the bakery?”

“I know that I’m late-” Fives replies as he sets the box on the table, “So I stopped and got your favorite dessert.”

She giggles and presses a hand to her mouth, “I got a late start too, honestly. I’m sorry dinner isn’t ready.”

“Don’t be. I don’t mind.” He settles his hands on her hips and leans in to lightly press his forehead against hers, “Rex and the others dragged me to 79s.” He admits, “They think, thought, that I was lonely.”

“Oh?”

“They set me up on a blind date,” Fives adds.

A glimmer of uncertainty crosses her face, “Was she pretty?”

“I suppose. I wasn’t paying attention.” He brings one hand up to brush her cheek, “I was thinking about you.”

She ducks her head, a blush crossing her face, “You’re a sap.”

“True.” Fives kisses her gently, “I had to tell Rex about you before he’d let me leave.”

“Oh, Fives-”

“It’s okay. I doubt I’ll get into much trouble.” He kisses her one more time, “Don’t you worry about it. You won’t get into trouble, I promise.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“I know. Don’t worry, Rex is reasonable.” He kisses her again and again, “Now, how much still needs to be done for dinner, and how can I help?”

“Um…a lot. How about you go shower and change, and you can help after?”

“Deal.” He catches her lips in one more kiss, “Love you, riduur.”

She sighs, a dreamlike smile on her face, “Love you more.”

#star wars #tcw #arc trooper fives x reader #fives x reader #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #f!reader fic

[freesia-writes]

OMG congratulations on hitting 500!!!!

i love these prompts and its so hard to choose lol.

definitely Kix and i'm thinking i like #16.

"I've seen the way you look at me, when you think I'm not looking. You don't think I've noticed…"

thank you darling, and here's to 100 more! 💜🧡

Thank youuuu! I appreciated your suggestions on this one! :D Hope it's a fun read. <3

Kix x GN!Jedi!Reader Word Count: 3k Content Warnings: PG-13 battle stuff, medical treatment, and kissin. Dividers courtesy of @djarrex

GORGEOUS KIX FACE by @rosemarynightmares-art (though this story takes place when he still had his short buzz cut, I had to share it cause his eyes and lips are just... *MWAH*)

Your lightsaber was a blur in front of you, deflecting blaster bolts and sending them flying back toward the rows of droids. The sound was deafening, lights flashing everywhere, shuddering blasts rocking the ground, but you were honed into the Force, silencing all but your own path through it all. The Separatists were retreating, scattering and falling back to the canyon beyond, and you and the 501st were pressing forward. 

A pained yell to your left caught your attention, as you heard and felt the trooper get shot in the thigh. He collapsed, still trying to level his DC-17 at the droids ahead, and you leapt in front of him, providing cover as the rest of the squad continued to force the retreat. As the air slowly cleared, the battle dying down for the time being, you turned to place your hand on the fallen trooper, heart aching at the pain you felt radiating from him. You channeled all the energy you could into a peaceful, soothing presence that you directed toward him, feeling his breathing slow just a little bit. It wasn’t much, but it was all you could do. 

You saw Clone Medic Kix running from body to body, working at the speed of light. You marveled at his nimble fingers and singular focus, triaging the injured clones, treating some on the spot, and organizing the transports back to a medical bay. You heard Captain Rex giving orders for the squad to reorganize and report to the staging area, and you gingerly lifted the injured trooper to your shoulder, draping his arm across to support his one-legged hobble back toward safety. 

You’d been with the 501st for a number of months; shifting needs of the war had stolen you from your previous post. But you’d been grateful for the camaraderie and truly unique brotherhood that existed within the boys in blue. You’d grown incredibly fond of them, feeling each one’s unique presence in the Force and enjoying the way they all meshed together while being so incredibly different individually. One in particular was nestled close to your heart… 

Lowering the injured trooper onto a gurney, you met Kix’s eyes as he arrived to scan the clone, making notes on his datapad and instructing the transport. 

“Thanks for your help,” he said, too focused to smile but emanating gratitude and affection nonetheless. You could feel his spirit -- kind and fearless, determined and intentional -- and your heart fluttered, sending some alarm bells ringing through your head. 

“No problem,” you answered, jerking your eyes away at the sensations that his soulful gaze was causing within you. You gave him a formal nod, then left to attend to your own matters. 

“Come on,” Jesse poked, both literally and figuratively as he jabbed his elbow into your side. “We hardly ever get to come to Alderaan’s surface. It’s not only fun, but easy on the eyes too, and you’re way too uptight.” 

“I appreciate the beauty, but the Quint sector isn’t really my scene, Jesse,” you deflected, feeling Kix’s eyes on you from across the transport, along with a prickling sense of anticipation from him. You were all strapped in, shooting toward the planet’s surface as you watched the star cruiser fade into the distance behind you. There had been a special exception made (most likely due to the Organas' extreme kindness and generosity) for the clone squads to enjoy a couple days of rest and relaxation while their cruiser picked up some supplies and waited for the next destination. The gently curving buildings flying past the window were clean and light, sparkling in the sun, and it felt as though the war didn’t even exist here. 

“Have you ever been?” Jesse prodded, leaning forward with a knowingly arched eyebrow. You knew he had you there, and pressed your lips together firmly, sending him a look. “Ha! I knew it. Well, it’s just irresponsible to not explore a new place. Maybe it’s extra strong in the Force or something. It’ll make your magic even more powerful. Or supercharge your lightsaber…” 

A wave of mirth rippled throughout the troopers in their seats, and you grinned, unable to be mad at Jesse’s indomitable spirit. You were warmed to the core at the energy among the 501st -- they had accepted you easily upon your arrival, they trusted you fully, and they had warmly welcomed you into not only their battles but their free time. You’d learned some details about heavy artillery from Hardcase, enjoyed a lecture about the discrepancies between certain manuals from Echo, and had even been taught by Fives how to never leave the bar alone at night. Not that you’d asked for any of these, but you couldn’t resist the earnest delight of each clone as they shared their various interests and insights. 

You’d worked alongside Kix only briefly, feeling deeply unsettled by the inexplicably different vibe you got from being in the same room as him. He’d started off with a few cheesy pick-up lines, which immediately fell flat, and then stuck to strictly business. There was something about his soul that called out to you, though, and you tried to walk the thin line between enjoying his company, working shoulder to shoulder, and keeping things professional. You were grateful he wasn’t Force-sensitive, able to pick up on your feelings and thoughts, and were constantly torn between removing yourself from his presence altogether or refusing to miss out on an opportunity for connection. 

You shook your head, bringing yourself back to the present, where the clones had moved on to other topics of conversation. Apparently, it was decided that you’d be joining them to the Quint district on Alderaan, which was nothing like 79s but was as close as you could get in this sector. 

Hours later, after some time to clean up, you met the clones at the address they’d sent you, surprised to see them in their civvies. You couldn’t help but rake your eyes over Kix, who was engrossed in conversation with Echo and looked more diminutive without his armor, more inviting somehow. You pushed the thought from your mind, waving to the group and taking a seat next to Dogma, who sat silently at the end of a large table. 

“Ha! I knew the Jedi would come!” Jesse announced triumphantly, smacking Fives on the chest. “You owe me!”

“Well you basically bullied your way into that one,” Fives grumbled, elbowing Jesse right back. “You clean up nice,” he commented, giving you his infamous eyebrow waggle, which broke a bit of the tension you were feeling at not knowing quite what to do with yourself. You grinned, giving a playful shrug, and allowed yourself to soak up a bit of the joviality of the room. It was so different from 79s, even though the general purpose was the same, but it was absolutely beautiful. All of the furniture and walls were gently curved and boasted cool, tranquil colors of white, gray, blue, and green. The volume wasn’t too loud, but the place was filled with comfortable tables and chairs at different levels, each organized into little conversation areas that were cozy and welcoming. 

“I’m going to grab a snack. Anyone want anything?” you offered, met with a cacophony of eager responses. You made your way to the counter to place an order, barely opening the menu before feeling a warmth beside you. 

“Figured you’d need a hand carrying it all back,” Kix explained, a small smile curving his sharp features. You felt a rush in your chest, smiling and nodding in return. The feelings were growing, and you’d managed to keep them strictly under wraps, but every interaction with him was fanning the flame. It felt precarious… and enticing. You made a mental note to spend more time in meditation, to release any attachments and stay true to your singular commitment to the Jedi code. 

Once the order was placed, there was nothing to do but wait, and you found yourself lost in conversation with Kix within minutes. You had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and he was more than happy to share some of the most baffling, unique, and tragically disgusting cases he’d come across in his medical career so far. You laughed and questioned, fascinated by his adventures so far, and found yourself thoroughly elated as he finished a story that you were fairly certain was heavily embellished. 

The discussion took a turn after a little while, moving to more serious and heavy things. How he managed to keep cynicism and disillusionment at bay, you didn’t know, as he recounted brother after brother who had been lost in the war efforts. Your heart ached for him, feeling the complex emotions washing over him in wave after wave. He fell silent for a moment, running a hand over his intricately shaved and tattooed head, and you found yourself wanting to do the same. Tenderly, intimately… 

A sharp inhale brought you back to your senses, and you turned promptly to return to the table, “Just come get me when the food is ready?” you called over your shoulder, desperately needing to flee his presence. You plopped into your seat next to Dogma, who cast an inquisitive glance your way.

“Empty-handed?” he asked, expression softening the intimidatingly sharp tattoo across his face. 

“Kix is waiting for the food,” you explained dismissively. “So… I have yet to hear your tattoo story…” Anything to take your mind off of the slightly confused medic, still standing by the counter, watching you with a furrowed brow. 

This battle was not going well. Plasma cannons echoed all around as blast after blast rained down where you and the 501st were hunkered in some of the flimsiest cover you’d ever seen. Rex and Jesse were quickly discussing an alternate plan, as shot after shot whistled through the trees around you. You made a few suggestions, revised the final strategy, then Rex announced it to the squad. On his signal, you charged in two groups, left and right, sprinting for the identified landmarks that might allow you to curb the frontal assault that was far more than intelligence had suggested it would be. 

Suddenly, a huge cannon explosion landed nearby, causing one of the massive trees to crackle and waver. You looked up in horror as it teetered, roots ripping up from the earth, and began to crash through the forest canopy above as it fell… right toward a group of clones who were running toward their designated target. They were almost clear of its path… but one fell, shot in the stomach, and Kix was right beside him in an instant, scrambling to drag him clear. Horror clenched your chest, and without thinking, you ran toward them, using every tattered bit of energy you had to Force-throw them out of the way. As they landed on a nearby bush, the injured clone yelling in pain, you leapt over the tree as it smashed onto the ground where they had just been.

As you jumped down, focused entirely on the clones below, you missed the sizzling blaster bolt that was headed straight for you, tearing through your upper arm. A yelp escaped your lips as you landed, grimacing at both the searing pain and your own lack of awareness that could have prevented it. 

The steady beeps of the equipment in the room were soothing as you dozed, comfortably bandaged and bacta-d up. You’d made it through the rest of the battle, reaching the drop zone and being lifted back to the ship with the squad. Fortunately, you’d been shot on an external limb, so the outlook wasn’t so dire as it would be from a direct torso hit. As you slowly woke up, feeling rummy and warm, you suddenly became aware of a presence beside you. 

Kix was laying out a few items on a tray, not even looking at what he was doing in favor of watching you regain consciousness. His amber eyes were deep with concern and care, and you were flushed with sheepishness all of a sudden. Why did it have to be him… 

“Sorry to wake you,” he said softly, his smooth voice a caress to your ears. “It’s time to change the bandage and place another injection before the last one wears off.” He was strictly business, but you could feel the internal conflict within him, realizing how much it matched your own. None of it was allowed. It couldn’t end well. There was no possibility… 

“It’s ok,” you answered, trying to sit up as best you could with only one arm. He was beside you quickly, lifting you up, and the faint whiff of his unique scent reached your nose. Sterile, musky, clean, and… manly. You were quickly spiraling down a path that you knew was not a wise one. “I’m just going to… uh… meditate… while you do that…” you muttered, needing an escape from his intoxicating closeness. He smirked, nodding without a word, and slowly began to unwrap the gauze around your bicep. You closed your eyes, reaching for that place within, trying to sink deeply into it and release all the thoughts and feelings that were buzzing around your head. But you couldn’t. No matter how hard you tried, your senses were holding you firmly to the present. Kix’s gentle hands. The quiet sound of his breathing. The smell of him as he leaned over to unwrap the last bit.

You suddenly felt a weight on the side of the bed, next to your legs, and opened your eyes in surprise to see that he had taken a seat next to you. So incredibly close. And was leaning forward with a furrowed brow and intense squint as he examined the wound. Your heart flipped in your chest. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It all felt so intimate, even without any overt affection… 

“I’d warn you that this will hurt, but I know you’re a tough one,” he said playfully as he readied the bacta injection to ensure there was no long-term bone, muscle, or ligament damage. You flinched as he placed it, but he was right -- you’d been through much worse. And the internal torment was completely distracting. As he moved to apply a light layer of gel across the stitched-up shot, he leaned closer and spoke quietly, feather-light fingers tracing over the gnarled flesh. “Tough… and kind… and brave… and intriguing… and beautiful…” he murmured, keeping his eyes fixed on your arm as though he’d explode if he looked anywhere else. 

“Kix,” you breathed, studying his intensely focused face, “What are you doing?” His words reverberated within your very soul, shocking you with their unveiled honesty and affection. He fell silent for a moment, placing a patch over the wound and smoothing the adhesive around its edges, then finally lifted his eyes to yours. It sent a jolt of electricity through your body that continued to be amplified as he scooted slightly closer, picking up your hand in both of his. 

“I've seen the way you look at me, when you think I'm not looking. You don't think I've noticed…" he said, voice barely above a whisper. Your mouth fell open slightly, completely stunned. You’d thought you’d kept it under wraps, keeping everything on a formal, friendly, professional level, and had also assumed that you were the only one privy to the thoughts and feelings of others. Clearly you hadn’t been as subtle as you thought. You searched for words but had none, eyes darting back and forth between his, tingles radiating up the arm from the hand he was gently holding. 

“I can’t… I don’t…” you began, and he smiled faintly, looking down at your hand, nodding silently to himself. 

“I know,” he whispered, taking a deep inhale before lifting his head to yours again. “But…” his voice grew stronger as his eyes took on a roguish gleam, “We may all be dead tomorrow, so…”

His sudden levity burst through the tension, and you surrendered to the ecstatic flurry within as he leaned in, careful to avoid your injured arm, reaching one hand up to gently cup the side of your face. He drew closer, confident yet unsure, eyes intently searching yours for a response. He leaned his forehead against yours for a moment, and your ragged breathing seemed disproportionately loud. You could feel yourself opening up to him in a way, releasing the strict control of mind over body, leaning into the warmth and connection that was radiating between the two of you. Your eyes fluttered shut, lips parting slightly, and you tipped your chin upward to bring your lips together. 

A sharp inhale through his nose signaled his surprise, but within a split second, he was melting into your kiss, hand roving down your neck to cup the back of your head. Your good hand pressed into his back, tilting your head to bury yourself as deeply in his face as you could. He pulled away, keeping his eyes closed for an extra second, smiling serenely, before meeting your gaze again. You lifted your good hand to his face, brushing the backs of your fingers along his pronounced cheekbone before tracing careful fingers along the side of his head. He basked in your touch, eyebrows arching up in the center, simultaneously blissful and pained at the reality of the situation, but that could be dealt with later. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” you whispered, gently raking your fingernails down the back of his neck, earning a shudder from him that made your heart sing. 

“I know,” he answered, with a smug grin in your direction. “You don’t need the Force when you’re that obvious.” 

“I thought I was being subtle,” you laughed, drowning in bliss as he leaned in again. 

“You thought wrong,” he murmured against your lips, and you lost yourselves in each other once again.

#kix #clone wars kix #clone medic kix #clone trooper kix #tcw kix #kix x reader #kix x you #clone wars one shots #clone wars fic #clone wars fanfic #clone wars fluff #kix fluff

[anxiouspineapple99]

The Best Cake on Coruscant

Summary: Reader has a complicated living situation that affects her love life, until Fives comes along

Pairing: Fives x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: Fluffiness, mentions of parent death and drug use, we also gettin a little hot n heavy 🥵 suggestive up in this one. Mostly fluff though.

A/N: this one came to me and I decided to work on it while taking a break from my TechxOC fic. I am ALMOST done with chapters 2 and 3 of that one but the Internet has decided to hurt my feelings with the S2 finale all over again so it’s hard for me to write for him right now. Also this is the closest to smut I will ever write. I have no moral objections to smut, I quite enjoy reading it. I just can’t write it lol.

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

You had never envisioned yourself being a young single parent, let alone a young single parent to your little sister. Your mother had you young, just a teen. It was hard, your mother had a spice addiction which meant you spent most of your life poor. You never knew your father, you found out when you left home at 16 that he’d died in a drug deal gone wrong. You swore up and down you’d do better. You went to school, started a career, and established roots of your own. You didn’t even know your mother had another child until 5 years after your left home. Authorities showed up at your doorstep with the little one telling you your mother had died. You agreed to take her in. You wanted to give her the life you didn’t get. That was a year ago. A few months ago your best friend gifted you a matching necklace set, one that was a small heart that said “mom” for you and one that was just a heart for your sister. When you argued that you’re not, in fact, a mom she said it was going to be a litmus test to determine whether a man was worth your time. Boy was she ever right. When you’d meet a guy and exchange information you never told him about your living situation. You’d save that for the first date. You’d show up in the necklace. So far 100 percent of the time they’d freak out and you’d never hear from them again. It always started the same:

“Wait, does your necklace say mom? You have a kid?”

“Kind of, she’s my sister. Our mom died so I care for her now.”

“Oh...”

From there if you were lucky you’d get a free meal and the guy would never speak to you again. Worst case scenario is you being left with a bill when he excused himself to the refresher. Sometimes they bailed before you could order, that wasn’t terrible because at least you didn’t waste more time or credits than necessary. You weren’t terribly bothered by it though. You had a great support system in your friends. You had a great job with Koensayr Manufacturing and a decent apartment. Sure you were lonely sometimes, but it could be worse. Needless to say, when the incredibly charming (and far more handsome than should have ever been allowed) ARC trooper you’d met a few nights prior spotted you in your favorite bakery you didn’t hold out hope that he’d be any different. You’d worn your necklace to work that day and of course that would be the day he’d happened upon you on your lunch break.

“Hey there beautiful! Fancy seeing you here!” His playful eyes sparkled as he approached you.

“Small planet! Fives right?” You smiled warmly, exhilarated by the sight of him.

“That’s me alright. I see I made an impression that night! What brings you here?” He winked and shot you the finger guns.

“On my lunch break. Also finger guns? Really?” You ribbed, rolling your eyes.

“Of course finger guns! They’re slick! You’re eating cake on your lunch break?” He joked in return pointing at the slice of cake on your plate.

“I’d rather you not judge my life choices, thank you. Besides, this is the best cake on Coruscant. I won’t judge the finger guns if you let me have the cake,” you playfully bantered in return.

“Okay okay, deal! I’m glad I ran into you again so soon. I had a lot of fun with you that night at 79s. I was hoping I’d get to see you again,” He gave you a wink and a cheeky smile. Your stomach twisted like a BTL-B Y-wing starfighter in a tailspin. Maker, he was so cute.

“Thanks, me too.” You intentionally fiddled with the necklace to bring his attention to it. Time for the litmus test to begin. He paused, noticing the movement of your hands on the necklace,“That’s really nice, what’s it say?”

“Ahh..it says mom,” you were suddenly hesitant. He was right, the night you’d met at 79’s was a lot of fun. The two of you talked, danced, laughed, and shared awful drinks until the bar closed down. Once you’d stumbled out the door, he called you a cab and with a chivalrous kiss on your hand he sent you home. You weren’t ready to be sorely disappointed but figured it was best to rip the bandage off now. You winced as you braced for what you thought was the inevitable response of shock, then fear, and then making a run for the door.

“Oh you have a littl’un?” His response was curious, not judgemental. It was sincere too, you could see it in his eyes. That was interesting. He won’t want to be romantically involved with you but at least he wasn’t a raging womprat about it.

“Kind of? She’s my little sister. Our mother died so now I take care of her.”

“Wow! That’s incredible! How old is she?” He pulled up the chair next to you, “May I?”

“She…ah…she’s three. And sure? My mom had me young and I left home as a teen. I actually only found out I had a sister last year when the authorities stopped at my apartment with her saying she had no one else.” Now you were stunned. He didn’t go running. The opposite actually, he sat down, started asking questions.

“You have just earned a whole new level of respect from me. You took in your vod, no questions asked even when you hadn’t met her. You have a picture of her?” He asked, now genuinely interested in an aspect of your life that, for the last few months sent men running for the sand dunes of Tatooine.

“N..no. I have a holophoto on my desk at work but nothing on me.”

“Too bad. Hope I get to meet her some time.” He gave you a charming grin and your head was spinning. No one had ever shown this much interest. Was he for real?

“Really?” You asked incredulously. You rested your chin in your hand and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

“Why are you surprised?” His head tilted in confusion at the expression you were currently pulling.

“I’ve literally never had a man continue to show me interest after finding out about her, let alone show interest in her,” your emphatic confession caused a frown to cross his brow.

“Babe, those were no men. Let me take you to dinner tomorrow. I’ll show you how a true gentleman acts.” That statement threw you for a loop. There went the BTL-B Y-wing starfighter in your stomach again.

Your shoulders then slumped in disappointment, “I can’t. All my sitters are unavailable.”

“That’s okay. What about dinner at your place? I can meet the kid!” He countered with a burning enthusiasm so brilliant you couldn’t decline his offer. You gave him the address, questioning if this was the best idea. You didn’t know him, and you were letting him come into your home? Where your kid sister was. You decided to give all your friends a heads up. You even planned to reach out to one of them at some point during the visit to let them know how it was going and you were safe.

—————-

When you arrived home the following evening, you frantically dashed around your apartment cleaning. Your roommate was a three year old and that meant there were crumbs and toys and laundry everywhere. Your power clean was interrupted by a knock at the door. He was right on time. You slid the door open, armful of toys and a sheepish grin. He looked even more handsome than you thought was humanly possible. Standing there in his standard issue GAR fatigues, he held out a white box with a flower resting on top.

You huffed a loose lock of hair out of your face and took the box, “Sorry for the mess. What’s this?”

“Best cake on Coruscant, of course,” he chuckled sweetly. The sound of his laugh made you positively giddy. “I wasn’t sure if you liked flowers but I figured if I got both a cake and a flower I could win with at least one!” You felt your cheeks warm as you blushed a rosy pink. “That’s so thoughtful, thank you! Truth be told, I love both so you nailed it.” Fives pushed his chest out slightly, clearly proud of himself. “Where’s the kiddo? I have something for her too.” You stared in disbelief for a moment and then smiled, “You didn’t have to do that. She’s in her room, I’ll get her.”

Before you could take a single step, your sister came charging out of her room. She was wearing a crudely crafted paper clone trooper helmet, a craft project she’d done with your friend who watched her while you were at work. She was also waving two toy blasters in the air.

“STOP FIEF! I A TWOOPER! I SAVE MY SISSY!” she yelled as she charged at Fives. Without missing a beat, Fives threw his hands in the air in mock surrender, “Easy there trooper! I’m unarmed and I am no thief! Who trained you? Was it Rex? That looks like his chaotic blaster wielding.” You clamped a hand over your mouth to stifle the laugh, “I am SO sorry, Fives.” He grinned from ear to ear, “She’s even cuter than I expected.” Then he knelt down to her level, “Hey little trooper, I have something for you.” Your sister stopped short, “A pwesent? For me!?” “Yep! But first the bucket’s gotta go. At least for a minute,” he said as he gingerly lifted the paper helmet off her head. He’d had one hand behind his back since coming inside and he finally brought what he’d been hiding into view; a clone trooper doll, “The next time I see you I’ll bring some of my kit paint and we can give his armor a custom paint job together. How does that sound?” She squealed as she threw her arms around his neck. Fives was visibly shocked but immediately embraced her back. You couldn’t quite read his expression as he hugged your tiny three year old menace. It was an amalgamation of contentment and melancholy. You watched as he squeezed her a little tighter and then picked her up. That did it, you were a puddle. He was patient and kind and seeing his interactions with your sister had completely won you over.

“What? Is this okay?” he asked, his voice laced with apprehension.

You jumped at his question, “What? Yes! Yes it’s very okay. Why?”

“You were staring,” he waggled his eyebrows comically.

Kriff. You were staring and he caught you.

“Well now it’s obvious that my animal magnetism has entirely beguiled you,” he continued.

“Anyway,” you laughed, “I hope you don’t mind takeaway. I didn’t have time to cook.”

“Anything is better than the slop we get in the mess but I brought cake! We don’t need takeaway.”

“We aren’t having cake for dinner.”

“Why not? You had cake for lunch yesterday.”

“Why you cheeky…” you chortled as you threw a throw pillow at him and he doubled over laughing. He sat down and placed the crude paper bucket back on the tot’s head. She climbed all over him laughing and telling him about her favorite games and toys. He listened and engaged with her as if at only three years old she was the most interesting person he’d ever met.

You quickly became lost in your thoughts as you watched them. This was nice. It was comfortable and easy. You loved how effortless conversation was with Fives. It was something you’d observed when you first met him. You still never anticipated this. It felt natural, like you’d known each other your entire lives. Additionally, seeing him playing on the floor with your sister left you feeling weak in the knees. You wanted to throw him on your sofa and kiss him until he was left breathless. Your ruminations were soon interrupted by the knock on the door. You retrieved the takeaway and tipped the delivery kid.

“Oi! Feral loth-cat!” You chaffed, “Dinner is here!”

“Hey, that's no way to talk to your precious sister.”

“I was talking to you, good sir.”

Fives put a hand over his heart and feigned offense, “You wound me! I may be feral but I am no loth-cat, thank you. What are we having anyway?”

“Noodle Bar. It’s the kid’s favorite.”

“She has good taste. Come on squirt! Let’s eat!” In a single smooth movement, Fives heaved the tot onto his shoulders as she squealed with delight. Her little fingers clutched his hair as he walked toward the table.

You couldn’t help but notice that this felt so domestic in the best way possible. You loved it. You knew that, at least for the foreseeable future it may not be possible to sustain. You recognized that Fives would still be shipped out to battle after battle. He would be stationed on other planets for extended periods of time. But after the war was done… would he want something like this? More than that, would he want something like this with you. You hoped so.

You glanced at the time, “Little lady has a pretty early bedtime. If you want to stay a little longer, we can watch a holofilm after she’s out. Unless you know, you have to get going.” “A holofilm sounds wonderful,” his voice smooth and almost seductive. The buzzing of your comlink jolted you back to reality, “Kriff! I’m sorry! I have to take this.” You hurried to your room and closed the door. Your friend’s panicked voice sharply reprimanded you, “You said you would contact me 30 minutes ago! What the stang happened? Are you safe? Do I need to come over?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! No. You don’t have to come. We are safe. He’s…he’s great. Really great. I’ll fill you in later but we are in the middle of dinner now.” You heard your friend chuckle and mutter something about having it bad. When you walked out of your room you noticed Fives staring at his plate forlornly. “So ahh..should I head out then?” He asked not meeting your gaze. You stopped, taken aback, “W-why would you go?” He stood up, still not meeting your eyes, “You know, that emergency you have to attend to.” He vaguely motioned to your comlink. Your eyes widened, “Wait! No no no! It wasn’t anything like that.” You marched to his side and grabbed his arm, “My friends just worry. They wanted me to check in just to tell them I’m okay. When I didn’t they panicked. Please don’t go. I want you to stay…we want you to stay.” He met your eyes and you were suddenly keenly aware of your rapidly pounding heart. If it wasn’t impossible you would have thought he could hear it too. A smile crept across his face and his shoulders relaxed. “We, huh? That true, squirt? You want me to stay too?” He asked, turning to the three year old in the seat next to his. She grinned ear to ear and with a mouth full of noodles exclaimed “Yes! I want Fives to stay!” You laughed, resting your forehead on his chest without thinking. “Alright, guess I have no other choice but to stay,” his voice rumbled softly as he brushed your hair tenderly.

—————

“Alright little miss. That plate is empty. You want more?”

“Nope. My tummy’s full.”

“Then it’s bedtime.”

“Nooooooo! I want to play with Fives more!”

“Hey squirt, I had a great time playing with you! Your sister is right, you need your beauty sleep. I promise I will be back soon,” he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and added, “You’re way more fun than my brothers anyway.”

“Okay…” she stood up from the table still tightly clutching her new clone trooper doll.

“She needs me to lay with her until she falls asleep. If you want you can pick the holofilm while I get her down.”

“Absolutely. Take your time. I have all night,” he purred.

You got her into her pajamas with as little resistance as a three year old can possibly give at bedtime. Once dressed she ran back to the sitting room. She wrapped her arms around Fives’ leg and whispered, “Good night Fives! I wuv you! Fank you for my twooper!”

“Love you too, Squirt. Sweet dreams,” he rumpled her hair affectionately and nudged her in the direction of her room.

Once you were confident she was sleeping soundly, you returned to the sitting room. Fives was comfortably reclined on the sofa with the lights dimmed.

“Hey,” your stomach twisted and you wrung your hands realizing you and Fives were properly alone for the first time. No kiddo, no bar patrons, no one. Just the two of you in your sitting room.

“Hey yourself. Come here,” he held out his hand and pulled you into his lap. Your heart did somersaults as a hot flush rose to your cheeks. He gently brushed your chin with a crooked index finger while holding your gaze, his eyes a beautiful burning amber. His other hand grazed your waist, drawing mindless circles on a patch of your exposed skin.

“Thank you, Fives. I’ve had a wonderful time.” Your hands rested on his chest and you could feel his heartbeat. His heart was racing nearly as fast as yours despite that cool and confident facade he had up.

“Good. Mission accomplished then. She’s a great kid. Anyone who doesn’t want to get to know her is missing out.”

“Yeah she’s pretty amazing.”

“So is her sister,” he crooned, running his fingers along your cheek. Your breath hitched, all words lost to you. You closed your eyes and smiled as his hand continued along your jaw, past your ear, tracing your hairline and grasping the back of your neck. He pulled you to him, his lips just a breath away from yours. You were positive he could feel your pulse pounding through your flushed skin now.

“Her sister is also beautiful, funny, kind, and completely bewitching,” he whispered against your lips.

“Fives…” you whined as his other hand roamed your thigh. You didn’t finish your thought as he pressed his lips to yours. He was passionate like a starving man having his first meal in ages. His hand on the back of your neck crept into your hair, gently tugging it using it as an opportunity to pull your head back just enough to trail light kisses down your cheek, jaw, and throat. You gasped when he lightly nipped your collarbone. You wrapped your arms around his neck, your breathing heavy and desperate. His touch set you aflame in a way you’d never known before. He brushed his lips along your ear, sending chills down your spine. “Your eyes are enchanting,” he whispered fervidly, “your smile haunts me. I’ve thought of you every day since the night we met at 79’s. I want to know you, all of you. Body and soul. I want all of you. I need all of you.” You flowed into him and breathed, “Want to skip the holofilm?” He pressed his forehead to your temple, sighing lasciviously, “Maker, please.” You stood and took him by the hand and began to guide him to your room. He stopped and grabbed the cake box. “What are you doing with that?” you giggled fiercely. He looked at you deviously, “I fully intend on having two desserts tonight. I’m convinced I will be having the best cake on Coruscant but I don’t think it’s the one I bought. I just want to compare to make sure.”

“Oh Maker, Fives. Get in my room now!” He leaned into you until you were nose to nose and purred, “My pleasure… and soon to be yours.” You grabbed his hand again and pulled him into your room, closing the door.

#star wars the clone wars #arc trooper fives #clone trooper fives #oneshot #sw tcw #fives x you #arc trooper fives x fem!reader #sw fives x reader #fives clone wars #fives x reader #arc trooper fives x reader #fives #fanfiction #tcw fanfic #fanfic #clone trooper x reader #star wars #star wars fanfiction #501st legion #clone wars 501st #501st #fives has swag #clone trooper headcanons #the clones #clone headcanons #clone troopers #reader x fives #anxiouspineapple99 writes #x reader #clone thirsting

[nahoney22]

Hello! If you’re up for it! I’d love to see your take on this scenerio for 3 of my fave men! Crosshair, Rex and Echo! (All 3 or you can pick one! ^^ ) Of them over hearing their S/O talking about them maybe with either omega or a fellow trooper. Maybe they were just passing by and heard their name mentioned

And S/O just goes practically infodumping how they make them feel. How they feel safe in their arms, referring to a sweet memory , how fast their heartbeats when they are near by. Everyday being a treasure just being with them and all that lovey dovey lol

The Way You Make Me Feel

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙

All Bad Batch Boys + Rex X F!Reader

Thanks for the lovely request. Adore you. I know the request only asks for Rex, echo and crosshair but in for a penny in for a pound, let’s do all batchers ♥️

Your S/O overhears you gushing over them.

warnings: none, fluff. Reader gets unwanted attention in the Crosshair one.

Masterlist 🤍

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙

☾ Echo

Echo didn’t necessarily hear you complimenting him, rather, he read it instead.

Since Omega got given her own holopad it was only right that himself and the others monitor any suspicious activities including who she messages. After all, it’s a big galaxy and she’s only young. So whenever she receives messages it goes to either one of the boys' own devices. This time, it just so happened to be his.

He was sitting in the cockpit on his own when he heard a ping and as he began to read whoever it was Omega was talking too, his cheeks grew very warm.

The two of you were gossiping about things and just having some ‘girly chat’ as Omega calls it since it’s just her and you being the only females but when he saw his name pop up he was anxious at first but then he realised he had nothing to worry about.

You’re telling Omega how you both met and that he was the most handsome man he had ever seen. Despite being part of a large Clone Army, he had always stood out before AND after the Citadel. To you, you told Omega that he has the kindest heart despite his grumpiness. He frowned that you said he was grumpy but who was he kidding?

Knowing this was the way you felt about him, he could honestly die happy.

He definitely would bring this up next time he sees you but for now, he will stop reading the messages and cherish them.

☾ Hunter

With both of you dating for a few months and happier than ever, you can’t help but quietly gush to Omega in the gunner's mount/her room.

He’s walking nearby but due to his senses he can hear the smallest of things, especially the sound of something that reminds him of a pair of giggling school girls.

“Do you not find him moody sometimes?” Omega asks you with a playful smirk.

You’re tucked uncomfortably agaisnt the windshield, legs pulled up to your chest as she sits on the seat in front of you.

He hears you laugh and he’s unsure if you’re nodding or shaking your head but he can tell by your tone that the answer could have been either.

“He’s… perfect. I’m really happy.” You sigh almost dreamily and Hunters heartbeat picks up rapidly.

Omega rolls her eyes in amusement but she was thrilled to see how happy you truly were.

He’s about to walk away, smiling to himself but then you carried on. You told her how he made you feel like the only girl in the world and how you loved the way the corners of his eyes crinkle when he laughs. Most importantly to him, you felt safe and protected. All that he could want.

He’s tempted to announce his presence but to save your gorgeous blushing for just him, he will leave it for later.

☾ Wrecker

“Where’s my girl?” Crosshair looks up at Wrecker once he approaches him in the Marauder seeming to be looking out for his significant other.

“She’s outside by the lake.” He grumbles in reply and so that is where Wrecker looked.

When he does spot you, he’s about to call out to you with big waving hands but he stops when he hears you talking. Upon closer inspection, he hears you talk to an old friend from your home planet.

Wrecker is about to turn and leave you be but when he hears his name mentioned, his curiosity is piqued. He knows better than to listen in to your conversations but judging by the smile radiating off your face, it wasn’t anything bad.

“Wrecker took me out to dinner the other day.” You chime over your commlink to your friend, twirling a bracelet around on your wrist that he had gifted you the first month of you both dating.

He can’t hear what your friend was saying clearly but when you began to say that you were the happiest you had been in the longest time he was beyond giddy and almost had to swipe a tear away from his eye.

“He’s strong, always positive, a little loud but knows his limits…” you sigh, laying your back flat on the ground and gazing up at the blue sky. “Did I say he’s also unfathomably sexy too?” You giggle and before you could hear your friend reply a looming shadow casts over you and your eyes widen as Wrecker peers down at you with a wide grin.

“Wanna say that again?”

“W-Wrecker?” Your cheeks are burning and in a second you’re being lifted up and slung over a broad shoulder. You’re squealing and laughing and try to protest as he snatches your commlink and shouts down it.

“She’s a little busy right now! She’ll talk later!”

Oh, you were in for it.

☾ Tech

Despite the fact you two had been dating for a short while, Tech was never one to express his feelings emotionally. This also meant that you tried to keep your deep feelings for him at bay, not wanting to overstep.

But, you had to tell someone.

You ventured out into the village with Echo whilst he handled repairs back on the Havoc when his a transmission is being patched through. He mumbled something incoherent and slides out from under the control panel but his frown is soon replaced when he sees your name.

“May I be of your assistance?” He calls out but there’s no reply aside from some crackling and the sound of rustling. He signs and shakes his head. This isn’t the first time you had accidentally contacted him unknowingly with your device in your pocket and he had somewhat gave you a loving lecture about it.

His hand reaches to stop it but then he freezes at he hears his name being mentioned. It’s muffled and difficult to decipher and he knows he shouldn’t but he starts to adjust the frequency wave instead.

When it’s clear enough, he sits down and hunches forward with his hands clasped together, knee bouncing in slight angst. He knew he wasn’t the idea boyfriend and he just hoped his fears weren’t confirmed. To which, they indeed weren’t.

“…. I just feel alive when I’m with him.”

Echo is chuckling beside you, asking you about Tech and you and he had wished Echo would mind his own business nut at the same time… he’s interested in what else you had to say.

“I could listen to him for days, I look forward waking up and just being near Tech. True, I wish we would be more affectionate to each other but I don’t mind. I… I think I love him, y’know?”

Tech’s eyes widen at your admission and he feels like he could run outside the Havoc and scream his lungs out in pure happiness that he found someone who loves him.

He’s holding his breath, so tempted to try and grab your attention but why should he? You’ll be on your way back and he would be more than willing to give you his utmost attention

☾ Crosshair

“You’re with him?”

You’re at a bar and it was your turn to grab the next round of drinks for yourself and fellow Batchers. As you wait at the bar, a citizen came up to you, dripping in wealth and already tried to take a pass at you.

Thankfully, you were taken by none other than the Marksman himself.

When you told him that you were taken, he scoffed and asked for the whereabouts of said partner. So when you nod to the table of enhanced clones and point at the one with a face of thunder, he was bewildered.

“Yeah, what of it?” You bite back, not liking the snobbiness of his judging tone as he looked between the two of you. You don’t think Crosshair had noticed as he wasn’t looking at you and you were kind of glad at the matter. Last thing you needed was Crosshair to get agitated over some guy hitting on you.

The man didn’t know there was a fire of passion in you as you’re ready to defend Crosshair no matter what and he’s almost impressed. Until he smirks. “Is he a Clone?”

“Yes.” You bite on your tongue to refrain from just snapping at him and telling him to leave you alone but you didn’t want to cause a scene. So you bit down your anger until he says:

“Why have a Clone when you can have a rich and successful defence lawyer like me pretty lady?”

“Because unlike you, he doesn’t need body guards or anyone to serve for him hand and foot. Unlike you, I know that he will protect from anything and everything no matter the situation. You say you’re rich and successful yet here you are in one of the dingiest bars on the whole of Coruscant. To me, it looks like life isn’t treating you so ‘successfully’ as you said.”

He’s blinking rapidly, offended and has a growing anger brewing inside him but before he can retaliate, you lecture on.

“I don’t need a rich person. I don’t need money. What I need and what I have is someone I care about and vice versa. Now, please do me the honours of getting out of my face.”

Then, you turn back to do the bar and tjank the bartender as he hands you a tray of all the drinks you had ordered. When you turned back around, the man was gone. But, in the corner of your eye you see Crosshair.

He was on the other side of the bar, chewing on a toothpick and smirking gloriously at you. You’re flustered, a little embarrassed that he watched what happened. He approaches, takes the tray from your hands and places it back on the bar.

“You sure ripped him a new one.” He nods impressively, sliding his hand to your waist out of comfort and affection.

“Sorry you had to hear all that.”

“Don’t be. Made me feel…” he trails off, suddenly finding himself become a little shy but he swallows down his pride, “good. Great, in fact. I wanna hear you praise me like that again.” He grins and waggles his eyebrows playfully at you.

☾ Rex

Dating in the 501st was tough. Not only did he have to keep it on the low in fears of his Generals and other Jedi finding out but then there’s his brothers. The whole lot of them.

With constant teasing and relentless prying into his and your personal lives he’s half tempted to transfer to a different squad. Maybe the 212th would be less problematic…

“Go on, please tell us.”

He halts his stride around the hangar, his attention drawing on Kix and Jesse and more importantly, you.

He’s ready to walk over and ask what was going on as causally as he could but when he heard you mention his name, he halts and ducks behind some weapon crates and earwigs.

“Rex is sweet. I don’t know why you guys are asking me this.” You fold your arms over your chest. You both tried to keep your relationship private but some troopers are impossibly nosey and won’t stop pestering you. So obviosuly, they found out yous were dating.

“Because we wanna know why him, out of any of us handsome gentlemen?” Jesse smirks, clearly teasing but you did blush.

“He’s different.” You state.

“Why, because he’s blonde?” Kix laughs and you can only roll your eyes.

“Well, physically he has different attributes sure but he just understands me.”

Jesse smiles a little before beginning to tease you in a mock impression. “Lil lady’s in loooooove.”

“Maybe.”

Kix stops laughing and Jesse’s gaze is now more intense.

Rex however felt like he was about to pass out. There had been no ‘I love yous’ yet but to hear you tell his brothers that you may or may not be in love with him was making his heart soar. He’s grinning like a wild loth-cat and he feels his skin grow warm and tingly.

You then proceed to tell them about a sweet memory, how he quite literally swept you off your feet once when he bumped into you. “He said it was an accident but Fives told me otherwise. I think he may have wanted to talk to me for a while so Fives gave him that extra push.”

Rex sits and thinks back to that time, only a few months ago and he smiles fondly. He’ll always love Fives for that because that was the first time the two of you spoke and clearly hit it off ever since.

He watches you all part ways after you enthused more about him and the second he sees you alone, he is marching up to you. And right now, he didn’t care if anyone saw but he spun you to face him and before you could say his name, his lips descended upon yours.

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁 𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙

Masterlist

tags: @twistedstitcher27 @teletraan-meets-jarvis @jennamelinda12 @nunanuggets @andyoufollowyourheart t @littlefeatherr @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @cwarssimp @jesseeka @ashotofspotchka @oohyesplease @megafrost4 @adriiibell @theroguesully @equalityforcats @rexandechosandwich @mustluvecho @the-good-shittt @inagalaxywickedfahaway @misogirl828 @ladykatakuri @sadspring @chxpsi @alexandrisonfire @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @rain-on-kamino @salaminus @by-the-primes @torchbearerkyle e @tech-aficionado @in-the-crosshairs @therealnekomari @a-c-lee @autumnleaves1991-blog g @tech-depression-inventory @mylifeinthetardisforever @brynhildrmimi i @greaser-wolf @lucyysthings @agenteliix @fiveshelmet @photogirl894 @buddee @s1st3r @cosmic-persephone @imalovernotahater

#bad batch ones shots #the bad batch #star wars #nahoney22 requests #nahoney22 writes #tech bad batch #Hunter bad batch #crosshair bad batch #echo bad batch #wrecker bad batch #Captain Rex

[ghostofskywalker]

Hey bestie! If you're feeling it for your 3k follower celebration, could I request a fic with "I hope common sense is the next cool trend" and whichever Star Wars live action bae you're feeling the most? I still somehow haven't watched the Mandalorian so maybe not Din, but I love everybody else on your list lol so I'd be psyched to read whoever you're vibing with! Congrats again on 3k, you're amazing!!!

hi bestie!! it took me forever to make a decision because i loved your prompt, but anakin won out, and of course i had to include my beloveds the 501st :) i hope you enjoy it!

words: 1,505

summary: sometimes the "tales of your shared heroics" that anakin shared were just thinly veiled proof that the two of you had never thought out a single decision in your entire lives.

anakin skywalker masterlist || join my 3k celebration!!

Dumb Luck

“So, who’s going to share a story next?” Fives had just brought back a new round of drinks for the table, and attention now turned to you, Anakin, and Obi-Wan, the newcomers of the group, since the Jedi didn’t usually go out on the town with their troopers. But the 501st had convinced Anakin to come have some drinks with them, and in turn he had convinced you and Obi-Wan to join the fun.

“Why don’t one of the generals share something?” Jesse asked, raising his eyebrows at you. “A story about Jedi heroics, perhaps?” 

Obi-Wan had just started to shake his head, probably gearing up to say something annoyingly humble about his exceptional abilities as a Jedi, but Anakin spoke before he could say anything. “I’ll share something,” he said, downing the rest of his drink before taking a new one from the center of the table. “Y/N, you’ll remember this one.” 

Puzzled, you turned to him. “Why?” 

“Because you were there.” 

“Do I know about this particular story?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“No.” 

Immediately, you knew what Anakin was about to tell the rest of the group, and you resigned to your fate, along with the inevitable teasing it would bring. 

“It all started last year, when we got kidnapped in the middle of mission.”

***

When you came to, you were sitting on a cold (and slightly damp) floor, and the only light in the room was a small lantern in the corner. The room was very clearly a prison cell of some kind, and you remembered being knocked out in a fight, but apparently the assailants had bested your partner as well, because Anakin was sitting across the room from you, his head against the stone wall and his eyes closed. It was more than likely that there was some kind of sedative in play here too, because it took a few moments for the fogginess in your brain to disappear. 

Thankfully (for you), whoever had captured you had decided to forgo any kind of restraint, so you were free to get up and move around the tiny cell. “Anakin!” you said, reaching out and gently shaking him. “Anakin!” 

“What?” he asked grumpily as he opened his eyes, clearly having not yet realized the gravity of the situation. 

“We’re locked away somewhere, you laser brain,” you hissed. Your hand fled to your waist, and your eyes widened. “And they took our lightsabers.” 

That seemed to wake him up. Flying to his feet, Anakin approached the metal door of the cell, peeking through the slats of it to see if anyone was around. 

“What are we going to do?” you asked. Your comm device had been swiped too, so there was no possibility of contacting reinforcements. 

“Don’t worry, I have an idea,” was Anakin’s response. 

But before you could question him about his plans or even offer your opinion on their effectiveness, he started banging incessantly on the door. 

“Anakin! What in Maker’s name are you doing?” 

He looked back at you, confused. “Getting us out of here.” 

“By getting us killed?” 

“You know, you’re starting to sound like Obi-Wan.” 

But before you could respond to that, the sound of the door unlocking filled the space, and you were presented with the possibility that Anakin’s ridiculous plan (whatever it was), might actually work. You were just grateful that this prison still used old-fashioned architecture, and not the new ray-shield transparent prison walls that the Republic favored. 

You didn’t even get a chance to see the guard on the other side before Anakin had engaged him in combat, throwing himself at what you later realized what was the largest Togruta you had ever seen. 

Even without his lightsaber, Anakin was a force to be reckoned with. With a feral grin on his face and a darkness in his eyes you were a little concerned about, he attacked, showing no mercy when he finally won. The Togruta’s head soon made contact with the stone wall, and your captor slumped to the floor, a small trail of blood leaking from his slightly open mouth. 

Grabbing your hand, Anakin pulled you out of the cell, and now you were faced with your next challenge: to actually escape this place and make it back to your sh- 

“Wait, aren’t the Jedi not allowed to attack unarmed people?” Fives asked, pulling Anakin out from his recounting of the events. 

“We can’t kill unarmed people,” Anakin responded. “But lately, the trend has been a shift in the rules, so I’m not sure anymore.” 

“A trend?” you asked, confused. 

“You know, the way the war has changed us,” Anakin said. “Personally I think it’s pretty cool.” 

Next to you, Obi-Wan sighed quietly. “I hope common sense is the next cool trend,” he said, just loud enough for you to hear. 

“But did you kill that guy?” Echo asked, getting back to the question at hand. 

You looked over at your friend, and you saw the glare that Obi-Wan had just shot at him too. “I don’t think so,” you cut in quickly. “But we didn’t exactly stick around to find out.” 

“Exactly!” Anakin said, reaching over to squeeze your hand once before taking another sip of his drink. “Now, where was I?”  

***

“We have to find our lightsabers,” you whispered in his ear as the two of you crept through the hallway. “And we have to get out of here.” 

Anakin nodded, and the next time you turned a corner, one of your problems was suddenly solved. “Look! Those idiots didn’t even have someone guard their loot!” 

It seemed almost too good to be true, the fact that both of your lightsabers were just sitting there on a table, surrounding by what you imagined was probably the rest of the bounty they had acquired in the past few rotations. It was clear now that you had probably been taken by pirates of some kind, and it was definitely true that those who captured you had no idea about the true power the Jedi (and their weapons) held. 

But you were not about to look a gift gundark in the mouth, so you grabbed your respective sabers from the table and walked off in search of an exit. 

The halls were empty, your footsteps echoing eerily across the stone floor. “Where do you even think we are?” you asked. “Depending on how long we were out, it could be anywhere.” 

The sound of revelry and laughter was coming from the room at the end of the hall, and the two of you immediately walked over to investigate. Whoever it was that had captured you, it sounded like they were having the time of their lives, and you took one peek inside to see the scantily-clad dancers that were the focal point of the evening, along with all kinds of debauchery taking place in the crowd.

Your torn robes and bleeding scratches were definitely not going to blend in with this group, so you pulled Anakin back before he got you both captured again. But apparently, your luck had not turned around just yet, and you could sense footsteps approaching the hallway. 

Reacting quickly, you grabbed Anakin’s arm and pulled him into a small alcove that had been carved out in the wall. 

“What are you-” he asked, but you cut him off by placing a hand over his mouth. 

“Shut up!” you hissed. “Do you want to get us caught?” 

“Well, if someone actually walks down the hallway we’re going to be spotted anyway-” he shot back. 

“Yeah, if! At least now we have a chance to escape unseen.”

 But apparently you weren’t that lucky, because someone did start walking down the hallway. 

And in that moment, you made a decision that would affect the rest of your life going forward. 

You kissed him. 

There was nothing special about the first few seconds, but once he realized what was happening, you’d be lying if you said your toes weren’t curling a little in your boots. He was an excellent kisser, and afterwards, you’d have a long talk about the attraction you both felt for one another and the possibilities of maintaining a relationship while still serving the Republic as Jedi Knights, but right now all you wanted to do was lose yourself in this moment. 

“That’s what you did?” Obi-Wan’s shocked question thankfully pulled Anakin away from the (rather detailed) explanation he was giving about your first kiss.

“What else were we supposed to do?” 

“Anything else?” 

“Hey! It worked, didn’t it?” 

“You’re just lucky it did, or you’d still be in that cell.” You smirked at Obi-Wan’s remarks, and even though they sounded stern, you knew he didn’t really care. 

The two Jedi started to playfully bicker, and you just shook your head. You were just glad Anakin hadn’t said anything about your current relationship, because it was a lot easier to explain away one kiss on that mission than it would be to explain all the ones you’d shared since then.

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

#3k celebration requests! 🏖 #anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin skywalker x you #anakin skywalker imagine #anakin skywalker fanfiction #anakin skywalker x gender neutral reader #clone wars fanfiction #star wars x reader

[therisingdarkness]

5 Times Ghoul Left the Bar Alone, and One Time He Didn’t

Written for @cloned-eyes​ and for Ghoul, and for me and Odessa. This took forever, but I’m patient and a stickler so it is what it is. I had to divide it into parts ‘cause it was getting to be entirely too long. Another 40+ pages of entertainment, so I hope you all enjoy. Tagging @passionofthesith 'cause they were bold enough to ask for it lol.

Uhhh, there’s smut in this one and there’s gonna be smut in the next one too, so don’t get caught reading it if you’re not supposed to be. I’m not your mom.

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

PART 6 (Part 1 of 2)

“Can I get another malt over here?”

“You were cut off half an hour ago, Orion, have some class an’ take it back to base, yeah?”

“Damn, you’re mean. Odiiiie….”

“Don’t even think about it, she’s wise to your ways too.”

The clone trooper pouted and dropped his head down into his crossed arms, almost knocking one of the many glasses he’d emptied to the floor. Magda caught it expertly before it could fall off the counter and began loading up the sink with more dirty dishes, neverending as they were. Outside, thunder rumbled overhead, loud enough that some of the glass bottles shook with the reverberations, gently clinking against one another like little bells.

The bar was quiet so late at night, when most of the regulars had already been driven off after their supply had been cut off; at that point, most of them were hardly capable of lifting another glass without spilling it everywhere, let alone manage to drink it down. Their usual patrons were pretty good about knowing when their time had come and they’d slouch off good-naturedly without having to be told, leaving behind a collection of empty glasses and, if they felt the service warranted it, a sizable tip.

Orion wasn’t usually one of the ones who needed a little extra convincing in order to leave, but his squad had abandoned him to the bar early on, right before the rain started to come down in sheets. The weather had been like that all day, forcing more and more people indoors until the bar had been packed to the walls with passerbys just trying to keep themselves dry. Rain was good for business, usually, a fact that Odessa had taken advantage of as she teased and lured new faces closer to the bar, urging them to relax and take a drink or two while they waited for the rain to let up.

Now there were only a few customers left, Orion included. All of the empty tables had been wiped down and the floors underneath swept clear. Some chairs were already stacked against the walls and the smaller tables had been clustered into groups for easier cleaning. Between Odessa and Magda, the three stragglers nursing their last drinks were easy enough to handle and they didn’t mind staying late a couple extra hours to see them off.

“Odie…,” Orion whined, looking up from his arms, “c’mon, just one more? I promise it’ll be my last.”

“You had your last already,” Odessa said sweetly, leaning over the counter to ruffle his curly hair. “Come now, I will call you a transport if you cannot find your way back. Where did your unit go?”

Orion shrugged and folded in on himself again, his morose expression just a tad bit defiant in the way he made no move toward getting off his stool. Odessa sighed and decided she’d let Magda handle it when the time came to lock the doors. Perhaps she was too soft with them, but the day had dragged on for longer than normal and she didn’t have the energy to act tough. Right now, all she was looking forward to was returning to her little apartment and taking a long, indulgent shower before dropping into bed and passing out. 

“You look dead on your feet kiddo,” Magda said as Odessa joined her by the sink to help dry the freshly cleaned dishware. “Everything alright?”

“It is nothing,” Odessa sighed as she stacked the rinsed tumblers on a tray to be run through the sanitizer. “Just a long shift I am ready to be over.”

“You have the next couple days off,” Magda said, soaked up to her elbows in the sink as she furiously scrubbed dried food off one of the small plates they used for bar snacks. “I hope you take serious advantage of it. Seems like you’ve been working yourself to the bone these past couple weeks.”

Odessa frowned even though it was the truth. She had worked everyday the past two weeks, and that wasn’t including the shifts she pulled at Rollo’s, or the mountains of work she took home from the refugee center (mostly going over paperwork and ensuring all the boxes were ticked and the correct forms were filled out). It felt like every spare minute she had was already accounted for in some way, to the point where the only time she wasn’t working, she spent it sleeping. Eating was a luxury that she didn't bother indulging in unless it was a few spare moments spent scarfing down something fresh and hot purchased from a street vendor or guiltily sneaking a snack from 79's own stash.

Maybe it showed on her face more than she would have liked—the sleep she was getting wasn’t the best. Most of her nights she spent tossing and turning until the sun came up; other times she woke violently, gasping for air, her heart pounding in her chest, and tears on her cheeks but no memory of what nightmare plagued her. Sometimes…sometimes she swore she heard the ghostly whisper of her mother’s last words to her, begging her to stay quiet, stay hidden. It was easiest to blame her lack of sleep on bad memories, so she did that now, shaking her head and lekku around until she felt some of the tension ease off her shoulders.

“I just do not like staying home all the time,” Odessa said. “If I am working, at least I am not being bored.”

“Uh-huh,” Magda said, sounding unconvinced. “I think I’d prefer to be bored. You don’t wanna end up slaving your life away while you’re still young. You should get out there, explore the world and make some friends.”

“Maybe.”

Magda tilted her head, her eyebrows arched like she was about to lay down a scolding. She was a shrewd woman at heart—nothing slipped past her notice and even though she had claimed many times before not to care about the private lives of the other girls, her actions told a different story. It wasn’t nosiness…but she had a clever way of pulling information out of the girls they might not have otherwise divulged. It was motherly, sort of, in a charming and annoying kind of way. Odessa felt Magda’s eyes boring holes into the side of her head and scrunched up her nose as she prepared herself for the inevitable.

“What?” she asked.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Magda wheedled, gently bumping their hips together. “Picking up all these extra shifts, actin’ all avoidant…seems like you’re not yourself lately.

“I am not avoidant,” Odessa protested. “I am just needing to be busy. I have bills to pay the same as anyone. Wishful thinking does not make the expenses go away.”

“You sure? No one’s been botherin’ you at all? Things good with your dad?”

She tensed up at the mention of her father. Silais was a difficult man to get a hold of when he wasn’t in a bad mood, and she admittedly hadn’t tried to contact him since their last disastrous conversation. Her final words to him were overly harsh, she knew that, but still couldn’t bring herself to try and mend the rift. Maybe she was tired of always being the one to take the first step. It was no matter—another bridge to cross when the time came.

“I am fine,” Odessa said, perhaps a little too firmly. There was nothing to talk about. She didn’t have anything to say. Why was it when she actually wanted to be quiet and reflective that everyone around her suddenly decided there must be something wrong?

“Hey, can I get another malt?” Orion asked, picking his head up again, as though he had forgotten being denied only moments earlier. 

“No,” Odessa snapped. “There is no more. We ran out. You need to go home, Orion.”

He flinched as though she had reached out and slapped him across the face. Even drunk, his eyes held a hurt that told her she had actually managed to wound him. She hated the way he pouted, the way his lower lip stuck out just a bit more than the top. He was like a little child who was about to throw a fit because he didn’t get what he wanted…and she would do anything to keep him from looking at her like she had just pulled a trigger on him. Guilt washed over her as she started searching around for a clean glass. One more couldn’t hurt, could it? 

Odessa was aware of Magda’s hawklike gaze on her the entire time she poured a half glass of malt, going against every policy they had as she set it in front of Orion and leaned over the counter to ruffle his hair again. He seemed to like the touch and blinked sleepily, leaning into her hand a bit, which only made her feel worse about snapping. 

“Do you want me to call one of your brothers?” she asked softly. “I can ask him to come get you, so you are not alone. Would that be good?”

“No,” Orion said, tracing the rim of his glass. “I’d just get yelled at. They always tell me I’m a lightweight anyway. Guess I am.”

Odessa sighed and watched him down the malt in one giant gulp, his throat working as he swallowed faster than he should’ve. She’d have to call him a transport either way; letting him wander off in his state would be irresponsible at best. 

“Someone’s in a forgiving mood,” Magda observed as Odessa resumed her spot beside the sink, absentmindedly fingering the damp towel. “I remember a time you wouldn’t have tolerated that kark. All the pretty brown eyes in the world couldn’t sway you.”

“Perhaps I am losing my touch,” she admitted. “Like you said, I am tired today. I just need to go home and rest.”

The door chimed and Odessa whipped her head up so fast she caught a painful crick in her neck, only to catch the backs of two more patrons leaving the bar to beat the rain. Disappointment coursed through her…but she should have known better. It had only been a couple weeks, and his deployments usually lasted much longer. Foolish, for her to hope. Silly, for her to keep looking for him even though she knew the odds were against her.

“I think it might be a bit more than that,” Magda said, handing over another plate with a knowing look. “You haven’t been right since the last time Tall, Dark, and Brooding was in.”

Odessa froze, clutching her towel close in both hands. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest and her lekku twitched in an involuntary way that would have been a telltale sign to anyone who actually understood what the subtle movements meant. Magda impatiently waved the plate in front of her, sending water droplets flying everywhere until Odessa managed to get a hold of herself.

“Mmm,” Magda hummed as she furiously dried off the dishware, “looks like I guessed right.”

“I have been fine,” Odessa insisted, hoping her voice didn’t sound as strained as it felt. “It is not like I am…always looking for one particular customer…coming or going. I do not play favorites.”

“I don’t know who you’re tryin’ to fool here…but it’s not me. Odie, sweetie, you’re a nice girl, but you’re like an unlocked datapad. Anyone with eyes know you’re soft on that one.”

That one, like he didn’t have a name. Though she knew Magda didn’t mean anything by it, Odessa found herself suddenly bristling with irritation. The words she wanted to snap died on her tongue when she forcibly reminded herself that no one was as sensitive as she was to the subject of clones and respecting their chosen names, as well as the fact that Ghoul had never bothered to get to know any of the other bartenders the way he had with her. She was certain Rumi and the others didn’t remember half of the names they were told anyway, even among their non-clone regulars.

She took a deep breath and pushed aside her annoyance, continuing to stack the dried dishes on the tray as neatly as she could.

“I haven’t seen him around lately,” Magda kept on, having no idea how close she had come to receiving the thin edge of Odessa’s sharp little temper. “Have you heard from him at all?”

“Yes,” Odessa said, giving up trying to maintain her pretense of ignorance. “He’s been deployed again.”

“That’s a shame. Those poor boys can’t seem to catch a break.”

It was a shame. The war had summoned Ghoul back to the frontlines the day after their trip to the refugee center—which she tried not to think too much about—and Odessa never would have known about it if he hadn’t sent her a comm. She hadn’t expected him to contact her at all, but the notification had hit her commlink in the early hours of the morning, before the sun had the chance to breach the horizon, waking her out of a deep sleep.

Back on deployment, the terse message had read. Timeline unknown. Can’t say where.

It wasn’t long or especially detailed, but Ghoul had warned her there would be things he might not be able to tell her and she held no disillusions that she was somehow an exception to the rules by which he had to abide. She was thankful he had remembered and kept his word, thankful that she had meant enough to him to warrant the message in the first place.

Thank you, she had eventually typed back, after a few moments of deliberation. Stay safe. Drinks on me when you return.

And so she had waited, every day for the past two weeks, picking up all the extra shifts she could just in case Ghoul got back and decided to wander over to 79’s on the off chance that she’d be there. It was a silly thought—almost romantic the way she kept glancing up at the door every time it opened, a flutter in her stomach when another clone entered, her eyes immediately tracking the familiar shape of their nose and the thick lines of their eyebrows. The similarities ended there, however, and time and time again she found herself disappointed when the clone in question wasn’t her clone.

“What’s his name again?” Magda asked, breaking Odessa out of her reverie and making her jump. She realized there were three more dripping glasses placed upside down on the counter and she hurried to catch up, drying as fast as she could while Magda continued on at her usual, unhurried pace.

“Ghoul,” Odessa said, wishing the sound of his name didn’t make her heart race so painfully. “It is what he has chosen for himself.”

“A bit morbid, isn’t it? Though I guess it’s pretty fitting, all things considered…you ever ask him about what happened?”

“No,” she said softly, “He is…very private. And it is none of my business.”

“Smart girl,” Magda said warmly. “That’s what I like about you, y’know? You really give a damn about how these clones feel. You had me a bit worried when you first started, but I think you make it work for you.”

“What do you mean? Have I done something wrong?”

“No, not like that—I mean, you’re a nice girl. Too nice sometimes. I honestly thought you were gonna let them walk all over you, but you know how to hold your ground, and you respect them…I think they realize that. It’s what makes you so good at your job.”

“I am only treating them how anyone should be treated,” Odessa mumbled, her face lighting up under one of Magda’s rarely given compliments. “It is just common sense decency.”

“Maybe so, but somethin’ tells me that’s not the kind of treatment a lot of them are used to.”

That much was obvious. Odessa witnessed it everyday whenever a few clones walked in, shinies in tow who had never set foot in a bar, never seen anyone outside the men in their unit or their superior officers, never even seen someone from a different species, and the way they all looked the moment she showed them an ounce of kindness, whether by asking for their names or bringing them whatever drinks they ordered, was enough to inspire the sort of righteous anger that fueled protests outside the Senate buildings.

Clones didn’t expect to be treated like people, let alone individuals. Odessa wished she better understood them…but she suspected that understanding would be accompanied by a heartbreak she wasn’t sure she could stomach. 

“Then I will make sure they know how they deserve to be treated,” she said. “It is the least I can do.”

“You do more than enough,” Magda said, nodding toward Orion, who looked like he was seconds away from falling asleep at the counter. “But don’t think I don’t notice how sweet you are on Ghoul. Rumi says he doesn’t even like the other girls taking his order.”

Odessa felt her blush return with a vengeance, creeping down her neck and spreading over her lekku so fiercely that one didn’t have to be skilled in any language to know what it meant. Magda chuckled beside her and she knew there was no sense in denying anything.

“I already know what he likes,” she said, trying to explain Ghoul’s rude mannerisms like it would somehow help his image. “I just bring it to him before he has a chance to say anything.”

“You mean you’ve memorized his favorite drink,” Magda laughed. “Girl, you’re a mess for him. I heard you also went on a date?”

“It was not a date,” Odessa said breathlessly, her lekku curling happily as she recalled the shooting range. “He was just…giving me lessons on how to shoot a blaster, since I am not having any before. My father would not teach me, so—”

“That sounds like a date to me.”

“Well…it was not a date. But I did…I kissed him after he insisted on walking me home.”

Magda stopped what she was doing and leaned both hands against the edge of the sink, turning her black eyes to Odessa who stood there fidgeting happily, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The look on her face said a couple things, but her eyes dropped to Odessa’s mouth and she knew Magda was wondering how in the world she kissed someone missing half his face. She was too wise to give voice to the thought, however, and just ended up shaking her head.

“I wish you could see the way you look right now,” Magda sighed. “‘Lovedrunk’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“I am not.”

“Ooohhh, I think you are. I know that look—I’ve had it plenty of times myself. You’ve got a mean crush.”

She wanted to hide. She wanted to curl in on herself and die—not from shame, because she could never be ashamed of Ghoul or of being associated with him. No, it must’ve been so obvious, the way she liked him, if everyone else could tell. If Magda knew, then that meant that everyone else knew, and if everyone else knew, then it was probably common knowledge among their regulars, too. A slow smile took hold of her lips; she couldn’t bite down fast enough to keep it from spreading. Her cheeks ached with the effort of holding it back, so she stopped trying and gave Magda a helpless sort of look.

“I like him,” she admitted, and saying the words out loud to someone else felt like breaking free of a prison she had stuck herself in; she was the jailer, she held the key, but she didn’t even know why she had bothered to lock that part of herself away in the first place.

“I think I could tell,” Magda said, playfully splashing her with soapy water. “I’m guessing he knows, if you kissed him already.”

“Well…he did not say anything about it. I am not sure what he thinks.”

“You should ask him. I’ll bet a mountain of credits he’s just as into you as you are into him.”

Odessa shook her head, setting the last tumbler on the tray and hopping to sit up on the counter. She hadn’t stopped wondering about what he thought about the kiss ever since it happened. The refugee center had been her last chance to ask about it, but after seeing Ghoul through his PTSD episode she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the mood. In that moment, when he had been at his most vulnerable, the most fragile she had ever seen him, it had been more important to support him than chasing after her own selfish desires. She didn’t regret it one bit, even if her imagination kept running wild with what-if scenarios that probably had something to do with her lack of proper sleep.

“I am not sure I want to know,” Odessa admitted, kicking her feet a bit. “What if he is thinking it was not so good? I have only kissed a few people before, but it was very easy for me to be telling how much they liked it. I do not think I am bad at it, either.”

“You probably caught him off guard. I don’t know if you know, but clones don’t get out much, and a lot of them don’t even make it back to Coruscant for leave time. Maybe he’s just inexperienced.”

That was always a possibility, though one Odessa had never considered. She thought about it now, casting her memory back to the way Ghoul had all but frozen when she touched his cheek and stood up on her toes to kiss him, the way he had tensed in a way she could feel through the sudden tightening of his prosthetic jaw. She had thought it was just nerves, but maybe it had been something else.

“Should I ask him?” she wondered aloud. “I like him so much…but I do not want to come across as…pushy. If he does not feel the same way I simply want to know.”

“It can’t hurt,” Magda said, thwipping a towel over her shoulder and slipping her hands into the back pockets of her pants. “He’s pretty quiet—maybe he’s too shy to say anything. Who knows, maybe he thinks it was a one time deal.”

“That is ridiculous. Obviously I would kiss him again.”

“Maybe you should try that instead.”

“Odiiiieee.”

Odessa hung her head and slipped off the counter with a groan, heading back over to where Orion had shaken himself awake again. It was about time to call that transport, whether he liked it or not. Most drivers knew what to do with drunk clones, and she had called enough times that the company usually sent specific ones to help haul the inebriated out of the bar and into the back seat of their skiffs. Orion might complain, but in the end he’d have no choice but to go.

“I have already been lenient with you,” Odessa said as she picked up the empty glass from Orion’s limp hand. “No more drinks tonight. You will go back to base and sleep this off, and when you are sober you may come again and drink to your heart’s content once more. But not tonight.”

“You’re mean too,” Orion grumbled as he swayed in place atop his stool. For a moment she thought he was going to fall off, but his elbows found the edge of the counter and he slumped over again, mumbling beneath his breath.

“I am calling you a ride,” Odessa warned him, but he didn’t seem to hear her. Maybe he did and was purposely ignoring her—it wouldn’t be the first time.

Overhead the skies rumbled again and the gentle patter of rain began to fall. She had left her umbrella at home by accident and didn’t have the credits to spare for a transport; it wasn’t a long walk to her apartment, but she was sure she’d be soaked by the time she made it back. Resigning herself to an uncomfortable journey home, Odessa dropped Orion’s cup off at the sink and then made her way to the back office to make another call to the transport company. The door chimed again and this time she steeled herself, didn’t bother turning around because what was the point? Whether it was someone coming or going, it didn’t matter if it wasn’t him.

“Odie!” Magda said in a fierce whisper, slamming both hands down on her shoulders so fast she yelped. “I’ll take care of the call. You hang out here and just…do your thing. Look cute. Serve drinks.”

“It is far past last call,” Odessa grumbled. “There are no drinks to be serving.”

“Oh, I think you’ll bend the rules for this one too.”

Confused, Odessa let Magda turn her around and stood rooted to the spot as the older woman licked her thumb and ran it over both her eyebrows, smoothing them down. She gave her a once over and then beamed at her, the rounds of her cheeks practically glowing with satisfaction.

“Be nice to our last customer of the day,” she said, then disappeared into the back room with a quickness that belied her age.

“I am not serving more drinks,” Odessa muttered to herself as she turned back to the bar, scanning the empty seats to see if one of them had been filled, but there was only Orion. For a moment she thought she must have been hearing things, and that Magda was pulling a prank or something. The door must have chimed though, she heard the notification so clearly and she had been listening for it so often these past few weeks she knew what it sounded like. It couldn’t have been her imagination.

Just when she was about to chalk it all up to a lack of sleep finally driving her over the edge of crazy, Odessa heard a noise like someone clearing their throat, or trying to, followed by a sharp tapping on the counter. She turned around a little too quickly, not trusting the way her heart immediately ran up to stick in her throat, but there, at his usual stool at the very end of the counter against the wall, stood Ghoul.

He held his helmet under his arm and seemed to be out of breath from the way his chest heaved, and water streaked his armor like he had just ran all the way there from the military base. He was handsome, so handsome it was almost unfair and he looked at her with an expression she had never seen him wear before—it was almost like…almost like relief. Odessa didn’t even try to restrain her lekku from twitching, the ends curling upward, back and forth like a pleased tooka. 

“Is it too late for a drink?” Ghoul asked, tapping the counter again, the sound of his raspy voice causing a smile to break out across her face.

“No,” she managed to say without her voice cracking, “not for you, never.”

Magda had been right—she didn’t mind breaking the rules if Ghoul was somehow involved, and as he sat down and made himself comfortable she hurriedly grabbed a clean glass and the nearly empty bottle of Catsblood from the shelf. There wasn’t enough left to overpour, as she tended to do for him, but she emptied the bottle anyway. She could scarcely stop her hand from shaking, but she was too excited. The sight of him had all but stolen her breath away, her entire body buzzing with the sudden rush of adrenaline that made her feel like she could do anything. 

There were a hundred different things she wanted to say to him, questions she wanted to ask just for the sake of knowing him more intimately, but her mouth felt strangely dry when she thought about giving voice to any of them. He had returned to Coruscant and, apparently, came straight to 79’s, but she didn’t know how to take it. Was it really to see her…or did he just want a drink to unwind after another stressful mission? Odessa thought that maybe she was overthinking things…but the alternative, considering that he actually might…think of her the way she thought of him, and feel the same way she felt…it was almost too much.

“Catsblood,” Odessa announced as she set the drink in front of him, though it wasn’t necessary to do so. “Warm, the way you like it.”

Ghoul huffed and she swore she could see the edges of his scarred upper lip twist as though he were attempting a smile. Her heart turned over in her chest at the sight and she longed to kiss him again, to welcome him back properly, the way he deserved. The only thing keeping her from making such a rash decision was the fact that she was still on the clock and there were at least two other sets of eyes that might see such an act of indiscretion. 

“It’s late,” Ghoul said, swirling the Catsblood around before taking a sip. “I’m not messin’ you up, am I? You’re probably trying to close down.”

“It is fine,” Odessa said immediately. “We always stay open for some of our regulars who work late. You are not bothering anyone.”

He looked relieved at that and quickly took another sip, until only a third of the drink remained. Odessa noticed he was drinking faster than he normally did; she had seen him nurse a single glass for a solid hour, enjoying the unique, spicy blend of aromatics Catsblood had to offer. Now it seemed like he was trying to get it down as fast as possible, like he was trying to…bolster his nerves or something. She wished they had another bottle to open, but the new shipment was running late. She had some at home, but….

“How have you been?” Odessa asked, finally forcing herself to act natural and crossing her arms to lean against the counter. “I did not think you would be back so soon. You were barely gone.”

“I just got back,” Ghoul said gruffly. “It was a quick mission. I uh…work solo, most of the time. Makes things easier. I can get in and get the job done faster than an entire unit, and without being noticed.”

“Good. It sounds like your work is very important then.”

He shrugged and looked down at his glass, his fingers tapping the sides as he slowly spun it around.  He had been gone just long enough for his buzzcut to start to grow in. The hairs were still short, but they looked fuzzy and soft. Not for the first time Odessa found herself wondering what it would feel like to run her hand over the top of his head, if that was something he’d enjoy, like Orion, or if he’d spurn her touch. Would it be too familiar, too soon? He used to flinch whenever her hand would come too close, but since then she had touched him a handful of times without incident. 

“I get orders, I follow them,” Ghoul said, his words light but his tone hollow. A sore subject, it seemed. Odessa took a chance and reached over to place her hand on his wrist. She felt him stiffen beneath her touch but she held firm, rubbing her thumb against the exposed patch of skin between his sleeve and his glove. She observed him carefully, her heart stuttering painfully when she saw the synth mesh of his prosthetic throat moving in a way that she recognized as a swallowing motion. If he was uncomfortable, he refused to say anything and made no motion to pull his arm out of her reach. His skin was smooth beneath the pad of her thumb, hot like he had spent hours baking beneath the sun, and she wondered if he felt the same all over.

“I am glad you have returned safely,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “The drink is on me, as promised.”

He looked up at her, his eyes wide, searching her face for something. She stared right back, looking at the scars surrounding his eyes and the darker pigmentation that she thought was part of the scarring, but seemed to be…something else. 

“What is it?” she asked with a nervous laugh. She rubbed the heel of her palm over her cheek and glanced to the side, unable to hold his gaze for very long, despite herself. “Do I…do I have a thing on my face?”

“Can I…can I ask you something?” Ghoul said.

Odessa paused, then nodded. Her stomach twisted nervously.

Why? She thought to herself. Why am I so anxious? It’s just a question. He can talk to me. He can ask me anything.

“Of course,” she whispered, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue. 

“I…I wanted to ask sooner but I’m not…I’m not good at this kind of thing. I forgot, and then…there never seemed to be a right time. I didn’t want you to think I was…an idiot or–”

“You are not an idiot,” Odessa interrupted, squeezing his wrist. “I would never think that.”

Ghoul clenched his jaw and the hand she was so close to holding curled into a tight fist. She felt the muscles in his forearm straining, but didn’t let go. She found she could look at him so long as he wasn’t looking back, and had a feeling that maybe he felt the same way. Eye contact was…difficult to maintain. She didn’t know why. She wanted to look at him, wanted to stare into his eyes and try to figure out what was going through his head, what thoughts he held that had led him to 79’s right before closing, in the middle of a storm, and immediately after he had just returned from deployment. There were other, more important things he could have chosen to do—sleep, eat, enjoy a bit of peace and quiet—but he decided to come here instead.

“Ask me,” Odessa prompted, sliding the tip of her index finger beneath the edge of his sleeve, just to feel more of his skin. “It is okay. I do not bite.”

Ghoul chuckled and ran his other hand over the top of his head and down the back of his neck, hooking it there while he tried to summon the…the courage, perhaps, to gather his words.

“I just…need to know,” he said after a rough start, “‘cause it’s been botherin’ me since you did it…but that time I walked you home, you–you kissed me an' I haven’t been able to…I don’t understand why. So…I want to know if it was…if you did it because you felt bad for me, or because I’m a clone an' it’s…a novelty or–or if it’s about…this–” he waved his hand vaguely over the front of his face, gesturing to his prosthetic “–or whatever. I just…I need to know, ‘cause I can’t stop thinkin’ about it, an' I’m…tired. I’m tired.”

Odessa stared at him with her lips slightly parted, feeling like the floor had just been yanked out from under her. The only thing keeping her from immediately spiraling, keeping her grounded, was the hold she had on Ghoul’s wrist. He hadn’t moved and still hadn’t tried to pull away; she didn’t know if that was supposed to assuage her sudden feelings of uncertainty, but when she squeezed him again he didn’t flinch or tense, but neither did he look her way. He seemed to be back to avoiding eye contact, the way he had acted the very first time they had met. Odessa tilted her head, trying to catch his eye, but he was very good at focusing on the countertop, like the pattern in the polished surface was so much more interesting.

“You…you think I would kiss you out of…pity?” she asked, after drawing a deep breath. The insinuation hurt, a sharp little blade nestled at the edge of her heart, threatening to pierce her through and bleed her out. “You think I would kiss you because…it is a joke? That it is funny to me?”

Ghoul shrugged again, the movement a little more aggressive than before. Odessa recognized the barely restrained hostility for what it was, a defense mechanism to steel himself against perceived rejection, or disappointment. He didn’t want to look at her, but why? What was suddenly so terrifying that he couldn’t face it?

All the time she had spent wondering whether or not he had enjoyed the kiss felt like a waste in the face of the realization that he had spent the same amount of time wondering if she had kissed him as some kind of cruel prank. Magda’s words played back in her head, about the way clones never expected to be treated as anything other than tools of warfare; she should have known Ghoul might’ve held those same beliefs, or at the very least had experienced little kindness to indicate the kiss could have meant anything other than…morbid curiosity. Odessa wanted to be angry that he thought so little of her that he could think she’d do something like that, so selfishly, and for no reason at all….

But instead she took a deep breath.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to think of the way she had felt when her father forced her onto the one way transport to Coruscant, the way he had looked at her and told her that he didn’t need her to forgive him but he hoped one day she might, that this was for her own good. She had tried so hard to understand his position, tried so very hard to put herself in his place. She didn’t know if she would have made the same choices as he had…but she wanted to believe that she was, at the very least, capable of empathizing with his decision.

If she could put aside her own hurt feelings for her father’s sake, then she could do the same for Ghoul. 

He wasn’t trying to pick a fight…he wasn’t trying to insult her. He…he was protecting himself. She could see that, the way he guarded himself so carefully, refusing to let anyone close or give anything of himself away…but he had done so for her. It had taken time, but he had allowed her to slip closer, to know a part of himself that he kept hidden from the rest of the world. 

It was the person he became when he was with Commanders Wolffe and Fox, the man who knew how to crack a joke and offer up a smile. It was who he became when he was teaching her the proper way to hold a blaster, confident and filled with energy because he knew what he was talking about and though he had said he wasn’t much of a teacher, Odessa knew it was a lie because he taught her. It was the way he had looked in the back alley of the refugee center, hyperventilating and crying but still so strong in spite of the tragedies he must have suffered, and the way he was still so kind as to offer her a listening ear when she told him about her mother.

“Ghoul,” Odessa said, leaning further against the counter until the edge dug into her stomach, “will you…will you look at me? Please?”

At first she didn’t think he would. He seemed determined to keep his eyes on everything but her and kept staring stubbornly at his drink…but then he twitched and slowly, very slowly turned his head. He didn’t meet her gaze, but she thought she saw him fixate on her shoulder and that…that was good enough. If that was as close to his attention as she could get, then she’d have to take it.

“I do not know how to make you believe me,” she said, hoping against hope she wasn’t about to destroy the very fragile trust he had given her. “I do not pretend to understand why it is you think this way, but I promise—I promise that I did not kiss you for any other reason than because I very much wanted to.”

He exhaled harshly, his brows knitting together like he didn’t believe her. 

“But why?” he asked, his voice rough, anger lacing his tone. “Why would you wanna kiss me?”

“Because I like you,” Odessa said firmly, despite the way she wanted to get up and bolt. She had never been questioned so bluntly before; it was like he lacked all social awareness and experience to know that…people kissed because they wanted to, because of attraction, or lust, or to tease and seduce. It would have been charming were it not for the implications—had he been anyone else, his confusion might have even been cute.

“What’s there t’ like?” Ghoul shot back. “You don’t know me.”

“I have been trying to know you,” Odessa insisted. “I have been trying to know you from the first day you walked in here. And do you know what? You are not as terrible a person as you would have everyone think. I think you are…so interesting. You are harsh and cold but you also care a lot—we were still strangers and you walked me to Rollo’s. You taught me to shoot a blaster! You agree to help me even though there is nothing in it for you. So yes, I think you are a likable man, no matter what you say. And I kissed you because I wanted to—because you are kind and gentle in spite of things that could have made you cruel.”

Odessa took a deep breath to calm her nerves and then slowly took her hand off Ghoul’s wrist to touch his chin; he jerked away from her instinctively, his eyes snapping to hers in an instant and a look of shock taking over the entirety of his range of expression. She shook her head and slid her hand along his jaw, holding firm, pressing her palm to the prosthetic and letting the tips of her fingers rest against the edge where warm skin met with metal.

“I kissed you because I like you,” she said, taking advantage of having his full attention. “I am attracted to you…no matter what you think, no matter what you might say to try and prove otherwise, that is the truth.”

Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do if he decided her confession wasn’t enough of a good reason to stick around. Or, worse, maybe it was too much for him to accept so suddenly. It wasn’t as though she had planned on admitting her feelings—not like this, at any rate. She would have preferred…a more private setting, somewhere more intimate, so they could talk properly. She didn’t want there to be any confusion between them. She didn’t want to leave him with any lingering doubts about how she truly felt, even if she was still trying to figure out how deep those feelings ran. 

Ghoul didn’t move at all, didn’t give any sign that her words had reached him, apart from the way he closed his eyes, squeezing them hard until she could see him straining with the effort. Odessa desperately wanted to know what he was thinking, wanted to peel apart his skull until his thoughts were revealed to her. Patience had always been a virtue of hers…until now when it felt like she would come right out of her skin if he wouldn’t hurry up and say something. 

Patience, she told herself. Give him time. Let him think.

She ran her thumb back and forth against his cheek, wondering if he was able to feel her touch, or if it was just a strange sort of pressure. It didn't seem to upset him, whatever the case, until she dared to touch the soft skin of his upper lip—his eyes flew open and he looked at her with…with so much hurt, so much pain that she didn't know how to react to it. She didn't even know cybernetic eyes could be so expressive.

"I would kiss you again," she said, trying to alleviate the sudden tension. "I have thought about it many times since. Always wondering if you liked it, if it compared…I wanted to ask about it too."

She felt the synth-mesh flex beneath her hand and watched as Ghoul inhaled sharply, his shoulders rising with the motion. Up so close she could see what she thought to be discolored skin was actually faded warpaint. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, so many ways she wanted to know him, so much he was holding back.

Patience. Have patience.

"There's…there's nothin' to compare," Ghoul finally spoke, his voice little more than a strained whisper. "You…you were my first kiss."

Odessa felt something in her chest break wide open, like a dam holding back too much water finally giving way. She smiled, blinking back tears that formed suddenly at the corners of her eyes.

"I wish I had known," she whispered back. "I would have made sure to make it more memorable."

The roar of thunder outside shook the windows and seeped into her bones. The neon bar lights dimmed then brightened again with a low buzz and she heard Magda open the door to the backroom, probably to come check on them. Odessa stroked her thumb along Ghoul’s lip again, watching the way his breath hitched with the gesture. She didn’t want this moment to end…but 79’s was neither the time nor the place.

Invite him back to your apartment, her inner voice spoke up. You wanted to before. Now’s the perfect opportunity. You can be alone, you can talk…and who knows?

It was an idea. She didn’t know if he’d accept, but…she’d never know if she never asked. Her lekku twitched and she cleared her throat, trying to think of the best way to ask him over without sounding too much like she was propositioning him.

“Ghoul–”

“Hey,” another voice interrupted, “how come he gets a drink?”

Odessa didn’t have time to look before someone ran into her shoulder, almost upsetting her balance and sending her to the floor. Ghoul jumped to his feet, cursing in a language Odessa had never heard before as the rest of his drink spilled across the counter and floor as Orion made a drunken grab for it, the tumbler slipping from his grasp. The sound of shattering glass only meant one more mess to clean up, but Orion groaned and slammed his fist against the countertop like someone else caused it.

“You owe me another one!” Orion slurred, pointing his finger in Odessa’s face. 

“You are drunk,” Odessa snapped, feeling the last threads of her patience disappear. “I cut you off hours ago, and this is why! You are a lightweight, and you need to go home!”

Orion’s face twisted into a frightening expression, one filled with anger and loathing. He made a move like he intended to climb over the counter to get to her, but he barely had time to haul himself up over the edge before Ghoul grabbed hold of his jacket and threw him back against the floor. He made it look so easy, like it was nothing to toss another fully grown man around…but Orion was so inebriated, and Ghoul was so strong that the few fearful steps back she had taken felt so unnecessary now.

“What th’ kark’s your problem?!” Ghoul barked, sounding more like the Commander he was than she had ever heard before. “You got ears? She told you to fuck off!”

Orion scrambled to his feet, surprisingly quick—maybe it had something to do with being a clone and bred for war, that their tolerance for alcohol meant that even complete intoxication couldn’t render them completely helpless—and swung at Ghoul with a wild punch that missed its mark by a mile. For a moment Odessa feared a repeat of the time Ghoul had defended her from the three Academy men; he grabbed Orion by the arm and by the scruff of his neck and drove him back against thee countertop, slamming his head against the surface and mopping up the spilled Catsblood with his cheek.

“Apologize,” Ghoul hissed, sneering as he easily held Orion down. 

“Get off me, you freak!” Orion gasped, blood spurting from his nose from the collision. 

“Do it, or I’ll break your arm,” Ghoul warned, twisting the offending appendage back until Orion yelped in pain.

“Wait,” Odessa gasped, “let him go, please, it is not–”

“What the hell is goin’ on out here?!” Magda yelled, storming out of the backroom amid all the commotion. Odessa froze, but Ghoul only scoffed and proceeded to twist Orion’s arm further.

“Apologize,” he commanded, and something cracked  before Orion frantically smacked the table with his other hand.

“Okay, okay!” he cried, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it! Let me go, you sick bastard!”

“Not to me,” Ghoul snarled, shoving against Orion viciously. “To her. You apologize to her.”

Odessa stared as Orion twisted to look up at her, blood painting the crevices between his teeth and smearing against the lower half of his face as he continued to struggle. She didn’t want to claim the feeling that filled her, a smug sort of satisfaction that almost made her feel sick to her stomach…and yet she was glad Ghoul had put a stop to Orion’s nonsense so quickly. 

“I’m sorry,” he croaked, blinking rapidly as his eyes started to water, either from actual shame or from the pain Ghoul was currently inflicting on him. “I’m sorry, Odie, I didn’t mean it….”

She nodded at him, not trusting herself to speak. She didn’t know what her voice would sound like in that moment…if she’d be able to keep it together long enough to administer an actual scolding. 

“Alright, that’s enough,” Magda said, flapping her hands at Ghoul to ward him away. He gave Orion one last shove, making him yelp again before finally backing off and grabbing up his helmet. Orion groaned, sinking down to the floor as he cradled his arm, leaving behind a neat smear of blood on the countertop. Magda sighed, pressing her fingers into her temples and rubbing tight little circles. 

“You sure know how to cause trouble,” she muttered, eyeballing Ghoul with a glare that wasn’t nearly as malicious as Odessa was used to seeing her bestow on those unfortunate to incur her wrath.

He shrugged, but didn’t look at all remorseful. That wasn’t a surprise, but the way he muttered an insincere ‘sorry’ and headed for the door was. Odessa thought about the cameras, the video feed that would live on the security terminal as a testament to the night’s events. She thought about how quickly Ghoul had fled the scene the last time he had resorted to violence, how she had insisted he go because she couldn’t bear the thought that he might get into trouble for defending her.

Of course he would have to leave now to avoid a similar fate, especially if Orion turned out to be the kind of man who would turn a fellow soldier in for wounding his pride. Already she was planning on how best to disrupt the data, make it look like another accident; at least this time she had the excuse of the storm and could blame the lost footage on a brownout. She could almost ignore the way her stomach clenched seeing him go without so much as a backwards glance, like the moment they had shared moments ago didn’t mean anything. 

He was so strange. Wonderful, but strange—she wanted to shout after him, tell him to come back, to wait, at least, until she could finish cleaning up. He had only just arrived and though they didn’t have any more Catsblood she was sure she could find something similar among their stock. She just…she didn’t want to see him go so soon after arriving. There were…still so many things she wanted to say to him. 

“Odie?”

Magda snapped her fingers and Odessa jumped, unaware that she had spaced out. She looked up sheepishly, then grabbed a towel from beneath the counter.

“Sorry,” she said, “I will clean up the mess.”

“Hold on now,” Magda said, stopping her with a warm hand to her shoulder. “I think…I think it might be a good idea if you go ahead and head home.”

“But–”

“No buts. This young man needs someone to talk to for a bit, until his ride gets here. Let me take care of him, try to sober him up, and convince him that this was all just a big misunderstanding. You…should go after your friend.”

Magda tossed her head toward the door, where Ghoul stood contemplating his helmet before jamming it down over his head. 

“But…the mess,” Odessa tried to protest as she kept her eyes glued on him, wondering why he hadn’t left yet. Normally he didn’t hesitate.

“I can handle a broken glass and a little bit of blood. You can make it up to me later, if you want, but right now you should go.”

Go where? Back to her apartment? With Ghoul?

Invite him in, her inner voice squeaked, annoying and incessant, like she hadn’t been ready to before Orion interrupted them.

“You are sure?” she asked one last time, already trying to push aside the guilt that rose up for even considering abandoning Magda to the annoying task of closing up the bar by herself. 

“I’m sure. No go on—get.”

Odessa didn’t waste another second, grabbing her backpack from where she had stuffed it under the counter earlier in anticipation of leaving and then ran toward the door where Ghoul still stood, his expressionless helmet turned in her direction, like he had been waiting for her the whole time. Odessa pulled one of her lekku over her shoulder, holding it self-consciously as she approached. 

“Thought you had to close,” Ghoul said the moment she was near. His voice sounded normal again, all of the vitriol from before having bled out. 

“Change of plans,” Odessa said. “Will you…walk me home?”

He tilted his head to the side and then pushed the door open, just enough for Odessa to see that the rain had picked up again, practically flooding the walkways as rivulets ran down the storm drains. 

“It’s wet out,” he said, like it wasn’t obvious. “We’ll have to run.”

“I do not mind. We can both dry off at my place.”

The unspoken hung in the air between them, heavy with the implication that she expected him to come inside her apartment. Ghoul's helmet protected his expression from scrutiny, but Odessa was quickly becoming adept at reading his other little tics, like the nervous way he fanned his fingers out before resting his hand on his blaster holster—he hadn't even bothered to leave the weapon at his barracks, like clones were supposed to when on leave. He must have gotten off the transport ship and immediately made his way to the bar, she realized. 

"You…you sure you wanna be seen with a clone like that?" Ghoul asked. "Someone might see. People talk…word gets around."

Boldly, Odessa reached up and touched the tips of her fingers to the ventilation filters of his helmet, tracing the circular ends and hoping it wasn’t her imagination making her think she heard his breath catch through his vocalizer.

"I am not ashamed of you," she said, looking directly into his visor. Then, before he could try to dissuade her after her mind was already made up, Odessa pushed past him into the downpour. 

Almost immediately she was drenched, her clothes sticking uncomfortably to her skin and the rain tickling as it ran in rivulets down her lekku. She tilted her face up, closing her eyes and taking a moment to ground herself in the rare show of nature's power. Coruscant was nothing like Ryloth—the entire planet was a construct, all metal and stone. Anything living had long been choked out by the suffocating press of innovation and progress. 

But the rain…nothing could stop the rain.

No turning back now.

"Are you coming?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Ghoul looked up at the night sky, at the skyscrapers towering so far above them there was no way to see where they ended. The neon lights lining the walkways bled into a multicolored haze as the humidity increased and steam rose from vents leading to the lower levels. After a moment, he stepped out into the rain as well.

"Lead the way," he said with a curt nod. 

Odessa smiled and seized his hand, pulling hard as she took off. She felt him stumble on the first step, but he easily fell into a steady jog as she began to run. She had a feeling he was more than capable of outpacing her, but for whatever reason he didn't, and she squeezed his hand as hard as she could, unable to hold back the insane amount of affection she felt for him in that moment.

She’d find a way to kiss him again, if she could. She’d sit him on her little couch and tell him all the things she meant to and she’d make sure he knew where she stood in regards to how she felt about him. She would touch his face until he didn’t feel the need to flinch at the contact and she’d let him ask her anything his heart desired.

Life is too short for regrets, she thought to herself as rain pelted against her face. I don't want any more. This time…I'll be selfish.

~~~

Coruscant rain was cold. 

Not even his blacks, which were specifically made to protect against the elements in a variety of atmospheric conditions, could keep out the chill that seeped into his bones as he ran through the winding, interconnected walkways of the mid-levels. Any other time he would have cursed his luck and tried to wait out the rain…but this time he couldn't.

He didn't want to, if it meant letting go of Odessa's hand. 

The prosthetic didn't feel the way flesh did; through the glove he felt even less, just the pressure from the way she squeezed and pulled. He had panicked the moment she had grabbed him—if only he had been quick enough to offer her his left hand, but he focused instead on relaxing the servos in his arm that controlled his grip strength and slowing his stride so he wouldn't overtake Odessa. He'd die if he hurt her, even accidentally. 

Whatever his initial intentions had been in visiting 79's so late at night (to see her, what other reason was there when he could barely taste the drinks anyway?), Ghoul hadn't expected things to turn out the way they had, nor was he sorry for any of it. 

All he had thought about the entire time he had been deployed was how good it would feel to see her again. He had still been able to focus on his mission on Balmorra, extracting a high ranking official with minimal casualties, but Odessa lingered on the edge of his mind the entire time. He could close his eyes and picture her almost perfectly, from the way she'd smile to the charming way her lekku moved independently of each other whenever she was excited. If he tried hard enough he could almost imagine the lilt of her voice and the accented way she said his name. 

It was sometime during the return to Coruscant, while he was plugged into a datapad listening to a video explaining the grammatical basics of Ryl, that he realized he must have…fallen for her, unintentionally. Six months ago he would have laughed at the idea of caring about anyone aside from Wolffe and Fox, but there he was, trying to learn a new language in the hopes of being able to understand her just a little bit better, the way she seemed to effortlessly understand him.

The revelation distracted Ghoul from everything else. All he could think about was seeing her again and had almost sent her a comm saying he'd be back soon, but a ridiculous idea took root instead, that he could surprise her at 79's and then he'd be able to watch the way her face lit up with happiness when she saw him. She would be happy, he was sure of that even if he still didn't understand why. He just knew that her eyes grew wide and bright and her smile could light up an entire room like she carried the force of the sun beneath her skin. It made him feel good, like…like it mattered to someone else that he didn't die out there in the field.

If she was waiting for him…then he had a reason to keep coming back, if only to keep her from disappointment.

"Finally," Odessa exclaimed, releasing Ghoul's hand to point at her apartment building. "Ugh, I will be glad to be inside and out of this rain."

He didn't say anything, just followed her up the three-tiered staircase where the covered balcony offered them shelter; not that it mattered, with the way the wind had started to blow in the last ten minutes. A misty spray hovered in the air, ensuring they wouldn't escape the weather until they were inside—which brought Ghoul to his next dilemma.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked as he watched Odessa punch in a code on the numerical keypad next to her apartment door. The lock disengaged and she pushed the door open, pausing only to give him a reproachful look before stepping inside.

"I already said it is fine," she said. "What are you so nervous for?"

If only you knew, he wanted to say.

He had never been inside someone’s personal dwelling. For clones it was GAR-issued barracks or the cold, hard ground, whatever came first. He had walked through every floor of the Senate buildings, explored caves, swampy huts made of wood and mud, opulent palaces that made him want to wretch, trekked across arid deserts until he thought he’d drown in his own sweat, but he had never once set foot inside a civilian’s home before….and somehow the prospect of entering Odessa’s little apartment seemed more daunting than any one of the dangerous missions he had been on.

She held the door open for him, staring expectantly and waiting for him to follow, but Ghoul couldn't make himself take that first step over the threshold. He tried to look past her, but even his helmet’s sensors couldn’t make out what was inside the dark room and he fought down the urge to lick his lip, knowing it wouldn’t do him any good. The inside of his mouth was dry, as usual, and his tongue didn't work like it used to. 

"You will catch cold if you stay out here," Odessa said; she smiled but he recognized her tone as a teasing one—for some reason it soothed his nerves, just enough for him to feel like maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. She pushed the door open a little further and jerked her head toward the darkened interior.

"Come inside," she said. "Just for a little bit, until the rain is stopped."

She wanted him to come in. She meant it when she said she wasn't ashamed of him, even though anyone could look out a window and see him darkening her doorstep. Clones weren't meant to fraternize with anyone—it was the most wildly disregarded rule throughout the GAR and everyone knew it as this unspoken thing; not one brother would dare turn in another for having a bit of fun during leave…but anyone could blow the whistle and jeopardize his status. 

Or hers. 

He had no faith left in the system; the powers that be could slap her with an obstruction of duty charge and ship her back to Ryloth faster than it'd take to file the form in triplicate. But maybe…maybe the risk made this act of defiance all the more worth it.

When have you ever needed a reason, he asked himself, before finally summoning the spine to push past her. Odessa closed the door behind them, plunging the room into total darkness until a light in the corner flickered on.

The reveal was…painfully underwhelming. More than the bunks the GAR provided, but smaller than he had expected for a civilian able to live on their own. What amounted to a sitting room with a squat, two-person couch and a few sparsely decorated shelving units connected with a kitchenette—a generous term for the half-sized chiller and limited counter space—and then at the back was a doorway leading to what he could only assume was Odessa's bedroom. From where he stood he could only just see the corner of a bed, neatly made with the sheets tucked regulation tight.

Ghoul removed his helmet and caught his first whiff of a sweet, cloying scent he immediately recognized as a type of flower that only grew on Ryloth—fragile, yellow buds that didn't petal, but clung fiercely to the rock faces near caves and rivers. Despite their miniscule size they were intensely aromatic and surprisingly tenacious; looking around he caught sight of a round pot by the only window, with the familiar, vine-like plant already climbing up over the sides. Fitting, that Odessa would have found a way to make it take root on Coruscant.

"I am going to get out of these wet clothes," she said, disrupting his train of thought. Odessa dropped her bag onto the floor and balanced on one foot then the other to remove her boots. Ghoul tried not to pay attention to the way her white shirt clung her skin, practically translucent and leaving very little to the imagination. Instead, he swallowed and focused on the furthest wall, where she had decorated the limited space with a poster—too late, he realized it was the target from the range, neatly pinned so there was no mistaking her awful, barely acceptable shot versus the perfect three he had made. The sight of it made his stomach clench.

Why would she keep it?

"I do not have anything for you to change into" Odessa continued, oblivious to Ghoul's plight. "Nothing in your size, at least."

"Don't need 'em," Ghoul said, still staring at the target. "The blacks dry fast. Just need ten minutes or so."

"You will stay longer, I hope," she said, looking up at him. "Maybe…maybe you could remove your armor? It will be helping you dry faster."

Ghoul stiffened at the thought. Of course, it made sense—he couldn't stand there in her foyer, dripping water and making a mess all night long. De-kitting was something of a ritual, though, one he took care to follow to the letter every night before lights out. On missions, he slept in full gear because removing it when conditions were unpredictable was tantamount to suicide. The idea of being without it, just existing in his sleeve with nothing to protect him, or shield him was…was….

You're not on a mission, his inner voice snapped. Get a hold of yourself. Nothin' here's gonna hurt you. It's her home. Act normal for once.

"It takes up a lot of space," Ghoul said, his voice hoarse. "I don't wanna make a mess."

"I am not minding," Odessa replied, lifting her delicate shoulders in a shrug. She was already halfway to her bedroom before he could offer up another excuse. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I will be out shortly."

Comfortable, he thought as the click of her door sealed his fate. I've never been comfortable outside of my kit.

But if…if she came back out and saw that he hadn't moved, that he still stood there, sopping wet and awkward, would she regret inviting him in? Outside the wind howled, heralding another wave of the storm. If he planned on just waiting it out…he'd be waiting a very long time.

"Kriffing hells," Ghoul cursed under his breath as he quickly set his helmet on the floor and knelt beside it to undo the hidden clasp on his greaves. 

Breaking down the armor normally took the better part of an hour, when done right. He liked to check every piece over for damage so he could put in a maintenance request before his next deployment, and buff out any glaring scuffs or stains. It was almost therapeutic…but he didn't bother with any part of his usual routine. He stripped expertly in just a few minutes, stacking every piece in a neat, orderly pile on top of his folded kama. 

The feel of rough carpet beneath his bare feet was…strange. He didn't want to say 'uncomfortable', because it wasn't that…but neither was it wholly pleasant. Maybe it was because of how vulnerable he felt, wearing just his blacks, how utterly self-conscious he was of the way he looked when there was nothing else to distract from his ruined face. Most people tended to check out the armor first…but Odessa wasn't 'most people'.

You will find out for yourself, if you like.

He recalled those words she had said to him months ago (had it really been so short a time?), the way he had been so frustrated with her naivete; he hadn't understood what she meant, then, but now…now he realized how stubborn he had been, blinded by his own misconceptions about civilians going about their lives in blissful ignorance, totally oblivious to the realities of war. He hated them because of the way they looked at him when they saw what was done to his face, the looks of shock and disgust…he hated them.

But Odessa, she had never…he couldn't recall a single time, not once, when she had ever looked at him like he was anything other than a man—just a man and not the sorry result of collateral damage of intergalactic corporate warfare. And now there he was, dressed down to his blacks, waterlogged and barefoot in her humble living room, looking around her decor like he was trying to piece together enough clues to reveal the secret to how she could be so damn bewitching. 

She was driving him crazy…that was the only explanation for how he had wound up there, so deeply out of his element he scarcely recognized himself. It was like his entire sense of self, the persona he had spent the last year and a half cultivating to keep people away, disintegrated whenever she so much as smiled in his direction. She said his name and he felt weak in his knees. There was something…something defective in him, if he could be affected like that. It shouldn't be possible.

"Ghoul?"

But it was.

He looked up and immediately wanted to die. She was so pretty—so pretty he didn't know why she wanted to be seen with him. She had changed out of her wet clothes but what she wore as a replacement was somehow worse, just a long shirt that fell to mid-thigh and hung dangerously off her shoulder. He didn't even know what color it was, because the sight of all that pretty green skin was distracting. 

“I tried not to get anything wet,” he said, gesturing at his armor. “Tried to keep it neat.”

“I already said I do not mind,” Odessa said, going straight to her tiny kitchen area. She stood on her toes to rummage through one of the cabinets and as Ghoul watched, the shirt she wore rode up the back of her thighs until it only just barely covered her rear. He tried not to stare. He tried not to but it was so hard. She had told him she’d kiss him again and now, with her dressed like that, so casual and carefree even though she was alone with a strange man in her home, he couldn’t help but wonder if…if more kissing was what she originally had in mind when bringing him here.

“I feel bad you did not get to finish your drink. I hope you are not minding if I make you another?”

“Uh…no,” Ghoul said, memorizing the way the curve of her calves gave way to slender little ankles and petite feet.

“I admit, I bought this a few months back,” Odessa admitted, pulling down a new bottle of Catsblood, practically half the size stocked by 79’s. “I…suppose I was hoping for a chance to invite you over. I thought if I had the drink on hand, it would give me the courage to ask. Silly of me, is it not?”

“No. I…you’re not. Silly. You’re not silly. Clones don’t…we don’t usually get invited places. I never expected it. This is my first time being in someone’s home.”

“And what do you think about it?,” Odessa asked, turning around with a glass, filled halfway this time to just a little over what he had left before that other idiot clone spilled it everywhere. She held out the glass and smiled, her eyes bright and twinkling even in the low light. Ghoul reached out blindly, fixated on the curve of her lips. 

“It’s smaller than I expected,” he said bluntly. “It feels…kinda empty.”

Odessa laughed a little. 

“Coruscant is being very expensive for one person,” she said. “I came here with a single bag filled with clothing. Everything I have had to provide for myself, so I collect things I am needing little by little, when there are credits to spare.”

“...are you happy?”

“I like to think so. Will you sit down?” she asked, gesturing toward her couch; it was cramped, barely enough room for two people, maybe three if they were all as petite as her, but Ghoul nodded and turned an about face before he could ruin the moment with thoughts about how damp his blacks still were and how he didn’t want to damage any of her things because she didn’t have all that much. He held onto the glass tightly, the warm scent of Catsblood drifting up in his face and tickling the inside of his nose with its cloying spice.

The couch was more comfortable than he expected, soft with deep cushions that belied its size. He felt like he could sink down into them and possibly fall asleep—all the aches he had collected in the past few weeks chose now to remind him of the abuse he put his body through for the sake of his mission and he couldn’t help but relax. Odessa dropped down next to him, curling her legs and tucking them beneath her so she could face him.

“How is the taste?” she asked as he sipped at his drink. “It is warm enough for you?”

Ghoul frowned, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth and trying to focus on the faint tinge of spice that usually made Catsblood worth it. His throat worked up and down but it was useless—there was just the good and familiar warmth that burned on the way down, and the scent of spice clinging to his upper lip. He could lie to her and just say it was fine so she wouldn’t suspect anything was wrong…but for some reason the thought of lying to her didn’t sit right with him…like he’d be…disrespecting her, after the way she had treated him so kindly thus far.

I owe her the truth, he thought to himself. She deserves that much.

“I…I can’t taste,” he admitted, looking down at his lap. “I haven’t since…since they replaced, uh…everything.”

Odessa’s hand flew to her mouth, a few fingers pressing against her lips. Her eyes went wide and her expression betrayed horror and shock—Ghoul curled his upper lip in a sneer, instinctively turning his body away, trying to shield himself from the inevitable, but she didn’t let him get very far. 

“I am so sorry,” she said, her eyebrows knitting together. “I did not know—did not think…it is so terrible of me, I should be more observant. I did not mean to be bringing up something so sensitive.”

“You wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking,” he said gruffly, not really wanting to go into detail but seeing no other way around it. “It’s fine. I…Catsblood is the only thing I come close to tasting. It’s…strong. The spice, I mean. It burns going down and I can feel that, at least. It’s…close enough.”

“No, it is not,” Odessa said, reaching out to touch his arm. He flinched, but it was too late to pull away; her hand rested upon the forearm of his prosthetic and though he couldn’t feel anything, he saw her squeeze and the way her face changed again, immediately shifting into an expression of confusion. Ghoul felt his stomach roll over, like he was going to be sick. He couldn’t taste bile at the back of his throat but he suddenly found it hard to swallow and fought back the urge to just get up.

This was it, the moment where she’d find out exactly how damaged he was and decide that he wasn’t worth the effort of whatever it was she had planned for them. It was inevitable—who could want someone missing so much, someone who couldn’t enjoy even the most trivial things that so many people took for granted, who couldn’t enjoy the taste of good food or the touch of soft skin? Combined with his looks, he had nothing to offer, nothing but baggage.

“Prosthetic,” he choked out when Odessa squeezed his arm again. “Can’t feel anything, so…y’know.”

She looked up at him, her eyes searching, wondering. Still confused, but more curious now. He didn’t know what she was thinking and wished she’d just say something instead of just…staring like that. He hated it when people stared…but…she wasn’t people.

“I never knew,” Odessa said, shuffling on her knees closer. She slid her hand down the length of his arm to his wrist, then to the separation between sleeve and glove. “You are very gentle…I truly had no idea. May I…may I see?”

“Why?” Ghoul asked, feeling like he was being suffocated from within. 

“...because I like you, and I want to…to know you more. I want to know all the things about you…the good and the bad.”

Her fingers toyed with the tips of his gloves and when she gathered the fabric between a pinched thumb and forefinger, he didn’t stop her. It wasn’t like he couldn’t have, but she started to pull and he found that he desperately, desperately wanted to believe that she could look at the ugliest parts of him and see something still worthy of receiving her gentle affection. She had held his hand so firmly while they ran through the rain and she didn’t show any sign of being put off now, even though she had to know…she had to know it wasn’t pretty.

He watched, feeling like he was outside of his own body as Odessa methodically tugged off his glove, dropping it to the floor where it lay forgotten the instant she slid her fingers between his, turning his hand over and staring at the black plating that protected the delicate wiring, circuitry, and mechanics within. He offered up no resistance, holding his breath as she took hold of one of the fingers and pushed it toward the center of his palm. His range of motion was perfect—apart from being unable to feel anything, the prosthetic functioned almost exactly as the arm he had lost.

“It is remarkable,” Odessa said, pushing back his sleeve to look at the wrist joint. “I have never seen something crafted so expertly. How…how much is–”

“Here,” Ghoul croaked, gesturing to a spot just above his elbow before she could finish her question.

“I see…does it still hurt?”

“...not usually. I…sometimes there’s…phantom pains. Like I can feel my arm again, even though it’s…not there.”

“...is there more?”

He swallowed. It seemed like Odessa wasn’t going to rest until she had peeled him apart and stuck him under a microscope. She was so curious—nosey, his inner voice seethed—but the way she asked for his permission was so gentle, so sweet that he couldn’t refuse. She didn’t ogle with the intention of making a spectacle out of him, nor was her careful touch anything like the clinical and impersonal way doctors performed their physical examinations.

For the first time in his life, Ghoul felt like…like he was being looked at like a person, and not just…not just a thing they had kept alive because some half-disgraced Jedi demanded it.

His mouth went dry and he pulled his hand out of hers to set down his unfinished glass of Catsblood before peeling off his other glove; that, too, was discarded to the floor, and he held his other hand back out for her inspection, eager, this time, to feel her touch with what was left of his hand.

“Fingers,” he said, fixating on her face. Pretty, she was so pretty. He liked the shape of her mouth, the fullness of her lips. He wanted to kiss her too, he realized, and wondered how he should go about making that happen. Odessa didn’t seem to notice his stare, thankfully, and held onto his hand, tracing the grafting that separated the prosthetic from the rest of him. He was missing his thumb, fore and middle fingers, but she focused on his remaining two, touching them firmly and feeling the shape of them. Her hand was so warm, her skin so soft that a shiver worked its way up Ghoul’s spine and he hoped and prayed to gods from cultures he didn’t belong to that she wouldn’t stop…not yet.

“You have been through so much,” Odessa observed, her voice low and warm as she held his hand in her lap. “I cannot imagine life has been very kind to you…and yet you are still here, continuing on in spite of everything. You are very remarkable, do you know that?”

“I’m a soldier,” Ghoul corrected her, not knowing what she meant by ‘remarkable’. He was engineered to survive, made of sturdier stuff than most because that was how the longnecks had designed clones to be. Nothing remarkable about genetic manipulation. It was just science.

“You are more than that,” she insisted, looking up at him again. “You are much more than what you were made for. I am not needing to know the details of what happened to know you are a survivor.”

“Surviving is what we do,” he said, the words hollow, meaningless, things he heard repeated thousands of times while in training on Kamino. He used to take so much pride in being a clone—’built to last’, they used to joke—but now there were times when he wished he hadn’t and it was…it was confusing, because being with her and hearing her say the same things he used to tell his men and himself…it was reigniting that pride he had buried long ago and he didn’t…he didn’t know what to make of it.

“Not everyone is capable,” Odessa whispered. “Can I…touch your face?”

He didn’t ask why this time, just nodded and leaned in. He watched as she slid her fingers along his jaw, tracing the edges of the prosthetic to the point of his chin. 

“You feel nothing at all?” she asked.

“No. Just…sensors for heat, cold, pressure…it’s very basic. Helps me eat. Keeps me talking.”

“Oh…open your mouth?”

His breath probably smelled rancid, like dry rot from being under-lubricated. It made him sound raspier than normal, to the point where he had all but forgotten what his voice used to sound like. Nothing had been the same since Toydaria. Odessa wouldn’t know that, though. She only knew his voice as it was now, only knew what he looked like with the scars and the metal grafted to his bones. 

"The ones who are making the prosthetics should be commended," she murmured, tilting her head back as she peered into his mouth. "It looks like an exact replica. Even your tongue…it is too bad they could not do more."

"Maybe if I were a politician," Ghoul said. "Or not a clone. They did what they had to do to keep me alive and functioning. The faster they could fix me, the faster they could send me back out into the field."

"I hate it," Odessa said, frowning. 

"Yeah. Yeah, me too."

Odessa abandoned her inspection of the interior of his mouth and touched the tip of his nose with the edge of her nail.

"What is this?" she asked, scratching gently. "It is black…smoke?"

"Warpaint," Ghoul said, suddenly embarrassed. No one ever mentioned it before…he didn't think anyone ever paid attention to the dark color he painted around his eyes and down the center of his face. By the time he removed his helmet, back on Coruscant, most of it had already rubbed off or faded away. 

"I thought it was part of your scars," she said softly, tracing the thick line of his eyebrow. "Do you want to wash your face? I have a clean towel and very gentle soap."

"Does it bother you?"

"No…but it is not so good for your skin, to be wearing it all the time. Especially for your eyes—here the skin is very thin, sensitive, and fragile."

As she spoke, she trailed the tips of her fingers around his eyes, circling each one with a tenderness that made him want to cry. No one had ever touched him like this before…no one had ever tried and he had never let anyone come so close. Even when the military doctors tried to get him to sit still for their examinations, or tried to insist on an upgrade, he always found a way to get them off his back. He'd broken the wrist of one doctor who got a little too handsy. He hated things near his eyes.

But….

"I guess," Ghoul said, reluctantly. If it was her then he…he could stomach it, for a little while at least.

"It does not have to be now," Odessa murmured. He felt a puff of her breath against the upper portion of his cheek and realized she had somehow pressed closer. He could feel her against the upper part of his arm and shoulder, her body hot through her shirt. Something inside of him kickstarted and he felt liquid heat pool deep in his gut, in some pocket dimension beyond his stomach.

"Odie," he said on exhale, referring to her by her nickname for the first time since he had known her.

"Mm?" she hummed in response as she ran her hand over the top of his head. Kark, he wanted to close his eyes and just lean into it so bad. The way her palm felt against his skin, the way his hair bristled (soft, he hoped it was soft, hoped she liked it so she wouldn't stop petting him), the way she held the back of his head and traced the decorative lines buzzed into his fade…he couldn't remember a time he had ever felt so…so seen.

Ghoul licked his lips, for the first time not realizing what a fruitless endeavor the action was.

"E-Earlier," he said, trying not to stutter and doing it anyway, "you said…you said if you knew that…uh, if you knew you were my first kiss, you would h-have made it…memorable."

"I did," Odessa said, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. She looked like she was trying to stop a smile from forming.

"Yeah," Ghoul said, "uh…how w-would you go about, uh, doing that?"

The smile broke containment and by the stars it seemed to him that it lit up her whole face and the room. He stared unabashedly, trying to memorize all the little details about her that he had never noticed before, like the curve of her eyelashes and the way her nose scrunched up as she tried, in vain, to hide a giggle. Her lekku flicked back and forth and he wondered what it meant, thought about asking her, and decided against it.

His heart was beating too fast and he didn't know how long until his courage would fail him. He wanted to know so badly what she could do to him, how she could possibly kiss him in a way that would make the first one somehow less. He had thought about it so often that by this point it felt like it had become part of him, like anyone could look at him and see the imprint of her lips scored into the metal of his prosthetic. 

"You want to know?" Odessa asked. "I can…I can show you, if you like."

"Yes," Ghoul said in a rush, feeling lightheaded with anticipation. "Yes, please."

It was the first time he had said 'please' in a long time, but he dared not be rude, not now, not when she was looking at him like he wasn't somehow going to mess this up just by existing. Her eyes were so bright and she wet her lips with her tongue, making them look moist and inviting. He wished he could mirror her—it felt right, like what he might've done had he been whole. He hoped it wasn't terrible, hoped he wasn't awful and that she wouldn't regret it because he didn't know if he could handle a rejection of that magnitude.

"Here," Odessa said as she sat up on her knees, "come this way. It will be better."

He let her tug on his arm, let her pull him into scooting over until he sat more in the middle of the couch, and then, with a quickness he didn't expect, she swung her leg over his thighs and lowered herself to sit in his lap. The heat of her bottom sent another wild sensation racing through him, quick as lightning, frying all his nerves in a split second. Ghoul inhaled sharply and held his breath, like if he…if he made a move she'd change her mind.

"This is okay?" she asked, all innocence, like he was accustomed to this kind of thing. "It will be easier to kiss this way."

"I-I'll take your word for it," he whispered. 

"Good."

Odessa pressed her hand to his cheek; he couldn't feel it, but he knew it was there and that made a difference. It was just like before, just like the night he had walked her home and she surprised him, kissing him so quickly he didn't even have time to react. Ghoul inhaled sharply through his nose as she slid her other arm over his shoulder, flinching as her fingers met with the back of his neck.

"Relax," she whispered, leaning in. "Close your eyes…."

He didn't. He wanted to see her…and he was glad he didn't obey because she closed her eyes and parted her lips just the smallest amount before pressing her mouth to his ruined one and this time he thought he was prepared…but he wasn't.

He wasn't.

It was gentle, tender, lingering the same way her scent did long after he left her presence. He felt her against his upper lip, the touch of her mouth electric, causing his heart to stutter and his breath catch in his lungs. She kissed him like it was the last thing she'd ever do, her lips pliant and warm against his. Dimly he was aware it couldn't be comfortable, the way she had to work around the immovable portion of his prosthetic, but that didn't seem to stop her.

Ghoul's eyes fluttered shut of their own accord and he thought he might have made a little noise of surprise, which was…stupid. He knew this was going to happen, so what was there to be surprised about? Odessa didn't stop though, didn't pay any mind to anything weird he might have done and she was so soft, pressed against him with her whole body—he could feel every inch of her, every inch—in a way that made him wish he knew what to do with his hands.

He tried settling them on her shoulders but it was too awkward; her waist was too tempting, and her thighs…he didn't want to think about it. Ignorance was a curse in the moment, so he dropped them to the couch, gripping the edge of the cushion tight as he tried to focus on the kiss.

"Mmph," Ghoul moaned, exhaling harshly through his nose. 

Odessa pulled away, but didn't stop. She pressed her lips to his cheek, against the unfeeling synthetic mesh and then again, against his skin; it tingled where she kissed him and he wished he could take that feeling and make it last forever. She kissed the corner of his eye, his forehead, over his eyebrows and down the other side of his face where she turned his head to the side and pressed her mouth against his torn ear, the moist warmth of her breath ghosting over him and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. His skin prickled and the heat in his gut boiled over—beneath his blacks he felt his cock twitch with interest.

"Wait, wait," Ghoul gasped, hurriedly taking hold of Odessa's delicate wrists and bringing her hands away from his face. He could feel a flush spreading up his neck, coloring his ears a dark red he knew she'd notice.

"Too much?" she asked, tilting her head.

"No…yes. I mean…it…it was…."

He didn't have the words for it. He didn't know how to tell her that if she kept it up he'd only embarrass himself. His body was reacting in all the telltale ways it usually did when he touched himself during the private moments he stole in the showers or his bunk. The lazy heat crawling through him was familiar now and, to his horror, he didn't know how to make it go away.

"Do you want to stop?" Odessa asked. She had a look of concern on her face, like maybe she thought she had done something wrong.

"No," Ghoul said, despite the turmoil he felt. If she kissed him like that again…she'd know, eventually. There was no way she wouldn't be able to feel him, pressed against her as he was. But if she stopped…he didn't want her to stop.

"It is okay to say no, if you are feeling uncomfortable," she said, pulling her wrist out of his grasp to touch his head again. She seemed about as obsessed with running her hand over his buzzcut as he was, and Ghoul inhaled with a shuddering breath.

"I'm not…uncomfortable," he muttered. "Just…dunno what to do. I…I've never…never been in this situation before. I don't wanna mess it up."

"You are not messing up," she laughed, leaning in to press a kiss to his eyebrow. "You are being very stiff though…you can relax."

"I don't know how."

"Here," Odessa said, sitting up and boldly taking hold of his hands. "I will show you."

Show me what, he barely had time to think before she placed his hands directly on her hips. He startled like she had just stuck him with a live wire and he jerked his head up to stare at her in shock, only to be met with a look of what he could only describe as triumph.

"There you go," she smirked, patting the backs of his hands. "You do not need to be scared of touching me."

"I…I can?" 

He didn't want to believe it, if only because if…if she changed her mind, or laughed…if it was just part of a larger joke, then he'd….

Shut up, he snapped at the part of himself still doubting Odessa's intentions. Shut up, she's not like that.

"I am giving you permission," she said, and he swore he saw her cheeks tinge darker with a flush. "I would like it…if you did touch me."

"How?" he asked breathlessly, squeezing her hips just a bit and wishing he could appreciate the way her flesh gave way beneath his grip. She was soft, so soft. 

"Anyway you want," she said, pressing another kiss to his temple. "As long as I can keep doing this."

Ghoul swallowed thickly, having somehow worked up enough moisture in his mouth to do so. She was giving so much of herself—her kindness, her generosity, her home and now access to her body as well? It was almost too much to wrap his mind around. There was nothing he could do to reciprocate in any meaningful way…nothing she could possibly want from him that she couldn't find elsewhere, with far less trouble. She deserved so much better….

“Odie,” Ghoul said as she moved to kiss him again, “hold on…I…there’s somethin’ I need t’ show you.”

“What is it?”

She kissed the arch of his cheek and he felt like he was going to combust if she did it again. Her hips were distracting, shifting in subtle movements that did nothing to help him stave off the lust building inside of him. He felt dizzy, lightheaded, and knew that blood was rushing straight to his cock and she’d feel it, she’d know because he wasn’t in control and he didn’t know how to make it go away without jumping back out in the middle of the storm and laying facedown in a puddle of cold water. 

Ghoul pulled away from her and fumbled at his mouth, suddenly unable to find the hidden clasp that held the decorative plate fixed to his jaw. It was so easy, usually, but she was watching him, her eyes bright and blue and so beautiful—she was so beautiful and he didn’t know how he had gotten so lucky. Finally he touched the right corner and the small plate popped free, granting him a greater range of motion and revealing a fully crafted lower lip, made of the same soft silicone as his cheeks. He panted for a moment, looking up at her with the hope that she wouldn’t…wouldn’t think he was too odd, hiding from her like he had to.

But of course, he should have known better by then.

“Oh,” Odessa said, lighting up with another smile. She cupped his face in both hands and kissed him eagerly and this time, somehow, they fit together better than before. He still couldn’t feel the majority of her mouth, but there was a definite sensation that this was right. She wasn’t complaining either, but kissed him fully, slipping her tongue against his upper lip and making little noises that were almost moans. His hands fell back to her hips and he touched like she told him he could, squeezing and wishing he had more sensation in his right arm. But what was there to complain about, with her in his lap?

Slowly, he felt himself sinking back into the couch, relaxing until his head met with the soft cushion, and still Odessa kissed him, their noses pressed against each other, teeth sometimes meeting in gentle clicks that made her giggle halfway through a kiss, so that her warm breath washed over his face. She smelled so good, everything about her did—there was nothing he didn’t like about her, from the tips of her lekku down to her pretty little feet. She was…she was like nothing he could have ever dreamed of having.

He didn't know how long they were there for, didn’t know how long it had been since he had first sat down on the couch, nor did he care. Minutes, hours, days…he’d stay there until she told him to get out. His hands slid down her thighs, the last two of his fingers that could feel anything searching for the warmth of her skin, eager to feel anything other than the soft shirt she wore. She had said he could touch anywhere…why not take advantage? Odessa certainly didn’t hesitate; she had long abandoned her hold on his neck and played now with his shoulders, feeling him up, roving over his biceps and squeezing the firm muscle like she was testing him. 

“I want to see,” she whispered coyishly. “Can you undress?”

“Uh….”

“Please?”

She ran her hands over the front of his chest, pressing against his pecs and making him jump. Ghoul made the mistake of looking down and felt his stomach clench at the sight of her green hands on his abdomen, her slender fingers already seeking out the near invisible seam where the upper half of his blacks connected to the bottom. She undid it easily, and snuck her hands beneath his top, sliding them against his abs and over his ribs.

“Kark,” Ghoul groaned, dropping his head back against the couch. If he hadn’t been on the way to a full erection before that moment, he certainly was now. He could feel his cock pulsing and tried to fight back the urge to shift; any disruption and she’d notice, without a doubt. 

“Does that feel good?” she asked, scratching his sides with her short, neat nails. 

“Nnn. Uh-huh.”

He hesitated only a moment longer, indulging in being touched in a way no one had ever touched him before, and then reached over his head to grasp at the back of his blacks. He pulled them off quickly, mindful not to hit Odessa in the face, and tried to ignore the fact that someone else, someone not a doctor, was going to be able to see the ugly scarring where his prosthetics grafted into his skin. The edges of his skin around his throat piece were still a darker red—healing could take years, he had been told after the surgery, but it seemed no matter what he did there was always a sense of tenderness there. The tattoos helped camouflage the worst of it, but–

“Wow,” Odessa exclaimed, immediately leaning in to touch the ink marking his skin. “Ghoul…this is beautiful! Look at how perfect the lines are…very dark and bold. And your arm! I have never seen tattoos like these!”

Her praise washed over him like a wave, yanking him under and rolling him until he didn’t know which direction was up or down. He was proud of his ink—almost every clone was—but to hear that kind of flattery from someone else…and his tattoos had been the first thing she noticed, not the scarring on his arm or throat, but the deliberate designs he chose to etch into his skin. Odessa traced the lines making up the geometric patterns over his collarbones, and ran her other hand down his arm, staring at the full length sleeve that tapered into a fade at his wrist. 

"Got it after the prosthetics," Ghoul said, rotating his arm so she could see how the pattern covered every inch of skin. "Found a guy who did 'em the old way, none of that laser printing kark the shinies go to. Just…needle and ink."

"It sounds painful," Odessa said.

"I was still numb from the surgeries…guess I was just…tryin' to feel something again."

"Well, they are beautiful. Especially against your skin."

"My skin?"

"Mmhmm," she said, leaning forward to kiss his shoulder. Ghoul froze in place, not daring to breathe. "It is a good color, warm and bronze…it reminds me of Ryloth's desert."

"The, uhm, Jixuan?"

"You remembered! Yes, the same."

"Didn't get to see it," Ghoul gasped as Odessa slid her hands over his chest, unhindered by the protective layer his blacks had afforded him. He didn't yet know if it was for better or worse.

"Maybe one day you will," she said, dragging her nails across his skin and then, using only her middle finger, tracing a circle around one of his dusky nipples. 

“Fuck,” Ghoul gasped as it stiffened, pleasure blooming outward from that one small spot, more intense than anything he had ever experienced on his own. He bucked his hips involuntarily, a stunted jolt that did nothing to dislodge her from his lap, but she glanced up at him sharply, having obviously felt the rigid length of him pressed against the underside of her thigh. 

“Sorry,” he whispered frantically, “sorry, I–”

"Shh."

Odessa bit her lip and glanced between them, her eyes slightly hooded and her expression…contemplative. He watched her, holding his breath in anticipation as she rolled her lip between her teeth and, leisurely, trailed her fingers down his stomach. His abs jumped beneath her featherlight touch and, to his astonishment, Odessa curled her fingers beneath the waistband of his blacks and peeled the edge back deliberately.

He didn't even think to stop her before his erection came free, slapping against the lower part of his abdomen with a meaty sound that broke the silence between them and forced the air out of his lungs.

"Ooh," Odessa murmured, immediately curling a hand around his thick shaft, "you should have said something. I am not minding this."

"Ahhh," Ghoul gasped, grabbing hold of her wrist before she could do any real damage. "Wait, wait…stop. I…I can't. You can't. It's–"

"Shhh," she shushed him again, giving him a quick kiss to quell his stuttering. "Let me touch you? I have been thinking about this too."

"...y-you have?"

"Mmhmm. I told you I am attracted to you—that means this way, too."

"You don't hafta," he insisted, trying and failing to look anywhere but his cock in her dainty hand, her fingers wrapped around it, bunching the foreskin. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, and all he could feel was pleasure overriding everything, including his good senses. He couldn't let her…it was too much. He'd never forgive himself.

"But I want to," Odessa whispered, squeezing him unhurriedly. He tried to hold back the groan that ended up escaping him, but it was a futile endeavor. His grip on her wrist relaxed, just the faintest amount, and he felt he was fighting a losing battle.

"No one's…ever–" he panted, squeezing his eyes shut as she took advantage of his slackening hold to stroke his cock upward, shattering the rest of his argument.

"I know…please, let me make you feel good?"

He couldn't say no to her, he realized in that instant. She could have asked him for anything—anything at all—and he would have done everything in his power to make it happen. He felt defenseless against her…but maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Deep down, he knew he didn't want her to stop, either.

Whatever she was gonna do…he wanted her to do it.

"'Kay," he said, letting go of her wrist and curling his finger beneath her chin instead. She looked up at him with a shy smile, her cheeks and lekku dark with a blush. This time, Ghoul leaned in and kissed her, mimicking the way her mouth moved against his until she gave an airy sigh of satisfaction.

Her hand went to work, pumping his length with steady, practiced movements that tore through the vestiges of his doubt, until it was all he could do to stop himself from moaning out loud. He failed at that when he looked down and watched her roll her thumb over the head of his cock, smearing translucent precum over the tip and making the vein in his shaft throb.

"Oh fuck," he groaned, dropping his hand to her thigh, giving it a squeeze. "Fuck, that feels…ah, that feels so good."

"I like hearing you," she whispered, adding her other hand to the mix, dipping greedily past his blacks to palm his balls. "You are so beautiful…."

He didn't believe her for a second, but he was too focused on the way she was milking him to protest her ridiculous claim. Her hands were warm, soft, and the sensation of being touched by someone other than himself was so novel it kept him guessing what she'd do next. He couldn't decide between closing his eyes and giving himself over completely, or sitting up and watching because…who knew when this would ever happen again?

The way she jerked him was methodical, agonizing—he wanted to take hold of her hand and show her how he liked to fuck his fist when he was close (he was so close already but he couldn't let her know, she had only just started touching him and how embarrassing would it be to cum from just a few solid tugs?), but he was too mesmerized by the sight of her hands working him over, from the thick base back to the blunt tip. 

Odessa bent over him, pressing her lips to his shoulder in another kiss that quickly multiplied into three more as she followed an invisible path down his chest. He felt her tongue, he thought, once or twice as she licked at him, but then there was a puff of hot air against his nipple and he had only a moment to steel himself before she had enveloped the little nub of flesh in her mouth. 

"Ugggh," Ghoul groaned throatily, instinctively touching one of her lekku. "Odie, kark…."

She sucked patiently, flicking her tongue against his nipple in time with the movement of her hand on his cock and pulling noises from him like pieces of thread, like she intended to unravel him down to his core. He couldn't have kept quiet even if he had bothered to try at that point—his moans filled the room, words unneeded as he begged her to keep going, stroking the length of her lek until he reached the tapered end. He felt more than heard her resulting moan in the reverberation through his flesh as she continued to roll her tongue against his nipple, finally pulling away with a lush little pop.

"They are sensitive," she gasped as he bent the end of her lek over his finger, testing its flexibility. "Not too hard, please…."

"What if I hurt you?" Ghoul asked, hesitating.

"Do you want to hurt me?"

"No, of course not."

"Then you won't. I trust you."

Unconvinced, he lightened his touch, stroking back up the length of one thick lek with just the backs of his flesh fingers, indulging in the texture of her skin and amazed by how tensile it was. He had assumed they were stiff, like solid muscle around bone, but he was surprised at their versatility. And he…he liked the way Odessa's face looked every time he touched them.

"Am I doing it right?" he asked, fixated on the way her eyes shut and her brows knit together. 

“Mmhmm,” she moaned, pulling down his blacks to rest beneath his balls. She spat into her palm and took hold of him again, stroking him with one hand while the other rolled over his cockhead in a circular motion until he felt like he was going to black out from pleasure. Nothing could feel this good, nothing was meant to feel like this, not on purpose. Ghoul canted his hips into her grasp, wanting more than she could give, and more than he knew how to ask for. Her lek slipped from his grip and he grasped at the arm of the couch for support, clenching the cushion tight.

“Ahh, ah, Odie,” he groaned, bracing himself with both feet against the floor as he lifted his hips, holding onto her bicep with his other hand for support. The pressure was too much; he had always liked the way it felt to edge himself, to test the limits of his endurance until he couldn’t hold back any longer. His orgasms always felt better the longer he denied himself release…but there was no resisting Odessa’s hold on him. She clung to his hips with her thighs and steadied herself with nothing but her core strength—it reminded him of the way she had spun around the pole, at Rollo’s, how easily she held and carried herself across the stage, with confidence and grace.

“Shh, it is okay,” she murmured, poking her tongue between her lips as she hastened the movement of her hands, fucking him on her fist until the slip of his foreskin over his frenulum almost drove him crazy. Ghoul grabbed her wrist with the intention of pushing her off before it was too late, but she squeezed at just the right moment and he shouted, cock twitching heavily in her hold as he came all over himself, sending white streaks of seed shooting up his stomach and chest, damn near to his shoulder. 

“Fuuu—uck,” Ghoul groaned, his stomach spasming from the sudden release as Odessa milked him through it, her hand covered in his spend as she smeared it up and down his shaft. He was so sensitive, so tender it almost hurt when she continued to pump him, but the ache was decadent, luxurious in a way he hadn’t known existed before now. He panted heavily, dropping his head back against the couch and trying to catch his breath as he shuddered beneath her, his nerve endings all vying to be the first to send him in a shivering fit.

Dimly, he was aware of something warm and wet rimming his eyes, but before he could wipe it away Odessa was there, pressing her lips to the corners of his eyes and kissing him gently.

“Why tears, Freykaa?” she asked sweetly. “Was it too much?”

“N-no,” he said, chest still heaving. He closed his eyes and covered them with a shaking hand, trying to get a hold of himself. His lungs felt tight and his throat worked up and down of its own accord, but he refused, refused to cry in front of her—it was bad enough he had orgasmed so quickly, making a mess of himself and her like he was a brand new shiny fresh out of the tube. 

“I’m…I’m fine,” he managed to get out before a deep shudder worked its way through his entire body. He choked on his words and inhaled shakily, fooling no one, not even himself. Odessa kissed the corners of his eyes again, her lips soft, her skin fragrant, and her touch so gentle it almost tore a hole right through his resolve. Despite his best efforts, a few more tears slipped free, dripping down his cheeks before she wiped them away with her thumbs.

“Sorry,” Ghoul whispered, ashamed and avoiding her gaze.

"For what?" Odessa asked, no judgment in her tone. "For crying? It is nothing to apologize for. You are allowed to experience and express emotions…is it that you are not used to that?"

He didn't know how she could manage to be so pinpoint accurate with her assumptions, but it made it easier to talk to her when he didn't have to force himself to articulate his every thought. She was right, at any rate, and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak. If he didn't try to talk…he couldn't say anything incriminating. 

"You do not have to hide from me," Odessa said, cupping his cheek. Her fingers slid back to touch his ear and he grimaced, thinking about his hearing aid, but she didn't stop until she held the back of his neck. Her forehead met his in a gentle press and for a moment he wondered if it was some cruel trick of the universe or some higher power that had led him here, after all he had been through, in order to teach him some kind of cosmic lesson about humility.

"I feel stupid," he mumbled.

"Why stupid?"

"...I wanted…I didn't wanna stop. But I couldn't hold off and now it's over."

"...it does not have to be," Odessa said. She shifted and touched the tip of her finger to his member, trapped between them but still erect. He grunted at the contact and gave her a curious look.

"Is this normal for you?" she asked, pulling his cock away from where it lay against his stomach and letting it spring back. He hissed, still overly sensitive, but felt desire ramp back up in his veins as if it were the first time.

"...yeah, I guess. Always…always been able to last longer on my own, though."

Odessa nodded and traced her finger down the underside of his length, stopping just above his balls. He inhaled like a kriffing rancor and wished she'd do more, even if it ached, even if it hurt. He just…wanted her hands on him again.

"...I want you," she confessed after teasing him with more deliberate touches. "I do not mind saying it. If…if you—"

"Yes," Ghoul interrupted breathlessly. "Whatever you're about to say, yes. I…I want you too. I don't want to stop an' I don't have anywhere to be."

She bit her lip and he wanted to bite it too, wanted to leave her with the imprint of his teeth in a place she wouldn't soon forget, just so he could say he had been there, if only for a short time.

Ghoul watched her, dread and anticipation warring with one another inside of him as he waited for her to say something. It was selfish to hope for more than she had already given him, but maybe her kindness had spoiled him—if she was willing, then he'd take everything she had to give. As if seeking to convince her, he took the end of one of her lekku and lifted it to his mouth for a brief kiss. She gasped, her hand pressed against her chest in an instant.

"I…I wanna make you feel good too," he said, hoping it was the right kind of thing to say. 

Her lekku spasmed, curling in a way he had come to associate with some kind of positive emotion. Hope welled up inside of him when she smiled, her cheeks bluish-green as she blushed prettily.

"I would like that," Odessa admitted. Then, without warning, she threaded one lek through the stretched neckline of her shirt, yanking the rest up and over her head in one swift motion.

Oh, Ghoul thought, before higher brain function failed him.

It didn't occur to him that she might be naked beneath her clothes, but there she was, all of her, bright and nude and svelte, perched atop his thighs and smiling for all the world like she had just won a game only she knew they were playing.

"I would like that very much."

#star wars oc #clone wars oc #odessa x ghoul #friend oc #THE WAY I STRUGGLED #but i will not be conquered #sorry to leave ya'll like this #but 42 pages is a lot #and im not trying to make it 80 in one go lmao #UGH #THE BABIES #the mun writes

[saturn-sends-hugs]

Ask and ye shall receive:

Ok first off, I’m gonna try to keep this somewhat short since I have WAY too many of these uh…

Literally longer than my longfic rn 🫠. And this is discounting ones just floating elsewhere (and about 99% (heh. ow.) of it is angst) so I’m just gonna pick three happier headcanons for the Batch. Which are still very, very long 😅

1. Cooking

Tech cannot cook. He reads the recipe, he will follow it to the T, but for reasons he can absolutely never understand (substituting ingredients for things that would work in theory but very much so do not), what he ends up with is dubious at best and dangerous at worst. (Never let Tech near a microwave. Ever. He will get ideas)

Hunter thinks he can cook. He knows how to make packaged meals and simple stuff like that, but he cannot cook. Omega would absolutely never ask him to cook because no one wants the space equivalent of a plain baloney sandwich for every meal of the day.

Wrecker can cook, he just doesn’t like to. You’re telling me I have to spend two hours putting these ingredients together for a meal when I could just eat them as is? He doesn’t see the point of making sides or extra stuff instead of just making the food edible as soon as possible. (Not to say that he doesn’t like all the extra stuff, he just would pretty much never spend the time to make it himself)

Crosshair could cook. If he wanted to. He does not.

And ofc Echo can cook, his very first shore leave he went out to buy cooking tools and sat with Tech to modify them into scomp attachments. He learned since he’s always been a picky eater and just liked something other than ration bars most of the time. But also since he’s a picky eater, a lot of the times he’ll cook for the batch and make something completely separate for himself. And maybe for Omega. Cause she wanted space mac n cheese too. (am i projecting here MAYBE MAYBE LISTEN— i could go on abt my autistic/picky eater echo headcanons (100% self-inserts) all day but that’s for another post lol)

2. Sleeping

Tech sleeps like a cartoon character, ass directly in the air with his pillow all fluffed under his head.

Wrecker sleeps completely starfished on his back snoring louder than one would think possible.

Crosshair sleeps like the dead, arms directly at his sides and he wakes up the exact same way, just opening his eyes and slowly levering up to sitting like a mummy or something.

Hunter sleeps like a normal person (lol), but he has big sound canceling headphones since his senses would never let him sleep with Wreckers snoring.

Echo doesn’t like sleeping, but when he does, he sleeps curled as tightly as possible with his back to the wall. Eventually the batch get him a weighted blanket and Tech makes him a heated mattress, but he still never likes sleeping :)

3. Swearing (once Omega is with them):

Tech isn’t usually one to swear anyway, so it’s not difficult for him to just not when Omega is around.

Wrecker would make up fun replacements like cheese and crackers or H E double hockey sticks-type things.

Hunter would try his best, but he would get like halfway through before he changes it like “Holy shiiiiiiiitaké” yknow?

I’m a bit undecided on Crosshair, he would either act all cold and tough but absolutely never swear around Omega and flick toothpicks at whoever accidentally does, or he just wouldn’t care. Fully like “Fuck you, dipshit,” and Hunter would just glare at him until Cross fixes himself like “Sorry, sorry, I meant asshole.”

And Echo would be the one enforcing the rule. He’s the one glaring at Hunter when he accidentally slips up and starts to swear, he would cover Omegas ears when there’s people at Cid’s, he’s just the mom.

However. He’s an arc trooper. He was in Anakin’s battalion, he’s Fives’ twin, and he straight up says “What the hell,” within the first few minutes we meet him. Omega knows more curse words than the average pirate, but she has no idea that’s what they are because every time Echo swears around her, it goes like this:

Echo: *long string of botched mando’a swears*

Omega: *repeats them*? What’s that mean?

Echo (immediately blushing and freaking out): Nothing, nothing! It’s super boring, it just means… uh…….. socks…

And Omega would never know until she repeats it to one of the others and they all just turn to glare at Echo as he desperately tries to melt into the floor.

And lastly, bonus from the dredges of my notes app:

I have SO many more but I’m gonna stop myself there 😅 And uh, while I was scrolling through my notes I found a TON of stuff I just?? Never posted?? So idk, I’m thinking of doing like a weekly headcanon/wip/notes-app-whatever post just to put them out there or something, idk. (Should I?)

Gonna tag @gentle-hero-blog @phis-writing and @jealous-sloth77 since y’all wanted this lol

#saturn sends thoughts #and there’s a lot of them #this isn’t even getting into actual wips #i have one titled snatched that was gonna be a super crack-y april fools thing where a certain persons wig is lost #and i have more hcs for them dancing or singing or like how they would surprise the others on their birthdays #or ig decanting days whatever #and then literally so many for angst #just #so many #sw tbb #do i actually believe crosshair sleeps like a mummy #(no) yes yes i fully do

[kaminocasey]

Congratulations on 700 my babe! I'm so proud!!! If this is too late, don't sweat it!

I would love to read 'I think I might be in love with you' with Tup, please?

He was my first love ❤️

Kitty, my loveeee!!! Thank youuuuu!!!! <3 <3 <3

Tup holds such a special soft place in my heart. I love him so freaking much, I cannot put it into words!!!

WC: 1.2K (I swear Tup always brings out the most words in me lol)

Warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI; Suggestive language??

“GET DOWN!” Tup tackles you to the ground as Fives comes by shooting the Umbaran who almost took you out. 

Chest heaving, you stare at the dead Umbaran, terrified for the first time in your life. You thought this was going to be an easy mission. In and out. You were wrong. 

Maker, were you wrong.

You look at Tup as he’s still covering you, staring down at you, wide eyed. 

“Are you alright?” You ask each other at the same time.

Without being able to laugh it off like you normally would, you both nod and he climbs off of you and helps you up.

“Keep moving.” Rex tells you, patting you on the back. “Shake it off.”

“Yes, captain.” You nod, sticking close to Tup and Fives, trying not to show the fear that was coursing through your veins for the first time ever.

If you get out of this alive, you’ll have to take Tup out for a drink to thank him for saving your life.

“You think you’ll ever tell her how you feel?” Fives asks Tup as they’re standing on the gunship, heading back to the Venator, watching you patch Kix up. 

“Probably not.” Tup shrugs, unable to tear his eyes away from you.

Today was a close call. You almost got shot but luckily he was able to cover you in time. He thought about it the entire battle. Even during their time of taking Krell down, all he’d been able to think about was you. Even when they’d almost executed Jesse and Fives on a stupid order from Krell… you were on his mind. 

You walk back over to Tup and Fives, just to check on them again, but also to ask Tup out for that drink. 

“Hey.” You murmur. 

“Hi.” Tup looks down at you, standing straighter, more alert, like he needed to be on alert at all times to make sure you were protected.

You felt the same way about him. You have since the moment you met the sweet, shy, clone trooper. 

“Hi.” You smile softly up at him.

“Hey.” He smiles back.

“Ugh.” Fives shakes his head, amused, and walks away. 

“Do you maybe want to get a drink with me when we get back to Coruscant?” You ignore Fives, only seeing Tup anyway.

Tup smiles down at you. “I’d really like that.”

His smile sets your heart fluttering into your stomach. 

When you get back on the Venator, you head up the medbay with Kix to help him with some stuff since he took a blaster shot to the shoulder.

“I think you should be resting, honestly.” You tell him after you finish putting up the new medical supplies that had just come in from Coruscant. 

“Hm. I’d much rather hear about Tup saving your ass today. I heard it was very heroic.” He grins, sitting in his chair at his desk. 

You roll your eyes and sit on the edge of Kix’s desk. “And who’d you hear that from?”

“Fives.” Kix laughs. “Duh.”

You should’ve known. That’s on you. 

“It was very heroic. I asked him to get a drink when we returned planetside.” You tell him. “To say thanks for saving my life.”

“Mmhm. I’m sure that’s all the drink is for.” Kix teases.

“You’re almost more insufferable than Fives.” You get up with a laugh.

“You take that back!” Kix calls to you as you start to leave the medbay. “No one is more insufferable than Fives!” 

As you laugh when you round the corner of the doorway, you run smack into someone’s plastoid armor. Quickly embarrassed, you look up to apologize, but find Tup smiling down at you.

“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this.” You chuckle.

Tup rubs his neck, embarrassed as well.

“Oh brother.” Fives shakes his head once again and starts to walk off.

“Where are you going?” Tup calls after him.

“Anywhere where there aren’t two lovestruck idiots.” Fives calls back.

“Make sure not to go anywhere near mirrors!” You grin, making Tup laugh.

“That’ll be hard to do. The man keeps two on him at all times.” Tup starts walking with you, going the opposite way he was coming from.

“Have you eaten yet? Are you hungry?” You ask him.

“I could eat.” He nods, grinning. 

The two of you walk in comfortable silence down to the ship’s mess hall. You just hope he can’t hear your heart beating right out of your chest. Your arms are brushing against each other and while he’s got his armor on, you still can’t help the warmth that floods your body. 

When you get to the mess hall, you get your food and sit down next to each other, side by side, against a wall so you can see the rest of the mess hall.

“Can I admit something?” You ask him.

“Of course.” He looks at you, softly.

“I was terrified today…” You tell him, looking around to make sure no one heard you admit such a thing.

He nods. “I was too.”

You look at him with slight surprise, never hearing a clone trooper admit to being afraid of anything. But here Tup is, being honest and open with you. It warms your heart.

“Really?” You ask him.

“Really. I was afraid of… losing you.” He murmurs, placing his hand over yours that rests on the seat so no one can see. 

You feel your lips part as you look up into his warm brown eyes. 

“You’re afraid of losing me?” You whisper.

“Terrified.” He nods.

“But… why?” You ask.

“Because…” He looks around again, making sure no one is listening in on you two. “Because I’m… I think… I might be… well, no… I am…”

“Tup?” You smile.

“I’m in love with you…” He practically gasps for air after struggling to get his words out.

“Oh Tup…” You squeeze his hand, grinning up at him. “I am too, you know.”

The urge to crush your lips to his is way too strong here in the middle of the mess hall. 

“Oh thank the Maker.” He lets out a deep sigh and you can’t help but laugh. 

“If we weren’t around people, I’d kiss you.” You murmur.

“Well, then let’s fix that, yeah?” He gets up and throws away his trash.

You follow behind, eagerly, as he leads you to a closet down the hall that you both know no one goes near or uses.

“Is this-” He starts but you practically jump into his arms, kissing him until you’re both absolutely breathless.

He backs you up against a shelf and you moan softly against his lips as he picks you up. Your legs slide against his plastoid armor ever so slightly but he keeps firm arms around you so that you’re supported. 

“Wanted to do that since the moment I met you.” He murmurs, brushing his lips softly over yours and you hum in agreement.

You pull his hair tie out, slipping it down your wrist and then card your fingers through his long hair, massaging his scalp. He closes his eyes and lets out a soft sigh. 

“Feel good?” You smile.

“Maker, yes.” He opens his eyes and kisses you again.

“As soon as we get back to Coruscant and to my place, I’ll treat you to a scalp massage.” You promise him.

“I can’t wait.” He rests his forehead against yours.

The day started off terrible and gloomy, but at least your future looks bright.

TAGS: @twistedstitcher27 @rebel-finn @grievouus @madameminor @dumfanting @rain-on-kamino @corona-one @tecker @ladykatakuri @brynhildrmimi @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @zoeykallus @maulslittlemeowmeow @littlemousedroid @arctrooper69 @rexxdjarin @agenteliix @padawancat97 @hated-by-me @sleepingsun501 @crosshairmylove587 @idlenesses @redheadgirl @dnxgma @themcuwriter @ashotofspotchka @sunshinesdaydream @crosshairsimp73 @ariadnes-red-thread @rosmariner @heyitsaloy @starstofillmydream @high-ct5555 @echos-girlfriend @sleepywych @nekotaetae @justanothersadperson93 @brownstalebread @aconstructofamind @book-of-baba-fett @chopper-base @palliateclaws @501st-rexster @dead-poolz @allsystemsblue

#kc700 #tcw #the clone wars #tcw tup x reader #tcw tup x you #clone trooper tup #clone trooper tup x reader

[boraxquinn]

{Mun talking: ooc}

It’s only 9:07pm my time but I’m going to be watching the SM new years concert so I thought I better do this now.

I wanted to take a moment to thank people special to me and this blog and my muses. I’ve been writing since 2012, this blog since 2013. I’ve met so many people since then. Some have stayed some have gone. Either way, I’m thankful to everyone who has wrote with me and made so many fun moments. ☺️

@sunflower-dancing : you’re are my bestie! I feel bad when I can’t help you in you’re struggles. But know even if I don’t know what to say or I’m busy at work, I always read all of your messages and listen to what you say. So never feel bad to talk to me. ^^

@frekiheimr : I’m so happy I met you. You are a very special person to me. And I love all of our ships. Those are my babies ^^ also thank you for helping me whenever I get sick. Like when I got lost in the airport, had a panic attack then arrived in California by myself and got sick. You were very comforting and calmed me down until I got help.

@multixkpopxrp : another person I’m happy I met this year. I love you’re writing and you’re Jin takes such good care of Bora. He has made her so happy and confident again. And you’re Innie was the first friend for Tsuki. I know it’s been a really hard year for you so I appreciate every time to write with me on you’re free time. I hope for only good things for you in 2023.

@munniexmuses : I’m so happy we finally found muses that clicked together. I love Yuta and Ten together and you are such a sweet person. I know you have struggles, but you never let that get in your way. You are such a trooper! I’m proud of you!

@lixlatte I know we have been following each other for awhile but we never really had muses that talked to each other. So I was very surprised when you liked Tsuki so much 😆 but I think this is so awesome and we found a way to click now. I’m glad you are back and I hope you are happy,healthy and continue to be so.

I know I have made mistakes this year. I have hurt people. People I’m friends with hurt others. For all my mistakes, I apologize and I want to learn from my mistakes and f*ck ups. I want to spread kindness and make this space and safe space for everyone who wants to write. And just escape from life and have fun. 

Also some more honorable mentions of people I consider special friends to me. I would write something for each of you but… b*tch I’m tired lol but I love you. I hope you all have a good 2023!

@beommiya @flamc @ondubyu @chaeflm @rapmonkive @sunshineofbts @itsjeonjk @defxjaebeom @xhyunjinz @fxllxnbx @superwomanfolks @tiffxny-alive @yunhogizerrr @tuggeriisms @elaralune @weareriots @thelonelynoones @xjinyoungx

(If I forgot anyone, my apologies!!)

🥳🥳🥳Happy 2023 everyone!! 🥳🥳🥳

#ooc

[dirtbag-linecook-kyloren]

star wars for the fandom ask lol

I have to stop doing these tihngs and then having thinGS COME UP IM SORRY

god i'm so new to this fandom I've consumed so little media that's not fIC IM SORRY IF SOME OF THESE ANSWERS ARE B A S I C

otp: YOU KNOW WHO!! MY TWO W A R C R I M I N A L S Kylux lol

favourite canon pairing: Padme and Anakin because despite what I write and read in fic I DO love a tragedy and a tragic romance

worst pairing ever: I won't pretend that I haven't read some reylo fan fiction, but the lack of awareness about how WILDLY UNHEALTHY that relationship dynamic would be is WILD. Like, I don't think Kylux is a healthy ship either, but as LEAST we're self aware of it. We aren't pretending it's all normal and cool?? Homeboy killed a bunch of children??

guilty pleasure pairing: (Does BenArmie count because that's definitely my answer but if it doesn't count) Kylo/Hux/the storm trooper reject from Intermediary by Jayne. ALL HAIL JALEN

a pairing you want to see more: I want to ship Poe with weirder options. I normally default to either FinnRey or FinnPoe and when I do FinnRey I really want to explore the weirdest people I could ship him with. Also in my west wing au there's a story line that involves cardinal/hux because it parallels with a west wing story line well I'm really excited for it.

that pairing everyone likes but you’re like “lol no” : Hux and Poe. Happy as hell for the people who like it, but I can't?? I think it's because I love making Poe Kylo's awkwardly close to the family ex, as someone who's got that?? Like my husbands ex is his moms roommate and comes to christmas, it's another real experience I can put in a fic.

favorite non-romantic pair: Kylo and Rey as Siblings is my! Favorite! Thing! as someone who has a sibling!! like it's so fun to take my childhood stories and put them in fic as little easter eggs, especially because my sister also writes fic!!

[the-bi-space-ace]

I’m Ace 🪐

To start with the basics: my pronouns are she/they, & I’m an adult. Writing is a relaxing and fun hobby for me and I love talking about headcanons and fictional characters.

I have an interest in a lot of fandoms but right now my current favorite fandoms are The Bad Batch and The Clone Wars animated series. I play a lot of video games, watch a lot of shows, read a ton of fanfic, and just generally love fandom spaces. My content is (generally) SFW but I do post some NSFW stuff occasionally (just a warning).

Spoiler tags I’ll be using for the new season of the bad batch:

tbb s3 spoilers

tbb season 3 spoilers

tbb spoilers

tbb season 3

Follows & likes from thebispaceace

If you want to DM me do it here: thebispaceace.tumblr.com

Masterlist Below!

The Calling Me Home Series

You’re Calling Me Home Like A Ship That Got Wrecked After a short break on Coruscant the Batch moves onto their next mission. Tensions run high as things go south quickly and old ghosts come back to haunt them. Can they pull together and make it out alive? Part 1

Keep These Shadows Out In the aftermath of Echo's capture and rescue from the Separatists a suspicious incident drives the team to abandon their leave and take up arms again. They'll be pushed to their limits while they try to protect not only each other but the Republic as a whole. Part 2

The World Tumbles Down The team must unravel the mystery of who is responsible for the corruption in the senate once and for all - no matter the cost. Part 3 (Ongoing)

There's Always A Place For You & I Cody & Obi-Wan have been falling in love in the background of the Calling Me Home series. This story follows them in the empty spaces. Part 4 (Ongoing)

Multi-Chapter

A Matter of Trust How the batch came to trust Echo and want him to join their squad.

Alive Artemy is dead. Artemy is not supposed to be dead. Daniil is going to bring him back. (NSFW)

The Spy Who Shagged Me Echo & Quinlan are tasked with going undercover in a night club to catch an infamous crime lord. Turns out they were an even better match than anyone could've imagined.

The Clones Celebrate Halloween

The Importance of Tradition Cody’s annual haunted cruiser takes a surprising turn (Order 66 fix it)

His Light is Diminishing Hunter pretending to be the girl from the ring to mess with his brothers

Golden After helping save a small planet from a Separatist occupation the local people invite the 212th and 501st to join in on their Harvest Celebration.

Trick or Trooper the padawans at the Jedi temple really love the clones and Rex and Cody get some time off

Game Over The Batch plays a spooky video game together

Cody & Obi-Wan

Write On Me Rex accidentally reveals Cody’s crush on Obi Wan

Cologne Cody thinks about Obi-Wan alone in his quarters (NSFW)

Be My Valentine Cody & Obi-Wan teach a group of Padawans what Valentine's Day is.

Later Cody & Obi-Wan get together & it is spicy (NSFW)

He's So Beautiful The spicy scene from 'Later' from Obi-Wan's perspective (NSFW)

Anatomically Correct While on a video call with his brothers Cody learns a thing or two about Valentine's Day and decides to plan a Valentine's date for Obi-Wan.

One Shots

Oh, Shut Up Crosshair helps Echo through a nightmare

In Their Own Ways someone hurts Echo and Crosshair gets angry

We’re All You’ve Got Hunter gets a migraine and gets taken care of

I’m Right Here Echo has a nightmare about the Rishi Outpost. Fives is there to make it better.

Liability Tech is insecure about his place in the squad. The batch make sure he knows he’s wanted.

The Stages of Grief: The Bad Batch Loses Their Favorite Restaurant The Batch is hangry

4 Times Wrecker Carried His Brothers & 1 Time They Carried Him the title says it all lol

Hold On & Don’t Let Go the batch sets Tech’s broken femur

Distractions The Batch are little shits while Echo practices scomping in

Valentine's Day on the Marauder Echo doesn’t do a great job at explaining what Valentine’s Day is traditionally. Wrecker decides to throw them the best Valentine’s Day ever.

Whatever It Takes The Techno Union places a bounty on Echo. The Bad Batch and the 501st race to get it removed.

Name Day Echo is floored when he learns that his new squad doesn't celebrate their name days. He sets out to rectify that problem.

again & again & again While rescuing Crosshair from Dr. Hemlock Echo finds himself reminded of his own stay in the clutches of Wat Tambor.

Proud Rex sees the twins in their ARC armor for the first time and remembers just how important they are to him.

On Stage & Off Key the bad batch goes to a karaoke bar

Just The Right Amount of Joy Fives & Echo make their older brothers dance bc they are being grumps

Softie Rex might have been having a little too much fun gossiping with Obi-Wan and Cody overhears it. Fluff follows.

A Promise Kept Hunter makes a promise. Echo holds him to his word. (Major Character Death Heavy Whump)

Maintenance Crosshair internalizes a comment a Kaminoan scientist says to him during a physical exam. It spirals faster than anyone could have expected. (Whump TW Disordered Eating)

Forget Me Not Fives and Echo give each other flowers over the years.

Happy Lula Day When an older cadet makes Wrecker feel unlovable the rest of clone force 99 takes the matter into their own hands by giving Wrecker his first ever Valentine's Day present.

Your Intel Was Good Crosshair & Echo have a heart-to-heart after the mission on Barton IV. Maybe things aren’t as different between them as Crosshair had feared.

Dead Weight When Crosshair is kidnapped by the Haxion brood and forced to fight in the ring he makes an unlikely ally.

Modern AU

You Better Watch Out Wolffe is tasked with distracting the two young twins - Fives & Echo - while Rex, Cody, and Fox wrap their Christmas presents. Wolffe chooses to tell them a story to keep them busy.

Stargate SG-1

Grow Where You Are Planted Episodic slow burn following Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson

Trick-or-Treat The Stargate team takes Cassie on her first night of Trick-or-Treating!

Thanks for stopping by ❤️

#get to know me #realized I never posted one of these #ace's masterlist

[vodika-vibes]

Hey, babes, I'm back, but only because you asked for a Dogma request, lol. I am very happy to oblige 🥰

I left my paper with all my notes on it at work, so I'm trying to remember what gemstone and time I haven't asked for yet...

So, let's do Dogma, with a tanzanite, and 0600 (because it's Dogma, lol 😂)

Please and thank you 💚💚💚

@the-bad-batch-baroness

I See You

Summary: You and Dogma are nothing alike, and that’s why you work so well together. You just have to remind him from time to time.

Pairing: Clone Trooper Dogma x GN!Reader

Word Count: 661

Prompt: Tanzanite - Perceptive Love

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Alright! This is written, I'm going to take another nap on the couch now that I've eaten and hydrated. Hopefully the naps will help. Happy reading~

You and Dogma don’t make sense on paper.

The pair of you are as opposite as day and night in many ways. He’s neat and organized, while you’re not so much. He’s a stickler for the rules, and you've always viewed the rules as guidelines, rather than hard edicts.

He’s not much of a people person, and you’re something of a social butterfly.

No. On paper, the two of you don’t make sense, but you do work together. 

He brings some much needed order to your life, and you help him see that there’s more to life than being a soldier. Sure, there were some growing pains when your relationship first started, but you haven’t had any problems in months. 

So when Dogma starts pulling away, you’re concerned. 

Your immediate concern is that one of his brothers put a thought into his head, made him think that he’s breaking a rule by dating you. It’s happened before, after all. Though when you put your foot down and told his brothers that you would date Dogma or you would date none of them, that stopped right quick.

But, the more you watched him, the more you realized that this was something else.

It had to be something else.

So you wake with his alarm early one morning, when the sun is still low over the horizon, and you settle against the headboard as you watch him get ready for the day. 

He likes keeping his schedule the same, even on days when he’s not working, which is why he’s awake at 0600 every morning. It can be frustrating, but you love him, so you deal with it.

He’s watching you with dark eyes, “Why are you awake, cyare?” Dogma asks, “You never wake up this early on your days off.”

You tilt your head as you watch him pull a loose tee shirt over his head, “I’m thinking.” You muse thoughtfully, as you allow your gaze to trace the geometric tattoos that run down his arm.

He folds his arms, “About what?”

Your gaze drifts up to his face, and you trace the tattoo on his face with a small, fond smile. “You, mostly.” A flush raises onto his cheeks and he averts his gaze. His shoulders seem to curl in on him, and you frown.

Your Dogma is so clever. He knows wartime and battles and weapons and ships-

But you know people. You read people like he reads books. And you don’t like what you’re reading on his body.

“Dogma,” You slide to the edge of the bed, reaching out for him, “When did you become so uncertain of my love for you?” You ask softly, “Have I said something?”

His gaze snaps to yours, “I’ve never doubted that!”

“Then,” You muse thoughtfully, “Perhaps you’re unsure of your love for me?”

“Never,” His arms unfold and he slides his hands into yours before he kneels at your feet, “I’m not sure about a lot of things, cyare, but you…I’ve never doubted how I feel for you. Or how you feel for me.”

You slide your hands up his arms to press them against his face, “But you are unsure about something.”

He hesitates, “One of my brothers,” Dogma finally admits, “has been telling me that I don’t deserve you. And,” he sighs, quiet and slow, “I can’t help but think that he’s got a point.”

You’re quiet for a moment, “Dogma,” You lightly tug him in to brush your lips against his, “My opinion on this remains as it was when we first started dating.”

He shoots you a puzzled look.

Your smile is soft, “My choice is you. It’s always been you. It’ll always be you.”

Dogma smiles, it's a small thing, but it’s real, and he pulls your head down to press your forehead against his. “How do you always know what to say?”

“Because I see you, Dogma. I always have. And I like what I see.”

#star wars #tcw #vodika vibes 500 followers celebration #clone trooper dogma x reader #dogma x reader #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #gn!reader fic #answered asks

[kithtaehyung]

The new reader here (I'm Ana, btw, Hi!). So far I love 3 tan, first love, last love (I read there will be a second part????), the ex not missed, last november (IS THERE A SECOND PART?). I'll start with Namjoon's fics today (after work *cries in misery*) so I guess the list will just grow from now on lol. And hi Jordan! I love you even after the last chapters clifhanger! Thanks for the fic recs!!!!

Hi, Ana!!🥺 Glad to meet you and have a good time at work :D And then it’s Joonie fics time🤪

Oh my god wait you’ve read SO much hold on. 3tan and first love, last love is already 153k😵‍💫 (also I just noticed this holy heck) and then the seokjin fics add another what, 50k? What a trooper I’m happy you’ve read all of that😭💕

Yes, so I’m revamping FL3 and writing a drabble for it, and Last November will get an epilogue because I miss that couple so much🥹 Be on the lookout!

(LMAOOO jordan you’ve got something to say to that cliffhanger??🤣 You’re being summoned to court I think.)

#nice to meet you! #ana!! #lovely people #*ryenfictalk #mailbox💌

[jessefandomunited]

I honestly feel like it's a trait in people using ADHD as an excuse to be shit victim-complex friends. You are not the issue here, and there's only so much of a good friend you can be before you start pulling pieces of yourself off in the hopes that it'll make them happy.

Spoiler: It won't make them happy.

You're 28. I'm 29. We're both learning at the similar time that sometimes, it's better to let go of a friendship that's hurting you than keep going just because it's been ten years. I knew my austic ADHD friend since we were both like 13, and yeah, quietly taking more space for myself until we couldn't hear each other any more was tough at first. But then I realised how beautiful that quiet was - it let people who didn't want to use me speak up, and their voices were more beautiful. I've had other friends for 10 years, 9 years... it doesn't matter the length of time. People change, and they see you changing, too. And sometimes, if they don't like what they see you changing into (usually because it makes them feel shitty about themselves because while you're moving on, they're still stuck in the same place and don't want to move on), they'll try in vain to bring you down with them, or they'll be horribly mean. I've had both done to me, and letting go of the friendships has been liberating.

Do yourself a favour. Be your own main character.

Yours with love, one of your supporting characters <3

It really means a lot that you said that and let me tell you you are much more than one of my supporting characters because that was wonderful. I think what gave me the most pause was I have been looking on redit and tik tok trying to find people in similar situations and a lot of adhd people were on both sides . Like there were far fewer saying “ you need to stop using adhd as an excuse” because it like pushed the thought that adhd people are lazy . And I don’t think that I think continuing saying that about anything will limit what your brain believes you can do. I mean it took me a while to stop using my anxiety as an excuse to blow up someone’s phone if they texted me something I could see as mean. It was a terrible trate and I didn’t want that part of me to ruin my friendships. So I worked on it. I think for anyone if it’s important to you, you’ll work on it and if you coddle yourself in your brain too much you will not grow. Like if I have a headache but get over it and I’m good to run but I coddle myself and say “ nooo you were just in pain you don’t need to” then the next thing I know almost two months have gone by and I only ran like two or three times ( still getting my 10000 steps though so not worry lol).

But it’s like I know that their brain works differently but i think because of that it’s your job to figure out how to make sure you get your adult responsibilities done. Like they don’t seem to forget to go to work or their work schedule, or their job duties at work , or that rent is due. Like what do they do to remember that. And all I’m asking for is for them to text me or reach out personally, a real apology where they take accountability and for us to have a sit down talk or phone call. If they cannot do that to save our friendship, then I feel like there really wasn’t much of a friendship to begin with, which hurts to even think about.

If you’re still reading this you’re a trooper and I will say I’m surprisingly not as doom and gloom as I sound. I’ve actually been pushing myself to become the person I wanna be. While Amy wants to stay in side and binge more criminal minds and rennfeild till my mind bleeds. My other ideal self Piper has been pushing me to do more activities. She downloaded meetup and we’ve gone out to singles night and a sound bath thing ( which was so relaxing). She’s made me say yes when people ask me to hang out after an even that went till 10. She’s pushed me to make sure I’m consistently trying to plan things with my grandma and siblings because even though , yes they can plan too, I’m okay with doing a little extra to get some one on one time with them. I’ve been trying to cut down how much I do it with my friends because I think it should be mutually planning unless it’s a theme park trip I will plan that lol. She’s pushed me to journal in a coffee shop every Saturday morning as a consistent thing I can look forward to. I’ve been trying new styles , taking myself on more dates , and hardest of all, actually spending money on myself. I’ve stopped worrying about gas and have been over to my other friends house more because I typically just wanted people to come over to mine ( especially when I was planning it). I’ve been really shifting myself to be the person I want to be a kind magnetic person that people just love to be around. That is my goal and I’m getting there , I already feel more positive about my life as a whole and I feel like I’m finally actually living it.

Wow that brought a lot out of me, thank you again for that I feel really at peace about the whole situation. It’s just whenever I think about it it just makes me a bit upset with how I’ve been treated. But it’s good to revisit those emotions just to remember it’s okay to feel them, but not to wallow in them.